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Journalist Joe Donnohue noted audible groans from the Leeds United crowd after Brenden Aaronson was asked to warm up in their intense 1-1 draw against Leicester City.

What's the latest on Aaronson and Leeds?

The Whites faced a hugely important task on Tuesday night as they looked to pick up three crucial points in the Premier League, coming up against relegation rivals Leicester.

Indeed, the home side came into the match only one place and one point above the Foxes – who in turn sit just one point and one place above the bottom three.

Javi Gracia and co were lucky to not go behind when Youri Tielemans saw his goal disallowed for an offside in the build up, but there was nothing fortunate in their repsonce as Jack Harrison whipped in a fine cross for Luis Sinisterra to head in the opener.

With the game still at 1-0 to the home team as it entered the final 25 minutes or so, American midfielder Aaronson was sent to warm up by his manager. Evidently unhappy with this, the home faithful made their feelings known, as noted on Twitter by Donnohue.

The journalist wrote: "Audible groans from the West Stand as Aaronson is summoned back to the bench from his warm-up. He's coming on soon."

Why was Aaronson booed at Elland Road?

Seeing as the £45k-p/w Leeds man hasn't been in the best form of late – with just one assist and zero goals in his last 17 league outings – it's not hard to see why some weren't excited to see Aaronson called upon.

But Gracia showed the faith and opted to bring on the 22-year-old for Rodrigo as the Whites hoped but failed to hold on to their slender one-goal lead thanks to Jamie Vardy.

With an average WhoScored rating of 6.48 in the league this term, you can hardly say Aaronson has been a star of late. Still, a lot of the Elland Road groans may have more related to the fact that fellow winger Wilfried Gnonto wasn't getting a chance.

Indeed, before the game, there had been calls – for example from YouTuber Conor McGilligan – to start the Italian, who has now failed to start in any of the last five games he's been available for.

Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo has come under fire for his involvement in the opening goal on Monday night against Liverpool.

What did Firpo do?

Javi Gracia's side went into the game at Elland Road knowing they had an opportunity to climb five points above the relegation zone with a win.

However, it was not to be as the Yorkshire club were forced to accept a second straight defeat at home in just over a week.

And the points were all but sealed within the first half as goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah provide the Reds with a comfortable lead going into the break.

The opener came as a result of Firpo's careless touch which was intercepted by Trent Alexander-Arnold who then went on to provide a stunning cross for the Dutchman.

There were calls for the goal to be disallowed with Alexander-Arnold intercepting the ball with his arm, but VAR did not intervene to disallow the goal.

And speaking on Sky Sports' coverage of the game in Yorkshire, Jamie Carragher took aim at the £60k-per-week ace for his carelessness in the lead-up to the goal:

"I mean, I must say it's really poor from Firpo. You know, he's claiming for handball but it's a really poor touch and then pass as he tries to put it past that man Trent who's now got two assists in two games and Gakpo gets his goal."

Should the goal have been disallowed?

There is certainly a case to be made for VAR potentially missing the opportunity to intervene and provide Leeds with some relief from going a goal behind.

Alexander-Arnold's arm was moving away from his body, but it was not deemed as a deliberate act by VAR as they failed to step in.

The issue which Leeds fans will have with the decision is that the Liverpool right-back was the man who then took the ball and provided the cross for the opening goal.

But there is definitely an argument to be made for criticising Firpo's lacklustre attempt at playing the ball beyond Alexander-Arnold.

It felt as if it was neither a heavy touch nor a pass with the left-back seemingly caught between two minds under the pressure of the Reds.

And this is something which Leeds simply cannot afford from their players at this stage of the season.

It was a night to forget for the left-back who endured a poor 90 minutes at Elland Road after giving the ball away 15 times throughout the game (via SofaScore).

And his defensive return was hardly impressive either as he failed to provide his side with a single tackle as he was dribbled past once.

Only six games remain for the Whites now and with a serious threat of relegation on their minds, providing the opposition with opportunities like Firpo did simply have to be ruled out – regardless of the thoughts on VAR's decision.

Tottenham Hotspur do boast some incredible talent, however, it is quality that has certainly been utilised in questionable ways.

With the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in attack, most managers should have been able to quickly find the necessary additions to supplement such world-class talent.

However, with Antonio Conte the latest casualty of this doomed project, it marks yet another setback for the Lilywhites and their long-term vision.

With Cristian Stellini now overseeing the short-term and seeking to somehow get his side back into contention for those coveted top four spots, perhaps in an effort to freshen up a tired outfit who have endured real struggles under the recent bosses, the Italian, or whoever might take his spot, could look to his academy for an injection of youthful exuberance.

Of those in and around the setup, there are a few standout names who would be more than deserving of a call-up. However, in an effort to add more goals to this outfit, Dane Scarlett could perhaps be prioritised when his loan comes to a conclusion this summer.

Who is Dane Scarlett?

Having been at the club since 2020, the 19-year-old marksman has scored goals at every youth level he has featured in at Hotspur Way.

This was especially pertinent during the 2020/21 season, where the teenage sensation recorded 17 goals and four assists in 16 U18s Premier League games, before making the step-up to the Premier League 2 with a further three goals in five games.

Conte even admitted in February of last year that the forward was: "At this moment for sure the best prospect from the academy."

Clearly well-versed in finding the back of the net, this form culminated in the first of what has since been ten senior appearances for the first team. This is further indicative of how well-thought-of the youngster remains, and likely merited his move to Portsmouth for this season.

Earning his stripes and growing physically against a host of senior players, Scarlett has enjoyed 33 appearances in League One, scoring a less than impressive four goals, albeit while having to adjust to these new demands.

It is all these facets that will likely culminate in an increased involvement next season, to perhaps partner Kane.

The legendary marksman enjoyed a similar path to the one his future teammate is undertaking, enduring plenty of loans before bursting onto the scene as a regular goalscorer. The 29-year-old will likely have unlimited wisdom to offer Scarlett, which could help fast-track the career of such a talented asset.

Not only this, but the speed of the 5 foot 11 forward could mesh well with Spurs' record scorer, latching on to the searching balls that many of Kane's teammates have benefitted from.

This duo has the potential to petrify most defences, with one of the league's greatest mentoring one for the future.

Dean Jones has been reacting to Leeds United’s reported interest in former Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira.

What’s the latest on Leeds and Vieira, and what has Jones had to say?

The Whites currently have Javi Gracia in charge after parting ways with Jesse Marsch back in February. The Spaniard wasn’t first choice at Leeds, though, with the club reportedly looking at the likes of Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot, Carlos Corberan and Marcelo Gallardo prior to Gracia arriving.

The 52-year-old was making a positive impression as he looks to guide the club to safety in the Premier League prior to Sunday's 5-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, although he is only on a flexible contract with the Whites.

That has led to speculation on what Leeds could do in the summer, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook saying in recent weeks that Leeds could offer Vieira an immediate return to the dugout in the Premier League, with Whites officials still rating the 4-3-3 style manager despite being sacked by Palace.

Jones was speaking to GiveMeSport regarding the rumours about Vieira possibly moving to Elland Road. The reporter feels that the Frenchman may not be the answer in Yorkshire after how things played out at Selhurst Park earlier in the year, saying:

"I don't think that Patrick Vieira would have done too much in recent times to convince Leeds that he would be the way forward.

"I think that Leeds really have to consider what they're going to do here and that will obviously depend on whether they even stay in the Premier League. But if they do, I don't think he would be the answer to that, given the way that things went for him at Crystal Palace.”

Vieira was recently interested in the Leeds job…

Phil Hay has said that Gracia has brought order to the chaos at Leeds, something that has seemingly been required in Yorkshire after the high-energy football under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, and you could say that if he keeps the club in the top flight that he should be handed the job full time heading into the 2023/24 campaign.

However, Vieira was recently interested in taking over at Leeds while still in charge at Palace, so it looks as if this could be one to keep an eye on even with the current Leeds head coach doing a solid job. Bringing in Vieira could be a risk, though, with the Frenchman failing to win a game in 2023 prior to departing Palace last month.

In his first taste of management in the Premier League, Vieira averaged just 1.22 points per game, the lowest of any side he has been in charge of, as per Transfermarkt, so Leeds could be better off sticking with Gracia over Vieira, providing things can get back on track on the pitch.

Arsenal are thriving on the pitch of late, with Mikel Arteta's well-oiled machine seemingly cruising towards the Premier League title.

His side is easy on the eye, relentless in their work rate, and as such boast both one of the best attacks and the best defences in the division. Try as they may, Manchester City have a tough task on their hand usurping the Gunners as they enter the climax of the season.

This title charge has been a product of the culture shift at the Emirates, which their young Spanish boss instigated by ruthlessly offloading all who he deemed to be dead wood. Instead, he would replace them with young, hungry assets all with a point to prove; a point they are so emphatically making this season.

What makes things even more special around north London is that the squad is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the good work the club is doing, with many of their loanees thriving too.

One such example is Folarin Balogun, who has taken his opportunity to star in Ligue 1 with both hands. He will envision a future where he can challenge for that starting striker spot, but signing Vitor Roque would arguably stunt his growth by adding another blockade to his pathway.

Who is Vitor Roque?

Having recently visited London to discuss the proposals of the numerous European teams vying for the Brazilian, Arsenal are reportedly one of many elite options for the 18-year-old to choose from.

Having scored three goals in just four games this campaign, building upon his 14-goal tally from the season prior, this wonderkid does seem to be the next big thing to come out of South America.

Such is his pedigree, Brazil's former national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari even claimed: "He will become one of the greatest players we have ahead of us." High praise indeed.

Whilst the idea of such a purchase seems so exciting, what Balogun has done this season cannot be ignored. Across 27 appearances in the French top flight, the 21-year-old boasts 17 goals and a further two assists. For reference, Kylian Mbappe only has two more league goals than him.

Arteta has even admitted to standing up and taking note, as he claimed: "When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special, that’s why we decided to give him a long-term contract and have faith in him."

However, signing added direct competition for his role would likely only see him slide further down the pecking order despite his blistering form. If anyone has deserved to now challenge for the first team it is Balogun.

West Ham United’s recruitment over the previous decade has yielded a vast collection of underwhelming transfers coupled with a considerable financial outlay.

The club have had particular problems recruiting in the forward ranks over the years, with some excruciatingly bad signings among them. Think back to Lucas Perez, Benni McCarthy and Marouane Chamakh, who were all woeful signings that contributed very little during their spells at the club.

Another terrible signing was that of Albian Ajeti, who arrived at the London Stadium in the summer of 2019 to much fanfare from the supporters, especially considering his performances for FC Basel in his homeland.

Like so many others though, Ajeti failed to live up to the reputation upon arriving in the Premier League, departing after just one uneventful season, costing the club a colossal amount in the process.

How much did Albian Ajeti cost West Ham United?

The Irons shelled out £8m to sign the Switzerland International four years ago and on the surface, it appeared to be a solid investment by then-boss Manuel Pellegrini as he looked to take the club to the next level.

The striker had netted 43 goals and grabbed 21 assists in just 96 matches for the Swiss side, and he was also capped 11 times by Switzerland, scoring once. Therefore, a fee of £8m seemed like it had the potential to be a real bargain.

It soon turned out that playing in the Premier League is a harder prospect than the top flight in Switzerland and Ajeti was soon found out. He played just 12 matches in his one and only season in England, failing to score a single goal in that time.

The striker earned £53k-per-week during his 53-week stint at West Ham and combining this with his transfer fee, he rinsed the club for £10.8m during his underwhelming stay in London.

They did manage to recoup a £5m by selling him to Celtic in 2020, yet his time north of the border was also littered with poor performances and a lack of goals, scoring just nine times in 48 appearances.

Former Celtic striker turned pundit Frank McAvennie described him as “lazy” during his second season at Parkhead, and it’s clear that his time at West Ham – and indeed Celtic – were a disaster.

It was yet another failed move for a once-proven striker by West Ham, and it appears they have not learned their lesson, with recent acquisition Gianluca Scamacca scoring just eight goals so far with the forward positions appearing to be a poisoned chalice when it comes to recruitment in this area.

Everton are a club that pride themselves on their impressive youth production, whilst Sean Dyche is a manager more than willing to hand youngsters the chance should they prove themselves good enough for him.

Sunday's sensational draw at Chelsea more than proved this, as his faith in young Ellis Simms resulted in a stunning equalising goal as he came from the bench to dance past Kalidou Koulibaly and finish underneath Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The 22-year-old had made just seven senior appearances for the Toffees prior to that strike, but now could be set for a run in the team to further prove his qualities to the ex-Burnley boss.

It was at his old club where he also oversaw the emergence of Dwight McNeil, who he once again retains stewardship of after their respective moves to Merseyside.

The club and manager finally seem to share this synergy that could save them from the drop, with a shared mindset transferring from both the fans and the manager to the pitch. This faith in youth could be capitalised upon once more in the summer when a host of talents return from loan, with Lewis Gibson perhaps going under the radar as someone who could instantly thrive.

Who is Lewis Gibson?

Having spent time at Newcastle United's academy, it was Finch Farm where he eventually rose to prominence, having since enjoyed four loans as he seeks form, fitness and true growth as a defender.

His current spell at Bristol Rovers arguably marks his most impressive season to date, as the youngster has established himself as a mainstay under Joey Barton at the heart of the defence.

The 6 foot 1 stopper has featured 21 times this season in League One, averaging a rating of 6.88 and even captaining the side in their most recent league defeat to Portsmouth.

Across this campaign he has also recorded some impressive defensive statistics, averaging 1.3 interceptions, one tackle and 3.2 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He has been a monster of late, and clearly is a favourite of Barton who had brought him to Fleetwood Town on loan just two years earlier.

During their shared time together with the Fishermen, the former midfielder praised the young defender by claiming that he looked "the real deal."

With James Tarkowski also starring of late back at Goodison Park, but at 30 years of age, Everton will soon need a successor to the man posting a remarkable 7.19 average rating this season.

Fortunately, the ex-Claret shares similarly outstanding assets as Gibson, as he also records 1.2 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and 5.4 clearances per match, via Sofascore.

With plenty of senior experience now under his belt, this summer could finally represent his opportunity to partner with or potentially prove that he can usurp the Everton stalwart in the near future.

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is set to make a second bid for Manchester United next week, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Meeting held

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers to take control at Old Trafford before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.

A formidable delegation was sent to Old Trafford by Jassim on Thursday and they held talks over a potential takeover for around 10 hours. Those discussions were thought to be positive, with Jassim now committed to taking control in Manchester.

There has now been a further update regarding Jassim, which came after Ratcliffe held his own talks with at Old Trafford and Carrington on Friday, where he even met with manager Erik ten Hag.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports provided ‘more developments’ regarding Jassim and United on Friday afternoon via Twitter, saying that he will make a second bid for the Red Devils next week.

‘More developments as far as the situation is regards to Manchester United and a takeover at the club. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani will make a second bid for Manchester United next week.’

They added that Jassim’s delegation held ‘constructed meetings’ and that he is prepared to ‘overpay’ for the club ‘because of its history and because it hardly ever comes on the market’.

A US source also said:

‘All the numbers people from the bidders will be working out the real value of the club over the next few days. They will be making second bids. The reality is that their first bids were just indicative, in this process the second bids next week are really the first serious bids.’

The Verdict: Heating up

Previous reports stated that both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids were set to be rejected anyway, so it is good to see that the former is already working on a new bid which looks set to be made in the coming days.

The Qatari group wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they can help Ten Hag in the transfer market ahead of the summer window, so they could be looking to overpay as mentioned in order to push through a takeover.

It is definitely heating up between the two parties after their trips to Manchester, and it’ll be interesting to see if Jassim’s next offer is close to the Glazers’ huge £6bn valuation. If it is, then perhaps we could see a deal really start to gather pace, which would be ideal for Jassim and co, although it may result in a bidding war with Ratcliffe and his team, meaning the coming week could be key.

Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo is ‘definitely’ set to leave the club permanently, according to journalist Steve Bates.

The Lowdown: Loaned out

Cancelo made 17 appearances for Man City in the Premier League this season but was loaned out to Bayern Munich for the remainder of the season in a surprise deadline-day move.

When asked whether the full-back has a future at the club, Pep Guardiola recently claimed that a decision will be taken at the end of the season, however, one journalist believes that the manager has already made his choice.

The Latest: Set to leave?

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Bates indicated that Guardiola’s history of being ruthless with key players means that he will also allow the Portugal international to leave the club this summer. The journalist said:

“I think it’s very difficult once Guardiola lets you go out on loan. I think he’s probably made up his mind already.

“Guardiola sold Sterling, Jesus and Zinchenko last summer. They were really top, top players and doing well for him, but he let them go.

“Cancelo has obviously had disagreements with him and his form has gone. It has not been what it was, so I would suspect that Cancelo’s days at City are definitely over.”

The Verdict: Right call?

The 28-year-old was a key performer for the Sky Blues in the 2021/22 campaign, weighing in with seven assists in the Premier League, however, his form took a downward turn this season, making a very poor mistake in the loss against Liverpool at Anfield.

Since arriving at Bayern, the right-back has been lauded ‘fantastic’ by members of the media, helping himself to a goal and two assists in five Bundesliga appearances up to this point.

Given that Guardiola now has 18-year-old Rico Lewis at his disposal to provide cover for Kyle Walker, allowing Cancelo to leave may be the best option for all parties in the summer, especially considering Man City could receive £61.5m if Bayern decide to make his stay permanent.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is facing somewhat of an injury crisis at the wrong time, with Leandro Trossard, Kieran Tierney and Eddie Nketiah not pictured in training prior to the Europa League clash with Sporting.

It meant all three missed out on the tie and despite striker Gabriel Jesus returning to the squad, the European clash came just too soon for the Brazilian.

This has left Arteta incredibly short of attacking options, with potentially Emile Smith Rowe or Gabriel Martinelli having to play as an unorthodox striker, yet there may just be another option for the Spaniard – unleashing academy star Amario Cozier-Duberry.

When will Amario Cozier-Duberry make his debut for Arsenal?

With Arteta’s current dilemma, there is every chance some academy starlets get a chance to impress and Cozier-Duberry could be one of the lucky players to take to the field.

That said, he may well need to overcome his own injury first having been substituted at half-time in the U21s’ recent defeat to Liverpool.

The hope will be for the Gunners that the issue the teenager is suffering from doesn’t keep him out for too long, with the second leg next week potentially set to be the ideal time to finally unleash him.

The 17-year-old has made the matchday squad on numerous occasions this season yet is still to make his debut. He is amongst one of the highest-rated products in the academy, with talent scout Jacek Kulig previously describing him as “Hale End’s finest” late last year.

In just 22 appearances across the U18 and U21 teams this season, the winger has scored ten goals and grabbed six assists, a wonderful return for someone who predominantly plays on the flanks.

Could Arteta utilise him in a more central role next week potentially? It’s plausible, particularly if attacking injuries continue to plague the squad and Arsenal can wrap the tie-up.

The teen has impressed in the Football League Trophy, averaging an outstanding 7.95/10 rating via Sofascore across two outings, scoring twice, taking two shots per game while also creating a big chance, proving he could certainly operate in a more central role if required.

With Premier League glory Arteta’s main priority, the Europa League gives him a great chance to rotate his squad, although even he wouldn’t have anticipated being without so many key players.