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Referee Andy Madley and VAR assistant Peter Bankes may have made a big mistake in the Arsenal defeat as they didn't hand Gabriel Martinelli a red card.

What's the latest on VAR and Arsenal?

The Gunners' Premier League dream all but came to an end on the weekend as Manchester City won away at Everton shortly before Brighton came to visit the Emirates.

With a title win already looking less than likely, Mikel Arteta and co proceeded to ship three goals in the second half of the game against the Seagulls – with Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav, and Pervis Estupinan getting on the score sheet.

That result means Arsenal are now four points behind Man City, with just two games left to play while the league leaders have three more matches to go.

As if defeat wasn't bad enough, Arteta can probably count himself lucky that one of his players didn't see red in the opening stages of the game.

Indeed, as this footage shows, Martinelli jumped late to try and win a header but gets nowhere near the ball as he instead charges with his shoulder and slams into Kaoru Mitoma.

Did Martinelli deserve a red card?

It's a very bad challenge and it certainly endangers the opponent who was lucky not to suffer a serious injury after taking such a blow to the head.

Perhaps what is most remarkable, however, is the fact that referee Madley not only wasn't asked to review the incident by VAR but he also failed to even hand out a yellow card.

Arsenal football writer Charles Watts even admitted on Twitter: "Martinelli has just absolutely clattered Mitoma going for a high ball. Shoulder to the face. Not the best of challenges. Mitoma back up and OK, but Martinelli lucky to get nothing at all there. Poor challenge."

While journalist Sam Pilger was more damning as he claimed: "I am speechless. That was a red card challenge from Arsenal's Martinelli. He led with his arm and floored an opponent. And he wasn't even booked! More inexplicable and spineless decisions from referees and VAR."

And this wasn't the only bit of questionable refereeing on the day. For instance, when Brighton opened the scoring through Enciso, it appeared that Jakub Kiwior was possibly fouled shortly before a cross came in, preventing him from dealing with the ball.

The defender wasn't happy after the game, saying (via Daily Mail): I felt contact and lost my boot and didn't even see the goal,' the centre-back told Viaplay after the game. 'I hoped VAR would intervene and chalk off the goal, but unfortunately, the ref saw it differently."

Pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks West Ham could sign Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips during the summer transfer window if they sell Declan Rice.

Has Phillips had a good season?

The 27-year-old moved to City from Leeds United last year in what looked like an exciting move for him during the peak of his career. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out for him, however, with injuries hampering his progress and a lack of minutes coming his way.

Phillips has only started one Premier League game in the whole of 2022/23, with only another nine appearances in the competition from the substitutes' bench, and it is hard to see him breaking into the team regularly moving forward.

For that reason, the £150,000-a-week England international could move on at the end of the season, with West Ham one of the clubs who have been linked with a move for him.

Could West Ham snap up Phillips?

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor talked up West Ham's chances of signing Phillips in the summer window:

"Rodri isn’t in his 30s, he’s not going anywhere. He’s that good – Pep plays him in every game. Whether it’s a big FA Cup game, Carabao Cup game, or whatever. There have even been games where Rodri hasn’t started, but Gundogan slots into that position.

"Pep fits other players in before Kalvin Phillips. If I’m Phillips and I want to play in the European Championships next summer, I’m leaving in this transfer window. Go and play somewhere where you are the first name on the team sheet. A Crystal Palace, or a West Ham. If West Ham lose Declan Rice, they could get him in.

"You want to play football as a player, and he hasn’t done that this season. These are his peak years, and he needs to be playing football."

Phillips could be an excellent signing by West Ham this summer, coming in as a direct replacement for Declan Rice, who he knows so well after partnering him in England's midfield throughout Euro 2020. Granted, this season has been a disappointing one for him, but given his displays for Leeds persuaded Pep Guardiola to make a move for him, there is every reason he can be a key man for another Premier League side – as long as he remains fit.

The fact that Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi once hailed both Phillips and Rice as "superb" speaks volumes, and the former could come in and provide tackling tenacity and technical quality in the middle of the park for the Hammers, having averaged three tackles per game in the EFL Cup this season, as well as a 92.1% pass completion rate in the Premier League.

Newcastle United can secure their place in next season's Champions League by avoiding defeat against Leicester City in the Premier League on Monday night.

When asked about how he will manage to compete in multiple competitions in 2023/24, Toon boss Eddie Howe told The Athletic:

"I think if you have a strong squad, rotation is going to be important. Utilising the whole squad is going to be important.

"We have rotated to a degree but maybe not in the numbers that we might need to next year. So if you’re going to do that, then the squad needs to be strong enough. So if you put out two XIs, they’re of equal strength.”

This suggests that the manager will be looking to improve the depth of his squad in the upcoming summer transfer window and one position in which he could look to strengthen is centre-back.

Jamaal Lascelles is currently the backup option to Fabian Schar and Sven Botman and the Magpies skipper has struggled to step up when called upon – averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.53 across seven appearances in the top-flight, which places him 22nd out of the club's 23 players used this term.

Who could replace Jamaal Lascelles for Newcastle?

Howe could land a dream heir to the former Nottingham Forest defender's position in the squad by securing a swoop to sign Roma central defender Roger Ibanez this summer.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Newcastle are one of the clubs in the race to land the Serie A enforcer's signature ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, with his club valuing him at around €30m (£26m).

The 24-year-old titan has enjoyed a strong season in Italy and has proven himself to be a reliable performer at the heart of the defence in a major European league.

Ibanez has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 across 31 appearances in the Italian top-flight and this is a score that would place him eighth in the Magpies squad in the Premier League.

The Brazilian battler has made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game and won 63% of his duels – including 70% of his aerial contests.

Lascelles, meanwhile, has made 0.1 tackles and interceptions per match and lost 53% of his battles – after making 1.4 defensive interventions per outing in 2021/22 – and this shows that the Serie A gem has been stronger in his physical contests and has won the ball back more frequently for his side.

These statistics also indicate that the Roma star, who journalist Josh Bunting once hailed as "outstanding", would be a significant upgrade on the current Newcastle defender, whose form this season indicates that he is not ready to make the step up to playing Champions League football next season.

Howe has stressed the need for a strong squad and Lascelles has not done enough to prove that he has the quality to be a big part of that, which is why Ibanez could be the dream replacement to his position in the pecking order.

Liverpool face competition for Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard as the Frenchman inches towards an exit from the Allianz Arena.

What is the transfer latest on Benjamin Pavard?

The 27-year-old, who is primarily a right-back but can also turn out as a centre-back, lifted the World Cup in 2018 with France and also won the Champions League in 2020.

Pavard's contract expires in 2024 and so Bayern must either sell him or risk letting him leave for free next summer, with a move to the Premier League potentially on the cards.

Liverpool, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all interested in signing Pavard this summer, according to German publication Kicker. Inter reportedly made an offer in January while Real Madrid and Manchester United recently approached Bayern.

FSG and Liverpool have also made an approach with it noted that Pavard's versatility makes him particularly attractive to Jurgen Klopp. Bayern may have faltered in the Bundesliga title race but Kicker states that Pavard has been one of the most consistent players at the club this season. This has been noticed at Bayern and by interested parties abroad.

Would Pavard be a good signing for Liverpool?

The priority at Anfield appears to be rebuilding the midfield, with the likes of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving when their contracts expire, with Mason Mount and Alexis Mac Allister potential replacements.

However, signing a new defender could also be a wise move, as without goalkeeper Alisson Becker starring for the Reds this season, topping the charts for Post-shot expected goals, the club could have conceded plenty more goals.

Pavard has plenty of experience at the highest level and would also offer versatility, with the Frenchman hailed by Thomas Tuchel earlier this year, describing him as a "top team player":

"He's an underrated player.

"He can adapt to the highest level and defends rigorously. He is a top team player, he immediately had my confidence and proved to me that I had been right."

He's not the only Bayern player Liverpool have been linked with either, after reports claimed the Reds are also interested in a move to sign midfield maestro, Joshua Kimmich.

It ma be unlikely that Liverpool will be able to sign two of the German giants' best players, but if the Reds can pull it off, they could be a couple of steps closer to returning to the top next season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be in the market to add a new goalkeeper to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window after Jose Sa's disappointing campaign.

In the Premier League, the 30-year-old conceded an eye-catching, in the wrong way, 5.6 more goals than expected, based on the xG of the shots at his goal.

That serves as a drastic change in fortune with the stopper actually saving 7.3 more than expected in 2021/22.

As a result, the club swooped to sign Daniel Bentley from Championship side Bristol City in January as an understudy to Sa but the Portuguese shot-stopper's poor form in 22/23 suggests that he needs strong competition for his place.

However, the ex-Robins 'keeper is unlikely to provide that given his unconvincing form in the second division in recent seasons. The £10k-per-week dud conceded 2.6 more goals than expected in 21 league matches in the first half of the campaign.

Over his last four-and-a-half seasons in the Championship, Bentley has let in a dismal 9.5 more goals than he ought to based on xG, with that an indication that the 29-year-old consistently underperformed in a lower division than the Premier League.

Who could replace Dan Bentley at Wolves?

Julen Lopetegui could brutally ditch the Englishman from matchday squads next term by securing a deal to sign reported £10m transfer target Anthony Patterson.

At the age of 23, the Sunderland titan is an up-and-coming talent and let in 0.08 more goals than expected per 90 in the Championship, compared to Bentley's 0.20 this season.

This suggests that the Black Cats ace would be an upgrade on the experienced gloveman from a shot-stopping perspective and could also have the potential to be an improvement on Sa, who conceded 0.16 more than expected per 90 in the top-flight.

Patterson is also a "commanding" goalkeeper – as he was dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – who is able to alleviate pressure from his defence. The colossus has stopped 10.7% of the crosses into his box over the last 365 days, which places him in the top 6% of players in his position in the Men's Next Eight Competitions.

Bentley, meanwhile, has only prevented 3.7% of crosses and ranks in the bottom 15% in the same category, an indication that the Sunderland gem would be a huge upgrade on him when it comes to dealing with balls into the box.

Therefore, Lopetegui could ditch the ex-Bristol City man, by making him the third-choice, and provide Sa with genuine competition for his place by signing Patterson, who could either take over as the number one or spur the Portuguese ace to get back to his best.

After a disappointing eighth-place finish last term – as well as the failure to secure European qualification – Tottenham Hotspur are now looking forward to a brighter future under new boss Ange Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old arriving at N17 having only recently won the treble at Old Firm giants, Celtic.

While the Greek-Aussie has only just walked through the door in north London, he has already seemingly given his approval to the club's transfer plans, with 90min reporting that the Lilywhites are keen to sign a new centre-back this summer.

Among those who are being considered to bolster the backline is Manchester City star, Aymeric Laporte, with the same publication reporting back in April that Spurs had been offered the chance to sign the 29-year-old, with Pep Guardiola ready to sell the Spain international.

That willingness to part ways with the 20-cap "beast" – as hailed by writer Muhammad Butt – has come following the former Athletic Bilbao man's slide down the pecking order at the Etihad, with the experienced asset having been restricted to just 12 Premier League appearances this season.

Despite the £120k-per-week man's recent woes in Manchester, it could well be to Tottenham's gain if he was to depart, with Postecoglou and co potentially set to follow the lead of their north London rivals, Arsenal, by rejuvenating a City ace.

Should Tottenham sign Aymeric Laporte?

As far as Postecoglou is concerned, the signing of the five-time Premier League winner could potentially mirror the impact that both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus have had at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta, with the former City duo having signed for the Gunners last summer for £32m and £45m, respectively.

Like Laporte, the pair had been somewhat on the periphery under Guardiola with Jesus expected to play second fiddle amid the arrival of Erling Haaland, while Zinchenko had made just ten top-flight starts in his final season in Manchester.

Since moving to the capital, however, the duo have been instrumental figures for Arsenal, having been vital in helping to push the club into title contention in 2022/23, with Jesus bagging 11 goals and seven assists in the league, while Zinchenko was praised for his "mentality" by Arteta.

As the latter man also noted, both men were able to bring "something different" to the Gunners due to their previous experience of winning major honours at their previous employers, with the pair having been in "many title races and fought for the biggest trophies", according to Bukayo Saka.

Much like that "special" pairing – as hailed by Saka – Laporte also has experience competing at the highest level of the game, ensuring that he could potentially share that knowledge with a Spurs side that has now gone 15 years without winning a trophy.

The 6 foot 2 ace would also be a quality addition for Postecoglou having previously been hailed as the "best left central defender in the world" by Guardiola, with it undoubtedly rare for such talents to come available.

Having seen the impact that both Jesus and Zinchenko have had on their rivals, Spurs would be wise to seal a transfer masterclass of their own with the signing of the towering defender.

Manchester United are at an 'advanced stage' in discussions to bring Napoli defender Kim Min-jae to Old Trafford, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

What's the latest transfer news involving Kim Min-jae?

According to Foot Mercato via ESPN, Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag view Kim as a 'priority' target amid interest from several other clubs around Europe's elite divisions.

The report states that Kim himself is keen on a move to the Red Devils; however, Manchester United face competition from Chelsea, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature.

90min have revealed that Harry Maguire is attraction attention from elsewhere this summer, though isn't keen to move on from the club in the next few months.

This could have a knock-on effect in Manchester United's pursuit of Kim, which in turn could potentially alter their transfer strategy if they aren't able to shift the 30-year-old off the books.

Corriere dello Sport via The Sun claim that Kim has a release clause in his £53k-a-week contract at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium that becomes active in July.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Galetti has detailed that talks between Kim and Manchester United are said to be at an 'advanced stage'.

Galetti said: "After many contacts with Kim Min-jae's agents in the past weeks, now we can say that the talks with Manchester United are at an advanced stage."

How good was Kim Min-jae in 2022/23 for Napoli?

Kim enjoyed a fantastic campaign for Napoli and helped his side to claim a first Serie A title since 1989/90, making it no surprise that plenty of interest has fallen his way in recent times.

In total, the 26-year-old star made 45 appearances across all competitions in 2022/23, registering two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored shows that Kim has also established himself as a dominant presence at the heart of the Napoli backline, winning an average of 2.6 aerial duels per match during the season.

His ability to utilise possession from deep and build attacks also flies under the radar and Kim has excelled with regards to his positional peers in the art of pass completion, managing to record a total of 90.2% of successful passes per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, as per FBRef.

Manchester United will hope they can bring in a few high-profile additions to strengthen their bid to bring more trophies home to Old Trafford following their Carabao Cup success this term and Kim would be a marquee signing that would solidify the Red Devils' defence significantly.

Chelsea have been busier than any other club on the continent across the past two transfer windows, but it may well be that a different approach is taken by Todd Boehly and Co this summer.

With Mauricio Pochettino now in situ, the club can concentrate fully on further strengthening a squad that seriously underperformed last season in finishing 12th in the Premier League.

However, the Blues will have to be a lot smarter with their business this window, meaning a change to the scattergun approach of the past year or so.

The early signs appear positive, with Napoli defender Kim Min-jae said to have been made one of their priority signings.

According to FootMercato, Chelsea are ready to hijack Manchester United's move for the South Korea international, though they also face competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United.

Is Kim Min-Jae a good option for Chelsea?

Kim only arrived at Napoli from Turkish giants Fenerbahce at the start of the 2022-23 season, but he certainly made a big impact as the Partenopei ended a 33-year wait to win the Scudetto.

Napoli conceded just 28 goals all season – the best defensive record of any side in the division – with a defensive solidity paving the way for the likes of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to grab the headlines.

But the part Kim played in Napoli's success did not go unnoticed. Ivan Zacharoni, editor-in-chief of Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, described the 26-year-old as "the best defender in the world", with no player able to match him in terms of "skill and consistency".

That is very much reflected in the stats, with Kim ranking highest in Serie A for the percentage of tackles won (86.2), as per FBref.

To put that into some context, Kalidou Koulibaly, the man most at threat should the Napoli defender arrive at Stamford Bridge, won just 65% of his tackles in last season's Premier League.

It was arguably in another department Kim particularly thrived, with his 80.35 passes attempted per 90 minutes over the past 12 months placing him in the top 3% of his defensive peers. Koulibaly, by comparison, has managed 69.59 per 90 minutes.

Taking all competitions into account last season, Kim was also superior to Koulibaly – the man he replaced at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona – in terms of aerial duels won per 90 minutes (2.89 v 1.83), while he also impressed in attacking metrics such as shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (1.13 v 0.99).

It is no secret that Koulibaly has struggled to truly adapt to life in English football – the odd promising spells aside – with senior ESPN writer James Olley pointing out just how "shaky" the centre-back looked in Chelsea's 2-1 loss to Fulham in January – one of the numerous occasions that has been the case.

Koulibaly – on £295k-a-week at Chelsea, according to Capology – may feel he deserves more time to show what he is capable of under a new manager, but the Blues cannot afford to sit still this summer when a player of Kim's ability is possibly up for grabs.

The next crop of exciting Chelsea youngsters is being assembled.

The club has recently completed the signings of Andrey Santos and Kendry Paez, as the new ownership and Mauricio Pochettino begins the quest to bring the biggest global talents to Stamford Bridge.

Another exciting teen that has been tipped to move to the English capital is Adama Bojang.

What’s the latest on Adama Bojang to Chelsea?

According to the Guardian, the Blues are in a hotly contested race for the 19-year-old alongside Manchester United, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Wolves.

He is attracting such vast interest due to his generational potential and his availability for an extremely low sum of €3m (£2.6m) from Steve Biko FC in his native Gambia.

However, the report details that his club has received an offer from an unnamed German side this week, with RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt also keenly tracking the West African superstar.

It is understood that Bojang would prefer a move to the Bundesliga, but if a Premier League side tables a suitable offer this may change his mind.

Who is Adama Bojang?

The forward has risen to international prominence thanks to his performances for his country at the U20 AFCON, as in six games, he scored four times from 1.79 xG, and notched one assist, equating to a contribution every 90 minutes.

His strikes included a hat-trick against South Sudan in the quarter-final and the winner in the next round against Nigeria. These results enabled Gambia to qualify for the 2023 U20 World Cup, and he was named in the CAF Best XI Team of the Tournament.

Described as “complete” by scout Jacek Kulig, 6-foot Bojang has been hailed for his pace, athleticism, movement, and technique as this set of imperious qualities has seen him compared to former Chelsea ace Tammy Abraham.

For the West London outfit, the 6 foot 3 star was a dependable and threatening asset, finding the net on 30 occasions in 82 appearances.

Rather unluckily, Thomas Tuchel opted to sanction Abraham’s exit to Roma to provide room for Romelu Lukaku, which has since unravelled into a disaster.

The former Swansea has retained his goal-scoring touch in Italy, with 48 goal involvements in 107 appearances.

Once lauded as “incredible” by Frank Lampard, Abraham, and Bojang share an abundance of similar traits as their exceptional speed and ability to operate as a dominant focal point are two required characteristics of a modern number nine.

The Blues should accelerate their attempts to complete this deal as for such a low price it is relatively risk-free and could evolve into something sensational.

An update has emerged on Manchester United and their plans to bolster their options in the middle of the park during the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Taylor Booth to Manchester United?

According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are weighing up a bid to sign FC Utrecht central midfielder Taylor Booth ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Erik ten Hag is a fan of the American international and has been impressed by his performances in the Netherlands.

An approach is now being considered as the Premier League giants eye up alternative targets to Mason Mount, with their pursuit of the Chelsea ace currently at a standstill after an offer of £55m was submitted.

It states that Celta Vigo, Stuttgart, and Lyon are also interested in snapping the 22-year-old talent, who has been valued at €12m (£10m) by the Dutch side.

What is Taylor Booth's style of play?

The Utrecht star is a creative midfield player who could help United to unlock opposition defences in the years to come, while being the dream long-term heir to Christian Eriksen's position.

A technically excellent number eight with the ability to make things happen in possession, the Denmark international enjoyed a strong debut campaign at Old Trafford.

Eriksen averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95 across 28 Premier League appearances and conjured six 'big chances' for his teammates to go along with one goal. Only Jadon Sancho (1.7) and Bruno Fernandes (3.2) created more chances per game than the 31-year-old maestro (1.3) last term.

Booth, who was hailed as "wonderfully direct" by The Athletic journalist Jeff Rueter, is a player with the quality to make an almost identical impact in the final third.

The USMNT dynamo delivered 1.3 key passes per match across 24 Eredivisie outings and produced six 'big chances' for his colleagues, alongside an average Sofascore rating of 6.85.

Both players have averaged between 0.19 and 0.20 xAG (Expected Assisted Goals) per 90 over the last 365 days, which indicates that they both create opportunities of similar quality from a midfield position.

Defensively, Eriksen did not rank in the top five United players for tackles or interceptions per match and Booth's 1.7 combined defensive interventions per clash for Utrecht does not crack that list either.

These statistics suggest that United would be bringing in a player with comparative qualities to the former Tottenham Hotspur magician as Booth is a number eight who has the potential to be one of the club's most creative outlets.

At the age of 22, he could be the long-term heir to Eriksen, 31, at Old Trafford and come in as a signing with the scope to improve over time, rather than one with the aim of him hitting the ground running with high expectations.