NEWARK, N.J. -- The Chicago Blackhawks recalled top prospect Frank Nazar from the minor leagues on Friday.

Chicago also placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 7. Martinez, who signed a $4 million, one-year contract with the Blackhawks in free agency, has a neck injury.

The 20-year-old Nazar had 11 goals and 13 assists in 21 games with Rockford of the American Hockey League.

Nazar was selected by Chicago with the No. 13 pick in the 2022 draft. After starring for the University of Michigan, the forward agreed to a three-year contract with the Blackhawks in April.

Nazar skated in three games with Chicago at the end of last season, scoring on his first shot on goal in his NHL debut on April 14 against Carolina.

The Blackhawks were active in free agency, so they had Nazar begin the season with Rockford to continue with his development. But he made a strong case to rejoin the NHL team with his fast start in the minors.

"Frank's played very well," general manager Kyle Davidson said last week when asked about Nazar being promoted. "He's been a real bright spot for us and his performance has been really exciting."

Chicago (9-18-2) has dropped six of seven going into Saturday's game at New Jersey. It begins a three-game homestand on Sunday against the New York Islanders.

The holiday season is well underway. Proper planning with gifts is always the play: Don't wait until the last second because the last thing you want is to be caught empty-handed when it's too late.

That's exactly how some NHL teams are feeling right now, on the outside looking in as we approach the NHL's holiday break. So in the spirit of giving, we're providing a gift for all 32 teams as we unveil the updated Power Rankings for the week.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Dec. 6. Points percentages are through Thursday's games.

1. Minnesota Wild

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 72.41%

The gift: A Hart Trophy. Kirill Kaprizov is the favorite to win the MVP of the league this season, and with good reason: he has 43 points, behind Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov, and 18 goals through 28 games. If he stays close or exceeds the reigning Hart Trophy winner in the Art Ross race for the rest of the season, you'd think it's a very strong, almost "lock" kind of case for Kirill the Thrill, who has helped lead his Wild to a superb 19-6-4 start.

Next seven days: vs. PHI (Dec. 14), vs. VGK (Dec. 15), vs. FLA (Dec. 18)

2. Washington Capitals

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 75.00%

The gift: Rest. That's actually what Capitals players will be getting in February, because despite being one of the best teams in the league all season, no Caps players were selected for the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters. There was plenty of speculation about players -- Tom Wilson, Logan Thompson, Dylan Strome, John Carlson, Rasmus Sandin, Jakob Chychrun -- but ultimately, Washington was shut out, and maybe it will end up being a blessing in disguise.

Next seven days: vs. BUF (Dec. 14), @ DAL (Dec. 16), @ CHI (Dec. 17)

3. Winnipeg Jets

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 69.35%

The gift: An early end to the season. The Jets had the best start to a season in NHL history, winning 15 of 16 games. Then things cooled down, as they went 7-8-0 in their past 15. Teams are catching up to their pace, but banking all of those points in the early season has kept them among the top teams in the standings.

Next seven days: vs. MTL (Dec. 14), @ SJ (Dec. 17), @ ANA (Dec. 18)

4. Vegas Golden Knights

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 70.63%

The gift: No blood from a Stone. When captain Mark Stone is healthy, the Golden Knights benefit on and off the ice. Players praise him as a terrific leader in the locker room and a two-way contributor on the ice. Injuries have consistently plagued Stone, who hasn't played 70 games or more in a season since 2016-2017.

"On the ice, he's a difference-maker. He plays power plays, special teams," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "They're 1A and 1B, him and Jack Eichel when the puck runs through them. So when he's out you miss that. It's easier to defend against us."

Next seven days: @ EDM (Dec. 14), @ MIN (Dec. 15), vs. VAN (Dec. 19)

5. New Jersey Devils

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 64.06%

The gift: Consistency. It has been feast or famine for the Devils this season. They are fourth in the league in goals, and have beaten opponents by three-plus goals on nine occasions ... but they've also been shut out five times, tied for most in the league. Head coach Sheldon Keefe told me this week that the goose egg is a talking point more than anything, and he likes how the offense is operating.

The Devils are 19-6-2 when scoring at least one goal; that includes the Tuesday tilt with the Maple Leafs, which ended in an overtime loss despite the Devils dominating most of the game.

Next seven days: vs. CHI (Dec. 14), @ STL (Dec. 17), @ CBJ (Dec. 19)

6. Florida Panthers

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 63.33%

The gift: Rodney Dangerfield concert album. Why? Because even though they are the reigning Stanley Cup champions, it feels as if they get no respect ... no respect at all. At least not enough. They lead the Atlantic Division, are sixth in the league, but the spotlight is still being shined elsewhere when Cup favorites or threats are being discussed.

Next seven days: @ CGY (Dec. 14), @ EDM (Dec. 16), @ MIN (Dec. 18)

7. Carolina Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 66.07%

The gift: More packed buildings. On Tuesday, when the Canes defeated the Sharks 3-2, it marked the 82nd consecutive sellout at Lenovo Center. Hopefully that continues for the fans in Raleigh. The team continues to surpass the expectations of many, sitting third in the Metro with an 18-9-1 record.

Next seven days: vs. OTT (Dec. 13), vs. CBJ (Dec. 15), vs. NYI (Dec. 17)

8. Los Angeles Kings

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 63.79%

The gift: More props for Anze Kopitar. The Kings' captain recently passed 1,400 games in the NHL, becoming the 11th player in NHL history to reach that mark with one team. The 37-year-old center is both a nostalgic reminder of the Kings' two Stanley Cup-winning teams, and a consistent, two-way force.

"To play that many games and to be playing at that level he is playing at, he is our leader on and off the ice," goaltender Darcy Kuemper said. "He plays the game the right way his whole career. You think of him as a defensive player and then you look at how many points he has in his career. It's pretty incredible what he has achieved. There's not many guys that have achieved what he has."

Next seven days: @ NYR (Dec. 14), @ PIT (Dec. 17), @ PHI (Dec. 19)

9. Toronto Maple Leafs

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 65.52%

The gift: More scoring. This is new territory for this iteration of the Leafs: 21st in goals for per game, for a team that is used to outscoring any challenges in the regular season. Injuries -- including to Auston Matthews -- have certainly been a factor. Luckily, they also have breakout goaltender Anthony Stolarz, and added key defensive personnel this offseason.

Next seven days: @ DET (Dec. 14), vs. BUF (Dec. 15), @ DAL (Dec. 18)

10. Dallas Stars

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 60.71%

The gift: An interim replacement for Tyler Seguin. The veteran forward is out for the rest of the season after having left hip surgery. Seguin was having a wonderful start to the season, including 20 points in 19 games, and Dallas is 2-2 so far in his absence. A move to LTIR would free up $9.85 million in cap room, but until then, AHL players will get looks to fill the spot. Could a trade be forthcoming?

Next seven days: vs. STL (Dec. 14), vs. WSH (Dec. 16), vs. TOR (Dec. 18)

11. Edmonton Oilers

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 62.07%

The gift: An eraser. October was another forgettable start for the Oilers, who have since corrected course and are 8-2 in their past 10, now sitting third in the Pacific. Connor McDavid recently reached 1,000 points in his career and I wouldn't at all be surprised if he hits 2,000. Not to mention, he's scoring his "McDavid" goals again:

Most times scoring the game's opening goal, Oilers history

Ryan Smyth 61
Leon Draisaitl 60
Connor McDavid 57 pic.twitter.com/shSNsDSgka

Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 11, 2024

Next seven days: vs. VGK (Dec. 14), vs. FLA (Dec. 16), vs. BOS (Dec. 19)

12. Vancouver Canucks

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 62.50%

The gift: A returning J.T. Miller. The veteran forward participated in his first full practice this week after taking an indefinite leave for personal reasons, and made his in-game return Thursday against the Panthers. A 103-point scorer last season, he is an integral part of Vancouver making noise again this season.

Next seven days: vs. BOS (Dec. 14), vs. COL (Dec. 16), @ UTA (Dec. 18), @ VGK (Dec. 19)

13. Colorado Avalanche

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 54.84%

The gift: Taylor Ham (or Pork Roll). That's a debate usually reserved for residents of New Jersey, but the Avs just traded for Mackenzie Blackwood, which means they now have two former Devils goalies (who were also teammates in Jersey) as their tandem between the pipes. Scott Wedgewood recently shut out his former team 4-0, which again raised the "Why do former Devils goalies always do so well against them?" discussion.

Next seven days: vs. NSH (Dec. 14), @ VAN (Dec. 16), @ SJ (Dec. 19)

14. Tampa Bay Lightning

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 59.26%

The gift: The first line. It's a gift they already have; let's wrap up the Bolts' top line with a festive bow. Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov have been dynamite together. In over 200 minutes as a unit, the line is 10th in the league in shot attempts (224). Kucherov has 44 points, Guentzel is at a point-per-game pace and Point is shooting at an unbelievable 36.7%. That won't be sustained, but on many nights this line cannot be contained.

Next seven days: @ SEA (Dec. 14), vs. CBJ (Dec. 17), vs. STL (Dec. 19)

15. Boston Bruins

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 53.23%

The gift: A break. It has been a roller-coaster season for the Bruins already, with a coaching change, and some less-than-desirable results -- the latest episode an 8-1 loss to the Jets that included the head coaches jawing and multiple fights involving players. The Bruins have struggled against the top teams in the NHL this season but remain third in the Atlantic. Perhaps they can pivot after the holiday break.

Next seven days: @ VAN (Dec. 14), @ CGY (Dec. 17), @ EDM (Dec. 19)

16. Calgary Flames

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 55.00%

The gift: Home cookin'. The Flames have one of the best home records in the NHL: 10-3-1. But on the road, they struggle, going 4-7-4. Luckily for them, if this trend is to continue, Calgary players will enjoy themselves until after the Christmas break, as their next four games will be at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Next seven days: vs. FLA (Dec. 14), vs. BOS (Dec. 17), vs. OTT (Dec. 19)

17. New York Rangers

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 55.36%

The gift: A shovel. To dig out of the rut in which they appear to be trapped. Despite Jacob Trouba being traded and Igor Shesterkin being extended long term, things still don't seem right on the ice, and the team is floundering (despite a win Wednesday against the Sabres). But hey, if Rangers fans believe that history repeats itself, this might give them something to look forward to:

If you believe history repeats itself:

92 #NYR : Presidents' Trophy, lost to Cup champ Pens in 6 games
93: 29 points in 27 games, missed playoffs
94:

24: Presidents' Trophy, lost to Cup champ Cats in 6 games
25: 29P in 27GP, 52% playoffs chance (@HockeyAnalytics)
26: ? pic.twitter.com/4s4n7VToVX

ᴀʀᴅᴀ Öᴄᴀʟ (@Arda) December 11, 2024

Next seven days: vs. LA (Dec. 14), @ STL (Dec. 15), @ NSH (Dec. 17)

18. St. Louis Blues

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 50.00%

The gift: A fresh start. The Blues are 5-2-1 since Jim Montgomery was hired as head coach on Nov. 25 (just five days after being fired by the Bruins). Aside from the surge that a new head coach can often bring to a lineup, Dylan Holloway has been particularly strong: He didn't have a point in five games before Montgomery's arrival, and now has a point in every game for the new coach, with four outings being multipoint efforts.

"He's been a pleasant surprise," Montgomery said. "I think he is the best example of how lucky I am to be the head coach of the St. Louis Blues because the whole team has surprised me with their willingness to grow, their willingness to get better, their willingness to compete."

Next seven days: @ DAL (Dec. 14), vs. NYR (Dec. 15), vs. NJ (Dec. 17), @ TB (Dec. 19)

19. Philadelphia Flyers

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.33%

The gift: Jamie Drysdale. This is a holiday-season gift that the Flyers already received. Back from an upper-body injury, Drysdale -- who came to Philly in the Cutter Gauthier trade -- has been excellent for the Flyers in the two games since his return. "Jamie's a great learner. He asks great questions, he's intent, he wants to learn," assistant coach Brad Shaw told reporters. "And that is sometimes half the battle."

Next seven days: @ MIN (Dec. 13), @ DET (Dec. 18), vs. LA (Dec. 19)

20. Seattle Kraken

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 51.61%

The gift: New kids on the block. Shane Wright is riding a career-high four-game goal streak, with seven goals and 13 points in his first NHL season with more than eight games played. Head coach Dan Bylsma sat the 20-year-old for three games earlier in the season, and Wright got the message. "It allowed him to come back and since he's come back, it's not perfect, but he's playing [unencumbered]," head coach Dan Bylsma said. "He's not thinking about the right and wrong. He's not thinking about other things. He's just playing the game."

Next seven days: vs. TB (Dec. 14), vs. OTT (Dec. 17), @ CHI (Dec. 19)

21. Utah Hockey Club

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 53.45%

The gift: More December, less November. Captain Clayton Keller had only one goal in the month of November, and it came on the last day of the month. He already has two in December, with points in four of his past five games. Keller was left off the U.S. roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, but perhaps it will serve as motivation.

"When you're not selected, you look yourself in the mirror and you go to work the next day with a little extra jump," he said recently. "It's maybe down the road the right thing for you at the time."

Next seven days: @ SJ (Dec. 14), vs. VAN (Dec. 18)

22. New York Islanders

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%

The gift: A tight division. Four games ago, the Islanders were last in the Metro division and have since moved up two spots, and only two points away from fourth place. This is especially important since the Islanders have had a grueling stretch of games: 15 in November and their first three-day pause of the season coming in the third week of December.

Said coach Patrick Roy about Tuesday's loss to the Kings, "[We] didn't have our legs. I'm not looking for excuses, but the schedule's [been] pretty tough."

Next seven days: @ CHI (Dec. 15), @ CAR (Dec. 17)

23. Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 48.28%

The gift: More glow-ups. Zach Werenski was a player who wasn't mentioned too often in 4 Nations conversations before the season started. But after a stellar start to the season -- including 29 points through 28 games -- he made Team USA. How he found out he was making the squad, reported by ESPN's Emily Kaplan, is also pretty hilarious.

Next seven days: vs. ANA (Dec. 14), @ CAR (Dec. 15), @ TB (Dec. 17), vs. NJ (Dec. 19)

24. Ottawa Senators

Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 50.00%

The gift: Snipping down the grapevine. Brady Tkachuk has been the subject of trade rumors, well-founded or not, for a while now. The latest was the possibility of being involved in a trade to the Rangers involving Jacob Trouba, which obviously ended up being not true, with the now former Rangers captain going to Anaheim.

Tkachuk said this about the trade talk attached to his name: "It's happened multiple times now and obviously it's just not true. It would just be a waste of energy to get frustrated with something I can't control."

Next seven days: @ CAR (Dec. 13), vs. PIT (Dec. 14), @ SEA (Dec. 17), @ CGY (Dec. 19)

25. Pittsburgh Penguins

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 48.39%

The gift: Cheers. The Pens have won six of their past eight games. But after a 6-2 loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday, captain Sidney Crosby seemed a little miffed about the Pittsburgh crowd jeering the team. "It did [surprise me] little bit," Crosby said. I think there's been some times this season when we deserved it. I don't think tonight was one of them."

Next seven days: @ OTT (Dec. 14), vs. LA (Dec. 17), @ NSH (Dec. 19)

26. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 44.83%

The gift: More Lucas Raymond magic to spread. Raymond has been a bright spot for the Red Wings this season. He leads the team with 30 points, including 13 on the power play. He is consistently Detroit's best offensive threat in a season in which the Wings haven't had much offense. And a bonus gift: an end to bogus rumors.

Next seven days: vs. TOR (Dec. 14), vs. PHI (Dec. 18)

27. Buffalo Sabres

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 44.83%

The gift: Hope. Enough is enough. It feels like a broken record, but bears repeating: The great city of Buffalo and their people deserve a playoff run from their Sabres. It has been too long. No more talking about the Sabres and New York Jets in the same playoff drought conversation, Buffalo deserves this. Unfortunately, losing to the New York Rangers on Wednesday -- in a game many had circled as a "last straw" kind of feeling for both fan bases -- definitely doesn't help.

Next seven days: @ WSH (Dec. 14), @ TOR (Dec. 15), @ MTL (Dec. 17)

28. Anaheim Ducks

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 42.86%

The gift: The right rite of passage for Trouba. The Jacob Trouba trade saga ended with the former Rangers captain being sent to the Ducks, reuniting with his good friend Frank Vatrano and having hockey fans hoping this tweet got called back.

Details are still emerging about the end of his tenure in New York. Said Trouba last Friday during a media call after the trade about how it went down: "[Thursday] morning was, 'Accept this trade or we're scratching you,' I said, 'OK.' Then it was, 'Accept this trade or you're going on waivers,' and I said, 'OK.' And then it got to a point where I felt comfortable with Anaheim and that was a place I wanted to go. I guess you could say I'm thankful that they made that happen. Unfortunate, I think, how it all happened. It's a rite of passage to get fired at MSG."

Next seven days: @ CBJ (Dec. 14), vs. WPG (Dec. 18)

29. Montreal Canadiens

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 43.10%

The gift: More from Patrik Laine. The veteran scorer has been great in his debut for the Habs; three goals and an assist through his first four games. He's also embracing the reactions he's getting from fans. "That was the most outrageous thing I've ever heard in my entire life," he told reporters after his home debut.

Coach Martin St. Louis is excited to have him in the lineup. "I know he's a guy who's going to help our power play, you see when he has the puck he's a player people respect a lot, it opens up other players," St. Louis said. "He has great patience, he's calculated."

Next seven days: @ WPG (Dec. 14), vs. BUF (Dec. 17)

30. San Jose Sharks

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 42.19%

The gift: Admin. After 10 years, the Sharks' social media team blessed us with another hit single for the holiday season:

It's superb when players, alumni, broadcasters and the team come together to make fun, silly content. The beat sounds as if it belongs in 1989, which is wonderful. The credits at the end include "Special Appearance by Mackenzie Blackwood of the Colorado Avalanche," as he was traded before the video was released.

The song also features these instant classic bars: "I'm not a good rapper, I'm not a good rhymer, but all my inflatables are set to a timer. I don't gotta be home to throw the switch, my holiday display blows up without a hitch."

Next seven days: vs. UTA (Dec. 14), vs. WPG (Dec. 17), vs. COL (Dec. 19)

31. Chicago Blackhawks

Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 34.48%

The gift: A reset button. The Hawks fired head coach Luke Richardson last week, replacing him with interim head coach Anders Sorensen, who was bench boss for the AHL affiliate in Rockford. GM Kyle Davidson noted that the results did not match the expectations for the team, and it was time for a new voice. "I had a good relationship with Luke, he's a really good guy," Connor Bedard told reporters. "In the end, it's someone losing their job. Obviously, you build relationships with those guys and it's sad seeing anyone go, for sure."

Next seven days: @ NJ (Dec. 14), vs. NYI (Dec. 15), vs. WSH (Dec. 17), vs. SEA (Dec. 19)

32. Nashville Predators

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 36.67%

The gift: A redo on the whole season. How did we get here? The Predators, touted by many as winners of the offseason, sit near the bottom of the standings with 22 points through 30 games. Jonathan Marchessault has 17 points, Steven Stamkos has 15. When head coach Andrew Brunette was asked if he would consider scratching any of his high-ticket players, he responded: "We could scratch every guy in our lineup. But unfortunately, we need players going. At different times, it for sure crosses your mind. But they have to earn it, you can't just do it to do it. It's a false thing to do where you try to create something ... players see right through that."

Next seven days: @ COL (Dec. 14), vs. NYR (Dec. 17), vs. PIT (Dec. 19)

Ruben Amorim has said Manchester City are in a "better place" than Manchester United ahead of the derby on Sunday despite Pep Guardiola's team losing seven of their last 10 games.

City's Champions League defeat to Juventus on Wednesday means the Premier League champions have won just one of their last 10 matches.

United, meanwhile, fought back from a goal down to beat FC Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday.

Amorim is preparing for his first Manchester derby this weekend and insisted that City are still more likely to win at the Etihad Stadium despite their recent struggles.

"The great teams can respond in any moment and I think they are in a better place than us in type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have," said Amorim, whose Sporting CP side beat City 4-1 in the Champions League before he made the move to Old Trafford.

"Even in this kind of moments, we have a lot to focus on in our team. We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems. We have a lot of issues here."

United go into the game at the Etihad 13th in the table while City have slipped behind Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in the title race.

The two Manchester teams have gone head-to-head for the Premier League trophy before -- notably in 2012 and 2013. Amorim is hoping his United rebuild will eventually lead to derbies being contested for the biggest trophies.

"I cannot treat it like a normal derby," he said.

"It should be like two great teams fighting for the title, and it is not that in this moment. So it is just one more game with a very good opponent. Both teams are struggling in the moment so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby [that has title implications]."

Before agreeing to become United's head coach, Amorim was linked with the City job before Guardiola signed a new contract.

Close friend Hugo Viana is set to make the move from Sporting CP to City to take over as director of football from Txiki Begiristain, who will leave the club at the end of the season.

Amorim, though, insists it was a never an option to follow Viana to the Etihad.

"Never," he said. "I never heard from them and this was my only option.

"When Manchester United talked to me I had no doubts. I had already something in my mind that [the United job] could be a possibility. With Manchester City or Viana? Nothing about that."

Amorim, meanwhile, has offered his backing to goalkeeper André Onana after another costly mistake against Viktoria Plzen.

It followed a disastrous performance during the 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest when a speculative shot from Morgan Gibbs-White went straight through him for Forest's second goal.

"You have to take it like it is," Amorim said. "He had already, in the past, a past situation like that. We have to work on this.

"If you see the play we are trying to build up a lot with the goalkeeper making the bounce [pass] with Matthijs [De Ligt]. This time we have a disconnect a little bit during the play. And when we try this we suffered a goal. A difficult goal for us.

"But we managed [against Plzen], not like against Nottingham. We managed to help Onana. Like he did in the past for us."

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal's January transfer plans will not be affected by the absence of a permanent sporting director following Edu Gaspar's sudden departure.

Edu stepped down in November after five years at the club and agreed a deal in principle to join Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' multi-club operation.

ESPN reported at the time that the move shocked many staff at the club's London Colney training base and managing director Richard Garlick has begun leading a process to identify his successor.

Edu's assistant, Jason Ayto, has been appointed on an interim basis while the search continues and Arsenal are set to consider a number of candidates including Dan Ashworth -- who left Manchester United earlier this week -- and Roberto Olabe, who will step down as Real Sociedad's sporting director at the end of the season.

"Jason Ayto is our interim sporting director," Arteta said. "He has got the full capacity and support of the football club right now. He is doing really well with his team.

"The process is open, as you know. The club with the support of all of us will decide who is the best person to move us forward.

"I never expect January to be super busy but we have to wait and see where we are. Some surprises can come.

"We are prepared for that. Some opportunities too. We have to see. Hopefully the availability of the squad will be better in a few weeks. We have to wait and see."

Arteta hinted Ayto could be a serious contender for the role.

Pushed on when he expected the process to be completed, Arteta said: "When we are convinced that we have the right the person who can work the right team who do great work at the moment.

"Someone who is going to take us to the next level. We might have him internally."

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are unlikely to be particularly active in the January transfer window unless injuries or an unexpected opportunity push them into the market.

Arteta confirmed Gabriel Magalhães has a chance of facing Everton at the Emirates on Saturday after resuming training following a hamstring injury but Riccardo Calafiori is sidelined with an unspecified problem.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said striker Darwin Núñez wants to score goals "almost too much" amid ongoing criticism of his performances for the club.

Núñez has struggled for form this season, scoring just three goals in 19 appearances for Slot's side.

He has started eight of Liverpool's last eleven games in the absence of the injured Diogo Jota -- who could return to the matchday squad against Fulham this weekend after recovering from a rib injury -- but he has failed to really make the No. 9 position his own.

The 25-year-old looked disappointed when he was substituted after spurning a number of chances during Liverpool's 1-0 win over Girona on Tuesday night, however Slot has insisted he is being judged on more than his goal return.

"For me he has impact," the Liverpool boss said in a news conference on Friday. "If you only look at goals, he hasn't scored the amount of goals he wants to score, or we want our No. 9 to score but he does have impact in his work rate.

"He's part of a team that is scoring a lot of goals and is winning a lot. But of course, as a No. 9 you want to score goals and that's definitely what he wants as well. I'm not only judging Mo [Salah] on his goals. I'm not only judging Darwin on his goals. I'm judging them on their work rate and what they bring to the team and that has been positive until now.

"Maybe also because the fans support him so much, maybe he wants it almost too much to score for himself and also for the fans because they've been very supportive of him."

After the win over Girona, Núñez seemed to acknowledge the recent criticism of his performances in a post to his Instagram story which read: "They are not all, they are some. Thank you Reds for your support, we are all still together."

Asked whether Núñez has been affected by the outside noise surrounding his form, Slot said: "We all saw it did something to him when he missed the chances on Tuesday. I think everybody then needs an arm around them whether it is from a teammate, the fans or their manager.

"But I also made it clear to him he is not only judged on the goals he scores, he's also judged on the team performance and he adds something to the team performance. Ideally, he has scored a few goals more, but it is the life of a No. 9, sometimes you score, sometimes you don't."

Lionel Messi has acknowledged that Barcelona teenage sensation Lamine Yamal reminds him of himself when he was young.

Messi was asked earlier this week during an event in Adidas' Herzogenaurach headquarters in Germany by Nigerian artist Goke Oyewo to name a player from the new generation that reminded him of himself when he was young.

"There's a very good generation of young footballers who have many years ahead of them," Messi said.

"If I have to choose someone, because of the age and because of the future that he has, I've heard that they have chosen Lamine Yamal and without doubt [it's him] for me, too.

"I agree it depends on him and many things because that's how soccer is, but he's the present and without a doubt has a huge future."

Yamal is a product of Barcelona's youth academy La Masia as Messi was has said comparisons to the Argentina international are unfair as it's impossible to reach his level.

Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, 37, left Barça in 2021 after winning a record 34 titles in 21 years at the club.

Named Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024 after helping Spain claim the title, Yamal, 17, finished eighth in the recent Ballon d'Or rankings.

The Spanish forward has scored five goals and set up 10 more in 15 league appearances this season to help Barça lead the LaLiga standings.

"I would love to see Barça win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and also the Champions League," Messi said. "And in the years that they don't, at least that it competes until the last moment."

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said that he has no interest in how Timo Werner received his "assessment" of his performance in Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw with Rangers in which he said the forward's display "wasn't acceptable."

Werner was replaced by Dejan Kulusevski at half-time after struggling in the first half at Ibrox and was the subject of some choice words from his coach who also referenced the impact of two teenagers -- Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall -- in helping salvage a point in Glasgow.

"I think when you've got 18-year-olds, it's not acceptable to me," Postecoglou said on Thursday. "I said that to Timo, he's a senior international, a Germany international. In the moment we're in right now, it's not like we've got many, kind of, options.

"I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn't acceptable."

Speaking the morning after the game, Postecoglou reiterated that Werner, and some of the other senior players within the Spurs squad, need to step up to help what is an injury-depleted team.

"It wasn't criticism, it was assessment," Postecoglou told a news conference on Friday. "I mean, if we played poorly, we played poorly ... And I said with Timo, it wasn't about whether he played well or not, but we had a real difficult game last night.

"I'm asking 18-year-olds to do some massive jobs and you've got senior players -- and he's a senior player, he's an international, he's won a Champions League -- that there's a level of application and performance you need to, sort of, rise to or to help the team and he didn't reach that.

"I think me taking him off at half time was a statement enough ... It wasn't criticism, it's just an assessment of his performance and on a really challenging night for us, which we knew going into it, it needs to be better."

Asked how he felt Werner might have responded to his manager's comments, Postecoglou said: "Look, I've got no time for that sort of stuff anymore. We are in a fight here you know? Collectively, we're in a fight.

"I'm not going to go around worrying about people's bruised egos. This football club, we want to achieve things, we want to be successful and we're down to the bare bones in players. I'm not going to, for somebody in that dressing room who's fit and able to contribute, that feels like he needs something extra in this moment, he's probably not the right type.

"I need guys who -- and we had some last night -- who understand the situation we're in. We've got 15 fit players. In some positions we've only got two players. So, I am not going to go around trying to get extra out of people if they don't give extra right now. Well, it kind of gives me an indication of where they're at."

Tottenham have registered just four away victories in the Premier League in 2024 -- a 4-0 win over Aston Villa and 3-0 success over Sheffield United in the 2023-24 campaign, as well as a 3-0 victory over Manchester United and 4-0 triumph over Manchester City this season.

Spurs travel to face bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Sunday in need of a comprehensive win.

Asked by ESPN whether his attacking style of play is intrinsically more difficult to implement away from home, Postecoglou said: "No, not necessarily. I don't think so. Look, again, I get that people kind of think that attacking football means you never defend or you don't care about defending, but it's not. It's just like I said, it's more about your intent when you go into every game and our intent is to go and try and win every game, not to treat games in a different manner.

"Now, is that more difficult? Well, what's the opposite? The opposite is that you go into a game trying not to lose. Well that's not guaranteed success either. So the only guaranteed success is when you get it all right."

Tottenham are 11th in the Premier League table, seven points behind fourth-placed Man City, while Southampton are bottom, eight points from safety.