Liverpool are fully on course for another classic season at Anfield. The familiar – if somewhat derided statement, “It’s our year” – spoken by loyal fans of the Reds appears to be coming true. It will be Liverpool’s year. Or more accurately: It’s going to be a typical Liverpool year.

In the late eighties the comedic Scouse stereotype would have worn a shell-suit, had large styled permed hair and an equally impressive moustache, celebrated having silverware, and after Harry Enfield came along the phrase, “Calm down, calm down,” was added to the picture. Only a few things have changed since then. The modern Liverpool fan has replaced “Calm down” with “It’s our year” or “Five times” and they’re no longer a perennial threat for major trophies.

The long cycle of winning has been replaced with the annual Sisyphean approach of blind faith, ignoring inadequacies, finding false messiahs, slowly blaming exterior forces, glancing toward next season, before claiming all will be better with a fresh start and that the new season will be their year.

In order for the yearly cycle to correctly function a Liverpool fan, in order to facilitate having a typical Liverpool year, needs to sign up for a lifetime of fickleness and memory loss. Failure to do this would highlight contradictions to oneself. The club itself does its part by scouting the globe for talent that is good enough for a Europa League push. Any higher quality than this could accidentally land a first Premier League title, any worse and the well of hope could run dry.

[ffc-gal cat=”liverpool” no=”5″]

Being immune to the sound of their own voice, thus recalling statements made, some diametrically opposed opinions can form within the same individual. They can make Raheem Sterling go from the best young player in Europe to one that would have been behind Ibe had he stayed, and not being worth £20m. They painted Sterling as greedy but informed Adam Lallana that leaving Southampton was the proper thing to do.

The differing stances can passionately defend Luis Suarez as he munched his way through the pro game, claiming he was never going anywhere, before spinning the new idea it was a good time to let him go. They certainly haven’t missed his goals, had he stayed they’d have been in real danger of winning the league.

Depending on the run of form the club is in, trustworthy looking Brendan Rodgers can go from the best man for the job, and one of the most intelligent bosses in the game, to a clueless inexperienced guy nobody ever wanted. When people like Carlo Ancelotti appear to be in the frame the Kop faithful swing toward the latter.

Former players play their part, too. They all see Anfield as a place that only a loon would want to leave. Two-club man Steven Gerrard speaks ill of deserters, while ordaining current players with average ability, all from his Los Angeles home where he’s currently working hard to obtain his first ever league title. Jamie Carragher gave a masterclass in hypocrisy by declaring Mario Balotelli a bargain when they bought him for £16m only to say a year later he couldn’t believe Brendan Rodgers ever signed him. Phil Thompson hasn’t spoken sense since he sacked God (Fowler) and Ronnie Whelan said this week that Ings had the same instinct as Suarez.

It always surprises when a club that just staves off the threat of relegation purchase players from those that did go down and wonder why a year later they’re in the same predicament. The same applies to Liverpool. If they skim players from Newcastle United and Southampton, while seeing their best go to Real Madrid and Barcelona why is it a surprise they compete below the successful teams?

With any system that faces constant fluctuation there are bound to blips. This came in the 2001/02, 2008/09 and 2013/14 seasons respectively when Liverpool finished runners-up. However, it should be noted that the Champions League victory of 2004/05 wasn’t an anomaly. Liverpool fans had trademarked the phrase: Five Times. As such there was a legal obligation to fulfil their quota of European titles and extensively use the mantra.

It’s still early in the season so Roberto Firmino is still the best Brazilian since Pele and James Milner is the new Stevie G. Okay, he’s not that good, more like a Gazza in his prime or a Bobby Moore. By May Brendan will be out of his depth (if not out of a job beforehand), Jimmy will be no better than Charlie Austin and Firmino will be wondering how he manufactures a move to a team playing in the Champions League.

All the ingredients are present for a perfect Liverpool year.

[ad_pod id=’fba’ align=’center’]

[ad_pod id=’eight’ align=’center’]

[ad_pod id=’ricco’ align=’center’]

Despite successfully registering himself on the scoresheet last time out in the league against Swansea City, the 2015/16 campaign has so far proven a rather fruitless one for Arsenal’s Joel Campbell. Some football fans may even be forgiven for forgetting the Costa Rican international still plied his trade for the Gunners in the first place…

After partially impressing for his nation at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil over a year ago, many expected the now 23-year-old to stake his claim for a regular spot in the English top-flight on the back of his busy summer. Such an outcome is still ultimately yet to materialise for the wide-man, however, who after several loan moves away from the Emirates, just hasn’t managed to force his way into Arsene Wenger’s first team plans.

However, as Arsenal recently lost both Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to frustrating injuries last month, the long-term Gunners boss was rather forced into starting Campbell against the formidable Bayern Munich this week. He may not have stood out a great deal against Pep Guardiola’s intimidating outfit of course, but let’s face it, neither did many of his Arsenal teammates in the cold light of day.

So then, on the back of Arsenal’s mid-week loss to the expensively assembled Bundesliga giants – does Joel Campbell actually have a meaningful future left at the Emirates beyond this season, or are the attacker’s days with the Gunners now heavily numbered indeed?

Well, although the 23-year-old may not admittedly arrive as anyone’s favourite Arsenal player right in the here and now, Campbell does in-fact offer at least some degree of potential for Arsene Wenger to consider this season. The Costa Rican international has impressed somewhat when given starting opportunities out on loan after all…

When it comes to driving right at the heart of defences inside the final third, displaying a certain prowess in the long-shot department just outside the opposition’s penalty box and simply providing a willing pair of legs for the rest of his team-mates to work off of in front of goal, Campbell stands out.

He may have a tendency to drift out of certain games when the going gets tough – and even lose possession of the ball all too easily on occasion – but every player seemingly has their shortcomings, especially in their early twenties. Arsene Wenger could therefore find a more of a meaningful role for the marauding front-man in 2015/16, but only if further injury complaints go on to afflict the current Gunners squad this term.

In reality, whilst Campbell looks like he may well develop into a decent player in the not too distant future, carving out a long-term career at the Emirates is going to prove a task much easier said than done for the up and coming Costa Rican. The level of competition among Arsenal’s first choice starting XI is arguably too much for someone of his overall skill-set to handle – for if he were plying his trade at an all-round less prestigious club, few would likely offer him much of a second glance.

Campbell just doesn’t seem entirely suited to the Gunners’ style of play at this stage in the proceedings. He looks somewhat out of place among Wenger’s first-team plans, and doesn’t even compare when held up against the likes of Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla. If Arsenal still want to consider themselves a major player on the European footballing scene these days, Wenger needs to construct a level of squad depth that is far more superior than the hit-or-miss back-up options currently at his disposal.

Yet if the Gunners persevere with too many players of Joel Campbell’s standard – someone who arguably won’t make the grade no matter how long he stays at the Emirates – the overall quality within Arsenal’s ranks will only decrease in the long-run. The North Londoners will eventually lose their lofty status among the English top-flight if such a trend continues, leaving the money-spending likes of Manchester City to maintain their position at the top of the league for the foreseeable future.

As the Gunners categorically failed to improve their squad a great deal over the summer transfer window, however, perhaps Campbell will in fact remain at Arsenal for the rest of the 2015/16 campaign – as the Emirates faithful inevitably witness their side crumble towards the end of the season in light of the pure lack of squad depth available to Wenger.

[ad_pod id=’ffc-survey’ align=’center’]

[ad_pod id=’writeforus’ align=’center’]

Although the Black Cats have certainly endured a rather tough start to the 2015/16 campaign, they have seemingly struck upon a winning formula down at the Stadium of Light recently in successfully achieving back-to-back wins in their last two Premier League outings.

Fortunes could easily turn back around at any moment of course, for the English top-flight remains incredibly hard to predict with every passing week. But as the Black Cats’ back-line has somehow managed to register two impressive clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Stoke City respectively – maybe things are finally starting to go right for the Wearside club.

However, as the Stadium of Light faithful have experienced their fair share of false dawns in the past, Sam Allardyce clearly still has a great deal of work to carry out in order to defiantly avoid relegation this term. The going will invariably get tough once again just a few shorts weeks down the line…

So then, have Sunderland really found the right manager in Big Sam Allardyce, or are Black Cats fans simply experiencing little more than a short-lived honey-moon period?

[ffc-gal cat=”sunderland” no=”5″]

As the man himself has determinedly made clear, Allardyce is a manager who has never been relegated from the English top-flight. He has a strong reputation for keeping things tight at the back amongst his respective outfit – and although many other Premier League clubs would simply turn their nose up at just the thought of their team landing Big Sam as manager, he arguably represents the perfect option for Sunderland right now.

The Black Cats have always played host to a decent range of attacking options. Yet without a resolute enough back-line in place to maintain a certain solidarity throughout the rest of the team, Sunderland have often subsequently faltered in calamitous style as a result.

Big Sam therefore possesses just the right skill-set to help the struggling Wearsiders, and if recent results are to offer anything to go by this season, the threat of relegation could certainly evaporate somewhat later down the line. It’s going to take a lot more hard work and grit from the players themselves, but at least the club now play host to a manager who seemingly knows how to avoid taking a pummelling on a week-to-week basis.

However, because Sunderland’s problems stem from the overall lack of managerial consistency down in the Stadium of Light dug-out of late – can a long-term plan really be established with Big Sam firmly at the helm?

As was witnessed throughout his time at Upton Park not so long ago, the former Bolton, Blackburn and Newcastle boss can indeed stave off impending relegation effectively enough – yet when it comes to building meaningful teams that can impress their respective fan-base on a consistent enough basis, the 61-year-old tactician is largely incapable. It may make little sense to the many Black Cats fans currently enjoying their recent run of results in the league, but the deep-rooted fate of their club simply looks far from promising with someone like Allardyce in charge…

Although they may well avoid an unwanted trip back down to the Championship in the upcoming future under Big Sam, what good will that be if life in the Premier League undoubtedly becomes a chore? Sunderland will arguably define themselves as nothing more than a stagnant and boring outfit as a result of his influence at the club, ultimately enjoying very little progress from a pure footballing perspective.

Get ready to witness a further dose of aimless long-balls punted up to a solitary striker who plays almost exclusively with his back to goal, players constantly proving unwilling to take on shots from outside the box for fear of losing possession and almost every single creative flair talent being sacrificed to the wing simply in the name of sheer un-ambition alone. When all is said and done, Big Sam just doesn’t set his sides out to actually win games as often as he should.

As long as their club successfully maintains it’s place in the Premier League, most of the Stadium of Light faithful will likely care very little about what comes next within their team, which seems pretty reasonable enough right now.

But make no mistake about it, Sunderland fans, the long-term warning signs are already in place for all those honest enough to take note this season – and there is no getting away from that…

[ad_pod id=’writeforus’ align=’center’]

Super-subs Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic fired Newcastle out of the Premier League’s bottom three with a goal each as the Magpies secured a 2-1 victory against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.Spurs’ Eric Dier headed the hosts in to the lead in the first half and it looked as if Muaricio Pochettino’s side would hold on to climb in to the top four with all three points. But McClaren used his substitutes wisely in the second half by introducing Mitrovic and Perez as he went in search of a third consecutive Newcastle victory at White Hart Lane.And it paid off within just 60 seconds of Mitrovic coming on to the field as he was on hand to prod home at close range after a goal mouth scramble from a corner. And then Perez nabbed the winner – just like he did here last season – in added time after he latched on to a through ball and saw his half volley squirm underneath Spurs stopper Hugo Lloris to send the away support in to raptures.It was a relatively uneventful game into the final 20 odd minutes, but here are three things we learned from Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Spurs…

Spurs still suffering Europa League hangover…

From the very first kick it was clear Tottenham were still tired from their Europa League commitments on Thursday night. Although they were at home and comfortably brushed aside Monaco, against Newcastle they looked tired for most of the game.

However, Kane also looked disinterested and unlike his usual self despite not featuring in that game against Monaco. Credit has to go to Newcastle’s defence for keeping Kane quiet, but Kane normally finds a way of making a difference one way or another. And he didn’t.

With such a big chance to claim a spot in the top four with victory against Newcastle, they ultimately missed their chance with a lacklustre display.

Mitrovic and Perez should start more…

It only took a couple of minutes of Mitrovic to score Newcastle’s equaliser, having replace Cisse with 20 minutes to go. And then Perez popped up with the winner stoppage time.

Cisse was just as quiet as Spurs’ Kane and some would say Steve McClaren should’ve made the chance a lot earlier. It’s well known that Mitrovic has a short fuse and can get himself in to trouble too often, but he showed against Spurs that he’s capable of injecting a more positive dimension to Newcastle.

Perez was lively as soon as he came on, too, and bagged his second consecutive winner at White Hart Lane after he was the hero in North London last year.

Both will have definitely given McClaren food for though in the future.

Both sides should achieve season goals…

Both clubs went in to today’s clash with huge incentives to get the win. Spurs could’ve climbed in to the top four, while Newcastle would’ve got themselves out of the top four with all three points.

And although it was Newcastle who grabbed their opportunity, Spurs still have enough about them to secure a top four finish this term.

Spurs have been banging on the door of the top four some time now and with Chelsea completely out of the race and Liverpool prone to dropping points, Mauricio Pochettino’s side arguably have their best opportunity to do it in years.

Newcastle looked almost dead certs for the drop a couple of months ago, but their last two games have seen them grab huge results against two very good footballing sides, which can only boost their confidence further as they try and put a run of results together.

McClaren’s side should now build on those two victories and start climbing the table.

Arsenal’s season looks finely poised to be one of their best campaigns since the famous Invincibles of 2003/04, but it will take some intelligent January additions for Wenger to realise the club’s ambitions and win a first league title in over a decade.

The stadium move has previously restricted transfer activity, but the Gunners are able to invest freely once more now and it looks as though this window could seal their fate for the rest of this season.

As Olivier Giroud continues to be under valued by many, Arsenal are doing well to keep on top of the table, but they must be wary of the injury to Danny Welbeck and how short they will be left if the Frenchman is to become unavailable.

Fortuitously, there is a forward available currently and he could be the sort of rejuvenating bargain that would appeal to Wenger.

Pato has largely been used as a winger as he has returned to form in Brazil, but the ex-AC Milan forward would still be a good addition for the Gunners.

Here are FIVE reasons why…

Welbeck’s Arsenal curse

They have started winning trophies since Welbeck arrived, but the ex-United man has suffered the biggest Arsenal curse of them all; injury.

Since he arrived in North London, the England international seems to be constantly on the sidelines and the signing of a player like Pato would at least help to remove the reliability on Welbz.

Brazilian Bargain

Arsenal don’t exactly have a tendency to overpay – or pay at all – but the Gunners would surely be tempted by the prospect of someone as cheap as Pato.

Naturally, you would expect that a player of Pato’s calibre will be a far sight cheaper than the majority of forwards Arsenal are linked with and Wenger is the sort of manager to revive his career.

European Freedom

Unlike many other forward targets Arsenal may have, Alexandre Pato would still be available for European football this season.

Considering the injury to Welbeck, it is crucial there is someone who can, albeit not ideally, fill in for Giroud if needed.

Walcott Worries

Theo Walcott hasn’t been in the best of form for much of this campaign, maybe because he’s been shifted to the left, but the ex-Saint hasn’t looked his usual self.

Missing chances and looking disjointed in the build up play, the extra competition for his place from Pato would benefit the club as a whole.

Donkey Olivier

Giroud, as the only natural centre forward, has had to do a lot of the donkey work over the last few seasons for Arsenal and the club could benefit from another option down the middle.

Pato might have become more of a wide man in the last season or two, but the Brazilian would still give increased options in the final third to help Wenger rest his target man.

With Premier League action returning this weekend, it’s now time to take a look at your Fantasy Team ahead of the upcoming fixtures.

Heading into Gameweek 27, there is some important information worth noting down as Liverpool, Manchester City, Everton, and Newcastle United will not feature this week.

Therefore, our first advice is to recheck your squad and find ways to fill in the blanks should you have one or more players from the mentioned clubs.

Now, as part of your decision on which player to select as potential replacements, we are ready to drop a few hints on some differential picks you should consider when making your selections.

The matches worth keeping an eye on are the ones that see Stoke City take on Aston Villa, West Ham United take on Sunderland, and Tottenham Hotspur taking on Swansea City.

So, whether you agree with our selections or not, here are three Fantasy Premier League differentials for you to consider ahead of Gameweek 27.

Giannelli Imbula

Stoke City star Giannelli Imbula (5.0 and owned by 0.2%) was a key player during his team’s 3-1 victory over Bournemouth in the previous round of fixtures, receiving quite a bit of praise for his performance.

Despite only arriving in last month’s January window from Porto, Imbula has already marked his first goal for the Potters and could capitalize on his performance when his side take on bottom club Aston Villa tomorrow.

Emmanuel Emenike

West Ham United star Emmanuel Emenike (5.0 and owned by 0.1%) could be a great selection given that he scored a brace in the 5-1 FA Cup win over Blackburn last weekend.

He is now in line to feature his first full 90 minutes for the Hammers when they take on 19th place Sunderland tomorrow as he looks to register his first Premier League goal since his loan arrival from Fenerbahce last month.

Heung-Min Son

Tottenham Hotspur star Heung-Min Son (7.6 and owned by 0.2%) could be worth the risk given that Harry Kane is still a doubt after suffering a broken nose and if played may not feature the full 90 minutes.

With Clinton N’Jie also out with a knock to his knee, Son is the only fully fit forward available for selection ahead of their clash against 16th place Swansea City. The South Korea international is often used in the Europa League, scoring two while providing another four, but could now be called up to feature in the domestic league as well.

15 years ago today Roy Keane got his revenge on Alf-Inge Haaland – that tackle is amongst the most memorable moments in the fiercely battled Manchester Derby. With Manchester City’s rise as perineal title favourites over the past few years, the all-Manchester matches have an added flair that was missing in years prior, but they still churn out memorable moments.

Form doesn’t matter when it comes to derbies. Both Manchester clubs have had poor seasons in their history, but from the fans’ perspective, a win in the derby will give some optimism and excitement. With Manchester United having some recent success in the bitter clashes, City supporters will be itching for the next game.

For now, they can look back at past moments that saw City defeat their biggest rivals. On the anniversary of an unforgettable moment, here are the FIVE most iconic moments.

April 2001: The Revenge Tackle

As mentioned earlier, Roy Keane got his revenge on Alf-Inge Haaland with a horrific tackle. Prior to this incident, Haaland accused of Keane of diving and faking an injury in 1997 when in fact Keane was out for nearly a year. Fast forward to 2001 when they met again. With the score at 1-1, Keane had his sights on Haaland and made his ‘tackle’ straight for the knee with his studs up. A red card was rightly given and Haaland’s career was essentially over.

Much has been said about that tackle since. Keane wrote in his autobiography that the tackle was not revenge from 1997, while Haaland has been on record stating no bitterness to Keane.

October 2011: City Bag Six

No one saw this coming. With City still heavily investing in the club, this match featured many players who didn’t have much experienced in the derby. However, on this day, lack of experience didn’t matter. The game was a tight affair in the first half with Mario Balotelli giving City the lead and showing his famous ‘Why Always Me?’ shirt. Then, just two minutes into the second half, Jonny Evans saw red and the floodgates soon followed after.

Two goals in ten minutes gave City a commanding three goal lead. Three goals in the remainder of the match after a Darren Fletcher consolation made it the “worst day ever.” for Sir Alex Ferguson.

April 1974: The Denis Law Game

United supporters look away whenever Denis Law is mentioned. The former United striker returned to Old Trafford in April with the Red Devils needing to avoid defeat to not be relegated. Manchester City had other plans and ironically, Law broke the hearts of his former supporters with a lovely goal. United had been relegated and fans were irate. Their own legend did the unthinkable.

February 2011-Rooney gets on his bike…

There are few goals that can be considered ‘Goal of the Season’ worthy. There are even feewer goals that are considered “Goal of the Decade” worthy. And then, there’s Wayne Rooney’s bicycle kick. Nani whipped the ball in from the right flank and with a slight deflection, the chance seem to be gone. But, what he produced is something spectacular. He gave the fans at Old Trafford something to go ballistic over. It’s hard to describe just how difficult this strike was, but Rooney glided in the air and made it look so easy.

https://vine.co/v/M96OePEQaLV/embed/simple

April 2012-A Title Decisive Header

The 2011/12 season was something indescribable. The two Manchester clubs were gunning it out to see who would be on top of the Premier League in what had been an excellent campaign. With an electric atmosphere for a Monday Night Football match, the amount of goals were limited compared to the 6-1 thrashing earlier. However, dubbed as the ‘biggest game in Premier League history,’ everyone knew what was at stake.

In first half stoppage time, David Silva delivered a sublime corner kick into the area and Vincent Kompany powered a header past David De Gea. This goal gave City the lead in the title race, but barely. Goal difference separated the two clubs and we all know how the season ended. That goal knocked United off their perch atop of the Premier League and gave City a taste of Premier League glory. A truly remarkable game for all parties involved.

Manchester United finally confirmed at 8.30 yesterday evening that Louis van Gaal has been relieved of his managerial duties, following relentless reports of the Dutchman’s sacking throughout the day.

And it appears Jose Mourinho will indeed succeed the ‘Iron Tulip’ in the Old Trafford dugout, as speculated continuously since his departure from Chelsea in December, with BBC Sport claiming talks between the Red Devils and the three-time Premier League winner are already underway.

Changes in management nearly always resonate throughout the first team squad, as the new gaffer looks to implement his own philosophy and bring in his choice of new signings to complement it.

Inevitably, some established stars end up slumping down the pecking order, whilst those they were once selected over experience an upturn in fortunes.

With that in mind and Mourinho’s appointment seemingly all-but-official, we take a look at FIVE potential winners and losers from the managerial switch-around at Old Trafford…

LOSER – JUAN MATA

Juan Mata must be starting to mistake Jose Mourinho for the grim reaper. The Portuguese is almost certain to axe the Spain international for the second time in two years at consecutive clubs, having sold the former Chelsea star to Manchester United in January 2014 despite previously claiming back-to-back Player of the Year awards at Stamford Bridge. The Special One made no secret of his issues with the midfield maestro, particularly a lack of work-rate and proneness to errors in defensive areas, but in truth, Mata probably hasn’t hit the heights expected since his £37.5million move anyway.

WINNER – PHIL JONES

Phil Jones has become a forgotten man at Old Trafford; a shadow of the £16.5million signing who showed so much promise under Sir Alex Ferguson and reduced to bench duty amid a raft of recurring injury problems. But Jose Mourinho has always been a fan of the 24-year-old and wanted to bring him to Real Madrid before the Red Devils whisked him away from Blackburn Rovers back in 2011. Versatile and an expert man-marker, the Portuguese should be able to find greater use of the England international – representing Jones’ best chance of reviving a rapidly declining career.

LOSER – JESSE LINGARD

No United starlet epitomises Louis van Gaal’s faith in young players more than Jesse Lingard; the midfielder made his debut during the Dutchman’s first competitive fixture in charge of the Red Devils and scored the winner in his last – that superb extra-time strike in the FA Cup final. But the 23-year-old isn’t exactly your typical Mourinho player and whilst he may have a future as a defensive wideman, his central midfield berth seems certain to come to an end. That will mean less game time for the Warrington-born youngster, which could hamper his development.

WINNER – MEMPHIS DEPAY

On the surface, Memphis Depay and Jose Mourinho are a match made in hell. The former Chelsea gaffer has a knack of running wingers into the ground, whilst completely disregarding those who don’t track back like the Netherlands international. But after such an abysmal first season at Old Trafford, surely things can only get better for the former PSV star under the Special One. Likewise, Mourinho does make exceptions for world-class talent – a calibre the 22-year-old seemed destined to reach just twelve months ago.

LOSER – MARCOS ROJO

Whether deployed at left-back or centre-half, Marcos Rojo just isn’t Jose Mourinho’s type of defender. The Argentine is more play-out-the-back than no-nonsense-clearances and lacks the physical menace that has become synonymous with Mourinho sides, possessing a notably lightweight 6 foot 1 frame. Louis van Gaal and the 26-year-old had their fair share of issues, so it’s unlikely members of the Old Trafford hierarchy will be attempt to deter the Special One from selling.

WINNER – MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN

Morgan Schneiderlin has just come to the end of an underwhelming debut season at Old Trafford but his fortunes could take a drastic upturn with Jose Mourinho at the helm. The Portuguese likes functional players and that’s exactly what the France international is, offering control in the middle of the park through his consistency in possession and defensive resilience off the ball. Likewise, Mourinho’s teams always include an anchoring midfielder and throughout the current United selection, the 26-year-old is the standout candidate.

LOSER – ANTONIO VALENCIA

Jose Mourinho has never been one for sticking square pegs in round holes, which could spell trouble for converted winger-come-right-back Antonio Valencia. Famed for his power and athleticism – and now versatility and experience – the Special One will surely find some role for the Ecuador international in his first team squad next season. But the days of the 30-year-old being the Red Devils’ resident No.2 are well and truly numbered.

WINNER – MAROUANE FELLAINI

The common consensus amongst the tabloids is that Marouane Fellaini will leave Manchester United this summer. The Belgium international has never won over the fan base and epitomises how the Red Devils have struggled both on the pitch and in the transfer market since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. But there is arguably no player on the United roster more befitting of Jose Mourinho’s pragmatic ethos than the 6 foot 4 battering ram – a physical menace of notorious aerial threat who pops up with the occasional goal. Something tells me the Portuguese will keep hold of the former Everton star for at least another season.

[ad_pod id=’man-united-players’ align=’center’]

LOSER – MARCUS RASHFORD

Whilst Louis van Gaal may have been daring enough to stick with Marcus Rashford as his first-choice striker next season, Jose Mourinho has always refrained from taking a punt on a promising young player, especially when they’re spearheading the attack. In other words, the 53-year-old is certain to splash the cash on a big-and-burley centre-forward with a proven record at top level this summer – Everton’s Romelu Lukaku particularly coming to mind. Although that won’t spell the end of Rashford’s incredibly promising Old Trafford career, it will see him bumped down the pecking order a place or two.

[ad_pod id=’fifa16-wonderkids’ align=’center’]

WINNER – WAYNE ROONEY

Make no mistake about it, Jose Mourinho is a huge Wayne Rooney fan – something he made more than clear when attempting to sign him for Chelsea back in summer 2013. Whether the England international will be deployed as a striker, a No.10 or a central midfielder next season remains to be seen but possession the kind of gritty spirit Mourinho adores, he’ll surely continue his United captaincy under the Special One.

[ad_pod id=’euro-2016′ align=’center’]

The Merseyside rivalry has struggled to flourish this season, considering the weakness of Everton and the improvement of Liverpool. The two clubs have yet to really lock horns as Everton fans focus all their aggression towards their own team and management, rather than their much-decorated neighbours. Everton’s failings have been well-documented throughout this season and the club is heading into the summer transfer window with more unknowns than guarantees about their future.

Roberto Martinez’s position is coming increasingly under question. Everton fans are listing their dream alternatives to Martinez, the bookies are taking big bets on who might replace him and the Spaniard is facing wave after wave of questions about his future.

But in all of this one intriguing question pokes its head above the parapet: Could Brendan Rodgers be Everton’s answer?

Rodgers, in many ways, is of a similar profile to Martinez. The ex-Liverpool boss prides himself on playing football in an aesthetically pleasing manner, has experienced managing in lower divisions and made his leap into the public eye with a successful period as the boss of Swansea. Martinez and Rodgers both suffer from an inability to build a solid defence, mind. The greatest criticism of the Spanish manager has been the leaking of goals at an alarming rate and, and when Rodgers nearly won the title with Liverpool that was arguably his greatest downfall, too. There is a shared naivety between the two managers and, in a way, this is what makes them such a romantic prospect for directors. There is no ‘win at all costs’ mentality from either of them, it seems.

It is unlikely that Toffees from the terraces or the board room would even look twice at a supposedly failed ex-Liverpool boss. That is tantamount to accepting that you are a smaller club, that you cannot attract bigger names and that you must feed off the flops from your local rivals. However, a manager of a slightly higher profile, and with a reputation of managing bigger names, might be exactly what Everton need right now. The defence is unlikely to replicate an Italian side from the 1990s, but it might be a case of as good as you can get at the moment for Everton fans.

Brendan Rodgers is, fundamentally, a very good manager. The trouble with a potential appointment at any club is that he has so many key flaws. Everton, if they are going to replace Martinez, will surely be looking for someone who can tighten up the defence so that they take full advantage of all the attacking talent at their disposal. Rodgers clearly isn’t the right man for Everton at the moment for that very reason. The ex-Reading boss would, if anything, exasperate the defensive rotting that is currently taking place at Goodison.

In short, Rodgers cannot save Everton. Rodgers’ appointment would not do anything to quash the current fan restlessness and the tactical shortcomings of Martinez are unlikely to be fixed. The naivety of the two managers makes their teams so exciting; they don’t ever resort to holding for a lead. The advantage Rodgers has over Martinez is that he could at least arrive with the previous record of managing inhumanely-sized egos.

‘Mr Character’ would not resurrect Everton in 2016/17. His irresponsibility with transfer revenue and failure to value the need to just win the game on occasion make him only a slight improvement on Martinez. However, everyone is demanding change around Everton, and a change – if he wasn’t a former Red – could be enough. Perhaps give someone else final say on transfers and insist a defensive coach is there to reign Rodgers’ reckless intentions in and there could be some logic there.

[survey_monkey id=KX2XQR7]

[ad_pod id=’prem-flops’ align=’center’]

It’s been a very interesting summer for Southampton so far.

After losing their manager Ronald Koeman to Everton, and with a number of plays set to depart the club this summer; it is quickly becoming very important that Southampton look to rebuild as soon as possible.

It is nothing that the club haven’t done before; having dealt with similar situations for the last few summer transfer windows.

Each time a key player is sold, he is replaced with a player of equal or better quality; and often for a much smaller fee.

Unknown signings have become Southampton’s bread and butter; and they will no doubt continue that trend as they look to rebuild this summer.

Here are five transfer unknowns that Southampton should target..

Djibril Sidibe

Djibril Sidibe is a French defender currently playing for Ligue 1 side Lille.

The 23-year-old is a wall at the back, offering astute defensive prowess and an excellent ability to read the game. The versatile defender is also able to play across the back four.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in the defender, and it is strange that no other club are after him. With the deal still looking a ways away from completion, there is still time for other sides to come in for the Frenchman.

Saints are definitely after some defensive back up, and Sidibe would seemingly be a perfect fit. If a good price can be agreed, Southampton should look to beat Arsenal to his signature.

Sofiane Boufal

Sofiane Boufal is an unknown quantity that Southampton are looking at; and it is easy to see why.

The attacking midfielder, despite being unknown in England, has been in fine form for Lille recently.

Able to play across the attacking line, his versatility is a key trait of his game, and he is also hugely talented on a technical level. He could be utilised as a replacement for the recently departed Sadio Mane.

With Southampton’s interest in the player seemingly concrete, this has all the makings of a future deal.

Ragnar Signurdsson

A player that is attracting lots of attention this summer, Signurdsson was one of the standout players in Iceland’s heroics during the Euro 2016 tournament this summer.

With a host of top European sides looking at him, Southampton would be wise to follow the trend and look into the defender too.

Offering defensive stability to any back line, the Icelandic defender would be a great signing. His transfer fee would likely be low, meaning he would be perfect as a rotational defender for this Southampton side.

Youri Tielemans

This Belgian starlet is destined for big things.

Southampton are a side that have become renowned in recent years for producing some of England’s finest young players, and in Youri Tielemans’ you have a player that has the potential to become one of the worlds best.

With 100 Anderlecht appearances to his name at just 19 years of age, he has more experience than players significantly older in age, and will no doubt make his big move in the next few years.

Offering technical ability and the ability to open up opposition defences, Tielemans would be a perfect fit in the Southampton midfield; and it would give the midfielder the perfect platform on which to build his career before an inevitable big money move away.

Andre Gray

Andre Gray is by no means an unknown name in the lower leagues, having just come off of the back of an unstoppable debut season with Burnley. But to many Premier League fans, they might not be aware of him or just how good he is.

He won the Championship golden boot last year, with a fantastic 23 league goals in 41 appearances, firing Burnley to the Premier League and proving that he is ready to make the step up to the Premier League with his club.

With Pelle set to leave Southampton this summer, the club will no doubt be looking for a striker, and they would struggle to do better than this 25 year old.

The club were reportedly interested in signing him before he arrived at Burnley, but chose not to as they were unsure how well he would adapt. Well he has proven with Burnely that he is more than good enough to make the leap.

Whilst he may be unknown to a lot of Premier League fans right now, this time next year he definitely wont be; and if Southampton still have interest in the striker, now is the time to do the business.