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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

West Ham have travelled to Manchester City for the Premier League’s final fixture of the weekend – a 4pm kickoff at the Eithad Stadium.

But one Hammers star isn’t present for today’s game – last season’s talismanic midfielder Dimitri Payet.

The France international’s dominant displays last season earned him a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year award and he continued to impress at Euro 2016.

That has lead to plenty of speculation over his future during the summer transfer window, with Chelsea linked by Mirror Football back in July.

The 29-year-old has insisted he’s “100% staying” at West Ham, but Premier League fans on Twitter aren’t so convinced.

Payet was left out of not just the starting Xi but the entire squad for West Ham’s trip to Manchester and with the summer window set to slam shut on Wednesday, that’s inevitably opened up a can of worms on social media.

The attacking midfielder has been sidelined with a knock all summer, managing just a handful of minutes in the Premier League so far this season.

Slaven Bilic suggested earlier this week that he may decide to rest Payet if he’s not fully recovered despite today’s game representing West Ham’s toughest fixture of the season so far – a big call on the Irons gaffer’s part.

Nonetheless, some think Payet will jump ship before the transfer deadline:

Do you think Payet’s about to leave, West Ham fans? Let us know in the comments section below!

The highly anticipated Manchester Derby is just days away, with both club’s set to field players who will become iconic figures within their respected club.

However, one man stands above the rest when discussing legendary status. Labelled by many as “football’s first superstar”, Billy Meredith represented both sides for fifteen years each and this is the story as to why he remain’s Manchester’s greatest superstar.

Many of us are too young to remember Meredith, in-fact unless you have a memory dating back ninety-two years you definitely will not remember the Welsh-born forward.

Born in 1874, ‘the Welsh Wizard’ still had the ability to draw the masses to stadia until his retirement at the age of 49. Carrying a trademark toothpick in-between his lips during games, he represented Manchester City between 1894-1906 and 1921-1924. It wasn’t just City he represented during his illustrious career, though, as he spent a total of fifteen seasons at bitter rivals Manchester United – who were close allies at the time.

When Northwich Victoria dropped out of the football-league in 1894 due to financial problems, a newly-branded Manchester City were keen to snap up an unknown 19-year-old Billy Meredith. Once deemed too slow, Manchester City secretary-manager (as it was known in those days) Joshua Parlby traveled to Wales to convince him to sign for City rather than Bolton and Ardwick – who were both keen on signing him.

His home-debut saw him come to battle against Newton Heath (now Manchester United) in the Football League’s first Manchester Derby. Meredith scored both goals as City lost 5-2 at Hyde Road, showing supporters why the club were so keen to snap up the part-time miner. He turned professional just a few months after joining City in January 1895 and ended his first-season with 12 goals in 18 games.

The following season he was appointed the club’s captain aged just 21, and remained City’s youngest ever captain until Steve Redmond took the armband in 1986. He also ended the 1895-1896 as the club’s top-scorer as City finished 2nd in the Second Division.

Meredith established himself as the club’s star player and fans came to see Meredith like never seen before. He guided City to promotion in 1898-1899, where he scored 30 goals in just 35 games. A turbulent few seasons lay in-store as Meredith’s City were relegated and promoted before 1904. This was the season that cemented Meredith’s status as City’s first legendary figure. An FA Cup run ended with the chance of success against a mid-table Second Division Bolton side in the FA Cup final. The game was to be played in Crystal Palace and the match meant City were the first Manchester club to win the FA Cup.

The Great Central Railway took the opportunity to decorate the streets of Manchester with posters proclaiming that City would beat Bolton and illustrated with a picture of Meredith scoring the winning goal, “Billy Meredith secures the Cup. He wants you to see the match and travel in comfort by the Great Central Railway’s Cheap Excursions.” Meredith scored the winning goal 23 minutes into the match to secure the victory for City.

On the final day of the 1904-1905, Meredith apparently offered to throw the game against Aston Villa which resulted him being banned for the entire following season. City transfer listed Meredith in May 1906 and he moved to Manchester United, signing for £500 at the age of 29. Further investigations meant he was unable to play until January 1907, but Meredith maintained his innocence his entire life. His grievance with the decision to cost him a year of his career forced Meredith to form the Players’ Union (now known as the PFA), further showing Meredith’s iconic legacy.

With Manchester United he continued his record breaking career. By the end of the 1907-1908 Manchester United won their first top-flight title and also the first league title success seen in Manchester. Only a few short months later, Meredith’s legendary status with United was confirmed as he was crucial to his side’s 4-0 win over QPR in the first ever Community Shield.

Meredith’s off-field battles continued with the FA as he continued to push the release of a maximum wage. In response, the FA ordered the players to withdraw from the Union or face having their league registration withdrawn. Hundreds of players withdrew but many of United’s players remained loyal to Meredith in a saga that was covered by the national press. The fight to release a maximum wage was fought until 1961, three years after Meredith’s death.

During the 1910-11 season Meredith helped United to their second title. Despite his off-field activities, his legend at both Manchester clubs remained unsullied and, in 1912, a benefit match was played between the two sides at Old Trafford that saw 50,000 fans attend and an estimated £2,000 raised.

The club dropped to 14th spot in 1913–14, and only avoided relegation on the last day of the 1914–15 season after bribing Liverpool to lose 2–0 at Old Trafford. The outbreak of the First World War saw no league football for a number of years. Meredith took to the field on 7th May 1921, close to his 47th birthday, and he became United’s oldest ever player when he played in a league game against Derby County – a record that still remains.

He returned to Manchester City aged 47. He featured just once during the club’s final season at Hyde Road before the club moved to Maine Road in 1923. His last ever game for City came during the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Newcastle United, and he remains the oldest player to play for City.

Meredith retired as one of the games true greats. Goals, assists, off-field displays, record-breaking seasons and achievements – no player has represented either side and had a bigger impact. Legends such as Bobby Charlton, Ryan Giggs, Tony Book and Colin Bell achieved remarkable things for their respected Manchester clubs, but no player had a greater impact on and off the field.

Clocking up 740 appearances for both Manchester club’s, his battle for player-power and his unbridled success on the field maks Billy Meredith Manchester’s Greatest Superstar!

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There must always be a real sense of trepidation around Southampton whenever a transfer window is upon them.

Over the years they’ve lost players, mainly to Liverpool, such as Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Morgan Schneiderlin as well as others leaving them wondering just how they’re going to replace them.

This summer was no different with Sadio Mane the main departure whilst in the dugout Ronald Koeman headed to Merseyside but this time to Everton, as the Saints were once again thrown into early season turmoil.

It looks as though they are starting to get back on track though as they always do under new boss Claude Puel and a lot of the credit, therefore, has to go to the Frenchman.

Nevertheless, the players also need to be praised for sticking at the task and you have to say they still have one of the most promising squads around right now.

This is backed up by the transfer website transfermarkt.co.uk, which values every player, and according to it, these are the ten most valuable Saints players currently…

10. James Ward-Prowse – £9.35m

The young midfielder has come through the ranks at Southampton and is the latest in a long line of promising stars to have played for the club. Valued at £9.35m he comes in tenth on the list but you’d imagine the Saints would want a fair bit more than that off of a potential buyer.

9. Jordy Clasie – £9.35m

The Dutch midfielder often competes for a place in the side with the Spaniard Oriol Romeu. Both are holding players and both get their fair share of games but it is Clasie who is the one of the two to make this list. Valued at the same price as Ward-Prowse they are different kinds of players but nonetheless both are important to the squad.

8. Virgil Van Dijk – £10.2m

Arguably the Saints’ best defender this season Van Dijk joined after impressing north of the border for Celtic. The Dutchman is a real wall in the centre of defence when he is on form and can also be a big threat from set pieces at the other end. At £10.2m he has to be considered a bit of a bargain.

7. Cedric Soares – £10.2m

Cedric has recently seen his value go up from £9.35m to £10.2m and that could be partially down to his good form this season. He was a big part of why Portugal managed to win EURO 2016 in the Summer with his ability to get up and down from right back and he appears to have carried that on this season.

6. Charlie Austin – £11.05m

The striker is on fire at the moment and if he stays fit you can expect his value to increase further. Goals against West Ham and Sparta Prague have shown his ability to score different kinds of goals and with the current England strikers not really firing, he can count himself unlucky to not be in the squad.

5. Sofiane Boufal – £11.05m

The record signing from Lille in the Summer at £16 million, he has yet to make his competitive debut for the club. This aside his value has actually gone up according to transfermarkt and that could be down to the big expectation he has around him. Whether or not he fulfils it remains to be seen.

4. Jay Rodriguez – £11.05m

He’s been blighted by injury issues throughout his Saints career but you cannot deny that when fit Rodriguez is a class player. He can do things other forwards can’t and Claude Puel seems to be a fan of him so if he can get a run of games under his belt his value could soar.

3. Ryan Bertrand – £11.9m

Bertrand has come on leaps and bounds since joining the South Coast club permanently from Chelsea and that is reflected by his high placing in this list. Defensively he is very sound whilst he offers a good threat going forward so the next step for him must be to try and nail down an England spot.

2. Fraser Forster – £12.75m

England’s number two might feel he has a chance of ousting Joe Hart with him out in Torino and there can be no disputing his importance to Southampton. When on form he can keep any side out and has shown on a number of occasions he has the ability to do world class things between the sticks.

1. Dusan Tadic – £14.45m

When on form Tadic is arguably the club’s best player and that is therefore reflected in him being top of this list. He has great creativity and awareness when he plays and his goal against West Ham where he sat Adrian down was the perfect demonstration of this – a top player.

Sunderland welcome Stoke City to the Stadium of Light on Saturday with both sides desperate for a win.

The Black Cats are currently bottom of the Premier League with only two points from their opening seven games, while Stoke are the only other side yet to win and sit just one place above them on three points.

David Moyes and Mark Hughes are both under immense pressure to get that elusive first win tokick-start their season and it will be interesting to see how the respective managers set their sides up.

Moyes may well look to youth should he be without key players like Jan Kirchhoff, Lamine Kone and Adnan Januzaj, or decide to rotate after last week’s draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.

Hughes will also be debating shuffling the pack, although he can take some heart from a respectable draw with Manchester United.

Regardless, here are five battles we see as key to the final result on Saturday.

SHAQIRI VS VAN AANHOLT

Xherdan Shaqiri is Stoke’s chief creator and will be hoping to give Patrick Van Aanholt a torrid time when the sides meet on Saturday.

The Swiss international leads the way for Stoke in terms of key passes, managing two per game in his three appearances so far.

The stocky midfielder may well get the better of his Dutch opponent, who much prefers getting forward to defending.

Indeed, the Sunderland full-back may try and spring a surprise of his own by firing a few attempts at the Stoke goal.

ARNAUTOVIC VS MANQUILLO

If any player looks likely to score for Stoke at the moment it’s Marko Arnautovic.

The 27-year-old was the Potters’ top scorer last season and has often looked dangerous even when Mark Hughes’ side are off the boil.

The Austrian was on fire during the international break and found the net twice against Wales.

Arnautovic will be licking his lips at facing Javi Manquillo, with Sunderland conceding 24 chances on the left flank this term – the third highest in the league.

ALLEN VS MCNAIR

Perhaps a more unexpected source of goals, Sunderland will have to keep a close eye on Joe Allen.

The Welshman has scored in his last two Premier League games and hit a rocket against Austria while on international duty.

The 26-year-old has benefited from a more advanced role of late and it will be interesting to see if he can continue his hot form.

With Jan Kirchhoff likely to be sidelined, Paddy McNair may well be given the anchorman role and it will be his responsibility to guard the pockets of space Allen likes to break into.

N’DONG VS WHELAN

Glenn Whelan vs Didier N’Dong is probably the least glamorous duel you’ll see this weekend but it may well decide the result.

With both sides relatively evenly matched, a greater importance will be placed on winning duels and second balls in the middle of the pitch.

Whelan and N’Dong tend to play the role of ball-winner for their respective clubs and both have racked up a large number of interceptions and blocked shots.

Whoever comes out on top on Saturday will have a big say on the final score.

GRANT VS THE ENTIRE SUNDERLAND ATTACK

Lee Grant became the Stoke hero at Old Trafford a couple of weeks ago.

The 33-year-old was superb against the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, pulling of seven saves to keep his side in the game.

With Glen Johnson ruled out and the Stoke defence still in disarray, Grant may well face a deluge of shots again.

Jermain Defoe in particular will test his reactions, but Grant may well find his goal peppered from all angles.

The international break may lack the drama, excitement and entertainment of its domestic counterparts but nonetheless, there’s plenty to be learned from nations partaking in a little eleven-versus-eleven duelling, especially from a club perspective.

Indeed, scouts, managers and coaches will be spending the international break running the rule over potential future additions and likely watching as much football as possible in the process.

FootballFanCast think fans should be no different and with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at three lesser-known stars Manchester United fans should be watching out for when France host Ivory Coast at 8pm on Wednesday evening.

Could one, two or even all three end up moving to Old Trafford during the next few transfer windows?

Ousmane Dembele

The Manchester Evening News reported on United’s interest in Ousmane Dembele when he signed for Borussia Dortmund during the summer and his performance against Ivory Coast will give an indication of whether the Premier League club should have pushed harder to rival the Black-Yellows’ deal.

The 19-year-old was phenomenal during his debut senior campaign at Rennes last season, finishing up with twelve goals, five assists and 4.1 successful dribbles-per-match from his first 26 Ligue 1 outings, and has carried that form into his Westfalenstadion tenure – starting with a sensational strike against the Red Devils in pre-season (above).

Jose Mourinho appears unconvinced by his current wide options and Dembele has the potential to fill the void. He looks certain to start against the African outfit, having sat out France’s 2-1 win over Sweden on Friday.

Serge Aurier

Manchester United’s right-back options aren’t the most inspiring, with Mourinho seemingly not keen on Matteo Darmian or Timothy Fosu-Mensah, while Antonio Valencia, currently sidelined through injury, is by no means the most natural of defenders.

PSG’s Serge Aurier, now one of the biggest names in the Ivory Coast line-up, could well be the solution. He’s strong, powerful and quick in typical Mourinho style but uses his physicality to punch holes going forward as well as keeping matters solid at the back.

A spat with Laurent Blanc put his Parc de Princes future in jeopardy ahead of the summer but the 23-year-old has seemingly re-established himself under Unai Emery.

Franck Kessie

19-year-old Franck Kessie is developing quite the following, with a number of sources comparing the Atalanta midfielder to iconic African enforcer duo Michael Essien and Yaya Toure. A star-studded performance against France could give us a hint of whether the teenager has what it takes to follow in the footsteps of those two Premier League title winners and he’s already professed his love for Manchester United, describing them as his ‘favourite team’ back in September.

Mourinho is still trying to find the right formula in the middle of the park and Kessie could prove to be the perfect long-term addition. But is he ready for life at Old Trafford just yet? His outing against Euro 2016 final-reaching France should provide the answer.

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