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Sunderland, unfortunately for them, yet again are in the midst of a relegation battle. While the instillation of Sam Allardyce as manager is usually a move that all but guarantees survival, the Black Cats appear to bucking that trend somewhat.

By no means are the North East side completely written off, but their position is looking increasingly perilous. Four points off fierce rivals Newcastle, who themselves are entrenched in the scrap, games are running out on Wearside.

Their activity in the transfer market was encouraging, however. Allardyce managed finally land Lorient defender Lamine Kone after a mini-saga, with the Ivorian international looking a good at the heart of defence thus far.

Wahbi Khazri has looked a live wire since arriving from Bordaeux, while former Hull City forward Dame N’Doye has bolstered the attack.

Still, it’s not clear whether that will be enough. Their fightback to rescue a point against Liverpool would have offered some encouragement, though did little to improve their standing right now.

Plenty of names were linked with making a move to the Stadium of Light over the course of the window, some of which could have really provided the quality required to keep them in the league.

With that in mind, and not to rub it in too much, here’s the dream end of January XI you Black Cats fans COULD have had…

JORDAN PICKFORD

Yes, Allardyce has stressed the Jordan Pickford is not yet the undisputed Number 1 at the club, but the England under-21 custodian clearly has a bright future.

So much so that Costel Pantillimon was shipped out of the club, with only former Newcastle stalwart Steve Harper drafted in.

Pickford has been linked with Manchester City and is emerging as one of the brightest stoppers in the country. While blooding him in at the deep end may be somewhat of a gamble, the 21-year old is hugely talented.

He’s played in all five of the top divisions in English football already in his career.

MATHIEU DEBUCHY

Mathieu Debuchy appears relatively often in these lists, simply because the Frenchman was linked with so many different clubs over the course of last month.

Though he ultimately made a return to Ligue 1, the 30-year old was rumoured to be on Allardyce’s wish list.

Despite his past with Newcastle United, the quality he could have provided in the right-back berth would have been undeniable. Billy Jones is the current incumbent, though doubts remain over his genuine ability to perform at the highest level.

On loan Spurs star DeAndre Yedlin has never been fully entrusted since his move in the summer, making it a relatively problematic position.

Debuchy is a quality defender, comfortable in possession and solid enough going forward. Could have provided real quality.

YOUNES KABOUL

Younes Kaboul looked quite frankly woeful when paired up with either Sebastian Coates or John O’Shea, though the vastly experienced Frenchman has improved somewhat.

Now he has returned from injury, the former Spurs and Portsmouth defender will be crucial in his side’s fight against the drop.

Pairing him next to the more athletic man we are about to mention could provide a solid partnership, now he has some pace to rely on in his partner.

LAMINE KONE

The £5m deal bringing Lamine Kone to the Stadium of Light appeared to have been off at one point, though everyone at the club will surely be delighted they finally landed their man late in the window.

The 26-year old turned in an emphatic performance against Manchester City on his debut, aside from missing a golden opportunity to level the scores. Still, the Ivorian is a defender in the truest sense, putting his foot in and remaining hard to beat.

Appears to already be somewhat of a cult hero with the club and his solidity will be crucial to keeping them in the league.

PATRICK VAN AANHOLT

Patrick van Aanholt has a lot to work in the defensive aspects of his game, though the Dutchman is worth his salt going forward.

His gallivanting runs up and down the left flank have yielded three goals and two assists, meaning the 25-year old Dutchman has been involved in more goals this term than any other defender.

Goals keep you in the Premier League, it’s as simple as that. While more solidity is no doubt required from him, he can pose a real threat going forward.

Now Steven Fletcher has departed, the former Chelsea youngster is joint second top scorer for the Black Cats. A damning assessment on their attacking stars of course, but not something to be overlooked.

YANN M’VILLA

Having slipped under the radar due to a dip in form over recent years, it’s easy to forget that Yann M’Villa is a solid holding midfielder. In fact, he’s been one of the Black Cats’ best performers amid this miserable campaign since his loan move from Rubin Kazan in the summer.

At times, the Frenchman is a bit rash, but his ability to hold on the ball and keep things ticking over in the middle of the park is without question.

Sunderland fans have taken to him well, it seems.

JAN KIRCHHOFF

Hard to imagine really that Jan Kirchhoff would prove to be anything other utterly dreadful after his nightmare debut against Tottenham Hotspur.

The former Bayern Munich ace conceded a penalty and his lazy attempt at blocking a shot led to the ball being deflected into his own net. Comparisons to Jonathan Woodgate were made, it was that bad.

However, the 25-year old has moved on and impressed, moving up into midfield against Manchester City, turning in a Man of the Match performance.

His performance against Liverpool looked tiresome toward the end, but he again impressed. Perhaps he will even keep Lee Cattermole out of the side, with the Black Cats stalwart attracting criticism for his lacklustre display.

Comfortable on the ball, the German could be the perfect foil to the more imposing M’Villa in the middle of the park.

WAHBI KHAZRI

In the early days of his career on Wearside, Wahbi Khazri has excited fans. The Tunisian international sealed a £9m switch from Bordeaux late on in the transfer window and has so far looked to be a good buy.

His willingness to run forward in support of Jermaine Defoe was obvious against Liverpool and the 25-year old provided the assist for the dramatic late equaliser at Anfield.

Though often used as a centre-forward, and able to perform in the Number 10 role, deploying Khazri on the right may be a good option. That way, he can cut inside and wreak havoc from more central options, as well as provide more traditional wing play.

Jermain Lens is another option, though the Dutch international does not graft as much as the new arrival in terms of defensive duties.

ADAM JOHNSON

Adam Johnson at Number 10 can provide some real quality in the final third. The former England international may have tailed off since some promising early days at Manchester City, but remains a gifted playmaker.

Though he’s often deployed out wide, flanking him with two wingers with exceptional workload could help bring the best out of the 28-year old. Having chipped in with five assists this season, perhaps moving him centrally is a wise idea.

He can be the creative hub of this side if he is afforded a freer role.

ANDRE AYEW

After selling Jonjo Shelvey to Newcastle, Swansea weren’t so keen to see Andre Ayew leave the club, amid reported interest from Allardyce.

It’s easy to see why, though the Ghanian would have been a wonderful arrival at the Stadium of Light.

Despite the struggles in South Wales, the fact he arrived on a free transfer over the summer surely make him a contender for signing of the season. He’s scored eight goals without every truly playing as a centre-forward and provides real quality in support of strikers.

The former Marseille man would have excelled next to Johnson, breaking behind enemy lines in support of Defoe. With Khazri on the other side, the Black Cats would suddenly have boasted a frontline to be reckoned with.

JERMAIN DEFOE

It took a while for Jermain Defoe to get settled in at the Stadium of Light, with suggestions he could have left and returned to former club Bournemouth.

However, even at 33 years of age, the former England international remains a lethal marksman. Few would bet against him scoring the goals to keep Sunderland in the league, if he is given the right service.

The notion of both Khazri and Ayew running ahead of him to create space, and Johnson pulling the strings behind, is surely mouth-watering for Black Cats fans.

Oh, what could have been.

Few would believe a few seasons ago that Troy Deeney would be a Premier League player.

He has scored eight goals this season, and as a result is being linked with an England call up, further helped by Wayne Rooney’s standard pre-tournament injury. With Deeney playing so well for Watford right now, should he be considered by Roy Hodgson this summer?

With recent call ups for Jamie Vardy, Danny Ings and Charlie Austin, strikers who have come up through the Championship and performed in the top-flight, it perhaps suggests Deeney is going the right way about earning himself a call up.

With the Euro’s in France this summer, Hodgson may decide to call up players that other teams won’t know how to handle. That is partly why players like Kane, Deeney and Vardy are successful in the Premier League, because the opposition don’t know how to handle them yet.

With Dnny Welbeck seemingly being kept off the plane, and Sturridge being wrapped in cotton wool, this could be the best chance other strikers have to get on the plane.

As long as they continue to perform, then it could be a direct battle between Vardy and Deeney. Both are very different players, and should Leicester win the league with Vardy, then you feel he would have the edge. Vardy’s pace is too much for defenders, and his eye for goal means that he could easily fit alongside any strike partner.

But Deeney still has an outside chance. At the age of 27, he is about to enter the peak of his career. He has constantly worked hard to get to the top, and at least one England cap would be well deserved.

This is really down to Ighalo and Deeney, who have provided most of Watford’s goals this term. If one of the pair isn’t scoring, they will be setting up or creating the play. England have not had such a good pool of strikers in years, and if Roy does not utilise all the different options, then he will be making a big mistake.

Deeney is very much the kind of striker who can not only hold up play and set up goals, but can easily be spotted to get on the end of balls and score. Though it may have taken him 10 games to score his first goal in the Premier League rhis term, he deserves at least one cap for England.

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There is the distinct possibility that many of those in the famous red shirt of Liverpool will not be wearing it for very much longer.

Jurgen Klopp has had to put up with the Brendan Rodgers signings, and come the summer he will be wielding the biggest seen on Merseyside. Club owners, Fenway Sports Group, have already dropped hint after hint that they will back Klopp this summer, and Liverpool look likely to be one of the big spenders before the new season starts.

Many of the players are not truly Liverpool quality, and despite the £millions that Rodgers saw spent, very little has been achieved in recent years. It is true to say that Klopp will need a full season with his own players before he can be really judged as a manager at Anfield and that means a summer clear out of some real deadwood.

Fringe players will feel the sharp blade of Klopp’s scythe, as will notable first team names. Do not be surprised when a P45 are dished out to Martin Skrtel for a start. He once seemed to be an integral, but better players have taken over his role and the 31-year-old Slovakian is rapidly sliding down the pecking order.

Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren appear to be forming a promising partnership at the back and a flurry of tweets during the game at Southampton made it quite clear how the fans feel about the player they once loved. Furthermore, Joel Matip will arrive in the summer, and should slot into the heart of the Liverpool defence, so that is likely to mean the end for Skrtel.

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Joe Allen is entering the final 12 months of his contract, but Liverpool have not made any attempt to renew his terms, while the position of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet – who was culpable for the goal Fernandinho scored for Manchester City at Wembley in the League Cup Final – is under threat.

Those who will definitely be leaving in the summer include Kolo Toure and Joao Teixeira, both of whom are out of contract.

One player that Liverpool will keep, despite a lengthy injury lay-off, is their very own Jon Flanagan. Klopp played a big part in deciding to award the defender a new three year deal recently and it will show other homegrown talent that there is a path to the first team.

Another that will almost definitely become a casualty in the new era is the shell of a player, Christian Benteke. The problem with not scoring is that those that come in and take your place and can score will keep you out. Diviock Origi is ahead of Benteke and Daniel Sturridge is still Liverpool’s number one choice. Roberto Firmino has also been preferred to Benteke when leading the line, so it seems that it’s goodbye to the Belgian.

Lucas is another name who will likely be heading out of the door. The Brazilian almost left last summer and was linked with moves to West Ham and clubs in Italy, but this summer will surely see this player leave through what will become the Anfield revolving door.

left-back Jose Enrique is almost certainly also on his way out as Klopp starts to rebuild his defence – the German is reportedly eyeing a number of European targets in a bid to strengthen his back line. Talking of the backline, it is also clear that second choice ‘keeper, Adam Bogdan, is on his way out, as Klopp eyes a goalie to push Mingolet next season.

Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, former Reds favourite, Ronnie Whelan summed up the situation brilliantly: “It’s the players. They are not and haven’t been good enough for a long, long time. Successive ownership regimes and managers have built several teams since the turn of the century and each one shared a brittle quality and a scarcity of true super-stars. Klopp has arrived and is dealing with that legacy. He has no super-stars and he cannot rely on his players to delivery consistency.”

Damning, but true.

Liverpool need to become a serious force in the Premier League and in Europe, where domination used to be theirs. It will take money, it will take an inspirational and tactically aware manager and it will take time. Liverpool have two of the three, but like every other manager, Klopp will need to produce results almost instantly. That’s the way it is nowadays.

Exciting times for the Anfield club lay ahead and a feeling of renewed hope that will replace the restlessness that has settled over the fans in recent years can already be felt. There’s no point in looking back to what was, it’s instead better to look forward, and when you consider that on the Klopp shopping list are players like Mario Gotze, among others, then there appears much to anticipate in the coming months.

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He is fast becoming the forgotten man, only getting cameo appearances now.

The end is nigh for Christian Benteke at Liverpool, and he knows it. He isn’t Jurgen Klopp’s ideal striker and he wasn’t brought in by him either. On the results this season, Benteke will be at a different club next year.

West Ham, among others, have expressed an interest, but it appears that Hammers fans have recoiled in horror at the thought of the Belgian playing in the claret and blue.

Less than one per cent of the 1,700 plus who voted in a recent ClaretandHugh poll wanted Benteke as one of the club’s summer signings. We wonder what other fans are saying…

Benteke has admitted he finds it difficult to understand why manager Jurgen Klopp ‘ignores’ him.

The Belgium international, who has scored just eight goals in 36 appearances, has become frustrated with his bit-part role at Anfield. After signing for a fee of £32.5million last summer, he has made just five starts in 16 games since the end of December, with Klopp preferring fit-again Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi up front.

Noticeably, at the end of the defeat at Southampton recently, Klopp was seen in animated discussions on the pitch with the forward after he missed a number of chances in the 3-2 loss. Clearly not ignoring him.

The speculation concerning his departure from Anfield is on a roll at a time in the season when anyone and everyone is linked with moving somewhere. If Benteke wants to stay at Liverpool, then he needs to show it now, but maybe the damage is done and Klopp has already decided on the forwards future.

“Some team-mates have said that I was lucky with the arrival of Klopp, because I certainly would play,” he said recently.

“When your coach says he wanted to take you to Dortmund and a little later you sit at the same club and he ignores you it is hard to understand.”

Perhaps it is because Benteke just doesn’t fit into Klopp’s tactical plans or maybe it’s because he can’t score – which is probably more likely. On the back of accusations that he doesn’t play the way Klopp wants Liverpool to function, he said: “I find it bizarre, I do not understand why people say that. I can play pressing and moving a lot. It is not that we play in the Barcelona style. In January I didn’t want to leave and it’s still my desire to succeed.”

Benteke isn’t exactly alone when it comes to underachieving at Anfield, but while the arrows are being slung his way, the others go undetected a while longer. As third, maybe fourth choice striker, Benteke needs to work, run, press and score, because from the comments from the fans on Twitter, his inability to do any of those things means that whilst he may want to stay in the red shirt, the general feeling mirrors Klopp’s thinking.

Liverpool bought Benteke for one quality, and that was when he was scoring of all sorts of goals. Any other qualities that he thinks he may have seem to have packed their bags and left ahead of the dozy striker.

It clearly isn’t working for the Belgian and at the moment. Benteke looks a lonely, out-of-sorts, peripheral player, and seems to be the only one who is bemused at his situation.

Two years from now, Liverpool fans will be saying – Benteke who?

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All the copy has already been written about how remarkable the Leicester story is. We know its magnificent, the footballing achievement is as great as we will ever see. The party is just beginning and it looks like the footballing Twittersphere is happy for the Foxes…

Simply surreal, all of this. What has happened to football?

Would Bocelli fancy a steak and kidney at half-time? We reckon he might be getting something slightly fancier in the interval, mind. For some reason the Leicester fans are chanting through his singing.

Claudio Ranieri is a worldwide hero now. The Italian has even managed to gain a huge number of fans from his home country who have jumped on the Leicester bandwagon.

What a man… Remember when everyone wrote him off?

Yeah, not sure this Bocelli is necessarily Jamie Vardy’s sought of thing, to be honest.

Not sure he can, either!

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Footballers these days have a bit of a reputation for being a bit dim.

But that culture is changing now that football clubs hammer home the importance of education to young and aspiring footballers. With that in mind, we’re counting down the top 10 smartest players over the last few years.

We’re so used to hearing stories about the likes of Jermaine Pennant leaving his Porsche at a car park at a Spanish train station after forgetting he owned it, this could be indicative of the money these lads are given at a young age.

There are footballers out there who give us hope, the kind who use their free time to build businesses, study a subject or language or are generally quite sharp chaps.

If you think there’s a bright player who’s been missed off this list please feel free to head to the comments section and let us know who they are and why!

10. Yugo Nagatomo

The Inter Milan full back has made 88 appearances for Japan and has impressed people since making his move from FC Tokyo back in 2011.

But what people may not be aware of his Yugo Nagatomo’s rich education. Nagatomo graduated from Doshisha University in Japan with a degree in Economics, he has since gone on to write 2 books!

One of these is titled ‘The important thing is to feel the rise throughout happiness’. Catchy!

9. Patrick Bamford

The Forest academy graduate has been hot property, scoring goals wherever he’s gone (except Palace!).

However, Bamford has been presented with some interesting opportunities.

He’s from a fairly well off family in Nottingham and was educated at Nottingham High School for Boys, but when he was just 16 he was offered the opportunity to go to Harvard University on a football scholarship deal.

Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, but Bamford turned down the offer when he realised he could pursue a career as a professional footballer.

8. Didier Drogba

Just being a Premier League footballer hardly seems that impressive when you’re stacked up alongside Didier Drogba. That comparison becomes even more pronounced when you realise that Drogba is also a qualified accountant who is touted as being a future President in his wartorn homeland the Ivory Coast.

In the wake of a bloody civil war, Drogba formed part of the Truth and Reconciliation commission set up to heal the wounds of the country and reunite its peoples.

Although Drogba has said he doesn’t much want to be President of the Ivory Coast, we can think of no one better than Drogba in light of his accomplishments.

7. Simon Mignolet

The Liverpool number 22 has come under criticism in recent seasons for his lack of consistency. However it can never be said that he doesn’t take his education seriously. Simon Mignolet has a degree in law and political science.

Although he plays second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois it doesn’t matter who’s around him on the bench as he is fluent in English, French, Dutch and German.

Simon Mignolet clearly takes his learning very seriously, perhaps he can teach himself how to keep the ball out of the net a bit more next season unless he wants to Karius overtake him as first choice.

6. Duncan Watmore

The ginger Pele has been a revelation since breaking into Sunderland’s first team.

After making the move from non-league Altrincham, Watmore has kept the ethic that has pushed him all the way to the highest division.

He also uses this work ethic in the education he receives. Watmore graduated from Newcastle University with first class honours in a degree in Economics and Business Management. A great achievement considering he’s now in training full time!

5.Matt Smith

The big lumbering striker rose up to Championship side Fulham after pottering about non-league for a while.

After being released from the Cheltenham Town academy at 18-years-old Smith pursued the opportunity to study, and it was then that he went to Manchester Business School where he played football for the University society with famous comedian Jack Whitehall.

He graduated with a degree in business and then after some time in non league his football career took off, and a possible call up to the Scotland squad could be on the cards.

4. Fraser Forster

The big Geordie has been a revelation since signing for Southampton from Celtic. After years of proving himself and gaining experience north of the border Forster made the move to the south coast in 2014.

Since joining Saints he has started studying for a course in business studies at university. Alongside breaking records for the longest period without conceding a goal in a Saints shirt, he’s clearly got something going upstairs.

He may look all brawn but he’s certainly trying to prove that there’s some brain behind that too!

3. Glen Johnson

The Dartford born fullback has played for some big clubs in the Premier League. But it was during his time at Liverpool that he made some steps towards improving his education.

Glen Johnson claimed in an interview with The Telegraph that he was pursuing a degree in Maths.

He spoke about his happiness at doing it and admitted that proving a point to his teachers at school who thought he would amount to nothing was something that spurred him on greatly. More power to you Glen!

2. Juan Mata

The little Spaniard has put many a smile on the faces of Premier League fans since joining Chelsea from Valencia.

His attitude to always give back to the fans made him player of the season more than once at Chelsea before making his move north to Manchester.

Mata also uses his free time away from football very constructively, after gaining a degree in Journalism from the University of Madrid he looks set to carry on in this ethos, by getting degrees in both Marketing and Sports Science from the University of Manchester. Carrying his team one week and carrying his coursework group the next?

1. Frank Lampard

There can only be one man to top this list, and it might surprise some. Don’t let Frank Lampard’s reputation precede him, he’s an extremely intelligent man.

Lampard has an IQ of 150 which places him in the top 0.1% of the population. If you think that’s impressive, well how about this?

That score is only 10 less than Albert Einstein. Perhaps after Lampard is done in New York he can tackle the Hadron Collider in Switzerland!

Everton and England star Ross Barkley is approaching a crossroads in his fledgling career.

A player of undoubted ability can no longer be considered a player of potential, it’s time the boy became a man and started to produce top class performances on a regular basis.

If you were to watch a compilation video of Barkley’s greatest moments, there would be no disputing his special talents.

However, the alarming dip in form he suffered in the second half of last season must be a small bump in the road and not an indication of a more permanent downturn in career trajectory.

The arrival of new manager Ronald Koeman and his highly rated backroom staff will surely aid Barkley in his quest for more consistent showings.

And the more demanding nature of the Dutchman, as opposed to the often perceived over-indulgence shown by former manager Roberto Martinez towards his young charge, could be just what is required to push Barkley onto the next level.

An injection of cash within the corridors of power at Everton means a higher level of player can now be attracted to Goodison Park.

Therefore, Barkley may no longer take his place in the starting eleven for granted. Yet, on the flip side he could be the talisman and superstar Everton have been craving for an age, who they could build a new team around.

But one thing which cannot be argued, is that the upcoming season is one of huge importance for the young blue.

Step up to the plate and the sky can be the limit, but if he fails to grasp this opportunity, we may never see the best of this mercurial talent.

This article was submitted via our Write For Us feature. Think you can do better? Submit your own article via the link below, and give yourself the chance of winning monthly cash prizes…

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The FIFA 17 demo is out and we’re all gearing up for the full release of the game having had a small taste of what to expect from the full version.

One team we’re all looking forward to playing with is Manchester United. The Red Devils have gone through something of a mini overhaul over the summer, with Jose Mourinho replacing Louis van Gaal and immediately splashing the cash.

Mourinho only bought four players but in doing so, he still managed to spend £157.25m. Eric Bailly arrived from Villarreal for a whopping £32.3m, Henrikh Mkhitaryan signed from Borussia Dortmund for £35.7m and, of course, Paul Pogba completed his return to Old Trafford for a world record £89.25m fee. Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived on a free transfer, too, which is already looking like the bargain of the summer transfer window.

So, four quality additions to Mourinho’s side and that can only mean that there are four quality players to look forward to playing with at Man United on FIFA 17 this year.

But how do they line up in Manchester United’s top 10 rated players in this year’s game? We’ve listed them for you, counting down from 10, and there’s even a shock inclusion for one player – do you agree with the ratings?

10. Herrera – 82

Ander Herrera has been used sparingly by Jose Mourinho during the opening four games of the Premier League campaign, starting just once and making two appearances from the bench. However, that’s not taking away from his ability in midfield. There’s no surprise why the Spaniard has made the top 10.

9. Schneiderlin – 82

The Frenchman has managed just five minutes of Premier League football under Jose Mourinho this season and already appears to have been the biggest player to have missed out at the expensive of Paul Pogba’s arrival. FIFA still rank him as the club’s ninth highest ranked player, though.

8. Schweinsteiger – 83

This is the shock inclusion, purely because he has been frozen out by Jose Mourinho and his Old Trafford appears to be all but over. The former Germany international is still rated as Man United’s eighth best player on FIFA 17, though, which will no doubt please a lot of his loyal fanbase.

7. Smalling – 84

The England international struggled with injury this pre-season and even though he’s now fit and ready for a return to first team action, the performances of centre-half partnership Daley Blind and Eric Bailly have prevented him from waltzing straight back in to the side. However, he is expected to replace Blind in the coming weeks and his 84 rating is probably accurate.

6. Rooney – 84

Some will say Rooney’s rating of 84 is a little harsh and deserves to be much higher, but he is knocking on a bit and the confusion over what position he’s best suited to has probably worked against him. Still, he’ll no doubt be a beast of a player for FIFA 17 players – just like he has been for so many years now.

5. Mata – 84

Juan Mata’s Man United future looked bleak when Jose Mourinho was confirmed as the new Old Trafford chief, but his form this season has arguably made him one of the first names on the Portuguese’s teamsheet. Of course, Juan Mata is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, which is reflected in his 84 rating – the fifth highest ranked United player on the game.

4. Mkhitaryan – 85

The capture of Henrikh Mkhitaryan was seen as a very shrewd one but it has taken some time for the Armenia international to get going. He has been limited to just one start and three appearances off the bench this season but despite struggling with niggling injuries is still expected to be a key player in Man United’s title bid. Some would say an 85 rating isn’t high enough, but we think it’s bang on.

3. Pogba – 88

The world’s most expensive player isn’t Man United’s best player on FIFA 17, which may have left a lot of you confused. How can he only be their third best player, too? The France international impressed on his second debut against Southampton but has since failed to live up to his price tag, especially after he went missing in the Manchester Derby last weekend.

2. De Gea – 90

De Gea is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, so it’s no surprise that he’s Man United’s second-best player with a huge rating of 90. However, we’re not sure about his handling rating of 85…

1. Ibrahimovic – 90

Surprise surprise! Zlatan Ibrahimovic is Manchester United’s highest rated player and no one can argue with that. The Swede has scored four goals in his opening four Premier League games and is showing no signs of slowing down that goal scoring record – he’ll no doubt be one of the main reason why people choose to play as Manchester United in FIFA 17.

It’s been a good start to the season for Tottenham to see them sit third in the division and unbeaten after three wins and two draws.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have been quick to carry on from last year and are starting to find their groove with wins over Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Stoke whilst they’ve also drawn at Everton and at home to Liverpool.

They’ve seen the return of Mousa Dembele too now and we all know how influential he is in Spurs’ fortunes so things could be about to step up a notch for the club as they head to Middlesbrough this weekend.

It’ll be another big test as Boro have started well in their first Premier League season since 2008/09 and Aitor Karanka’s men look confident of giving anyone a game.

Meanwhile, Harry Kane is out for Spurs and that will be an obvious miss but here at Football FanCast we think this line-up should still be enough to get the three points…

Hugo Lloris

The second best ‘keeper in the league, the Frenchman will start.

Kyle Walker

Spurs’ best right-back by a long way, has to play.

Toby Alderweireld

He’s started this season how he did last year and will be key to Spurs’ season.

Jan Vertonghen

Just as important as Alderweireld, he has to keep Alvaro Negredo quiet this weekend.

Ben Davies

Danny Rose is still out so Ben Davies will once again deputise.

Mousa Dembele

Arguably the most important player Spurs have, they’ll be very glad he’s back.

Eric Dier

Dembele’s foil – a key part to how Spurs play.

Christian Eriksen

Signed a new contract and now needs to start finding last season’s form.

Dele Alli

He found the net against Stoke a couple of weeks ago and needs to keep scoring now Kane is out.

Erik Lamela

Like the rest of their midfielders Spurs need Lamela to step up quickly and help fill the goals void Harry Kane has left.

Vincent Janssen

The Dutchman has to take this opportunity with Harry Kane out, but actually doing so is harder than just saying it.

Make no mistake, Tony Pulis is right – Liverpool are right in the mix.

Along with Manchester City and Arsenal, Liverpool have looked the most threatening team in the Premier League. The likes of Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United of course cannot be discounted, but off the back of a tough run of fixtures, the Reds are joint top and bang in-form.

Having won away at Arsenal and Chelsea and drawn with Tottenham and Manchester United, Liverpool have played well in the big games, and avoided dropping points against key rivals. The only blip was Burnley; apart from that, their record as yet is impeccable.

Set-pieces are an issue defensively, but going forward, the likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho are more than compensating at the other end. Conceding one is not an issue as long as you score two or more at the other end, and that is what has been happening. In midfield, Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson have been exceptional, too.

The strength in depth is also key. With Giorgino Wijnaldum only recently coming back from injury, Emre Can stepped in against West Brom. Daniel Sturridge, one of the most gifted players at the club – and indeed in the league – can’t get a look in. Danny Ings has not got near the squad for any league game so far.

With no European competition, the pressure is off the squad physically with fewer games to play, but there is still enough depth to compensate for injuries. Their high-tempo, all-action style of play could be difficult to maintain, but the depth in the squad means rotation is possible, and that should help to combat it.

The next eight league matches – Crystal Palace, Watford, Southampton, Sunderland, Bournemouth, West Ham, Middlesbrough and Everton – are arguably easier than the fixtures Liverpool have played so far. Win six or seven out of the eight and Liverpool could be top at Christmas for the first time since 2013.

They are by no means the favourites for the league, but they will certainly be up there come the end of the year.

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