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Southampton are in desperate need of the three points when they host an off-colour Manchester United at St Mary’s on Saturday evening.

The south coast outfit have won just one of their 13 Premier League matches this season and dropped into the relegation zone last weekend, and the pressure is surely on manager Mark Hughes to get at least a point – if not more – against Jose Mourinho’s men.

Even though the Red Devils drew 0-0 at home to Crystal Palace in their previous top-flight encounter and sneaked a last-gasp 1-0 Champions League victory against Young Boys in midweek, it still won’t be an easy task to take the three points given Saints only have won one home league in the whole of 2018.

On the chalkboard

Whatever Hughes has done in attack this season generally hasn’t worked for Southampton, as they have produced just 10 goals thus far.

Two of those came in the 3-2 defeat against fellow strugglers Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend, with Stuart Armstrong netting his first two goals for the club as a result.

The Scotland international has been playing in and around the striker in his previous two Premier League appearances, but he may have some competition for that role for the visit of United.

Haven’t seen Paul Pogba’s latest strange photoshoot? You need to check out the video below…

New role for Nathan Redmond

Despite sticking with a 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 system in recent weeks, Hughes reverted back to a 3-5-1-1 formation for the Carabao Cup clash against Leicester City on Tuesday, with Redmond in behind Michael Obafemi.

While Saints didn’t score during the 90 minutes, the 24-year-old made a huge impact and was positive and direct throughout, and he is a player that can really put some pressure on the United backline and their defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic, who hasn’t been at his best this term.

Armstrong would then keep his spot alongside Mario Lemina and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in behind Redmond, with one of either Manolo Gabbiadini, Obafemi, Charlie Austin or Danny Ings – if fit – up top ahead of him.

A new centre-back surely must be a priority for Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United in the January transfer window.

The Portuguese has experimented with a number of different options in the heart of the defence, perhaps to show the United board that strengthening his back four remains a priority. None of these have really worked, though, with Victor Lindelof the only positive so far this term.

With the January window now less than two months away, though, it could be the perfect time for Mourinho to improve things. One man who should be on their shortlist is Roma defender Kostas Manolas

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, the Greek international has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Serie A after joining from Olympiacos in 2014. Manolas has been a mainstay in the Roma defence that reached the Champions League semi-final last year. At 27-years-old, he is approaching his prime and United would be wise to lure him to the Premier League.

A tall, physical defender – Manolas would have no issues adapting to life in England. As well as coping with the league’s strongest forwards, the defender is also a massive threat in the air. Manolas also excels with the ball at his feet and would finally give Mourinho the world-class option that he has been craving in defence.

Alongside Victor Lindelof, he could offer some resolute and powerful defending.

Roma have lost a number of key players in recent seasons, and United shouldn’t have too much trouble meeting their asking price – provided Mourinho is given ample funds. He would be an ideal solution.

United fans, thoughts?

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Unai Emery handed academy-product Eddie Nketiah his first start of the season as Arsenal beat Vorskla Poltava by a comfortable 3-0 scoreline in a Europa League game in Kiev on Thursday night.

In sub-zero temperatures, 19-year-old striker led the line for the Gunners and produced a committed, all-action display that will certainly have endeared him further to the travelling Arsenal fans.

Whilst the England under-21 international failed to add to his two senior Arsenal goals by getting on the scoresheet himself, he was tireless in seeking out goalscoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. 

With Danny Welbeck set to be sidelined for a long time with injury, the door is open at the Emirates Stadium for Nketiah to make himself a more regular fixture of the matchday squad. His performance on Thursday night suggested that the opportunity is one he’s ready to take.

What do you think, Gunners fans, is Nketiah ready for greater involvement in Emery’s set up?

Liverpool have been fantastic this season, from top to bottom. For every stunning Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane performance, there have been just as many clinics from the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.

The Reds have improved every facet of their game, and that’s particularly true of the defence. Whilst mistakes and conceded goals were commonplace last season and beyond, they’ve really improved.

Alisson’s arrival, undeniably, has had an impact, but a lot of attention must also be placed on the Liverpool defence more broadly. Even those that have been at Liverpool for a long while have gotten better, and that’s certainly true of Joe Gomez.

Gomez moved to Anfield from Charlton back in 2015, but this season has arguably been his best yet. He’s formed a stunning partnership with Virgil van Dijk, and he’s been at the heart of everything that Liverpool have done well this term.

Unsurprisingly, then, Liverpool are eager to keep him at the club. He’s signed a new deal at Anfield this week, and he’s now set to remain at the club for the foreseeable future.

For Gomez, and for Liverpool more broadly, this is fantastic news. That means that in Gomez and van Dijk, they’ve got the perfect defensive pairing for the next few seasons at least.

However, it’s not good news for everyone, and one man that is sure to suffer as a result of this news is Dejan Lovren.

After all, Lovren has found himself thrust out of the team this season in favour of Gomez, and there aren’t any signs that he’ll be given an extended run in the team going forward, unless Jurgen Klopp’s hand is forced through injury or suspension. The simple fact of the matter is that Lovren just isn’t good enough anymore, and he’s proven that over the last few years.

Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet faced a lot of criticism over the years for their form at Liverpool, but the truth is that Lovren has been at fault just as often, and a strong end to last season isn’t enough for Jurgen Klopp to forget that.

At 29-years-old, Lovren’s not going to magically turn a corner and emerge as one of Europe’s best defenders.

By offering Gomez fresh terms now, Liverpool are clearly happy with the way he’s been performing, and the length of the contract indicates what the Reds have planned for him. They want him in the team long-term.

For Lovren, then, time could well be running out. If Gomez had struggled this term, there may have been an open door for him. However, the reality is that he’s excelled, and so for Lovren, the only way back to playing regularly could prove to be achieved by moving away from Anfield.

Thoughts?

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Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League table with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over their bitter rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were by far the superior outfit on display as they dominated proceedings throughout. The Reds were aggressive and confident as they took the game to their embattled opponents. Victory saw the Merseyside club stretch the gap between themselves and the Red Devils to 19 points.

FFC’s James Jones has identified the one thing that could cost Liverpool the title. Find out what it is in the video above…

Klopp will know that his side will need to continue winning these big matches throughout the season if they’re to maintain their challenge to Manchester City’s Premier League crown throughout the campaign.

For the clash against Jose Mourinho’s United, Klopp took the bold decision to drop his captain, Jordan Henderson, to the bench, in favour of summer signing Fabinho.

The former Monaco man joined Liverpool in the summer for a fee of £43.7 million, but had to wait a long time for his league debut and has only recently become a regular fixture of the team. After a few average displays though, the 25-year-old showed his class on Sunday.

On the ball, the midfielder was confident, as he demonstrated with his five attempts on goal and three successfully completed dribbles. He was also creative, and registered a deserved assist after Sadio Mane latched onto his delightful lofted through ball to put the Reds ahead.

The 7-cap Brazil international was also assured and reliable in possession, registering a respectable pass accuracy rating of 79%. However, his defensive work shows room for improvement, as the 6’2” man managed just the one tackle.

All in all though, Liverpool fans will be hoping to see much more of those kind of performances from Fabinho in the weeks, months and seasons to come.

West Ham United picked up yet another win to make it five in their last six and take them to ninth in the table, level on points with Everton. 

The Hammers had gone 1-0 down against Southampton yesterday but came back to win 2-1 thanks to a brace from star man Felipe Anderson. Anderson has been outstanding since he arrived at the club over the summer. With Marko Arnautovic out injured at the moment, the Brazilian has stepped up and looks as though he could be a star for the club.

Another player who has been incredibly impressive this season is academy graduate, Declan Rice. Rice was superb against Southampton yesterday and received praise from Manuel Pellegrini following the game.

The Breakdown

The midfielder has stepped into the side and settled incredibly quickly. At the base of midfield, he’s provided West Ham with a solid defensive force which has allowed the other players to go forward and play.

He’s already played 16 games in the Premier League this season and has quickly established himself as one of the best players in the side.

While praising the midfielder, Pellegrini also insisted that he is fully focused on playing for the club despite all the rumours surrounding his contract. The midfielder may be happy at the club now but West Ham must sign him to a new and more lucrative deal in able to ward off any interest from any other clubs who may try and poach him next month.

West Ham fans, what do you think? Let us know below!

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been giving their verdict on what could be the big transfer saga of summer 2019, as the Reds are reportedly chasing Timo Werner.

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool and Bayern Munich will go head-to-head to secure Werner’s services.

The Red Bull Leipzig striker is the youngest player ever to reach 150 Bundesliga appearances at just 22, and he is fast-becoming one of Europe’s greatest strikers.

Which big 6 club needs to do the most business in January? Check out what the Playmaker FC squad think in the video below…

His pace, movement, and absolutely lethal finishing is perfect for a counter-attacking team like RB Leipzig, and he could certainly be of use at Anfield.

The player himself has furthered the speculation by speaking about his desire to play for a huge club, specifically one that is playing in the later stages of the Champions League.

“To become a world class player, I probably have to play at club level for an even better team. I want that to be honest,” he said.

“Naby Keita did not become world class with us either, but he may now be with Liverpool.

“In order to become world class, you have to play in the big teams and then play big games like the final or the semi-final of the Champions League.”

The young striker has already grabbed 12 goals this season, and fans are loving the prospect of him playing in front of their famous front three in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Arsenal host League One outfit Blackpool at the Emirates Stadium in an FA Cup third round clash on Saturday evening.

The Gunners are of course heavy favourites for this match, so Unai Emery may well take this opportunity to rotate his squad, rest some key players, and hand vital first team experiences to some of the club’s young talents.

Pl>ymaker FC believes Arsenal fans won’t have to wait long to see Unai Emery’s long-term ambitions for the club come to fruition. Watch the video below to find out why…

One such youngster who could be due his first senior start for the north London club is Bukayo Saka. The 17-year-old has featured fleetingly for Emery’s side already this season, making three substitute appearances to date, including a Premier League bow against Fulham last time out.

When he has played, the England under-19 international attacker has shown flashes of quality. Emery now ought to give Saka his first start, to see what the youngster can really do.

Arsenal fans agree. Of those who took part in our poll, 94% voted in favour of Saka starting against Blackpool. See the full results below.

According to a recent report from The Sun, striker Neal Maupay could be set for a move away in this month’s transfer window. The Frenchman currently plays his football at Championship side Brentford and has done so since leaving his homeland back in 2017, with his excellent goal-scoring endeavours for the Bees seemingly attracting interest ahead of the remainder of the winter window.

And that’s because reports suggest that Aston Villa, managed by ex-Brentford boss Dean Smith, are keen on a move for the £4.5 million-rated goal machine (as per Transfermarkt), as should Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl as he targets the signings that could keep his team in the Premier League.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, it looks set to be another season of struggle for the South Coast outfit given they are languishing in the relegation zone after 21 games of the season, having won on just three occasions in a desperate first half of the campaign.

And while the arrival of ex-Red Bull Leipzig boss Hasenhuttl has given Saints supporters some optimism ahead of the rest of the campaign, it’s clear that he can only do so much, with the playing squad, a squad which finished 17th last term, in dire need of reinforcements during the January window.

And, other than Danny Ings, it’s pretty obvious that the striking ranks are in need of serious improvement given the likes of Charlie Austin, Shane Long, and Manolo Gabbiadini simply haven’t produced the goods so far this season – while Ings has seven league goals, the aforementioned trio have just three, with Long having failed to net at all.

And if the Saints are to indeed stay up this season under Hasenhuttl, they are going to need significantly more quality in the final third of the pitch – Maupay would bring just that.

The 22-year-old may have never played in the Premier League before in his short career, but his incredibly rapid adaptation to the Championship suggests that he certainly has it in him to succeed in the top-flight having scored goals for fun in the second tier of English football, which itself is a notoriously difficult division.

The Frenchman bagged on 12 occasions last time round for Brentford in their run to ninth place under the guidance of now-Villa chief Smith, while he has reached new heights already this term with an impressive 15 goals in just 24 league games for the Bees – only Tammy Abraham and Billy Sharp have netted more in the Championship.

And with six assists this time round, added to the five he contributed last season, there is more to Maupay than just a perennial goal-scorer – he also creates opportunities for his teammates to underline his status as a quality all round striker.

And with Southampton in need of a striker like Maupay to not only put the ball in the back of the net but also create chances for others, the Saints simply must seek to join and indeed win the race for the striker – that way, Hasenhuttl might just keep them in the Premier League.

Southampton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Leeds United look set to welcome Kiko Casilla to the club by the end of the week, but murmurs emerging from Elland Road suggest that their winter transfer activity will not start and end with the 32-year-old goalkeeper. 

The injury problems which have manifested themselves at Leeds this season are not standing in the way of their promotion bid, but with an opportunity to bolster his ranks this month Marcelo Bielsa should be looking to exploit a crucial window in the context of his entire career.

Bringing in a player to challenge Bailey Peacock-Farrell appears to be the priority, but a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post on Monday indicated that Swansea City’s Daniel James could also be a target this month.

And further substance has been added to that particular story by Sky Sports’ North England reporter Tim Thornton, as he confirmed Leeds’ interest in the 21-year-old while speaking on Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk podcast.

“The one player that stands out – we understand they’re keen and there’s certainly interest in Daniel James, who is a winger who plays for Swansea and is a Welsh international. He could be the player that Leeds pursue in this January transfer window.”

Thornton went on to add: “There is interest and he is the one that could come in in addition to the goalkeeper if everything goes to plan in the next couple of weeks”

Some supporters may have reservations about their interest in an unproven prodigy, who only made his debut at this level at the beginning of the season, particularly given Leeds could be playing top-flight football next season.

But Bielsa has showcased both his talent for stimulating individual improvement in players, such as Matseuz Klich and Pontus Jansson, and a willingness to give youth a chance in the first-team.

That the Argentine signed five players in the summer aged 24 and under and has since handed opportunities to teenagers Jack Clarke, Jamie Shackleton and Leif Davies – albeit out of necessity rather than choice in some instances – is a testament to the faith he places in young players.

These factors perhaps explain why Bielsa is intrigued by James’ impressive performances on his debut season at this level, and if Andrea Radrizzani is willing to sanction a deal there is no doubt he has the man-management ability to take him to the next level.

Leeds fans cannot expect instant fireworks from James if he makes the switch from south Wales to Yorkshire this month, but he could blossom into a fantastic talent under Bielsa.

Leeds fans – thoughts? Let us know below!