John Stones - A Perfect fit for Manchester City?

"Money can't buy you Stones" were the words Evertonians chanted against Chelsea last season and while Roberto Martinez managed to fend off the interest of Jose Mourinho, a £47.5m bid from Manchester City proved too tempting for the new Everton boss, Ronald Koeman to decline.

City acquire the former Barnsley player in an attempt to provide a partner for Vincent Kompany at the sixth time of asking, taking their spending on centre backs to over £122m. City's attempt to find a cultured partner for their captain, has largely been a disaster. Nicolas Otamendi was recruited last summer, and Eliaqium Mangala the season before, but neither have been the solution to the problem.

Otamendi can be chaotic at times, often favouring to go to ground leading to opposition forwards hurdling the challenge and skipping past the Argentine defender. When on form, the former Valencia man is physical, imposing and an aggressive defender but is too inconsistent to leave a glowing impression on the Etihad. Playing alongside Kompany obviously inspires Otamendi, delivering probably his finest performances of last season against Manchester United and Norwich City in October. At 30 years of age and injury prone, Nicolas Otamendi will need to adapt to playing without the Belgian captain in the near future.

The Citizens threw £42m at Porto for their French centre half Eliaquim Mangala in August 2014 and two years later, looks likely to be leaving Manchester having been omitted from City's Champions League roster. The 25 year old, never cemented a first team space at City and the tone was set in his second game where he scored a lamentable own goal against Hull City. Often the scapegoat for City fans, Mangala appears uninspiring and to lack a lot of confidence. With Shkrodan Mustafi appearing to be on the way to Arsenal, Valencia boss, Pako Ayesteran has earmarked the French international as a possible replacement. 

Martin Demichelis was another purchase for £4.2m, but was never a long term signing. Regardless of a rocky start to his City career - conceding a penalty and getting sent off in 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League - Pellegrini persisted with his fellow Latin American and he helped City lift the title with terrific form in the closing months of 2013/2014 season. Demichelis' contract was not renewed at the end of the last season and is now at Espanyol.

Pep Guardiola shelled out £47.5m for Everton's John Stones to make the 22 year old the second most expensive defender in history. Guardiola is looking to build his side around players who are very comfortable on the ball having done so at Barcelona and Bayern Munich previously. Favouring to play the ball out of defence instead of launching it up field, John Stones fits the bill perfectly. His ball playing style will thrive under Guardiola, but how will his defending?

While Stones shows all the traits of an accomplished ball playing defender, he is still earning his trade, and regularly makes naive mistakes. In the closing stages against Stoke over the Christmas period, Stoke converted a penalty to defeat Everton 4-3 after a desperate challenge from Stones grounded Marko Arnautovic. Similarly, a week later against Spurs, the young centre half opted to perform several Cruyff-turns in his own six yard box with Son Heung-min breathing down his neck despite the animosity from the Park End faithful. To have the audacity to attempt this extravagant move a week after making a mistake shows the composed and nonchalant traits that will have attracted Guardiola to the defender. 

While Stones could be infuriating to watch at times, he did deliver some exceptional performances displaying the essence of a seasoned international defender. In the Capital One Cup first leg against Manchester City in January of this year, Stones kept the one-time Premier League Golden Boot winner and four-time player of the month, Sergio Aguero on a tight leash as Everton won the game 2-1, however succumbed to a 3-1 defeat in the second leg. Against Chelsea in September last year, amid succession of bids from the club, Stones delivered a cool performance that thwarted Diego Costa on many occasions as Everton recorded a 3-1 victory.

Comfortable on the ball, Pep Guardiola will hone is skills with the ball at his new club. His decision-making deficiencies may not improve, particularly if Guardiola's possession based game is executed appropriately but it is likely that Stones will find that he is under less pressure when in the blue of Manchester City. When City face quality opposition in the Champions League and the higher ranked sides in the Premier League, Stones' defensive capabilities will be carefully scrutinised. Stones will be an asset in the league, but is likely to encounter difficulties in the Champions League at first.

At City he will likely play a rotational role at first with Mangala and Otamendi, however he will quickly cement the spot beside Vincent Kompany when the Belgian returns from injury. He will definitely justify the price-tag, probably not with an immediate impact but as he progresses under the guidance of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss. 

Playing to impress at Euro 2016

With many teams off the pace last season, this transfer window promises to be one of the biggest since the inception of the modern Premier League in 1992, heightened further by the European Championships that kick off in less than a week and the new bumper TV deal.

None of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal will want to see another season pan out like the one last season. Arsenal were able to grab second spot due to the misfortune of Spurs on the final day, while Manchester City undoubtedly underachieved in the first half of the season and then prioritised the Champions League over their league form in the latter stages of the year. Liverpool and Manchester United are both in transition evidenced by the hot and cold form over the season, while Chelsea couldn't recover after a horrific start. On the other hand, Leicester City have the added attraction of Champions League football as well as being part of a fairy tale story while Spurs possess a great young manager and some very talented and young players.

United, Chelsea and City have all acquired new managers, and all have major restructuring to do. City currently have the oldest squad and with Guardiola favouring the youth, we're likely to see some seismic changes. Chelsea clinched the record for the worst title defence off the grateful hands of United who set it a year previous. Failures in developing an attractive style of football coupled with no Champions League football next season ensured a swift exit for Louis Van Gaal, not even a week after his FA Cup triumph. With Brendan Rodgers' squad still at his disposal as we are so often reminded on social media, Jürgen Klopp faces his first transfer window since moving to Anfield in October. He will no doubt plan to strengthen the side with plenty of weaknesses being exposed in the team throughout last season.

With players' agents as sharp as a knife, they will have earmarked the upcoming tournament as one to clinch their clients lucrative new contracts. Number one example of this was James Rodriguez's £50m move from AS Monaco to Real Madrid after the 2014 World Cup. Not all of the transfers after a major tournament turned out to be as successful as that of James' with Spurs signing Roman Pavyluchencho and Arsenal signing Andrei Arshavin after superb performances at Euro 2008. Both careers in North London did not match the fees spent.

Liverpool have started their business early, with the completion of the deal to bring Loris Karius to the club for £4.7m. Rumours of the arrival of Mario Götze on Merseyside were unsurprisingly swiftly refuted, with the German World Cup winner emphasising his allegiance to Bayern Munich. It will not effect Liverpool however with money needed to be spent on more problematic areas of the pitch. Defensively, there is a lot to be desired on in Anfield, and I suspect that this will be the main area where Klopp will spend most of his transfer budget.

In Manchester, Guardiola has already acquired the services of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ikay Gundogan for around £20m. With the Turkish-born German not selected for the German national team among injury fears, he will have the whole summer off to prepare for an assault on the Premier League. Rumours are circulating that the new City boss will embark on a summer spending spree totalling a whopping £250m. There is no doubt that Guardiola will already have specific targets in mind, but he will pay particular attention to the international football that kicks off next week.

Ones to Watch
I've compiled a list of players who are on the radar of Premier League teams or could be vital additions:

Leading that list is Haris Seferovic. Currently plying his trade at Eintracht Frankfurt, the striker has been around the block and it is somewhat surprising to note that he is only 24 years of age. At 6ft 1in, he is a physical presence for defenders to handle and is progressing nicely on the international stage with 7 goals in 29 appearances. With players such as Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka providing the creativity, Seferovic will be not short of any chances but does have competition up front in the form of teenager Breel Embolo.

Wolfsburg left back, Ricardo Rodriguez has been on the radar of several big clubs over the past number of seasons, Arsenal and Manchester United notably. Rodriguez is equally adept at attacking as he is at defending and has exceptional dead ball capabilities and was voted Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2014. With very good stamina, his adventurous runs will cause problems for his opposite number and deliveries will be sure to create chances for his native Switzerland.

A favourite of the English press, Andriy Yarmolenko has been linked to many sides over the last number of years. At 26 and approaching his peak years, the Ukrainian has the physicality - standing at 187cm and 74kg - but also has the panache, often leaving him to be compared to Franck Ribery or Marco Reus. An excellent dribbler, he assisted the most in 2014-2015 Europa League in which Dynamo Kyiv reached the quarter finals. An impressive performance at the Euros and he can finally make the step to England.

Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik is Ajax's golden striker. The Dutch club completed the signing of the 22 year old at the start of this season having completed a loan spell the previous year. Despite not firing the Amsterdam side to the title, Milik recorded 21 goals in 31 league appearances. Experts in nurturing talent, the former Bayer Leverkusen player has made great progress and also has 10 goals in 24 international appearances. Often in the shadows of compatriot Robert Lewandowski, Milik possess great dribbling skills copied from his idol Cristiano Ronaldo. Lewandowski will be the main danger, but to write off Milik as a threat would be a cardinal sin.

I do have lengthy list of players aiming to make the big time at the Euros so will endeavour to share this before the tournament begins on Friday. Feel free to leave suggestions!

Race for the BPL Title

With just 6 games left of the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester sit top of the table with a 7 point advantage over nearest rivals Tottenham. Just four more wins from their last games secures Premier League glory in what has been an astonishing team performance galvanised by the managerial expertise of Claudio Ranieri at the helm. Where does this leave the 'top four regulars'?

After a horrific start to the season, Roman Abramovich quickly waved the axe at Jose Mourinho to be replaced by Guus Hiddink. Since then Chelsea have rose up the league table and are now hunting for a spot in Europe. Despite the supporters not wanting to admit it, neither Manchester United and Liverpool are ready for a title charge and contain too much 'dead weight', evidenced further by either side not being able to topple Leicester and Spurs. The other side of Manchester have faltered too much and Pellegrini has rightfully paid the price by not getting his contract renewed at the end of the year. Admittedly, injuries have not helped, but with the quality in depth in the City set up, they really should be blowing the rest of the competition away.

That just leaves Arsenal. Currently sitting in 3rd place, a point off their North London rivals, this was Arsenal's year, to borrow the phrase, and yet again they have blown it. Arsene Wenger will be held to account even more than in previous years, where they had the ever-young excuse of 'we can't compete against Chelsea/United/City (delete as appropriate) who spend all around them.' At 8 points adrift, I don't see Arsenal catching Leicester particularly with tricky away matches to West Ham and Manchester City. Admittedly, it the rest of their fixtures are against considerably weaker opposition, most of which are currently battling relegation. Dropped points at the weekend will make it very difficult to catch up and even if they throw together a run of form, it could be a case of too little, too late for the Gunners.

Leicester City have been a breath of fresh air for the Premier League this season and have quickly endeared themselves into the hearts of everyone. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have ripped defences to shreds and are rightly at the top of the pile and much of this can be attributed to the managerial expertise of Claudio Ranieri, who possibly would not have been at the club had his Greece side not succumbed to back to back defeats to Northern Ireland and the Faroe Islands. Nobody could have predicted the mesmeric rise of Leicester City and I can even be quoted as to say that they will finish outside the top 6! A win at the Stadium of Light on Sunday secures the side Champions League football next season, and nice amount of money for the owners to hopefully put back into the club.

The real challenges start when the league concludes for the East Midlands club. Regardless whether they win the title or not, they will come under pressure to sell their key men such as Kasper Schmeichel, Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante among others. Ideally, I'm sure they would want to keep hold of most of their side and improve it with additions from the transfer window, but I don't think they would pass up on the opportunity to charge one of their rivals a fortune. After all, they got most of their players for pennies compared to the rumoured values of them currently. From a business aspect, it will be a win win situation.

On any other season, Spurs would be the side that everyone wants to win but they have been pipped to the post by Leicester. Spurs are beginning to reap the rewards of the signings that were acquired with the money gained from the sale of Gareth Bale. Nacer Chadli and Christian Erikson in particular have often gone under the radar in terms of performances. Erik Lamela blows hot and cold but on his day can be scintillating. It is often a frustration of mine that he cannot be more consistent and injury free as he has the talent to beat any defender on his day. Toby Alderweireld has been a revelation at the back having been bought from Atletico Madrid in the summer. Sent on loan to Southampton last year, the Belgian was constantly at the heart of the Saints' early run of form and has picked up from where he has left off.

Undoubtedly however, all the plaudits have been going the way of Dele Alli. The teenager was signed by Pochettino in February 2015 for an initial fee of £5m. Hindsight may be a wonderful thing but there will be many other sides kicking themselves at not purchasing the player. He announced himself to the stage with his first goal in the 1-1 draw against Leicester City, as well as scoring memorable goals against Crystal Palace as well as cracking strike in an international friendly against France. Like Leicester, Spurs have unearthed a lower league gem and one that has rose to be touted as one of the best English prospects. He will also be exciting to watch for English fans in the white jersey when playing at the European Championships this summer.

How will Spurs and Leicester fair in the transfer market and in the Champions League next season?

The club owners will be licking their lips at the prospect of Champions League football. From a financial point of view, they will receive €12m for competing in the group stage of the Champions League while also bagging a healthy €1.5m for each win and €500k for each draw.  On top of this, they have the added market pull of offering Champions League football. The money must be spent wisely, or else they will just descend back into mid-table mediocrity, particularly as the other teams around them will spend big. According to http://www.totalsportek.com/, the champions will collect just under £78.8m while the runners up will receive £77.6m and this is excluding television money. The managerial nous of Ranieri and Pochettino will be seriously tested as they aim to replicate what they have achieved this year.

The season is reaching an exciting climate and it is looking likely that we will have a new name on the Premier League trophy and I certainly look forward to see how the current top 2 sides approach the coming transfer market. 

What will 2016 have in store for football?

We've got all of the 'New Year, new me' pleasantries, where we announce our plans to hit the gym more often or be a better person. Now that those are all out of the way, what will 2016 have in store for us football fanatics?

The headline act will be the European Championships in France commencing on the 10th June. It won't be the same as any other competition mostly down to the extra teams added. For me, this will be the second international tournament that I will have covered, having done the World Cup over a year and a half ago. Unfortunately I'll have to settle to watching it from the comfort of my living room, due to other commitments but it promises to be an intriguing competition. The world champions, Germany will undoubtedly be favourites, however they did suffer several set backs losing to both Poland and the Republic of Ireland in qualifying. France will back themselves on home turf, and rightly so, while Spain will also be up there and will look to bounce back after a poor World Cup. Although not at a match, I will be in Marseille for the end of the tournament so will be rooting for the French if Northern Ireland are shocked and dumped out in the early rounds. My opinions on the group stage are available here...

Probably not so special to 2016, but the Champions League is not failing to live up to expectations. Barcelona are bidding to be the first side to retain the trophy and are looking very strong. I am crying out for a Barcelona v Bayern final. Pep Guardiola will be after revenge for last years semi final, while the Bavarians are looking imperious in the league. If the sides do meet, neither leg will be as one sided as the match at the Camp Nou last season. For the English sides, Man City look the most likely to progress and could be flying the flag for the Premier League at the conclusion of the last 16 ties, while Juventus have their work cut out if they are to replicate their exploits of last season. A few dark horses have emerged and could possibly trouble the bigger sides in the later rounds. I tip Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid and possibly Benfica to do just that. Check out my prediction for the last 16 here.

Looking at the Premier League, we are treated to another enthralling season. This year, we have seen Leicester City capitalise on the inconsistencies of the top 6. It will be interesting to see if The Foxes can keep up their title charge and finish in the top 4. While the Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez grab all of the headlines, all the team have been doing their bit. Defensively they have been very solid with Wes Morgan a rock, and Kasper Schmeichel producing wonderful performances. While Leicester look good, the rest of the 'big sides' have work to do if they are to come out victorious in May. Arsenal have the inform Mesut Ozil, but lack consistency, a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Southampton evidence of this. Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding under Jurgen Klopp while City are struggling to grab the bull by the horns. United don't look like they will mount a title challenge yet and Chelsea are recovering after sacking Jose Mourinho. The quality of football leaves somewhat to be desired but it sure is exciting.

Serie A is also shaping up nicely. Internazionale lead proceedings with 39 points while Fiorentina and Napoli follow in second and third respectively a point behind. Fourth sees holders Juventus on 36 points while Roma are a further 3 adrift. Sassuolo are performing beyond all expectations in sixth place despite the sales of Simone Zaza and Jasmin Kurtic in the summer transfer window. Juventus took only nine points from their first eight games but have recovered and are currently in the middle of an eight match win streak since their defeat against Sassuolo. The champions are back and will probably remain favourites to lift the Scudetto at the end of the season. I've watched quite a few Inter matches this season and have been very impressed with the style of football Mancini's men are playing. I wrote a piece on both Milan sides earlier in the season, but since then AC Milan have drifted down the table. They don't score many goals, but they're defensively solid, conceding only 11 goals in the league to date. Napoli are playing a very attractive brand of football but lack consistency and this was evident in their 2-1 victory over Torino.

I would have normally published an article on the Ballon D'Or at the start of December, however this got postponed due to various educational reasons. The finalists this year are again, quite predictable. Lionel Messi will undoubtedly be the favourite to win his fifth Ballon D'Or award. The Argentine forward contributed 43 league goals to his side's victorious La Liga season another 10 as he secured Barcelona's Champions League title. Barca team mate, Neymar joins Messi on the short list, but is most likely there to make up the numbers. Nevertheless the 23 year old Brazilian has had super 2015. Despite in Messi's shadow, Neymar scored 39 goals in 51 games and has frightened many defences with his dribbling and pace. Cristiano Ronaldo topped the La Liga goal scoring charts with 48 and did tie with Messi for Champions League goals, however the Argentine received the award for top marksman due to his superior number of assists. Ronaldo also surpassed the great Alfredo di Stefano and Raul to become Real Madrid's top goal scorer.

2016 is just a week old and we've already had the first managerial casualty. Zinedine Zidane took the poisoned chalice upon himself after Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, fired Rafa Benitez after a 2-2 draw away to Valencia. A Madridista through and through, Benitez left with dignity, releasing a very emotional statement thanking everyone for the opportunity to manage at his boyhood club. The former Liverpool and Chelsea manager will not have any trouble finding work in the short term due to his decorated CV at different clubs over Europe. At the start of his tenure at Santiago Bernabeu, I thought that he would do a decent job and would bring solidity to a Real Madrid defence that often let them down last season. Instead, he sold Asier Illaramendi and refused to bench some of the Galacticos in order not to upset higher powers at the club, which led to his downfall. Zidane takes the reigns, but don't be surprised if they change hands before the year is out.

Football never fails to throw up a few surprises and I certainly expect many to happen before the close of 2016. Let me know your thoughts on 2016 or any memories that you wont forget from 2015.

First Away Win For Sunderland

A blunder from Scott Dann gave Sam Allardyce's Sunderland side three vital points and their first away win of the season.

Sunderland had to withstand a lot of pressure early on with Yannick Bolasie causing problems down the left wing, but it was Sunderland who had the best opportunity of the opening 10 minutes. A majestic ball split the centre half and right back from Billy Jones to find Patrick Van Aanholt making the run but he decided to hit the ball first time instead of letting it roll across his body and playing it into the 6 yard box where Jermain Defoe would have been on hand to tap into an empty net.

Crystal Palace found it hard to get the ball into the box with Sunderland dropping deeper and keeping the 3 man midfield just in front of the box. James McArthur managed to crack of a shot from just outside the box after picking up a loose ball. Costel Pantilimon saved comfortably, but this represented their first real chance with half an hour gone.

With five minutes left in the first half, it was easy to see why Palace had such a bad home record, they posed the biggest threat on the counter attack while struggled to break the Mackems down. Sunderland were wise not committing too many bodies forward as they would be exposed at the back, particularly with the lack of pace of Younas Kaboul and John O'Shea.

Shortly before half time, Lee Cattermole played a ball similar to that of Billy Jones' earlier. It split the defence and but Van Aanholt could not control ball. The first half ended with both sides having chances but Sunderland arguably having the better of them.

After half time Palace signalled their intent through a quick tempo and a shot from Yohan Cabaye required a good save from Pantilimon. Bolasie and Zaha looked a threat down the wings. Sunderland had an excellent chance through Younas Kaboul. A whipped corner in was met by the head of the former Spurs man and he bulleted a header towards the far corner. A benefits of having a man on the post paid dividends as it was hooked off the line as Wayne Hennessey was beaten in nets.

Bakary Sakho cracked a fizzing shot off but it just went wide. Alan Pardew must have told his side to get a few more shots off and try to test Costel Pantilimon. Sunderland had another great chance when a long pass was pumped forward towards Jermain Defoe. The former English international would have been one on one with the keeper if it wasn't for a vital touch from Delaney.

Palace were getting beyond their man to create space, but it was often the final ball which thwarted the attacking move. While they were creating chances in the final third, the introduction for Sunderland of Duncan Watmore and Jeremie Lens posed a few new problems at the back. On 74 minutes, Watmore Bolasie down the right and fizzed a cross into the box it was cleared but fell to Jones whose shot was easily saved by Hennessey. 

The deadline was broken just before the 80 minute mark when a terrible mix up between Scott Dann and Hennessey allowed Jermain Defoe to put the ball into an empty net. If Palace struggled to break down Sunderland when the game was level then things were going to get a lot more difficult now. Younas Kaboul, who was great all night, continued to pop up and prevent any Palace attacking threat.

In the closing 10 minutes, Palace did have several opportunities through Bolasie, Zaha and McArthur but Sunderland defended resolutely and managed to hang on for a well earned first away win of the season 

Spurs Too Good For Aston Villa

Remi Garde has a lot of work to do if he is going to keep his new employers in the Premier League, despite a late fight back and goal from Aston Villa's Jordan Ayew. Goals from Moussa Dembele, Dele Alli and Harry Kane send the Villains back to Birmingham empty handed.

It took Spurs only two minutes to open the score. Moussa Dembele controlled a long and hopeful ball before beating Ciaran Clark and powering past Brad Guzan in nets. Clark was poor defensively and overpowered by Dembele. Villa were being dominated in midfield and a goal glut was on the cards if things did not change.

Scott Sinclair managed the Villians first shot on target on 11 minutes. He slalomed between two Spurs players before cracking a shot that Hugo Lloris could only parry and the follow up effort from Jack Grealish sailed out for a goal kick. The game settled down after the frantic five minutes and Villa began to get more on the ball however they did look nervous when required to defend.

Harry Kane had an opportunity when he broke down the left channel. After cutting in onto his right foot, his shot was deflected before being tipped over by Brad Guzan. From the resulting corner, Danny Rose had an excellent opportunity after a neat training ground move but his shot grazed the cross bar.

As the interval approached, you just thought that Spurs had the potential to kick on during the half, but they failed and this could come back to bite them later in the game. Credit to Villa though, they managed to drag themselves back into the game.

On the stroke of half time, Spurs did strike again. Dele Alli used his chest to control the ball after a cross was cleared before vollying into the bottom left hand corner. At 2-0, Villa needed to change at half time if they were going to get anything out of the game.

For the second half, summer signing Rudy Gestede replaced captain Gabby Agbonlahor and he gave Villa more of a target man up front. Yet still they struggled with possession and looked a side that was shot of confidence. They continued to be poor in possession and were unable to make use of the height and strength of Gestede.

Spurs continued to press and looked increasingly more likely to add to their total. Christian Eriksen and co in the midfield dominated the game from start to finish and Villa never tried to close the Spurs playmakers down. Aston Villa's Jack Grealish struggled to make an impact on the game and was starved of the ball for most of it before eventually being substituted on 65 minutes.

Gestede had a really good chance on 73 minutes. Spurs were sloppy in the defensive third of the pitch and were dispossessed by Carles Gil. The substitute found Gestede but his shot from a golden position was blocked over the bar. Nothing materialised from the resulting corner, but it did seem to give Villa a bit of confidence as they piled players into the final third. It was also a wake up for Spurs knowing that if they give their opposition a goal then it could make a nervy last 15 minutes,

Leandro Bacuna had a shot from outside the box that cracked the outside of the post. villa had grown in confidence and grabbed a goal back off a deflected shot from Jordan Ayew. Villa had threatened, but Spurs didn't heed the warning and found themselves in a game for the last 10 minutes, one that they should have wrapped up ages ago. The White Hart Lane faithful realised and offered their words of encouragement.

That man Gestede had an excellent chance to level the game up. A hopeful ball into the box was made dangerous by Lloris' decision to come for it. Effectively taking himself out of the game, all Gestede had to do was to hit the target, but his header went wide. Ayew went close once again shortly later, but it was too little too late for the visitors. Despite controlling the game easily for 80 minutes, the pendulum had swung for the last 10 in the favour of the visitors.

The game was made secure by Harry Kane in stoppage time. Spurs countered through Eriksen and found Erik Lamela on the right before unselfishly squaring for Kane to fire into the top of the net. This put the game to bed and kept Spurs' firing on all cylinders and their unbeaten run in full flight.

For Aston Villa, their troubles continue and Remi Garde will have to perform miracles to save Villa from the drop. He can take encouragement from the 10 minutes after the consolation when they pressed and caused problems for a well marshalled Spurs defence. 

Dimitri Payet Master-class Defeats Shoddy Toon

Dimitri Payet’s brace sends Newcastle to the foot of the table while Slaven Bilic’s men produce a very positive display at Upton Park.

West Ham made a superb start and found themselves in the lead in less than ten minutes, capitalising on poor play from the Newcastle defenders. Mark Noble’s drag back found summer signing Dimitri Payet and the Frenchman finished to show why he is so highly rated by the Hammers. Newcastle were having all of the possession in the opening exchanges however West Ham were comfortable and had the better opportunities. Daryl Janmaat did have an excellent chance to equalise after nice build up play by the Dutchman but his shot was weak and was easily dealt with by Darren Randolph in nets.

There wasn’t many chances on offer in the first half and the home side were happy to absorb the pressure for . For West Ham, they looked dangerous countering on Newcastle’s sloppiness on the ball and almost extended their lead, when Payet’s through ball found Victor Moses but he couldn’t hit the target. The Toon lacked any real creativity in the final third and struggled to fashion any chances. In the second half they need to play the ball into Georginio Wijnaldum and have him turn and run at the Hammers’ defence. With the forwards making runs, it will pose difficult questions for Slaven Bilic’s men.

West Ham doubled their lead shortly after the interval with a swift counter led by Victor Moses off a Newcastle free kick. Moses managed to beat Haidara before releasing a rocket that thundered off the underside of the bar, but yet again West Ham’s golden boy was there to supply the finish. The defending may have been less than impressive and this leaves Newcastle with a mountain to climb. Similar to the first half, Newcastle had all of the possession but little or no penetration. The home side looked the more likely to extend their lead.

The introduction of Pedro Obiang was a more defensive option and signalled Bilic’s content at just seeing the match out. Hammers’ fans will be aware of the events at White Hart Lane last year when Harry Kane’s last gasp penalty snatched the three points away from West Ham. If Newcastle were to manage a goal then the momentum would completely swing. That goal never came. West Ham ran out deserved winners.

West Ham have reason to be optimistic this season. They have a man who could unlock a safe not knowing the combination, as well as useful operators in the middle of the park and some inspiring individuals at back. Even though they will face sterner tasks in the near future, teams will find West Ham very hard to break down and will trouble many other sides. I really look forward to watching West Ham play this season and they will be challenging for the spots in Europe.

As for Newcastle, this was a completely different performance to when they took on Arsenal at St James’ before the international break. A real worry for Steve McClaren is the failure to create and finish many chances and their hunt for a goal since the opening match continues. Daryl Janmaat had three out of the four shots, showing the dire need of another striker on Tyneside. Even having the majority possession, they were sloppy and often gifted the ball to the opposition allowing them to counter. Improvement needs to drastic and speedy if they are not going to fall into a slump and fight another relegation battle.

Christian Benteke sees off plucky Bournemouth

With adjustments made to the offside rule at the start of every season, it's hardly rocket science to predict that there would be at least one occasion in which the officials get it wrong. Christian Benteke put in a tremendous shift as his side collect all three points at Anfield. 

Bournemouth thought they had made a magical start when Tommy Elphick had headed them in front only for the referee to blow for a foul on Dejan Lovren. The south coast side had made the brighter start and looked as if they wanted to take the game to Liverpool. Callum Wilson had the beating of Lovren on several occasions but this tailed off towards the end of the half.

Front men Wilson and King persisted all night and were keen to stamp their mark on the game as where Gradel and Ritchie down the flanks. Bournemouth were getting men down the flanks to great effect and this seemed their most likely way to scoring a goal. 

Eventually Liverpool began to get a foothold in the game Phillipe Coutinho starting to get on the ball and dictate the play. Dropping into pockets of space, Bournemouth found it hard to get close to the Brazilian and he started to create chances. Liverpool were using their alternative route to Benteke well with the Belgian winning 7 out of his 9 aerial duels in the first half.

The deadlock was broken through the new man who pounced on a cross from Jordan Henderson to score his first goal for Liverpool. While the goal may have been awarded under controversial circumstances, it will be a great weight lifted from the Belgian's shoulders. Henderson went close minutes later, with a dipping shot from 30 yards that grazed the cross bar. As the first half progressed, Liverpool began to dominate more and more as Bournemouth dropped deeper and invite more pressure and were in need of a lucky break to boost their confidence. Coutinho had a glorious chance to double the home sides lead but he scuffed his shot wide. Bournemouth were unfortunate to be a goal down. 

At the start of the second half, Bournemouth had to be the first side to strike and, similar to the first half, they started the most lively. Not getting many shots on target in the first half, Howe had instructed his side to shoot more in an attempt to test Simon Mignolet in nets who had very little to do. Bournemouth continued to push for an equaliser and Matt Richie's half chance on the hour mark smashed the upright. A goal would give the visitors the confidence and switch the momentum. Bournemouth were creating chances through the middle with the midfielders overlapping.

70 minutes saw the introduction of Roberto Firmino to raucous applause as he made his Anfield debut. While Liverpool were somewhat comfortable, a second goal was required to drain Howe's men mentally. They had an excellent chance to do so on the counter when Benteke broke the line and found Coutinho but his poor first touch enabled Charlie Daniels to get the block in. 

Benteke caused problems for the Bournemouth centre back pairing all night long and nearly doubled his tally in the dying embers with his close range shot cannoning off bar. The Belgian's hold up play was exemplary and he could hardly have started his home debut in better fashion.

Eddie Howe can take many positives from tonight and look to build on them as they look to secure their Premier League status for next season. It was a professional, but not flashy performance from The Reds. Christian Benteke's performance is a major plus, but there are improvements needed to be made in defence.

Season Review

Another English season draws to a close. Chelsea were crowned deserving champions, while QPR, Burnley and Hull face the disappointment of playing in the Championship next season. Let's look at the key performances that made this season so special.

The Champions

Chelsea record their fourth Premier League title and third under Jose Mourinho. Being honest, they were never really troubled in their victory with the competition dying in various stages of the league season. At the beginning of the season, Chelsea played some nice football to build up a bit of a lead. With Jose the master of defence, the title wrapped up once Mourinho deployed his conservative tactics. The whole Chelsea team did their bit this season. John Terry and Gary Cahill formed a formidable partnership at the back, while the void left by Frank Lampard was quickly forgotten with the signing of Cesc Fabregas. Nemenja Matic was the rock in the Chelsea midfield and played a vital role in Chelsea's success, the extra man in front of the defence repelled so many attacks, as well as launching some of his own.

The Runners up

Manchester City just weren't good enough when it mattered to challenge for the title, and at one stage, looked like it was possible that they were going to finish as low as fourth. City need a massive clear out of all the deadwood in the squad. Yaya Toure hasn't been the same player since the cake-gate scandal of 2014, and neither has Vincent Kompany. With an average age of 29, youth will be the starting point for the manager at City in the summer. While they do need to bring in players, splashing the money will not solve the void. Elaquim Mangala, Fernando are examples of money being spent poorly last summer while Stefen Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo were bought the season before but have sunk into the abyss through injuries and poor form. On loan at Valencia, I doubt Negredo will ever feature in a Manchester City shirt ever again, particularly with the arrival of Wilfried Bony in January. Now, City are in pursuit of Liverpool's Raheem Sterling in order to bring the average age down, among other young English hotshots.

Relegation

In my season preview, I tipped Aston Villa, Sunderland and Crystal Palace to make the drop, and I couldn't be further from the truth, with Palace breaking into the top 10. As for the unlucky contingent of Hull, QPR and Burnley, over the course of 38 games, they were the 3 teams that deserved to be relegated. Hull saw themselves hit 10th position at the end of October, but this took a turn for the worst and culminated in an 18th placed finish with 35 points. For Burnley, they were the favourites for the drop when the season commenced (except mine!) and they fulfilled everyone's prediction. As for QPR, they flirted with the danger zone for too long and were eventually sapped into a battle that they could not win. QPR where heavily reliant on Charlie Austin, who grabbed 18 goals - the fourth best in the league - which shows where the London side would be without their star man. Similarly, Burnley relied on the prowess of Danny Ings who netted 11 times this year. With Ings already sealing a move to Liverpool and Austin looking ever more likely to leave QPR, it could be a struggle to get back into the top tier of domestic football for both sides.

The Golden Boot

With 26 goals, Sergio Aguero leads the way for the first time since his arrival in England. Even with missing the majority of December due to a ligament injury, Aguero was able to help Manchester City secure their 2nd place spot. English protege, Harry Kane, came in behind with 21 goals, which isn't a bad way to introduce yourself to the English nation. A roaring start sent the young Spurs man on his way and he collected a staggering 12 goals in the winter months as his performances help secure notable wins over Chelsea and Arsenal. Diego Costa achieved third place despite only featuring in 26 games. We know Costa is a goal scorer, so when he features for a whole season, it'll be scary to see what the adopted Spaniard can do.

The Race for Europe

Arsenal and Manchester United completed the top 4, leaving Tottenham, Liverpool and Southampton to content with the Europa League. Arsenal finally broke their duck of being unable to break into the top 4, with thanks to world class performances from Alexis Sanchez. I've always said that if Arsene gets his summer signings spot on, then the team from North London could be in for a very special year. United achieved their goals, nothing more but nothing less. After spending £150m in the summer, a fourth spot was the bare minimum in terms of expectations. The wait for Champions League football continues for a another year at White Hart Lane. It will be an interesting summer for Mauricio Pochettino as he aims to clear out the deadwood in the Spurs squad. Liverpool endured a testing spell after selling their superstar for £80m last season and will be glad that this is over. Having already dabbled in the transfer market to buy Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan, James Milner and Joe Gomez, Brendan Rodgers needs to have his signings spot on,

Notable Mentions

I purposely didn't mention Southampton under the previous heading as I want to focus on them now. Having sold key individuals last summer, many tipped them to struggle, with some thinking they will be doing well to survive relegation. Ronald Koeman took over as manager, and his signings have secured a memorable season for the southern side. Sitting inside the top 5 for a large chunk of the season, they surprised many people and fully deserve their season in Europe next year,

Both Swansea and Stoke achieved their highest position in the Premier League, finishing 8th and 9th respectively. Garry Monk is quietly building a strong squad off the back of the sale of Wilfried Bony for £28m. This year, Swansea became the first ever side to record away wins at both Manchester United and Arsenal in the same season. Having represented Swansea in 4 tiers of the English leagues, and also as a manager in the Premier League, Monk's regard for the club cannot be questioned, as he aims to push on for European spots in the next seasons.

A similar story is shaped at Stoke by Mark Hughes. His work at the Potters has largely gone under the radar. Largely inconsistent in the opening stages of the season, they recorded just one win in the month of November and also went on a 3 game losing streak at the end of March. Hughes has been shrewd in the transfer market and has acquired talent through former Barcelona man Bojan Krkic, who delivered performances until he ruptured his cruciate ligament against QPR and ruled him out for the rest of the season. Like Monk, Hughes is building a squad and will hope to maintain performances having sealed another 3 year contract at the start of the calendar year.

It has been a very intriguing year with many talking points occuring. Chelsea rule victorious while QPR get the wooden spoon along with Burnley and Hull. We can only hope for more thrills and spills to this calibre in the incoming season.

The Rise of AFC Bournemouth

On Monday 27th April 2015 goals from Marc Pugh, Matt Ritchie and Callum Wilson secured Bournemouth their promotion to the highest level of English football for the first time in their 125 year history. The emotion was clear on the face of 12,000 Bournemouth fans packed into the small stadium as it went into raptures once the final whistle was blown by the referee. The southern England side have come on a long adventure, but they have bigger and better challenges awaiting.

The adventure of Bournemouth and Eddie Howe relates to one of my many Football Manager escapades. At the end of 2008, Howe was appointed manager, taking over a side in financial turmoil and on the brink of liquidation. Howe masterminded the 'Great Escape' and guided them to League 2 promotion, before subsequently signing with Burnley. The former player returned after a few barren years and got them promoted to the Championship, their first time in the second division of the English League since 1990. After solidifying themselves as a Championship side, a comfortable victory over Charlton and a last minute equaliser from Sheffield Wednesday wrapped the title up for the Cherries.

The rest of the article can be read on Eleven.

Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City

You would struggle to find anyone in the UK that would have thought Manchester City were trailing Manchester United going into the return derby. Both sides will want the bragging rights, but the game is the most important to Manuel Pellegrini.

Last May, Pellegrini was enjoying life, Capital One Cup in the bag followed by the league title. Many predicted this year to be a two horse race with Chelsea pipping City to the title and it looked like this was the case up until the New Year. Since then, City have lost 4 games, including 3 last month and have picked up just 18 points in the league - that's 8 less than their City rivals.

Rumours are flying about that Pellegrini is on his last legs at the Etihad. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Looking at last season, City should have had the title wrapped up in a present early. They had a far superior squad to Liverpool and Jose didn't seem interested in winning the league. Instead, they faltered and nearly handed the title to their North West rivals. The Premier League win papered over the cracks of a season that could have gone a lot worse.

Champions League is again, a major worry for Manchester City fans. This season was another year where they failed in the last 16 stage to Barcelona. Pellegrini will point to dodgy decisions made by the officials, however his tactical naivety cannot be ignored. In both years, they played in a 4-4-2 formation, suicidal when playing Barcelona who base their game on possession. Barcelona had the extra man in midfield and a comfortable first half, before Pellegrini decided to change, low and behold, City began to grow into the game and had chances. The damage was already done and a positive result in the Nou Camp seemed an impossible task.

The match on Sunday is a must win. A loss could see Liverpool move within 4 points of City, providing they secure maximum points at Newcastle. Manchester United have hit a run of form, with notable victories over Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa. A win may not save Pellegrini's job, but it will go along way to banish nightmares of the poor results they have received over the last couple of months.

 City cannot allow United to dominate the midfield and this means playing 3 in the centre of midfield. United's duo of Carrick and Herrera are excellent at finding the passes in order to unlock defences. City will have to contend with the threat posed my Rooney up front, but more importantly, Fellaini in the hole behind the captain. A player like Yaya Toure or Fernandinho should have the power to deal with this threat, but as teams have found out in the past, you cannot underestimate the threat of Marouane Fellaini. Up front, Aguero is a match winner although has had his injury problems of late while David Silva can thread a ball through the eye of a needle.

Vincent Kompany has not been at his best this season for the blue side of Manchester, yet he is such an influential player. City feel much more secure at the back when he is on the pitch. When on the sidelines, City have to rely on the often eccentric Eliaquim Mangala, whom it seems they have severely overpaid for and Martin Demichelis who has seen better days. Mangala may prove his worth, but at the moment he is a long way off it and City are suffering. With Kompany an injury doubt, this could spell more trouble for City.

Looking onto the summer, City could go on a spending spree, buying players such as Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Jack Wilshere. The media has constantly criticised City for their lack of young, English talent and this option would be an attempt to rectify it. While this is only one of the many transfer rumours in full flight at this time of year, it is all wrong. Buying English talent is a costly business and only recommended if the results are a safe bet. It would be wise for City to look elsewhere and take the criticism on the chin.

I am a fan of Jordan Henderson as he is a proper leader of men and an excellent box to box midfielder, however he, like the others, would command a monumental fee. Jack Wilshere hasn't fulfilled his potential and even at the age of 23, injuries may hamper his progress further. As for Raheem Sterling, he is a hot prospect however City shouldn't spend an obscene amount of money when he is at such a young age.

No matter what happens on Sunday, Pellegrini could find himself looking for a new job in the summer. I would tip Carlo Ancelotti to replace him, as he could find himself unemployed if he doesn't grant Florentino Perez with more silverware. It may not be judgement day for Pellegrini, but the reaper is approaching and could be on his doorstep by 7pm on Sunday evening.

Qatar 2022: A Blessing in Disguise for English Football?

I have been very vocal about FIFA and the decision to reward Qatar with the 2022 World Cup. Recently though, it has been confirmed that the first Winter World Cup will be in the offing with the final being played on the 23rd December. This decision has been heavily criticised (and rightly so) but could this be a blessing in disguise for English football? 

For so long, football divisions across the world have been disrupted to make way for the greatest footballing spectacle in the world, now FIFA have proposed a Winter World Cup - slap bang in the middle of the Premeir League season. This has outraged many English fans, but I personally believe that it could serve English football well.

Every year, the 6 Nations kicks off in the middle of the Guinness Pro12/Top14/Aviva Premiership season, meaning that rugby clubs have to say good bye to their star players as they go off to represent their country. It's a nuisance, but no one bats an eyelid. It is often a nervy time, but exciting, as coaches have to call some younger players to fill the void left by the internationals. This is a scenario in which football clubs could lock horns with, and I very much hope the FA continues the season while the World Cup is on. 

Currently in the Premier League, it is only the very best youth prospects, the crème de la crème, that will get game time. I can see fans getting very upset at the thought of the Premier League being disrupted and I sympathise with them, to an extent. This provides the perfect opportunity for teams to use rotational players, and they could stake a claim for a first team spot. 

Several weeks ago, I was watching an U21 match between Manchester United and Chelsea. On the Chelsea side there were no household names, and by this I mean names that people will not of heard of (excluding Chelsea fans for obvious reasons.) I was amazed at some of the talent on show from that side. It also made me wonder, what would happen if these players got more first team action? There is definitely talent in the youth ranks, it just needs nurtured and developed.

However if this scenario comes true, it would be likely for the FA to raise the amount of registered players. This has both pros and cons. It would allow clubs to register more of their youth players for the league, but on the otherhand, others may take this as an opportunity to spend more money in order to add strength and depth to their sides. Can you really blame them? I think the proposals made by FIFA will offer short term pain but long term gain for English sides.

Unless there is a massive power change, the top sides will only be affected. If 2014 World Cup was played in November/December 2014, Manchester United would have the most players missing (14). Chelsea would have had 12 players missing, while Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City would have had 10 players each called up. I think we could agree that these clubs are among the top clubs in England and would have sufficient players on their books to fill the void left by the departures. We must also consider that 'injuries' could occur meaning that players may not be able to travel, giving them time to recover at home and chances are, that may make a miraculous recovery in time for the league games.

Following on, it may make the league more interesting. Weaker teams battling relegation may see this as a prime time to pick up lucrative points facing the stronger sides who have been weakened by the Winter World Cup. The club managers would really earn their money then. I have regularly emphasised my point that Southampton have been a revelation this year. Undoubtedly they would have key players missing, but not to the extent of the other sides. A team in Southampton's position could mount a serious charge for European football in 2022.

A Winter World Cup would throw up an abundance of trials and tribulations for English football. While this article definitely has a 'glass is half full' taste to it, I still think it is despicable that FIFA can award such competition to a nation who cannot even keep their word on when it would be played. As the saying goes, every cloud certainly has it's silver lining.

European Round-Up

We're well over the half way point in all of the top European Leagues, so let's take a look at where everyone stands in their respective leagues:

Starting close to home, Chelsea are the dominant force in the Barclays Premier League having survived a minor blip around the New Year. The Blues hold a 5 point lead over holders, Manchester City to have suffered due to injuries in attack. They are very much on the tale of the London club, but I don't expect them to beat Mourinho's Chelsea to the title. Not many people would expect Southampton to be mentioned in the top 3, but Koeman has got a side who were tipped for a low finish at the start of the season due to the departure of many of their players.

At the foot of the table, it is hard to predict who will make the drop, with Hull, QPR and Leicester occupying the spots as it stands. 4 points seperates Everton in 12th which proves how tight it really is. At the start of the season, I predicted Palace, Villa and Sunderland to get relegated and it seems likely that at least one of these teams won't survive.

In Germany's Bundesliga, there isn't much competition for Bayern Munich who sit unbeaten and 11 points ahead of Wolfsburg in second. Bayern's domestic dominance seems likely to continue for a number of years, particularly as main rivals, Borussia Dortmund lie in the relegation zone level on points with 18th placed Freiburg. I hope Klopp is able to resurrect Dortmund While the competition is minimum at the top of the table, there is plenty of it at the bottom. Only 12 points seperates 18 and 4th position. There is plenty of time for Jurgen Klopp's men to hit a purple patch and finish in a respectable position. Similarly, sides to seem out of the danger zone could slip down the table, if the next couple of matches don't go to plan.

We through Austria/Switzerland to Italy. As predicted, Juventus and Roma are leading the pack with third place Napoli 6 points behind. It is certainly a gap that Napoli can catch, but they will need to begin their charge pretty soon, especially as Juventus and Roma don't look like slipping up anytime soon. Both Milan and Internazionale trundle through their stage of 'transition' and sit in 11th and 10th respectively. With Inter capturing the signature of Xherdan Shaqiri, Mancini aims to stamp his mark on a side that could be doing with an ounce of quality. More signings to this calibre and we could be seeing the Nerazurri return to the heights of the Champions League.

Let's turn our attention to Spain. Real Madrid lead the pack by a point with Barcelona and Atletico chasing behind. Real triumphed in the solitary Clasico so far with an excellent display of counter attacking football and with the current situation at the Nou Camp in dispute, it doesn't look like they will be able to topple Real Madrid. Despite losing their goalkeeper, left back and striker in the summer transfer window, Atletico are up there albeit 4 points behind the leaders and having played a game more. I still think Real Madrid will have enough strength to fend off the challenge of their competitors, but being able to compete for the Champions League as well, is a completely different scenario.

In France, PSG have been faltering and this can be put down to problems in a fractured dressing room. Marcelo Bielsa's Marseille came firing out of the blocks at the start of the season and Gignac was scoring for fun. However the form has declined and some may say it is down to Bielsa's rigorous training methods. Olympique Lyon now lead the charge and Alexandre Lacazette has made his price tag more expensive to possible suitors this month. After a slow start from Monaco, Leonardo Jardim has tidied up and now they are sitting in a respectable 5th. The loss of Falcao has clearly affected them, and a 5th place finish come May might not be enough for Jardim to keep his job.

Manchester United v Liverpool

With memories of that night in March fresh in the heads of the United players, they managed to reverse the scoreline and win 3-0 through goals from Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin Van Persie.

Pre-match, both clubs knew that this was a must win, for both confidence and the bragging rights. In terms of selection, it was surprising to see Brendan Rodgers drop Simon Mignolet in favour of Brad Jones even though he was in a bad rut of form. It was a bold decision, but in the end, I don't see it as a contributing factor to the final result. For the home side, Louis van Gaal favoured the youngster, James Wilson over the injury prone Radamel Falcao. This was nice to see, as a local lad, he would have grown up in the thick of the rivalry so the victory would have meant a bit more to him than a signing who joined in the summer. 

If we look at the game, Liverpool dominated the opening exchanges and Raheem Sterling had a perfect opening to give Liverpool the lead, but David de Gea remained on his feet to foil the attempt. No more than 25 seconds later, Antonio Valencia found himself one on one with Joe Allen, he pegged him before pulling the ball back to the edge of the area for captain Wayne Rooney to fire it past Jones in nets. This goal could have been prvented if a holding midfielder had tracked the run of Wayne Rooney, marking him outside the box and making it a lot more difficult to get the shot off.

The second goal was dubious to say the least. A cross on the left from Ashley Young met the head of Van Persie who flicked it too Juan Mata who nodded it into the back of the net. Juan Mata was at least a yard offside when Van Persie flicked the ball on, so I'm assuming that Mike Mallarky did not believe it touched the Dutchman. I firmly believe that if Martin Skrtel had got closer to Van Persie, then he could have headed the ball to safety.

Liverpool could have easily had at least 3 goals but for the efforts of man of the match David de Gea, Mario Balotelli could have had a hat trick when he came on at half time for Adam Lallana and Sterling squandered a glorious one on one opportunity against the United keeper. The score line was complete when a swift counter attack from United resulted in Rooney drilling a low cross into the box before a poor clearance from Dejan Lovren allowed Juan Mata to free Van Persie who applied the finish. While the move should never have materialised, if Lovren had cleared properly, a tracking holding midfielder may have halted it and sweeped up the poor clearance. 

As for individual performances, Sterling was getting into positions but couldn't handle the finish. He created more chances than anyone else and did cause problems for a uninspiring defence but was unable to beat De Gea who was in fine form. On another day, Sterling could have had a hat trick. With goals being a worry for Liverpool of late, Brendan is encouraged that Sterling is getting into scoring positions. He just needs to be composed, then the goals will eventually come. 

As for half time substitute, Mario Balotelli, he is in a similar pickle. I felt he didn't contribute as much as he could have in open play, but, like Sterling, was getting in goal scoring opportunities but was not able to beat inform de Gea. We saw a few bits of frustration from the Italian, and I get the sense that the fans are running out of patience with him. Philipe Coutinho tried to get the odd moves initiated but like most of the Liverpool midfield, he was restricted and well marshalled by Marouane Fellaini.

The midfield for Liverpool had plenty of the ball, but they were unable to beat Marouane Fellaini, who had a very good performance. He stifled they play and was used as a defensive ball winning midfielder, a role which he performed with aplomb. It was up in the air as to whether he was going to remain a United player in the summer as nobody saw where he fitted into LVG's technical strategy, but if his performances become more consistent then nobody will have any qualms about him remaining.

I thought that the wing-backs for United, particularly Valencia, operated and got joy down the flanks as so amply demonstrated in the build up to the first goal. Valencia got the better of his man on countless occasions and this possibly could have warranted more goals for his side. In defence, I also thought Michael Carrick was a standout performer. Playing out of position, he did have hairy situations, but with 94% passing, his distribution from the back was textbook. If United's injury tally remains at a critical level, then this positional change for Carrick may be employed more regularly. 

As Gary Neville pointed out in commentary, it's a rarity that a keeper gets the man of the match award when his team wins 3-0, but that's David de Gea for you. He pulled off several truly magnificent saves to keep Liverpool at bay. I was particularly impressed with his one on one save against Sterling when the Liverpool tried to take it around him. Plenty of keepers would have rushed out and gone to ground leaving an easy goal for the attacker. Without him today, United could have conceded at least 3 goals leaving a completely different outcome on the game. I am really not surprised that Real Madrid are in the market for him, as he would be the perfect heir to the Casillas throne.

Manchester United increase their winning run to 6 games while Liverpool aim to start a run having gone out of the Champions League midweek. Pressure must be building on Rodgers while Van Gaal must be quietly confident about a successful season.

Is Brendan's Time Nearly Up?

The month of November threw up many trials and tribulations for Liverpool Football Club and their manager Brendan Rodgers. Having lost four out of the six games played during the month and only collecting 4 points, there have been a few rumblings of discontent amongst the Liverpool faithful. Is the Northern Irishman's time up on Merseyside? Or can he turn it around?

First of all, this piece can not begin without mentioning the terrific season they had last year, and probably should have even won the league. Rodgers made a very shrewd investment in Sturridge and his partnership with one Luis Suarez merited 55 goals in all competitions. The infamous partnership of Sturridge and Suarez (SAS) contributed greatly to their 101 league goals in that campaign, over twice the amount they scored two seasons prior in the 2011/2012 league season and thirty more than the 2012/2013 campaign. Without Rodgers' guidance, Liverpool probably wouldn't have been in that position at the end of the last campaign.

The most notable negative about the last season for Liverpool was sheer amount of goals conceded at the back. Seven teams in the Premier League conceded less goals than Liverpool and the net of the Champions' Manchester City was only breached 37 times - a colossal difference compared to the 50 goals conceded by Mignolet and co. Sticking with the topic of Simon Mignolet, I find similarities between him and David de Gea who was like Bambi on ice, when he first arrived at their fierce rivals Manchester United. He appears quite indecisive and is prone to one or two mistakes from set pieces. Although two years older than de Gea, he is nowhere near his peak, he has plenty of time to grow, and develop into a solid keeper. With the attacking prowess of Suarez sold to Barcelona, and Daniel Sturridge battling repetitive injuries, the problem at the back has only been emphasised. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Liverpool struggle at the back, and it looks like Rodgers' signings in the summer has done nothing to aid this cause.

This leads on to his summer signings, which if I'm honest have largely failed to impose any confidence for the manager in their short times on Merseyside. I'll always remember thinking that Brendan must be desperate if he is sinking as low as to sign a problematic Mario Balotelli. Even though he isn't setting any fireworks alight in his bathroom, neither is he on the pitch either. Scoring a measly 2 goals in his 12 appearances on Merseyside, the Italian has to do a lot better if he is going to remain employed, nevermind replicate the accomplishments of one Luis Suarez. Rodgers signed Alberto Moreno and Javi Manquillo to improve Liverpool down the flanks. In fairness to their manager, he has given his new signings plenty of game time, but they too have been unable to prevent Liverpool conceding a large number of goals. Having been sent on loan from Atletico, Manquillo, will be looking to gain vital experience and challenge Glen Johnson for his position, something which he seems to be achieving.

Rodgers raided Southampton FC to acquire Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana. Lovren was signed to plug a leaky defence, but he has found himself on the bench recently after a few questionable performances. At approximately £20m, it seems to be that Brendan overpaid on the Croatian. The signing of Rickie Lambert stems back to that fateful Sunday afternoon in April when Jose Mourinho's Chelsea parked at coach in front of the Kop at Anfield. Plan A wasn't working for Liverpool and Plan B was plan A revisited. In short, Lambert was signed to offer them a target man for them to pump balls into the box whenever their usual exciting football was not breaking the defence down. So far this season, he has made most of his appearances of the bench.

Similar to Lovren, Lallana has not imposed himself upon his new club, but his appearances in the Premier League have been sporadic to say the least. Now that he netted his second goal for Liverpool on Tuesday night, Brendan will be hoping that he can kick off and net a few more before the end of the season. We need to consider the 'wonderkid' that Brendan Rodgers brought from Portugal. Lazar Markovic is tipped to be the next best thing to come from a nation that contains all of youthful talent. Markovic epitomises Liverpool's season so far: hasn't started. A factor that could be hindering the Serbian's growth is his lack of playing time. He hasn't played in the Premier League since the Merseyside Derby at the end of September and has only come off the bench to accumulate 172 minutes out of the games played so far. Yes he has disappointed so far, but he hasn't been given enough game time to shine, on the other hand, he has age on his side. At 20 years of age, he has an abundance of time to turn into a future Liverpool star.

Brendan Rodgers needs time. He recruited the players that he wanted in the summer and he has to be given time to see if they can produce the goods. There is no point in sacking a manager and having to start the process all over again. I believe Rodgers himself said that it will take time to get this right and time is what he must be given. Having taken Liverpool to within a hair of the title, the board should reward him by sticking with him throughout the tough times, and this will make the highs taste ever so more sweeter. On the contrary, very football management is a cut throat business, and results are demanded imminently as the cliche goes; if you can't handle the heat, get out of the dugout...