The transfer window is now shut, and clubs will now have to make do and mend their squads until the winter window in January.

Whether or not that’s a good thing depends on the business you feel your club has done so far in the window.

If you’re a Manchester United fan, you’ll probably be one of the happiest in the league. At least in terms of working the market, United have done the most impressive business, and even if you feel that your club has overspent or bought players who will keep youngsters out of the starting XI, you’d probably still have to concede that United have made waves this summer.

A look at the starting XI your club could have had, however, does still throw up some weaknesses in the United squad for the moment – areas that will probably need to be strengthened in the coming months.

Still, it’s a work in progress, and United have done stellar business so far. Here, though, is what you could have won, United fans…

David De Gea

A fairly obvious one, really. David de Gea is arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, and despite deadline day drama this time last year, De Gea’s position as Manchester United number one is firmly secured this time.

Over the past few seasons, De Gea has been a bedrock of United’s team for a long time, and over the past few seasons he has not only been Manchester United’s play of the year, but he has also saved them from some embarrassing score lines.

Fabinho

Manchester United have spent over £150m and are still playing Antonio Valencia at full back.

To be fair to Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United squad he inherited needed quite a bit of work, and he spent the summer creating a solid spine in the side.

That doesn’t mean that a better right back than Valencia could have been found if United had really wanted to, and with Matteo Darmian seemingly out of favour, why not splash out on another full back? You’d imagine they will at some point very soon.

Chris Smalling

Smalling’s place was never really in doubt. He is arguably the biggest success story of the Louis van Gaal era, even if the explosiveness of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are perhaps more exciting.

Smalling has solidified his place as Manchester United and England’s main central defender and that shows no signs of changing this season.

Eric Bailly

The new man has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. He looks composed, strong and positionally aware. So far, he looks like money well spent, and alongside the strength of Smalling, Bailly’s composure will be an asset to United.

Luke Shaw

Thankfully back from a horrific leg break, Shaw is beginning to come into his own at left back. Although he was out for most of the season and missed the Euros, Shaw wasn’t totally a forgotten man: there was no serious thinking about replacing him when Mourinho came into the club and he’ll be United’s left back for years to come.

Paul Pogba

Surely the signing of the summer, Paul Pogba is undoubtedly one of the hottest prospects in the world. By the reckoning of many, he’s a future Ballon d’Or winner. He has personality on and off the pitch, he makes the midfield better and he makes Manchester United better.

He’s not quite the finished article just yet, but you wouldn’t want him to be. He’ll get better, he’ll grow as a player, and in a couple of years he really will be at the top of the game if he isn’t already.

Blaise Matuidi

Alongside Pogba, Manchester United currently have Marouane Fellaini. And although Fellaini is probably exactly the kind of player you’d expect Jose Mourinho to love, surely there are better midfield options in world football.

Mourinho bought one of them in Pogba, but playing alongside Matuidi for both club and country could really see Pogba shine in a midfield with the power to outdo almost any team in the league.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

We haven’t seen too much of the flying winger so far this season, but it’s only a matter of time before Mkhitaryan settles into life in England and provides the service for Zlatan Ibrahimovic that saw the former Dortmund star get the most assists in the Bundesliga last season.

James Rodriguez

If United were being greedy, perhaps it’s a player like James Rodriguez they’d have tried to attract to the club.

With Wayne Rooney’s powers fading somewhat, James Rodriguez would fit very nicely into the number 10 role in front of the two midfielders and add an energy and a creativity that Rooney doesn’t seem to have any more.

Anthony Martial

Despite all the money spent at United, it feels like last season’s standout pair, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are the most exciting in the whole team.

Martial’s transfer on deadline day last year caused a lot of chatter, and a lot of glee from rival fans about a huge transfer fee for an unproven teenager.

Well they’ve been proved wrong by Martial, and this season, we can expect him to look very comfortable indeed alongside his more illustrious teammates.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Is there a striker in the world you’d rather have in your team than this man? From a footballing perspective, a business perspective, and from a mentoring young players perspective, Zlatan has it all.

There’s no one you’d rather have in his position – certainly if you don’t take Ronaldo and Messi to be strikers in the traditional sense – and United got him on a free. Kudos to you, Ed Woodward.

Five games into the season – six by the end of the weekend – is no time to be talking about relegation battles and title triumphs. It is, however, about time to talk about form.

At the top of the table, Manchester City’s form has been perfect so far, but their one Premier League clean sheet is a worry. When you’re averaging three goals per game, though, it really doesn’t matter that much. Then at the bottom, there’s Stoke City, who have only scored one Premier League goal in September. But when you’re averaging almost three goals conceded per game, well that matters a great deal.

But whilst some of the more obvious blips and peaks in form have been seized upon over the past few weeks, some have gone unnoticed.

Taking a look at FanDuel data from this week – the latest in our weekly look at the Premier League through the lens of the comprehensive fantasy football game – there’s one stat that jumps out. Whilst we know all about the travails of Manchester United and their record signing Paul Pogba, Arsene Wenger and Arsenal have been given a relatively free pass since the opening weekend of the season.

That makes sense, given the start. Arsenal’s dismal opening day defeat to Liverpool was mitigated by the fact that the Gunners were suffering a defensive injury crisis, whilst Laurent Koscielny was left out to recover from his Euro 2016 exertions. Since then, they’re unbeaten, scoring nine goals in their last three games.

Yet despite the upturn in form, Arsenal seem to be missing their star creator, somewhat. We know all about Paul Pogba’s problems in the midfield at Manchester United. The fact that Jose Mourinho seems intent on playing his record signing alongside Marouane Fellaini, and the fact that what Pogba has shown so far isn’t what we expect from an all-action midfielder of his quality. Or, frankly, a world record signing.

But what about Mesut Ozil’s problems?

Data from FanDuel shows that his average points total in the league so far is even worse than that of Pogba.

Both have played four games so far this season, both missed the opening day. But it seems that, even though Arsenal have been winning games and scoring goals, it’s not their record signing who is providing them.

For Pogba, though, you get the feeling that even if he does play badly for a few weeks, a change in formation at United will be enough to squeeze some more performance out of him. For Ozil, though, you don’t really see that happening. Not this weekend, at any rate.

At this point in the season, we’re starting to see form settle down, but after his own exertions at Euro 2016, it may well be that Ozil is simply feeling his way into the season and getting back to his best.

But whether or not we see it this weekend is debatable, and probably depends quite a bit on Arsene Wenger’s team selection.

Arsenal face Chelsea at the Emirates, and Arsene Wenger’s now-traditional 4-2-3-1 formation would see Ozil play in behind a striker if he’s deployed in the same way as he usually is at Arsenal. Ozil likes to roam in space behind his striker, but against Chelsea that will be made more difficult as that’s the space covered by the incredibly effective N’Golo Kante.

It may be that the Burnley game after Chelsea is where Ozil returns to form. That game comes after a couple of weeks to feel his way into the season, a couple of games under his belt, and he’ll be up against a team who are going to pose him the challenge of breaking them down, rather than pressing and tackling him. Burnley’s flat 4-4-2 also means they won’t have a midfield anchor to deny him space – just two banks of four sitting solidly in front of him.

On the other hand, Ozil posted a meagre 1.25 FanDuel points in his first game of this season. Against Leicester.

So it may be a few weeks before Ozil hits his best form, but with Kevin de Bruyne and Sadio Mane performing solidly for Manchester City and Liverpool, maybe you should look to other clubs than Arsenal and Manchester United to add record signings to your fantasy team.

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Uncertainty, power-struggles and financial worries are just some of the day-to-day fears of shareholders in Russian football and the expediencies from a number of top-flight Russian Premier League clubs.

Lokomotiv Moscow have become another victim of the post Soviet empire collapse, with them evidently struggling to recapture their glory years due to greed and incompetence.

An impressive start to the season last year had a number of fans optimistic about their league position, with many believing the weakened Russian Premier League would see a new victor come the end of the campaign. Lokomotiv’s red and green army was managed by Igor Cherevchenko but the former Tajikistan international left in June following a series of disputes at boardroom level. Legendary Lokomotiv coach Yuri Semin returned to the team he managed for 13 years between 1992-2005 but last season’s form looks a million miles off returning to the Moscow outfit.

During those thirteen years, Lokomotiv was victorious for Russian football’s premier prize on two occasions. This was during a time city rivals Spartak swept all before them with Semin in charge, the Railwaymen ended the supremacy of the 1990s when nobody considered them worthy opponents in this post-Soviet era.

The club’s board continue to chase down the ever-growing gap between CSKA and Lokomotiv, but the competition to become Moscow’s premier team is beginning to take it’s toll on the club’s supporters, who watch on as their bitter rivals drowned themselves in success. For a team who could regularly be depended upon for cup success, European exploits or even something as small as having the best stadium in Russia, Lokomotiv’s shambolic race has ultimately seen them fall down to third of a potential three candidates in the race to become Moscow’s grandest club.

From a boardroom perspective, former CEO Olga Smorodskaya was once deemed “inefficient” by fellow board members as they continued to rally for her resignation as on-field issues continued. Smorodskaya was one of a number of casualties during change in Russian football this summer, as the football federation of Russia aim to change the running of its clubs ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Not since the days of Semin at the helm have Lokomotiv Moscow’s supporters regularly shown up weekly to show their ever-lasting support for the Railwaymen . The academy at the club became notorious for bringing through a number of youth prospects and these were both key areas Olga Smorodskya failed to rectify during her time at the club. When she was appointed president of Loko, Smorodskaya worked for the CSKA Sports Society, and her past made her unpopular among the fans from the beginning.

Six years ago she became the leading boardroom figure and despite a large number of resistance met by the supporters, their voices were not heard. The average attendance in Moscow prior to her arrival was close to 15,450 for every home game, now Semin’s side are playing in-front of a miserly weekly average of 7,120.

Smorodskaya’s approach made her even more unpopular with the fans as their struggles on the field continued. A traditional club with a working class core of fans fell in to further turmoil when she took their financial breakthrough elsewhere. Key young players were sold, despite Slaven Bilic’s disapproval.

Vitesse Arnhem purchased Arshak Koryan for a minimal fee and Rifat Zhemaletdinov (once dubbed Russian football’s greatest ever prospect) was sold to the highest bidder – that being Rubin Kazan. Vitaliy Lystsov was sold to Benfica and FC Rostov’s Dmitriy Poloz and struggling Ural signed Sergey Serchenkov, all of whom became a number of other figures sold to line the pockets of the greedy shareholders whilst allowing this gigantic club to continue with mediocrity once again. Had Lokomotiv kept the spine of a great team, could they have eventually succeeded in closing the gap? Easily, is the answer.

It came as no surprise that the man dubbed the ‘Russian Alex Ferguson’ returned to his iconic club. In 2010, after four years in Ukraine with Dynamo Kiev, he returned under the request of Olga Smorodskaya, but Semin was sacked just a year into his tenure for “disappointing and unsatisfactory performances” despite the club finishing one point outside the Champions League places in 2009.

Now under the new Chairmanship of Illya Gerkus, the Godfather of Russian football has returned for a final stint as he nears his 70th birthday. Gerkus has been critical of the foreign player ruling in Russia, which allows five foreign players to be fielded at any stage of a game. The clear objective in Russia is to allow their academy football to develop and with Gerkus sharing the same views of many boardroom members, he was identified as the perfect candidate to replace the outgoing Smorodskaya.

If Semin can manage to adapt to the new style and pace in Russian football’s premier division and coincide with Lokomotiv Moscow’s turbulent boardroom issues, then surely the race to supremacy can belong to the Railwaymen.

The foundations of the empire may be in dire straits but the ever-growing building continues to rise. Lokomotiv Moscow are a club steeped in history and success with a dedicated fan-base. Bad decisions have stagnated the club’s planned progress, combined with wealth, greed and selfishness. With an iconic manager in place, a symbol of belief in the football system enabled with Gerkus as Chairman, and a passionate core, then who knows where Moscow will finish this season if swift changes can be made to aid their desperate season as it continues to slip away.

Liverpool fans are often belittled and ridiculed when they talk of potential title wins, but the feeling is very different this season.

The Reds, after 10 games, are joint top of the Premier League with 23 points and playing arguably the best football in the division. Kopites are quietly-ish clambering aboard the title bus, and it’s quite easy to see why they have such faith.

Indeed, Liverpool look like a team going places. They look like a better team than the 2013/14 edition, which Âfell just two points short of Manchester City in the race for the title.

That campaign was a whirlwind that really came from nowhere, with momentum building around midway through the campaign.

Conversely, the current season feels like one in which Liverpool have set their stool out as title challengers from the off, beating Arsenal on the opening day before putting the reigning champions, Leicester, to the sword a matter of weeks later.

Are Liverpool set-up for a title challenge? We think so, and here are FIVE reasons Jurgen Klopp’s side may well be better equipped than Brendan Rodgers’ 2013/14 team…

Amazing start

As the numbers show, Liverpool’s start to the season has been pretty darn special. The Reds are in fact better off in terms of points than they were at this stage in 2013/14, with only 2001/02 and 2008/09 having witnessed better openings from the Reds in the Premier League era.

In a division that is quickly becoming more and more evenly matched, it’s likely that another relatively low points score will be needed for the big prize.

Leicester’s 81 would have only just got them into the top four in 2013/14, so if Liverpool can match the 84 they notched during that campaign, they will be wellÂplaced to end their long title wait.

Squad depth…

Back in 2013/14, if Brendan Rodgers wanted to introduce a player from the bench to change a game, he could only turn to Iago Aspas or Victor Moses, such was the lack of quality behind a great starting XI.

However, the weekend win over Crystal Palace saw Klopp able to introduce a Netherlands international in the shape of Georginio Wijnaldum from the bench, as well as the talented Divock Origi and defender Ragnar Klavan, who captains his nation, Estonia.

Beyond the trio, Daniel Sturridge, arguably one of the best finishers in the league, Lucas Leiva, Simon Mignolet and Connor Randall completed a seven in reserve that illustrates the German gaffer’s options.

It’s worth noting that James Milner was unavailable through illness, Mamadou Sakho, a decent centre-back, has been frozen out and Danny Ings remains on the peripheries. In short, the depth compared to 2013/14 is staggering.

Klopp effect

Klopp-mania has yet to die down on Merseyside and it’s easy to see why Kopites are so behind the German gaffer. The ex-Dortmund boss’ personality is infectious, while his sheer will to win is evident on the touchline through every game, which simply must transmit to the players.

But, perhaps more interestingly, while Rodgers’ success in 2013/14 was built around the brilliance of Luis Suarez and Sturridge, this Liverpool side seems to be thriving from the work of the manager. Although there are clearly some issues that need addressing, the team feels more like it’s exceeding the sum or its parts as a whole, rather than doing so by the pureÂtalent of a few key individuals.

There have now been 40 games of Klopp, and as the above table shows, Liverpool are just seven points from the top of this hypothetical league season, which is mightily impressive given the mess he inherited and the fact that he rested key players to keep them fresh for the Europa League at the back end of 2015/16.

Goals, goals, goals…

The goals have been flying in for Liverpool this season, who are the joint highest scorers – alongside Manchester City – in the Premier League. To put that into perspective, Spurs have netted only 14 times, while bottom placed Sunderland have managed less than one goal for every three Liverpool have netted. As things stand, the Reds are on course to notch in excess of 90 across 38 games, and considering they have already played some big sides away from home, the 2013/14 return of 101 is not unattainable.

Matip shining…

Granted, the 1.3 goals conceded-per-game Liverpool are averaging at the moment in Premier League action is far from encouraging, but this Reds defensive unit appears better equipped than their 2013/14 counterparts. Indeed, Joel Matip has been excellent since his arrival from Schalke over the summer and with Dejan Lovren looking far more solid – that error at Crystal Palace aside – there appears to be the makings of an effective defence at Anfield.

Alongside the pair, James Milner appears an upgrade on Aly Cissokho and Jon Flanagan from 2013/14, while Nathaniel Clyne is arguably the best right-back in the division.

According to reports from Mirror Football, Everton and West Ham could both attempt to sign Sunderland centre-back Lamine Kone during the January transfer window.

What happened during the summer?

After playing a pivotal role in Sunderland’s top flight survival bid last season, Kone was strongly linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light during the summer – most notably with Chelsea and Everton. In fact, the Toffees reportedly tabled two transfer bids for the former Lorient man, the largest worth around £22million, and Kone is alleged to have even travelled to Merseyside in an attempt to force through a move to Goodison Park.

However, Kone later claimed his motivation for seeking a move away was the club failing to come good on the promise of a new contract and a few weeks later, the Black Cats obliged – agreeing a five-year deal with the Ivory Coast international.

What’s the word, then?

Well, as you may have noticed from the Premier League table, things aren’t going too well for winless Sunderland this season. No doubt, Kone must take some responsibility for their worrying form, which has seen Moyes’ boys concede 20 times already this season and fail to keep a single clean sheet in ten Premier League outings.

Jamie Carragher ripped the 27-year-old apart during this week’s edition of Monday Night Football but nonetheless, he still appears to be desired by some of Sunderland’s Premier League rivals, namely summer suitors Everton as well as West Ham – at least, according to Mirror Football.

Who needs him more?

An interesting question. On the surface, neither the Toffees nor the Hammers are particularly short at centre-half. Well, not short enough to pay the kind of £22million transfer fee mooted for Kone earlier in the summer. But both clubs have a similar problem; they only have three senior options, with the fourth-choice role currently occupied by Mason Holgate and Reece Oxford respectively.

Fans may feel their teams have more immediate concerns in January – West Ham, for example, are in desperate need of an indisputable choice at right-back. But Slaven Bilic and Ronald Koeman have both experimented with three-man defences this season and their shared interest in Kone suggests intentions to utilise that formation more regularly – with more experienced back-up options – in the second half of the campaign.

Would he actually improve their starting XIs?

In our opinion, not massively. Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka have formed a fantastic partnership since the former’s arrival during the summer, whilst Ramiro Funes-Mori, for all his flaws, is almost purpose-build for the left central role in a back three. West Ham, likewise, have two solid options in Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna, with the experienced James Collins or defensive midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate coming in to finish off their potential back three. Overall, Kone wouldn’t be a massive improvement on any – but he would certainly add defensive depth to Everton and West Ham’s squads.

Here’s a look at his form this season compared to the Toffees and Irons’ current options, based on per-game metrics, courtesy of Squawka.

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As reported by the Daily Mail, Marouane Fellaini could be set for a Manchester United exit this January with West Ham and Sunderland both interested in his services.

What’s the word?

After his disastrous cameo appearanceÂon Sunday away to Everton, Man United fans could finally be seeing the back of one of their most inconsistent performers, Marouane Fellaini.

The Mail report that Man United are willing to listenÂto offers for him this January, but will not consider letting him leave Old Trafford on loan.

Incredibly, according to the report, David Moyes is looking at signing Fellaini for the third time in his career, hoping to bring him to the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. Slaven Bilic’s West Ham are also interested.

With Man United hoping to command a fee of up to £20m, Fellaini would likely take a big chunk out of both managers’ January budgets.

Has he been that bad for United?

Fellaini has never convinced the Old Trafford faithful that he can be the midfield star they need to challenge for Premier League silverware.

A recent stat published by Squawka only highlighted his poor contribution to United over the last couple of years further.

The midfielder did play a starring role for Everton during his five seasons at Goodison Park and that form did of course come under Moyes, so West Ham and Sunderland fans shouldn’t be too perplexed about his potential signing.

A move back to under the guidance of Moyes could well end up being the making of Fellaini again and with Sunderland locked in another relegation battle, they need all hands on deck.

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Fans took to Twitter to debate whether the penalty that kickstarted Manchester City’s rout over West Ham United in the FA Cup third-round clash was right to be given.

The Hammers were beaten 5-0 by Pep Guardiola’s men at the London Stadium, ending their very brief stint in the domestic competition.

The floodgates opened for City when Yaya Toure struck from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, but like so many penalties nowadays, the decision was questioned.

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Referee Michael Oliver had no hesitation, though, when he pointed to the spot after Angelo Ogbonna appeared to clip the heels of Pablo Zabaleta.

In the BBC studios, pundits Alan Shearer and Ian Wright claimed that the spot-kick should not have been given because Ogbonna did not make a challenge for the ball, while guest pundit Frank Lampard disagreed due to the contact that was made.

The decision sparked debate on social media as well, with plenty of fans describing the call as soft, but others believed that it was nailed on.

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Philippe Coutinho has committed his future to Liverpool by signing a new long-term contract.What are the details?The Merseyside clubÂannounced the newsÂon Wednesday morning, confirming that the fresh terms will come into effect on July 1.The Mirror reportsÂthat Jurgen Klopp’s best player has signed a five-year deal and has become the highest-paid member of the Liverpool squad.The publication adds that there is no buyout clause in the deal, which makes it harder for the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain to snatch him from Anfield’s clutches.

After putting pen to paper, Coutinho, who joined the Reds from Inter Milan in 2013 for a reported £8.5m fee, told the club’s official website:

“I signed this new contract to stay here for a few more years because it’s a great honour for me. It gives me great happiness because I was welcomed here with open arms by everyone at the club and the supporters right from my first day. I am very thankful to this football club for everything.â€

Klopp also believes that the Brazilian’s commitment to the Reds warns competitors that the club are heading for success.

“We have total belief in our project, but when a player of Phil’s calibre and status commits for this length of time it shows that our faith is shared throughout the game. He knows he can fulfil his dreams and ambitions here at Liverpool. This is a big statement.”

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Why keeping Coutinho is huge for Liverpool.

Since moving to Merseyside, the Brazilian has become an influential part of the team, and he is growing into a player that has the ability to win games on his own.

This season, Coutinho suffered an injury blow in November, which kept him on the sidelines nursing his ankle during the hectic festive schedule.

The 24-year-old’s absence was heavily felt, particularly as he had scored six goals and provided five assists in all competitions before his injury.

As the graphic shows below, Coutinho has made as many goals as he has scored, with 34 going into the back of the net and 35 helped along with his assists.

The attacking player has been improving over the seasons, with his best goal return (12) coming in the 2015-16 campaign.

The statistics speak for themselves, but the most crucial part of this news is that there is reportedly no release clause in the deal.

Some fans may have felt sceptical after the Luis Suarez saga, in which the Uruguayan left the club for Barcelona seven months after he penned a new long-term deal at Anfield.

Of course, there is no guarantee that it will not happen again in Coutinho’s case, but not having a buyout agreement means that any potential suitors for the player would need to break the bank, particularly as he is now tied to Liverpool until 2022.

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Tottenham host West Bromwich Albion this weekend, arguably the surprise package of this Premier League season as they tussle with Everton for the crown of ‘best of the rest’. Pairing Tony Pulis’s trademark defensive structure with some attacking flair and cool finishing, they have swept weaker sides away while troubling the top six with a low block 6-3-1.

Spurs come into this match after a comfortable FA Cup victory over Aston Villa and having nullified Chelsea to stride to a 2-0 win in their last league match. Brimming with confidence and on a five game winning streak, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have turned their season around over the festive period and are now only two points behind second-placed Liverpool.

At the heart of their success has been Dele Alli. The former MK Dons midfielder endured an indifferent patch of form at the start of the campaign, but his performances have been on the rise over the last couple of months and he has capped that rejuvenation with a spree of goal scoring. Christian Eriksen, too, has looked back to his very best form, unlocking defences with intelligent passes and finding pockets of space between the defensive lines to drag opposition players out of position.

Harry Kane has been the focal point of the attacking play once again, even if his own goal scoring exploits have been less than spectacular. Pochettino has shown a willingness to change formation when the match requires, which has given the Lilywhites another dimension. Defensively they have looked back to their organised best since the return of Toby Alderweireld, too. Spurs are playing like a team capable of mounting a serious title challenge going into the final months of the season, but they cannot afford to drop points at White Hart Lane if they are going to make a real fight of it.

But while many sides will try to emulate Pulis’ approach, no other teams are as well drilled or have the personnel to be quite as resilient as the Baggies in tricky away fixtures. West Brom have experience down the spine of their side and have looked almost impenetrable at times. Individual error led to an unfortunate defeat against Chelsea, while the performances against Manchester United and Arsenal were equally resolute for parts of the match. Although they fell to defeat in all three matches, the Baggies (particularly against Chelsea and Arsenal) demonstrated their ability to frustrate.

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Salomon Rondon and Matt Phillips give West Brom another dimension in attack. Pulis’ deep defensive line that wipes out any room between the lines for the opposition can be restrictive, but Rondon has the technical ability and physical attributes to hold the ball up, while Phillips has the pace and skill to expose a team who have been forced to commit men forward.

West Brom must be stretched across the pitch to be exposed. This is where difficulty may lie for Tottenham, who naturally play with a narrow attacking midfield three and rely on full-backs to provide width. Getting to the byline is almost worthless such are the number of Baggies bodies in the box and there is no chance of finding Eriksen in spaces between the midfield and defence.

Pulis is the expert at upsetting sides who have been scoring freely. The nemesis for teams who are building momentum, in fact. Despite that, Spurs cannot afford to drop points in a home match against a side outside of the top six. However well the Baggies defend and whatever tricks they pull to upset Spurs’ rhythm, Pochettino’s side must find a way to win. Even if it’s the scrappiest of goals or a penalty from a handball shout, their title push relies on victories like these.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea have already managed it, but Pulis’ West Brom remain one of the Premier League’s greatest obstacles. An immovable object parked in front of their own goal, with the venom in attack this year to deliver their own knockout blow, we will learn a great deal about Tottenham Hotspur’s title aspirations in this game.

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is planning a spending spree when the transfer window reopens in the summer, according to The Mirror.

What’s the word?

United had a quiet January window in terms of incomings. Well, silent actually as they did not make a single signing in order to bolster their squad.

In fact, the only transfer activity that occurred was players going the other way. Morgan Schneiderlin departed for Everton, while Memphis Depay signed for Lyon, but a buy-back clause was installed in the deal, so it may not be the last we see of him at Old Trafford.

The Mirror reports that Mourinho never intended to do any business in the winter month, instead plans to put all his focus into the summer window.

United already have plenty of funds available given that they are one of the richest football clubs in the world, and now they have an additional £40m that was received from the sales of Schneiderlin and Depay.

The publication states that Mourinho’s spending will mirror his intention to transform United back into the force that they once were, which means eventually becoming a strong Champions League contender.

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Who will United go for?

It has been widely reported that Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann is at the top of Mourinho’s wishlist, and they may even be forced to pay close to or more than the record-breaking £89m that they forked out for Paul Pogba last summer.

The Mirror claim that United are very confident of landing the Frenchman’s signature, so much so that they have already promised him the number seven shirt, which was vacated by Depay.

Signing Griezmann, who has scored eight La Liga goals and produced four assists in 19 appearances, would make a huge statement to their rivals in England and across Europe, but it could also spell the end for captain Wayne Rooney, who is already struggling for game time under Mourinho.

The report states that the manager will also be in the market for a holding midfielder, a central defender and a recognised left-back, which calls into question Luke Shaw’s future at the club.

The England international is only 21 years old, but he has been overlooked by Mourinho numerous times this season, with the manager citing fitness issues as a reason for his absence.

The Portuguese coach’s transfer targets may change over the course of the season, but one thing is for sure, United have the financial power behind them to rival anyone for the best players in the market.

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