Tottenham’s agreement to play Champions League games at Wembley means no fond European farewell for White Hart Lane.

But does the old place really need one?

The ‘remain’ camp claims the club is just after the money and has turned its back on 117 years of tradition, while some insist the Lilywhites will struggle to recreate the intimate, buzzing atmosphere of European nights at the Lane if the doors are thrown open to tourists and fair-weather fans at the 90,000-seater national stadium.

And the diehard Gooner haters will tell you: ‘Arsenal did the same for two seasons back in 1998/2000 and fell flat on their face.’

They are all fair arguments, but here are six reasons Spurs fans should be over the moon about next season’s Wembley tie-up…

1. Safety and numbers

Staying at White Hart Lane would put a real strain on access and seat numbers, which might all lead to not meeting UEFA safety, access or rights requirements.

The stadium is already 4,000 seats down due to early work on the north east corner and being in an already congested area makes it a nightmare to get to and around – even as a regular.

Should Spurs reach the quarter-finals, like last time, UEFA would demand 200 seats for worldwide press, plus 475 VIP seats and a further 2,010 corporate tickets.

That would leave a capacity of less than 30,000, which is huge step backwards for a club with 50,000 on the season ticket waiting list.

2. It’s a trial run as a giant club

If indeed it is true that Tottenham will struggle to create an atmosphere in a big stadium, is it not better to do it while having White Hart Lane to fall back on for league games?

That way the players and fans have a safety net, a trial run before 2017/18, when home games will forever more be played in a vast 60,000-plus arena.

3. It’s better than Arsenal’s deal

The Gunners may have crashed out of the Champions League group stage in both their Wembley campaigns, but their national stadium experiment had no clear knock-on advantages regarding big-games.

They did not move into the Emirates until 2006, by which time all but two of the names in the dressing room had changed – Freddie Ljungberg and Arsene Wenger.

Spurs should boast largely the same squad when the new ground opens – and they will also have a whole season of home games there in 2017/18 to get used to the big-club mentality.

4. It’s undeniable progress

Even if, like Arsenal, Spurs crash out of the Champions League after three games having not gelled with National HQ – does it matter that much?

This is all part of a long-term project and the key factor is progression. The most important thing is finishing in the top four again and earning back-to-back Champions League appearances in what will be a much more difficult domestic season.

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5. History is history, don’t ruin it

White Hart Lane’s romance with European competition down the years is probably over-egged. Spurs have, after all, only ever enjoyed two seasons in the European Cup.

And, though the north Londoners reached the semi-final in 1961/62 – losing to Benfica on aggregate – their 2010/11 campaign under Harry Redknapp will not be beaten.

Spurs may have won two UEFA Cup finals at home, but both were draws and no offence to Wolves (1972) and Anderlecht (1984), but they were hardly against continental giants.

White Hart Lane’s final memories of European Cup matches are currently victories over Inter Milan, AC Milan and a quarter-final loss to Real Madrid.

Three rounds, three giants of the continental game. It had never happened like that before and it is unlikely to happen that way again.

Spurs fans, suppose you go out in the group stage having failed to overcome average opponents. The lasting memory would then be failure rather than glorious defeat.

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6. IT MIGHT NOT BE THE END

It is yet to be confirmed but Spurs could yet be back at WHL for European games if they finish third in their Champions League group and end up in the Europa League. That could give them the best of both worlds with three games at Wembley plus a Euro farewell for the Lane.

Although, they still have the league campaign – and that gives fans 19 games to reminisce and raise the roof with nostalgic choruses of glory glory hallelujah.

Who knows, if they lift the Premier League title on their final White Hart Lane home game then that would make up for everything.

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The rumours of Jamie Vardy joining Arsenal are long gone. After signing Granit Xhaka, it looked as though Arsenal were about to plunge into the transfer market and sign as many players as they could.

The Gunners clearly do need some new talent in the side, as their second place finish in the Premier League was seen by many as an under-achievement. Wenger’s men were simply not consistent enough to win the Premier League title and despite being top at the turn of the year, they fell ten points short of eventual champions, Leicester City.

Arsenal fans will be hoping that the club work hard to bring in plenty of new faces to strengthen the squad as the Londoners prepare for what looks to be one of the toughest seasons yet. Arsenal need new talent to win their 14th title, but there are some players that the Gunners are linked with that could surely damage their chances. Here are FIVE….

Alexandre Lacazette

What? Arsenal shouldn’t sign a quick, clinical centre forward? Reports claim that Arsenal are interested in signing Lacazette from Lyon but there are plenty of signs showing that he may not be the perfect choice.

For starters, his best season in France in terms of goals scored, is equal to that of Olivier Giroud, whom Arsenal fans would love to replace. In fact, Giroud assisted more than Lacazette in Ligue 1.

Lacazette has a goals to game ratio that is nowhere near the world’s best, and Arsenal could definitely do a lot better.

Ivan Perisic

Perisic may be a national legend after his heroics against Spain, but is he really the man for Arsenal? Reports suggest that the 27-year-old is prime target to replace Theo Walcott at the Emirates Stadium, but the Inter Milan winger may not be Premier League, or Arsenal material.

Perisic doesn’t suit Arsenal’s style and would surely stop Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from progressing in the future.

Islam Slimani

When will Wenger learn? Signing foreign strikers from leagues of a lower quality just doesn’t work. No matter how many goals and assists the Algerian can grab at Sporting CP, he would without a doubt find the Premier League a lot tougher.

Arsenal should be aiming to sign a world class forward such as Gonzalo Higuain or Robert Lewandowski, and not an unheard of striker from the Portuguese Primeira Liga.

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Sam Byram

This choice is harsh. Byram is a quality defender and will surely become one of the better options England have, however, it is surely time that Wenger stops preparing for the future and thinks about the present. Arsenal need quality now, they do not need to prepare for a couple of year’ time, and however good Byram may turn out to be, there are plenty of better players around than him right now.

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Edinson Cavani

Cavani is perhaps one of the most over-rated footballers on the planet. Of course, the Uruguayan is capable of some truly incredible goals and performances, but overall, ‘El Matador’ is nowhere near the calibre of Thierry Henry, which is the level of player Arsenal need.

Cavani misses far too may chances, and based on his performances against Chelsea in the Champions League, he is nowhere near good enough for the Premier League.

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Things are getting a bit desperate for Crystal Palace in the transfer market. The Eagles started the season poorly at home to West Brom, losing 1-0, in turn highlighting just where their weaknesses lie – lack of goalscorers.

For many this was a problem for the side from south London last season too and without their bright start to the 2015/16 campaign they would have been staring down the barrel of relegation.

The club have now sold Yannick Bolasie, one of their more attacking players and need to act fast if they want to stay in the league past this year. Andros Townsend has come in and many think he’ll be a good signing but he needs someone to cross the ball in to.

Even with Benteke the club could do with a few more players just to be sure and that’s where this FIVE come in…

Moussa Sissoko

The Guardian think that Palace could use the money they received for Bolasie on the French midfielder Sissoko.

The Newcastle man performed well at EURO 2016 when given the chance and shone in the final despite being on the losing side suggesting Palace would be getting a good player.

Sissoko offers the ability to carry his team forward from midfield and that would suit Palace’s counter attacking game.

Robin Van Persie

The Dutchman had reportedly been offered to the club earlier this Summer and you can’t deny that he’d give the Eagles a boost up front.

Van Persie is a proven Premier League goal-scorer and title winner with Manchester United and despite his age he’d surely be the difference between Palace staying up or going down to the Championship at the end of this season.

Ashley Young

The Express has reported that the Eagles have seen a loan bid rejected for Young who they see as a potential replacement for the departed Bolasie. However, the former Watford man has so far failed to nail down a spot in Jose Mourinho’s side and with Palace having a ready made position for him another bid might just be in the offing. If any move did come off he’d surely bit a hit with the Selhurst Park crowd

Ravel Morrison

Arguably English football’s biggest enigma at the moment, so many are waiting for Morrison to turn his obvious talent into something more substantial. He showed flashes of brilliance with West Ham and was considered one of the brightest prospects at Manchester United when he came through, it just hasn’t worked yet. He’s currently at Lazio but would probably jump at the chance to come home, worth a punt?

Oliver Burke

Palace are rumoured to have lodged a £8million bid for the young Scottish winger suggesting he too is seen as a replacement for Bolasie out wide.

Burke has featured in all of Nottingham Forest’s games so far this season, scoring once in the opening fixture against Burton Albion. Forest won that game but since have lost their next two league games meaning Burke might just find a move to Palace tempting.

Although you can never assess a season by the first game, sometimes it can give you a flavour of what to expect.

With two managers at the helm of two clubs that struggled and disappointed their fanbase last season, the possibility is that both David Moyes and Ronald Koeman have more on their hands than they bargained for.

Ronald Koeman was settled and comfortable at St Mary’s with a Southampton side punching way above their weight. Good individuals who played for each other and who elevated the club to European competition yet again with the ability to go on and unsettle the big boys.

It was always on the cards that a few of the Southampton players would move on, primarily because it happens every single season, but they’ve always re-built and come back stronger.

On the verge of a new contract, The Toffees waived a bigger salary and a huge war chest at the Dutchman- and he ran as fast as he could to Merseyside.

Trouble is, Koeman hasn’t landed the big targets that he set out for. You can argue that Bolasie is a good signing for him, but £30m? Really? Where is Witsel? Where did Pelle go? Where are the big signings?

Reality is a hard truth and Koeman is now resorting to his Plan B list. It may yet prove to be a good decision, time will tell, but with money being thrown at the manager, expectation the highest at Goodison Park for many a year, will all of that prove to be Everton’s undoing?

He has already put into practice his pressing game and his tactics worried Spurs at the weekend, but not every team is like Tottenham and as the season wears on, teams will work out how to beat Koeman’s charges, just like they did when he was with the Saints.

A much bigger job is the one on Wearside, though. Sunderland lack confidence thanks to season after season of relegation worries and the fans will hope that David Moyes is the saviour after Sam Allardyce left them for the England job.

After already bringing in the Manchester United trio of Love, McNair and Januzaj, Moyes still has work to do. To convince new players to join his North Eastern revolution will be more difficult than he imagines, as the brighter lights elsewhere will sway new faces away from the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland are perennial strugglers, expect that not to change this season, as the club goes through yet another transition that will mean time to gel the individuals into a team. Moyes will need all of his expertise from his Everton days, to guide the Black Cats up the table.

The Scot’s reputation has been knocked by a difficult year as Manchester United boss, followed by an equally chastening twelve months at Real Sociedad.

Thank goodness for Jermaine Defoe because yet again Sunderland will require his goal-scoring talents.

With Manchester City not looking at their best on Saturday, Sunderland were still unable to see much of the ball for large parts of the game and despite only losing to an own goal, this is going to be another season where stability is the objective.

Both men will largely succeed eventually, but this season will be one to test their nerve and managerial abilities to the very last day.

It’s early days so far in the Premier League but patterns are starting to emerge that FanDuel players need to keep track of if they want to win some money each weekend.

FanDuel offers players the chance to start afresh each weekend with their fantasy football teams meaning it’s never too late to start playing and giving yourself a chance of some extra income.

They’re offering to match your first deposit all the way up to £400 too so there’s never been a better time to sign up ahead of some important fixtures this weekend.

Like any competition, you need an edge to beat your rivals and FanDuel is no different. It’s not just the big players that are going to win you money, you need to scour the market and put in players that other’s might have left out.

Fortunately for you, we’ve already put the work in to bring you the FOUR players you need in your FanDuel team to take home the prize on offer this weekend…

Jason Puncheon

Puncheon is a real key figure for Palace. When he plays well the Eagles play well and they’ll need him to be in his best creative form once again to beat Middlesbrough this weekend.

He was the joint most chance creator last time out against Bournemouth and if he can do the same in the north-east with Christian Benteke and Loic Remy possibly being alongside him, there’s no reason why he won’t take that title again.

Scott Dann

Unlike other fantasy football games FanDuel awards points for not just goals and clean sheets but for things like interceptions and clearances.

This means that with a player like Scott Dann you’re always going to stand a chance of winning some cash as his reading of the game is impeccable whilst he does score the odd goal too. It’s a big game against Middlesbrough for Palace this weekend and Dann will need to be on top form for them to stand a chance, get him in.

Papy Djilobodji

Sunderland host Everton this weekend as they look to kick-start their season against their current manager’s old team. Djilobodji has come in from Chelsea and has instantly impressed providing real value for money both for the Black Cats and on FanDuel.

Having those cheap but decent players is vital to succeeding in fantasy football and the defender certainly allows you to do that.

Nordin Amrabat

Amrabat made seven tackles earning him 14 points last time out and will need to reach similar levels if Watford want to beat West Ham.

The Hammers are likely to have more possession at the London Stadium so Walter Mazzarri’s men need to be defensively solid and win the ball at key moments.

The Moroccan has clearly shown he can do that better than most and could be the final piece in your winning FanDuel puzzle this weekend.

Think you know football? Prove it and win big money: http://po.st/FanDuelEd400

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Ronald Koeman has enjoyed a pretty good start to his Everton career so far.

The Toffees are currently 5th in the Premier League with 14 points from their first seven games.

They have only picked up one point from their last two games, however, after losing to Bournemouth and drawing against Crystal Palace.

Koeman arguably faces the toughest task of his Everton career so far this weekend, as he takes his side to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City.

One area where the Dutchman often seems to struggle is beating the bigger sides in the league, with a 4-2 win over a City team treading water under Pellegrini his only success.

Choosing a Toffees XI that could cause an upset at Eastlands, we’ve opted for a three-man defence to cope with the likes of Sergio Aguero and possibly Kevin De Bruyne, especially after it worked so well against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the season.

Here is the Everton XI Koeman should play to get a positive result against the Citizens.

GOALKEEPER – MAARTEN STEKELENBURG

After an ill-fated spell under Koeman at Southampton, Everton fans are forgiven for being underwhelmed when the Dutchman re-signed Maarten Stekelenburg.

Bar a couple of mistakes, the Dutchman has looked good as part of a Toffees defence that has conceded the second fewest goals in the Premier League behind Tottenham Hotspur.

The 34-year-old has given no reason to lose his place to Joel Robles but will have to be in fine form to deny the likes of Aguero, De Bruyne and Sterling.

RIGHT WING-BACK – SEAMUS COLEMAN

Freshly buoyed by his first goal for the Republic or Ireland, Seamus Coleman should be confident when he faces City on Saturday.

Since returning from injury, the full-back has been one of Everton’s standout performers and will hope to be given license to roam forward to put the pressure on the City backline, particularly if Kolarov starts at left-back.

Coleman loves to break forward and should be tasked with getting beyond the midfield to provide service for Lukaku, or even have a crack himself.

CENTRE-BACK – ASHLEY WILLIAMS

If there’s one man in the Everton side who can handle the prolonged and intense pressure of the City attack, it’s Ashley Williams.

For both Swansea last season and Wales in the summer, the 32-year-old was the last bastion in defence and helped his sides battle against the odds, particularly as Wales made the semi-finals at Euro 2016.

If Everton are to get anything out of the game they need men to put their bodies on the line; Williams will happily lead by example.

CENTRE-BACK – PHIL JAGIELKA

The man to stay in the centre of the back three, Phil Jagielka will be tasked with a similar job to Williams; block everything that comes at him.

Being slightly slower than the other two defenders, Everton’s captain should stay deep and act as the last line of defence.

Despite appearing shaky under Roberto Martinez last season, Jagielka is looking more like his solid self, something which will be hugely important to Everton’s chances on Saturday.

CENTRE-BACK – RAMIRO FUNES-MORI

Ramiro Funes-Mori completes the three-man defence.

A system that Koeman had success with a Southampton, the trio in the backline should be able to close down the space between midfield and defence and give players like Silva and De Bruyne less space to work in.

Funes Mori is naturally left-footed should therefore play on the left side of defence, where his pace may be necessary to help the left-back deal with Raheem Sterling.

LEFT WING-BACK – LEIGHTON BAINES

Supposedly fit again after missing two Premier League games, Baines should be in line for a return to the Everton side.

The left-back missed the Bournemouth and Palace games, both of which the Toffees failed to win.

Bryan Oviedo failed to impress against the Eagles and was eventually subbed for Funes Mori.

Baines has the experience to deal with the occasion while his superb delivery – either from crosses or dead-ball opportunities – may well yield a goal for Lukaku or one of his defenders.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD – IDRISSA GUEYE

One man who’s made a huge difference to Everton this season is Idrissa Gueye.

The Senegalese midfielder has been superb for the Toffees since his move from Aston Villa in the summer, quietly going about his business breaking the opponent’s attack and distributing the ball efficiently.

Should Koeman play a three-man backline, Gueye may have to go above his original job remit and carry the ball forward, linking the midfield and getting the ball to Everton’s attacking players.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD – GARETH BARRY

The most experienced man in Everton’s squad, Gareth Barry has plenty of experience playing in big games.

The 35-year-old will be the man to lead by example when it comes to keeping a cool head and producing a disciplined display.

Barry will be charged with sitting deeper than his midfield partner and break up City’s attacks before they find their way into the box.

It’ll be a tough task for those ageing legs and Barry will more than likely make way if the scores are level late on.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD: ROSS BARKLEY

If Everton choose to go with a three-man midfield then Barkley may well be the one sacrificed after some inconsistent performances this season.

Should Koeman require discipline he may well opt for James McCarthy in the middle as Barkley’s defensive contribution can be limited.

But if the Dutchman wants to go for a win off the bat, he’ll need Barkley’s guile and creativity.

We think he should go for Barkley with the City defence as it is and goals on the cards.

SUPPORT STRIKER: YANNICK BOLASIE

The key to beating City may well be Yannick Bolasie.

With his pace and trickery, the DR Congo international is capable of giving any team trouble on his day – just ask Liverpool fans.

The 27-year-old will be responsible for stretching the play if Koeman opts for three attackers and Barkley plays, with the Englishmen more likely to stay central.

With Sagna sidelined for the Citizens, Bolasie will fancy his chances against Zabaleta but he needs to work on his end product.

STRIKER: ROMELU LUKAKU

One of the positions that should be locked down is Romelu Lukaku’s spot up front.

The Belgian has been in lethal form this season with five goals in his last four games.

There were worries the striker may have picked up an injury while on international duty but he was fit enough for the bench, so Toffees fans will hope Roberto Martinez didn’t want to risk his former charge against lowly Gibraltar.

The 23-year-old has the pace and physique to scare a City defence still without the leadership of his countryman Vincent Kompany.

According to reports from The Sun, Real Madrid are planning a £25million transfer bid for Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

What’s the word?

It seems even a FIFA-imposed transfer ban can’t stop The Sun from speculating about Real’s plans for the coming windows, claiming the European champions are looking to prise away the Arsenal ace in a bid to unite him with Wales team-mate Gareth Bale.

Los Blancos believe they have a chance of signing the midfielder – whose versatility they view as a huge potential asset for their squad – for the relatively modest price of £25million because his contract expires in under two years and he’s grown frustrated with increasingly limited opportunities to impress in central roles.

Should Arsenal sell?

There’s no doubt Ramsey is a hugely talented player, evident enough through his talismanic performances for Wales and a 2013/14 campaign that saw him bag a career-best ten goals in 23 appearances – with plenty of absolute stunners on the way.

But fitting the 25-year-old into the starting Xi has proved an eternally difficult task for Arsene Wenger, who has utilised Ramsey as a right winger, a deep-lying midfielder and a No.10 without settling on any position long-term. His chances of holding down any of those roles are currently rather slim, with Theo Walcott scoring for fun on the flank, Mesut Ozil undisputed at the tip of midfield and the likes of Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka all vying for places in the double-pivot.

At the same time, proneness to injury has affected Ramsey’s development and his importance to Arsenal’s fortunes. He’s managed more than 30 appearances in a single Premier League season just thrice from nine campaigns in north London, albeit the most recent instance coming last term.

So with Ramsey reportedly disillusioned by the situation and his contract winding down, there’s plenty of weight behind the argument to sell. But £25million is hardly an outstanding return on the Welshman’s ability and to make matters worse, The Sun claim Real Madrid could end up paying just over half of that because Arsenal still owe them £11million from Mesut Ozil’s transfer in summer 2013.

Stats courtesy of Squawka.

How likely is a deal?

In Football FanCast’s opinion, not that likely. Wenger’s clearly a huge fan of the midfielder, shown through the determination in which he’s attempted to shoehorn Ramsey into his starting XIs when available. If Ramsey were to leave the club, he’d probably have to push for an exit himself, rather than Wenger simply accepting Real Madrid’s bid.

At the same time, the stumbling blocks from Real’s perspective are impossible to ignore. They’re optimistic of overturning the transfer ban according to The Sun, but FFC aren’t quite so convinced. FIFA have been toughening up in this regard and showed Barcelona no mercy for a similar crime, banning the Catalans for two transfer windows in 2015.

Furthermore, Real Madrid’s midfield is already rather congested; Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Toni Kroos, Isco, Casemiro, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio are all fantastic talents, whilst Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo remain indisputable options on the wing. Would Ramsey really be interested in leaving Arsenal to become a squad option at the Bernabeu?

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Tonight, Leeds United visit Anfield for the first time since 2003, with the EFL Cup providing the platform to revive a rivalry that once sat at the very top of English football.

As we all know, the Whites are by no means the Champions League semi-final-reaching force of yesteryear, having exited the Premier League at the end of the 2003/04 campaign – they are still marching through the Football League wilderness amid their exile from the top flight.

But Leeds still boast a fantastic support and continue to carry that ‘big game’ feel, which has set up a scintillating night under the Anfield floodlights this evening.

Inevitably, most are backing Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to progress to the semi-finals. They carry home advantage and have been excellent in the Premier League this season, netting the most goals (a whopping 32) of any team in the division.

But Leeds shouldn’t be underestimated. After a slow start to his Elland Road career, Garry Monk has masterminded the Yorkshire outfit’s route into the play-off spots and the players will enter tonight’s match feeling they have nothing to lose.

Likewise, this is one of the best Leeds squads we’ve seen for some time. So here’s a look at THREE dangermen who could inspire an upset at Anfield this evening.

Hadi Sacko

With former Valencia and Swansea City star Pablo Hernandez sidelined through injury, Leeds will turn to Hadi Sacko as their main creative threat at Anfield this evening. The 22-year-old winger is blessed with youthful dynamism and is the Whites’ leading supplier in the Championship with three assists in 14 starts.

He’s also their most prolific dribbler, averaging 2.4 successful take-ons-per-match to draw 1.1 fouls, and will resultantly be Leeds’ most common outlet on the counter-attack. That latter statistic could prove pivotal tonight, with set pieces likely to be the second-tier outfit’s best chance of getting on the scoresheet.

Pontus Jansson

Pontus Jansson’s primary task may be to defend his own goal but don’t rule out the Swedish centre-back, currently on loan from Torino, making a difference at the other end.

As previously mentioned, set pieces appear to be Leeds’ likeliest avenue of finding the net, especially against a Liverpool side who’ve been notoriously poor at defending such situations over the last few seasons, and Jansson represents a huge aerial threat, measuring in at a whopping 6ft. 5″. The 10-cap international bagged his first Whites goal earlier this month and will know a second tonight could etch his name in Elland Road folklore.

Chris Wood

Leeds’ most obvious and reliable goal threat this season, Chris Wood is currently fourth in the Championship’s scoring charts with nine goals in 18 appearances.

The 24-year-old, who previously struggled to break through at West Brom and Leicester City, is finally coming into his own and will be desperate to impress against Premier League opposition with the January transfer window just around the corner. An old-fashioned front-man who measures in at 6ft. 3″, he’s another who could hurt Liverpool in the air – especially at set pieces – and will be looking to bring Leeds’ midfielders into the game with his powerful frame. That’s not to downplay the New Zealand international’s technical quality; he’s a clinical finisher when given the chance.

How long does a media narrative take to turn? In the last five premier league matches Manchester United have managed just one win, courtesy of a 3-1 scoreline away to struggling Swansea City.

So where does that leave Jose Mourinho? For much of his successful coaching career it almost seemed written in the stars that one day Mourinho would end up at Old Trafford, his respect for the club and for legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson was evident through countless interviews over the years.

That he was overlooked as the successor to Ferguson in favour of David Moyes was a bitter disappointment to Mourinho, who had lobbied for the position. Now, having finally been appointed at the start of this season, we have yet to see a significant turn round in form at United.

[ffc_insert title=”Cantona: The Iconic and the Ironic” name=”Golden Goal” image=”https://www.footballfancast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1997-04-23T000000Z_1_MT1ACI148037_RTRMADP_3_ENGLAND-SOCCER-MNU.jpg?admin” link=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/manchester-united/golden-goal-king-eric-and-a-story-of-delicious-irony” link_text=”Cantona’s greatest moment” ]

Spurs, on the other hand, are a side working from a more settled platform. Under Argentinean coach Mauricio Pochettino Spurs have become one of the most progressive tactical sides in the league with a fluid structure and a rotating squad.

The London side have alternated this season between three at the back and four at the back systems, with different personnel fulfilling roles throughout the side. Contrast this with a United side that is still struggling to fit their best players in to a cohesive tactical structure.

For United to emerge from this match with a victory, their abilities to access the wide areas in the final third will be key. On the other hand, Spurs will look to utilise the space in front of the United defensive structure to come away with the win…

United width on the final third

Part of the problem with playing Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front is that there is a tendency for teams to play vertical balls centrally to bring the Swedish forward in to play. This vertical attacking style, however, would play directly in to the defensive strength of Spurs with their defensive core being one of the strongest in the league, whether they play with two or three centre backs.

Instead, United will have to concentrate their build up in the wide areas to try to overload the Spurs defence and create openings to be exploited. The recent reintroduction of Armenian midfielder Henrik Mkhitaryan should help in this regard, with his ability to play in tight spaces and tendency to move off the wing in to the half spaces.

This inside movement combined with the attacking threat of Antonio Valencia from right back and the support play of Ander Herrera from midfield should offer United an axis around, which they can play in an advanced area of the field.

On the other flank the pace of Frenchman Anthony Martial should be utilised in order to provide a different problem for the Spurs defensive structure to absorb. With Martial providing width it should offer space centrally for Paul Pogba to get forward and connect with Ibrahimovic in and around the Spurs penalty area.

Spurs look to build centrally

It remains to be seen whether Spurs line up with a three or four man defence. The choice will have an effect on how they look to attack and access the final third of the pitch.

With a four man back line we will most likely see a one man attack, whilst if it is three at the back, we will see two strikers. Each offer different options but it is the supporting structure in behind that is most important.

With a lone striker we will see a player stationed in the attacking midfield strata who will serve as the platform for the build up play. As he gets space in front of the United defence we will see Eriksen move in from the left flank to provide the opportunity for a central overload, as the two fullbacks push on and engage the United fullbacks in the wide areas.

At the same time, Moussa Dembele (arguably Spurs’ best player) will join in and move beyond the overload to threaten the United defence. The presence of Dembele and his ability to take possession and play in tight areas could be one of the keys for Spurs in unlocking the United defensive structure.

With a two man attacking unit, the attacking midfield strata is likely to start empty with both wide players looking to make inverted runs to occupy the central space at various times. With both United centre backs effectively pinned back by the two strikers the wingers and midfielders would be able to create an advanced central platform in order to facilitate the attacking movement.

Conclusion

If I was a betting man then I would have my money on Spurs in this match. The media narrative is definitely turning against Mourinho now, with the Portuguese coach having seemingly lost his sophisticated charm that punctuated his initial spell in English football.

He still has not found a way to get the best out of all of his star players whilst ensuring that the team still operates as a unit. Not taking Mkhitaryan in to the team until two weeks ago may well be unforgivable given that he already looks like United’s best player.

Spurs, on the other hand, have suffered failure in their attempts to qualify from the group stages of the Champions League. They are now looking to bounce back and establish a strong run in the Premier League in order to qualify again for next season. I would not be at all surprised to see Spurs start with either a back three of back four and then switch to the other as the game progresses.

The lack of tactical flexibility from Mourinho will be his undoing here.

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As reported by the Daily Mirror, Manchester United have opened talks with Benfica about bringing their star defender Nelson Semedo to Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

Jose Mourinho is set for a big January as Manchester United boss, finally able to build on and reshape the squad after the summer window closed. His signings in the summer have made a big impact at United and supporters are eager to see what business can be done next month.

One star that could be on his way to Old Trafford next year is Nelson Semedo of Benfica.

The Mirror reckons United have already opened talks with the Portuguese club about the potential big money transfer.

It’s a deal that could cost the Red Devils up to £35m but with his potential to be a long-term replacement for Antonio Valencia, he could be worth every penny.

However, the paper also report that this deal is most likely to be completed in the summer and not the coming window.

Good enough?

Already a Portugal international, Semedo has been a permanent fixture for Benfica on the right side of their defence this season.

Helping Benfica to 11 clean sheets already in their campaign so far, it’s clear he knows how to be part of a strong defensive unit, something Man United will need if they’re to challenge for the title.

He’s an attacking threat too, scoring two goals and contributing three assists from the right flank.

With Antonio Valencia the wrong side of 30, signing his successor while he is still able to compete for his place should bring both players to the levels required at Old Trafford.

If Mourinho can get the reported deal done, it’d be a shrewd bit of business.

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