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With Leicester City’s place in next season’s Champions League confirmed and the Foxes being one game away from the Premier League title, it’s common knowledge that Claudio Ranieri will need to improve his squad if his side even have a chance in Europe.

Although the Italian’s squad have acquitted themselves brilliantly this term, with the added games and travelling European football brings, it’s hard to see King Power Stadium boss being able to rely on the same core of 14 players he has largely used for the current campaign in 2016/17.

But who should the Foxes be chasing – and who could even bring them Champions League glory?

Well, here are FIVE summer deals we at FFC Towers think would be wise…

Tonny Vilhena

This Feyenoord winger has been on the radar of many top teams for a number of years now, and the 21-year-old winger has been hotly linked with the Premier League for some time. Whilst he’s not had the strongest season this year, he’s still contributed five goals and four assists in 22 outings.

But does the signing of Demarai Gray mean Ranieri already has an option in this department for the future? Southampton have also been strongly linked with the winger so it could be a battle to get him.

N’Golo Kante

Whilst he’s already on Leicester’s books, tying down the French midfielder on a longer-term deal would be like a new signing in itself. He’s been absolutely superb for the Foxes this season and has already been linked with moves to a host of truly elite sides, but with Leicester’s place in the Champions League confirmed, is there a need for the midfielder to move on after just one good season?

Ashley Williams

The centre-back has flirted with a move up from Swansea for a number of seasons now, but it still seems no team are willing to take a gamble on the Welsh international. Whilst Robert Huth and Wes Morgan have been excellent for Leicester City this season, this could be Ashley Williams’ chance to grab Champions League football. He’s in his prime and may only have a handful of years left at the top, so Leicester could do with moving quickly if they want to secure his services.

Martin Odegaard

Slightly controversial this one, but this Real Madrid gem could be a real diamond in the rough. The Norwegian wonderkid has struggled since his high-profile move from home-town club Stromsgodset and still hasn’t broken into the Real Madrid first team. Although he’s impressed for Castilla, Real’s ‘B’ side it is thought that Odegaard could be growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities in Zinedine Zidane’s first team. And with the Foxes able to offer Champions League football, could this slightly different option be one Ranieri should consider?

Antonio Valencia

The Manchester United winger has struggled to truly cement his place in the first team this year, but his wealth of Premier League experience could be a huge asset to Leicester City next year. He can play on the wing or at right-back and on his day, he’s as good as any Premier League winger. That gives the Foxes ample opportunity to use him in a number of roles, while he knows the Champions League well. Is he a solid option Ranieri should be considering? Perhaps.

Talk of the EUROs has been at fever pitch for the last week.

EURO 96, that is.

Television, the press and social media all went into nostalgia overdrive as we all looked back fondly on the tournament that brought the fun factor back to supporting England.

As we all know, England hosted it and were cruelly halted by Germany on penalties at the semi-final stage.

Those clips of Paul Gascoigne’s goal, Stuart Pearce celebrating, Gareth Southgate’s penalty and Baddiel & Skinner’s song still set off the butterflies in the stomach as a national reputation for hooliganism and violence was blown away.

But the biggest thing you notice looking back is just how far a little bit of character can take you.

Terry Venables’ Three Lions were panned by the media going into the tournament for a wild night out during their Far East tour.

It featured a number of star players, booze-soaked clothes, a dentist’s chair and a set of debauched photos that set the red-top press on fire.

Alan Shearer had not scored an international goal in two years and England made a rubbish start – but they came through it and took the tournament by storm as our big stars stepped up when it mattered most.

Goal-shy Shearer ended his drought and banged in five to win the Golden Boot. ‘Gazza’ silenced his critics with a wonder goal against Scotland before picking apart Holland’s defence in a 4-1 win that saw us top our group.

And Pearce banished his World Cup Italia ’90 spot-kick miss by hammering in two shootout pens, roaring to the crowd and releasing six years of pent-up frustration.

Then there was boss Venables, an east London wide-boy, respected and loved in equal measure by the group for his ability to have fun, but knuckle down when necessary.

You only have to look at the attendance figures for Wembley friendlies to see the difference the 1996 tournament made and how the effect is still lasting, two decades on.

The six leading up to EURO 96 drew an average gate of just 29,341. In the six after, it was 54,201. Now that same statistic is up to a staggering 71,481.

We might not have won the tournament but, that summer, football definitely came home.

Going into EURO 2016 we have none of the controversy of 20 years ago – yet are we really any better off for it?

Yes, we have an exciting core of uninhibited rookies, but some of the more established players are failing to step up and share the burden of responsibility. We know the side can turn on the style, we saw it in the second half of the 3-2 comeback win in Germany in March.

But lacklustre wins over Turkey, Australia and Portugal have seen turgid and predictable football that is failing to win over the press and is increasingly worrying the fans.

Ross Barkley was once dubbed the new ‘Gazza’ and Everton pal, John Stones, compared to Rio Ferdinand when the duo hit the international scene a few years ago. Both now seem to be drifting aimlessly towards mediocrity.

Raheem Sterling still struggles with his final ball, Liverpool’s Adam Lallana never tests the ‘keeper and rarely plays a killer ball, and you cannot help but feel Jordan Henderson is still playing at half his potential.

In Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge and Wayne Rooney, England have the attacking talent to be a real threat in France. We know that.

What we do not know is who can unlock the ball and chain weighing them all down.

Talk is turning to injury risks and failing formations as we once again start drifting towards a major tournament, desperately devoid of the fun factor that defined 1996.

Who can lift the group and release the pressure valve to bring them all out of their shells?

It might only take a moment – a flash of skill, a feat of genius, or even just a well-placed wisecrack.

But it can prove to be the platform for a whole tournament and, as we have seen, it can last a generation.

Follow on Twitter @Taxi_For_Maicon

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West Ham have always had a great academy and a conveyor belt of youngsters throughout the decades..

Set up in the 1950s by a group of forward thinking players, the youth system has given the Hammers many of its legends and heroes.

Despite a lull of youngsters coming through during the Sam Allardyce era, it very much seems that Slaven Bilic is encouraging the youth and West Ham have a crop of young talent just emerging onto the scene. Unfamiliar names now will become names spoken off in the future as players like Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Alfie Lewis sign their first professional contracts.

During the qualifying rounds of the Europa League last summer, Bilic decided to blood several of the youngsters and none let him down. A few have had first team experience this season, whilst the others have been gaining more experience on loan at lower league clubs.

Here are FIVE of those expected to make the first team next season:

Reece Oxford

West Ham’s diamond and one that has caused major speculation in recent days. Rumours of a rejected deal with the Hammers appear wide of the mark, but as the talks go on, the shadows of other bigger clubs loom as they begin to note their interest publicly. He was thrown in for an emergency debut in the first game of last season and earned rave reviews for his performance in a 2-0 win at Arsenal when just 16.

Oxford, who has two years remaining on his contract, is valued at around £10m and the Hammers are desperate to keep him at the club. The youngster, who can play at centre back or in midfield, is the best of  the youth coming through and is certain to have a big future in the game. West Ham don’t want to lose him and the talks over a new contract are progressing.

Reece Burke

Burke has just been voted Bradford’s player of the year which is some achievement for a teenager on loan. At 19, he is a young man with leadership qualities who will be a shining light for West Ham’s future. Strong in the tackle, he is a robust, focused stopper who shows desire when heading against powerful strikers and isn’t worried if he makes a mistake. He is right footed but can play on the right or left side of the central two.

Josh Cullen

The midfielder has been in and around the first-team environment at West Ham and has been on the bench several times in the past, but is currently on loan at promotion chasing Bradford. Cullen, a Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, has made four first-team appearances for West Ham and featured in the 3-0 Premier League win at Liverpool in August.

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Marcus Browne

The highly thought of midfielder started his career at West Ham when he was just eight years old and has progressed throughout the youth groups, impressing at every stage of his development. The attack-minded player is equally adept at playing behind the striker in a No.10 role, and is known for his set pieces. Although injuries have hindered his development over the past few seasons, the midfielder has made a number of notable outings against Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City in the FA Cup.

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Martin Samuelson

The Norwegian 18 year old signed from Manchester City’s youth development squad last summer and has literally exploded onto the scene at West Ham. Held in high regard by everyone that has seen him, this youngster has a sparkling future. The midfielder has been on loan at Peterborough United this past season, but is ready to fight for a place in the first team and many see a bright future for the youngster.

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With more deals likely to concluded before the transfer window closes, there will be many signings fighting to be the best one.

No one will actually know which club did the best bit of business until the end of next season, but you don’t always have to be a household name or cost a fortune, as Leicester found with N’Golo Kante and West Ham with Dimitri Payet.

However, Arsene Wenger is one of those managers that knows what he likes when he sees it. If the price is right and the player will fit seamlessly into his existing squad, Wenger will sign him.

After the backlash from Arsenal fans last summer, when the Frenchman only signed one player, Wenger looks as though he is willing to spend a bit more this time around as he searches for quality.

In Granit Xhaka, he may have found just that. Signed from Borussia Monchengladbach for an initial £33.8m, Xhaka captained the German side to fourth place in the Bundesliga last season and Champions League qualification in the past two seasons.

Xhaka signed a five-year deal and becomes the third most expensive player in the club’s history, after Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

The 23-year-old has made 44 international appearances for Switzerland, most recently in the EUROs and joined Gladbach in 2012 from Basel, where he spent 10 years progressing through their youth ranks.Speaking to Arsenal.com, Wenger said: “Granit Xhaka is an exciting young player, already with good Champions League and Bundesliga experience. We have been watching him for a long time now and he is a player who will add quality to our squad.”The Switzerland international had indicated a desire to move to England with Arsenal looking to bolster their central midfield ranks with both Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini released.The midfielder is known for his tackling, fitness and feisty character, and he should add some much-needed steel to the Gunners’ line-up next season. He has had his fair share of red cards as well, so Wenger will need to attempt to control the player’s temperament.So what exactly will Arsenal get for their money, which in today’s terms isn’t a lot for such an experienced player, yet at the age with so much potential to develop further?One of the jewels of Swiss football since his teenage years, Xhaka’s idol was Zinedine Zidane, but former national team boss Ottmar Hitzfeld likened him to a “young Schweinsteiger” instead.Once nicknamed ‘Little Einstein’ due to his passion for science, Xhaka is intelligent in possession, composed on the ball, and kept things ticking over for Gladbach with an 85% pass completion percentage last season – the second best record in the team.He consistently ranked in the top 30 Bundesliga players for tackles and interceptions per game, but that combative style has landed him in disciplinary trouble too, with Xhaka leading the league for red cards (three) and second for fouls per game (2.6).He doesn’t score many, just three last season, but when he does they’re usually stunners. Xhaka has won Gladbach’s Goal of the Year each of the last two years, first for his free-kick against Villarreal in the Europa League in 2014, and last year for his derby winner against Cologne.Xhaka will slot into central midfield and could perhaps be the first-team replacement to Francis Coquelin, or even Mohamed Elneny, who only joined the club in January.Former Bayern Munich and Switzerland manager Hitzfeld once said: “Xhaka certainly has the quality to prevail. I am convinced that he still has a great career ahead of him. He is a leader, a player who is responsible and self-confident.”Arsenal appear to have a potentially world class player on their hands. Under Wenger’s guidance not only will he make an immediate impact, but will do so for many seasons to come.[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’][ad_pod id=’1617-transfers’ align=’center’]

After a shaky start at Celtic, Brendan Rodgers looks as though he is getting to grips with life at the Glasgow club. Losing 1-0 to Gibraltarian side Lincoln Red Imps was never going to go down well but since that embarrassment, the former Liverpool boss has guided the club back into the Champions League group stages and that, ultimately, is what the fans wanted.

They have a tough group, though – consisting of Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach – but you can bet Celtic Park will be rocking when those three roll into town, as Rodgers looks to navigate a route to the knockout stages.

Meanwhile in the league, it’s normal service. Three wins from three games see the Hoops top of the Scottish Premier League with a game in hand over their nearest rivals and their fans will be hoping it’s a sign of things to come.

Rodgers has been quick to get in players he feels can help improve the team, but there’s no doubt he’ll be busy until the deadline and here at Football FanCast we take a look at five players who could be on their way into Celtic Park before the deadline.

Cristian Gamboa

According to the Daily Record this one is very nearly done. The Costa Rica international has played very little for West Brom under Tony Pulis so is naturally going to be happy to move north of the border for a crack at first team football. Gamboa has bags of pace from defence and would be the ideal man to help Rodgers implement his pressing game at the Glasgow club.

Michel Vorm

Celtic were linked with the Tottenham number two earlier this month, and after his performance against Liverpool he’s surely only going to attract more interest. The Dutch stopper showed in the 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane last weekend that he is still a good keeper, he’s just unlucky to be stuck behind Hugo Lloris at Spurs. He must realise he’s good enough to nail down a first team spot elsewhere, and that could be with the Hoops.

Andre Wisdom

Andre Wisdom is a decent defender but just doesn’t seem to be able to force his way into the Reds first team. He’s spent loan spells at West Brom and Norwich in recent seasons, but now could be set for a move to Celtic. Rodgers knows him from his time at Liverpool and may feel that the Englishman would benefit from playing alongside the more experienced Kolo Toure.

James McCarthy

It looks as though McCarthy is going to find it hard going under Ronald Koeman. He’s been ousted from Everton’s midfield by new signing Idrissa Gueye and can’t get ahead of Gareth Barry so it might be time for a change of scenery. For Celtic, however, he wouldn’t be bad a signing at all. He can pass the ball well and isn’t scared of a battle, so watch this space.

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Brendan Rodgers has played down the speculation surrounding the World Cup winner moving to Glasgow. But that doesn’t always mean much when it comes to transfers, especially with Brendan Rodgers. Before Liverpool signed Mario Balotelli he said the club were not interested in the Italian’s services, but as we all know he became a Liverpool player a few days later. Don’t rule this one out just yet.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher thinks West Ham would be making a mistake if they decide to part ways with Slaven Bilic.

The Croatian manager arrived in East London last summer and enjoyed a hugely successful maiden campaign at the Hammers, eventually finishing seventh after a negotiating a top four battle for most of the season.

But this season is yet to witness the same form that has the Hammers down as one of the teams other top-flight sides were worried about playing.

West Ham have lost five of their opening six Premier League games this term and have also been eliminated from the Europa League at the final qualifying stage. Injuries to key players and the move to a new stadium haven’t helped, but there are already question marks over Bilic’s future.

However, Jamie Carragher insists West Ham should not make any rash decisions and hope the West Ham board they there have been a number of unlucky factors that have contributed to Bilic’s poor start this season.

Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column: “Talks haven’t taken place over a new contract for Bilic but I hope the board don’t do anything silly.

“He is a good manager and circumstances have contributed to this start, such as Winston Reid – a player I hold in high regard – struggling for form and Cresswell’s long term injury.”

And in a poll we ran earlier this week, we revealed that 80% of West Ham fans still have faith in Bilic’s abilities to turn the current form around.

But despite Carragher’s positive words for Bilic, the same cannot be said for the business West Ham conducted in the summer.

The Liverpool legend wrote that he hasn’t been impressed with the Hammers’ summer business and questioned who was behind the decision making.

“What West Ham needed to consolidate was a really good striker,” he wrote.

“They tried plenty of options but it looked to me like they panicked when spending £20million on Andre Ayew from Swansea — I couldn’t believe that fee — and taking Simone Zaza on a season-long loan.

“Aside from that, they added squad players in Havard Nordtveit, Sofiane Feghouli and Jonathan Calleri, who they don’t need now they are out of Europe.

“Meanwhile, Arthur Masuaku, the left back brought in to replace the injured Aaron Cresswell, has had an awful start. I’m never quite sure who is making the decisions in terms of transfers at West Ham. Is it Bilic? Is it the owners?

“Really, the whole policy feels scattergun. They spent an awful lot of money without improving what they already had.”

West Ham host Middlesbrough at the London Stadium on Saturday.

It’s been a turbulent few months for the England national team – in fact, probably the most turbulent in its history.

Indeed, the Three Lions suffered a humiliating elimination from Euro 2016 at the hands of minnows Iceland during the summer and were still licking their wounds when news of Sam Allardyce’s dodgy conversations with undercover journalists from The Telegraph hit the tabloids.

After Big Sam parted with the England job, his reign lasting for just 68 days, the FA quickly put U21s manager Gareth Southgate in temporary charge for coming World Cup Qualifiers against Malta, Slovenia and Scotland.

But not exactly inspired by the idea of the former Boro boss managing the national team long-term, we asked fans earlier this week to vote for their preferred pick of next permanent England manager.

The results are now in and we can exclusively reveal that Southgate ranked in a lowly seventh place. To see which managers made the top four, however, you’ll have to read through…

4. JURGEN KLINSMANN

Famed for kick-starting the German revolution that lead to Die Mannschaft’s triumphs at the 2014 World Cup and overseeing the immense soccer boom in the United States, it’s no surprise to see experienced international manager Jurgen Klinsmann claim a place in our top four.

He’s certainly got the credentials, also including knowledge of the Premier League, but if there’s one thing counting against the former Tottenham striker it’s his nationality. A German in charge of the Three Lions just doesn’t feel right.

3. Arsene Wenger

He’s been touted as the perfect candidate by a number of sources but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could only claim third place in our poll.

Although the Frenchman knows English football like the back of his hand, boasts a strong record in terms of developing young players and insists upon an entertaining style of play, voters may have been put off by the Gunners’ recent lack of trophies, winning just two FA Cups over the last decade.

2. GLENN HODDLE

Glenn Hoddle’s first England spell may have been short and sweet but he’s still regarded as one of the greatest thinkers to take the Three Lions hot seat.

And it appears a fair chunk of fans wouldn’t mind Hoddle having another crack at the job he parted with in 1999 for off-field reasons – despite the fact he’s not worked as a manager since leaving Wolves ten years ago.

1. EDDIE HOWE

Rather than a member of the established order, most England fans want some fresh blood to take the mantle in the form of Eddie Howe.

He’s young, energetic, enthusiastic and has achieved miracles at Bournemouth, propelling them from the depths of the Football League to the top flight amid two spells at Dean Court.

Charisma in front of the camera and an attacking philosophy only add to the 38-year-old’s appeal, although some would warn that he lacks the experience with big personalities to undertake the England job at this point of his career.

Click through to the next page to see the results of our poll in full!

Results

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has revealed he attempted to bring former assistant Sammy Lee to Merseyside with him upon his move from Southampton in the summer.

What’s the word?

Writing in his column for Duch newspaper De Telegraaf, the 53-year-old has shed light on his move from the South Coast.

He’s explained his compatriots, including brother Erwin, were allowed to join him on his move to Goodison Park after two successful years with the Saints, though Claude Puel’s arrival prevented any further additions.

”When I announced that I was going to Everton, the Dutch were allowed to leave but not Sammy and goalkeeping coach Dave Watson either”, wrote the former Barcelona defender.

Still, the former Bolton manager was eventually moved on from St. Mary’s as Puel looked to stamp his authority onto the setup.

”Sammy later still had to go, because the new coach of Southampton brought two assistants.”

What stopped it?

Though Koeman has revealed he did indeed want to bring the 57-year-old with him to the Toffees, his strong connections to arch-rivals Liverpool all but blocked any move.

Lee has a strong affinity to the Reds, having played almost 200 games there in his earlier days, during a decade-long stint between 1976-1986.

He’s since worked on the coaching staff at Anfield twice, under the likes of Roy Evans, Gérard Houllier and Rafa Benitez.

“Then I’ve looked at what I could do for Sammy, but I soon noticed that his Liverpool background was a problem”, explained Koeman.

”It was not Sammy as a person, because they may really like him.”

What happened next?

After leaving Southampton, Lee went on to join old friend Sam Allardyce in the England setup, reigniting the partnership the two formed back at Bolton Wanderers.

While Big Sam infamously resigned just 67 days into his time in charge of the Three Lions, Lee was involved in helping Gareth Southgate man the transition during England’s latest World Cup qualifiers.

No league has ever had the depth or quality of managers as the Premier League does in 2016/17. English football possesses far beyond its fair share of the world’s greatest managers this season. Rafael Benitez is managing a Championship club, just to emphasise the point.

Two of the most experienced, grizzled managers of the bunch reignite their bitter, never-ending rivalry this weekend. Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger have a lengthy back catalogue of petty media comments and heated touchline exchanges.

This time representing Manchester United, Mourinho is unlikely to change his approach to his French counterpart. It is over a decade since Mourinho and Wenger first exchanged a frozen handshake; their rivalry has grown into one of the running soap operas of European football.

Only 11 games into the Premier League season, Manchester United are six points adrift of their rivals. The managerial theatre, that will be endlessly promoted by Sky Sports and see the dugouts given more screen time than the game itself, is mildly entertaining, but it does distract from the relative failings of Wenger and Mourinho.

Since their early jousts, the footballing landscape has changed. It’s constantly evolving, yet both have been criticised for failing to adapt. Stuck in their ways, maybe, it has been the downfall of each manager in recent years.

The line, then, is between sticking to your instincts and being too stubborn. Mourinho and Wenger have both slipped into the realm of stubbornness too frequently. Tactically, Wenger has shown advances this season, while Mourinho’s decision making has been quizzical at times.

Manchester United have been stifled by an imbalance in their team, with Mourinho abandoning many of the factors that made him such a success. Arsenal, on the other hand, have looked their best for many, many years.

A rivalry with a different backdrop could be about to take a new turn. Arsenal are unbeaten since the opening day of the Premier League season and face a Mourinho team who have been uninspiring for the majority of the campaign so far.

Their stroll to a 3-1 victory against Swansea could lighten hopes around Old Trafford, but the poor prior did not reflect a team capable of troubling an in-form Arsenal side. The absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic only weakens Mourinho’s position as we open the book onto the latest chapter of the rivalry.

Goal scoring difficulties have been one of many issues for Manchester United this season and, despite his heroics last term, Marcus Rashford carries a burden into this game against Arsenal’s most solid centre-back pairing in recent memory.

Manchester United, regardless of the pre-season expectations, are in another season of rebuilding. This will be Mourinho’s fall-back, but it does – for perhaps the first time – give Wenger the upper hand.

Wenger has seldom faced Mourinho with his team in better form, looking fluid in attack and relatively solid defensively. Mourinho’s big game plans are based on a leak-proof defence; he has no such luxury at the moment, though, and this will force the game to take a different pattern from the majority of other clashes between the two managers.

Whatever the outcome, this game will have reverberations around the footballing world. The latest instalment in an historic rivalry is anticipated like little else in sport. Defeat for Arsenal will raise further questions about Wenger ever beating Mourinho, while a significant away victory for the Gunners will have so many asking if Mourinho really is special anymore.

At this time of the season, the result itself cannot carry too much weight for this campaign alone. There are greater things to be garnered from this game, change is afoot in the Premier League. A new generation of managers and increased financial parity have made the Premier League a more interesting top flight, with a greater level of competitiveness.

Adaptation is spoken about with players more than managers it seems. The need for a player to change their approach in certain situations or learn a role is well-documented, but managers need to understand a developing trend in the sport just as much.

Managers take the responsibility of a whole team, Mourinho and Wenger have been culpable on occasion for their team’s downfall. Curious selections or sheer stubbornness to their tried and understandably trusted decisions have damned their teams.

All people in positions of such power will make mistakes, but the repetition of errors is what infuriates others. Both Mourinho and Wenger must take this fixture as an opportunity to prove that they will not make the sort of mistakes that have cost them previously.

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Wins are like buses. After waiting for nearly two months to record a victory, Spurs have now managed two on the bounce having overcome both Swansea and CSKA Moscow in the past week.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side officially crashed out of the Champions League in midweek, however, the Lilywhites secured post-Christmas European football once again after qualifying for the Europa League.

With the team high on confidence, Pochettino takes his side to Old Trafford hoping to overcome Manchester United. The Red Devils have only recorded one victory on home soil since August, but their performances of late have given the supporters some room for optimism.

In recent weeks, both teams’ title challenges have faded with the duo falling significantly behind leaders Chelsea at the summit of the Premier League.

Nonetheless, with three points in store for the victor, Spurs have a far greater chance of winning the title than Man United.

For Pochettino to overcome the Red Devils, he must pick this starting XI.

GK: Hugo Lloris

Every Spurs fan has to admit that without Lloris, their season would be considerably worse looking than it is now.

Against Man United, Lloris has to ensure he leaves Old Trafford having been the better of the two goalkeepers if his side are to get a win.

RB: Kyle Walker

Walker has become one of the best right-backs in the Premier League since the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino in 2014.

Walker’s big game performance has regularly halted some of the bigger sides in the league, and another one will be desired this weekend.

The England international has previously had an impact against Man United having scored against them in 2012 from a free-kick.

CB: Toby Aldweireld

Tottenham have missed this guy! His partnership with Jan Vertonghen was broken when the ex-Southampton man was forced out of action for the past two months.

Pochettino brought him on against CSKA Moscow with 20 minutes remaining to give him valuable game-time ahead of the visit to Manchester, and he’s likely to be thrust into the XI today.

For Spurs to be successful, Alderweireld could prove decisive.

CB: Jan Vertonghen

The formidable partnership can finally be restored at Old Trafford, and it wouldn’t be harsh to say Vertonghen has struggled in the absence of Aldweireld.

Nonetheless, preventing Zlatan Ibrahimovic from having an impact on proceedings will be a difficult task for the Spurs defence to contend with and both players will be a fundamental factor in Spurs’ pursuit of victory.

LB: Danny Rose

There’s not a better left-back in the Premier League than Rose currently.

Rose will be tasked with stopping Juan Mata having any significant impact on the contest and his attacking strengths could hurt Man United’s fragile right flank.

CM: Victor Wanyama

The importance of Wanyama on this Spurs side cannot be understated. His impact at White Hart Lane has proven invaluable and once again he must ensure he contains the fluidity of Man United’s midfield.

Rarely out-powered or out-muscled in possession, Wanyama has become a genuine force and is a certainty to start if Spurs want to win at Old Trafford.

CM: Mousa Dembele

When Dembele plays well, Tottenham look more effective in both attack and defence. The Belgian midfielder has been instrumental in Harry Kane’s recent run of form and must start against Man United to also combat the energy of Paul Pogba.

Rarely does Dembele pop up with valuable goals, but a strike against the Red Devils could be the deciding factor in the Londoners travelling back home with three points.

RM: Christian Eriksen

Far too regularly during his Tottenham career Eriksen has not come to the fore when really needed.

His recent performances have completely changed that perception, though, as he now devastates opposition defences on a weekly basis.

At Old Trafford, Eriksen must ensure he continues his recent run of form and provides the creativity for Harry Kane to thrive from.

CAM: Dele Alli

Alli continues to go from strength to strength and his partnership with Harry Kane remains one of the most efficient in the Premier League.

In midweek against CSKA Moscow, Alli was sensational as Spurs finally overcame their Wembley hoodoo to beat the Russian outfit convincingly.

Alli was prolific last season but another fantastic performance at Old Trafford could further highlight his talent on the world stage.

LM: Heung-min Son

South Korean ace Son is a manager’s dream player. His work-rate and tireless energy have proven invaluable to Tottenham, especially when Kane was injured for two months.

Now, the pressure has been relieved from the Asian ace, but this Sunday, he must ensure his defensive responsibilities are met with Man United likely to dominate the match being the home side.

The Spurs faithful would appreciate another Son goal following his wonder-strike vs. Swansea last weekend.

ST: Harry Kane

When Kane is fit and firing, there are not many better strikers in European football than the Spurs academy graduate.

His expert finishing has guided Tottenham to two victories in the past seven days, and another goal at Old Trafford could cap a great week for the 23-year-old forward.

Kane continues to impress on the big stage, and Old Trafford is one of the greatest of them all.