Ever since the World Cup groups were drawn back in December last year, we all knew the game between England and Uruguay would have a kind of Liverpool edge to it.

And after their superb finish to the Premier League season and the impact the likes of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez on the Reds’ impressive title challenge, there’s even more emphasis on how the two Anfield stars will do when the countries meet in tonight’s extremely important Group D clash in Brazil.

Both sides lost their opening games, which means there’s even more importance to collect all three points tonight. The loser will be all but out, while the winner will be looking forward to ensuring their spot in the knock-out stages.

They’ll know a lot about each other, which they no doubt will have relayed back to their respective teammates, but who will come out on top? Luis Suarez or Steven Gerrard?

Read their thoughts below as one of the most anticipated England games in recent history edges ever closer…

Steven Gerrard

It’s England vs Luis Suarez. What will it be like facing a player you are used to seeing torment other sides for Liverpool?

It’s not going to be easy, that’s for certain! I can’t speak highly enough of Luis as a player. He’s in the top five players in the world. I’d rather play in the same team than have him running at me with the ball, but I haven’t got much choice in the matter this summer. He’s world-class, and I know him well. I know his strengths and his few weaknesses. So it’s going to be tough.

But you have some great players in the England team, too…

Yes, we have got so much young attacking talent, it is exciting. I’m going to have to use my knowledge and experience of Luis to try and help beat him on the day, but on the other side, he will be doing the same thing with the Liverpool lads. He will be telling the Uruguay side all the insider information he has, he knows the strength of all the great players that he has to face in the Premier League, and that he faces in training. But these stories, these games – that’s what the World Cup is all about.

How exciting is it to be playing in Brazil, a place that just makes you automatically think of football?

It doesn’t get any better, really. It’s iconic. It feels like the home of football, alongside England. They are absolutely football crazy out there, and the crowds will be really interesting. It’s funny playing in England, because you talk to all the foreign lads who come over and they want to play at Wembley, they grew up seeing Wembley on their TVs. But the Maracana has that same feel about it, the same special sense, and the idea of playing a World Cup final at the Maracana – that’s an absolute dream. It should be a really special summer.

Is there less pressure on England this time round than there has been over the last eight to ten years?

Maybe. It’s always there to a degree, but I think the unrealistic expectation and pressure has gone, which is a good thing, and it will help the team. People realise what this team is capable of, what we do well and where we need to improve, and that’s healthy. We have to get the balance right of being confident in our own game and not getting carried away.

So what chance have England got of actually winning the tournament, and should that be the goal?

Things are moving forward, we are coming together well and the manager is doing the right things and creating the right atmosphere. We have got a good side with some exciting young talent in it, and a few older more experienced heads like myself. The first thing is to get out of the group, preferably by winning it, and then take each game as it comes. But you have got to go to a tournament believing that you can compete with anyone on your day, and make it deep, deep into the competition. I believe that. Our goal absolutely has to be to win it.

Will this be your last World Cup, do you think? Might you retire internationally after the World Cup?

You can never say for certain, but I’ll be 37 in 2018! I’d like to play for as long as possible – there are a quite a few outfield players going at 40. That appetite and desire will always be there. But we’ll have to see what is best for me, my body and my game. For now I just want to go to Brazil, give it my best, and after the tournament I will chat to the right people and make a decision. It’s not something you decide overnight.

Luis Suarez

You’ve had an incredible season at Liverpool, how does it feel to come off the back of that and into a World Cup?

It has been my best season yet. I feel in great shape, physically and mentally, and have been really enjoying life at Liverpool. The club has done so well this year, and obviously I’ve been getting a lot of goals, which is very enjoyable. I just want to keep it going and roll straight into the World Cup with Uruguay, keep the wins coming and hopefully do my country proud out there. Success in Brazil would just cap the best season ever. I’m very lucky and I want to appreciate that, give thanks for it.

What has changed at Liverpool to make things so much better this year?

Nothing in particular, but Brendan Rogers’ planning has come together after more of a transitional year last year. On the pitch, it feels the same, we just went about aiming for the very top this year, and we did really well. 

The English will be focusing heavily on you individually before the Uruguay-England game…

Yes, and that will be strange. I have so many friends in England, and in the England team, but on that day we need to put that to one side and try to beat each other. The England captain Steven Gerrard has been incredible for me. I speak to him all the time, he is a humble person and he has helped me so much. He has said some very nice things about me, and so I return those feelings. He is a great player and a great man, and the other Liverpool lads are all fantastic too. I want to see them do well. But not against Uruguay. That day, they’re the enemy.

No doubt the other Uruguayans will be asking you all about the opposition players you know so well.

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They definitely will. Maybe I should give a team talk as well as our manager Oscar Tabarez! There are not so many Uruguayans playing in England, although our captain Diego Lugano is at West Brom and there is Gaston Ramirez at Southampton, so we will get asked about a lot of the English players. Although the Premier League is watched all over the world, so a lot is known about them, anyway.

How do you reflect on making it to the semi finals of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa?

It was incredible for us, for Uruguay, for the whole country. It was so exciting and we got an impression of how much it meant to everyone back home. I can only imagine how it would have been if we’d made it to the final. The game against Netherlands was very exciting, even though I didn’t play in it. When Diego Forlan equalised against them, we started to believe that we were off to a World Cup final. But Holland were very good on the day to win 3-2, and the goals by Sneijder and Robben knocked us out. We want to make it right and get to the final this time round.

Have you thought about winning the Golden Boot?

I got a lot of goals for Liverpool this season and I must say I am confident. I feel like if you put a chance in front of me, I will score it at the moment. That’s a great frame of mind to be in. I’m 27, I’m at my peak, so this might be my best chance to really shine on the world stage, in the World Cup. I think I have become more intelligent as a football player and have learned from the errors I’ve made on the pitch in the past when I’ve played not so well. I am more mature. I’ve got to take advantage of my form and help Uruguay as much as I can.

Q&A courtesy of @adidasuk #allin or nothing

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Liverpool have not enjoyed the greatest of starts to the new Premier League season. Though it was always expected to be a challenge with added Champions League commitments to worry about – whose absence last year Liverpool thrived on as they secured a memorable second-placed finish in the league – the lacklustre way in which they have generally performed thus far has come as a surprise, and after just five games the Reds have already lost half the number of games they managed during the whole of last season.

While there are many factors which can be attributed to Liverpool’s travails – not least their defensive shortcomings, which one could conceivably write a hefty tome on – the Reds midfield in particular has been the subject of criticism.

Though Jordan Henderson – and to a lesser extent, Joe Allen – continue to develop and impress, there is a feeling that Liverpool remain lightweight in the middle of the park and are prone to being overwhelmed by teams which possess more agile and energetic midfielders. Despite having his best campaign for a number of years last season, the ageing Steven Gerrard has often looked out of his depth as the anchorman protecting the back four, while the increasingly immobile Lucas Leiva’s Liverpool days appear to be numbered.

For all their hectic transfer dealings over the summer, what Liverpool really needed was a combative, athletic defensive midfielder to provide cover – or even competition – for the Reds skipper and to bring some much-needed physical presence into the side.

Here are FIVE realistic targets that the Reds should have considered over the summer…

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Click on Brendan Rodgers to reveal

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Mohamed Diamé, Hull City

Hull City’s recent recruit from West Ham United has for a long time been one of the Premier League’s most underrated players. For a man of his stature he possesses an impressive degree of technical ability and his close ball control can be exemplary.

The £3.5 million release clause which was contained in his contract at West Ham was known for a long time, which begs the question why more clubs didn’t try to secure his services over the summer.

Liverpool’s loss is very much Hull City’s gain, as the Reds would certainly have benefitted from the Senegalese’s physicality and athleticism, and for such a low price he would hardly have represented a gamble. Having scored two goals in his first two games for the Tigers – the second a magnificent strike against Newcastle – Diamé also offers attacking threat, which Liverpool’s current defensive midfield pairing do not.

Victor Wanyama, Southampton

After two successful years at Celtic, the Kenyan midfielder earned a move to Southampton for £12.5 million last season, and despite his modest start with the Saints, Wanyama is a player who still has enormous potential.

At 23 years of age, he made his debut for the Kenyan national team when he was just 15, and became its captain last year. Another physical, combative midfielder, Wanyama excelled in the defensvie midfield role for Celtic, with his goalscoring performance against Barcelona in the Champions League being a particular highlight – a four-minute video focused solely on his game in the match can be found on YouTube and is well worth a watch.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is known for his effectiveness at nurturing youth, so Anfield is a place where Wanyama could have thrived. A well-taken goal against Swansea last weekend – his first for Southampton – suggests that Wanyama is beginning to adapt to Premier League football, and with time still on the Kenyan’s side this is an option that the Reds may wish to pursue in the future.

Xabi Alonso, Bayern Munich

The return of an old fan favourite is bound to boost morale at any football club, and when that favourite comes in the form of the ex-Spanish international it is likely to improve the midfield as well. Alonso enjoyed five memorable seasons at Liverpool, and many Reds fans were understandably aggrieved when Rafael Benitez’ inexplicable and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to replace him with Gareth Barry eventually saw him leave the club for Real Madrid in 2009.

At the age of 32, Alonso remains one of the best passers in world football, and his experience and composure on the ball would undoubtedly have been welcomed again at Liverpool. A vintage, archetypal defensive midfielder, Alonso would have provided protection for the Liverpool backline, as well as a template on how to perform the role effectively for Steven Gerrard, whose conversion into a deep-lying holding midfielder has only been a recent one.

Despite opting over the summer to play out the twilight days of his football career with German giants Bayern Munich, the Spaniard would have been a realistic target for the Reds – he still sees himself as a Liverpool supporter and returns to Anfield to watch games as often as he can. Sadly, with his advancing years, a reunion now looks unlikely.

Tom Huddlestone, Hull City

Such a signing may not have garnered much excitement, and picking Huddlestone as a player that Liverpool should potentially have pursued is likely to be met with looks of bemusement on the faces of some of our readers, however the Hull City man was outstanding last season for the Tigers as they reached their first ever FA Cup final.

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Huddlestone is a player who does the simple things very well, retaining possession and linking up play in his defensive midfield berth. Though he would never have been a starter for Liverpool, he would certainly have provided effective cover in a season where the Reds will often have to play three games in the space of a week.

Sandro, Queen’s Park Rangers

The fact that the Brazilian international – capped 17 times for his country – was allowed to leave Tottenham Hotspur for relegation candidates QPR for a reasonable fee of £10 million represents another opportunity missed for Liverpool.

The Reds should not theoretically be targeting a player who was deemed surplus to requirements by one of their rivals, however Sandro’s departure from White Hart Lane was not a case of the player not being good enough to play for a top-six side, it was more a case of injury preventing him from breaking into the team.

Possessing the now-familiar qualities of physicality and combativeness that Liverpool need, Sandro would have been a useful addition to the Liverpool squad, and at 25 is a player who is yet to reach his peak.

Reports yesterday claimed that Tottenham are plotting an audacious move to beat bitter rivals Arsenal to the signature of Dani Alves. The Brazilian superstar is set to leave Barcelona in January as his contract nears its end, with Spurs ready to splash around £7m to ensure that the white half of north London becomes his new home, rather than the red half.

But even if Daniel Levy can pull off a deal for the veteran right-back there’s still plenty of work to be done at White Hart Lane, with a stuttering start to the season having left the Lilywhites in the bottom half of the table after 11 games. With a top four finish the aim, here are FIVE players who could salvage Spurs’ season.

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CLICK ON MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN TO REVEAL THE FIVE

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Morgan Schneiderlin

A summer-long pursuit of the Frenchman ended in disappointment as Southampton opted to hold onto their man, but that has not put Spurs off just yet. Reports have suggested that Mauricio Pochettino remains desperate to nab his former star, and despite the Saints’ blistering start to the campaign a January swoop is not out of the question.

Impressive as the man ‘running the midfield’, Tottenham could certainly use the 24-year-old’s influence in the centre of the park, with the likes of Etienne Capoue and Paulinho having struggled to adapt to English football.

Teo Gutierrez

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A somewhat left-field target, Gutierrez is a player on Spurs’ radar. The River Plate attacker impressed at the World Cup with Colombia over the summer and is believed to be a player the Londoners’ scouting network has been impressed by.

A fiery forward, the 29-year-old has been prolific in Argentina since joining the Buenos Aires side last year, where he is considered to be one of the top flight’s best talents. Most of Gutierrez’s career has been spent in South and Central America, but he did have a short spell in Europe with Trabzonspor in 2010/11.

Patrick Herrmann

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A key member of Borussia Monchengladbach’s rise over the course of the past couple of seasons, Herrmann is widely seen as one of the Bundesliga’s most promising wingers. His impressive displays have caught the eye of Pochettino, who is keen to add the German starlet to his ranks.

The 23-year-old has already hit six goals in all competitions this term, demonstrating his ability to drift in from wide positions to support his strikers, which is likely to appeal to ‘Poch’ given that only Harry Kane has been in good form so far this term.

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Jay Rodriguez

Another one of Pochettino’s former charges in the shape of Rodriguez is a January target at White Hart Lane. A serious knee injury has ruled the versatile forward out of action for much of 2014, but a first-team return this winter is expected. Even with his fitness a concern, ‘Poch’ is keen to link up with the England international once again as he plots to add more invention to his side and transfer the work ethic he had on the South Coast over to north London.

Saido Berahino

The Premier League’s top scoring Englishman, Berahino is set to be the subject of big bids in January, despite talk of West Brom attempting to tie him down to a new contract. The 21-year-old’s seven strikes to help the Baggies into a steady midtable slot have been enough to earn the Burundi-born hit-man a first international call-up, with his debut sure to come against either Slovenia or Scotland in the coming week.

Big money will be needed to lure the pacey ace away from the Hawthorns, but he would certainly be an upgrade on Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor.

In a night that will go down in Sky Blues folk law, Manchester City left the Stadio Olympico this evening with a vital 2-0 win over Serie A side Roma.

That spelled misfortune for the Italians but was the precise result the Premier League champions needed to see them advance to the Champions League’s round of 16.

Aside from the result however, there was still plenty to take from the feisty, firey, tooth-and-nail ninety minutes. And just to prove it, here’s three things we learned from City’s historic win.

CITY’S B-TEAM CAN BE DEPENDED UPON – ESPECIALLY SAMIR NASRI

Many feared the worst when City announced their starting line-up tonight. As you can see below, it didn’t include Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva or Sergio Aguero – essentially, the spine of the Premier League champions:

It took them a while to get going, but eventually the squad depth pulled through in the absence of their more talismanic stars.

Samir Nasri, who’s struggled for a place over the likes of James Milner, David Silva and Jesus Navas this season, netted this vital strike on the hour mark:

Before supplying Pablo Zabaleta for City’s second of the match:

There’s been questions over the cost-effectiveness of City’s squad depth for some time. But having now secured one of the most important European wins in the club’s history, surely the debate is over.

GERVINHO WAS UNDERRATED IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Yes. There it is. I’ve said it. Much-maligned former Arsenal forward Gervinho was underrated in the Premier League.

The Ivory Coast winger claimed just nine goals in two seasons for Arsenal and became particularly famed for his lack of composure in front of goal. Who remembers this point-blank miss against Bradford City in the Capital One Cup?

Well, since joining Roma in summer 2013, he’s looked a completely different player. He grabbed twelve goals last season and also netted in the reverse fixture against City at the Etihad.

The 27 year-old failed to repeat the feat this evening but he was by far the most potent threat the Serie A side had to offer – as shown below:

Impressively enough, he was up against top class full-back Pablo Zabaleta for the majority of the match.

So maybe we rushed to judgement too soon in the Premier League, but Gervinho appears to have finally found his home at Stadio Olympico.

MARTIN DEMICHELIS PROVES PUNDITS KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING

Remember the tirade of abuse Martin Demichelis received last season? Remember all those pundits saying he was too slow, too inconsistent on the ball and not talented enough for the Premier League? Remember how he was made a scapegoat for Manchester City’s defeat to Barcelona at the Nou Camp?

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Remember how, even after winning the Premier League title as centre-back partner to Vincent Kompany, many still questioned his credentials as Argentina fouled their way to the 2014 World Cup final?

Well, City fans know that the 33 year-old is a more than capable defender at Champions League level, with bags of experience and natural leadership abilities. In the absence of captain Kompany he put in a sensational Man of the Match display against Roma this evening, effectively winning City the vital European clash.

His seven clearances were the most of any player of either side – but that hardly tells the story. Incredibly, the Argentina international cleared the ball off the line twice to keep City’s clean sheet, not to mention the result, intact.

He’s also got a unique knack of looking incredibly suave in airports…

Liverpool have been far from successful domestically since the beginning of the Premier League era, and perhaps some of their signings are the reason for this.

With seven managers having tried their hand at managing Liverpool since the Premier League began in 1992, it’s about time we looked back at some of the dismal signings that these managers have made.

The Reds have been the butt of many jokes in recent years, so one more laugh won’t hurt will it?

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON BRENDAN RODGERS TO REVEAL ALL!

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Alberto Aquilani

Aquilani arrived from Roma in 2009 on a 5-year deal for a fee of £17m. Benitez brought him in as a replacement to Xabi Alonso who had joined Real Madrid. The Italian international was not a regular at his boyhood club and he made just over 100 league appearances during his seven years with the club.

Alberto struggled to get going at Anfield and the Liverpool board struggled to get rid of him. After loan spells at Juventus and AC Milan, Liverpool were finally able to flog him off to Fiorentina. His entire career to date has been spent in his home country of Italy with exception of the three years at Anfield – albeit only one season actually spent in England.

Money spent – £17,000,000  Money received – £0 Total loss – £17,000,000

League Appearances – 18 – League Goals – 1 –

Cup Appearances – 8 – Cup Goals – 1 –

 Fernando Morientes

Almost 200 appearances for Real Madrid sounds impressive, but over an 8-year period it’s not quite regular selection. Morientes made the move away from The Bernabeu in 2005 as he joined The Reds. His first season in the Premier League saw him make just 13 league appearances and scoring just 3 goals. That form didn’t improve into this second season at Anfield and that was to be his final season with the club. He was sent back to Spain to play for Valencia where he re-found his scoring touch in his first season.

Money spent – £7,300,000  Money received – £3,000,000 Total loss – £4,300,000

League Appearances – 41 – League Goals – 8 –

Cup Appearances – 29 – Cup Goals – 4 –

Stewart Downing

The England international was signed for Liverpool by Kenny Dalglish, who was ready to throw as much money around as possible during his short spell with the club. Downing had a successful period with Aston Villa before being brought to Anfield for a very large fee. Downing may have just been surpassing his peak years as a winger yet Liverpool were willing to pay double what Aston Villa did 2 years earlier.

The price tag was far greater than Downing’s ability and it dominated him. As you would expect Downing was used a lot as Liverpool weren’t willing to put that amount of cash on the bench. However he never really got going and in his first season the winger didn’t contribute a single goal or assist. The price tag triggered Downing to become somewhat of an internet sensation and he couldn’t shake that abuse off.

Money spent – £20,000,000  Money received – £5,000,000 Total loss – £15,000,000

League Appearances – 65 – League Goals – 3 –

Cup Appearances – 26 – Cup Goals – 4 –

Robbie Keane

After playing for 10 different professional clubs it’s no secret that Robbie Keane gets around, but the striker never really got around the Anfield pitch enough to justify his price tag. Following a very successful 6 year spell with Tottenham, Keane signed on to dotted line to bring him up north to Merseyside.

It was a four-year deal that barely even made it to half of one year. Keane returned to Tottenham for another large fee in the very next transfer window after struggling to get started with Liverpool. Although Liverpool managed to recoup a lot of the transfer fee, they still lost a considerable amount in the space of just 6 months. One of the stranger transfers in Liverpool’s history.

Money spent – £19,000,000  Money received – £12,000,000 (potential to rise up to £16m) Total loss – £3,000,000 – £7,000,000.

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League Appearances – 19 – League Goals – 5 –

Cup Appearances – 9 – Cup Goals – 2 –

Andy Carroll

One of the most famous disaster transfers. Carroll had scored 17 goals for Newcastle in the Championship as the Magpies gained promotion, only to be followed up with another 11 goals in the Premier League. The then 22-year-old 6’4″ striker seemed to be one of the brightest young talents in the country. That was enough for Dalglish to fork out another fortune.

Like Downing the price tag seemed inappropriately high, and Carroll couldn’t live up to it. He was a full England international by the time he made the move to Anfield so that didn’t help his price. He was given just one full season with Liverpool and after Rodgers arrived he was loaned out to West Ham, where he eventually moved on a permanent deal for a cut price. Another big money loss from Kenny Dalglish.

Money spent – £30,000,000  Money received – £15,000,000 Total loss – £15,000,000

League Appearances – 44 – League Goals – 6 –

Cup Appearances – 14 – Cup Goals – 5 –

Tottenham Hotspur were particularly quiet during the January window – even compared to their rather scrupulous £28million summer spend – with their only signing coming in the form of Dele Alli, who has now been loaned back to MK Dons for the remainder of the season.

Some will praise the Lilywhites for not submitting to the winter market’s many booby-traps. Yet, their reluctance to spend has left several lingering issues facing the first team squad still awaiting resolution.

With that in mind, here’s a list of what we at Football Fancast view as the FOUR most important issues – in the hope that the north London club will address them this summer instead.

So without further ado, click below to reveal the gallery.

SIGNING PLAYERS THAT FIT THE POCHETTINO PHILOSOPHY

Tottenham’s inactivity during the January transfer window – barring their acquisition of Dele Alli, who has been sent back to MK Dons on loan for the rest of the campaign – left me somewhat bemused.

The winter window is always a difficult time to buy players, but Spurs are yet to make a signing that actually fits into the high-pressing, high intensity philosophy Mauricio Pochettino has successfully installed since his summer arrival.

That’s left the Argentine largely dependent on academy players to implement his ethos and admittedly, the rises of the likes of Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb have very much become the story of the season at White Hart Lane.

But to suggest all will be first team regulars in the years to come, or for that matter next season, seems somewhat optimistic. And after proving his worth with a string of impressive results ahead of the January window, I expected Spurs to splash some cash and start remodelling their squad in Pochettino’s image.

Clearly, there’s some disparity between the management and the transfer department at the Lane. But until they make signings that encapsulate the Pochettino mentality, the north London outfit will struggle to get full value from their acquisitions.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD

With that last point in mind, central midfield is one of the areas that, in my opinion at least, Tottenham should have paid specific attention to last month.

Once again, Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb have produced some stellar performances in recent months, but it speaks volumes that they’re regularly starting over the likes of Etienne Capoue, Moussa Dembele and Paulinho – who originally cost the club a whopping £42million combined.

The whole of Tottenham’s engine room needs a bit of a reshuffle, and one centre-mid that embodies the Pochettino pressing game particularly is Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph.

Much like Ryan Mason, he’s an all-action midfielder, blessed with gut-busting stamina, dogged tackling and the odd bit of elusive trickery, as demonstrated in the above video of his goal against Chelsea last season.

The 25 year-old could have been easily lured away from Villa Park last month too, with his contract due to expire at the end of the campaign and clubs such as Spurs and Liverpool hotly linked to his signature. No move ever materialised however, and the England international has now agreed extended terms with the Birmingham outfit.

Another Premier League proven centre-mid that could fit the bill is Everton’s James McCarthy. He’s relentless in his energy and all-round contribution, but convincing the Toffees to sell would require a sizable fee.

STRIKEFORCE

Another department that requires a drastic turnaround of personnel – although Harry Kane’s form in front of goal has left Tottenham fans with little to complain about this term, Spurs’ strikeforce desperately lacks depth in terms of dependable goalscorers.

Club record-signing Roberto Soldado and the ever controversial Emmanuel Adebayor for example, have bagged just three goals in over 24-and-a-half hours’ worth of Premier League football this season – which obviously isn’t good enough for a club that’s meant to be challenging for European football.

There were some alternative names linked with the north Londoners last month, including Porto front-man Jackson Martinez, who boasts 85 goals in 120 appearances and one league title with the Portuguese side, £8million-rated Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike, and of course, West Bromwich Albion’s prodigious poacher Saido Berahino.

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But the Lilywhites never made good on their reported interest and they’ll now be hugely dependant on Kane until the end of the campaign. In the summer however, it’s essential the 21 year-old is understudied by more reliable goalscorers.

SHIFTING THE DEADWOOD

Combining the last three points, there’s an incredible amount of deadwood piling up at White Hart Lane that appears to have no real future under Mauricio Pochettino.

Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor both belong in that category, as do midfielders Paulinho and Etienne Capoue, who have made just twelve Premier League starts combined this season, and defenders Vlad Chiriches and Younes Kaboul – despite the latter being issued the captain’s armband at the start of Pochettino’s reign.

Mirror Football alleged the north Londoners were planning a huge winter clearout, whilst some of the aforementioned names were linked with potential suitors, such as Paulinho and Inter Milan, Adebayor and West Ham, and Kaboul and Besiktas. But the only notable departures last month were Benoit Assou-Ekotto, who had his contract terminated, Kyle Naughton, who moved to Swansea, and Aaron Lennon, now on loan at Everton until his contract expires in the summer.

Admittedly, it’s never easy offloading players midseason. Although potential buyers are often in decent supply, they’re never prepared to spend the sums they would in the summer. Perhaps that’s why Tottenham have waited, but either way, they need a major clearout as soon as possible.

Hammers in freefall? Pardew doing a Pulis? Glenn Murray’s chance blown? Here are three things we learned from Crystal Palace’s 3-1 against West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday:

1. West Ham showing no signs of getting back to their best

How long ago the start of the season must seem for West Ham fans. Dreams of qualifying for Europe after a fantastic opening couple of months which saw the Irons beat Manchester City and Liverpool have been replaced by a nightmarish situation whereby Sam Allardyce’s men now ave just one league win in ten games. The pressure is starting to mount on Big Sam…

2. Pardew the man to lead Palace’s revival

After a great start to his managerial career at Selhurst Park which saw the Eagles win four in a row, there was a danger that Alan Pardew’s honeymoon period might have come to an end sooner than expected after two consecutive defeats against Arsenal and Liverpool. This win has emphatically quashed those fears. If Neil Warnock this season was the equivalent of Ian Holloway last season – a decent Championship manager who just can’t quite cut it in the top flight – then Alan Pardew is most definitely the new Tony Pulis. His wealth of experience of Premier League football should see the Eagles stay safe for another season.

3. Joy or despair for Glenn Murray?

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It’s difficult to guess what is the overriding emotion that Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray is feeling in the aftermath of his inspired performance for Palace on Saturday. Yes, his brace went a long way to securing a famous victory for the South London club, but his needless red card after picking up two silly booking means he sits out their next game through suspension. The game represented a rare chance for he 31 year-old to lead the line due to injuries to Marouane Chamakh and Dwight Gayle; with Pardew now forced to field a different striker in Palace’s next match, Murray may have blown his chance at having an extended run in the first XI.

Amid a season of surprising inconsistency at Goodison Park, nothing has surprised me more than the disjointed form of Romelu Lukaku.

Last year, the Everton striker’s performances verged upon talismanic. This year, they’ve ranged from average to anonymous.

Of course, every centre-forward is dependent upon the ten men behind them. Not only do they need to get him the ball in the final third as frequently as possible, they’ve also got to keep games within the realms of his goals making the difference, and the Toffees have failed on both fronts numerously throughout the campaign.

But for a prodigious 21 year-old who entered the season with 32 Premier League goals under his belt already – 15 of which were during a prolific loan spell with the Toffees last year- a return of just eight in 31 league appearances thus far is worryingly underwhelming.

So amid rumours Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Wolfsburg are all prepared to take Lukaku off Everton’s hands this summer, should the Merseysiders cash-in on their struggling front-man?

Well, it’s patently obvious Lukaku is still some way off being the complete centre-forward last season’s form and his subsequent £30million move to Goodison Park initially implied. Although the potential is there for all to see, an inconsistent first touch and limited vision on the ball often lets him down. Technically, he’s far behind some of the other first-choice top-half strikers in the Premier League, which will be a long-term concern to tiki-taka-influenced manager Roberto Martinez.

But what’s most disappointing is Lukaku’s attitude. During prior loan spells with Everton and West Bromwich Albion, he was a beastly presence, a battering ram of goalscoring prowess – his complete domination of Nemanja Matic during Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game as Manchester United boss, a scintillating 5-5 draw, particularly comes to mind – but this season he’s been surprisingly unwilling to exploit the height and power of his 6 foot 3 frame.

Some pundits have argued that he’s more of a runner – a counter-attacker, at his most comfortable when threatening the space behind opposition defences. There’s nothing wrong with that; Lukaku is certainly blessed with the speed and strength to find success with that poacher-esque method. But now resembling closer the next Emmanuel Adebayor than the next Didier Drogba, is that really what the Toffees forked out a club record fee for?

That being said, it seems implausible the Belgium international won’t develop, at some point, into a twenty-goal-per-season centre-forward. He’s almost reached that total in the Premier League once already with West Brom, and could’ve done the same last year had it not been for a seven-game absence through injury.

Every team must adapt to the strengths of their respective centre-forward, but Everton’s ball-retaining style doesn’t create those counter-attacking opportunities Lukaku wants. Selling such a promising talent purely because he doesn’t fit the Martinez philosophy, rather than modifying it to better suit him, seems naively idealistic.

But Everton always had future profits in mind when they signed Lukaku last summer. Bill Kenwright wouldn’t have sanctioned the move without having full confidence in the former Chelsea youngster’s market valuation soaring over the course of the next few years. Everton is a club Lukaku intends to outgrow, something the Toffees hierarchy are well aware of even if they’d never openly admit it.

So the real question is how much profit would the Merseysiders make if they sold him this summer. The tabloids have quoted a £28million valuation – £2million less than the figure Everton paid just a matter of months ago – but with three top European clubs in the mix, some smart negotiations could see that number rapidly escalate.

Should Everton work their way up to £35million, they might be advised to sell. After all, his form this season suggests the 21 year-old will take longer than expected to reach the world-class level often heralded of him, and that money could be spent refreshing ageing departments – particularly, the heart of defence and central midfield.

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Yet, in comparison to what Lukaku could be worth a few years down the line, a £5million profit just isn’t worth the gamble. Over the last few summers we’ve seen Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao move for £55million and Liverpool’s Luis Suarez for £75million. Although there’s no guarantee the Everton prodigy will reach their level, it seems logical to assume his value – perhaps after his first twenty-goal season – won’t be too far behind.

So perhaps cashing in now would be a few summers too soon. Lukaku’s contract doesn’t expire until 2019, leaving the Toffees under no immediate obligation to sell. The prevailing concern, however, is that another quiet season could diminish top-level demand for the striker completely.

The case of Yaya Toure this season has been a very curious one. Rumours that the powerful midfielder is no longer happy at Manchester City have continued to circulate with a summer exit likely and Italy’s Inter Milan the favourites as a possible destination.

Toure has had five very successful years at the club finishing in the top four all five times and he has won the Premier League twice. Credibility is given to the transfer rumour as if the former Barcelona man does move to Inter Milan then he’d be reuniting with the manager who originally brought him to Eastlands, Roberto Mancini. But why does the 32-year-old even want to leave?

Toure is still regarded by some as a hugely talented player and there are numerous clubs, not just Inter, who are reported to want his signature. At times his form has been below par this season but as his two goals last weekend against Swansea suggest he still has a lot to offer and City will surely miss him if he does indeed go.

The club have been fiercely criticised this season for their complete inability to put up a fight to retain their title with the repercussions possibly being the sacking of current manager Manuel Pellegrini and another spending spree this summer. The condemnation is actually quite harsh as league winners Chelsea ran away with the domestic title early on and City have finished in the next best table position.

Toure, just like the club’s top goalscorer Sergio Aguero, has been one of the main components of City’s title winning machine these last few years. Both have been instrumental in bringing trophies back to the club and I think that to lose either one would forever change how the team operates. The squad is aging so fresh blood is definitely welcomed this summer but while the new signings settle in it would be advantageous to have an experienced player like Toure to provide some stability.

This season Toure has made 28 league appearances for the club scoring 10 goals and making one assist. That means the Ivory Coast international has almost scored more than forwards Wilfried Bony, Edin Dzeko and Steven Jovetic who have a combined total of 11. Only David Silva has been more productive in City’s midfield finding the net 12 times and acting as provider on seven occasions. Though Toure has made almost 20 more shots and completed 274 more passes than the Spaniard despite playing less minutes. Even during what has been named an inconsistent season Toure still surpasses most of his team mates in all areas.

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City’s home fixture against Southampton on Sunday may just be the last time Yaya Toure plays for the club. And while some Blues supporters may feel he is not the player he once was and that the club can thrive without him but I wouldn’t be surprised if they struggle next season without his strength, vision and ability to score important goals. Wherever he goes next you’d expect him to impress for at least a few more years and in that time City may regret not giving him more of a reason to stay.

When Arsene Wenger’s men successfully lifted their second consecutive FA Cup at the terraces of Wembley last Saturday, it was certainly a significant scene for the many present Arsenal fans.

No longer can the Gunners be labelled the Premier League’s biggest underachievers in the silverware department, for as the last two seasons have clearly displayed, the North Londoners are now well and truly back on track when it comes to winning domestic accolades.

2014/15 could therefore easily be seen as an impressive campaign for Arsenal. New signing Alexis Sanchez made an instant impact in front of goal this term, Wenger’s side have once again qualified for the Champions League in traditional style – and in landing their second FA Cup trophy in only two years – it seems that the Emirates faithful have had a great deal to cheer about recently in comparison to seasons past.

As it remains truly hard to please every fan involved with your club however, Arsenal’s recent triumphs seemingly haven’t been enough to satisfy some sections of the Gunners fan-base ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

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So then – have Arsene Wenger’s side witnessed an undisputed season of success in 2014/15, or has this past campaign simply been another year of ultimate disappointment for Arsenal in the grand scheme of things?

In eventually lifting the FA Cup at the end of the season, Arsenal now find themselves well on their way to proving their many doubters in this country wrong.

The Gunners famously went nine long years without securing a trophy before their recent success in England’s illustrious cup competition, and although the shackles of such a burden initially proved tough to shake off, Arsene Wenger now oversees an improved atmosphere in and around the Emirates as a result of his side’s triumphs.

Arsenal also gave a pretty good account of themselves in the Premier League this year as well. Despite the succession of ill-timed injuries afflicting key members of Wenger’s current squad throughout the season, the Gunners still managed a third place finish – one place ahead of Manchester United after they spent crazy amounts in the summer, and beaten only by the financially boosted likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in first and second.

Both Manuel Pellegrini and Jose Mourinho have massive squads these days thanks to the inflated financial excess going on behind the scenes at each of their respective clubs. Arsenal simply don’t operate in the same ball park when it comes to resources, so to have done as well as they have this term does certainly seem admirable at the very least.

With Champions League football secured for another season at the Emirates, as well as Arsenal becoming the new home of the FA Cup in recent years, the Gunners faithful do have a lot to be proud of looking back on 2014/15. Their squad is growing stronger with every passing transfer window and Arsene Wenger seemingly remains as hungry as ever with future goals on his mind.

Having said that however, such a perspective simply doesn’t account for the fact that Arsenal no longer command their once untouchable status that came all so easily at the club. Because the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have taken the lead in the title race recently, the Gunners are undeniably slipping behind as it stands, with the Premier League’s smaller clubs no longer approaching their matches against Arsenal with the same fear that they once did.

As troublesome as injuries prove to be in football, it has been an ongoing problem for so long at the Emirates now, it really is hard to see why nothing has been done about it. Signing one marquee name a year certainly bodes well for shirt sells – but does such a tactic address Arsenal’s increasingly shrinking squad size and overall lack of depth? – No.

In crashing out of the Champions League rather embarrassingly to Monaco this season, it has become clear that the Gunners are not as mentally strong as they need to be if they want to continue winning titles. The FA Cup is a great achievement for sure, but in this rapidly globalized era of modern day football competition, the Champions League is ultimately where the real achievements can be found.

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Unless Arsenal start showing some consistent fight for the title throughout the whole season and finally make some real progress in Europe sooner or later, Wenger’s side could regrettably fall by the way-side if they’re not careful.

2014/15 has therefore been a good season for the Gunners, but with no dramatic signs of improvement being made at the Emirates in truth, it has been a campaign largely defined by treading water above all else. 2015/16 could nevertheless turn out to be a promising year for Arsenal with a few certain tweaks this summer.

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