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Manchester United were held to a surprise goalless draw to League Two new boys Cambridge United in their FA Cup fourth round tie a few weeks ago . Whilst Man Utd were lacklustre throughout the 90 minutes and lacked that cutting edge, there has been a lot of criticism about the team which seems like a knee-jerk reaction.

Fans on radio phone-ins and social media have been extremely critical of Louis Van Gaal and the player’s performances so far this season but it is hard to read too much into a one off fixture like this. You have to remember that Cambridge played out of their skins and probably won’t be able to replicate this type of performance again, particularly in tonight’s replay at Old Trafford. In a small cut up ground like the Abbey Stadium, Man United’s foreign superstars would be extremely unfamiliar to these types of surroundings, the occasion and the atmosphere.

To smaller teams, the FA Cup is a completely different kettle of fish to what players such as Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo are used to, which makes it difficult for them to play the way they want to. The fact is United managed to scrape through – albeit only to a replay – but are still in with a fantastic chance of lifting the FA Cup come May.

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Tonight’s replay shouldn’t present many problems for Louis Van Gaal’s side, with the occasion completely different to that of the tie at the Abbey. Add to that the fact Louis Van Gaal is almost certain to play another near full strength side means United are extremely likely to line-up against either Preston or Sheffield United in the fifth round. An away trip to either of these League One sides will be tough, but Man United should still have the fire power in their team to overcome this tie, whether it be on the night, or back at Old Trafford.

With Man City and Chelsea both knocked-out by lower league opposition in the fourth round, United have automatically been labelled as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, alongside Arsenal and Liverpool. Van Gaal knows he has a great chance to win a trophy in his first season at Old Trafford, and experiences such as the one at the Abbey Stadium can only help his team become familiar to what the FA Cup means.

One man that United could have done with is Captain Wayne Rooney. The 29-year-old is the club’s top scorer so far this season and has plenty of experience to know what the FA Cup is all about and how to avoid a giant killing. Van Gaal made a mistake by not including Rooney in the match day squad for the first game, but it’s a mistake that is unlikely to be repeated, increasing United’s chances of going all the way.

The Red Devils haven’t been able to get their hands on the FA Cup since defeating Millwall 3-0 way back in 2004, when a young Cristiano Ronaldo helped them secure the trophy. With the Premier League’s top two already out of the competition, Van Gaal’s side won’t get a better chance of putting this statistic right, especially with a kind draw like the one that awaits them in the fifth round.

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It’s hard work being a footballer in England. While the financial reward of playing in the Premier League is almost impossible to resist, the pressure that comes with the job is like no other. I suppose dealing with the immense burden is a requirement of the position, but many a star player has failed to produce when it matters.

It happens. A player is bought for an inflated amount of money. The pressure is on to succeed; fans on your back questioning your value, the public eye stuck to  you like a leech. The player fails to perform and is subsequently torn apart by the bloodthirsty press. The player moves to pastures new and explodes into life. Maybe it is the Premier League that is cursed with wasting talents. Maybe you have to hold certain personal characteristics to cope with the pressure that English football brings. Maybe you aren’t in the wrong league, you are just at the wrong club. In some cases, it is not the players who are to blame. Managers have often placed world class talent on the bench when they should be on the field. All of these possibilities are covered with these 15 men whose talents were simply wasted in the Premier League. While some are still world class athletes, others have faded into relative obscurity, failing to produce their talent when it came to crunch time.

Click on Gerald Pique to unveil the 15

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It is easy to forget how impressive Danny Ings was during his debut Premier League campaign.

In the 2014-15 season, with Burnley, Ings scored 11 goals from 35 league matches, but despite that, he was unable to keep afloat a Clarets side that simply hadn’t been invested in sufficiently.

He was hot property that summer as his Turfmoor contract ran down and Liverpool got what was regarded as a decent deal at the time, for a young English striker who had scored goals in the top flight.

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Yet, as the frontman valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt approaches the end of his third season at Anfield, his career has stalled due to a bout of horrible injuries and the changing face of the Reds attack in his absence.

If he is fit, a summer move looks all but inevitable and Newcastle United were one side who reportedly showed a loan interest in January, so they may come back again.

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The Magpies have struggled for goals this season but if Rafa Benitez went into next term with Dwight Gayle, a revitalised Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ings at his disposal, surely that would change?

Well, that’s what we’re asking you; would the former Burnley man be a good fit in the North East? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

The sacking culture in the Premier League has been somewhat subdued this season.

However, the recent sacking of Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock, followed by Alan Irvine’s departure from the Hawthorns means that clubs are now looking to act if they find that their teams are struggling at the wrong end of the table.

It came as no real surprise when both Alan Irvine and Neil Warnock were removed from their managerial posts recently. Although it was probably the right decision for both clubs, further managerial movement in the Premier League shouldn’t be expected.

Alan Pardew’s reign at Newcastle United ended as he displayed the biggest vote of no confidence in Newcastle owner Mike Ashley by leaving Tyneside for Selhurst Park. Leaving St James’ Park means that there is a current vacancy at Newcastle United, meaning that another Premier League manager could well be leaving their current job do work under Ashley. Hull City manager Steve Bruce was tipped as the immediate favourite to succeed Alan Pardew. Rather bizarrely, his poor run of form at Hull City also meant that he was one of the favourites to be the next Premier League manager sacked.

Steve Bruce has often said that he was a Newcastle United fan when growing up and the idea of leading a club you support must be a very exciting prospect. However, Bruce has recently stated that he wishes to stay at Hull and guide them to safety. After their encouraging victory over Everton on New Year’s Day, Bruce will now be looking to push up the table with Hull City, leaving Newcastle to search elsewhere for Pardew’s replacement.

In terms of other potential sackings in the Premier League, it is hard to predict whether there may actually be any more managerial departures this season. Nigel Pearson is doing all he can at Leicester City and it looks as if the players are buying in to what Pearson wants and expects from his team. Although they have experienced some poor form, they look like a unified group of players and they have more of a chance of surviving under Pearson than they do with anyone else. The same story applies at Burnley with Sean Dyche and Queens Park Rangers with Harry Redknapp. These clubs have managers that are more than capable of getting their teams out of trouble and owners should respect that.

The only manager that seems to be under any sort of pressure in the Premier League at the moment is Everton’s Roberto Martinez. His team simply haven’t performed to the best of their capabilities for a while now and their defence has been all over the place in recent weeks. Although the Spaniard is under pressure, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright is no fool. He will appreciate the job Martinez did for the Toffees last season and will know that Martinez has the managerial ability to turn his team’s fortunes around.

Overall, it looks unlikely that the recent departures of Irvine and Warnock will lead to any further sackings in the near future. This is clearly good news for the Premier League and the League Managers Association as clubs are now choosing to stand by their managers rather than relying on a ‘grass is greener’ ideology that has shown the potential to hugely backfire over the years.

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Encouraging stability and a managerial identity at clubs is something most fans will want to see at Premier League level and hopefully the 2014/15 season will provide this.

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David Moyes has revealed he would like to coach abroad one day, with the German Bundesliga his preferred choice.

The Scot’s achievements with Everton have seen him linked with top Premier League clubs, most prominently the Manchester United as successor to Sir Alex Ferguson.

But the 49-year-old admits he is fascinated with German football and entertains hopes of coaching a Bundesliga side when he leaves Goodison Park.

“I always had the hope of being a coach abroad,” Moyes told France Football.

“If I had the choice I would probably go to Germany. In part because of the mentality, which is similar to mine.

“I’m also fascinated by what happens in German football. They seem to have found a way of producing young players.”

The Everton boss is particularly impressed with Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund, who are beginning to have a big impact in the Champions League:

“Look at Borussia Dortmund. I saw them against Manchester City this season. They were fantastic. They put this incredible intensity on their opponents to break the tempo. It adds a new tactical level.”

The former Preston North End manager added he would be interested in learning about how the game is played in South America.

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“If I was not working as a coach, I think I would decide to go to South America, to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, to see how they train young people out there.

“That would be my project – to understand football better.”

Having joined the Toffees in 2002, Moyes is currently the third longest serving manager in the Premier League.

Leeds fans are impressed by Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s start to life in the first team, but slightly less impressed with manager Paul Heckingbottom’s choice of words for the young goalkeeper.

Peacock-Farrell has had a turbulent time trying to find his way into the Leeds first team. Having signed in 2015, the 21 year-old goalkeeper had trials with League One Oldham Athletic and Swedish side Landskrona BoIS, both of which decided not to keep the youngster on loan.

After a shaky loan spell at York City, Peacock-Farrell found himself thrust into the first team in the 3-0 defeat vs. Wolves last week, and made several good saves in a busy return to action. He continued his form into the weekend, helping Leeds break their rut with a 2-2 draw at struggling Reading.

Heckingbottom says the shirt is now Peacock-Farrell’s to lose.

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“He’s got goalkeepers breathing down his neck, but the players know I’m fair with that and he’s in the driving seat,” the manager told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“He was better than he was against Wolves. I was really pleased with him on the pitch against Wolves because his demeanour impressed me. If I’m critical he should have stayed at home for the third goal, which he knows, but he’d already made some big saves before that.

“Today he made saves when he had to make saves. His kicking was good and his handling was good.”

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Leeds fans are mostly happy with the young stopper’s start in the first team, especially considering the injury to Andy Lonergan and awful form of Felix Wiedwald. Still, some fans are not pleased with the manager’s comments on the goalkeeping situation.

Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

A few months ago, it appeared Southampton’s Premier League honeymoon was well and truly over. Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal cherry-picked the Saints’ flagship stars during the summer, whilst Tottenham signed the mastermind behind their eighth-place finish last season, former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Indeed, as drastic changes were forced on both roster and dugout by the financial dominance of the Premier League’s bigger sides, it was anyone’s guess how Southampton would fare this season. BBC’s Garth Crooks – an infamously poor pundit but by no means the solitary member of his school of thought – even predicted the south coast outfit would plummet out of the top flight as a result of the summer exodus.

Now however, with the new signings settled and clearly buying into Ronald Koeman’s philosophy, Southampton are stronger than ever, posing a more legitimate threat to Chelsea’s title bid than reigning champions Manchester City.

So, as the Saints lay in second place, just four points off the division’s summit, is it time the Champions League contenders – namely, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton – start taking the St. Mary’s side seriously? Or, as is often the case in the Premier League, will this fairytale rise eventually result in a subdued, disappointing end?

They say the stats don’t lie and those revealed during last night’s edition of Monday Night Football were incredibly positive from Southampton’s perspective. Based on prior Premier League campaigns, those with 22 points after ten games have a 27% chance of being crowned champions, a 56% chance of finishing in the top two, an 85% chance of finishing in the top four and just a 5% chance of falling outside of the bottom six come May-time.

Compelling stuff, but even so, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher both argued the Saints could eventually fall into that lower category for two predominant reasons.

Firstly, Southampton have been fairly fortunate with injuries so far this season, with the exception of the ever-absent Jay Rodriguez, and their form could take a nosedive when the depth of Ronald Koeman’s squad is stretched and tested – the proverbial, clichéd house-of-cards effect.

The Saints have a fantastic academy set-up and their scouts are amongst the Premier League’s best at spotting future prospects, but youngsters Matt Targett and Lloyd Isgrove have already been called upon in cameo roles this season.

Such a policy is clearly encouraged on the south coast but there will be inevitable moments when dependency on youngsters weakens Southampton’s match-day squads. It’s incredible telling that six Southampton stars have featured in the maximum 900 minutes this season; Morgan Schneiderlin, Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle, Nathaniel Clyne, Ryan Bertrand and Jose Fonte – in other words, the starting XI’s stand-out assets.

Wojciech Szczesny, on the other hand, is the only player to feature in every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign, whilst Dejan Lovren, Simon Mignolet and Steven Gerrard are Liverpool’s only ever-present members. They were the English top flight’s second and fourth-highest spending clubs respectively this summer, and the Reds’ recruitment policy in particular focused on improving the depth and options of Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

Secondly, Southampton are yet to face any of the Premier League’s big hitters this year with the exception of Liverpool, whom they lost to at Anfield on the opening day of the season. The Saints claimed ten points off the top seven last term and were famed for their positive performances against quality opposition, but following wholesale changes in personnel and management over the summer, they’re now an entirely different side in both players and philosophy.

Whether they possess the same character in big games will come to light between now and mid-January, with Southampton facing Arsenal and Manchester United twice, in addition to Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton in their next eleven Premier League fixtures.

Arsenal, however, have already faced Everton, Spurs, Chelsea and City this term, Liverpool have taken on City, Tottenham and Everton and face Chelsea this weekend, whilst Manchester United are amid their campaign- defining patch, having come up against both Chelsea and Manchester City in the last fortnight, in addition to the Gunners after the international break.

That being said, in a Premier League climate where Gary Neville claims all defending has gone out of the window – let us not forget, two English clubs broke the 100-goal mark for the first time in the top flight last season – the Saints’ defensive dominance could rule supreme come May-time.

Even with the limited quality of their opposition thus far accepted, Southampton’s defensive record is purely phenomenal. Just five goals conceded in ten games gives them an average 0.5 goals conceded per match – twice as good as Chelsea and Manchester City’s. They’re also averaging the most tackles per game of any Premier League club, an incredible 25, have claimed the most clean sheets, 6,  and faced the fewest shots on target per-game at 2.4.

Clearly, Ronald Koeman has his boys snuffing out moves before they evolve into clear-cut chances, and if they can maintain that proficient defensive form against the bigger clubs – perhaps squeezing out a few scoreless draws – they’ll stop Liverpool, Arsenal, United et al closing the points deficit.

Interestingly enough, Jose Fonte’s had three different centre-back partners already his season, Toby Alderweireld, Maya Yoshida and Florin Gardos, so perhaps the Saints’ squad depth is better than it’s given credit for.

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And in my opinion, the January window could be what decides Southampton’s season. We witnessed during the summer just how efficient they are in the transfer market and although the south coast side will continually struggle to attract Europe’s bigger names, a few more gems like Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle or Saido Mane could improve their squad’s depth and variety enormously.

The club spent £58million this summer compared to £93million brought in from the sales of Adam Lallana, Calum Chambers, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert, so there’s still some surplus to be utilised in January. Likewise, Jay Rodriguez is set to return at the end of December, further enhancing Koeman’s options going forward.

Who they can attract to St Mary’s in January however,  will largely depend upon results between now and then, in addition to Southampton’s subsequent league standing. But already enjoying a healthy points cushion over Arsenal, 5, Liverpool, 8, and Manchester United, nine, a few astute additions could be all Southampton need to maintain their momentum until the end of the season.

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Brendan Rodgers was destined to eat his own words in the latest chapter of the thoroughly entertaining sitcom known as ‘Liverpool FC’. The club had mercilessly clawed their way to within touching distance of fourth place, but the moment Merseyside’s new messiah hinted at the possibility of a top-two finish, an upset seemed inevitable.

Last Saturday the Reds welcomed a struggling Aston Villa side, boasting a record that had seen them concede just once in five home games. The fixture’s foreword pointed towards a comfortable victory, but despite another domineering performance in the stats department, Rodgers saw his team carved open by the ruthless Christian Benteke.

The new arrival at Villa Park struck twice, either side of an inspired assist for strike partner Andreas Weimann and spent large portions of the match terrorising the usually imperious Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger. Alan Shearer hailed his display as the ‘most complete performance from a centre-forward this season’, and for once it’s difficult to disagree. His presentation of brute strength coupled with youthful exuberance highlighted the exact brand of player Liverpool are currently lacking in their squad.

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The club’s attacking options have been the subject of much criticism, following Fabio Borini’s long-term injury and Andy Carroll’s promising – if hardly prolific – spell at West Ham. At Swansea, Rodgers was able to call upon the cumbersome presence of Danny Graham but he has been found wanting this season, when centre-backs have suffocated the clinical attributes of Luis Suarez.

Perhaps this is why recent transfer gossip columns have linked Rodgers with a move for Anzhi Makhachkala’s 6″ 8 powerhouse Lacina Toure, as a means of overcompensating for a deep-rooted problem. The positive impact and disruption that Skrtel and Agger cause during offensive set-pieces have surely provided enough evidence to persuade Rodgers to seek a similar entity up front.

Liverpool have also been linked with Villa’s out-of-favour front man Darren Bent, which would have been understandable under Kenny Dalglish but not Rodgers, considering he shares the same playing philosophy as Paul Lambert. I have witnessed many people claim Liverpool just need ‘someone to stick it in’, and while this might be fundamentally true, the status of the club means they require so much more.

While the Anfield faithful may be one of the most supportive and vocal collections of fans in the Premier League, the pressure that comes with playing for Liverpool is perhaps unrivalled in English football. A host of great names have failed under the piercing eye of the Kop, but conversely the hard-working, tenacious types like Dirk Kuyt and Lucas have succeeded because their mentality matches their ability.

At this crucial point in the season, Rodgers will be well aware of the weaknesses in his squad, having fully submerged himself in the club since taking over in the summer. Fans will be hoping his scouting network boasts the same meticulous planning as his training sessions and that work towards January’s acquisitions would have started in the aftermath of a disappointing transfer deadline day.

Reports linking the club with a move for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar are perhaps rather futile, despite the Dutchman meeting the criteria outlined in this article. Liverpool’s present league position and inability to offer Champions League football makes the former ‘Culture Capital of Europe’ a far less attractive option. The transfer budget will be also uncomfortably tight, perhaps to an extent that will make it impossible to attract any household names at all.

Therefore, the club could do worse than fly under the radar like Paul Lambert. Benteke notched up 19 goals in 37 games during his only season with Genk and was on the cusp of the Belgium national squad, but his reputation in mainstream circles was relatively minute. Likewise, how many people had heard of Michu despite his 15 goals in La Liga last year?

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Benteke’s eight goals in 17 appearances is hardly earth-shattering but he has also fashioned six assists, highlighting his ability to bring out the best of those around him. These are the types of statistics Rodgers needs to concentrate on, because it’s no good keeping the ball unless it ends up in the back of the net.

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The ‘Arsene Wenger out’ parade has been in full force for some time, with some Arsenal fans staging protests last season against the manager.

The Frenchman has been in charge of the North London outfit for the past two decades, and now a large majority of the fanbase think that it is time for a change.

Despite the unrest last season, Wenger ended up signing a new two-year deal, but he has failed to win over some of the supporters.

The knives were sharpened after Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City at Wembley.

Wenger’s team were unable to pose any sort of threat against Pep Guardiola’s side, who comfortably sealed a 3-0 triumph.

As well as limping out of the cup final, Arsenal are in serious danger of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

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As it stands, the Gunners are sixth in the Premier League table, 10 points adrift of the top four.

In reaction to a handful of posts on Arsenal’s official Twitter page, fans made it very clear that they want Wenger to be shown the door.

Another round of Premier League fixtures is here, meaning another weekend of great football is hopefully just around the corner. This weekend, we have some tasty games in store including Manchester City v Swansea, Chelsea v West Brom, Crystal Palace v Liverpool, and Arsenal v Manchester United.

Last time out, we saw Manchester United struggle to pick up a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Arsenal losing to Stoke and Swansea respectively, QPR pick up a 2-2 draw against Manchester City, and Liverpool losing at home to the undefeated league leaders Chelsea.

All eyes will be on Arsenal v Manchester United, not only because it’s an exciting fixture, but also because both sides have been struck with injuries recently. It will be interesting to see which side can come out on top during this difficult time.

Here are Football FanCast’s Premier League predictions for the weekend.

Chelsea v West Brom

Chelsea are looking to protect their 100 per cent home record, as well as their undefeated status this weekend when they host West Brom. The Baggies will be looking to relieve themselves from some inconsistent form by defeating the Blues at the Bridge. Expect Chelsea to come out strong with Diego Costa scoring in the first half, with their back four being able to handle Saido Berahino and Craig Gardner comfortably.

Prediction: Chelsea 3-0 West Brom

Everton v West Ham

Neither of these sides is in the place in the league they would be expected to be at the start of the season. The Hammers could feel they can nick yet another great result due to the Toffees’ injury problems, but they might have to achieve this without top performers Stewart Downing and Diafra Sakho, as both picked up knocks during international duty. This means Andy Carroll could start his first Premier League game of the season at Goodison Park. This should be a close game, but we’re going for a draw.

Prediction: Everton 1-1 West Ham

Leicester v Sunderland

Leicester will be hoping to pick up all three points when they host Sunderland this weekend. The Foxes have only managed one point from the last 18 and haven’t won a game since defeating Manchester United. The Black Cats on the other hand have been in considerably better form, picking up eight points from the last 18. Sunderland may be favourites entering this game due to their squad, but Leicester could spring a surprise if Leonardo Ulloa finds the net for the first time since their last victory.

Prediction: Leicester 2-1 Sunderland

Manchester City v Swansea

Manchester City should be worried as they have strayed eight points away from the league leaders Chelsea, after a sticky few weeks. Still without key player David Silva, they will have to try and win against a Swansea side that has earned seven points out of a possible nine in their last three games. Goals win matches, and Sergio Aguero has been scoring for City, with 12 goals so far, while Wilfried Bony for Swansea has only scored four. Aguero should help The Citizens return to winning ways in this game.

Prediction: Manchester City 3-0 Swansea

Newcastle v QPR

Newcastle has been impressive recently, winning their last five games on the trot in all competitions after a poor start to the season. They host a QPR side that has been playing okay at home, but has failed to pick up a single point away from home this season. They need to emulate their home performances against the likes of Manchester City, to their away games. It is unlikely they will be able to do it this weekend against an inform Magpies side though.

Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 QPR

Stoke v Burnley

Both of these sides will want to pick up where they left off ahead of the international break. Stoke achieved an away win at Tottenham, while Burnley picked up their first win of the season at home to Hull. Danny Ings has revitalised the Clarets since his return, but they may struggle to score against the Potters defence. With the variety in attack for Stoke in the likes of Victor Moses, Bojan, and Mame Biram Diouf, they should win this game.

Prediction: Stoke 2-0 Burnley

Arsenal v Manchester United

Both of these sides have been hit with injury problems while their players have been on international break. Arsenal could be without Danny Welbeck but on the other hand, could also see the return of Mikel Arteta and Oliver Giroud to the side. Manchester United will be without Daley Blind after he was injured while on duty for Holland, and could also be without David de Gea after the Spaniard broke his finger. This game is expected to be close, but if de Gea isn’t between the sticks for the Red Devils, the Gunners could pick up a victory, especially with the home crowd behind them.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United

Crystal Palace v Liverpool

If you remember, this fixture last season was when Crystal Palace came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3, leaving Luis Suarez weeping. The Eagles have failed to win any of their last five league games, losing four, while the Reds have failed to win any of their last three, losing two. Neither sides’ defence has been good either, meaning an opportunity could present itself for Mario Balotelli to score his first league goal at the club. Another high scoring meeting between these two, but expect Liverpool to win.

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Prediction: Crystal Palace 2-3 Liverpool

Hull v Tottenham

Hull could soon be hitting the panic button as they have only won once in their last 10 Premier League games. Tottenham’s form hasn’t been good either, as they have lost four of their last six games, with the most recent loss coming before the international break at home to Stoke. The Tigers will be purring if they see the return of Michael Dawson and Nikica Jelavic to the side, as they have failed to score in their last three league games. We reckon Hull will nab a surprise win as Spurs still search for a consistent goal threat.

Prediction: Hull 2-1 Tottenham

Aston Villa v Southampton

Despite picking up a draw against West Ham before the international break, Aston Villa have still only picked up one point from a possible 21 in the last seven games. Still without their main striker Christian Benteke, they face a Southampton side that has no problems scoring or defending. With Fabian Delph and possibly Ron Vlaar out for Villa, it could spell real trouble for the Villans once again. Graziano Pelle should find the net again in what should be an easy victory for the Saints.

Prediction: Aston Villa 0-3 Southampton

Follow me on Twitter: @ConorJPorter

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