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Liverpool’s 2016/17 has exceeded expectations thus far. A few Reds may have seen the stars aligning for a title challenge, but the investment at Manchester United and Manchester City over the summer allied to Spurs’ impressive 2015/16, Arsenal’s continued presence at the top end of English football and Chelsea’s move to draft in Antonio Conte had quelled the expectations of many, with a top four push seen as the ceiling.

Yet after thirteen tricky games in league action this season, Liverpool are behind only Conte’s Blues in the Premier League table. And with the Londoners due to face Spurs and Man City over the coming two weekends, the window for a return to the summit may well swing wide open for Jurgen Klopp.

With things all rosy on the pitch, some are talking up January as the time to strike in terms of recruiting new players, as one or two choice additions could be enough to end the club’s long wait for a league title. Sadio Mane’s exit to the Africa Cup of Nations in the New Year has further added to the need for reinforcements and Klopp has even talked up winter moves.

However, we think the German has enough in his armoury to get by without adding to his ranks, and these FIVE players show that he doesn’t need to partake in the annual month-long scramble for stars…

Joe Gomez

To describe Gomez’s Liverpool career to date as stop/start would be an understatement. The versatile defender, signed from Charlton Athletic in summer 2015, was the only real bright spot of Brendan Rodgers’ closing months at Anfield as he stepped into the first-team, despite his tender age (he was then just 18 years old), straight away and didn’t look out of place.

However, injury hit, and hit hard, upon Klopp’s arrival, with Gomez ruled out for the entirety of the German’s first season due to a knee injury, which was followed in October of this year by a similar set-back. However, he returned to action this week for the Reds’ U-23s, and with a hectic fixture list coming up, he could get game time over the winter – as long as he can get match-fit.

Klopp is known to use what he has rather then spend, as he’s alluded countless times in recent months, and with Gomez just 19 and able to play all across the backline, his future looks bright.

Sheyi Ojo

Like-for-like replacements for Sadio Mane will be nigh-on impossible to track down and sign in January, but Klopp does have a raw talent to use in his place in the shape of Ojo. The flying winger was brought back from a loan spell at Wolves last season during the German’s opening months at Anfield helm and featured regularly during the back end of the campaign, often coming in when senior stars were rested for the Europa League run.

Granted, Ojo – who’s been missing from first-team duties due to injury niggles this term – is a raw player, but he has the pace Mane offers, which has proven to be vital for the Reds in recent months in tandem with the creative talents of Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

The only slot in Klopp’s team in which there is not genuine competition for a starting berth is at right-back, where Nathaniel Clyne is the shoo-in pick, which has led some fans to call for an option to arrive in January. However, Alexander-Arnold appears to be a player favoured by the German coach, who handed him his senior debut during the recent League Cup win over Spurs – a chance the teenager took with open arms.

The 18-year-old – who started his career as a rangy midfielder and has even been tentatively compared to Steven Gerrard – is a little reckless in his style of play, both when committing to challenges and rushing forward to support the attack, but he has great technique and seems physically suited to Klopp’s demanding style of play,.

Daniel Sturridge

Sturridge may find himself among less than glamorous company on this list, but the striker is not in the starting XI right now, making him a ‘fringe’ player. The England international, however, remains one of the best finishers in the Premier League and his supreme ability to put the ball in the back of the net will surely be of use to Klopp over the winter when the games are plentiful and players pick up injuries.

Although his suitability to a fluid, high-pressing attacking line has been questioned, it’s been pretty clear in recent cameo appearances from the bench that the 27-year-old is making a real effort to adapt his game, and the sheer prospect of his deadly nature up top in this Reds team will make Kopites salivate.

Ovie Ejaria

Ejaria really emerged during pre-season under Klopp and looks to now be ahead of the likes of Marko Grujic and Cameron Brannagan in the pecking order on the back of his fledgling displays. The 19-year-old, who was poached from Arsenal’s youth ranks, is physically imposing, despite his age, but offers the sort of technique that makes him a viable alternative to Georginio Wijnaldum in the more attacking midfield positions in Klopp’s three-man central ranks. His presence on the bench in Premier League action hints that he is close to breaking through.

So, you’ve opted to cope with the turmoil of being Southampton’s manager?

Well, that’s a nice decision. You can try and fend off the flirtatious advances of the Premier League big boys and become a realistic challenger in your own right. It is a tantalising prospect; defying the historical order of English football to turn one of the bullied little’uns of the transfers market into a real force to be reckoned with.

To start with, you’ll need to find a way to compete without having to go toe to toe with some of the nation’s strongest clubs. Shopping around, hunting for a bargain can take a fair bit of time, mind. The other alternative is to really, really throw everything you’ve got into the academy basket – which could work rather nicely.

Whatever happens, make sure you spend a fair bit of cash in the first season and have a squad that you feel can really take on the best in the business.

How you do that is down to you, of course, but a little pointer or two never hurt anyone…

Darren Fletcher

In an immensely talented Southampton midfield, there is still room for a bit of extra experience and Darren Fletcher is some of the best value on the market in that respect.

Relatively high wages can be a bit worrying for a player who will be rotated, but Fletcher’s mental attributes alone are enough to keep you interested.

Gary Cahill

Europa League football puts a strain on any squad. The extra matches will mean that rotation of the defence is necessary. Virgil van Dijk and Jose Fonte, who are the undoubted first choices, will need to be rested and the current backups are not up to the same standard.

One way to solve this, of course, is Gary Cahill.

Zlatko Junuzovic

Perhaps not quite entering into the bargain territory for Southampton, Junuzovic is another option for the Saints midfield.

Able to play anywhere across the two midfield lines, he is well worth the slightly larger fee. A balance between strong technical and mental attributes make Junuzovic a sure fire upgrade.

Ashley Young

So, this one depends a little on the formation you are wanting to play.

Young will take up a hefty chunk of your wage budget, but that is nicely offset by the minute transfer fee. His recent adaptation at Manchester United has seen Young become a completely versatile option on either flank on Football Manager, making him even better value.

Well-rounded, Young can be used in a number of different roles, too.

Stefan Radu

With defensive depth an issue at Southampton, Stefan Radu has to on your shortlist. Unlike Cahill, Radu is competent in two positions along the back line.

Likely to cost less wages and transfer fee than Cahill, too, Radu can be seen as the ultra-budget option to add to the defence.

This weekend’s heavyweight clash witnesses Tottenham travel to Old Trafford to take on Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United. As it stands, the north Londoners are six points clear of the Red Devils with ‘Mou’s’ side looking to have turned a corner on the field.

Despite the lack of victories of late, Man United have outplayed their opposition on each occasion over the past three weeks, with only for top class performances from goalkeepers at Old Trafford such as Tom Heaton and Darren Randolph, stopping them turning one point into three.

Tottenham’s form of late has not bene overly special either, but they did manage a heavy victory over Swansea last weekend, which they followed with a Champions League beating of CSKA Moscow in midweek, so confidence is returning.

Ahead of the clash of the titans, FootballFanCast has opened the vault and looked back at the FIVE best goals scored by Man United players against Spurs in recent years…

Ryan Giggs – 1992

For those young enough to remember, Ryan Giggs was the hottest young prospect in British football when Manchester United travelled to White Hart Lane in 1992.

The inaugural Premier League campaign witnessed Giggs claim the PFA Young Player Of The Year award for such displays as the one he put in against Tottenham. This goal perfectly sums up Giggs’ combo of pace, agility and ability to finish under pressure.

United went on to win their first league title in 26 years later in this campaign, with the Welshman a crucial member of the squad.

David Beckham – 1999

Rewind to the final day of the Premier League season in 1999. Manchester United played host to Tottenham needing a victory to secure the Premier League title ahead of Arsenal.

Spurs went in front through a Les Ferdinand goal before David Beckham took proceedings into his hands.

His stunning strike from a narrow-angle perfectly summed up his potency from the right-wing. From a daisy-cutting pass, Beckham somehow bent the ball into the far left corner of Ian Walker’s goal.

Man United won the game and the league title.

Nani – 2007

Portuguese winger Nani was identified as the ideal replacement Cristiano Ronaldo, for the dreaded day CR7 departed Old Trafford.

Nani made his home debut against Tottenham in August 2007 and made quite the impression on the Old Trafford faithful.

This stunning thirty-yard strike was the perfect way to kick-start his career at the then English champions. Nani’s career at Man United never hit the heights that were expected following his impressive debut for the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo – 2008

The legendary figure Cristiano Ronaldo managed to secure Manchester United all three points against Tottenham in 2008 when the Portuguese star inspired a comeback from 2-0 down at half-time.

During the Sir Alex Ferguson era, Man United were notorious for turning games around whatever the scoreline and Ronaldo’s celebration further highlighted the importance of such goals.

Ronaldo secured all three points for Man United as they attempted to increase the lead at the top of the Premier League table ahead of bitter rivals Liverpool.

Wayne Rooney – 2015

Wayne Rooney’s record against Tottenham is incredibly impressive, and in March 2015 his fine solo goal against the Lilywhites proved the English forward still had the ability to play at the summit of the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were outclassed by Louis van Gaal’s men and suffered a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

Rooney’s solo goal secured United the three points and continued the Red Devils’ impressive home form against the north London outfit.

As expected, Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned FIFA’s Best Men’s Player for 2016, capping off an incredible year for the Portuguese attacker.

What was not quite expected was the 31-year-old’s very public dig at Barcelona and (most likely) Lionel Messi, who were not in attendance at the ceremony in Zurich on Monday night.

During his acceptance speech, Ronaldo gave the obligatory ‘thank you’ to his club, teammates, coaches, family and somewhat bizarrely his “staff”.

At the end of the speech, though, he appeared to take a swipe at Barcelona and his La Liga rival Lionel Messi for not being at the awards show.

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The players decided to stay in the Catalan city in order to prepare for the second leg of their Copa del Rey clash against Athletic Bilbao, which gets underway in 48 hours’ time.

Ronaldo made reference to their absence by saying: “I’m sorry that some people from Barcelona aren’t here with us and that’s understandable but thank you to everyone. Thank you for what you’ve given me.”

Perhaps he was genuinely sorry that his arch rivals could not make it to Zurich, but the majority of fans on Twitter believed that the ex-Manchester United star was delivering a verbal blow to Messi and co.

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho may have had a point when he claimed that his team were unlucky during their dismal run before the turn of the year.The Red Devils went through a spell of winning just one in eight Premier League fixtures.Things have turned around since, though, as the North-West outfit have won six of their last eight top-flight games and are unbeaten in 13.Perhaps part of the reason why United are sixth, 14 points adrift of league leaders Chelsea is that they have had a string of shots denied by the woodwork.In fact,ÂSquawkaÂclaims that they have hit the frame more than any other team in the division.[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

Bournemouth are a close second with 14 shots being blocked by the woodwork, while Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have both missed 12 decent opportunities.

In terms of overall attack, United have the current seventh-best record in the league having scored 33 with an average of 1.50 per game.

Mourinho’s side have netted 18 fewer than top-scorers and arch rivals Liverpool.

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho can be unpredictable when it comes to facing the media, and he raised eyebrows with his latest interview.

The Portuguese coach spoke to the Sky Sports cameras for just 15 seconds after his team qualified for the EFL Cup final.

It was not the best performance from the Red Devils, though, as they lost 2-1 on the night and their 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end.

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United failed to impose much of a threat, particularly in the first half when Tom Huddlestone netted from the penalty spot after Marcos Rojo was punished for tugging on Harry Maguire’s shirt.

After a nervy half-time break for the Red Devils, Paul Pogba drew level with a 66th-minute strike.

Hull’s new signing Oumar Niasse tried to inspire a comeback by scoring with five minutes of normal time on the clock, but it was not enough to see the Tigers through as United progressed 3-2 on aggregate.

After the game, it seemed as though Mourinho was not too pleased with the performance as he kept his TV interview very short. Before walking off he said:

“I just want to say congratulations to my players. It was a difficult road to be in the final and we are in the final. I don’t want to say anything else. It is enough, I am calm, I behaved on the bench, no sending-off, no punishment so no more words.”

Football fans watching Sky’s coverage took to Twitter to criticise Mourinho’s conduct.

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Inter Milan have made it abundantly clear they are not planning to let Ivan Perisic leave the club, handing a blow to Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, Metro reports.

What’s the word?

Croatian ace Ivan Perisic has been linked with a whole host of Premier League sides but Inter Milan are extremely reluctant to let the former Wolfsburg man leave the San Siro, as he’s developed into a key player for the Italian side since joining in 2015.

According to Metro, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal are all keen on for the 28-year-old winger but Inter’s sporting director, Piero Ausilio, is adamant he won’t be going anywhere- as he remains an important part of the club’s project.

That hands a blow to the trio of Premier League club’s eyeing his services, as it makes it unlikely Perisic will be moving to English football this summer- and they’ll have to pay a premium price if he does leave Inter.

What was said?

Quoted by Metro, Ausilio said:

‘I do not think it is either Perisic’s or our intentions for him to leave. He is part of a massive project and we do not want to sell our players. We cannot envisage an Inter without Perisic. We are not going to get rid of our best players.’

Could he still leave?

An exit from Inter Milan is still possible as Perisic, now 28, will want to be playing at the highest level of European football- and his side have not qualified for the Champions League since 2011 and have been absent from European football entirely in two of the past four seasons.

Currently sat 4th in Serie A, six points behind Napoli, Inter face a stern test to achieve a top-three finish and a Champions League spot and Perisic could demand an exit if he seeks opportunities in Europe’s elite competition.

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Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will not be able to bring back Juan Cuadrado to Stamford Bridge from his three-year loan spell at Juventus due to not having a recall clause in the deal, reports the Daily Mail.

What’s the word?

The 28-year-old joined the Serie A side from the Blues on a second loan spell last summer following the appointment of Conte as Jose Mourinho’s permanent successor.

Last season, the winger played for Juve on a season-long loan deal, but when he returned to Turin last summer, he agreed to stay with the Serie A outfit for three years on a temporary contract.

The Daily Mail states that the agreement between Chelsea and Juventus did not include a release clause, meaning that Conte will be unable to use the winger until his time in Italy is up.

That snag may have frustrated the Blues boss at the weekend when he watched Cuadrado score an impressive goal in a 1-0 win over Inter Milan.

The publication claims that Chelsea are receiving £4m per season while the winger is out in Turin, and there is an £8.4m option for him to join Juve permanently.

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Will Chelsea rue leaving out a recall clause?

The old saying ‘don’t fix it if it isn’t broken’ can apply to Conte’s side at the moment as they have a healthy nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.

The team have lost just once in their last 18 top-flight games and they look pretty much unstoppable at the moment in the 3-4-3 formation.

Despite that, a damaging injury to a big player could hamper Chelsea’s progress, even though they do have some big names on the bench.

Having Cuadrado as an option would have been welcomed given that he has been performing well over in Italy.

In 13 starts, the winger has scored two goals and has created four assists for his teammates, and while he may not be first choice for Chelsea, the frustration will be there for the club should he continue improving.

As mentioned, even if Conte decides that he wants to bring him back, the loan deal prevents him from doing so for the next two seasons.

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As reported in an exclusive by The Scottish Sun, Craig Gordon is set to sign a new contract with the club, ending the speculation around his future at the club.

You may remember in January that Chelsea were very interested in securing his signature as back-up to Thibaut Courtois, making a number of bids, and some Celtic supporters worried they may come back in for the Scotland international this summer with just 12 months remaining on his contract.

However, this new report suggests he will be rewarded for his fine form in Glasgow with a new 3-and-a-half year deal at the club, with the announcement due to be made in the coming week.

Celtic’s defensive form has been exceptional this season, in no small part to Gordon who has enhanced his all round distribution game, adding to his undoubted shot-stopping abilities.

The Bhoys have played 9 matches since the turn of the year and incredibly have kept clean sheets in 8 of them.

That may be why Celtic supporters are so delighted he’s signed a new deal and they took to Twitter to discuss the latest news…

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Three league losses in four and about to get knocked out of the Champions League after a 5-1 thrashing at the Allianz Arena in the first leg means that Arsenal are, once again, looking like their season has already fallen apart in March. It has become a theme for Arsene Wenger’s nearly-men Gunners; they impress through the early winter months before the turn of the year sends them into a meltdown that they spend the rest of the season desperately trying to recover from.

This year that recovery process will be a fair bit harder. The other top six clubs are stronger than in previous campaigns, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea are without European distraction and the two Manchester clubs continue to look stronger the longer the season wears on.

Their Tuesday night encounter with Bayern is meaningless when it comes to the Champions League this season. The disastrous first leg unerringly crushed any hopes the Gunners had of progression. But it does serve a purpose for the remainder of their season. What can be taken from this match is a renewed sense of belief, a feeling that all is not lost and proof that the team can get somewhere near the levels of earlier in the season.

An abysmal first half against Liverpool at the weekend sapped any minutiae of belief that this could yet be a good season. Arsenal were awful, outcompeted, tactically naive and well off the pace against a Liverpool team that did not spring any surprises. That display, added to by the dropping of Alexis Sanchez to the bench, only furthers the importance of an improved performance against the Bundesliga champions.

Resting some of his first choice players must be tempting for Wenger. While the schedule is not hectic, their minds will need a break from the continuous stream of pressure and ‘big’ fixtures. This is not the time to shuffle the pack, though. He has spoken a good game prior to the match, openly keen to attack Bayern from the off, but he must go full strength and pick the side that gives Arsenal the best chance of winning on the night even if the aggregate score makes for ugly reading.

Playing for pride will be mentioned in the build-up to the game, but the outcome of this match has greater implications. The hurt of the first leg can be softened with a victory and may yet serve as proof to some that Wenger can still compete with the best in Europe. A weakened, partially motivated Arsenal could face another drubbing, but a well set up, full-strength Arsenal could catch a potentially complacent Bayern off guard.

Had league form still given them an outside chance of catching Chelsea or made top four look guaranteed, Arsenal could perhaps accept another defeat and play a weakened team. The reality, however, is that the performance and result from this match is significant even though they are going to be eliminated. It may be a faint, almost false, hope, but a positive result and reenergised performance would show Arsenal can yet turn this season around, it might only be a minute sighting of recovery, but it’s all they’ve got to hope for at the moment.

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