Hazard Opens Up About Chelsea Future

Eden Hazard has made bright start to the new season with Real Madrid interested

After being linked with a move to Real  Madrid in the summer, Chelsea star Eden Hazard has not been shy in expressing his interest of wearing the famous white of the Spanish giants.

He is yet to sign a new contract with Chelsea and with his current deal set to run out by 2020, all indications seem to point towards a move for the Belgian next summer.

However, it appears that the 27 year-old is still undecided about where he will be playing come the beginning of next season.

Speaking to Belgian broadcaster, Sporza, Hazard said that at the moment he hasn't made a decision about where he will be playing next season and at the moment his focus remains on playing for Chelsea.

"I only think about Chelsea now," said Hazard.

"The competition lasts seven or eight months, after that, I’ll see what happens."

Chelsea currently sit third on the log, four points behind leaders Manchester City. 

At the moment the Blues have been playing free flowing football and Hazard is evidently happy with new manager Maurizio Sarri's philosophy.

"The coach has the same football philosophy as I," said Hazard.

"He always thinks about the ball. How we as players think about football, that is also his way of thinking."

"If you see how Napoli play, it’s thanks to Maurizio Sarri, his style is now reflected in Chelsea, he also has players who fit into the system."

"So yes, we’re very happy, we play football well."

Hazard will once again be called on to deliver a big performance as Chelsea make a visit to fourth placed Tottenham who sit just a point behind Chelsea when the league resumes next weekend.

Paul Pogba Refutes Juventus Links "Feels At Home" With Man United

 Star midfielder says rejoining Manchester United feels like "coming back home"

Manchester United have had a rocky start to the season where after 12 games the Red Devils are currently 12 points behind city rivals and log leaders Manchester City.

Even with that there have been a number of talking points about the club recently in the media with one of the biggest being Paul Pogba's relationship with Jose Mourinho.

The pair have reportedly had differences in opinion especially over the last few weeks as Pogba has been critical of the way the team plays, and Mourinho stripped him of the position of vice-captain which led to a reported bust up in training.

This fuelled reports that Pogba was looking for a move away from Old Trafford. It came as no surprise throughout most of the summer window Pogba was linked with Barcelona.

In recent weeks Juventus were said to be interested in signing their former star player, but the French midfielder came out to put an end to rumours he wants to leave Manchester United.

Pogba spoke about how happy he was when he made his move back to United in 2016 and described it as "coming back home".

"When I came back to United, it was the best feeling ever," Pogba told Inside United. "I came back home."

Pogba initially joined the Red Devils in 2009 playing for Manchester United's academy, but had to move to Juventus in order to establish himself as opportunities were limited at the Red Devils. United brought him back to Old Trafford with for a club record £ 89 million transfer fee two seasons ago.

"I always dreamed of playing for United, to have many games and score goals. Nothing had really changed, except for maybe the team and the manager, but the rest of the club was the same.

"I just came back home, it was like I didn't really leave -- I just went on holiday. It was a great feeling to come back home."

Signed as the player to restore United to their former glory, Pogba hasn't quite shown the form that once saw him help Italian giants Juventus to consecutive league titles and a Champions League final.

However, he's shown some glimpses of brilliance as United have made a number of comebacks with the Frenchman driving the Red Devils forward.

He's currently out through injury and missed Sunday's defeat in the Manchester derby.

The True Test of Emery's Arsenal Awaits After Break

Unai Emery has been bringing back some of that old magic at the Emirates but Arsenal are yet to pass their greatest test

After a disastrous 2017/18 season where Arsenal made their worst ever finish under Arsene Wenger, expectations weren't all that high for the Gunners as they were expected to struggle under a new manager who would be tested against rivals with a wealth of experience with at least three or more seasons with their respective teams.

At the start of the season it looked to be the case as Arsenal lost their opening two fixtures of the season. 

However, since then, under Unai Emery, the Gunners went on an unprecedented winning run.

Arsenal won 11 successive matches in all competitions and despite that winning run ending at Crystal Palace, Arsenal are undefeated in 16 matches in all competitions.

However, Emery's men have won just one of their last four matches and given they've drawn three successive games against Wolves, Sporting and Liverpool Arsenal need to step their game up when the league resumes after the international break.

Arsenal are only three points off North London rivals Tottenham, who face Chelsea when the league resumes the following week, and take on Bournemouth with a chance to close the gap on their local rivals.

What follows, will be two season defining matches when they take on Tottenham and Manchester United in back-to-back matches.

Arsenal have been poor against the teams around them in past seasons which has subsequently meant the difference between winning the league and playing in the Champions League. With their fall from grace over the last two seasons, there is no doubt as to what will be Arsenal's biggest stumbling block to once again sit at the table among Europe's elite.

Arsenal's record against the top six sides has been torrid and going back to their performances over the last two seasons up until now, the Gunners have won only 3 matches out of 23 against the league's big hitters.

One positive heading into their matches against Spurs and United though is that they're not exactly facing the cream of the crop when it comes to the teams in the big six.

Spurs despite making a strong start to the season, haven't been without their flaws as they've been digging out results often edging matches with one goal margin victories.

Manchester United on the other hand, are still yet to find their best form and currently sit eighth after their defeat to champions Manchester City last Sunday.

Picking up points or winning both matches will go a long way in Arsenal regaining a place in the top four again, but in the case of both matches they could also prove to be the day where Arsenal are finally found out.

No Doubt About Dembele's Future At Barcelona

Despite being criticized in the news recently, Ousmane Dembele's agent insists the Frenchman won't be leaving Barcelona any time soon

Last Friday Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele made the news with reports that the 21 year-old went AWOL after missing practice and the club was unable to get into contact with him for two hours.

It was later clarified that Dembele had been suffering from an illness, but this hasn't put an end to rumours about the Frenchman being unsettled after reports that senior team players at Barcelona had grown frustrated with Dembele.

According to reports in Spain, the world cup winner has been having off field issues with Dembele reportedly showing up late for practice which has led to rumours of a possible exit from the Nou Camp for the Frenchman.

However, according to his agent, Moussa Sissoko there should be no doubts about his future with the Catalans.

"There is no doubt about his future, at all, Ousmane continues to work, he is in a big club and Valverde loves him, and he is also in the national team and Deschamps continues to trust him,"

"If he is with France today it is because he deserves it, I also spoke with Eric Abidal and he told me that he is very happy with him, that he is training very well."

"It is true that Ousmane was sick" Sissoko said. ‘He had not slept all night, he was very tired."

Sissoko also went on to address last week's events by going into detail what he believes happened.

"He missed the morning training and what the club has blamed us is that he did not warn a little before that a doctor can see his mismanagement at home. He did it a little late. 

"But he was sick, the club confirmed he had a [gastrointestinal illness], he missed the training because of that. And I am surprised that we also make controversy when he is sick."

Red Devils Legend Praises Man City, Believes They Are Unbeatable

Man United legend Paul Scholes has been singing Man City's praises

Leading up to this week's international break defending Premier League champions Manchester City currently sit top of the log following a 3-1 win over local rivals Manchester United.

The Cityzens are currently unbeaten and even though they lead Liverpool, who are also unbeaten, by two points there is a sense that City will have too much for Jurgen Klopp's team.

City have won 10 of their opening games only dropping points against league new comers Wolves and Liverpool, but in the time since then they've looked incredible.

The English champions have been so impressive that even former Manchester United players have been singing their praises. Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast former Red Devils defender Gary Neville believes that although he expects Liverpool to challenge City for the title, he sees the title race as a foregone conclusion with the Cityzens finishing as league champions.

Another Manchester United player and legend, Paul Scholes, took it a step further saying that he sees the defending champions seeing out the season undefeated.

“The more you look at the City team, I don't see where they're going to get beat," Scholes said.

The United legend also agrees with Neville on Liverpool being the main opposition, but sees City having too many things going for them to be caught.

"I think Liverpool will probably be the closest, but I just think they [City] are that good, they are in control."

Ilkay Gundogan came off the bench to put the game beyond United's reach and Scholes alluded to the champions strength in depth as another reason we could see Pep Guardiola's men even surpass Arsenal's 2004 Premier League winning side, the 'Invincibles'.

"You look at the bench as well today. Jesus, not brought on, a brilliant centre-forward, Gundogan, they bring on, scores a goal. They've just got quality in every position.

"I think if they are at it every game, they won't lose a game."

Gary Neville: The Only Team That Can Stop Man City

Man City have been in scintillating form since last season which raises the question: is there anyone capable of stopping them?

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City went back to the top of the league with a comprehensive 3-1 win over Manchester United in last night's Manchester derby and at the moment look on course to repeat their title winning feats from last season.

In winning last night City looked streets ahead of Jose Mourinho's Red Devils and its becoming clearer that City are starting to peak at the right time and heading into the Christmas period, City could go on to produce another terrific run which could see them runaway with title once again.

City do indeed look unstoppable, however, former Manchester United defender and Premier League winner Gary Neville believes only one team has what it takes to reel in the defending champions.

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast the United legend discussed the dominance the Cityzens have had on the league and how the title race may go.

"Winning one league is an achievement, winning back-to-back titles makes you a great team and Man City are on the brink of that.”

No team has managed to win successive league titles since Alex Ferguson guided Manchester United to three consecutive title victories between 2006 and 2009.

“At this moment in time, I only feel like Liverpool can stop them.I think Chelsea are a little bit short, I’ve thought that from day one and I think Chelsea will just fall short.”

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool overcame struggling Fulham in a 2-0 win and temporarily took top spot before City's victory over United. The Reds currently sit two points off the log leaders and look ready to live up to the expectations of being City's main opposition this season.

Third placed Chelsea played to a goalless draw against Liverpool's city rivals Everton as the Blues were missing their sharp edge higher up the field.

“They’re doing well, they’ve started the season well under Sarri and the football’s flowing and they look like they’re a happy bunch again. But I still think that if anyone can stop City, it can only be Liverpool.”

Neville also expressed that while he expects Liverpool to push City for the title, he sees the defending champions having too much in their locker for the Reds.

"The problem for Liverpool is that it doesn’t look like anyone can lay a glove on City, that’s the problem they’ve got."

“Liverpool have grown enormously in this last 12 to 18 months. The biggest change has been the defensive difference and the introduction of Van Dijk. The front three we’ve known about for 18 months, the introduction of Van Dijk has meant they look a formidable defensive team. With him there, they’ve got someone that can anchor the defence."

The Most Frightening Facts About Manchester City

Manchester City celebrate on their way to a 3-1 win over rivals Manchester United 

On Sunday Manchester City came away as the victors in a 3-1 win over fiercest rivals, Manchester United, in a match that not only showed the gulf in class between the two giants, but also how far ahead City are compared to the rest of the league.

In toppling United, champions City earned their seventh straight win in all competitions since their draw against title challengers Liverpool. 

Since their stalemate at Anfield, City have only failed to score three goals or more just once as Spurs were the only team to run them close.

Along with last night's match City have now scored a total of 26 goals in seven matches while conceding just 3.

As if that wasn't impressive enough, Manchester City have won 15 of the 18 matches they've played in so far this season and the world should be on notice of how exceptional Pep Guardiola's project at the Manchester club has been.

City may be just two points ahead of their closest title rivals, but what can't be denied is their dominance in the league as the Cityzens have been posting ridiculous numbers in the last few months.

April was the last time the defending champions lost a match in the league. That came in the form of their surprise come back loss against Manchester United, and since then City have put together an unbeaten run which stretches across 18 league matches where they've won 15 games scoring 52 goals and conceding just 8 in the process.

What's been most frightening about City in the current season is that even without their best player, with Kevin De Bruyne out injured, there seems to be little to no effect on the team's performances in his absence.

The Belgian was instrumental in City's Centurion title winning season as he was involved in nearly 30 goals scored by City last season. De Bruyne has been absent for most of this season and the fact City haven't lost a step in his absence sends out a message for the rest of the league.

In the 27 year-old's absence last summer's signing Bernardo Silva has slotted seamlessly into a midfield role and has been inspired form so far this season.

The Portuguese has shown his quality coming in from playing out wide and in the middle has shown his quality as he played an instrumental role in last night's win providing two assists.

This goes to show the difference between City and the rest of the big boys as their rivals have shown signs of being unable to maintain good performances when their best players are not in form or are unavailable.

3 Reasons Real Madrid Have a Bright Future Ahead of Them

Hailed as the "new Neymar" Brazilian wonder Vinicius Junior has been backed to be Madrid's next superstar 

Real Madrid have been making the headlines regularly this season as Los Blancos first saw talisman Cristiano Ronaldo depart for Turin as the Portuguese superstar made a summer move to European rivals Juventus.

Madrid were then unable to find a suitable replacement for Ronaldo as primary targets Neymar and Kylian Mbappe proved to be beyond their reach.

They then had to miss out on Chelsea ace Eden Hazard as the Londoners slapped a £ 200 million transfer fee for the Belgian.

On top of that they've faced a tough opening to the new season as they saw coach Julen Loptegue, who was controversially appointed in the summer, shown the exit door following a humiliating 5-1 loss against their old enemy Barcelona.

Real have made somewhat of a come back in recent weeks winning back-to-back matches in La Liga and the Champions League.

And from what they've learned with Ronaldo's departure, Madrid have taken steps to ensure their future as a force in club football by securing the next generation of Real Madrid stars by signing three exceptional young talented players.

In the summer 18 year-old prodigy Vinícius Junior made his move from Brazilian giants Flamengo.

At the age of 16 the Brazilian had already caught the eye of Los Blancos and will look to emulate the exploits of fellow Brazilian Neymar by making his mark in La Liga albeit in the white of Real Madrid.

Joining him in the summer will be another Brazilian youngster Rodrygo who currently plies his trade with Santos in Brazil.

The 17 year-old has found the back of the net seven times so far playing for Brazilian superstar Neymar and all time great Pele's boyhood club.

He will officially join Real Madrid in the summer of 2019.

The third of Madrid's future stars is also a South American, but instead of another Brazilian its Argentine Exequeil Palacios who plays for South American giants River Plate in Argentina.

The midfielder is highly rated and even got a stamp of approval from Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

He will also join Los Blancos next summer.

From the looks of things the future looks to be bright for Real Madrid as they are working with the future in mind where instead of paying through the nose for the best players, they now look to make their own stars through their development structures.

What's The Next Move For Alexis Sanchez?

Struggling Alexis Sanchez has found a move to Manchester United hard to handle and has a decision to make about his future

If anything else Alexis Sanchez's current predicament at Manchester United goes to show that the grass isn't always greener on the other side as the Chilean has struggled in his new surroundings at Old Trafford.

In January Sanchez made the change to Manchester United thinking it would be a move in the right direction as the Red Devils would give him the chance to win trophies, and play the game at the highest level under one of the best managers in the world with Jose Mourinho.

However, events haven't unfolded as hoped for the Chilean as his time under the starry lights of the Theatre of Dreams have been a nightmare.

The Chilean has just a solitary goal to show for United this season, but despite looking better in recent matches the four goals he's scored for United this year don't justify the huge wages he currently earns at the Red Devils.

Sanchez is said to earn as much as £ 400 000 per week at Old Trafford and given how he's performed so far only adds to the pressure for him to deliver on Manchester United's investment.

But in the midst of reports that he is having off field issues, Sanchez might not deliver at all on the promise he showed in his time with Arsenal.

What also has been telling about his time in Manchester is that there isn't a defined role for him in the team as he's been played in a number of different positions.

He's currently playing at centre forward right now in Romelu Lukaku's absence, but he was at his best at Arsenal coming in from the left.

That position though is occupied by Anthony Martial who has been instrumental in keeping United afloat this season. 

Looking back at his decision to join Manchester United in the first place, you can see how wrong he was in choosing the Red half of Manchester instead of the blue of his old mentor Pep Guardiola.

Sanchez could have had the career he dreamed of winning trophies and making history if he'd chosen Manchester City instead of letting the allure of more zeroes on his cheques be the motivating factor to move to a bigger team.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, Sanchez is reportedly looking to make a move to Paris Saint-Germain but given his high wages and the fact that the French giants already have Angel Di Maria, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe it will be interesting to see if his move to the French giants does materialize.

If he does go on to join Le Parisiens he will be in good company joining the likes of Angel Di Maria, Memphis Depay and Radamel Falcao, as players who've seen their careers take a left turn with Manchester United and had to reestablish themselves in Ligue 1.

Or he could take the other option of resuscitating his career in England over the next few weeks, and he won't get a better chance to do that than tomorrow's big showdown against log leaders and defending champions Manchester City.

Potential Replacements for Chelsea Star

Eden Hazard's future has been a talking point for most of the season as Real Madrid look to sign the Belgian 

The future of Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge has been the biggest topic for Chelsea since the summer, and despite fending off interest for the Belgian with a request of a £ 200 million transfer fee, it looks inevitable that Hazard will be in the colours of Real Madrid next season.

The Chelsea star hasn't been shy about vocalizing his desire to play for Los Blancos and given that at the end of this season Hazard will be going into his final year at Chelsea with his current contract to run out by 2020 its only right that Chelsea look for someone to replace their star man.

MARCO ASENSIO

One of the most sought-after young talents in Europe, Marco Asensio, would be the ideal replacement for Hazard as the young Spaniard is just as versatile as the Belgian with his ability to play either side of a front trio or behind the centre forward.

Although he's form hasn't been the best in recent weeks for Madrid, he's shown his quality at international level with consistent performances for Spain scoring one goal and setting up another four for his teammates.

At 22 he's guaranteed to be a good return on investment and with Hazard heading in the opposite direction it would soften the blow for the Blues losing their most prized player.

ROBERTO PEREYRA

Argentine Roberto Pereyra has been in stunning form since the start of the season putting in great performances and scoring fantastic goals for Premier league club Watford.

The former Juventus player has been so impressive that he's even been linked with a move to Real Madrid and he's reportedly on Chelsea's radar as well.

Pereyra has scored 5 goals in 11 appearances thus far for the Hornets this season and fits the mould for what Chelsea will need in a playmaker if Hazard ends up leaving.

Just like Hazard he's versatile being able to play on the left side of the attack and can play directly behind the centre forward.

ROSS BARKLEY

In a bid to find a new star man Chelsea may not need to look far as they might already have a suitable replacement for their number 10 in their ranks with Ross Barkley.

Barkley has been turning in the sort of performances which once marked him as the future of English football and according to Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, the Englishman has what it takes to be one of the best in Europe.

He's chipped in with 3 goals and 4 assists this season which says much about Barkley as he's playing in midfield and one can only wonder how much better he'd perform playing higher up the field.

Dembele Ready To Call It Quits At Barcelona?

Brought into Barcelona following Neymar's departure last season for £ 105 million Frenchman Ousmane Dembele was hoped to be the replacement for the Brazilian wizard, but his first season didn't go as planned as the 21-year-old played just 18 games for Barcelona last season.

At the start of this season the world cup winner looked to deliver on his huge transfer fee after sfourcoring  goals in four appearances for the Catalans, however he's form has seen a dip in recent matches but he scored his first goal in seven matches in their most recent win over Rayo Vallecano.

With Lionel Messi out injured he was expected to get more game time, but Barcelona coach picked Brazilian Rafinha instead in the Argentine's absence.

According to reports in Spain this came down to Dembele's of the field habits as the Frenchman has reportedly had disciplinary problems at the club.

The Frenchman also missed training on Friday

for Barcelona and the club reportedly couldn't reach him for two hours. 

It is also alleged that Dembele has stopped learning Spanish and it seems he's apparently unsettled at the club which some believe could see him make a move in the near future.

How Manchester United Can Beat City

The 2018/19 season has been a testing affair for Manchester United as the Red Devils haven't hit their straps yet and coming off their biggest result with a win over Juventus on Wednesday, they have the chance to exceed that result with a win over champions Manchester City in Sunday's momentous Manchester derby.

Rightfully United go into the match as underdogs, but aren't without a puncher's chance as they draw on last season's win at the Etihad coming back from two goals down to had City their only home league defeat of the season.

To beat City will be no easy feat as United need to have a well worked out game plan to take advantage of whatever little chinks they can find in City's armour.

City have been showing the type of form that saw them race away with the league title from their neighbours, and right now it may be fortunate for United that they face them now before the Cityzens build up a head of steam.

The champions have steamrolled their opponents in recent matches, but what's worth considering is that their biggest winning margins came against sides who mostly went out to weather the storm or limit the amount of damage City would inflict on them.

United, despite their unconvincing performances, have what it takes to not only to contain City but also have the tools to cause damage to the Champions when given the opportunity.

This is what Sky Sport pundit Paul Merson believes will be key for Jose Mourinho's charges to pull off yet another stunning upset.

“City will give Manchester United chances - Southampton could have conceded 10 but they had chances,” Merson told Sky Sports. “A better team would have scored three or four goals. But City beat teams easily who just sit there and defend so United have to be brave"

In their last Premier League clash City may have won 6-1 against Southampton, but there was a period where City got a little complacent which led to a few chances for Southampton to get a goal at 3-0.

Eventually the Saints got a goal from the penalty spot as City let their foot off the pedal for little bit.

If that happens on Sunday United will definitely be ready to take advantage of any lapses of concentration.

“United have to play with a lot of pace in attack. I would play Romelu Lukaku with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford on the wings.

“I would tell those two to stay high up and not track back in order to put pressure on Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker. If you allow the City full-backs the licence to get forward, then you are in for a long day."

As good as City are when in possession of the ball, United can find joy in testing their defensive capabilities as the champions can be prone to mistakes in defence as we saw from their losses from last season.

“City have got to defend better than they did in the second half of last year's game but they are capable of scoring three goals in 10 minutes - they are that good.”

City Have Every Reason To Beware Opportunistic Red Devils

Manchester United celebrate victory in last season's comeback win at the Etihad

Heading Into this Sunday's Manchester derby its as clear as day as to who are the favourites to come out on top.

Manchester City in recent matches have been moving through the gears and are showing more of the form that saw them break a number of records on their way to becoming 'The Centurions'.

The Cityzens have made light work of their recent opposition putting 23 goals past their opponents in six games in all competitions and conceded just one, while the Red Devils have laboured to win three consecutive matches for only the second time this season.

Despite this City will be well aware of the threat that their neighbours bring to the table as even though their performances haven't exactly been easy on the eye, they continue to find a way to win.

On Wednesday, Manchester United were clearly second best by every measure as Italian champions Juventus bossed proceedings.

Even though they were outperforming United for most of the match all it took was just five minutes for the Red Devils to turn the match around and walk away with a 2-1 win after going behind following Cristiano Ronaldo's sublime strike.

In many ways, how the match in Turin unfolded, bears similarities to last season's Manchester derby where United arrived at the Etihad as the underdog but still came away with all three points.

City on the day were in scintillating form and carved out goal scoring opportunities at will and should have been at least four or five goals ahead by the break but instead went into the interval with just a two goal lead.

What followed was a fiery comeback for United as Paul Pogba scored twice before Chris Smalling settled the matter. 

Manchester United's opportunistic nature was on display that day and Wednesday night should serve as reminder for City against complacency and their need to go for the jugular and kill the game while they are still on top.

Manchester United's Unlucky Number 7

Some of the best names to ever wear the iconic number seven for Manchester United 

Since the inception of the English Premer League in 1992 Manchester United have dominated the greatest league in the world winning more league titles (13) than all the other teams combined. 

This has undoubtedly made United the biggest team in the world, and key to their success was Sir Alex Ferguson and a number of special players who've made the Red Devils jersey one of the most coveted in world football.

At Manchester United there is one jersey that has been most coveted more than any other and that is the iconic 'number 7'. Worn by the team's biggest stars including Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo many would agree that United's number seven carries more weight than the rest.

This is a phenomenon we've witnessed in the last few years as a number of players have been seen as the next contender to lead United to victory only to be found out to be pretenders.

Antonio Valencia

Signed in 2009 after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Antonio Valencia originally wore the number 25 jersey for Manchester United and produced some of the best form of his career that he was handed the iconic jersey with Michael Owen's departure in 2012.

What followed was a drastic dip in form in the 2012-2013 season which convinced the Ecuadorian to drop the iconic jersey for his original jersey number. 

Memphis Depay

A prodigious talent coming from Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, Memphis Depay looked to have the hallmarks of the next big thing for Manchester United as he'd been crowned as the best player in Eredevisie before moving to Old Trafford in 2015.

He was quick, skilful and fans may have thought they'd finally found the next Ronaldo. However, any hope they'd had about his potential was gone as he failed to find form which lead to an early exit for Lyon in the 2016/17 season in January after scoring just five goals for Manchester United.

Angel Di Maria 

Afterplaying alongside United legend Cristiano Ronaldo Angel Di Maria had impressed at Real Madrid and brought not only top shelf talent, but also a proven track record at the highest level with Los Blancos.

He also had a torrid spell at Manchester United and while the Red Devils were waiting for him to reignite their hopes with some magic he managed only three goals for United before subsequently making a switch to France to ply his trade for Paris Saint-Germain after just a single season.

Alexis Sanchez

Of all the players to be dealt a bad hand by the hands of the number seven jersey Alexis Sanchez's torrid spell has been by far the worst of the lot.

Since moving to Old Trafford in January, the Chilean has had a tragic fall from grace as he's turned from a potential championship winner to a pedestrian in the colours of Manchester United.

Sanchez has scored just four goals for United, which is a far cry from his Arsenal days where he once scored 30 goals in the 2016/17 season.

It's not all bad though for the Chilean as he's shown some signs of life in recent weeks and may yet find his best form.

An even more damning statement about United's number seven jersey is that collectively all of the Red Devils' number sevens since Ronaldo's departure have scored just 15 goals between them.

What Beating City Means For Mourinho

Jose Mourinho taunts Juventus fans following Man United pulling off a come back win

One of the most intriguing aspects of football is how quickly things can change in a short space of time. One moment you could be on top of the world and the next you're faced with constant doubts while the world criticizes every action.

This is what Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho can testify to as the Portuguese has come from the brink of a potential exit at Manchester United, and now looks to get his team's season back on track by toppling log leaders Manchester City.

Heading Into their fixture against Newcastle a few weeks ago it was rumoured that Mourinho would get the axe from United after their poor start to the season. 

United's come back victory against the Magpies looks to have kickstarted the Red Devils' season as they've had to make a number of come backs from their most recent matches, and the significance of last night's victory against Juventus isn't lost on Mourinho as he once described himself as the 'luckiest' manager following his team beating Bournemouth last Saturday.

In lastnight's match, luck definitely played a factor as United got the better of Italian giants Juventus with a signature comeback win. However, you can't deny United's will to win even when the odds aren't stacked in their favour.

For Mourinho,  pulling off a win over cross town rivals City and Pep Guardiola would be a welcome remedy after spending most of the new season putting out fires.

Considering that the Red Devils have made a habit out of turning games around, you can consider this as Mourinho's ultimate comeback.

And with victory on Sunday, as unlikely as it may be at first glance, will not only bring United back into the title picture but it will remove any doubt about whether Mourinho is the right man to restore Manchester United to their former glory.

In A Battle of Will vs Skill Who Will Rule The Roost In Manchester?

There is never any love lost during the Manchester derby, so expect nothing else as Manchester City welcome their  greatest foes to the Etihad

After achieving their highest finish since Alex Ferguson's departure it was imagined that Manchester United would be Manchester City's biggest challenge in the Centurions retaining their league crown.

Things haven't gone to script though as the Red Devils, heading into ten games into the new season, find themselves nine points adrift of their city rivals and all round have been a topic of some interesting conversations and not of the good kind.

The Red Devils have won exactly just half of the matches they've played this season, and their performance hasn't been to everyone's liking considering they're in their third season under Jose Mourinho.

However, even though they haven't been the vintage Manchester United that dominated English football in the past, Mourinho's men have displayed an ability to get things done especially when the chips were down.

Last night United put their uncanny will to win on show for the world as they produced an upset in inflicting a first defeat upon Italian champions Juventus away from home.

Heading Into Sunday, this provides much needed confidence and belief for United as for only the second time this season they've managed to win three games in a row.

Confidence and belief is exactly what they need most right now heading into their showdown against city rivals and reigning champions Manchester City as they aim to reel in the Cityzens with a win at the Etihad.

With their win at Juventus, United have made a comeback from losing positions in four of their last six matches and will be no strangers to their underdog tag as they yet against aim to topple the defending champions on their own patch.

Last season United were the only team to walk away with three points from the Etihad. United had been 2-0 down by the break but even against those insurmountable odds rallied back with a fiery performance to triumph 3-2.

Playing a key role in that come back, as he has in their most recent ones, is Paul Pogba who on the day completed a brace as United delayed City's title celebrations.

The Frenchman has been a driving force in their recent slate of comebacks as he's given his best performances when his team have had their backs against the wall. 

Undoubtedly United will look to him for inspiration to bring them back into the title picture with a win over their neighbours.

Doing that though is harder said than done, especially for United as even with their ability to rally in the second half, they could find themselves in trouble if they let City build up too big a lead.

Manchester City usually begin games at a fast pace, and if allowed to do as they please can run rampant which could make them unplayable when they are in the mood. Not to mention they can also finish games with a flurry like their cross town rivals have managed over the last few weeks.

This should give United pause for thought against their tendency to be sluggish in the opening exchanges. As great as their powers of recovery may be if City aren't contained in the first half even United's ability to fight back may not be enough to get the job done on the day.

Man United At Risk Of Losing Big Names

Jose Mourinho's time at Old Trafford has been plagued by  a number of issues and things aren't set to get better anytime soon

Manchester United have been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons since the season started as the Red Devils have struggled for form and manager Jose Mourinho has been in the spotlight along with a number of key players.

Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba and David De Gea have been hot topics in recent weeks and as it would turn out all three players have been linked with moves away from Old Trafford.

Sanchez has been reportedly linked with a move away in January, but there's big news emerging with online betting site Ladbrokes reporting that their other two big name players Pogba and De Gea could leave Old Trafford as they've been linked with a move to Juventus for next season.

United lost their most recent match against Juventus in a 1-0 defeat and are currently nine points off the pace in the league race and as this poor form continues there is speculation about the futures of the pair in the red half of Manchester.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes had this to say about the matter:

“As if things couldn’t get any worse for United fans, there’s every chance they could be without Mourinho, Pogba AND De Gea come the opening day of next season.”

On Sunday Manchester United take on Everton hoping to put their problems behind them with a win over the Toffees.