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Manchester United’s strong recent form has run ashore in recent weeks, with Louis van Gaal’s men slumping to a 3-0 defeat to Everton at the weekend.

With the visitors completely outplayed by the Goodison Park hosts, a transfer raid on Roberto Martinez’s men could well be on the cards this summer.

The Old Trafford side have a history of signing players from Everton, with former Toffees Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini both on the losing side at the weekend, while Leighton Baines was a failed target for United.

However, with Van Gaal expected to spend big this summer, here are three more Everton stars that could end up at United ahead of next season…

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Seamus Coleman

Van Gaal has seemingly not taken a shine to Rafael and as such options at right-back in the current squad appear thin on the ground.

Antonio Valencia has done a stern job in filling the role this season but it is a position that United are widely expected to bolster in the off-season.

Coleman continues to be one of the Premier League’s best attacking full-backs and would certainly be an upgrade on Valencia.

With Van Gaal switching between a back four and the use of wing backs, Coleman seems like an ideal acquisition to fill the void.

John Stones

The young centre-back has been forced to bide his time at Everton due to the longstanding presence of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin, but has been in excellent form when afforded a chance to play of late.

The defender netted his first Premier League goal in the 3-0 win over United and put in an assured and mature defensive performance to keep his opponents off the scoresheet.

Stones has the potential to be an England international for the next ten years and is certainly one of the brightest homegrown defensive prospects in the Premier League at the moment.

With the centre of United’s defence still an area of improvement, Stones would fit the bill as a player to build a team for the future around.

James McCarthy

United have been heavily linked with new midfielders, with Ilkay Gundogan the latest player being touted as a potential summer addition.

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The Old Trafford outfit have lacked drive and purpose since the exit of Roy Keane, while the invention and energy of Paul Scholes are hard attributes to replicate.

Although the reliable presence of Michael Carrick and industry of Ander Herrera have seen United start to compete, a new talismanic presence in the heart of the team would be greatly welcome by most Red Devils’ fans.

On first sight McCarthy may not be the name that the United fans would call out for, but the Republic of Ireland international has all the qualities that they are currently lacking.

A solid range of passing, tireless engine, commitment in the tackle and knowledge of the Premier League makes McCarthy a potential shrewd acquisition.

Summary: Stoke moved a step closer to Premier League survival with a close-fought victory over Norwich at the Britannia Stadium.

The Potters are now eight points above the bottom three after back-to-back wins and leave Chris Hughton’s side still looking over their shoulder after third defeat in five games.

It was the visitors that went close to breaking the deadlock first when Robert Snodgrass headed over and Bradley Johnson fired over the bar in promising opening to the game for the Canaries.

Unfortunately for them it didn’t last and Tony Pulis’ men took control when Cameron Jerome’s hooked effort was blocked by the arm teammate of Steven N’Zonzi, who was lucky to remain on the field after a late lunge on Kei Kamara.

After the break, however, Stoke finally made the breakthrough a minute into the second half when Peter Crouch nodded on a long punt for Adam to control and smash past Mark Bunn.

Adam attempted to return the favour soon providing with a dangerous cross that Crouch missed completely despite being well placed with pressure from two Norwich bodies putting him off.

Tony Pulis post-match…”We deserved to win today, we created more opportunities. The three points are vital because we have tough games coming up. Our first challenge is always to stay in the Premier League, anything else is a bonus.”

Chris Hughton post-match…”We were in good form but we came up against a Stoke side that were back to their most direct. We didn’t do enough to win the game. We’ve got two home games now, which I’d like to think helps. But it’s a nervy part of the season.”

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Good day for…Charlie Adam: For so long Stoke have suffered without a creative hub in midfield this season with Adam unable to recreate the form from his Blackpool days. That changed against Norwich as he orchestrated ever attack from the Potters and popped up to score the winning goal in the second half.

Bad day for…Steven N’Zonzi: Was lucky to still be on the field after a dangerous lunge on Kamara in the second half and was a red card waiting to happen for Stoke all afternoon. Thankfully for Tony Pulis referee Anthony Taylor was of the lenient persuasion.

Now this is the first time that we’ve tried one of these features for the site, but with the biggest game of a surprisingly busy Wednesday evening to look forward to at White Hart Lane between the two sides separated by just four points in the current Premier League standings, it’s an interesting one to explore and debate considering that the two squads are somewhat comparable in terms of the strength of their first XI.

Victory tonight could see Andre Villas-Boas’ side leap up into fifth while Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to finally guide his team back into the top ten. The only criteria for selection is that injured players for this fixture are not eligible to play in the combined eleven, so that rules out Scott Parker (achilles), Younes Kaboul (knee) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) for the hosts and Lucas Leiva (thigh), Martin Kelly (knee) and Fabio Borini (foot) for the visitors. Lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation that both teams have shown a penchant for this season, let’s get on with our starting eleven.

Click on Luis Suarez to see the full combined XI

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Leeds fans have been discussing hothead Gaetano Berardi, and fans are split on the full back’s future.Usually, fans will forgive players for a lack of quality and talent if they can tell the player is leaving every ounce of their heart and soul out on the pitch.Although Gaetano Berardi does exactly that, he also tends to leave his brain… back in the dressing room.Fans were furious last week when Berardi was smacked with a five-game ban, effectively ending his season at Elland Road.The ban came after his third red card of the season in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland, which was the Swiss defender’s sixth red card since joining the club in 2015.The 29 year-old apologised for his behaviour this week.[ad_pod ]“I recognised that I did a big mistake, again. It’s not good enough for a senior professional player,†Berardi said.“It’s a big mistake. I will stop making mistakes when I die I think. There’s a big fire in me and without it I can’t play football. If I remove this fire I just go home and find a job. That’s all I can say.â€For many fans, this “fire†is exactly what makes Berardi so likeable, and he is one of the few players that always puts in 110 per cent for the cause.Still, there are plenty who are fed up with his “mistakesâ€, regardless of his intentions.Fans have been discussing Berardi’s future on Twitter, and some of the best reactions can be found below…

As the season continues it is looking less likely that Sam Allardyce will be West Ham manager next season.

Despite the Hammers’ excellent season some fans have never taken to Big Sam and have made their disaffection known at every opportunity. ‘Big Sam’s’ contract runs out in the summer and while it is yet uncertain as to whether he will leave to try new challenges or the board will not re-appoint him, it is looking more likely that he will not be making a return as the Irons’ boss despite guiding them to promotion from the Championship and keeping them in the Premier League for two seasons.

Glenn Hoddle has become the latest name to be linked with the manager’s job at Upton Park as they get ready to move to the Olympic Stadium in 15 months’ time. He has been linked with the club before but back in 2011 he ruled himself out of the running for the job. The 57-year-old would be a high profile replacement and he has been known to get his teams to play with style and flair which would be welcomed by fans.

One of the biggest problems supporters have had with Allardyce is the style of football. Despite winning many games to help them into ninth position in the Premier League, fans have not enjoyed the way the Hammers have been playing. Allardyce has, largely, refused to change the way the team’s play because they are getting the results they need.

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Hoddle hasn’t managed a club for nearly 10 years, but in the past has taken charge of Swindon, Chelsea and of course England. He started as a player-manager at Swindon in 1993 and took on the same role at Chelsea until he retired. During his time as a manager he has won 532 games, but he only has a win rate of 39% – not particularly high, but when you compare it to Allardyce they have the exact same rate.

When Hoddle became England manger he was highly respected among the players for his talent as a player. He had an excellent record and players like Rio Ferdinand regard him as the best manager they played under. His success as England manager was not all good of course, his style and secrecy antagonised the press which slowly led to his downfall and resignation as manager.

Since Hoddle resigned from England he has struggled to manage another side. Hoddle was a superb player and is well respected by his peers and he brings a style of football which fans love to watch, but he also brings with him a history with the press. If he does take over as West Ham manager, there is no doubt he would change everything Allardyce has achieved so far. Only time would be able to tell if that was for the better or for the worse.

It looks like West Ham’s owners want something new, as there is only so much that one person can do and Hoddle would certainly be a change. Whether he is the right man for the job remains to be seen.

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If Everton harbor serious hopes of bring European football back to Goodison Park it is games like this that they have to start winning. The Toffees have stuttered of late after starting the season in uncharacteristically consistent fashion and the FA Cup quarter final mauling suffered at home to Wigan was just the wake up call they needed. That fierce shock to the system certainly came at the right time as they improved to see off Manchester City at Goodison Park two weeks ago to remain in touch with the top-four. With six points separating them from Tottenham there is still a slight chance they could end the campaign celebrating qualification to the Champions League. Realistically though entry to the Europa League is more likely and they must beat Stoke, without top scorer Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar, to retain breathing space above local rivals Liverpool and West Brom.

Europe was the objective for Tony Pulis this term but with just one win in 2013 the Potters have fallen way off the pace. Having ended 2012 unbeaten in 10 games Pulis has watched his side endure a crushing change of fortune and are only seven points clear of the relegation zone in 11th. Getting back on track is the main priority now but with just one solitary success in their last 24 Premier League away games avoiding defeat will be viewed as a step in the right direction by the travelling Stoke contingent.

Team News

Phil Jagielka (ankle) and Tim Howard (back) could return for Everton after missing the last three games. David Moyes will have to do without key midfield duo Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar who are suspended. Tony Hibbert (calf) remains sidelined.

Stoke can call upon the services of defender Robert Huth after he completed a three-match ban. Tony Pulis has a full Potters squad to choose from for the visit to Merseyside.

What the managers said…

“What I am trying to do is make sure I give Everton the best chance of going forward. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I would never do anything, in any way, to jeopardise Everton or the football club. I want to make sure the supporters see a promising, fresh-looking team for the seasons to come. We have to make sure the finances we have give us the opportunity to do that. We have a small squad, and in truth we have an ageing squad as well, which we need to look at. I need to be capable of being able to make those changes for the best of Everton.” David Moyes insists he wouldn’t to anything to harm Everton’s future ambitions (The Sun)

“From the first game of the season, where we played at Reading (a 1-1 draw) and they scored a late penalty, to the last away game at Newcastle (a 2-1 defeat), where we should have been home and hosed (but conceded two goals towards the end), we have managed to shoot ourselves in the foot. We have done that continuously. Every time away from home, it is about concentration levels as much as anything. In the Premier League, if you switch off for two minutes or do something silly, nine times out of 10, you get caught. So concentration levels are vital, although it is also important they enjoy themselves – make sure they go out there and express themselves, and work really hard.” Tony Pulis admits poor concentration is to blame for Stokes poor away form (Independent)

Pre-Match Statistic: Everton have scored just four times in their last seven meetings with Stoke, recording a solitary victory.

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Prediction: Everton 1-0 Stoke City

Make your bets ahead of today’s showdown at Goodison Park by clicking on the banner below

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This weekend, Tottenham Hotspur have an opportunity to rub salt into Manchester City’s wounds.

Pep Guardiola’s side will head to Wembley with a desperate need to bounce back following a miserable week.

The North-West outfit were roundly mocked by rival fans after they were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

In between the two legs, City’s Premier League title win was put on hold as Manchester United defeated their neighbours 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

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Tottenham need three wins from their final six games to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, and due to City’s recent results, they may feel confident of snatching all three points this weekend.

A separate storyline will accompany the match as Kyle Walker prepares to face is former club.

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The right-back left Spurs to join City last summer, and he managed to get one over the North London outfit as Guardiola’s team earned a 4-1 victory on home soil in December.

Ahead of Saturday’s encounter, Tottenham fans discussed what kind of reception that Walker will receive at Wembley.

Liverpool’s harrowing form at the start of the season lead pundits and fans alike to the same hypothesis – that the free-scoring, runner-up Reds of the 2013/14 campaign were a bit of a fluke, inspired by the combination of Luis Suarez’ world-class services and a squad playing without fear, growing in confidence as the season went on.

At the heart of that theory was Brendan Rodgers and the insignificance of his role as manager. After all, essentially the same Liverpool side finished in seventh under his leadership the season prior, and it seemed that rather than quality or inspired actions from the dugout, the weight of history – Steven Gerrard’s last shot at a Premier League title coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster -was the biggest factor working in their favour.

Despite winning last season’s LMA Manager of the Year award, there was a common feeling that he’d simply been in the right place with the right players at the right time. The Ulsterman’s philosophy, tactics and transfers all came under scrutiny as the Anfield outfit plummeted to 12th place in late November, a dismal run that validated those pejorative opinions.

Liverpool’s miraculous turnaround since however, losing just once in the 16 games following their 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on November 23rd and now just two points away from the Premier League’s top four, proves that last season was no miraculous occurrence.

And in stark contrast to the tirade of criticism thrown Rodgers’ way, there’s no debate over his influence on a run of twelve wins from 16 that’s included the introduction of a quirky 3-4-3 formation, the dissolution of Steven Gerrard’s role as talismanic captain and the integration of £110million worth of predominantly foreign talent purchased during the summer.

No easy task by any means, especially when combined with the burdening expectations set by last season and the enormous pressures of managing one of England’s most historically successful clubs. So does Rodgers deserve the lions’ share of credit for the Reds’ upturn in results and form? Are we looking at a future managerial great in the making?

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What’s impressed me most about Brendan Rodgers is his philosophical flexibility, despite being often considered a staunch representative of more aesthetic football. When he first arrived at Anfield he was a possession-based manager, but last season he allowed Liverpool’s style to naturally develop towards counter-attacking and this year he’s accepted the need for a more balanced, sturdy approach.

One can question whether it took too long for the Liverpool gaffer to come to a logical conclusion regarding style of play. After all, if the Reds do miss out on Champions League qualification this year, it will be due to those six defeats in their first twelve Premier League outings, when Rodgers appeared adamant that the flowing football of last season would inevitably re-emerge. Had he reverted back to basics in October rather than November, perhaps Liverpool would be in a position to defend their runner-up status, rather than simply hoping Manchester United or Arsenal slip up between now and May.

Yet, compared to Arsene Wenger, a manager determined to live or die by his philosophical sword, Rodgers’ ability to compromise his own beliefs is incredibly refreshing. And the end result of Liverpool’s more dogged displays, against the likes of Leicester City, Burnley, Sunderland and West Ham, is eventually enough confidence and momentum to return back to that highly energetic, highly technical, whimsical brand of play that defined them last season.

At the same time, few Premier League managers would have even considered switching to an untested 3-4-3 formation for a visit to Old Trafford, let alone sticking with it after losing 3-0 to Liverpool’s biggest rivals. Could you imagine the ensuing furore if the exotic system hadn’t improved the Reds’ results so quickly? Rodgers probably wouldn’t be in the job right now.

Of course, there are still areas of Rodgers’ reign that throw up question marks. Has he spent wisely enough over the last four transfer windows? Has he parted with Steven Gerrard too quickly? Was signing Mario Balotelli anything more than a personal vanity project? Do Liverpool need a manager with more experience in Europe?

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Yet, this is now the second Liverpool side, despite the loss of it’s two world-class players – Gerrard and Suarez – and a wholesale change in formation, that he’s got playing amongst the most efficient and exciting football in the Premier League. One can only ponder the damage Rodgers would cause with a squad as holistic as Manchester City’s, or a budget as monolithic as Manchester United’s.

There’s still a lengthy road ahead and as we all know too well, it can take just a single slip-up to end a management career at the top end of the Premier League. Currently however, Rodgers is only heading upwards and bringing Liverpool with him; something their recent form and results pay specific homage to.

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Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna is expected to be fit for Sunday’s crucial Derby against Tottenham.

The full-back missed last weekend’s triumph against Aston Villa with a knee ligament injury, but his recovery seems to be beating the clock and Arsene Wenger will be able to count on Sagna, according to the DailyMail.

If the defender makes it for the crunch game, he will have the difficult task of stopping Spurs winger Gareth Bale, without a doubt the man in best form in the Premier League.

The Welsh midfielder has proved himself vital for Tottenham in the last few weeks, scoring eight goals in the last six games, including late winners against West Ham and Olympique Lyon.

White Hart Lane battle could have a decisive influence in both club’s aspirations for the current – and also the next – season, as the North London teams fight for finishing among the top-four with Chelsea.

Tottenham and Arsenal lie in third and fifth position respectively separated by four points (51 and 47) with South Londoners Chelsea in between them with 49.

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Should Sagna fail to recover in time for the game, Wenger would have to play Jenkinson on the right-back to try to minimise the danger of Bale.

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It certainly feels like West Ham’s season essentially rests on Saturday’s meeting with Southampton. It remains to be seen just what kind of atmosphere there will be at the London Stadium after the shocking scenes from their 3-0 Burnley defeat, and they’re now due to host a key relegation rival with just a handful of Premier League fixtures remaining.

Accordingly, David Moyes must get the balance of his side absolutely right this weekend; West Ham need enough offensive threat to seal the win, but conceding the first goal could lead to an incredible sour atmosphere at the London Stadium and would give a side low on confidence a significant gradient to climb.

With that in mind, we asked Irons supporters earlier this week whether summer signing Javier Hernandez, who has netted just seven times in the Premier League this season, should be included in Moyes’ starting XI after having to settle for a spot on the bench against the Clarets.

And according to our poll, 66% of West Ham fans think the 29-year-old should start on Saturday. So, how would you shape the rest of the Hammers’ starting XI around the Mexican poacher? Let us know by commenting below…

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