Nicklas Bendtner’s agent says that he and his client will be considering their options if the striker continues to be left on the bench at Juventus.

The struggling Arsenal striker is currently on loan for the season to the Italian giants, but has hardly been picked to play by Juventus boss Antonio Conte, only managing to feature for 24 minutes so far this season for the Serie A club.

He played for just the second time this season for Juventus in last night’s Champions League match, which ended in a 1-1 draw between them and Nordsjaelland, where the striker missed a good chance to win his new club all three points.

Also, embarrassingly for Bendtner, coaches at the club called him overweight shortly after he signed.

Bendtner’s agent Tom Brookes has now warned that though he feels happy at the club, he may even leave in January if the situation does not change.

“The boy is happy at Juventus, even if clearly he would like to play more. When he is on the field more regularly, he’ll be even happier.

“Why isn’t he playing? In all honesty, you’d have to ask Antonio Conte. Every player wants to play more and do his job. Nicklas has patience and respects the club, his team mates and the decisions of the coach,” Brookes said.

“However, he is too strong a player to stay on the bench, so it’s not good for him or for Juventus to keep him there. If it continues like this, we will consider our options.

“Could that be from January? We’ll talk about it over the next few weeks,” he added.

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Bendtner rejected offers from other Italian clubs Fiorentina and Siena before accepting the loan deal offer at Juventus.

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Manchester United are set to step up their interest in England U21 star Thomas Ince with Nani thought to be edging towards the Old Trafford exit door, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Blackpool star has put in a number of impressive performances this season as the former Liverpool youth academy product looks set to live up to his billing as one of the brightest talents in English football.

It is thought that the Red Devils are finally set to make their move and they have been tracking the son of former United legend Paul Ince since the summer transfer window.

At the time, the Seasiders were keen to fight off Premier League interest, with the 20-year-old being viewed as pivotal to their promotion bid.

They were proven correct with Ince scoring 7 goals in the first 12 league games of this season, including a smart finish against Derby in a 4-1 victory on Saturday.

However, now that Manchester United are expected to come calling, the interest could prove too much for the Championship club to ignore.

Former Blackpool boss Ian Holloway believes the player has the capability to emulate and even overtake current England internationals Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.

The Daily Mirror believes that a bid hinges upon whether Nani decides to stay at Old Trafford with the Portuguese winger currently facing an uncertain future.

Sir Alex Ferguson fuelled fresh speculation about the former Sporting Lisbon ace, after he reacted angrily to the mistake the 25-year-old made in the Capital One Cup 4th round clash with Chelsea which helped the Blues score a late equaliser and catapult them to an extra time victory.

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Should they stay or should they go? There are several players in the Premier League who still have so much to offer but are currently finding their chances limited at their current clubs.

There are the players who have signed for big fees but have never justified the money paid for them or the ones that have suffered a nightmare time after they their name had been branded as the next big thing.

Additionally, we regularly watch with amazement when a player who seemed dead and buried at one club suddenly shows everyone how wrong they were by putting in man-of-the-match performances at their new club every week.

So, which players can we expect to be in limbo in the up-coming January transfer window? There were plenty to choose from, but here are my 15 players who I think will be in two minds about a move this winter. Some have already been linked with a move away from their respective clubs. Others are the forgotten ones who were tipped for Premier League glory but are still waiting for an opportunity to shine.

Click on Charles N’Zogbia to unveil the top 15

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel has heaped praise on Spurs’ strikers claiming that they thrive when playing alongside each other.

Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor both started in the Europa League victory on Thursday and both scored to help Spurs qualify for the knock-out round at the expense of Panathinaikos.

The pair also started alongside each other in the North London derby at the Emirates last month and combined to give Tottenham the lead before Adebayor foolishly got himself sent off and ruled out for three games with Spurs going on to lose to Arsenal.

Friedel, who also got a rare start on Thursday, has seen many positives from the pair in recent weeks and believes that together they can play on each other’s strengths to bag bundles of goals this season. In particular Friedel believes that Defoe thrives when he plays alongside a player like Adebayor.

When asked if Spurs’ current strikeforce was amongst the best in the league Friedel told The Sun: “Absolutely.”

”When we have played with two up front, Jermain has really thrived on it, as he can save his energy for when he is inside the box.

“Jermain always plays on the shoulder of the defender so if a team want to push high up the pitch, he will always keep them honest.

“The goal he scored against Panathinaikos was just on-side but he is always right on the edge so defenders have to keep an eye on him.”

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Stewart Downing produced arguably his best performance in a Liverpool shirt as they demolished Fulham at Anfield.

Just a week after losing to Aston Villa on home turf the Reds turned in their finest display since Brendan Rodgers arrival on Merseyside to comprehensively beat the Cottagers and improve their chances of European qualification.

Martin Jol’s men, meanwhile, are in free fall after a run of one win in their last 10 games and find themselves just five points above the relegation zone going into the second half of the season.

The visitors were under pressure from the first whistle as Liverpool looked to right the wrongs of last weeks defeat with Downing in inspired form and captain Steven Gerrard rolling back the years with a vintage midfield display.

It didn’t take them long to break the deadlock as Gerrard’s eighth minute corner found Martin Skrtel unmarked in the penalty area and he thumped home an unstoppable volley past Mark Schwarzer.

Centre back partner Daniel Agger then had the chance to put his name on the scoresheet but contrived to scoop Luis Suarez’s low cross over the bar from two yards out with the goal gaping.

Still, the hosts had an appetite for goals and Gerrard doubled their lead 10 minutes before the break. The Reds skipper ghosted in behind the Fulham defence to reach Downing’s excellent reverse pass and steer the ball across goal and into the bottom corner.

It was Downing’s first assist in 45 Premier League matches for the club and he was celebrating his first goal six minutes after the break, cutting in from the right and drilling a left footed shot past Schwarzer at the near post.

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Pepe Reina was finally called into action in injury time to save Hugo Rodallega’s curled free kick in what proved to be the away sides best chance on goal.

But there was still time Luis Suarez to score his 11th league goal of the campaign as he turned Jose Enrique’s cross home to seal an emphatic win.

The sacking of Carl Fletcher following a 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers came as no real surprise to any Argyle fan. A dismal run of just one win in 15 games has seen the Greens plummet down the table and lie precariously above the relegation zone.

What was strange though was after the initial sense of relief from the Green Army – many had sensed it was time up for Fletcher long before he was relieved of his duties – was the sadness that greeted the news. Fletcher had been with the club through the toughest four years in it’s history and remained loyal throughout. He was well respected as a player and will always be remembered for managing us to safety last year against the odds when all signs pointed to Argyle dropping into the conference.

On top of that how often do you see a manager, just sacked, face the media just minutes after being given the boot? An emotional Carl Fletcher spoke to the BBC yesterday and revealed his departure himself whilst struggling to hold back the tears. He may have had his doubters but it is evident that he cared for the club.

Sadly this season has been a nightmare for him and whilst most are glad he is no longer manager, he leaves with big respect from the Green Army. Should our paths ever cross against I’m confident he will get a warm reception from Argyle fans.

But enough of the sentimental side of things, Argyle are in big, big trouble and need to act fast.

We lie just two points outside the relegation zone and to make things worse both sides who occupy the drop zone currently have two games in hand on us.

The club have announced they are looking to appoint a manager with ‘significant experience of football management’. There are currently a few candidates out there that seem suitable for the job of not only keeping us in the league this season, but managing a promotion push in the not so distant future, which was (believe it or not) the aim at the start of this season.

Without wanting to blow my own teams trumpet the job must seem attractive to potential managers. Argyle are amongst the biggest clubs in League Two, have a big base of support and one of the biggest budgets in the division. The one thing that always tends to hold us (and other West country clubs) back when it comes to managerial appointments is our location, the South-West is miles away from the major cities and Plymouth in particular is a long way down the country.

The decision to change the manager has been made just in time for the January transfer window, presuming the new manager is in place in time to take advantage of most of it. In my opinion the squad we already have is easily good enough to keep us in League Two, although we really do need a striker that can find the net on a consistent basis.

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The man that a lot of Argyle fans want to see manager is Keith Hill. He worked wonders in League Two with Rochdale a few years ago and whilst he struggled in his most recent job with Barnsley he appears to know what it takes to succeed at this level of football. He also played for Argyle for four seasons and knows the area.

Whoever the club appoint, they need to get it spot on. Relegation to the conference would be a larger than life catastrophe for Argyle.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has confessed that he needs to strengthen his defence in order to escape relegation from the Premier League.

The Latics dropped to 19th in the table over the weekend, with defeat at home to Sunderland exposing their defensive shortcomings.

Antolin Alcraraz has missed almost the entire campaign and Ivan Ramis has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2012/13 season, which has left Martinez rather short of options.

The Spaniard has admitted that fresh faces are a must if he is to reassemble his backline for the second-half of the season:

“What is clear is that we weren’t strong enough defensively,” he is quoted by Sky Sports.

“If Ramis had been on the pitch it would have been a very different situation. I need to make sure we rectify that and bring someone in who will give us the same strength Ivan was giving us.

Although he is still seeking additions, one signing Martinez has made this month has enjoyed a solid start to lift at the DW Stadium.

Angelo Henriquez arrived on loan for the rest of the season from Manchester United recently and notched his first goal for Wigan against Sunderland.

Martinez believes that the 18-year-old has all the attributes to be a real success in English football:

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“Whether he is scoring or not, Angelo has the profile of a goalscorer, his movement off the last man is fantastic and he has that knack of being in the right place.

“Scoring on his Premier League debut is going to do a world of good for his confidence but I don’t think it will change his way of playing or the high esteem he holds himself in.”

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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.

[cat_link cat=”arsenal” type=”grid”]

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

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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.