Stories By Pete Hall

• Sport

  LIMITED SQUAD TO TEST KOEMAN AFTER WEEKEND REALITY CHECK

  A player regarded as one of the best in the world in his heyday, a man who redefined the sweeper role in a trophy-laden career, Ronald Koeman may have met his match in the management world. It seems churlish to suggest that after just one defeat from the opening six games that Koeman’s task has become all that more daunting since taking over at Everton in the summer, with the Toffees sitting pretty in fifth above Chelsea and Manchester United, but the ineptitude of the display at Bournemouth on Saturday was a huge wake-up call for any fans getting prematurely […].

• Sport

  WHAT MAN UTD MUST DO TO GET BEST OF POGBA

  Talk of formations, systems, philosophies and manager ideals are all the rage these days, with the plethora of top coaches in the Premier League this season heightening interest in such topics. The rivalry and contrasting styles of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola gets chins wagging the most, and Saturday saw the first clash of titanic minds – 1-0 Pep.

• Sport

  With better options in every position, Rooney must be sacrificed

  Rooney must be sacrificed It is such a strange scenario. A man closing in on becoming one of the biggest clubs in the world’s all-time top goalscorer being debated as to whether he even warrants a place in the starting line-up.

• Sport

  Chelsea more than capable of title tilt, why can’t we see it?

  It is that time of year, when experts and Mystic Meg impersonators tell us why one team will win the league “without doubt”, and another less glamorous outfit are “doomed” from the off. Chelsea more than capable of title tilt, why can’t we see it? ESPN have grouped all their writers together in one piece, and predicted their top four, bottom three, top scorer and player of the season.

• Sport

  Mourinho in danger of delivering defensive vulnerability

  For years, Manchester United fans were exasperated at the lack of midfield reinforcements, forced to watch Anderson stumble his way around the engine room and look on as Paul Scholes was desperately prized out of retirement.

• Sport

  Seize the day Manuel, ignore Pep circus & show us what you’re made of

  Seize the day Manuel, ignore Pep circus & show us what you’re made of. Imagine being sat at your desk, doing your job quite well, if not spectacularly so, while the man everyone wants in your field brashly strolls about as if he owns the place, flirting with all the women, before slapping the Director on the back while letting out a hearty roar as they laugh at the punchline of his latest joke.

• Sport

  Five EPL transfers that need to happen in this transfer window

  Five EPL transfers that need to happen in this transfer window. It is that time of year again! Managers are begging their chairmen to dig deep and dust off the cobwebs that have engulfed the coffers, while out-of-favour players are hoping their previous exploits are enough to get them out of their current predicaments.

• Sport

  Forget managerial change, United have deeper problems

  Forget managerial change, United have deeper problems. Festive cheer was in short supply on Wednesday as Louis van Gaal prematurely called time on his press conference, with the intense scrutiny over his future coming to a head.

• Sport

  Mata only showing glimpses of talent regardless of position

  Mata only showing glimpses of talent regardless of position. The best players can play anywhere on the pitch and still have an influence on the game – a rather obvious statement, but it ultimately separates the best from the myriad of the very good.

• Sport

  Not Appreciating What They Had Could Cost Swansea Dear

  Replacing a manager who has impressed at a club has often reaped rewards, as fresh ideas can instigate a second wind, presumably the rationale at Swansea this week. Nigel Adkins’s shock sacking led to Southampton fan protests, with the previously unheard of Mauricio Pochettino taking the reins – he couldn’t even speak English! The same derision was prevalent at Leicester as last season’s saviour Nigel Pearson was replaced by a bumbling old Italian, with his best days reportedly confined to the record books.

• Sport

  DALEY BLIND CAN BE THE LIBERO TO HELP MAN UNITED FIND RHYTHM

  Danny Blind can be the libero to help Man Utd find rhythm. As Jamie Vardy grabbed the headlines for his amazing goalscoring feats, Manchester United’s lack of potency went somewhat under the radar at Leicester at the weekend.

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