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Manchester United have had undoubtedly their worst season for the past two decades, not good enough to be even involved in the UEFA Champions League after 20 years in the competition.

Now into the quarter-finals of this year’s World Cup, are three any stars that may have emerged from their respective groups to impress new Man United manager Louis van Gaal to go in for a purchase?

From group F, only Argentina advanced to the last eight, but on the way a few players did manage to capture the limelight before being sent home.

Here are SIX WORLD CUP STARS Manchester United should sign from Group F.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON RICKY ALVAREZ TO SEE THE FULL LIST!

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Angel Di Maria

Age: 26

Club: Real Madrid

Position: LW, RW

Nationality: Argentina

Estimated Value: £25million

Despite his regular starts and impressive displays for both Argentina and Real Madrid, Angel di Maria is still not as highly valued compared to the likes of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. He was the best player during last season’s Champions League final, and with Bayern’s Toni Kroos set for a move to Madrid, could be ready to leave.

However the Argentine will not come cheap, approximately costing no less than £25million to lure the winger to Old Trafford. Yet with already £55million spent on Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw – and another estimated £150million left of transfer kitty – £25million will be peanuts.

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Javier Mascherano

Age: 30

Club: Barcelona

Position: CB, CDM, CM

Nationality: Argentina

Estimated Value: £14million

Louis Van Gaal’s main priority will be to add quality in the United midfield and defence, and should really consider Barcelona midfielder Javier Masherano as the man to do so.

The Argentine is naturally a defensive midfielder, but has been effectively deployed as a centre-back by both his national team and the Catalan giants. A player with this skill and versatility will do well in the Dutch manager’s attempt to get used to the Premier League.

Miralem Pjanic

Age: 24

Club: AS Roma

Position: CM

Nationality: Bosnia-Herzegovina

Estimated Value: £18million

Already a former Manchester United target, Pjanic became one of Serie A’s best midfielders playing a pivotal role in Roma’s second place finish last season. He would easily fit into the United midfield lacking creativity, with his dribbling and passing un-matched in the Red Devils’ current crop.

The Bosnian scored six goals, providing another six assists for the capital club last season. If he can get anywhere close to those numbers playing in the middle of the Old Trafford park, it would definitely be money well spent by the Dutch manager. A Herrera-Pjanic central midfield would look frightening on paper.

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Ricardo Alvarez

Age: 26

Club: Inter Milan

Position: CM, AM

Nationality: Argentina

Estimated Value: £14million

Another Argentinian that should be on the United target list is Inter Milan’s Ricardo Alvarez. Labelled as the next ‘Ricky Kaka’, Alvarez was one of the few stars in Inter’s rather disappointing campaign last season.

However the 26-year-old is quick on the ball, able to take on his marker as well as supplying a key pass during an attack. Alvarez is also extremely hard-working, contributing to the team’s defensive duties with an average 2.5 tackles per game. And although he was deployed in the middle by Walter Mazzarri, Alvarez is extremely capable of playing the wings in the case that Juan Mata or Januzaj is injured.

Ogenyi Onazi

Age: 23

Club: Lazio

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Position: CM

Nationality: Nigeria

Estimated Value: £6million

Manchester United are currently linked with a few high profile defensive midfielders, such as Arturo Vidal and Nigel de Jong. But Louis van Gaal should really consider Nigeria’s Ogenyi Onazi, whose skill-set fits their criteria perfectly.

Onazi is a ball-tackling midfielder that is reliable in possession, able to link defence into attack. The Nigerian is the perfect anchor to a more attacking minded central midfielder, which could allow Ander Herrera to have free reign to do his intricate passing further up the pitch.

Onazi is also only 23 years of age, and with the right coaching and guidance, could anchor Man United’s midfield for several years.

Federico Fernandez

Age: 25

Club: Napoli

Position: CB

Nationality: Argentina

Estimated Value: £5million

If United are looking for a towering defensive replacement to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, they should consider Argentine centre-back Federico Fernandez.

A somewhat surprise pick for Argentina’s World Cup squad, Fernandez was however essential to Napoli’s third place Serie A finish last season. Even if Fernandez was not to be Van Gaal’s marquee defensive signing, he would definitely add depth in United’s quest to challenge in the domestic cups and would only cost around £5million.

Danny Welbeck’s deadline day move to Arsenal has produced a plethora of diverse opinions.

The England international’s scoring record is the greatest source of division, some suggesting it shows great promise, others arguing it’s further evidence of how Arsene Wenger takes unnecessary short-cuts in the transfer market.

The pro-Welbeck camp certainly have a valid point. 26 goals in 116 Premier League appearances is hardly a return worthy of an international forward who has featured in the Champions League for the last three seasons, yet few of the 23 year-old’s Red Devils appearances have actually come in the striking role – the position he’s now expected to take for Arsenal with Olivier Giroud sidelined until the new year.

Instead, Welbeck has become a victim of his own versatility and broad range of skills. Rather than Sir Alex Ferguson or David Moyes attempting to hone the youngster in on his finishing ability, both United managers utilised him in the same way – a hard-working, athletically-gifted  wide man, often employed in crucial marking roles, to improve United’s shape off the ball. It’s a forte Welbeck has largely excelled in – despite the limits of his goal tally – the most predominant example being his shackling of Xabi Alonso in the quarter-finals of the 2012/13 Champions League at Old Trafford.

That considered, reaching nine goals in two of the last three Premier League campaigns is a rather impressive feat, a contribution, in combination with his defensive work-rate and positive link-up play, that should not be sniffed at. Last season, amid demotion to a bit-part role under Moyes, Welbeck  netted 0.55 goals every 90 minutes, which was actually more proficient rate than Olivier Giroud (0.47), Theo Walcott (0.52), Aaron Ramsey (0.51) and Mesut Ozil (0.21) – four of Arsenal’s five top scorers in the league.

Thus, the prevailing theory, as the title of this article suggests, is that Welbeck could undergo a similar transition to Daniel Sturridge upon his integration in to the Arsenal team, a hypothesis argued by The Telegraph’s Jeremy Wilson,  Chris Cutmore of The Daily Mail and mentioned, albeit in passing, by The Guardian’s Amy Lawrence.

Indeed, there are key similarities between the two cases. Sturridge’s pedigree was obvious throughout spells with Manchester City and Chelsea, but unable to break up  expensively-cast, well-established strike-forces at both clubs – in direct parallel of how Welbeck has had to contend with Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney – it took a move to Liverpool in January 2013 for the Premier League public to truly take notice of the England international.

Sturridge never claimed more than 13 goals in a season for Chelsea, finding himself playing out wide in an unfavourable position as third fiddle to Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres.  But upon his Anfield switch, which coincidentally came at Welbeck’s age of 23, Sturridge  reached 30 Premier League goals for Liverpool (his overall return now being 32 in 46) faster than any striker since the 1890s. In the space of just over 18 months, he’s transformed into the most exciting home-grown striking talent of his generation.

So, can Danny Welbeck do a Danny Sturridge? Could his move to the Emirates instigate a metamorphosis of a forward, often maligned and rarely praised for his exploits in front of goal, into one of England’s  and the Premier League’s leading net ripplers?

Well, although there are glaring similarities – Sturridge left Chelsea with a rate of just under one goal in four games, Welbeck leaves United with just over one goal in every five – there are also intrinsic differences that cannot be ignored, the most predominant being that the Liverpool striker was born to score goals.

With the exception of aerial prowess, he’s a very complete centre-forward who links well and can be as impactful in supporting or wide roles. As well as 21 goals, he found seven assists last season, creating at least one chance per match whilst averaging one key pass and 1.3 successful dribbles per match. But, due to his proficiency in front of goal, that side of Sturridge’s game is often overlooked; common opinion appears to be that he’s a more athletic reincarnation of Jermain Defoe, a striker famed and flawed by his limited contribution to open play.

But that in effect is an enormous testament to Sturridge’s quality as a finisher, and epitomises the gap between himself and Welbeck. At Chelsea, determined to prove his credentials for the central role,  the 25 year-old was stigmatised as arrogant for his perpetual obsession with trying to the net from the most acute of angles – all the more considering he was yet to make 100 top flight appearances in a team assembled of multi-Premier League winners, but had the audacity to shoot from 20 or 30 yards out several times per match rather than pass the ball.

From what we know now however, it wasn’t overconfidence or greed – Sturridge had to shoot, because that’s what he was born to do. When it comes to finishing, he’s a natural. It is in his blood, after all, with uncles Simon and Dean Sturridge both retired front-men for Birmingham City and Derby County respectively.

Welbeck is more of a team player, which should not be looked at as a disadvantage. But in vital contrast to Liverpool’s leading forward, Welbeck was moved out wide specifically because his finishing abilities were not up to Manchester United’s standards.

Of course, van Persie and Rooney forge mighty competition, but if there’s one glaring, unavoidable weakness to the Arsenal signing’s game, it’s unquestionably his lack of composure in front of goal. His attempt to lob Manuel Neuer last season, despite being instructed  beforehand to shoot low against the Bayern Munich No.1, is a key example to bear in mind. A short scan of Youtube will provide you with a plethora of similar instances.

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When Sir Alex Ferguson has you in his first team for two straight seasons, you know you have something important to offer. But Ferguson never selected Welbeck for his goals – in fact, he persisted with the youngster throughout a 2012/13 campaign in which he netted just twice in all competitions. He was chosen for his loyalty, determination, incredible physical talents and positive contribution to build-up play. These are still where the England international’s predominant strengths lay.

And thus, although Welbeck will likely score more goals for Arsenal than he did for Manchester United after his first 100 games through more regular chances up top, paralleling Daniel Sturridge’s proficiency at Liverpool, or even come within its proximity, is a rather unrealistic order.

The Gunners may have found their Salomon Kalou, their Jay Rodriguez or perhaps their Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but not their answer to Daniel Sturridge.

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Over £820million was spent by Premier League clubs this summer, which is a record.

With every top-flight side signing at least four new faces before yesterday’s deadline, there has been an immense amount of business, with some clubs managing to pull off impressive bargains along the way. Some of which have been just as impressive as TrustFord’s new Signing on Fee offer, which gives you £500 off the purchase of any new Ford car.

Chelsea, Man United and even Hull City have enjoyed fruitful transfer windows. But who will make the most impact for their new colours?

Here’s a look at TEN summer moves we think we prove to be the best bargains for their new clubs this season…

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Click on Louis Van Gaal to reveal

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Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona to Arsenal, £30m)

Arsenal fans were understandably over the moon when Wenger secured the £30m capture of Sanchez from Barcelona.

His performances for the La Liga giants over the years have been match winning and his Champions League and title winning experience is seen to be crucial to Arsenal’s title bid.

He’s got off the mark with two goals from his opening few games for the Gunners, despite clearly not being at his best, and it’s surely only a matter of time before he gets used to the rigours of English football and starts showing what he’s all about week in, week out.

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Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona to Chelsea, £30m)

We all knew what Cesc Fabregas was capable of from his time at Arsenal, but the impact he’s had already had at Chelsea has been phenomenal.

Three games in, he’s already racked up four assists and three match winning performances that have gone a long way towards giving the Blues a solid start to the new campaign.

Chelsea are hoping to win the Premier League title this season and with Fabregas they’ve got a huge chance of doing so.

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Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid to Chelsea, £32m)

Like Fabregas, we all knew what Diego Costa was capable before he arrived at Chelsea this summer.

His performances for Ateltico Madrid all but secured them the La Liga title and took them to the final of the Champions League. That’s why Jose Mourinho felt it necessary to pay for a huge £32m for his services.

And that fee looks like it could prove to be small fry if Costa’s first few games for the Blues are anything to go by. He’s netted four goals in his first three games for the Mourinho’s men and looks bang on to score another 20 if he continues the form he’s in.

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Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle to Hull City, loan)

Having been frozen by Alan Pardew at Newcastle, it looked as if the Frenchman’s career was going to be over before it began.

Once regarded as one of the brightest prospects in French football, Ben Arfa’s early performances for the Magpies showed just how good he was and the heights he was capable of reaching.

But a fall out with Pardew left him in the shadows at St. James’ Park before Hull came to the rescue yesterday. If he can rediscover the form that gave him such a glowing reputation a coupe of years ago then there’s every reason to believe Hull have got one hell of a player on their books this season.

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Mario Balotelli (AC Milan to Liverpool, £16m)

Mad Mario’s return hasn’t just been welcomed by Liverpool fans, but fans of clubs all over the country.

His escapades during his time at City were amusing and we’re all hoping he continues them this time around while at Liverpool. But his performances are anything thing that should be exciting fans.

He’s no doubt one of the best strikers in the world on his day, and he could’ve had a hat-trick on his Liverpool debut last weekend against Tottenham.

More of those kinds of performances and you can be sure to see Balotelli on the scoresheet almost every week between now and next May.

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Angel di Maria (Real Madrid to Man United, £59.7m)

You don’t pay a British record transfer fee for just anyone these days. A player has to be very special if a club is willing to pay just short of £60m for them and Di Maria is one of those special players.

His Man of the Match performance in last year’s Champions League final was enough evidence to convince United that he could be just the man they need to help provide the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie with the goals to get the back in the top four.

His debut against Burnley at the weekend was slightly underwhelming, but he’s a little short of match fitness and may need time getting used to English football. That said, there’s little doubt he’ll be a hugely influential player for Louis Van Gaal’s side this season.

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Radamel Falcao (Monaco to Man United, loan)

Radamel Falcao’s arrival at Manchester United yesterday came as something of a surprise to most. Not that he’s no in the Premier League, because that was expected, but more the fact he’s opted to play a side that isn’t competing in the Champions League this season.

He’s certainly a World Class player and he’ll undoubtedly be important for Man United this season. How important? Well that depends on the service he gets.

But if he fits in seamlessly and gets on the same wave length as his new colleagues then there’s every reason to leave he’ll net 20+ goals and fire United back in to the Champions League this season.

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Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon to Tottenham, £4m)

Dier arrived at White Hart Lane as an unknown Englishman abroad this summer, but it didn’t take him long to make his mark on the Premier League.

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His 90th minute winner against West Ham on the opening day and then his goal in the 4-0 win over QPR the following week made him an instant fan favourite at the club, and his performances since have also been impressive.

The right-back can play anywhere across the back four (and up front?), which Spurs will need if they’re to enjoy a long and successful season aiming for fourth spot, and the 20-year-old looks set to play an important role in that target.

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Alex Song (Barcelona to West Ham, loan)

It’s difficult to know why West Ham actually need Alex Song, what with the likes of Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate more than capable of playing the holding midfielder role for the Hammers.

But if you’re offered a free loan for a player who is a Champions League quality player then you take him, especially when you’ve got the option to buy for as little as £5m at the end of the season.

West Ham have one hell of a player on their hands in Song and Sam Allardyce will no doubt make room for him in his starting XI.

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Dusan Tadic (FC Twente to Southampton, £10.3m)

Tadic is another player who was relatively unknown before arriving in the Premier league.

But there’s a reason why Ronald Koeman forked out over £10m for the midfielder. He’s the combative type who’s ball skills are second to none.

And he’s slotted straight in to Southampton without any need of a transitional period, which his first three performances of the season have proven.

Ten million quid could prove to be bargain by the end of the season if he continues putting in those kind of performances.

Marco Reus is one of the most coveted players in the football world right now, and with a £20m release clause expected to be activated next summer, Liverpool could come in for a January swoop and lure the Borussia Dortmund star away for a slightly higher price.

However there are a few other areas that Liverpool need to fix if they want to improve on their lacklustre start to the season, which currently sees them 9th in the table after eight games.

Here are FIVE players that could follow Marco Reus to Liverpool

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON REUS TO SEE THE FULL LIST!

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Edinson Cavani

Mario Balotelli was purchased for £16m from AC Milan during the summer as a replacement for 31-goal Luis Suarez, but the Italian hasn’t performed and has already dropped to the bench for Brendan Rodgers recently.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani could be the player to arrive to put the Reds back in contention for the title. Also from Uruguay, Cavani has an astonishing goal record during his time with Napoli in Serie A.

The 27-year-old hasn’t performed as well with PSG, but he’s still managed 25 goals while playing second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ezequiel Lavezzi

Another player from Paris Saint-Germain – as well as Napoli with Cavani – Ezequiel Lavezzi could be exactly what Liverpool need to take the pressure off a ‘tired’ Raheem Sterling.

The English starlet caused a media storm after he insisted he was too fatigued to play for the Three Lions, but more importantly it does seem that the Reds do rely on the 19-year-old way too much and should avoid burning him out.

Lavezzi is the answer, as the Argentine is an experienced winger who has played at the highest level in football. The 29-year-old is quick, tricky, and scores his fair share of goals playing on the flanks.

Yevhen Konoplyanka

Liverpool fans could already be sick of hearing of Yevhen Konoplyanka, as the Dnipro winger has been linked with the Reds for almost all of 2014.

However with less than a year remaining on the Ukrainian’s contract, Liverpool could make a cut price swoop in the January transfer market to bring in cover for the jaded Raheem Sterling

Konoplyanka is a dynamic and versatile player, combining pace and technique as well as the ability to play on either wing… making him extremely useful for Brendan Rodgers’ 4-3-3 system.

Victor Valdes

Although Simon Mignolet saved a penalty in his first appearance for Brendan Rodgers’ side last season, his Liverpool career has been underwhelming.

Mignolet does not perform consistently enough for a side looking to challenge for the title, but former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes was one of the best in the Spanish La Liga.

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A knee injury however forced an end to his Barca career, but with the Spaniard recovering well as a free agent, Liverpool could finally find a goalkeeper able to keep Mignolet on his toes or become the number-one himself when back to full fitness.

Sami Khedira

Khedira has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal and Chelsea of late, but with Liverpool still interested, Anfield could be the best destination for the want-away Real Madrid star.

The German World Cup winner is a dynamic box-to-box midfielder who is great at tackling, accurate at passing and scores a few brilliant goals once in a while.

Sound like someone? Steven Gerrard is definitely not the same player he was a few years ago, with some supporters even calling for the legendary Englishman to be dropped from the first XI.

The 27-year-old could be a perfect replacement, but what makes it even more interesting is the arrival of Khedira could see Emre Can – both Germans of Turkish decent – form into a formidable midfield partnership.

He’s only been back for five games, yet people are singing the praises of Andy Carroll once again.

His displays for West Ham so far this season have been hugely impressive considering the amount of time the big Geordie has spent on the sidelines in recent months. Now that West Ham’s number nine is back, is he proving that he is the best striker of his kind in the league?

The answer is, rather simply, yes. The target man is becoming a rarer breed these days, but there is nobody better in the Premier League than Carroll. Out of a massive 76 aerial duels that the Hammers ace has contested in just five games this season, he’s managed to win 53 of them, showing why he’s such a good player for team-mates to aim at.

One of the main criticisms of Carroll is that he doesn’t score enough. However, he showed in the recent encounter against Swansea City that he can find the back of the net with a couple of controlled finishes with his head. The 25-year-old is blessed with heading ability that almost allows him to add finesse as well as pinpoint accuracy onto his headers, with his first against Swansea, a cushioned effort, a perfect example of this.

Of course, there are other target men in the league worth a mention. Peter Crouch has produced consistently at Premier League level over the years, taking advantage of his 6ft. 7″ structure whilst also being pretty handy with his feet as well. Christian Benteke can also be a real threat in the air, as well as Didier Drogba, Romelu Lukaku and Diego Costa.

All these players showcase excellent strength and aerial ability but they do not possess the strong aerial side to their game that manner Carroll does. His impressive record of winning aerial duels in the Premier League shows exactly why he is the best target man in the league. Against Swansea on Sunday, Diafra Sakho thrived off the supply of Carroll’s aerial flick-ons, with one of them resulting in Sakho grabbing his seventh Premier League goal of the season.

Although the other strikers mentioned are clearly excellent players in their own right, Carroll models himself into a target man mould, recognising his heading ability as one of the best around. What makes the ex-Liverpool and Newcastle man stand out is his leap; he often wins headers unchallenged due to the amount of height he can generate through his approach to the ball. Therefore, he becomes one of the hardest players to defend against, as centre-backs often cannot compete with his aerial presence.

It may take a long time for Andy Carroll to prove his worth but he has made a good start since his return from injury. In order for Carroll to truly recognise his potential, he needs to stay injury free and show doubters that he is a goalscorer. Since his 11 goal tally in 14 games for Newcastle United, Carroll has not come close to replicating that success in a Liverpool or West Ham shirt.

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However, if he continues to produce performances like the one against Swansea, he will quickly show that, at the top of his game, he is unplayable and is the best target man in the league.

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After months of trying to prove to the Liverpool fans he’s worth the £20m the club forked out on him, Lazar Markovic’s outstanding performance against Sunderland on Saturday proved the Reds could have one hell of a player at their disposal.

Before Liverpool’s hard-fought 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, Markovic had largely failed to make an impression since his high profile move from Benfica in the summer. Just one League Cup goal against Bournemouth, and a foolish red card in their vital Champions League group game with Basel, were the only headlines the Serbian made since joining.

But after a truly exceptional performance against the Black Cats, are we now seeing the player we have been expecting to see for five months? In a nutshell – yes.

The 20-year-old was the Reds’ standout player, looking lively throughout, and before he scored the only goal of the game he should have been awarded a penalty. Just to top off his superb display, the Serbian international hit an audacious second-half scissor volley, crashing the ball off the underside of the bar.

Ok, it was only one game, and we must not get carried away, but Brendan Rodgers knew about Markovic’s ability when he brought the winger to Anfield. The Liverpool boss told The Telegraph:

“It is nothing that we haven’t seen before because he is a top young talent. It shows what a difficult league this is for any player to come in, let alone a very young player. Then add the fact that he is coming to one of the biggest clubs in the world.”

He added: “So it takes time, but a lot of our young players are starting to bed into our philosophy and the way we play. You will see them develop and come on a lot in the next six months. He has been pretty consistent. I had a chat with him a while ago about his aggression and he got sent off in the next game. But I want him to be aggressive with and without the ball. He is a talent.”

It’s undoubtedly been a turbulent season on Merseyside thus far. After surprisingly pushing Manchester City so close for the title last term, the Reds have massively underachieved this term. Obviously, the loss of Luis Suarez has been a major factor, as well as Daniel Sturridge’s lengthy injury layoff keeping the England international out of most of the campaign.

But things are starting to look up for Brendan Rodgers’ side – his summer signings are beginning to bed-in and Sturridge has returned to training. For all the doom and gloom that has surrounded the club for most of the season, Liverpool have now lost just once in their last 13 games in all competitions.

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It may have taken Markovic a long time to adapt to the English Premier League, but Liverpool now look like they have a very handy and talented player on their hands, who has the potential to go on and be a world-class winger.

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has set his target for the remainder of the season, according to reports from BT Sport.

The Gunners manager is aiming to win seven of their remaining Premier League fixtures, which would guarantee them a place in the top-four.

With only three points separating the Gunners in third and Liverpool in sixth, Wenger knows that his side will need to beat relegation battlers Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday to keep them in a place to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The North London club also have a mountainous task of trying to overturn a 3-1 result when they travel to Monaco for their second leg Champions League round-of-sixteen clash.

However, Wenger has guided Arsenal into the formerly named European cup the last 15 consecutive seasons, and is determined to do so once again by the end of the campaign.

“Seventy-two,” he replied when asked how many points he will need.

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“People have finished in the top four with 67 points, but if you look at this year we have 51 points now. So it will be in the 70s. It is a tough run-in but it will be similar to last year.

“Look, have you seen the quality of the teams behind us? Southampton, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United. The best way is to look forward and go as fast as we can.

“It will be down to consistency because mathematically it is not impossible for the guys behind us to catch us, but also for us to catch the teams in front of us. You just have to focus on yourself and win the next game.

“It has not been every year, but when you have to go through the qualifiers you are not in the Champions League.

“It is better that you finish in the top three than the top four. Fourth is not a guarantee of Champions League football.

“The only thing you can say is that (this season) it is very tight. You look in front of you, Manchester City are four points ahead of us, and you look behind you, there’s plenty of people chasing us.

“That will be very, very tight and it will be down to consistency in our results and mental strength. That will certainly be needed again on Wednesday night.”

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Meanwhile Gunners midfielder Francis Coquelin, who fractured his nose during the weekend, is expected to start against QPR with a protective mask at Loftus Road.

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As England prepare for their current round of international fixtures, it also marks the start of a certain striker’s career for The Three Lions. With 29 goals, the clamour for Harry Kane’s inclusion at Wembley has been staggering.

So far the 21 year old has met every challenge and obstacle put in his way with consummate ease. As he is on the verge of international recognition, how good can Harry Kane be?

Kane’s first full season with Spurs in the top flight has been so good that it is barely covered by the most extravagant hyperbole. Within the space of six months, he has gone from being on the peripheries at White Hart Lane, to front and centre for the national side. It has been a remarkable rise.

The comparisons have come consistently in the last few weeks. Whether it has been Alan Shearer, comparing him to….himself, or Geoff Hurst comparing him to Thomas Muller. As always, this country is perfect at hyping any young star beyond belief and Harry Kane appears to be no different. His career so far has shown he is ready to match any aspirations anyone has for him, these next few weeks will be his hardest to reach to date.

Going back to Shearer’s humble comparison with himself. Comparing young Harry to the most prolific striker in the League’s history is extremely high praise indeed. The two players’ form before their first international appearance makes interesting reading. In 104 games, Shearer only managed 20 goals, this is in contrast to Kane’s 36 in only 95.

There is no doubt that the young Spurs striker has set the kind of standards that will be difficult to maintain for the rest of his career. But even from his first few games, people doubted that it would continue for a whole season, those same people are no doubting it can last more than one. So far, anybody that has doubted the striker has been proven, wholeheartedly, wrong.

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The only person who seems to be looking to douse the Harry Kane fire is his international captain Rooney, saying his newest strike partner needs room to breathe.

No one knows the suffocating pressure of English expectation like Wayne Rooney; the nation’s hopes have long been almost exclusively placed on the Manchester United striker. He has coped admirably, but his below average performances at major tournaments can be pinpointed to the huge pressure placed upon the shoulders of the captain.

If Kane’s first season has proved anything, it’s that he has the attitude to achieve and surpass even the most optimistic of expectations.  Although the comparisons are obviously over the top, there is a genuine excitement in English football.

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He is a throwback, a ‘proper centre forward’. He has been the surprise package of the national game and is now set to run out at Wembley for the first time.

His early form has shown he can take the next step with ease. England may have a new man to place crippling pressure upon, for years to come.

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At the beginning of the season Leeds United were hoping to be serious play-off contenders but very soon it all went badly wrong.

The Whites have been lacklustre on the pitch, had too many controversies off the pitch with their owner Massimo Cellino, they have gone through three managers and are now languishing down in 15th after getting dangerously close to the relegation zone. At the beginning of April fresh controversy broke at the club when news came out that assistant manager Steve Thompson had been suspended from his duties until the end of the season. The problem was nobody seemed to know why he had been suspended.

Neil Redfearn, Leeds’ third manager was equally baffled, “He’s been suspended – for what, I don’t know. I don’t understand why he has been suspended. I am bitterly disappointed.” The gaffer is also facing an uncertain few weeks as his contract is due for renewal and it remains unknown as to whether the chairman will be interested in Redfearn staying on. Leeds had started to try and turn their fortunes around, after what has been a dire season for all involved in the club and they started 2015 better than they finished 2014 but now they are back on a slippery slide and there is a strong correlation as to when Leeds were better and when Thompson was involved.

Since the former Blackpool caretaker boss was suspended for the “internal matter”, Leeds have only managed to win one game in the Championship which is a dramatic change from the results they had been getting. Thompson joined the Peacocks in December 2014 as Redfearn’s assistant manager and the gaffer classed them as the “ideal partnership” believing their style and technique greatly complimented each other. In the time he was on board as Redfearn’s right hand man Leeds won seven, drew four and only lost four games.

The gaffer remains uncertain about his future and if it shows he was not the brains behind the slightly better run in form they had, his future at the club may be short lived. It has been announced that all contractual issues will be decided in the summer so there is still a lot to be looked into.

Thompson has a proven record of bringing the young talent from the development and youth squads into the 1st team and that is something Leeds desperately needs to develop. They have a lot of older players in their first team and Redfearn has already said he wants to look at the youth team to bring some up for next season. Thompson was assistant manager at Blackpool for eight years and was caretaker manager a number of times. Each time the Englishman was in charge, Seaside fans pleaded with Karl Oyston to make it a permanent deal but for some reason it never quite happened. The 50-year-old has never been given the opportunity to step up which makes you wonder why.

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Thompson may be a fantastic number two and many see him as the fun uncle who does all things your parents won’t do but Redfearn is the stern parent who gets the results. They work together like chalk and cheese so for Leeds sake let’s hope Thompson will back in the dugout next season or Redfearn might not last much longer.

Football is life in microcosm. An amplified, magnified, footballing version of life, it is the soap opera that keeps on churning.

We have plots and subplots, side stories and other-side stories. We have pantomime villains, rags to riches stories… and we have Jose Mourinho.

And at the moment, the good Samaritan figure is surely Southampton.

Saintly by name and saintly by nature, they’ve been in shocking form over the last few weeks. It’s almost as if Ronald Koeman and his men, standing pasty-faced and trembling in the gaze of the Europa League’s Medusa stare, have turned to stone.

They’ve won only once in their last six games, and their attempt to avoid supping from the poisoned chalice of Thursday nights on ITV 4 has been of enormous help to some of the teams at the bottom of the table. The scavengers down there, feeding from scraps and the odd hard-fought point, have gleefully feasted on the Saints’ poor form.

Hull and Burnley couldn’t manage to help themselves, though. Burnley have gone and Hull don’t look to be too far behind them, and that probably shows what a gift Southampton have given to the others. In successive games, Sunderland and Leicester have been given Premier League lifelines by a Southampton side who could still claw their way into Europe for the first time since 2003. But at the moment, they look like a team caught standing in the doorway of history with their pants down.

Next up, it’s Aston Villa’s turn to humble the formerly high-flying Saints. Villa now know that winning their game at St Mary’s this weekend will see them safe with a match to spare – and they could then focus squarely on an FA Cup final.

What was an awful season for Villa could very easily turn into their best one in years. By contrast, a great season for Southampton could turn into a poor one – lose to Villa and they’d have to go to Manchester City on the last day and look for a redeeming result there.

That’s overstatement, of course. No matter what happens it’s not a poor season for Southampton: they’ve confounded expectations in a big way. But it would be a disappointing end to a season of high hopes. With Swansea breathing down their necks, a Europa League spot – even if 7th place ensures one – does not look certain.

From a Southampton point of view, the only glowing bright spot from these last six games is that Tottenham have done almost as terribly. Spurs have won only once in their last six too, but they did manage an extra point out of those games.

All of this leaves Tottenham only a point ahead of Southampton but with a vastly inferior goal difference. Swansea have capitalised on this to find themselves only a point further back.

And so the soap opera keeps churning. Both Saints and Swansea have a game against Manchester City in their final two. Both Tottenham and Southampton have tricky games against relegation-threatened teams – Hull and Villa – and Swansea and Spurs both have games against mid-table teams with little to play for – Palace and Everton.

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But with the form of the three teams as erratic as it is, it’s hard to see any of those games as foregone conclusions. There’s a lot left to play for, but Spurs and Southampton really don’t look like they want it. Terrified of playing in the Europa League next season, perhaps. I don’t blame them.

The Saints and the Spurs are stumbling over the line, and the Swans are gliding up on the rails. It’s going to be an interesting finish to the Europa League chase.

Or maybe that should be ‘the Europa League evasion’. The soap opera continues.

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