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When Manchester United played Manchester City at Old Trafford a few weeks ago, seven of the starting XI were players who were at the club under Alex Ferguson, including all of the back four and goalkeeper.

This week, it has emerged that Manchester United could be one of the teams interested in taking Jonny Evans back to the club from West Brom, after speculation in the summer that he could join Manchester City.

United clearly do need new options this season, having seen their form slump dramatically because of injury – something that shouldn’t happen to such an extent. But going in for Evans again does seem to throw open one pertinent question: do United owe Alex Ferguson one big apology?

When the former United boss retired in 2013, he was clearly given the send-off of a legend and his unparallelled achievements were properly lauded and respected. But there was one criticism that’s been levelled at him ever since he retired: did he leave United in the lurch with a team which wasn’t fit for purpose, at least in the long term?

The argument has been advanced for the last four and a half years: Ferguson, in buying the likes of Robin van Persie, was looking for a short-term hit in order to allow his team to return to the top when he retired. In doing so, they say, he left his side woefully short of players who would be at the top of their game in the long term. But if it’s true that United are considering returning for Jonny Evans, it would appear as though Ferguson wasn’t to blame after all.

Or is it that United’s recruitment is simply continuing to fall short of the standards expected of such a big club?

It wasn’t just a widely-held belief that United’s squad was filled with deadwood when Ferguson left, it was the truth. It wasn’t an easy squad to sort out, but since getting rid of David Moyes, United have spent hundreds of millions of pounds to make it right.

Some signings have worked – Paul Pogba is now clearly of vital importance to his side, whilst Romelu Lukaku and Eric Bailly may well turn out to be top players for the club in the long term. But the majority of the signings since the departures of both Scots over the last few years have been wide of the mark.

And whilst it’s probably true that Ferguson left the club in a mess, it wasn’t unfixable. And it also wasn’t Ferguson’s fault that it wasn’t fixed: clearly United’s recruitment has been an even bigger mess for the last few years, and bringing in Jonny Evans would seem to be more than just a canny January signing – it would be yet another admission that United’s transfer policy has been wrong for four years.

So where does that leave the failings of Moyes and Louis van Gaal? Where does it leave the perception that Ferguson was partly to blame for the club’s decline? And where does it leave Ed Woodward and the United board who are the constants at the club’s executive level in the period between Ferguson’s departure and now?

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United’s position in the league table probably isn’t as bad as it could be. They have clearly made progress from where they have been over the last few seasons, and in other Premier League seasons they may well have been in the title hunt.

It was already clear that United’s recruitment since the end of the Ferguson era hasn’t been good enough. And in bringing up the possibility of going back for Evans, United probably owe Ferguson a big apology for the perception that it was partly his fault at all.

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On the 2nd April, Leeds United’s assistant manager Steve Thompson was suspended from his position with immediate effect. It was widely reported but nobody in the media had any idea what it was for.

After keeping quiet for so long, Thompson has finally broken his silence to tell FootballFanCast.com exactly what went on.

He said: “I will have my say on the matter, I have been quiet for two long now but there was no incident. I was suspended for no reason what so ever.

“I got suspended and I am still waiting for the reason why,” he added.

With things happening in the background for Thompson, there are certain things he must keep quiet but it seems clear he has had enough. The news about his suspension was broken on Sky News and that was the first he had heard that he had been “suspended.”

Thompson told us: “It has been very upsetting. I can say with 100% accuracy that I did absolutely nothing wrong.”

The Former Blackpool caretaker boss is waiting to see what happens next but he is not planning to go back to Leeds. “I won’t be going back. There is no way. Leeds United is a big club, you don’t have to sell anybody the club’s history, but no one treats me like that, especially when I have done nothing,” he added.

“Thats the disappointing thing for me. If I had done something wrong, I would have held my hand up and walked away but to suspend someone for nothing – I don’t work for people like that.

Neil Redfearn and ‘Thommo’ took charge at Leeds United when they were just two points from the relegation zone and eventually guided them to Championship safety, but Redfearn hasn’t secured his job for next season. Last week it was announced that Uwe Rosler was the new manager at Elland Road and Thompson was deeply disappointed by the news.

“I think he wanted to stay. It’s disappointing how it has all happened,” he admitted.

It is still unknown as to whether Redfearn will take up his previous position as Head of Youth Development but Thompson doubts it.

“Neil has kept his dignity in how he has handled things. He deserves a lot of credit for the academy and the young players that have come through. I have been at clubs where they have got amazing young players, but these are the best I’ve seen and it’s all down to Neil.”

There have been many rumours  surrounding owner Massimo Cellino’s involvement in the club and Thompson hinted to us that the rumours the owner may insist on picking the team could be true: “You cannot work under those circumstances and how things in the dressing room were. There are many things that are not right at that club.”

The 50-year-old still wants answers to why he was suspended but now he is looking forward to a future and starting afresh at another club: “I’m waiting to see what happens with this stuff in the background but I just hope that people [at other clubs] look past the suspension.

“I just pray it doesn’t tarnish the work I have done. It’s just a case of waiting for the phone to ring and I can move on and make a fresh start.”

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Now the tense wait is over, England finally know who they will be playing against in the World Cup in six months time. Italy, Costa Rica and Uruguay have been given the task of breaking English hearts and stopping them from lifting that most coveted of trophies.

It’s a fairly competitive group for Roy Hodgson, who could only book his flights to Rio after his side’s final qualifier against Poland.

But while the TV pundits argue whether England will win Group D, or even qualify for the Round of 16, we take a look at the threats that could stop the Three Lions from succeeding in Brazil.

England’s first game is against Italy, familiar rivals in international competitions. The Azzurri drew blood as recently as two years ago, when they knocked England out of Euro 2012 on penalties.

So who should Hodgson be wary of in Manaus? Here are three players that could cause issues for England.

Mario Balotelli

No stranger to English defenders, Super Mario will be looking to remind the nation of what they are missing now he’s left the Premier League. While his two-and-a-half-year spell at Manchester City may have been full of controversy and drama, it also came with goals.  Despite having only just reached his twenties, Balotelli scored 20 Premier League goals in just 54 appearances, proving why he cost City €20million (although he will probably believe he was worth much more than that.)

His spell in England was cut short though, after having one too many arguments with manager Roberto Mancini or his fellow players. It wasn’t just training incidents that got him in trouble either. He was sent off three times in his short Premier League spell, as well as once for City in the Europa League. The Italian also received a four-match ban after stamping on Scott Parker in a match against Tottenham Hotspur in January 2012. AC Milan manager Max Allegri has struggled to fix his discipline issues, with the striker picking up his first red card in the black and red stripes back in September.

But despite occasionally losing his head, the striker can demoralise opposition defenders with his brilliance. Fierce strikes against Germany in Euro 2012 and Brazil in a friendly in March are reminders of the power the 23-year-old can generate. His strength on the ball, and incredible ability to find the back of the net, make Balotelli Italy’s top striker, and biggest threat in the upcoming World Cup.

Andrea Pirlo

Unless you’ve only started watching football in the last year, or you decided that you weren’t going to watch Euro 2012, there aren’t many people who don’t know about the threat Andrea Pirlo brings to any team he graces.

The 34-year-old has made 107 appearances for the national team, and has won nearly every tournament possible. Just a European Championship winners medal has evaded the magician, who has lifted the Serie A trophy four times and the Champions League twice.

There isn’t a pass that Pirlo can’t play. Whether it is a 50-yard cross-field switch, or a delicate through-ball on the edge of the area, the veteran midfielder can make it, blindfolded.  The key playmaker for both the national team and Juventus, Pirlo’s ability to not only find every teammate with a pass, but to also cover every blade of grass, makes the 34-year-old a crucial player to keep an eye on. And if Italy get a set piece, then prepare yourselves for something special. A stunning free-kick taker, Pirlo can score from 20 yards or 35 yards. And every England fan knows about his penalty taking ability!

Hodgson thought he had Pirlo worked out back in Euro 2012. The midfielder was supposed to be man marked as tightly as possible, and yet it was England’s players who didn’t get any time on the ball. Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard were reduced to shadows chasing Pirlo around the pitch, as the Italian made 131 passes on the night, 87 more than England’s highest passer Ashley Cole. The 34-year-old was creating chances while stopping England attacks, before scoring the match-changing penalty. The Three Lions were 2-1 up in the shootout when Pirlo stepped up to start the third round of kick takers. His delicate, delightful, ridiculously cool chip sent Hart the wrong way, and changed the shootout. Ashley Young then responded by hitting the bar, before Ashley Cole had his shot saved, leading to Diamanti to fire Italy into the semi-finals of the tournament.

Stephan El Shaarawy

Just 21-years-old, El Shaarawy is starting to make a name for himself in Europe. The Milan forward scored 16 goals last season, as he lit up Serie A with his pace and flair. And while the rising star is currently injured with a foot injury, El Shaarawy will be desperate to shine when fit ahead of the summer tournament.

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Whoever Hodgson picks as his starting full-backs for the first match in Manaus, they could be set for a long evening should El Shaarawy feature. Full of step-overs and tricks, the starlet has terrified Serie A defenders over the last two seasons, skipping past players for fun. With five months of league football still remaining, the youngster has plenty of time to develop a key partnership with Balotelli, that could benefit the national team greatly should the two link up strongly.

El Shaarawy will have an eye on Milan’s Champions League draw too. After qualifying for the last 16 of the tournament, the 21-year-old will be hoping to be fit to showcase his talents against Europe’s best in the competition. In Brazil, with Pirlo’s ability to slide a ball behind the defence, the Milan winger could blitz through on goal, and deny England from the perfect start to their World Cup.

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Italian giants Juventus are ready to rival Manchester United in the chase to sign promising Austrian youngster Marcel Sabitzer, according to talkSPORT.

The 18-year-old forward is out of contract at his current Austrian club side Admira Wacker at the end of the season and is valued at £1million.

He has scored eight goals since the start of last season and his form lead to him earning a first senior international cap in Austria’s 0-0 draw with Romania in June, however he has since dropped back down to the Under-21 squad.

While United are keen to secure the services of Sabitzer, reports in Italy suggest that Juventus have emerged as frontrunners to sign him and could make a move for him as early as January.

His current club are reluctant to lose him, but the lure of playing for one of Europes major clubs will be a temptation for the young player.

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Sabitzer adds his name to a string of players linked with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side recently, with the United chief looking keen to strengthen his squad this winter as his side bids to reclaim their Premier League title from bitter rivals Manchester City.

Liam Ridgewell believes West Brom deserve their current fifth spot in the Premier League table and more.

The Baggies have moved into this arguably unexpected position, after a 2-0 victory over Nigel Adkins’ Southampton on Monday night.

However, the defender has given a warning about the club’s busy schedule ahead, and insists that West Brom must keep gaining points.

“We deserve to be there. In fact, I think we deserve to have even more points, to be honest. We’ve done really well but the main thing is to keep that going and show people it’s not just the start of the season,” he told the club’s official website.

“We are going into a lot of games now with the Christmas period coming up and we’ve got to try to keep it going and keep picking up points. Monday was a big game because it was probably the biggest test for the new team since Roy left. I thought we did it very well and came through solidly.”

The left-back claims the team were not put under too much pressure by Monday’s match and that this relaxed approach helped them win the game.

“We didn’t really feel lots of pressure. Pressure is playing against Manchester United at Old Trafford when you’re bottom in the league. Monday was a night when we had to make sure we did the right things, start well, get the first goal and make sure they didn’t come back at us,” he added.

“If we’d lost people would have started saying it was a fluke start to the season, blah, blah, blah. But we know what we’re all about, we know we’re a good team and hopefully we can keep showing that.”

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Boss Steve Clarke has warned the team about not getting complacent following Monday’s victory reiterating that “you always have to be careful in the Premier League.”

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Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is hopeful that Marouane Fellaini will soon sign a new contract with the 20-time English champions.

Fellaini will see his current deal at Old Trafford expire at the end of the season.

The 30-year-old is believed to have rejected at least one offer from United, and he has been strongly linked with a move to Turkish football.

Fellaini is a favourite of Mourinho, however, with the Belgium international offering a physical presence in both penalty boxes.

The United boss has paid tribute to Fellaini on a number of occasions in recent months, and the Portuguese is hopeful that the former Everton midfielder will soon pen a fresh contract with the team that are currently second in the Premier League table.

Mourinho told reporters:

“He’s a very important player for me and a great professional who is giving everything to help the team.

“There’s a desire from myself, the board and the player to stay together and that’s our objective. Are we going to agree? I don’t know. But what I know is myself, the board and the player we would like to have a happy end.”

“He knows that I want him and the club wants him. I think this is also important for him. But you only sign a paper when you are happy with what is written in the paper.”

Fellaini, who is valued at £10.8m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is expected to be in the United squad that travels to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

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As the nation continues to be gripped by relentless speculation linking Gareth Bale to Madrid, the future of a certain Liverpool favourite has remained largely in the background. With continued reports suggesting that Luis Suarez wants to leave Liverpool, is the £40m fee being mooted short of his value?

Sky Sports have already reported that an offer is on the table for around the £85m should Spurs wish to accept it. Contrast this to the £40,000,001 offer made for Suarez from Premier League rivals Arsenal. Is Suarez really worth less than half that of Gareth Bale?

It has subsequently emerged that the bid for Suarez was swiftly rejected after a misunderstanding over a potential release clause. An internal contract dispute between Suarez and club has ended with Liverpool standing firm over the non-existence of a release clause. The figure to capture the Uruguayan is now believed to be nearer the £55m mark, the value Liverpool has placed on the striker.

Still a £30m difference in value seems a huge gulf for two players who are arguably similar in terms of quality. I actually believe were it not for his on pitch behaviour, Luis Suarez would quite likely have claimed both the PFA and Football Writers gongs last term and as such eclipsed the achievements of Gareth Bale. Suarez is probably more integral to Liverpool’s hopes and ambitions than Gareth Bale is to Spurs’. As such the club should look to extract maximum value from any prospective sale.

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So why does the gulf in value exist?

Both players are reportedly intent on a move away if you are to believe Sky Sports understanding of the respective situations. Similarly both plays have a substantial amount of time to run on their current contracts. So would accepting a £50m bid be financially naïve from Liverpool?

Sadly I don’t think this is the case at all. The difference between Suarez and Bale is what they bring off the pitch rather than their contributions on it. Bale is a shy unassuming Welsh lad who appears to be incredibly marketable having developed something of a brand for himself already. Contrast this to a racist come cannibal who constantly brings shame upon the club that has placed so much faith in him.

When Real bid £85m for Bale they know that in footballing terms he is work a fraction of that sum. Big money deals in modern football are as much about the publicity and media attention as it is about the quality of the footballer. The same was true of the deal to take Ronaldo to the Bernabeu: an undoubted star of the game, but £80m for him? Really? The transfer was prudent from a Madrid perspective because of the furore that came with it. Shirt sales and media deals are now genuine considerations for a purchasing club.

Ramon Calderon, the ex Madrid President, spoke to TalkSport last night and was actually quite telling in this respect. Asked whether the deal to bring Neymar to the Camp Nou would have any impact on a potential deal for Bale and he definitively answered that it would. Real Madrid need to make a big name deal to assert their national authority, and purchasing Bale for an overinflated price will do exactly that. The extra baggage that comes with a deal for Suarez in the eyes of a prospective buyer makes a deal less palatable.

It would be short-sighted to believe his Premier League ban would enable clubs to knock £20m off his price tag, because it shouldn’t. However, the character of the Uruguayan and fears that reoccurrences of the past could occur make a big money bid for the striker unlikely.

For Liverpool going forward this means that they will always end up getting less than the players true footballing worth. I severely doubt Arsenal will stump up £55m for Suarez, I think an improvement on their current bid is pretty unlikely as well. Liverpool fans may see this as a positive, with FSG unlikely to entertain bids below the £40m mark, they could therefore hold onto their star man for another year yet. However, in a financial sense it is a great shame for Liverpool that purchasing clubs will always undervalue Suarez, even as a player of such exceptional talent. The question for Liverpool is whether to hold on to Suarez against his apparent will and prepare for more of his non-footballing antics, or to sell him below his actual value.

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For Liverpool this is the kind of decision that could well determine the way their near future plays out. Whilst £40m is a lot of money for any club, there will always be the nagging thought that he should be worth more.

Should Liverpool sell themselves short for £40m?

Join the debate below! 

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Football and social media are quickly intertwining. It’s hard to find a club or player without a Twitter account nowadays, while sides over in America’s MLS even actively get stars involved in the day-to-day running of accounts to help break down the boundaries between the fans and the action.

For most supporters the first port of call for trusted news online is their team’s own Twitter account. Breaking team developments, starting XIs and transfer stories become official when the club put their name to it, and such tweets generate massive amounts of attention. So, with teams like Manchester United widely followed you’d expect them to get the most responses, right? Well, it’s actually Leeds United’s supporters who get most involved with their side, interacting with the official feed on average more than any other group of supporters.

Leeds Middlesbrough Everton Preston North End Arsenal

Official research from CrowdScores – who analysed interaction with each of the 92 Football League Clubs’ official Twitter feeds over the last six months, looking at the amount of followers each club has compared to the number of tweets which included the Twitter handle – reveals that the Whites top this particular league table from the last six months with 7.7-posts-per-fan, while another Championship side in the shape of Middlesbrough come in second. Everton are the most ‘popular’ of the Premier League sides with 6.3-per-fan, while Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth make up the ‘Champions League places’ behind Arsenal.

While all tweets are by no means positive, Sheffield United supporters are the friendliest, with nearly nine times more positive interactions than negative.

Here’s how the 2015/16 season could end if judged on the results:

Premier League

Champions – Everton

Champions League – Arsenal, AFC Bournemouth, Crystal Palace

Relegated – Sunderland, Swansea City, Norwich City

Championship

Champions – Leeds United

Promoted – Middlesbrough

Relegated – Nottingham Forest, Cardiff City, Fulham

League One

Champions – Bradford City

Promoted – Southend United

Relegated – Chesterfield, Coventry City, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United

League Two

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Champions – Northampton Town

Promoted – Yeovil Town, Wycombe Wanderers

Relegated – Dagenham & Redbridge, York City

*Not including play-off contenders

Everton’s £28m striker Romelu Lukaku has hinted that he could leave Goodison Park in the summer, the Mail Online reports. But shouldn’t the pricey Belgian be looking to stay with the Toffees and start repaying the club with some much-needed goals?

Lukaku was outstanding in his season-long loan with Everton last year, impressing so much at Goodison Park that Roberto Martinez smashed the club’s transfer record to bring him to Merseyside permanently. The Belgium international’s 15 Premier League goals last term helped the Toffees to an impressive fifth place finish in Martinez’s first season with the club.

However, this campaign has been a far cry from those dizzy heights of last year. Everton have struggled for consistency all season, and as a consequence they sit a lowly 12th in the Premier League table, picking up just six league wins in 25 games. Martinez’s side are just five points above the drop zone, and they have secured just one win in their last 11 league and cup encounters.

There have been many suggestions that Lukaku hasn’t lived up to his hefty price tag since making the permanent switch from Chelsea in the summer. Although the 21-year-old hasn’t been as prolific as last season, he is still the club’s top scorer this term with 10 goals in all competitions. But it’s not just Lukaku who has underperformed, a lot of the Everton senior players have failed to step up to the plate this season, with six Premier League wins clearly unacceptable for a club the size of the Toffees.

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Instead of suggesting he’s open to a move away from Merseyside, the ex-Chelsea striker should be concentrating on providing Everton with the goals they so desperately need. Although relegation seems extremely unlikely, Roberto Martinez’ side need a positive run of form from now until the end of the season.

The Daily Mail have linked both West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur with a move for the Everton striker in recent days. With Spurs on the lookout for a forward to partner Harry Kane up top, and with the Metro reporting West Ham’s Enner Valencia is a target for league leaders Chelsea, rumours of Lukaku leaving Goodison Park may have a bit of truth in them. Whether Everton get anywhere near the £28m fee they paid for him is anyone’s guess though.

The Toffees have only found the net twice in their last six Premier League games. With just 13 league games remaining, as well as a two-legged Europa League tie with Young Boys on the horizon, the club have never needed Romelu Lukaku to come up with goods as much as they do now. In the wake of the player’s recent want-away comments, it would benefit all parties if the Belgian did his talking on the pitch rather than off it.

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The forward, who has already accumulated transfer fees of £46m during his short career, is more than capable of providing the Toffees with the much-needed goals in the remainder of the season; and he should be concentrating at staying in the blue half of Merseyside for the foreseeable future.

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Only two games left in the red shirt. When the final whistle of the 2014/15 season sounds, it will be the end of an era not only for Liverpool, but the whole of the Premier League, as Steven Gerrard will have, probably, have played his last game in English football.

The 34-year-old Anfield captain is set to head off to California to see out his career with MLS champions LA Galaxy, with a new contract on Merseyside having not been agreed.

Despite the ribbing he gets from opposing fans, there’s no denying that he’s one of the best midfielders to have ever played in English football, and the standing ovation he received from Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge is testament to the respect he’s earned.

His career has been littered with amazing moments, and here are FIVE that defined the man…

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Captain Fantastic

“I have thought long and hard about this. This is not something which should be seen as against Sami. He has been a good captain for us. He has lifted six trophies as captain.

“But I have considered a number of issues. Firstly, I think Stevie has certain leadership qualities which I spotted very early in his career.

“When he was young, all he needed was time to mature. Now he is 23 and he is ready. There has been a maturing in his game and his personality.”

What a decision this was from Gerard Houllier in 2003, and one that kicked off an era that moulded one of the best young talents England has ever produced into, arguably, the finest all-round midfielder to pull on the red jersey of Liverpool and the white one of the Three Lions.

The Frenchman’s decision truly elevated Gerrard’s game, with the added responsibility helping him to make the leap to greatness. Although not a ‘barking orders’ style of performer, the Merseyside No. 8 leads by example.

Pucker up!

The Premier League title is the one prize to evade Gerrard through his career, but as was the case last season, he came agonisingly close in 2009.

During that season with Fernando Torres in the form of his life, the now 34-year-old skipper was playing some of the best football of his career, and enjoyed one of his great moments at Old Trafford.

The Kop hero netted a penalty against Manchester United before unleashing one of the most iconic celebrations of the Premier League era by kissing the TV camera in the corner of the pitch.

Oh, ya beauty!

‘Ohhhhhhh, ya beauty! What a hit, son. What a hit!” Andy Gray may not be the most popular figure in the world of football nowadays, but that moment of commentary as Gerrard leathered the ball into the Kop net will go down in folklore.

The Reds were on the brink of elimination from the 2004/05 Champions League in the final game of the group stage, and needed to beat Olympiakos by two clear goals.

With the score at 2-1 in the dying minutes, Gerrard produced a moment of magic. A nod down from Neil Mellor on the edge of the 18-yard box teed up the midfielder, who unleashed an unstoppable half volley that fizzed into the onion bag.

Too tired to pass…

West Ham were just seconds from lifting the FA Cup.

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Leading 3-2 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. The Londoners looked to be in little danger as the ball dropped to Gerrard 35 yards from goal. Ordinarily the midfielder would have recycled possession, but with cramp setting in he opted to whack it goalwards… with predictable results. The ball simply arrowed past Shaka Hislop.

The game went to extra time and Liverpool won on penalties, with Gerrard netting from the spot.

That night in Istanbul

The one. That night at the Ataturk Stadium will be remembered forever and surely goes down as the greatest Champions League comeback of all time.

3-0 down to an AC Milan side boasting names like Hernan Crespo, Kaka, Paolo Maldini, Dida and Alessandro Nesta, the Reds looked to be on course to suffer the highest defeat recorded in a European final.

But half-time changed it all. Shortly after the restart Gerrard headed a John Arne Riise cross into the net. Consolation, maybe? Then Vladimir Smicer rasped the ball home.

Surely not! And just moments after Gerrard broke into the box only to be tugged to the floor by Gennaro Gattuso. Penalty. Xabi Alonso converted – albeit from the rebound – and Liverpool went on to win on penalties.