Things have been far from plain sailing so far this season for West Ham.

They were knocked out of Europe by Astra Giurgiu, the second time in as many years, before missing out on a number of high profile transfer targets.

Moving to their new home was meant to be a step in the right direction too but as we’ve all seen, the London Stadium has had far from an easy start to life as a Premier League football ground.

Then, thrown into the mix, the club’s awful start to this season has only aggravated matters and the club find themselves in a pretty difficult situation.

Nevertheless, the club have the chance to start turning things around this weekend against Southampton and here at FootballFanCast we think these three things will allow them to take the win…

Start brightly

The Hammers fans need to be appeased quickly after what’s happened so far this season and a quick start would certainly do that. They got underway quickly against Watford but threw it away, so this time they need to do that and hold onto it against the Saints. The crowd want to make the atmosphere like it was at Upton Park but the players need to do their bit too.

Give the ball to Payet

As obvious as it sounds in West Ham’s current plight they should just give the ball to the man who is still making things happen. Payet won the game against Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup with a classy free kick and also produced a sublime rabona assist against Watford so his confidence clearly is still there. He has the ability to win games alone and that’s what the team need to start doing.

Roll the dice up front

Simone Zaza was meant to be the answer to West Ham’s striking woes with Andy Carroll still having injury worries but he looked very out of place against West Brom last weekend. He still has time to settle in of course but the Hammers need a fix quickly and it could come in the form of Ashley Fletcher. The youngster has no fear, and that’s what the club need most.

At the start of this season, one of the key battles Premier League fans were eager to see was between the red and the blue side of Manchester.

With an eventful past when Mourinho and Guardiola were managers at Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, the stage seemed set for a true managerial rivalry we haven’t seen since Wenger and Ferguson. Two of the biggest teams in the league, two of football’s most successful managers; and both the antithesis of the other.

Guardiola is seemingly the man of new, innovative ideas in football. Regardless on your views on “how easy” he’s had it, it’s hard to deny his influence on expansive, attacking and possession-based football.

Mourinho, on the other hand, focuses more on disciplined performances. Holding positions, being effective on the counter and grinding out the results. Both methods can yield results, so how have they fared this season?

It’s fair to say Guardiola is currently coming out on top. City currently have six wins out of six and are averaging three goals a game. They also beat United 2-1 in the derby. United on the other hand are in sixth and, while it’s not the worst start, the gulf between the two sides is already showing in other areas.

One difference is that Guardiola has immediately come in, stamped his authority and made the club his own. Most of the players seem to be buying into his philosophy, regardless if they are new signings or those were present in Pellegrini’s reign. Those who have refused, or don’t seem up to the task, have either been exiled (Yaya Toure) or shipped out on loan (Hart, Nasri, Mangala).

Mourinho is apparently having a tougher time winning his men over. Bar the easy early season wins against Southampton and the 4-1 win over Leicester at the weekend, United haven’t looked especially inspiring or played with any identity, particularly in their three consecutive defeats to City, Feyenoord and Watford. The Portuguese even went on record as saying United’s players are still under Louis van Gaal’s influence.

If that’s the case, it isn’t the Dutchman who is to blame, but Mourinho.

Rather than the players being “indoctrinated” by van Gaal, perhaps Mourinho just isn’t doing enough to make them forget. After all, City have seemingly wasted no time in motivating themselves to move on from Pellegrini.

There are two factors which could explain why Guardiola is succeeding where Mourinho isn’t; a difference in personalities and a difference in philosophy.

Mourinho’s way in handling his staff has been well-documented in the past. As was discussed in the Sunday Supplement this weekend, Guardiola and Mourinho have had similar problems to deal with – you could write pages alone about the differences in how Toure’s and Schweinsteiger’s cases have been dealt with – and it seems as though the Spaniard’s methods have fared better.

The other factor could simply be down to the tactics. The most successful managers this season have brought something new to their sides. Klopp has brought his ‘Gegenpressing’ to Liverpool while notably working with the same core squad available to Brendan Rodgers and Pochettino has also brought in a high-pressure game to Spurs using mostly what AVB had available to him, securing them Champions League football and making them into title challengers.

Pundits have been waxing lyrical about Guardiola since the opening day against Sunderland. The way the full-backs are sitting narrower to play through the middle, or wingers like Sterling and Nolito are stretching the play. It’s by no means his finished product, but the Spaniard is undoubtedly managing playing his way and backing it up with results.

Mourinho did this once. When the Portuguese came to our shore most clubs played 4-4-2, but Mourinho brought in his 4-5-1 formation to Chelsea and won the league. After that, one-striker formations became the norm for the majority of clubs.

The problem for Mourinho is that was the 2004-05 season, and he has barely moved on in 12 years. He had great success at Inter but was often found wanting in La Liga. He won the league with Chelsea playing 4-2-3-1 in 2014/15 but was soon sacked after performances went down the drain. He is now playing with the same formation in a style not much different to Louis Van Gaal’s and is again looking like he’ll struggle.

No one manager will ever find a ‘win all’ tactic in the ever changing game. The man who came closest, at least in the Premier League, was Sir Alex Ferguson. But even he adapted to respond to Mourinho by changing his formation. It is the mark of a successful manager.

Unfortunately for United, Mourinho seems to be stubbornly sticking to his guns with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Fellaini and Pogba are struggling in a pivot as Fabregas and Matic did. While drafting in Herrera yielded a win at the weekend, it would be very surprising if it sold the problem long-term.

And if Mourinho fails to adapt, it’ll be the blue side of Manchester cheering more often than not.

Following relegation to the Championship, Newcastle have spent big on new players in a bid to bounce straight back up.

But that spending has been offset by a number of big-money departures from the club. And so Newcatle’s net spend is very much in the black this window.

That stands the club in good stead for the next couple of years, especially if Rafael Benitez can mastermind a swift return back to the Premier League and all the riches that entails these days. And if they can then build upon the young and hungry squad they currently have, Newcastle could have a very bright future.

For a Championship club they’ve spent very big this summer, but we all know Newcastle aren’t a Championship setup. And in order to delve a little deeper into that odd concept, we’ve dipped into transfer site TransferMarkt.com in a bid to see just how much Newcastle’s squad is worth at the moment (108.25m, apparently) and their top 10 most valuable players – so here they are!

10.Cheik Tiote – £4.25m

He’s only played once so far, and only for 16 minutes, but despite falling out of favour with the new manager and falling behind Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey and Jack Colback in the starting XI, Tiote is still one of Newcastle’s most valuable players.

His value has been declining steadily over the past few seasons, and although Tiote is valued at £4.25m, if he wants to leave the club quickly in January, the club may need to accept a slightly lower fee.

9. Mohamed Diame – £5.10m

Mo Diame has been around the Premier League block a bit, though last season his biggest contribution was to score the winning goal in the Championship playoff final for Hull City.

If he can make the same contribution to Newcastle this season then he could fire himself and his team into the top division again – and perhaps be in a position to make a better stab of it than Hull City are this season.

TransferMarkt seem to think Newcastle bought Diame for around about his market value, so if he can have the same sort of promotional impact, they’ll think it money well spent.

8. Dwight Gayle – £5.10m

Having moved from Crystal Palace to Newcastle, there’s quite a bit of pressure and expectation on Dwight Gayle’s shoulders. This could be a make or break season for the 25 year old, and so far his goals are keeping Newcastle on track.

If he can lift his side to the Premier League, he’ll have the chance to become the Premier League marksman he never really turned into at Crystal Palace – from the top of the Championship this season he can get a running start at it. And if that happens, he’ll be worth far more than the £5m or so he currently is.

7. Matz Sels – £5.53m

Newcastle bought Matz Sels for pretty much spot on his market value, according to TransferMarkt, and he has already established himself as the club’s number one stopper.

It was a good piece of business from Newcastle, it seems, from a financial point of view: they knew what they wanted and they went out to get it. And at 24, his value will only get higher, allowing Newcastle to sell for more money if they feel he isn’t up to the standard of the Premier League.

6. Jack Colback – £5.53m

Jack Colback’s market value has fluctuated somewhat over the years. His move to Newcastle from Sunderland on a free transfer in 2014 made him public enemy number one in Wearside, but at Newcastle he is playing an important role in the side this year in the most valuable team in the Championship.

5. Ayoze Perez – £6.80m

After relegation to the Championship in the summer, Newcastle have worked hard to get the transfers right, and keeping hold of Ayoze Perez will probably be a big plus as the season wears on.

Over his eight appearances this season, Perez has scored only one goal and made one assist, but it’s a long season when you play in the Championship, and if he hits a purple patch at some point, his contribution could be vital. He is a very good player, and that’s reflected in the fact he’s one of the most valuable players at the club.

4. Matt Ritchie – £6.80m

Paying over the odds for a player who is already 27 years of age is probably not a smart business move, but in footballing terms, Newcastle’s signing of Matt Ritchie could turn out to be one of the signings of the summer.

He is a player who knows he can perform brilliantly in the Championship and starred for Bournemouth in their promotion campaign as well as last season in the Premier League. If he can do the same for Newcastle, it won’t matter how much they paid for him – he’ll be worth his weight in gold (and Premier League TV money).

3. Chancel Mbemba – £8.50m

Another player that Newcastle signed for above his market value last summer, Chancel Mbemba is young and still raw, so that won’t be too much of an issue – if Rafael Benitez can turn him into a Premier League class defender, his value will certainly go beyond the £10m they paid for him a year ago.

In terms of this squad, though, Mbemba is one of its top valued players, and his value to the squad will be priceless if he can form a partnership with Jamaal Lascelles – a partnership that could blossom into something special as both players are still only 22.

2. Jonjo Shelvey – £9.35m

Jonjo Shelvey was quite a big signing for Newcastle last January when he was brought in from Swansea, but although he couldn’t keep the Magpies in the Premier League last season, Shelvey is still a player with great quality who is simply too good for the Championship.

He is Newcastle’s second most valuable player, but on the pitch, if he can find form and lead by example, he could be the perfect player for their charge back to the big league.

1. Aleksandar Mitrovic – £10.20

Newcastle’s most valuable player is one who they paid quite a bit of money for only last year. Around £15m may not seem like money particularly well spent, given the fact that he’s always liable to be sent off or do something stupid, but Mitrovic’s ability as a footballer can’t be in doubt.

He is big and powerful and should be the perfect fit for a season in the Championship, although only one league start so far this season casts some doubt on whether or not Rafael Benitez actually believes this is true. Either way, he is Benitez’s most valuable player.

Club football is back, and it’s always tough to get back into the swing of things again. After two weeks of complaining about missing football, when it does come back you realise you’ve found other things. Then you snap out of it and profess your love to football once more.The saving grace of the international break is that the fixtures just afterwards are usually interesting ones. You can’t spend two weeks in the wilderness complaining about football only to find out that the biggest game of the first weekend back is the fourth placed team playing a midtable mediocrity.The weekend just past didn’t disappoint like that. Oh. No.We had massive games in Germany, Italy and Spain as well as in England, where the Euro Roundup kept a smug eye on the fairly dull occasion that was Manchester United v Arsenal, and a jealous eye on Tottenham v West Ham.This week’s Euro Roundup is concerned that English football might get its groove back…

Germany

It all kicked again in Germany on Friday night, minimal waiting for club football to return.

And what a kick off it was: RB Leipzig defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 after trailing 2-1 at half time in a game which saw two goals in the first five minutes. The Euro Roundup is always baffled by the hatred elicited by RB Leipzig given the lack of hatred there seems to be for the likes of Bayer Leverkusen, a club whose name is given by the German pharmaceutical company whose company owns Monsanto, the manufacturer of the controversial (!) agricultural chemical Roundup.

Well, in the Capitalism derby, Bayer (whose name is allowed to appear on Leverkusen’s badge, were defeated by Red Bull (whose name isn’t).

That victory laid down a marker to the rest of the league and put Leipzig on top spot in the Bundesliga table ahead of Bayern Munich’s trip to Dortmund for the biggest game of the weekend.

It turned out it was a huge game, in fact, as Dortmund beat Bayern thanks to an early Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal, leaving Bayern three points off Leipzig at the top, and only three points ahead of Dortmund below them. This season could get interesting at the top yet. Or Leipzig could run away with it.

Elsewhere, Schalke’s climb up the table continued with a win over Wolfsburg and high-flying Hoffenheim could only manage a draw at home to bottom of the table Hamburg, whose position at the bottom of the table was actually improved with that point. But they’re still five points adrift of safety. Hoffenheim, on the other hand, are currently on a run of 11 Bundesliga games without defeat, which is their best top flight run ever.

France

The international break in Ligue 1 ended before it finished anywhere else, as Monaco took on Lorient in an early Friday tea-time fixture and managed a comprehensive 3-0 win to keep the pressure on PSG – who played on Saturday – and Nice – who played on Sunday.

So onto PSG, who rested players ahead of their midweek Champions League showdown with Arsenal to see who will top that group. PSG didn’t have it all their own way, An injury to Angel di Maria was a downer for the Parisians – though his first goal of the season was definitely a plus – whilst they had Kevin Trapp to thank for some wonderful saves before they finally put the game to bed in a 2-0 win.

And then it was on to Nice who maintained their lead at the top of the table thanks to a 1-0 win away to St Etienne. It’s as you were, then in Ligue 1.

Italy

Of all the leagues in Europe, the one we expected to be the least competitive in terms of a title race was probably France, but with the money that Juventus spent in the summer poaching the best players from other clubs in their own league, perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that Serie A is the league which looks least likely to have a title race this season.

That said, the intrigue in Italy isn’t in who wins the title – Juve are now a full 7 points ahead of Roma who were defeated this weekend – but in the battle for the league’s other two remaining Champions League spots.

Only six points separates second place from eighth place, but only two of those seven teams can make it into the Champions League. Napoli, Fiorentina and Joe Hart’s Torino all won this weekend, whilst Atalanta’s victory over Roma lifted them into the Champions League chase. The 2-2 draw in the Milan derby means that the only two clubs in the top eight who didn’t win were second and third placed Milan and Roma. So just when you think there may be a chance of a title race, it’s only the teams just below Juventus who lose….

Spain

There was a time only a few weeks ago when the Euro Roundup was bragging about Spanish football and telling everyone it met about how tight the top of the table was. You had the normal three powerhouses towards the top of the table, but Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal were up there, too. Well, not any more.

Real Madrid opened up a four point gap at the top of the table this weekend: their 3-0 victory over city-rivals Atletico left them nine points ahead of Diego Simeone’s side, four above Barcelona, and kept their status as the only unbeaten side in the league intact. It also leaves Cristiano Ronaldo with yet another broken record….

And as we always say about Barcelona, they are incredibly vulnerable after the international break: with so many of their main players having to travel to South America for international duty, it’s hardly surprising that their worst results seem to come in the first game back.

Their 0-0 draw with Malaga meant it was a great weekend for Real Madrid, and also for Sevilla, who came from behind to beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 thanks to yet another late showing.

Elsewhere, Valencia’s curse continues: they drew 1-1 with Granada and are currently only two points above the relegation zone. But if Osasuna win the Monday night game against Leganes, that gap will be cut to only one point. It seems a long time ago that Valencia were challenging for European places, let alone titles.

Poor old Jesus Navas. The flying Spanish winger whipped in a cross to ‘assist’ Gary Cahill’s own goal to hand Manchester City the lead vs. Chelsea, but he’s still been panned on Twitter.

The Citizens’ wide-man has been around the squad for a while now and despite many speculating he may well have fallen out of favour following Pep Guardiola’s arrival over the summer, he remains a player that flits in and out of the XI and was selected by his boss for, arguably, the biggest game of the league season so far today.

Aaaaaaaaand that decision has paid off, with Navas’ cross having resulted in an unorthodox clearance from Cahill, which flew past Thibaut Courtois and into his own net.

You’d think he’d get some praise then, right? Well, no! The 31-year-old has been slammed on Twitter, which isn’t a shock considering he’s gained a reputation for his lack of end product in the sky blue shirt…

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It has been well-documented of late that West Ham United have been keen on bringing their former star Jermain Defoe back to the club from struggling Sunderland, but their interest, according to Sky Sports, has cooled of late.

The Hammers have struggled for goals this season. Other than man of the moment, Michail Antonio, who has eight to his name (mostly headers), the club’s second top scorers are both Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet, who have a measly three apiece.

Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho, Andre Ayew, Simeone Zaza and Ashley Fletcher have a whopping five goals – yes that is right, FIVE – between them all season, which is a ‘poor return’… and that’s being polite! Defoe, meanwhile, has over double that total with eleven himself.

Sunderland themselves are struggling this season, too, however, and manager David Moyes is under no illusions as to how important his main striker is to him, firmly stating that Defoe “is not for sale”.

If the Black Cats were really to part ways with the man who almost single-handedly kept them up last year and looks like he could do the same again this time around, it would surely be goodnight Premier League and hello Championship.

West Ham have shown the recent past that their desperation for a striker can lead them on a merry dance, so there’s every chance that they will be making a late move to tempt Defoe back to London, but here are FIVE better options for them…

Scott Hogan

The Hammers have already had three bids for Brentford forward Scott Hogan rejected, with his parent club waiting for West Ham to meet their valuation of £15m before they are willing to sell.

Hogan scored seven in seven at the back-end of last term for Brentford and has continued his fine form into this season having notched an impressive 14 times already. The striker has made it clear his desire is to play in the Premier League, however, you can’t help but think that at £15m, West Ham may be able to find themselves a more proven option…

Michy Batshuayi

Rumour has it that Fernando Llorente is Chelsea bound and that Michy Batshuayi’s brother, Aaron Leya Iseka, is heading to Swansea to fill his void. Antonio Conte worked with the Spaniard at Juventus and is apparently keen on bringing him to London.

Llorente in means Batshuayi out, surely. The young Belgian has struggled for playing time this season, however, Chelsea are unlikely to sell him on so quickly, so a loan move could be the perfect opportunity for him to get some Premier League game time under his belt. The Hammers should take full advantage if he does become available.

Moussa Dembele

It is always risky taking a player from the Scottish Premiership into the Premier League given the gulf in quality between the two divisions. It is quite often hit-and-miss, and for every Henrik Larsson there’s a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink – whose name has more syllables than goals he has scored in English football.

Dembele has been in fine form for the Bhoys this season, and more impressively he has managed to replicate his showings in Scotland on the European stage too, putting in impressive performances against both Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach.

Daniel Sturridge

A move for Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge would certainly be an audacious one, however, it’s not completely unbelievable considering the striker’s lack of game time at Anfield.

While his attitude and proneness injury have at times been questioned, one thing that Sturridge does do is score goals… and lots of them. Throughout his career, he has always shone when the spotlight is on him and he is the main man, something he certainly would be for West Ham.

Carlos Bacca

West Ham were keen on the AC Milan striker during the summer, but the move wasn’t to be, with the Serie A star not willing to move.

Again, Bacca finds himself the Italian club’s top scorer this season having netted seven goals, so unless Milan are to invest heavily themselves this January, it is unlikely they will be happy to let go of their main goalscorer.

Hammers boss Slaven Bilic doesn’t seem to have given up hope just yet, however, and has hinted at another bid for the Rossoneri’s Colombian hit-man this January.

Manchester United ended 2016 on an upward trend, reversing an inconsistent start to the campaign to go on their longest winning run to date under Jose Mourinho.

They’ll be looking to continue their march towards the top four with a trip to London this evening to face West Ham United, just two days after beating Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.

It’s a tough ask playing again in such a short space of time but United have a squad able to deal with such a scenario with decent depth right across the team.

There’s no room for error for the Red Devils, though, with wins required to overhaul the teams ahead of them. All the sides in the top four have been in decent form in recent matches as well.

What team should Mourinho go for and who should be rested? This is the XI we think can get the job done against West Ham…

GK: David de Gea

David de Gea is having as consistent a season as he’s ever had in a Manchester United jersey, always there to be called upon if needed between the posts.

West Ham have found a little bit of goalscoring form recently so he may be a busier man than you’d expect. United have conceded 3 goals against the Irons already this season after all – so De Gea must be ready to do the business.

RB: Matteo Darmian

Darmian has been a good option for United this season when rotated into the team to relieve pressure on more regular starters at full-back. He can play on either side but we’re using him on the right here.

The Italian international was in excellent from recently against West Brom, tirelessly running up down and the flank and helping his team to a 2-0 victory.

CB: Phil Jones

After being rested against Boro, Phil Jones will surely be recalled to the starting XI for the trip to London.

He’s been in excellent form for weeks now, helping Man United turn their patchy results into regular wins.

With West Ham likely to show plenty of attacking ambition at home, he could be vital in securing another result for the Red Devils.

CB: Marcos Rojo

Like Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo has barely put a foot wrong in recent weeks – but found himself benched against Middlesbrough.

Nonetheless, they’re building quite the partnership, which we expect to be reinstated for the somewhat difficult journey to the London Stadium

If Jones and Rojo return in top form, the Hammers will have a tough time getting past them.

LB: Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw hasn’t featured since November for United but with such a heavy schedule, now could be the time to bring him back into the fold and give more regular starters a rest given that he’s been back in training after an injury set-back.

The left-back is still an exceptional player on his day and we have seen others turn around bad form under Mourinho.

Can he buy into the Old Trafford boss’ philosophy and push on in his Manchester United career? West Ham would be a good place to start. New year, new player.

CM: Ander Herrera

Ander Herrera has developed into a midfielder that United can rely on to dictate the tempo of a match and distribute play from left to right and back to front.

The Spaniard has become a key part of Mourinho’s system and will be vitally important in keeping United’s composure no matter what West Ham throw at them.

His ability to find a key pass in the final third will also be crucial in breaking down the Irons.

CM: Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba goes from strength to strength as a United player, consistently dragging them towards victory in otherwise unspectacular performances.

He was the man of the match in the first Premier League meeting between the two sides earlier in the season, setting up Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s equaliser to secure a vital point at Old Trafford.

If United are to get a result on the road, he’ll likely be at the centre once again.

AMR: Jesse Lingard

Jesse Lingard hasn’t quite hit the consistency required to be a regular starter for the Red Devils but can still do a job on his day.

He found an assist recently against West Brom, helping United to a 2-0 victory. He should get a start against West Ham to give him another opportunity to put in the blistering performance United fans believe he’s capable of.

AM: Juan Mata

Juan Mata hasn’t scored since November but remains an influential part of United performances when he plays, as a constant danger to defences with his passing and movement in the final third.

His set-piece ability is crucial too, especially in what could be a tight game. Perhaps a free-kick or corner could be the only path to victory.

Having only been used from the bench vs. Boro, he should be fresh, too.

AML: Anthony Martial

Martial is yet to hit fifth gear this season but has at times looked like the player worth all that money United paid to bring him to Old Trafford.

He gets a start here given his exceptional performance against the Hammers in the League Cup earlier this season, scoring a double and putting in a man of the match performance in a 4-1 victory.

Can he punish Bilic’s men again?

ST: Marcus Rashford

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no spring chicken, so two games in 48 hours may be too much for the giant Swede.

With energy likely to be a vital factor vs. West Ham, Rashford seems a logical choice, with the youngster full of running and pressing. He could be used for an hour to soften up the Hammers’ defence for 30 minutes of Ibra!

The mood at White Hart Line has been better than expected in recent years as Tottenham have gone through massive changes in managerial personnel and on-field fortunes.

Four managers have sat in the dugout in the last seven years as Spurs looked for the right match to move the club forward. Harry Redknapp, arguably, had the best spell of any when he guided a talented side to their first ever Champions League campaign in 2010/11, which they were knocked out of by the supreme kings of Europe Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Despite his success, he was replaced by ex-Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas who failed to equal Redknapp’s achievement and was also the same with the man who replaced him – Tim Sherwood.

However, amid what is becoming another successful season, it is looking like Tottenham may have found the answer to their managerial deficiencies in Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine arrived from Southampton in 2014 and has since changed the fortunes of Tottenham for the better.

Here we take a look at FIVE ways the ex-Espanyol boss managed that…

Got rid of bad eggs

The ex-Southampton boss arrived with the Spurs squad full of underwhelming and inconsistent players. The likes of Nacer Chadli, Roberto Soldado, Christian Eriksen, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Erik Lamela and Vlad Chiriches were all brought in by former boss Andre Villas-Boas – Only Eriksen and Lamela are still with the 44-year-old.

Brought in his football philosophy

Pochettino favours a high-pressing, attacking style of football to intimidate and unsettle opposing teams as well as installing winning mentality in his side. The games against Manchester City and recently Chelsea, both of which Spurs won 2-0, were a true testament of how a ‘Poch’ team operates.

“Where did I get the idea we had to (press)? It’s about your personality, who you are. You show on the pitch who you are. If you are brave in your life, you cannot behave in a different way on the pitch. I don’t understand how to play in a different way. Always, be brave. I like to be brave.”

The words of the man himself…

Found a world-class centre-forward

Harry Kane’s emergence has surely been one of the biggest achievements of the Pochettino era. Initially the third choice striker at the Lane behind the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado, he took his chances in cup matches and the rest is history.

The loss of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid meant that Spurs had to be in the hunt for another world beater to lead the team to the level they wished to attain, and they seem to have found that man in Kane, who is now one of the best strikers in world football.

The Premier League’s top scorer last season with 25 goals, the 23-year-old is one of the reasons why the north London club finished third last term. This campaign, his importance was also felt when he was ruled out for seven weeks – Spurs failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout round, partly due to this.

Watertight defence

One of the reasons Pochettino has been a success has been his focus on having a solid backline. Since his arrival, the Argentine has brought in five defenders, and, with the exception of Federico Fazio, all have impressed.

Tottenham currently have conceded the fewest goals in the league (14), and in Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld they have, arguably, the best central-defensive pairing in the league. Alderwiereld has been a masterstroke of a signing by Pochettino with the Belgian blending into his boss’ philosophy right from the off.

The right signings

Another key factor attributed to Pochettino’s success has been the influence of some of the players he has brought in. The biggest has to be Dele Alli, signed from MK Dons in League One at the time, who has emerged as one of the best players in the Premier League since his introduction last term.

The likes of Hueng-min Son, Ben Davies, Kieran Tripper, Michel Vorm and the sensational Toby Alderwiereld have all had decent impacts at Spurs, too.

Over the summer, Moussa Sissoko, Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen were brought in to help build on last season’s achievements. Wanyama has, so far, been the most impressive, forming a devastating partnership with Mousa Dembele in the middle of the park, which is one of the reasons why Pochettino’s men are second in the league, seven points behind leaders Chelsea.

Bastian Schweinsteiger’s Manchester United career has been a strange one. The Germany international – a serial Bundesliga winner and World Cup victor – arrived during the Louis van Gaal era to a great fanfare, but it quickly became clear that the former Bayern Munich ace had passed his best.

He dipped in and out under LVG before being axed altogether by Jose Mourinho ahead of the current campaign, with the Portuguese boss famously refusing to even name him in his Europa League group stage squad.

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Alas, Mourinho’s stance has softened in recent weeks, though, with Schweinsteiger having appeared in matchday squads and even been given the odd few minutes here and there. And he was handed a start vs. Wigan in the FA Cup on the weekend, to which he responded by putting in a performance that prompted ‘Mou’ to officially change his stance on the player:

He said (via The Sun):

“He is staying. He is going on the Europa League list because we open spaces with Depay and Schneiderlin having gone and we don’t have many options in midfield.

“90 minutes today was probably too hard for him, from minute 65 it was hard for him but now I think he is happy.”

It’s clear to see Schweinsteiger’s impact in the win over the Latics, too…

The German was truly influential at Old Trafford and contributed far beyond his headline goal and assist. Indeed, ‘Schweini’ had more touches of the ball (131) than any other player on the pitch, while his three tackles were more than any other player in red.

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Manchester United return to European competition on Thursday night, hosting St. Etienne at Old Trafford in the Europa League Round of 32.

It’s an important fixture but one that comes in the middle of a heavy schedule for Jose Mourinho’s side. They’re fighting the good fight in four competitions and before they return to Premier League action they’ll play in this tournament, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup final.

Winning silverware in Mourinho’s first season would be a great achievement for the Portuguese tactician and show supporters they are on the right track, especially if they can couple it with a top-four finish in the league.

That top-four finish is critical given it provides Champions League action but remember, so does winning the Europa League. That makes Thursday’s match against the French outfit critical and not one the Red Devils can take for granted.

Here are THREE tactical tweaks Mourinho must make for the Round of 32 clash…

Squad rotation

Jose Mourinho has a very talented squad at his disposal and given the nature of the heavy schedule, he should consider bringing in some fringe players for the clash on Thursday night.

While Sunday’s game in the FA Cup is against lower league opposition, it is away from home, which immediately makes it a tricky proposition.

Saint-Etienne are no mugs themselves but travelling to Old Trafford will be a tall order for them and Mourinho can likely bring in the likes of Marouane Fellaini from the start.

Rashford through the middle

There’s definitely an argument that Zlatan Ibrahimovic should play on Thursday night but his game is much more suited to the physical battle on Sunday so if Mourinho has to pick between which tie to deploy the Swedish legend in then that’s the one for us.

Against Saint-Etienne, Mourinho can call on the talents of Marcus Rashford who needs more game time as a striker through the middle, leading the line, anyway. We saw against Reading just how effective that can be, with the teenager notching up a superb double.

He can of course play on the left or right too, but giving him the responsibility to lead the attack alongside the likes of Anthony Martial would be an intriguing prospect for the Old Trafford faithful.

Pogba further forward

Manchester United are likely to have the vast majority of possession on Thursday night and that should allow Paul Pogba to play a more advanced role in the United midfield, behind whichever striker Mourinho opts to go with.

In this scenario, a midfield partnership of Marouane Fellaini and Ander Hererra could provide the defensive steel needed in the middle of the park.

We’ve seen on countless occasions this season that Pogba is at his best when parked in front of the opposition defensive line, looking for the key pass to runners around him and in behind the defence.

The Frenchman is in wonderful form right now and harnessing the best of his game in the attacking areas could provide real punishment for the visitors.