This weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures would be a little flat if it weren’t for the saving grace of Manchester City hosting Spurs on Saturday in the late kick-off. The two teams are poles apart on the form table right now, but big games can often be a leveler, and we’re so excited by this one that we’ve made it our Fixture in Focus here at Football FanCast.

Even though they are the away team, Mauricio Pochettino’s Lilywhites will be entering this one high on confidence given their performances of late. Indeed, a run of six straight league victories has catapulted them up the table and into second place, sparking talk of another title challenge – which seemed a long shot when they had drawn six of their opening eleven matches.

We’re sure the Argentine gaffer has a plan in place to beat Pep Guardiola’s out-of-sorts Man City, but just in case he doesn’t, we’ve kindly put together a how-to-guide…

Formation: 3-4-2-1

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Pochettino has a real dilemma when it comes to picking a system for this game. With Jan Vertonghen injured, there must be a temptation on his part to revert from the 3-4-2-1 that has been serving the Londoners so well of late and move back to a tried and tested 4-2-3-1, but we think the Argentine should be bold stick with his current set-up.

The logical choice to step straight in is Ben Davies amid doubts surrounding Kevin Wimmer’s future, which were somewhat highlighted last weekend when he was missing from the bench vs. West Brom. The Welshman will have solid team-mates in Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld alongside him and should be able to use his ability on the ball to funnel passes into the midfield.

Further forward the wing-backs pick themselves in Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, who will need to be at their energetic best to give Pochettino’s team width, while Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele will provide the physicality and aggression in midfield to hassle Man City’s ball-players.

Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli should play off Harry Kane up front in the sort of positions that will allow them to sit in when Spurs don’t have the ball and press from the front, blocking passing lanes and forcing Man City’s centre-backs to go long or back to Claudio Bravo. This set-up obviously has attacking benefits, too, with the pair close enough to Kane to offer him the support and runners beyond he needs.

Man City’s weakness: Inability to cope with the high-press

It’s more complicated that just ‘getting in Man City’s faces’ in terms of pressing, but there’s no doubt that the Citizens are weak when faced with a team who are desperate to work hard and close them down across the pitch. In that respect, the Lilywhites are their kryptonite, with Pochettino’s team based around energy and pressing. If the likes of Alli and Eriksen can block passing lanes high up the pitch, Man City will struggle to get the ball in to their dangerous attacking cast. They could go long, but in Wanyama, Dembele, Alderweireld and Dier, Spurs have the height and physicality to overpower them.

Granted, it’s not always possible to simply press players of Man City’s quality out of a game, but Everton showed last week that, in their current state, Guardiola’s side are more vulnerable than ever to such an approach. Likewise, Spurs can take heart from their 2-0 win over the sky-blue-clad outfit at White Hart Lane earlier this season.

Dangerman: Raheem Sterling

Although there’s a popular narrative that Sterling is a weak-willed player who can be bullied out of games, the winger is actually a spiky character with good physicality who can come to the fore in important matches. When Man City slipped to defeat at Liverpool on New Year’s Eve, he was their best player and looked a constant threat when on the ball. With Spurs likely to offer some space in behind their wing-backs, the England international will need to be watched closely.

Give him too much time and his ball control will allow him to drive into the box, while he has the wherewithal to thread neat passes that the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero can make use of. The best approach may be to limit his time from first touch to second to prevent him from a) spinning away and b) getting enough time to make a decisive move.

Key Spurs man: Christian Eriksen

With four assists in his last four league games, Eriksen is quietly Spurs’ dangerman. Harry Kane and Dele Alli have been sharing the headlines, but the Dane’s passing and energy make this Tottenham team tick in the final third, while his positional awareness make him a key cog for Pochettino going the other way.

The one-time Ajax ace will have to be at his best on both fronts vs. Man City, but he has shown he can do it on the big occasion, with his performance in the recent win at home to Chelsea a case in point.

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho confirmed on Tuesday that Wayne Rooney will not be joining a Chinese Super League club in this transfer window, but some fans wish he would.

The Mirror has reported that the England captain is seriously considering a move to the Far East after a handful of clubs offered him staggering contracts worth £140m.

Rooney has been playing for the Red Devils for the past 13 years, but it is believed that he is questioning his future due to his bit-part role this season.

The forward has started just eight Premier League fixtures and has come off the bench in eight, but he still managed to become United’s all-time leading scorer after netting his 250th in a 1-1 draw with Stoke, which surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton’s record.

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Indications are, though, that he will continue to play a cameo role under Mourinho, and at the age of 31, it would be normal for Rooney to think about the final years of his career.

With the transfer window in China not closing until February 28, there is still a chance that the former Everton star could be poached, but Mourinho told reporters in Tuesday’s press conference that his captain will stay at the club until the end of the season.

“We don’t have players in, we don’t have players out. We already lost two players from the squad.”

Mourinho also confirmed that Ashley Young, who has also been linked to China and a handful of Premier League clubs, will be staying put until the summer.

Some fans have not exactly been jumping for joy over the news, though.

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Football fans were left astonished last night as PSG recorded a shock result over European giants Barcelona in the Champions League.

The Parc de Princes clash showed early signs of being an incredibly open game, but few predicted how one-sided it’d be as the home outfit recorded a 4-0 win that, in truth, could have ended up being a much greater margin as Barcelona produced one of their most passive performances in recent memory.

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Although every PSG player left the pitch with their head held high, there were undoubtedly standout performers within Unai Emery’s side, not least including right-back Thomas Meunier.

It’s not often right-backs get much joy when trying to stop one of the best players in the world in Brazilian sensation Neymar, but the Belgium international was hugely influential at both ends of the pitch.

Indeed, as our infographic shows, Meunier completed eight tackles, seven clearances and won two aerial duels – all three being the highest returns of any player involved in the match – but also popped up at the other end with an assist, after a mazy dribble from defence allowed him to slot through Edinson Cavani for PSG’s fourth.

Curiously, on the morning before PSG’s demolition job over Barca, Meunier told Belgian outlet DH that he’d love to play in the Premier League one day and he’s a big fan of Manchester United. As translated by The Daily Mail, he said…

“I’ve always said that one day, I would like to play in the Premier League. I’m very happy in Paris and if I finish my career there, it won’t be a disappointment, far from it. But, if one day, I had to leave Paris, why not?

“On the other side of the channel, there are the stadiums, the fans, and I’ve never hidden that I’m a big fan of Manchester United, which remains, in my eyes, the real reference in the world of football.”

Manchester United’s current right-back situation is a rather curious one. Converted winger Antonio Valencia has made the position his own this term, but he’s not a natural defender and will turn 32 before the start of next season.

Meunier, on the other hand, is much more befitting of the Jose Mourinho mould, comparable to former Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic through his towering 6 foot 3 frame. So, should the 25-year-old be on United’s transfer agenda this summer? Should he be Mourinho’s long-term choice at No.2? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

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Former Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has give credit to his old club following an important result in the hunt for Premier League promotion.The Magpies came from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over challengers Brighton on Tuesday night.Mohamed Diame scored a fluke equaliser late into the second half, cancelling out Glenn Murray’s 14th-minute penalty.Rafael Benitez’s side completed the comeback thanks to Ayoze Perez’s low strike from right yards out with two minutes of normal time remaining.The result has moved Newcastle back to the top of the Championship, and now that they are eight points above the playoff spots, automatic promotion to the top flight is looking likely.Barton, who spent four years playing for Newcastle between 2007 and 2011, can at times spark controversy on social media.This time, though, the 34-year-old, who now plays for Burnley, was complimentary about his former club, who were relegated to the second tier last season shortly after Benitez took over as manager.

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A number of Leeds United supporters were not best pleased when Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner was named Championship Manager of the Month for February.

During the two clubs’ meeting on February 5, Monk and Wagner clashed on the touchline at John Smith’s Stadium after Michael Hefele scored a dramatic late winner.

As punishment, Wagner, who joined the Terriers in November 2015, was issued with a two-match touchline ban, while Monk was ordered to miss one game for his role in the fracas.

With regards to matters on the pitch, Huddersfield had an unbeaten month, winning five and drawing one.

The Terriers currently reside third in the standings, six points adrift of the automatic promotion spots, while Leeds are in fourth place, three behind Wagner’s team.

Once the winner of the monthly award was announced, some Leeds fans expressed their anger on Twitter, which in turn caused rival supporters to hit back.

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Looking back through Premier League history, there haven’t been that many Americans to grace us with their presence.

Around a decade ago was the boom time for those from the USA but these days, finding a player from America in England’s top flight can be a hard task.

That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some great players from across the pond, though. Think of Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride and Jozy Altidore to name just a few.

A new breed of youngsters are also starting to push their way into the limelight of the top flight too. Tottenham’s Cameron Carter-Vickers has mightily impressed when given the chance, while Chelsea’s Matt Miazga is out on-loan to build for what promises to be a good career ahead of him. Arsenal boast Gedion Zedalem amongst their ranks, while Bournemouth have playmaker Emerson Hyndman.

Only the biggest and best Premier League fans will know of the American uprising in the Premier League. Visit Britain are looking to find the biggest Super Football Fan in the world. Could you be it?

Take a look at these moments of magic from Americans in the Premier League. Here are the top four goals ever scored by Americans in the top-flight…

Brad Friedel vs. Charlton, 2004

While not the most extraordinary of finishes, goalkeeper Brad Friedel must be commended for his striker-like instinct to level the scores between Blackburn and Charlton in the final minutes of their Premier League encounter back in February of 2004.

Too bad the American conceded about a minute later as Charlton’s Claus Jensen bagged a dramatic winner and broke Blackburn’s hearts.

Clint Dempsey vs. Sunderland, 2012

This pearler of a free-kick from arguably the best American to ever grace the Premier League was Clint Dempsey’s 50th in a glistening career in English football. The midfielder totalled 72 goals during his stint in England for both Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

The playmaker is still going strong today, and has been named the MLS’ MVP for the past three years running.

Brian McBride vs. Everton, 2008

Brian McBride was another of the U.S born greats to grace Craven Cottage and became a fan favourite by producing moments of magic such as this. The striker leapt phenomenally to power his header past his former club Everton and give Fulham a dramatic 1-0 victory. Chris Coleman – manager of Fulham at the time – said it was a ‘shame’ the striker, who scored 45 goals in English football, hadn’t been discovered earlier.

Tim Howard vs. Bolton Wanderers, 2012

He obviously didn’t mean it and had a lot of help from the wind but this Tim Howard goal is brilliant to watch. When that ball left Howard’s foot I don’t think a single soul expected it to bounce and float over poor Adam Bogdan in the Bolton net, but that it did in what was one of the best, if not most fortunate, Premier League goals of all time.

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According to Swedish media outlet Fotboll Skanalen, via the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United defender Pontus Jansson says he has accepted Garry Monk’s decision to drop him to the substitutes’ bench for the clash against Brighton on Saturday.

What’s the word, then?

Well, despite the Torino loanee being one of the club’s standout performers this season having formed a strong partnership with Kyle Bartley at the heart of the Whites defence, Garry Monk surprisingly named the Swede on the bench against the Seagulls.

The former Swansea manager instead opted to play Liam Cooper, and it was a decision that seemed to pay off as United kept a clean sheet and kept their automatic promotion hopes alive.

What did Jansson say?

After linking up with Sweden this week, he told Fotboll Skanalen: “It was the coach’s decision. I accept it. I’m just happy that we won and took another step towards the Premier League.

“I respect it fully and we won the game so we cannot blame him for that. He stands behind his decision.”

Is there more to this than meets the eye?

Possibly, yes.

The real reason why he was dropped isn’t likely to come into the public domain, but it certainly would have been a shock for the player and the supporters, for whom he has quickly become a fans’ favourite.

The 26-year-old, who was named in the Championship Team of the Year on Monday, is set to join the club permanently on a three-year deal this summer, but the decision at the weekend suggests something went wrong in the lead up to the clash against Brighton.

What happens next?

Well, Monk has given himself a bit of a conundrum because with Jansson performing so well this term and Cooper impressing on Saturday, he has a big decision to make ahead of their next Championship fixture away at Reading next month.

Leeds United manager Garry Monk says the players are looking to deliver a strong performance when they host Preston North End at Elland Road on Saturday.

The Whites’ play-off spot has come under threat following successive defeats on the road against Reading and Brentford in the last week, but the manager believes they will bounce back against Simon Grayson’s men at the weekend.

Those losses have left them just five points above seventh-placed Fulham in the standings, and it won’t be an easy task against a Preston team that have top six aspirations of their own – the Lilywhites are five points adrift of Sheffield Wednesday in the final play-off spot.

Leeds supporters were quick to give their response to the update from their boss via social media, and while some said they are fully behind the former Swansea manager, others want to see the talking done on the pitch.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction to the post…

As reported by Gulf News, Chelsea could lose club captain John Terry this summer to Dubai club Al Nasr, currently managed by former Blues star Dan Petrescu.

What’s the story?

Petrescu spent five years at Stamford Bridge, making over 200 appearances and becoming some of a fans favourite. Now he’s aiming to use that connection to bring a Chelsea legend to the club he currently manages, Al Nasr.

When asked by Gulf News where he thinks Terry may end up next season, Petrescu said:

Al Nasr. Of course, why not? I will call him and ask. I wish he was here, he’s a very good friend and a good player. I think he should play on, as a centre defender it shouldn’t be a problem and he’s fit, so I’m sure he’ll play more.

The outlet also reports Terry has been offered a one year deal at Stamford Bridge, including the opportunity to earn coaching badges, but having made just five Premier League appearances this season, is it time to say goodbye to the club he loves?

Club legend

Apart from a brief loan spell at Nottingham Forest in 1999, Terry has been a one club man up to now, having made a staggering 713 appearances for the Stamford Bridge side.

Along the way he became Chelsea’s highest ever scoring defender, netting 66 times for the club, typically from corners and free-kicks with trademark headers.

He’s captained Chelsea during their most successful period in history, lifting 14 major trophies including a European triumph in 2012.

Whether he moves on this summer or eventually hangs up his boots at Stamford Bridge, his inevitable exit is going to be an emotional one when it comes around.

How do Rangers go about beating Celtic? It’s a question every Gers fan has been asking themselves all season and the answer is still a mystery. Mark Warburton, Graeme Murty and Pedro Caixinha have all had a go at Brendan Rodgers’ team and all have fallen short.

Murty of course came the closest, drawing with the Scottish champions at Celtic Park. Caixinha’s first attempt washed the memories of that stalemate away though, his side looking as far away from the Hoops as ever on Sunday.

The two go at it again on Saturday and this time the home advantage is once again with Rangers.

This time a victory is perhaps more beneficial to their current rivalry with Aberdeen than Celtic. They badly need three points to keep the heat on Derek McInnes’ side. Lose and their slim chances of second become completely non-existent.

How does Caixinha do it though?

This is our battle plan for the Rangers boss to finally get one over on the Hoops this season…

The approach: Less midfield bluster, more attacking threat

Rangers’ big problem on Sunday was the fact they showed Celtic far too much respect. Far from looking like a team that could match them on neutral ground, they stood off their opponents despite an abundance of defensive minded players. The likes of Andy Halliday were a waste of a shirt and his bluster in midfield should absolutely be sacrificed in order for the likes of Barrie McKay or Joe Dodoo to get a starting spot.

Backed by their home fans, the onus will be on the Gers to attack and that means McKay or Dodoo could play a vital role.

While he’s been off the boil for a couple of months now, McKay was the standout performer against the Hoops the last time the two teams met at Ibrox. He had a right good go at the Celtic defence and in the first half an hour had the better of them.

Rangers need similar attacking intent if they are to get a result this Saturday. The Celtic defence does its job well but under significant pressure may show signs of cracking through Erik Sviatchenko or Dedryck Boyata.

Put simply, the Pedro Caixinha’s men need to go for it.

The big threat: Leigh Griffiths

Leigh Griffiths may not have hit the heights of last season under Brendan Rodgers but any Rangers man writing him off this weekend would be very foolish indeed. Despite limited minutes the prolific striker has scored 14 goals this season, just one less than Rangers’ top scorer Martyn Waghorn.

The Scotland international knows his way to go and Ibrox his set to be his first start for the Hoops since December. He has a lot to prove and knows that this is a massive stage for him to do so. We know he likes to pop up on the big occasion too.

Shutting him down must be a priority for Pedro Caixinha, even though there’s plenty of threat elsewhere in the Celtic XI. If they don’t focus on Griffiths he will find himself in scoring positions and you’d back him to finish off his chances.

The team talk: Don’t go easy

Pedro Caixinha admitted after Sunday’s encounter that he changed his team talk before the game at Hampden due to the body language and general feeling of his squad, on the advice of his assistant.

That was undoubtedly a big mistake as it was the first half, the early stages in particular that Celtic shone greatly, rushing to an early lead and generally dominating their opponents. Rangers could hardly get the ball and looked very flat indeed.

Instilling some passion and fire into the Rangers XI is a must this Saturday, if he goes too easy on his players again he risks another flat performance and that’s something the home crowd at Ibrox just won’t tolerate.