Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action this weekend against Wolves.

Fresh from a Champions League dead rubber against Bayern Munich where he made a number of changes, Jose Mourinho is likely to shuffle his pack once again and return to his strongest potential XI on paper.

Here, Football FanCast takes a look at the team the Portuguese should select.

Paulo Gazzaniga is the current first-choice goalkeeper and that will surely continue this weekend.

Serge Aurier has been in excellent form for Spurs throughout Mourinho’s first few games – averaging a rating over seven for the Portuguese – and ought to be given licence to roam up and down the right flank from his position at right-back.

At centre-back, Toby Alderweireld should partner Davinson Sanchez, allowing Jan Vertonghen to play at left-back. He thrived in the role against Burnley last weekend as Spurs won 5-0 and it makes sense to continue the experiment.

Eric Dier has been a major beneficiary of Mourinho’s management thus far and he ought to be picked in midfield, providing a tough-tackling base to Spurs’ attacks.

That would, in turn, allow Moussa Sissoko to thrive and push forward, having scored two goals in his last two home appearances for the club after netting the fifth in last weekend’s thrashing.

Lucas Moura has been in mixed form throughout the season but he is the natural right winger in the squad and should play, while Son Heung-Min has to be picked after his phenomenal showing last weekend. He scored a Goal of the Season contender; Mourinho can’t drop him.

That will then leave Dele Alli in the No.10 role, providing support to striker Harry Kane, as they both look to build on solid starts under Mourinho.

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The former has three goals and three assists to his name in the league under the Portuguese, while Kane has three goals and one assist.

This is perhaps Spurs’ best available XI at this point in time.

Meanwhile, one Spurs ace could become unstoppable under Jose Mourinho.

West Bromwich Albion were held to a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day as Barnsley’s Aapo Halme struck late to prevent the visiting side from extending their lead at the top of the Championship.

It was the third 1-1 draw in four league fixtures for the Baggies and their recent dip in form has raised some minor question marks about their promotion credentials.

What’s the word?

Slaven Bilic’s side are hardly in a rut right now but their most recent four games haven’t been as impressive as fans have come to expect.

Six straight victories preceded the club’s trip to Wigan on December 11th but they’ve only collected six points from the last available twelve.

That West Brom failed to pick up a victory over two relegation-threatened sides in Wigan and Barnsley have seemingly evoked cause for concern amongst some supporters.

In Steve Madeley’s Q&A on The Athletic, one fan suggested that they have been lucky to boast more than a solitary point from the last four games.

Madeley, however, took a more measured outlook on the current situation and suggested two players could hold the key to an improvement in form.

“I think ‘awful’ is harsh. But they have been well below the high standards set previously. It’s a cliché and a truism that all teams go through a tough spell in a Championship season, so if Albion can come through theirs with the minimum damage, that is a bonus. Need to get Sawyers and Livermore back to bossing games.”

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Key partnership

The budding relationship between Romaine Sawyers and Jake Livermore has formed a key component of the club’s early season success.

The former Brentford midfielder was described as a “breath of fresh air” by Darren Fletcher last month, while the same man described Livermore as “fantastic”, per Birmingham Live.

Both players have been regulars and highly influential in the midfield but they need to ensure their early season progress continues over the course of the entire campaign.

One of football’s most commonly uttered cliches argues that games are won and lost in central midfield. That phrase has only become cliched by virtue of its pertinence in the game, and Madeley’s name-checking of West Brom’s two midfield generals is only natural on current form.

Sawyers’ passing accuracy this season has averaged at 90.8% but against Barnsley it was down at just 78.3%, which was his second worst success rate of the season, per Whoscored. His worst, meanwhile, arrived two games ago against Birmingham City.

In the same fixtures, Livermore also recorded his two worst days in terms of passing accuracy in the Championship this season with 57.5% at Birmingham and 65.9% against Barnsley. His average for the season stands at 80.9%.

Clearly something hasn’t been clicking for Bilic’s midfield duo of late – the key to rejuvenating his side is likely to be synonymous with the form of Sawyers and Livermore.

David Moyes has been confirmed as West Ham United’s new manager following the sacking of Manuel Pellegrini, meaning he will be back in the London Stadium hot seat for the second time.

His first game will come against AFC Bournemouth, with the Hammers hovering just one point above the relegation zone.

The Scotsman will be looking to make an immediate impact in east London with the new squad of players he has inherited, especially as many Hammers fans were unimpressed with him being recruited in the first place.

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With that in mind, here is FFC’s predicted XI for his first game back in charge, which includes three personnel changes from the game against Leicester City and a different formation to the one used under Pellegrini.

No matter who the manager is, it seems pretty inevitable that Lukasz Fabianski will be the first-choice goalkeeper when available, after winning Hammer of the Year last season. Therefore, having made a penalty save against Leicester, he should start here.

Moyes used a back-three in 22 of his 31 games as West Ham manager last time around, so there is a possibility that he could return to this formation. Angelo Ogbonna, Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena seem the most natural options to fill the backline.

Mark Noble and Declan Rice are deployed in the midfield, as has often been the case this season, starting 16 and 19 games respectively.

Ryan Fredericks takes his place on the right hand side, but in a right-wing-back role, rather than at right-back as he has grown used to this campaign.

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The left-wing-back role option could be the most difficult for Moyes, with Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku as options, but Felipe Anderson could be used there. In 16 starts and one appearance off the bench, the Brazilian has no goals but has managed four assists.

He has also displayed defensive capabilities this season, averaging 2.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, so this position could help fit him into the team.

Considering Pablo Fornals’ recent form of one goal and three assists in his last six games, it would be pretty harsh for Moyes to leave him out.

A 1-0 win over Chelsea, arguably Moyes’ most prestigious victory as West Ham manager, came with Michail Antonio partnering Marko Arnautovic in a front two. It is likely the Scotsman will now look to use the 29-year-old alongside Sebastien Haller.

In other news, one man included in this lineup was slated by Hammers fans for their performance against Leicester.

New reports coming from El Desmarque suggest that Real Madrid are ready to bin Luka Jovic and replace him with RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner.

The young German has also been linked with Chelsea in recent weeks.

What’s the word, then?

If the same source is to be believed, Zinedine Zidane has had it with experiments, namely with Jovic himself, and is now willing to bet on security, even if it means splashing around €80m (£68m) to land Leipzig’s young hitman.

Los Blancos need someone to accompany the ageing veteran Karim Benzema, and with just one goal to his name in the ongoing 2019/20 campaign, Jovic is not really doing his part.

But Chelsea are also interested in the striker and the Spanish giants could face some competition from the Blues.

At the end of the day, however, despite Jovic’s mishaps this season, if they can even be called that, they shouldn’t give up on him just yet.

Misjudged

It would be easy to deem the Serbian unworthy and ship him off without remorse – after all, having just one goal in the current season is nowhere near enough for a Real Madrid striker.

But seeing how he has only been given 327 minutes in La Liga so far, his low figures don’t really come as a surprise.

Of course, Werner’s tally of 18 in 17 Bundesliga games is simply outstanding but this is not really a fair comparison. When both of them were playing in the German top-flight in 2018/19, however, things looked much different.

Jovic outscored Werner with 27 goals across all competitions compared to 19 for Leipzig’s striker, stats which suggest he can definitely offer the final product in the right environment.

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El Desmarque claim Zidane is tired of experimenting but with just 327 minutes given to the young forward, he’s clearly not handed him a proper chance.

Chelsea, on the other hand, might be willing to spend some money now that their transfer ban has been cut short and they can dip their toes into the market in January.

Of course, they do have Tammy Abraham in the squad who’s been impressive with 14 goals across all competitions already, but maybe adding another prolific goalscorer wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

After all, beyond the 22-year-old striker the only player boasting a similar output is Christian Pulisic, who has five Premier League strikes to his name.

Frank Lampard’s squad might pose a real threat to Real Madrid in this reported deal and that may be another incentive for Los Blancos to abandon the chase.

Meanwhile, Chelsea should resist the urge to cash in on their veteran star in January…

The only thing on anyone’s mind at the moment is transfers.

The January window is in full swing, and Leeds United’s plan for this month has been clearly outlined.

Indeed, Phil Hay has stated that the Whites need to strengthen in three positions this month.

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According to The Athletic’s Leeds United correspondent, the Yorkshire club are looking for a goalkeeper for if Kiko Casilla is banned, a winger to replace Jack Clarke and a striker to come in for Eddie Nketiah.

We already have an idea of who the goalkeeper could be, and numerous strikers have already been linked, but we’re still yet to hear of many winger targets.

However, it does seem as if Leeds have someone lined up in their sights as Beren Cross dropped a huge hint on how United plan on replacing Clarke.

What’s been said then?

Beren Cross was hosting a Q&A session on LeedsLive, and understandably he was asked about United’s transfer plans this month.

“Adams is still the top striker target. Billy Sharp is mooted as a back-up. Rhian Brewster has gone to Swansea City now. Dwight Gayle was, as ever, asked about, but Newcastle United are asking for massive wage contributions and an obligation to buy in the summer for more than £20m when he has barely had a kick this season,” Cross wrote.

“The goalkeeper has been just about covered now. The Italian Elia Caprile while they want a young winger from a Premier League side on a permanent deal with his contract expiring in the summer.”

Interesting

How very cryptic.

The journalist has given us enough clues to try and figure out who this is, but he’s withheld enough information to make it almost impossible to narrow it down to just one name.

The most interesting part of this is that Leeds are looking to replace Clarke with a permanent signing rather than another loanee.

The teenager played just one league game for Leeds this term before being recalled by Tottenham, so there was an argument to be made that he didn’t need replacing at all. But now it seems as if the club are going to make a longer-term commitment to whoever his successor is.

Depending on who the name is this could have huge repercussions on Marcelo Bielsa’s squad, but for now, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, one Leeds man’s Elland Road career could be under threat if United complete a signing.

Jose Mourinho has been in contact with Manchester City to inquire about the possibility of signing right-back Joao Cancelo, that is according to a report from El Desmarque.

The 25-year-old only joined the Premier League champions in the summer but has struggled to make much of an impact at the Etihad Stadium. Indeed so far this season he has started just six times in the Premier League as he is behind England international Kyle Walker in the pecking order (Transfermarkt).

The report suggests that the Portuguese international is unhappy in Manchester and is keen to move on. This isn’t the first time that he has been linked with a transfer away from City either, with Marca reporting in December that Valencia were keen on signing him.

Spurs have certainly had issues at right-back this season having sold Kieran Trippier in the summer. Serge Aurier has been the man who has regularly played there, but he has struggled, particularly in his defensive duties. So far this season on average he loses possession 15.9 times per game, he wins just 49.3% of his aerial duels and has given away one penalty (SofaScore).

So signing a player in that position may well be a priority for them and it seems that many Tottenham fans would love Cancelo to be the man they bring in. Many have taken to Twitter to suggest that the former Juventus man would be a great signing, here is what some had to say…

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Tottenham Hotspur take on Norwich City on Wednesday evening and they will have to stop one man if they want to get a result: Teemu Pukki.

On the chalkboard

The Finland international has taken to Premier League football like a duck to water, scoring 10 goals in 22 outings for the promoted club.

While his output has tailed off somewhat – he scored six goals in his first five games, compared to one in his last five – he remains a major threat for the Canaries.

Indeed, he scored the winner last time out as Daniel Farke’s men chalked up a 1-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth.

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Per WhoScored, the striker is something of a menace in the final third.

He averages 2.6 shots per game along with one key pass and 0.8 dribbles. He also has a passing accuracy of 82.3%, perhaps helping to explain his three assists thus far this term.

Spurs stopping him is key.

Keep his back to goal

If Spurs are able to man-mark Pukki, they should.

This is a player who thrives on cracking off shots on goal and attempting to make things happen.

However, he is not exactly the quickest forward – he has a physically stocky frame and is barrel-chested – and keeping his back to goal would limit the threat he poses considerably.

Defenders engaging him as soon as the ball is coming to him will be key, especially if Spurs are to ensure he does not get any major scoring opportunities at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The centre-backs that Mourinho selects will have to be vigilant throughout and ensure that Pukki does not slip through their fingers.

Otherwise, they could be dropping points against Farke’s men again.

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Tottenham’s pursuit of a new striker has led them to turn their attention on yet another new target, Willian Jose, but there is a big stumbling block in the way of a possible deal.

It comes down to the most integral part of any transfer – how much the player is going to cost, with Real Sociedad setting an asking price that is several million above what Spurs have reportedly bid so far.

The Guardian report that the two clubs are £11m apart in their valuation of the striker as the north London outfit have offered half of what the Spanish outfit believe he is worth, casting into doubt the likelihood of a deal being struck.

Spurs faced a similar issue in their pursuit of Krzysztof Piatek after Milan set a fee of £30m for the player, so it is little surprise that fans are voicing their frustrations with Daniel Levy.

The need for a striker is very evident with Harry Kane ruled out long-term, as well as the fact that the team has scored just five goals in six games despite coming up against the likes of Middlesbrough and Norwich.

If a price cannot be agreed soon then Tottenham should turn their focus to another forward due to the limited time remaining in the window, and it is not like they are short of targets.

However, some supporters are glad with this particular transfer update as they believe Spurs are correct in their estimation of Jose, arguing that he is not worth the price set by Real Sociedad, indicating they would like to see a better alternative signed instead.

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In other news, Spurs fans have been reacting to the performance of one transfer target who has been linked with a move to the club for some time.

There has been a fresh development at Sheffield Wednesday this evening as the Owls edge closer to confirming a new arrival.According to Dom Howson, Wigan Athletic playmaker Josh Windass is on his way to Hillsborough to undergo a medical ahead of a loan move.[ad_pod ]It comes just hours after reports suggested that a bid was accepted for the 26-year-old.Howson tweeted:

The Owls are also close to clinching Crystal Palace frontman Connor Wickham on loan too as he is also due in south Yorkshire for a medical this evening.

There are less than three hours remaining to complete these deals so Garry Monk and co are certainly in a race against time, they could need the deal sheet to save them if things are getting tight late on.

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It could also signal a mark for a new era at the club after the 40-year-old lambasted his team following their defeat against the Latics last time out.

Wickham and Windass would be signings number three and four after signing a pair of unknown wingers in the past two weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur need a defensive midfielder, and they should try and get him this month.

On the chalkboard

They have been operating without a proper anchor man in recent weeks, with Eric Dier not selected to start in the Premier League since the end of December and the win over Wolves.

He has been on the bench against Norwich City at Carrow Road, Liverpool and Watford and was not even in the squad for the league clash with Southampton. He played just two minutes against Saints in the FA Cup.

It is telling that, in those games, Spurs have not won once; he did come on as a late substitute against Norwich at home, helping his side see out a 2-1 victory.

In the games that he has not started, the team has struggled to exert proper authority.

While they have had the better of possession against Watford, Saints, and Norwich, they struggled to know what to do with it. They had 16 shots to the Hornets’ 15, 14 to Liverpool’s 13, 11 to Southampton’s 12 and 15 to Norwich’s five.

Of course, one would expect Spurs to keep the ball against such opposition but there is little opportunity to cede the ball when a defensive midfielder is not playing.

If a proper destroyer was lurking behind the midfield, potentially in a 4-3-3 formation, Spurs would be able to allow the opposition to bring the ball forward, allow said destroyer to win the ball and kick-start a counter-attack.

As it is, they are practically forced to keep the ball, even though it is clear that they have struggled to use it effectively.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

Window of opportunity

The January transfer window is still open.

As such, the club have the opportunity to rectify this issue and potentially bring in a defensive midfielder before the month is out.

A move for a replacement for Dier – it has become apparent, given his playing time, that manager Jose Mourinho may not trust him – would add depth in a thin position and also solve a problem for the club.

Spurs have already secured a deal for PSV Eindhoven winger Steven Bergwijn, while David Ornstein has confirmed, per The Athletic, that Tottenham have a desire to sign a striker before the window closes, though that is unlikely to materialise unless they can secure a deal for Olivier Giroud.

A move for a defensive midfielder has to be a priority too, however.

It remains to be seen if there is time.

Meanwhile, Spurs have to sell one man this month!