Following Luis Suarez’s departure to Barcelona last summer Daniel Sturridge was poised to be Liverpool’s main striker and potentially their new hero. But it is difficult to see how this season could have gone any worse for the 25-year-old, who has made just 12 appearances in a campaign which has been dogged by injuries.

Just a few days ago it was announced that Sturridge will be missing the start of next season as he continues to recover from hip surgery. He is unable to train fully for the next four months and will also miss England’s games – although Brendan Rodgers will be happy about that. He should be available for the Reds around October but with so much time spent getting injured, recovering and then getting injured again it seems that Sturridge’s body has really struggled this year and it is hard to see how he can get back his best next term.

There are numerous occasions where players have had persistent thigh injuries, and even once they have recovered it’s still restricted their future impact on the pitch. After all part of what makes Sturridge so lethal is his pace so if he can’t rely on that he may find it difficult to thrive in our very physically demanding league.

You only have to look at a player like Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere or Manchester United’s Radamel Falcao. Both have suffered lengthy lay-offs and where the Englishman has resembled glass at times, hurt from the slightest of knocks, Falcao no longer looks as dangerous as he once was.

Liverpool are relying on Sturridge to spearhead their charge into the top four next season so if he ends up unable to recreate last year’s 20+ goals then the task will have to fall to misfiring Mario Balotelli. It is absolutely possible that the Italian will have finally found his shooting boots by then or the club may once again try to sign a striker in the summer transfer window, but all at Liverpool will be hoping is that Sturridge eventually comes back stronger than ever.

What makes the forward’s situation appear so uncertain is not only how much of the season he’s missed, but also the fact that despite being given ample time to recover once he did return to the first team he couldn’t hack it. Most injured players may come back a bit slower but they tend to make it through the rest of the year.

If Liverpool want last season’s Premier League title near miss to be chalked up to more than just a fluke then they will need a seriously strong campaign next year. The competition for those precious four places gets fiercer each year and teams like Southampton and Tottenham will continue to throw their hats into the ring. The Reds can’t afford to be without a prolific striker so a dip into the transfer window is their best bet as relying on Sturridge is too much of a risk. For now he needs to rest and get his body back to full strength, then we’ll have to wait to see if his injuries come back to haunt him.

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The past two seasons haven’t been the best for Manchester United fans, finishing seventh during the 2013-2014 campaign and only scraping into the top four last term, despite spending a massive £150million on new players.

Yet, club captain Wayne Rooney continued his incredible consistency in front of goal, with the England international once again reaching double digits in goals scored, a feat he has accomplished ever since joining the Red Devils from Everton back in 2004.

But last season it was tough to keep 29-year-old in your Fantasy Premier League roster, as manager Louis van Gaal deployed the player in midfield for a majority of the campaign due to the arrival of Radamel Falcao and the presence of Robin van Persie, diminishing his returns that did not justify his rather hefty 11.5 price tag.

However, that is all about to change. With the two aforementioned strikers leaving Old Trafford and United purchasing some solid central midfielders in Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Van Gaal has named Rooney as his main front man and the England man is expected to lead the line for the upcoming campaign in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 set-up.

Statistically, Rooney had the best conversion rate of any of Manchester United’s strikers last season, converting 15.2% of his opportunities compared to RVP’s 13.2% and Falcao’s 10.8%.

Rooney also has an amazing potential to garner assists, making the second most key passes (45) among forwards last season. He did, however, finish with only five, but it was his lowest tally since 2006 and is expected to fare much better this time around.

Rooney may also earn a fair share of set pieces and penalties, with the club captain expected to return to spot-kick duties following Van Persie’s departure to Fenerbahce. But with the signing of Memphis Depay, and now that Juan Mata is a permanent fixture in Van Gaal’s plans, the former Toffees star may be forced to share dead-ball duties.

The thing that could prove the tipping point to have Rooney in your squad is United’s opening set of fixtures. The Red Devils have a favourable run of seven games (Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Swansea, Liverpool, Southampton and Sunderland) that give the Three Lions captain a great chance to get your squad some early points.

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By the time United face Arsenal in Gameweek 8, Rooney may be the top performing forward… making his price of 10.5 suddenly seem like absolute peanuts.

Written by Football FanCast and commissioned by Fantasy Football Scout, the tips, news and views site for those who don’t just play Fantasy Football.

Celtic supporters have taken to social media to display the delight following the news that former defender Virgil van Dijk has agreed a £75m move to Liverpool.

The Scotsman is reporting that Celtic instituted a sell-on clause when they allowed the Dutchman to join Southampton in 2015, and now they stand to earn around £7.5m following Wednesday’s announcement.

Celtic are expected to use the funds attained from the clause to reinvest in their squad in the forthcoming January transfer window. The Glasgow giants have won the league for the previous six seasons in succession, and they’re vying to extend that record to seven consecutive titles.

They’re currently positioned at the top of the Scottish Premiership, ten points ahead of their nearest rivals, Aberdeen.

The Celtic faithful have turned towards Twitter to express their delight at the news that the club will be receiving a sizeable amount of money in light of the Van Dijk sale…

As reported by The Daily Mail, Southampton are interested in signing Arsenal forward Theo Walcott in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Southampton are perilously close to the relegation zone in the English Premier League and at the heart of their problems is a lack of edge in attacking, having scored just 21 times in 22 league matches so far this season.

In order to help solve that, Saints are lining up a move for a former player, Arsenal attacker Theo Walcott.

That’s according to The Daily Mail, who say Arsenal rate the soon to be out-of-contract player at a staggering £25m.

While that may be too rich for Southampton, even in the wake of Virgil van Dijk’s move to Liverpool, the paper say that Saints are hoping to negotiate that price down to one that will suit all parties.

Is he the answer to Southampton’s troubles?

Quality addition

It’s been almost 12 years since Walcott made his high profile move from Southampton to Arsenal and since then he’s had his fair share of ups and downs at the Gunners, ultimately becoming a fringe player in Arsene Wenger’s squad.

He’s featured little this season, making just five Premier League appearances, all of which have come from the bench.

Nonetheless he has still contributed when called upon and in the UEFA Europa League has three goals and five assists to his name this season in just five appearances, highlighting he still has an attacking quality that could enhance the Southampton starting eleven. Last season he scored 19 goals for his side and at 28 years of age is far from finished.

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If he could produce that kind of contribution at St Mary’s, it could be the difference between relegation and staying up, making him an attractive proposition this January whatever the cost.

Everyone’s linked to Malcom.

Arsenal’s seeming Euro-dabble of choice to replace Alexis Sanchez perhaps puts them at the front of the queue this week, whilst Tottenham and Liverpool have been linked, too.

In such a situation, you could envisage a scenario where all were interested in his signature, but wanted to wait until the summer to make a move. With Arsenal’s current pressing need to replace the Chilean winger who looks set to depart, either they’re now in pole position, or they’ve forced the hand of their top six rivals to act as soon as possible.

Either way, it’s a lot of fuss about a player not many people in England will have paid much attention to, barring a few mentions in gossip columns and a passing glance at Ligue 1 for most. That’s a shame, though. Because Malcom deserves a closer look. We might well get one this month, but whatever happens this is a player with some potential.

Only 20 years old, he signed for Bordeaux from Corinthians two years ago where he had already amassed dozens of senior appearances. Since then, he’s been growing in stature and since the end of last season, he’s been playing a crucial role for his team.

He’s pacey, direct and tricky, as you might expect from a Brazilian attacker who’s making the headlines around Europe. As a result, any one of the top six teams might be willing to take a punt on him given it’s not quite as risky as it would be were he, say, a centre back.

From the Brazilian’s point of view, though, there’s much to consider. When your name seems to be linked with all the big clubs, making the right choice is vital – so many have failed in that one small matter over the years.

Do you join Arsenal, the club who may be the most willing to take your immediately? They’re the lowest ranked of the top six and are currently stagnating. On the other hand, that might give you the chance not only to make an instant impact, but to become a fan favourite overnight.

Indeed, if this is to be Arsene Wenger’s final season in charge, who knows what might happen at the club next season. It could – on a very optimistic reading – be the perfect time to rock up at the Emirates.

Liverpool, too, would seem to be a good bet for minutes. Despite being just 20 years old himself, Dominic Solanke has already made 14 Premier League appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season even if most are from the bench and the cumulative minutes on the pitch is just a little over 300.

But that’s all down to the extreme squad rotation that Klopp has employed so far this season. As competitions like the Champions League and FA Cup take precedence over the league – where the Reds will still have to make sure of Champions League qualification – that might be a chance to really get into the team despite the form of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

And then there’s Tottenham. If you’re looking for a club who will develop youth, you could do far worse than find a club with Mauricio Pochettino in charge. And, indeed, Spurs could be doing with a pacey player with a bit of flair about him. That’s arguably the final piece of the Tottenham jigsaw.

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So what do you do when you’re just a lowly wonderkid with the world at his feet? Which path do you choose? It’s clear that he’ll add something to each of the three sides who are said to be after his signature, and all he’ll have to do, then, is shine once he gets there.

If it’s a three-way battle, do you gamble that Arsenal is a club suffering at the moment but with potential very soon? Do you attempt to break into a front three he’d fit very well but might not be able to dislodge for the biggest games at Liverpool? Or do you go with Tottenham hoping that Mauricio Pochettino develops you just like he did with Dele Alli, and not like Clinton N’Jie or Georges-Kevin N’Koudou?

It’s been an impressive start to 2018 for Aston Villa. Other than a shock defeat to Peterborough in the F.A. Cup, Steve Bruce’s men have been imperious, claiming victory in all three of their league games so far in January.

With ambitions to return to the Premier League as soon as possible, owner Tony Xia has spent liberally on a number of quality players.

However, one of the mainstays of the team in recent years is Alan Hutton. The defender, who has earned 50 caps for Scotland, has been a useful, versatile option in a number of positions across the backline.

During his time at Villa Park, Hutton has become a favourite with fans, especially this season where his performances have earned him numerous plaudits.

It was therefore a surprise when reports surfaced on Tuesday suggesting that the 33-year-old would not be given a new contract when his current one runs out this summer. A number of Villa fans took to Twitter after the report surfaced and were angry with the decision…

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Former Arsenal forward Charlie Nicholas has given manager Arsene Wenger something to consider with regards to his team selection for Thursday night’s Europa League tie.

The Gunners’ overall team has been questioned due to their recent 1-0 defeat to arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur, but they are facing a crisis up front for this week’s last-32 first leg against Ostersund.

Alexandre Lacazette is facing the next six weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is cup-tied.

Danny Welbeck is likely to step up to the plate, and now Sky Sports pundit Nicholas has advised Wenger to use Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil as support behind the striker.

The Scotsman has slammed the club’s woeful performance against Spurs, and is keeping his fingers crossed that the team will not be embarrassed on Thursday night.

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In a piece for Sky Sports, the 56-year-old predicted that Arsenal would earn a 3-0 advantage, but has advised the manager to leave two players in particular on the sidelines.

“This is a painful one for me because it looks an easy tie and even a big win does little to ease the absolute farce of Saturday’s derby defeat. There can be no excuses here. They’ve got a cup final 10 days afterwards and they could go here and get embarrassed if they don’t win. I’d actually play a front two with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil behind and accept that we’re not going to defend. There’s no point in playing Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka together, because they’ll never be able to tackle.”

Spurs are ‘willing to sell’ Toby Alderweireld in the summer, with the North London club baulking at the centre-back’s £150,000-a-week wage demands, according to The Times.

What’s the story?

The Belgium international arrived at White Hart Lane in 2015, and has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world but Tottenham are understood to be reluctant to meet the pay demands of a player who is about to turn 29.

The club have a famously strict wage structure, with the top brass fearing that giving into Alderweireld could result in a deluge of wage demands from other players.

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Most critically for Spurs, if they are to extend his contract beyond its expiration date in 18 months it would mean activating a clause that would allow the Belgian to leave for £25.4 million next summer – far below his current £50m value.

Should Spurs sell him?

Given the risk Spurs run in extending his contract, now seems the time to sell the centre-half.

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Alderweireld is undoubtedly world class, but Spurs have defensive depth that would allow them to cope without him. Compatriot Jan Vertonghen and the young Ben Davies have shown the potential to step up to the mark, and Tottenham can compensate for the passing-friendly style of Alderweireld with the more aerial presence of Vertonghen.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino revealed on Tuesday that key centre-backs Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen would remain on the sidelines for Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth-round clash against League One side Rochdale.

Both players missed Tottenham’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon through injury, but it has been thought that the pair would be available for the mid-week match.

An ankle injury is keeping Vertonghen out of action, however, while Alderweireld, who continues to be linked with a move away from his London club, has once again aggravated a hamstring problem.

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Pochettino refused to place a timeframe on the recovery of the Belgian duo, and the Tottenham fans have been sent into panic during a key stage of the season.

Indeed, Spurs are currently battling hard to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League, while they will welcome Juventus to Wembley for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 affair on March 7.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Aston Villa will look to close the gap on the Championship automatic promotion places when they host Queens Park Rangers at Villa Park on Saturday.

The Villans moved into the top two after beating arch-rivals Birmingham City 2-0 last month, but after taking just four points from the last nine available in the league they are currently four points adrift of second-place Cardiff City with 12 matches of the campaign left.

Three of those four points came last time out in an entertaining 4-2 win against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, where they twice trailed before eventually sealing a victory with second-half goals from Glenn Whelan, Conor Hourihane and Robert Snodgrass.

Steve Bruce’s men will know that they need to keep picking up wins in order to secure the top-two finish they are desperate for, and they will certainly take some solace in the fact that QPR have the fourth-worst record in the Championship having only taken 11 points from their 17 league fixtures on the road.

Bruce brought Mohamed Elmohamady, Glenn Whelan and Lewis Grabbban into the XI at Hillsborough, and the 57-year-old will be considering making changes against Rangers too given that his team weren’t at their best against Wednesday and the fact that he had to change formation during the 90 minutes.

Here is how Aston Villa must line up against QPR on Saturday, ahead of Sam Johnstone in goal…

Defence

Bruce started with a back four of Ahmed Elmohamady, John Terry, James Chester and Alan Hutton against Sheffield Wednesday, and it probably would have been the same quartet against QPR this weekend had Hutton not picked up an injury that forced him off at Hillsborough, and has subsequently ruled him out on Saturday.

Luckily for Bruce, he has the perfect replacement at left-back in the form of Neil Taylor, and the 57-year-old boss will know that he can rely on the Wales international to put in a reliable performance at Villa Park.

Midfield

Bruce threw something of a curveball at Hillsborough by bringing in Glenn Whelan for Mile Jedinak in the middle of the park, with the Australia international starting the match on the substitutes’ bench as the visitors went with a 4-4-2 system.

The formation didn’t really work though and Bruce should opt for more of a 4-1-4-1 for the visit of QPR, with Jedinak returning to the XI in place of Whelan to sit in front of the back four.

Villa need that attacking threat in front of the Australian against a Rangers team that struggle on the road, with the in-form Conor Hourihane undroppable and Josh Onomah the other player who should start.

Robert Snodgrass must start on the right and the returning Albert Adomah must come in on the left having returned to training this week, with the 30-year-old scoring 13 goals in 27 Championship matches this term.

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Attack

Bruce decided to start Scott Hogan and Lewis Grabban up top against Sheffield Wednesday, but with the former going four league matches – all of which he has started – without a goal, it is time to start the latter up front on his own against QPR.

The 30-year-old scored 12 goals in 19 Championship games for Sunderland before joining Villa during the January transfer window, and with two goals in his last two appearances for the Midlands outfit he should be an automatic starter against a Rangers side that struggle on the road.

Do you agree, Villa fans? Let us know below.