United may seem forever destined to reside in sixth place, but it’s certainly true to state that they have got their act together since suffering a 4-0 walloping at Stamford Bridge last October. Since then, nine wins and seven draws have seen their season revitalised, guided by a coach who appears to have rediscovered his mojo. Parker however – a long-time critic of the ‘Special One’ – remains unconvinced.

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“He’s still Mourinho and he doesn’t change. The players might be more attacking but there is still his blueprint beneath, meaning it’s not exciting. With how he acts off the pitch and what is said, Mourinho hasn’t changed and that’s not good.”

“The sniping at Wenger, questioning everything and complaining about a fixture pile-up…you can’t be a big side competing for everything and not have a fixture pile-up! People are sick of reading about that because we all know that success comes from a problem, and if you’re successful over the Christmas period, still in the FA Cup, League Cup and Europe, there is going to be a pile-up. That’s why you’re allowed to go out and buy lots of players.”

With a huge kitty rumoured to be available in the summer don’t be surprised, if United continue with their lavish spending, with Parker identifying the defence as the area most in need of a serious upgrade. Who is pencilled in to leave though is equally as intriguing, with out-of-favour Luke Shaw considered likely to be ushered towards the exit door, after a disappointing campaign so far.

“Is he a Mourinho defender? When you look at him attacking then I really don’t know. You also wonder now if it’s got a bit personal and too much has been said about Luke Shaw. He has shown his discontent and to be a Mourinho player, you have to show that you love him. He doesn’t deserve it, but now every time he gets an opportunity, he is under pressure. Every time he makes a mistake the camera will pan to Mourinho to get his reaction.”

Another big name player who is struggling to impress this term is Anthony Martial, and while the young left-back has Parker’s sympathy, he has little for the hit-and-miss French forward.

“People say Martial hasn’t been given the opportunity but, when he has, he’s not grasped it. When you look between the lines of his goals and assists, there hasn’t been a lot of meat on the bone. Maybe this is the first time I’ve ever agreed with Mourinho in wanting more from him, and you can look at stats but at the end of the day, it’s about people and what they do in games. I still don’t think he does enough and gives the ball away cheaply. When he does, he then doesn’t respect the people around him by working hard, trying to get it back again or putting himself in a position to stop opponents progressing.”

Respect – or rather the lack of it – becomes a recurring theme when Parker turns his attention to his name-sake and record signing, Paul Pogba. Is the ‘Pog’ beginning to justify his huge fee with his recent upturn in form and influence?

“That’s impossible. The problem is that he’s not playing with the same calibre of players that he had at Juventus, so he’s trying to do too much and holds onto the ball too long. He never had so many touches of the ball at Juve because maybe now he feels he doesn’t have the players around him who he respects.”

“Maybe if he kept it simple and began respecting the people around him he’d do more, instead of just flashes. He talks of how many times he’s hit the woodwork, but I’m pretty sure that Opta count that as being off target. How is that now becoming a positive? Add those eight times to the other occasions he’s been off target, and it doesn’t look good.”

Having been a team-mate of Eric Cantona during an extraordinarily successful period in the club’s history, two-time Premier League winner Parker has personal experience of what a talismanic and unique talent can bring to a side. So you would assume he might be a fan of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the incomparable Swede’s 24 goals across all competitions so far this season. You would be wrong.

“Yes Ibrahimovic’s goals have been very important, but does he enhance the way the team plays? For me there are still negatives and when he scores he gets the headlines, but when he doesn’t he’s not involved in enough play. When you keep reading about a new contract you wonder where that’s coming from.”

Whether Ibra is granted a one-year extension remains to be seen, while there is also debate surrounding the imminent future of another great striker; one who has scored a touch more than 24 goals during his time at Old Trafford. Two hundred and twenty six more to be exact. Will Rooney still be a Red in 2017/18?

“I think he’s going to want to stay in the Premier League and go and do it for someone else. To prove there is still something about him.”

1. League Cup final score-line prediction

   2-1 to United

2. First goalscorer

   I’ll stick my neck out and go with Mata 

3. Who will win the Premier League?

   Chelsea 

4. Who will be the Premier League leading goalscorer

   Ibra 

5. Who will win the Champions League?

   Juventus 

As for the top four, it’s definitely slipping away and it’s up to the management to find a solution to this bad patch. It’s lasting an eternity. We have to find the solution very quickly because there is not a lot of margin for error.”

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There will be even less margin for error this Saturday as Jürgen Klopp’s struggling side host an imperious Spurs who have lost only twice all season.

“It’s going to be very tough with the movement of Dele Alli and the form Harry Kane is in. The flip side is that Liverpool’s best performances come against sides in the top six who play expansive football and believe in their own philosophy. That offers Liverpool a bit of space because the opposition is trying to exploit them.”

It’s certainly true that the Anfield giants have reserved some of their most impressive displays for the big occasions, but that was when Liverpool were flying high during an exhilarating first half of the campaign when, at times, they looked unbeatable. Aside from a morale-boosting victory this weekend, McAteer has his beliefs on what is required to ensure the progress made under Klopp doesn’t now grind to a halt or, worse still, slide into crisis.

“He has to install some confidence, but the problem with Liverpool is there’s no plan B. You have to be able to win ugly and grind a result out. We cannot do that and when the pressure builds, we become very predictable.”

Another concern for the 45 year old – a lifelong Red who made exactly one hundred appearances for his club in various positions, ranging from centre mid to right wing-back – is the lack of leadership in a team presently in great need of it. Though he absolves all individuals of any blame, McAteer clearly yearns for a recent time when Liverpool went into battle boasting players of stature who would drive their team-mates on.

“Since Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard retired, there have been big shoes that haven’t been filled but you can’t make a leader, they’re born. Liverpool need someone who digs out players. When I played, if you gave the ball away three or four would be immediately onto you: John Barnes, Mark Wright and Razor Ruddock. It lifts the team when you’re up against it.”

Still without a league win in 2017, being ‘up against it’ perfectly sums up the Reds’ current predicament, and it’s hard not to imagine their under-fire coach addressing these issues this summer. Should he do so, where does McAteer think Klopp will prioritise?

“He will be looking to next season to ensure this never happens again by going into the transfer market and strengthening with a new left-back, centre-half and certainly another striker. We’re learning things and the players will not have lost sight of what was achieved in the first half of the season. But Klopp has to find the answer to how they start again, because Liverpool are a wounded animal at the moment.”

They are a wounded animal too often undone by a vulnerable back-line that’s seen them ship in nearly double the amount of their opponents this weekend. McAteer points out the circumstances that led to James Milner being played out of his favoured position, while injuries obviously haven’t helped. Ultimately though, the big picture is pretty damning.

“There has been a bit of an inquest into how Liverpool have been playing these past ten games and, with only one win over Plymouth in the FA Cup, it doesn’t make for good reading. I think Liverpool have been found out in the sense that teams know how to play against us.

Earlier in the season when Liverpool were winning 4-1 and 5-1 this all gets overlooked but when you stop scoring goals that one goal conceded starts hurting you.”

Too often those costly concessions have resulted from individual errors with much of the media glare focusing on two goalkeepers, who have struggled to find confidence or consistency. The amiable pundit from the Wirral insists neither have been guilty of letting their manager down, with each capable of establishing themselves as Anfield’s number one given time. It is Simon Mignolet, however, that he believes is most deserving of such faith.

“Both have been guilty of making silly mistakes and both haven’t been able to handle the pressure. I think Karius’ mistakes have come from a lack of concentration. Since Mignolet has come back in he’s done a really good job and he’s obviously worked hard to get back into the team. Yes he made a mistake last weekend but while it was right to drop him the first time, it would be really damaging to Mignolet to do it again. It would do more harm than good to bring Karius back and hopefully Simon gets the chance to rectify it.”

Looking beyond the problems with the first team, there has at least been a cause for celebration off the pitch recently, with the return of Steven Gerrard to the Liverpool fold as an academy coach. Looking to the future, might the club legend and former team-mate to McAteer go on to emulate the career of his idol Kenny Dalglish, by sitting in the famous dug-out one day?

"There is no way of knowing if Steven will become the next Liverpool manager and, first of all, he needs to know if he can be a manager. He might be a better coach. As a manager you have to make different decisions and distance yourself from the team. Steven has got all that to learn and I think it’s brilliant that he is starting at the bottom and working his way up."

Klopp’s philosophy goes down through the club, like at Arsenal. The under 18s and under 16s play the same way as the first team. So it’s not like Steven Gerrard will go in and say ‘well I like 4-4-2 because me and Rafa played it’. He has to emulate Jurgen Klopp’s philosophy and it’s important that Steven knows his place. I’m sure he will.

1. Score prediction for Liverpool v Tottenham?

   I think we’ll nick a draw and it will be exciting. 2-2

2. First goalscorer?

   I think Liverpool will score first and I’ll go for Lallana.

3. Who will win the Premier League?

   It’s Chelsea’s

4. Leading goalscorer?

   Costa

5. Who will win the Champion’s League?

   I’d like PSG to do it but they always s*** the bed don’t they. Bayern.

Liverpool’s title dream is all but over

A horrible January saw Liverpool lose ground in the title race whilst falling short in both domestic cup competitions. Surely it couldn’t get any worse at the start of February? Oh but it did... Jurgen Klopp’s side lost 2-0 to relegation-threatened Hull City on Saturday as their torrid run of form continued.

Since beating Manchester City on December 31^st, the Reds have won just once in 10 games – an unacceptable set of results to say the least. Liverpool are now 13 points behind leaders Chelsea and Klopp’s men will be looking nervously over their shoulder at the chasing pack in the race to secure Champions League football.

As of February 6^th, Liverpool are 19/20 to finish in the top four with 888Sport.

Everton continue to improve under Ronald Koeman

The Toffees are purring right now and Ronald Koeman is starting to have a positive effect on Everton’s top stars. Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku have both stepped up to the plate in recent weeks and the Belgium striker notched four goals in Everton’s epic 6-3 victory against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

Goodison Park is a notoriously difficult ground to play at and Everton have found their best form at home; something that hasn’t really happened since David Moyes’ tenure. With 13 goals in their last three home fixtures, the Toffees are starting to put together an impressive run and they will be confident of finishing seventh this season.

Struggling Southampton stuck in sorry slump

Claude Puel’s men may have reached a Wembley cup final for the first time since lifting the FA Cup in 1976 but their league form has deteriorated since the turn of the year. The Saints have lost six of their last seven league games; a run that has seen the EFL Cup finalists fall into the bottom half of the table.

Southampton will get it together at some point but their recent tumble will have supporters looking nervously at the relegation scrap below. Puel’s side are seven points above Hull and their solid start to the campaign could save the Saints from falling into a battle for safety in the coming months. An EFL Cup triumph and a mid-table finish will suffice...

As of February 6^th, Southampton are 2/1 to win the EFL Cup final with 888Sport.

Claudio Ranieri’s job is on the line

Leicester City did the unthinkable last season when winning the Premier League and their fall from grace this year has been difficult to watch. Neutrals fell in love with the Foxes but it just hasn’t gone to plan so far this campaign. Their form in the Champions League has been excellent but domestically, Leicester have been woeful.

In fact, Ranieri’s men are one point above the relegation zone – a crazy statistic when you remember how dominant they were less than a year ago. Ranieri is now just 7/4 to be the next Premier League manager sacked and punters should consider backing the Italian to lose his job before the end of the campaign; especially if Leicester lose to Sevilla.

Chelsea juggernaut showing no signs of slowing down

What a job Antonio Conte has done at Stamford Bridge. The Italian deserves plenty of credit for Chelsea’s turnaround this year and Blues fans have fallen in love with his passion, energy and charisma on the touchline. With Eden Hazard looking back to his brilliant best and Diego Costa amongst the goals, Chelsea will take some stopping in the title race.

In fact, it would be probably fair to claim that the Blues already have one hand on the title; such is the size of their advantage at the top. Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal saw the Blues extend their advantage over Tottenham Hotspur to 12 points before the north London side cut it to nine with victory over Middlesbrough. Either way, it is now Chelsea’s crown to lose...

As of January 6^th, Chelsea are 2/15 to win the Premier League title with 888Sport.

“It is a difficult, difficult game especially how it has been these past few weeks but we cannot be worried about the title race, because that was only possible for a short period of time.

Three points against the champions elect will be a huge boost for a side that has unexpectedly slumped in form and results since the turn of the year, after blitzing through the first half of 2016/17 in dramatic fashion. Worse yet, the 38-year-old Spaniard – a diehard Red to this day following three successful seasons on Merseyside – is concerned that opposition teams have now found a weakness to exploit in Klopp’s masterplan.

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“The intensity of the team was always high and that has been lacking the past couple of games. The pressure and pressing is not the same as it was a month ago. When the team goes forward it breaks a little bit, leaving a lot of spaces like we saw against Wolves. It leaves just three at the back and we now struggle against counter attacks. Teams know that and wait for the chances.”

With Chelsea the arch-practitioners of the counter, it doesn’t bode well for Liverpool, especially when added to the increasing suspicion that the chief reason gegenpressing Liverpool have taken their foot off the accelerator of late is due to them having blown a gasket through fatigue. It’s a suspicion that Garcia shares.

“The players are tired because of so many games. It is true that they have to change, but not that much, because the players would be asking why after only a few bad results. They need to keep going the same way but maybe find someone who can help in the middle of the park, because they are struggling there with all the injuries.”

“The high intensity they have shown in the last few months has been unbelievable. They have been working very hard and running so hard for seventy, eighty minutes all season. I watched them pre-season and saw how hard they were training.

The Reds can at least expect a passionate, packed-to-the-rafters Anfield this week to urge them through the pain barrier, given the enormity of the fixture and who their opponents are. In recent years a fierce rivalry has spawned between both clubs after a string of controversial meetings through the 2000s. The most debated incident of all involved Garcia himself, after his ‘ghost goal’ in a Champions League semi-final was wrongly adjudged to have crossed the line. The likable ex-winger chuckles at the memory now before admitting that the North/South acrimony still persists.

“Even though Manchester United and Everton are the rivals, Chelsea are the team to beat. We played against them a lot in that first year; in the Carling Cup, the FA Cup, the League, and then we found ourselves paired with them in the Champions League as well. They were the rivals and every game was a difficult one. We were lucky enough to pip them in a couple of semi-finals.”

It will be a must-win game for Liverpool, who will have to entertain Chelsea without one of their influential players, as Tuesday unfortunately looks to be one match too early to welcome back dazzling talent out wide Sadio Mane. His absence due to AFCON duties has been sorely felt by Liverpool, with many claiming it to be the biggest reason for their sudden slide into crisis.

“We cannot hide that situation. Of course Sadio is a very important player because of all that he brings to the team. His speed, the goals and assists: he is a big part of the team and we have struggled without him. It is vital that he returns very soon.”

“It is easy to talk about poor planning and why we didn’t think about having another player like him, but if you look back a month we were all expecting that the team would continue the same way. We never thought we could miss just one player and that the team would drop off so much.”

Though Mane has undoubtedly been missed in the attacking third, it is at the back where Liverpool’s real concerns lie, with Garcia candidly wishing for a leader at the back to organise the troops. Back in his pomp there was Gerrard – “I cannot see why he will not be the manager of Liverpool one day” – orchestrating matters in the centre circle, and Carragher barking instructions across the back-line. Now there appears only to be confusion.

“I miss that leadership. Carragher and Hyypia were very important and players, like Lovren and Klavan are, but they don’t have the character that those two had. They are new and to become an important player in a team like Liverpool takes time, but we are missing those type of players.”

“Carragher was a shouter on the pitch and always telling you what to do and where to go on the field. Off it he was a talker and it was always about football. Liverpool need that type of player right now – someone to wake them up.”

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Wayne Rooney wrote his name into Manchester United’s history books on Saturday as his last-gasp free-kick sailed into the top corner to salvage a draw away at Stoke City. Rooney’s strike was his 250^th for the club and he now sits at the top of United’s goal scoring charts; just one ahead of Red Devils legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

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The England man, who passed Charlton’s record for international goals back in 2015, has enjoyed a very successful career; netting a grand total of 195 Premier League goals in stints with United and former club Everton. But how does Rooney’s mark compare to his fellow peers? I took a look at some of the greatest striking records in Premier League history...

MOST GOALS: ALAN SHEARER (260)

Rooney is second on the list of all-time Premier League scorers but he is still nowhere near Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer’s tally of 260. Most will remember his commitment and passion to boyhood club Newcastle but Shearer’s record in front of goal at Blackburn was nothing short of sensational.

As well as winning the title in 1995, Shearer netted 113 goals in 133 Premier League games for Rovers – an outstanding statistic. The Magpies hero scored more during his days at St James’ Park but it was his role at Blackburn that helped to put him on the map. With three Golden Boot awards, Shearer will go down as the greatest finisher in top flight history...

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES SCORED IN: JAMIE VARDY (11)

The Jamie Vardy story is the stuff of dreams and Leicester City fans will still be sat pinching themselves after last season’s dramatic title triumph. The Foxes were priced at 5000-1 with some bookmakers at the beginning of the campaign but Claudio Ranieri’s men, led by Vardy and Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez, defied the odds to lift the crown.

On their way to glory, Vardy eclipsed Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of scoring in 10 Premier League games in a row. Ironically, the Leicester star’s record-breaking goal came against United at the King Power Stadium. Meanwhile, Rooney has never scored in more than five consecutive top flight matches – which shows just how impressive Vardy’s tally is...

MOST GOALS IN A CALENDAR MONTH: LUIS SUAREZ (10)

In December 2013, Luis Suarez became the first footballer in Premier League history to score 10 goals in a calendar month. The Liverpool man netted braces against Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United as well as notching four (yes, four) against Norwich City in a 5-1 thrashing at Anfield.

Rooney scored six goals in March back in 2012 but has never managed to net seven or more in a single month. In fact, only Teddy Sheringham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mark Viduka have scored seven or more Premier League goals in the same month. Suarez’s impressive record will take some beating...

BEST SCORING RATIO: SERGIO AGUERO (EVERY 107 MINS)

Sergio Aguero is world class. The Manchester City man averages a Premier League goal every 107 minutes; an astonishing record to say the least. Kelechi Iheanacho has a better goals per minute ratio but the young Nigerian has netted just 12 goals in his brief top flight career and it would be unfair to recognise Aguero’s record over a longer period of time.

Comparatively, Rooney has averaged a goal every 196 minutes throughout his Premier League career. The United legend is approaching his twilight years and is unlikely to ever match Aguero’s sensational rate of scoring. If the City star stays at the Etihad Stadium for the rest of his career, he could eventually surpass Rooney’s total of 195 top flight goals...

Spurs are on fire

We begin at White Hart Lane where optimism abounds and the chance to win a first league title for over half a century grows more plausible with every passing week. 

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“I definitely think they’ll push Chelsea close. It’s going to be very difficult for anyone to catch Chelsea at the moment but if anyone can it looks like it could be Tottenham. I watched the game at the weekend and they were absolutely fantastic: they just brushed West Brom aside. They played good, attacking, Tottenham-like football and that’s what the fans like to see. Harry Kane is on fire and Dembele and Eriksen are playing really well while they look tight at the back.”

Pochettino’s men travel to Manchester this Saturday with an opportunity to put further distance between themselves and a fellow challenger that is struggling to find consistency. Would an away win spell the end of City’s title hopes?

The north London giants have been in sublime form for much of the season making it hard to pick out individual contributions. Yet Reid has little hesitation in choosing three who have particularly impressed.

“I love watching Dembele play. He is excellent and just slides across the surface and is very difficult to get the ball off. I’ve heard he is terrific in training too. He is really starting to show his class at the moment.”

“Harry Kane is just lethal at the moment. His finishes at the weekend show he’s in a rich vein of form and when he has confidence he puts them in the top corner and doesn’t give keepers a chance. In my opinion he can get thirty plus goals this season.”

Reid’s final favourite is a midfielder who regularly gets fans on the edge of their seats. It takes one to know one. 

“You would imagine the England team of the future will be built around Dele Alli. He’s got everything you need from a midfielder and really is a special player. He can go up and down the pitch and score goals and has an absolutely fantastic temperament. He has everything it takes to be a really, really top player and I hope he stays at Tottenham and develops even more. It’s a good place to be and Pochettino is the perfect manager to help him develop as a player and as a person.” 

Sunderland are running out of options

Switching nearly 300 miles north to Wearside and the picture is considerably less rosy. Reid spent three happy seasons at Sunderland, all in the top flight, and is saddened by the prospect of the Mackems losing their Premier League status. The 34 year old insists their immediate future rests on a veteran striker and a successful fortnight ahead in the transfer market.

He’s a natural-born goal-scorer and the only natural goal-scorer there and with them being so hard to come by it is vital to keep hold of him. He’s got the firepower to keep them up.”

“This transfer window is make or break. They need more quality and it will be interesting to see if the owner is willing to put his hand in his pocket because he wants to get rid of the club. They lack creativity and need a couple more creative players. I thought Januzaj would have made more of an impact but he hasn’t so they’re short of someone to chip in with a few goals and create a few more for Defoe.” 

As for the man in the hot-seat Reid dismisses the option of bringing in a ‘fire-fighter’ to galvanize morale, an admittedly desperate measure that has worked for the club in times past.

“Sunderland should stick with David Moyes because the club needs stability now. There are not too many ‘Big Sams’ about and that’s why he got a job so soon after what happened with England. If that had happened to someone else clubs would have stayed away from them for a bit.”

Reid knows all about larger-than-life gaffers having spent his first year in the north-east playing under Roy Keane but insists his fellow Irishman’s reputation wrongly precedes him.

“There were times like any manager when he would lose it – and to be a good manager you have to - but most of the time he was a really calming influence. It was exaggerated how volatile Roy was.” 

“I probably had more arguments with him – well, not arguments because you daren’t argue with him – for Ireland. I had more dressing downs off him when playing with him than when he was a manager. I got on well with him and he was a good manager. I’m sure he’d admit himself that he made mistakes as it was his first job but overall he did a good job at Sunderland.” 

That season the club narrowly avoided the drop beginning a pattern of near-misses that continues to this day. Surely the legendary supporters are getting fed up with it by now?

“They deserve better but this situation has been going on for a few years now, just staying up at the last minute. So this won’t be a surprise to them. They have magnificent supporters and this is a real tough time for them but it won’t be a surprise where they are.” 

Keane of course is now the assistant to another former Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill as the duo look to guide the Republic of Ireland to successive major tournaments. Having played under both the 29-cap international Reid is pleased with how things are shaping up.

“Martin is doing a fantastic job and showing what a top class manager he is. I was in a couple of the squads with him before I got injured so I know how fantastic he is with the players. He knows when someone needs an arm around the shoulder or when they deserve a dressing down. He’s a very clever man and knows the right time to do those things.” 

“I’m not surprised in any way with how they qualified and now they’re getting off to a great start to this group. Obviously being an Irishman I just hope he keeps it up.”

Forest can’t see the wood for the trees

The upbeat mood ends when talk turns to Nottingham Forest, perhaps the club Reid is most associated with after two long spells at the City Ground. The two-time European Cup winners are presently mired in crisis with a recent failed takeover, minus a manager, and a series of poor results on the pitch. Now, to add insult to injury, it seems they may lose their captain to, of all places, Derby County. 

I don’t think he would go there and I’m not too sure the club would sell him to their local rivals.”

“Forest definitely have enough quality in the dressing room and there are some good players there so I’m pretty sure they’ll be okay. Having said that they need to pick up a few results sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see who is still there in January and they have to hold on to their quality players. If they do that they’ll be okay.”

First and foremost they must look to fill their vacant manager’s position after sacking Philippe Montanier this week, a task that might be easier said than done. 

“Who would want to take on the job? With the takeover fallen through the club is in limbo so who could they convince to come there? At the moment the team is in good hands with Gary Brazil looking after them. I know that Jack Lester has been mentioned for the job from within the club and that wouldn’t be a bad idea for the time being.” 

What of Reid himself? Having moved from Dublin to Nottingham as a raw 17 year old the midfielder clearly cares deeply for the ailing club and a brief spell coaching there last season offers up the possibility of getting involved again. 

“I’m finishing off my coaching badges at the moment. I would definitely like to go into it at some stage and if that was at Forest it would be brilliant. I have a big affinity with the club and the fans and a lot of the players there.”

The Premier League is one of the most popular leagues in world football and here at 888sport, we have a range of different markets associated with the league for you to bet on to make the action even more interesting. Here is a look at the different markets on our site and everything you need to know about the odds, terms and potential returns.

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Premier League Outright Betting

At the start of every season, 888sport have an outright market on who will win the Premier League title. Once the season begins, though, this market then continues to be updated after every round of fixtures.

This means that you can wait for as long as you like into the season before making your mind up about who you want to bet on for the title. If you are playing beforehand, though, and want to bet each-way, the place terms are 1-2 1/2.

Manchester City went into the 2017/18 season as the favourites to win the league at the end of the campaign, however, as we saw in the 2015/16 season, the bookmakers don’t always get the outright betting correct. Leicester were as big as 5000/1 to win the title that year, and, steered by manager Claudio Ranieri, ended up stunning the world.

Following a number of additions to their squad in the summer and after a fast start to their campaign, Manchester United are also one of the fancied sides in the betting for the title this season. Jose Mourinho has an excellent record in his second season at the football clubs he has managed and that is reflected in the betting, as United have only their neighbours and rivals City ahead of them.

Golden Boot Winner (Top Goalscorer)

With so many world class strikers now applying their trade in the Premier League, the goalscorer market is an exciting bet to place as with every goal scored by your player in the season, you can cheer even louder.

Harry Kane has been successful in each of the last two seasons in the top goalscorer market, with 25 and 29 goals to his name respectively. As a result, the Tottenham forward was once again the favourite to make it a hat-trick of Golden Boot trophies at the end of the 2017/18 campaign before the season began.

Alan Shearer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez all share the record for the most goals in a Premier League season, with 31, so Kane will have his eyes on breaking that record this season, which is likely to be enough to win this market if you have backed the Englishman.

New Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku has made a fast start to his campaign at Old Trafford and is also likely to have been popular in the Golden Boot betting. The former Everton man was only four goals behind Kane last season. He will be expected to be United’s leading talisman.

If you are having a bet on a player to win the Golden Boot trophy, it is always worth checking if they take penalties for their club. This will obviously help their total goals at the end of the season and if it is a new player to the Premier League from a foreign club, you might just be able to find a bit of value in this market.

Top Assists Market

888sport are one of the few firms to offer betting on who will top the assists chart at the end of the season. You can find stats online on which players are producing the most assists before placing your bet. Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan is the favourite to top the charts this season, while Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne are usually popular selections in the betting heat.

Relegation Betting

Three clubs will be relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season and with 888sport, you can bet on which club you think will end the campaign in the relegation zone.

Normally, the promoted clubs from the Championship are among the favourite in this market and that is the case in the 2017/18 relegation betting, where Brighton, Huddersfield and Newcastle are all near the top end of the betting. Like the outright market, relegation odds are updated throughout the season so you can wait a few games to assess each team before placing your bet.

888sport also offer a market on who will finish bottom of the Premier League table. If you have a strong view on a team and you think will struggle more than any other club, this is a good market as the odds will be much bigger for them to end the campaign rock bottom than they would be just to be relegated.

PFA Player of the Year

The PFA Player of the Year Award is given to the player which has stood out the most each season and is awarded by a panel assembled by the sponsors of the league.

In the 2016/17 campaign, N’Golo Kante was recognised for his performances for the champions Chelsea following his move from Leicester. The Frenchman was excellent in front of the Blues’ back three and a key part of their success.

Some of the names at the top of the betting for this year’s award include Lukaku, Paul Pogba, De Bruyne and Eden Hazard.

PFA Young Player of the Year

Betting is also available on who will scoop the PFA Young Player of the Year this season. Tottenham’s Dele Alli is the favourite in this market, however, he could face stern competition from Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus, Marcus Rashford of Manchester United and German international Leroy Sane, which is reflected in the betting as it is a tight market.

Just like the PFA Player of the Year, the betting will be updated throughout the season, depending on how well the youngsters are performing for their respective clubs.

First Premier League Manager to Leave

It is unlikely to take long for the first managerial casualty of the 2017/18 Premier League season to be announced, such is the pressure on the shoulders of the 20 managers in the league. During the summer, Rafa Benitez was the favourite in the market as there have been rumours that the Newcastle manager is unhappy that he has not been backed enough in the transfer window.

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is also one of the early frontrunners in the sack race as West Ham have made a slow start to the campaign, while they were expected to finish a lot higher than they did last season, therefore, Bilic has to deliver this year.

Once the first manager is sacked or walks from his position, the market then turns into the ‘next Premier League manager to leave’, where updated odds will be published. This process continues throughout the season. If you like these managerial markets, look out for the betting on who will become the club’s new manager once a sacking has been made.

Best London Team

This is a market offered by 888sport where you can bet on who you think will finish highest in the Premier League this season out of the six London-based clubs. You are effectively reducing the number of teams in the league by excluding all the clubs outside of London. Defending champions Chelsea are the favourites in this market, while Arsenal and Tottenham are not too far behind.

If you are betting on the Premier League this season, good luck with your bets and check the latest prices on all of 888sport’s market following every round of fixtures.

Clear your schedule; you won’t want to miss Super Sunday this weekend. Starting with Real Madrid’s conquerors Tottenham Hotspur at home to Crystal Palace, football fans should be prepared for one of the biggest Sunday’s of the Premier League season. Later, Manchester City will host Arsenal before Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge for what may be a fiery affair at Stamford Bridge.

• Premier League Betting Odds

So without further ado, let’s get stuck into some of the top tips and betting advice ahead of the weekend. With it being Bonfire night, will we 'remember remember, the 5th of November' or is it going to be a damp squib? Check out my thoughts on the action below...

TOTTENHAM vs Crystal Palace

Spurs fans were in dreamland on Wednesday night – Mauricio Pochettino’s men ran out 3-1 winners against 12-time European Cup champions Real Madrid. On their day, Tottenham are capable of slugging it out with the best teams in the business but the hosts must be wary of complacency.

Assuming that Palace will roll over and encourage Spurs to tally up a cricket score would be foolish to say the least; the visitors will be tough to beat. Spurs will be riding high on Wednesday's win but they cannot afford to take the Eagles lightly.

Roy Hodgson has failed to inspire confidence during his brief Palace tenure but there have been some positive signs for Eagles supporters. Victory over Chelsea in October gave fans a much-needed confidence boost but the 4-1 defeat to Championship side Bristol City in the Carabao Cup shattered all momentum.

It is hard to see Palace getting anything here if Spurs bring their A-game; the 5/4 for a Tottenham win and clean sheet represents solid value.

TIP: Spurs to win to nil @ 5/4

MANCHESTER CITY vs Arsenal

Pep Guardiola’s side are starting to look unbeatable. It may be a little early to compare City to Arsenal’s “Invincibles” side just yet but the Blues are certainly a class above their rivals in terms of talent, guile and desire.

With so much attacking talent on display, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see City rack up plenty of goals. Prior to last month’s goalless Carabao Cup clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, City had bagged 19 goals in their previous five home games...

A positive result here could act as the catalyst for Arsenal to go on and rebuild their season after a sub-par start to the campaign. Yes, they are still well in contention for the Champions League spots but defeat in this fixture would see the Gunners drop even further behind City in the title race.

Arsenal are worth considering given City’s perceived aura of invincibility – the Blues will go through a difficult patch at some stage this season. It won’t be here though, the 13/10 for a City win with goals at both ends of the pitch is my best bet of this encounter.

TIP: Man City to win and both teams to score @ 13/10

CHELSEA vs MANCHESTER UNITED

And then in the final game of Super Sunday, we have the big one. Jose Mourinho, Chelsea through and through for so long, will take his Manchester United side down to Stamford Bridge for what could be a fiery encounter.

Antonio Conte’s side have struggled to inspire confidence so far this campaign and supporters will be nervy after Chelsea conceded three goals away at Roma earlier this week – hardly an assured defensive performance and very uncharacteristic of the Blues side that won the Premier League title last year.

United know that defeat is not an option here; Mourinho won’t stand for it. The Red Devils were humiliated 4-0 in the corresponding fixture last term and Chelsea fans were quick to jump on Jose’s back.

A win here, especially with Paul Pogba side-lined, would send out a statement of intent to United’s title rivals, especially those “noisy neighbours” at the Etihad Stadium. Their record at Stamford Bridge isn’t great though and the draw looks well priced at 43/20 given Mourinho’s hesitant approach in the big games.                           

TIP: Match to be drawn @ 43/20

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Every October a team is appointed champions elect. Often a rash, reactionary naming after a tidal wave of early season hype, it seems to – more often than not – prove to be a foolish misjudgement based on results and short-term form.

• Premier League Betting Odds

It has happened prematurely to most of the top six clubs on one occasion or another. Manchester City have suffered the cursed fate before, and this year are having their name engraved in the trophy by some before Halloween has even passed.

11 matches into the 2017/18 Premier League season, Pep Guardiola’s side are on course to break every imaginable record. The swooning at their otherworldly football is justified. With 31 points, 38 goals scored, and only seven conceded, the two-time Premier League winners are winning with a panache we rarely see in England.

Pressure For Early Favourites

City were pre-season favourites for many, but the question that haunted their credentials was how their defence would cope. And, more specifically, how it would cope in the absence of Vincent Kompany. Until Stoke had the audacity to nick a couple of goals in their 7-2 drubbing last month, Guardiola’s team had let in just two, with Kompany having appeared in only three matches.

Sergio Aguero’s fitness has been similarly depended on at the Etihad Stadium since he arrived in 2011. The Argentine’s absence has been hardly noticed thanks, in part, to the form – and sensational talent – of Gabriel Jesus. Ex-Liverpool midfielder and pundit Danny Murphy noted Jesus as the best young talent he’s seen since Lionel Messi. Praise indeed...

A few can stake a claim to that title, but the 20-year-old Brazilian is certainly in the Premier League Golden Boot discussion and he will be quietly confident of adding to his tally of seven in the near future.

City have been scoring goals for fun this season. Their attack has everything, from the pace of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, the guile of David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne, to the lethal finishing of Aguero and Jesus. Now paired with a seemingly secure defence, City are a complete team. Their goalkeeping crisis has even been nullified with the arrival of the calm Ederson.

Goals rarely tell the whole tale, but City’s ruthlessness offensively can elevate them beyond domestic football. Their defence can afford a relapse with their current attacking form, and, even then, their ability to dominate possession gives their backline protection.

Where their Premier League contemporaries will become frustrated, City never suffer from a creative block. Ideas flow between their midfield and their attack, as they move like one entity, picking holes in their opponent at will.

Champions Swept Aside

Chelsea tried absorbing all of City’s play, and there’s arguably no Premier League team set up better to do so. Antonio Conte’s side limited their chances, but could not get enough of the ball to even momentarily panic John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

Guardiola has the five-star luxury of depth, especially in the final third. Should any team be able to limit their relentless chance creation, the vast quality will produce a moment of individual brilliance, just as De Bruyne did at Stamford Bridge.

Teams often have a whiff of invincibility early in the year. Guardiola’s team are one of the first to pose a significant threat to Arsenal’s USP, though. No Premier League squad has ever had this amount of quality in the attacking third, and the defence is solid even without Kompany and Benjamin Mendy.

City have deserved the plaudits. It could all come to a thunderous halt, but the performances thus far are as good as I can remember in the Premier League. Teams are not just being beaten, they are being dismantled. Kevin de Bruyne, almost a shoo-in to record more assists than any of his Premier League peers this season, almost single-handedly put Stoke to the sword in City's demolition job last month.

An unbeaten season has become a holy grail, and it is probably far too great an ask, though reasonable to suggest as a possibility. To say it is already City’s to lose, however, is no exaggeration. Their lead is up to eight points already and they are playing majestic football bordering on the unstoppable.

As Good As Anyone

October hyperbole has frequently been greeted with a hindsight giggle. Of all the early season fliers, though, Manchester City are the best we have seen. There might be a lengthy code to solve the puzzle opposition managers are faced with, but no manager has come close to toppling City in the first couple of months.

The once-overshadowed neighbours are the noisiest of all right now, and so they should be. City are playing joyous, jaw-dropping football. In De Bruyne they have perhaps the world’s best midfielder, and in the dugout they have a man whose place in footballing history is already cemented.

Guardiola has us watching in awe. The Spaniard has the talent at his disposal, but his brilliance is in how that talent is utilised and the spectacle it produces.

Trophies seem an inevitability for City this season. It’s simply a case of which ones. The longer this all-conquering, goal-heavy football continues, the higher the chance of a truly historic season becomes.

If ever the sweeping, autumnal, headline statements are deserved, it is for this Manchester City team. 

*Odds subject to change*