When Sergio Aguero scored a last-gasp winner for Manchester City against QPR to secure the 2011/12 title, Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler claimed: “I swear you’ll never see anything like this again” although he’d conveniently forgotten that Michael Thomas did something similar at Anfield in 1989.

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Tyler also couldn’t have foreseen that four seasons after his favourite Argentine stole the crown of champions from the heads of Manchester United, something even more remarkable was about to happen in the English Premier League.

Leicester City had spent most of the 2014/15 season at the foot of the table. Having won the Championship the previous campaign, the Foxes started the season brightly, winning 1-0 at Stoke before a fantastic 5-3 win over Manchester United where they came from 3-1 down.

However, that result was followed by a run of thirteen games without a victory, something which saw the Midlands side plummet down the table. A mini-resurgence over Christmas was then followed by another slump although April and May brought the sort of form that could set a team up very nicely for the following campaign!

Indeed, it’s easy to forget that Leicester won seven of their final nine top flight matches during the 2014/15 season which didn’t just see them out of the bottom three but actually into a finishing position of fourteenth. Champions Chelsea were the only side to beat them and a certain Jamie Vardy was starting to find the net regularly.

Pearson sacked and the Tinkerman returns

During that particular campaign, Pearson had regularly been favourite on the infamous Premier League Sack Race market, with bookmakers pricing up which manager will leave their respective post next.

The feisty Yorkshireman had regularly clashed with the media and famously called one journalist an ostrich, although it appeared as though the City manager had had the last laugh and would continue in the long-term at the King Power Stadium. 

However, some off-the-field indiscretions involving Pearson’s son during a pre-season tour of Thailand left the Leicester City owners feeling embarrassed and it’s possible that they wanted a change of personnel after a season of disappointment which had only been sweetened by the performances and results in April and May. 

Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that Claudio Ranieri was not a popular choice when the Italian was announced as the new Foxes gaffer. The Italian had previously managed Chelsea in the Premier League although that was over a decade ago and his previous job had seen him struggle badly to get a tune out of the Greek international side.

Supporters were also nonplussed when the club spent £5.6 million on the unknown N’Golo Kante from Caen, with scout Steve Walsh having orchestrated the signing, much in the same way that he had previously arranged for Vardy and Riyad Mahrez to join.

The bookmakers take a dim view of Leicester’s chances

It’s become well-known that City were as big as 5000/1 to win the 2015/16 Premier League title. After all, we were all led to believe that only a handful of teams could be champions, with previous winners coming from a select group of clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City.

The bookies were therefore happy to chalk up the Foxes as one of the “rags”, with only diehard Leicester supporters interested in risking a cheeky tenner on their team usurping some of their richer and more powerful rivals.

Indeed, there was far more staked on Ranieri’s team being relegated and the odds on Leicester going down were 7/1, which many felt was a tasty price. After all, Esteban Cambiasso hadn’t been persuaded to remain with the club and the Argentine was regarded as a big reason as to why City had previously escaped the dreaded drop.

The 2015/16 season was to begin on Saturday 8 August, with new boys Kante and Christian Fuchs on the bench for the visit of Sunderland. The fans were feeling encouraged by some of the pre-season performances although nothing could prepare them for what lay ahead!

Foxes show character from an early stage

It’s well-known that Leicester only lost three matches during the course of the entire Premier League campaign, although the Foxes’ odds remained at 5000/1 for the title while the bookies continued to treat their early season brightness as a novelty.

After a helter-skelter 4-2 victory over Sunderland was followed by a 2-1 win at West Ham (with Mahrez having a stormer in both games), Ranieri’s new charges then drew successive games against Tottenham and Bournemouth. A dramatic 3-2 win over Aston Villa was followed by a 2-2 draw at Stoke before Arsenal came to the King Power and won 5-2.

These final three games were pretty illustrative when it came to determining the course of Leicester’s title-winning campaign. Against the Villans, City trailed 2-0 with twenty minutes left although a feverish King Power helped them turn the game on its head.

At the Britannia Stadium, Stoke also took a 2-0 lead before their Midlands rivals hauled themselves back into the match, while the Foxes gave a fantastic account of themselves against the Gunners before Alexis Sanchez ran them ragged.

Nevertheless, Leicester had twelve points on the board from their first seven matches and the fans were certainly enjoying the ride. Ranieri was throwing caution to the wind and the Foxes were averaging more than two goals per game, even if the defence was yet to keep a clean sheet.

Interestingly, Danny Simpson and Christian Fuchs came into the team for a 2-1 win at Norwich City in the next game, with the manager identifying the full-back positions as a weak area for the team. The Foxes has reached fifteen points and the bookmakers finally took notice by cutting their title price from 5000/1 to 1500/1.

The comebacks continue and Vardy is a record-breaker

It’s worth noting that most Leicester supporters still weren’t entertaining the prospect of European football at this stage. Certainly not Champions League participation, nor a realistic shot at the Premier League title.

After all, Crystal Palace had as many points on the board, while Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United were stationed higher in the table. Fans instead felt encouraged by the gap between their team and those at the foot of the table, especially given the amount of time spent in the relegation zone the previous campaign.

Indeed, the media focus actually centred harder on a particular player within the Foxes ranks than the team itself. Jamie Vardy’s late penalty at Bournemouth might have seemed inconsequential at the time, although the 28-year-old then scored in his next four games before heading off on England duty.

After the international break, the goals kept coming for a forward who had been operating for non-league Fleetwood as recently as the 2011/12 season. In fact, Vardy had spent the bulk of his career playing as an amateur with Stocksbridge Park Steels, Halifax and then Fleetwood.

This rags-to-riches angle had the media in a frenzy as the speedy forward scored against Southampton and Crystal Palace, while further goals came against West Brom, Watford and Newcastle. Scoring at St James’ Park meant that Vardy had matched Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record of scoring in ten consecutive matches.

However, the best was yet to come as the former Sheffield Wednesday trainee scored against Manchester United after the Foxes had defended a corner, only to break in typical fashion and the ball was fired past David de Gea moments later.

Jamie Vardy was “having a party” as the chant went, although his goals would ultimately help lay the foundations for an even more amazing achievement come May, not that anyone was forecasting this yet.

Again, it’s worth pointing out that some of Leicester’s victories in the autumn of 2015 were achieved the hard way. Southampton were another team leading 2-0 before being pegged back and West Brom took the lead before the Foxes ran riot at The Hawthorns. Confidence and belief began to course through every player in that Leicester squad and they were practically “safe” from relegation at this stage.

Foxes hit the summit but they’re still 100/1 shots

On 21 November after winning 3-0 at St James’ Park, Leicester became Premier League leaders. The supporters were in dreamland and the bookies tentatively shortened Ranieri’s team of warriors to 100/1 and the prospect of playing in the Europa League next season was beginning to look realistic.

Nevertheless, Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United sat a point behind, with Manchester City and Arsenal sitting two behind them and seemingly waiting to pounce.

By this stage, Ranieri had a very settled team. Kasper Schmeichel was proving to be a safe pair of hands in front of a defence which comprised of Simpson, Huth, Morgan and Fuchs. New boy N’Golo Kante was seriously impressing as the midfield anchor alongside Danny Drinkwater, with Riyad Mahrez a star turn on the right wing and the understated Marc Albrighton on the opposite flank. Vardy was scoring in buckets, while Jose Ulloa or Shinji Okazaki operated as the hard-working foil.

The Foxes’ fearless approach saw them collect three more wins on the spin, with Swansea, Chelsea and Everton the victims, although a 1-0 defeat at Anfield on Boxing Day suggested that Mahrez and Vardy were starting to burn out. Goalless draws at home to Manchester City and Bournemouth followed, were the wheels finally coming off Leicester’s season?

The Foxes scent finally picked up by the bookies

On 24 January 2016, something momentous happened. The bookies made Leicester City a viable candidate to win the Premier League title. A 1-0 win at White Hart Lane, a 1-1 draw at Villa Park and a 3-0 victory over Stoke suggested that the Foxes weren’t going away. They had no European distractions and no pressure on them after cruising past the 40-point mark.

Ranieri had also succeeded in tightening the defence quite markedly. Kante had become a huge presence in midfield, while Morgan and Huth were having the season of their lives and working in tandem as Leicester started to rack up the clean sheets that would be imperative if they were to challenge for the title.

On 2 February, Leicester beat Liverpool 2-0 and were now down to 5/1, although Manchester City’s fortunate 1-0 win at Sunderland saw the layers go even money about a team whose experience of challenging for honours would surely give them an advantage?

Manchester City demolished but Arsenal hand out another defeat

Saturday 6 February was a defining day in the 2015/16 title race. Leicester were 3/1 shots to win at the Etihad Stadium, although they had now become an unstoppable force and Manchester City were unable to deal with a team who had engendered the sort of togetherness that had rarely been seen before.

A Robert Huth brace and a special from Mahrez saw the Midlands outfit claim a 3-1 victory and not only was Champions League football on the cards but City were now 7/4 favourites to win the title. 

A draw at the Emirates in the next game would have been a great outcome for the Foxes and it was very nearly on the cards until Danny Welbeck scored at the death to land a maximum haul for Arsenal. 

The home supporters whooped with delight and the gap had now been reduced to two points. The Gunners were 13/8, Tottenham were 5/2 and Leicester were out to 11/4. However, Ranieri’s team would recover from this setback immediately and go unbeaten for the remainder of the season.

Leicester’s five-match winning run puts them in pole
A sketchy 1-0 victory against Norwich was followed by a shaky 2-2 draw with West Brom as the nerves started to jangle. However, Leicester knuckled down to secure four successive 1-0 triumphs and then a 2-0 win at Sunderland. 

This new approach relied on defensive composure and a willingness to let the opposition see plenty of the ball, with Morgan marshalling a defence that stayed firm and rode their luck at time.

By this stage, Arsenal had dropped badly off the pace and Spurs were also failing to capitalise on the opportunity that they had created. A 4-0 thumping of Swansea followed a 2-2 draw with West Ham, with the Foxes 1/20 and on the verge of an unprecedented achievement that nobody could have forecasted. 

After a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, Leicester knew that a Tottenham failure to win at Stamford Bridge the following evening would see them crowned champions. Despite the visitors taking a 2-0 lead, Chelsea clawed it back and pandemonium ensued in the east Midlands.

The Cesarewitch Handicap is run over 2m2f on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course and is one of the most popular betting races at the latter end of the flat racing calendar. Over thirty runners usually go to post. The race is also referred to as the second leg of the autumn double. The “first leg” of the autumn double, the Cambridgeshire, was won by Martyn Meade’s outsider, Dolphin Vista at 50/1.

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Will something at similar odds prevail on Saturday?

Here is a brief runner-by-runner guide to the mammoth 34 runner field.

Fun Mac (25/1)

Hughie Morrison, who won the race twelve months ago with Sweet Selection, sends out Fun Mac again this year. He could only finish in 20^th place last year and will have to improve considerably.

Magic Circle (16/1)

Was somewhat of an enigma at York Ebor meeting, winning a two mile handicap on the Wednesday before running another cracking race to finish fifth in the Ebor on the Saturday.

Watersmeet (25/1)

Hasn’t won on the turf since May 2015 and has failed to build upon some good A.W form gained last winter.

Laws Of Spin (16/1)

Laws Of Spin just came out on top in a thrilling finish to the Irish Cesarewitch last month and Willie Mullins will be hoping to land the English equivalent with his four-year-old.

Tawdeaa (40/1)

Previous winner of the Old Newton Cup and has amassed £100k in prize money but very much out of form this season.

Endless Acres (12/1)

Trained by Charlie Fellowes, the improving four-year-old has not been seen since finishing second to Thomas Hobson at Royal Ascot in June. Tends to go well fresh.

First Mohican (33/1)

Second in this race last year and has been given a long break since Royal Ascot. Could easily outrun his odds.

Snow Falcon (16/1)

The versatile Snow Falcon, a six-time winner in the NH sphere and a two-time winner on the flat, comes here on the back of running second in the Irish Cesarewitch last Sunday.

Mirsaale (40/1)

The Keith Dalgleish-trained gelding , who ran in the 2013 Derby, won at Kelso last time out and comes here fighting fit. Another who could run well at big odds.

Who Dares Wins (10/1)

Who Dares Wins got the better of his Alan King-trained stablemate Coeur De Lion to win the Cesarewitch Trial at Newmarket.  He carries a 4lb for that success.

Shrewd (16/1)

Has been campaigned with the Cesarewitch as his end-of-season target. He was runner-up to Heartbreak City in last year’s Ebor and ran 12^th in this last season. Iain Jardine is certainly very much like his runner...shrewd!

London Prize (16/1)

London Prize has not been seen since winning the Northumberland Vase at Newcastle in July and is another good dual-purpose performer.  Ian Williams is in good form at the moment too.

Getback In Paris (33/1)

Had been running some consistent races over the summer for trainer Richard Hughes before getting bogged down in the heavy going at Haydock last time out.

Byron Flyer (20/1)

He finished second for the fourth time in succession on his latest run and keeps finding one just too good. He does however have an abundance of stamina, having recorded a 2m4f win over hurdles.

Digeanta (33/1)

Winner of the Irish Cesarewitch in 2015 but there is very little to recommend the ten-year-old on this season.

Oceane (33/1)

Alan King, who won the Cesarewitch with Grumeti at 50/1, also saddles Oceane for the same ownership.  Big doubts whether he stays however.

Time To Study (12/1)

Dug deep to win the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster beating Byron Flyer and Shrewd in the process. Ran well on heavy at Haydock prior to that so should have no problem with the distance.

Lagostovegas (12/1)

Lagostovegas was third behind stablemate Whiskey Sour in a valuable two-mile flat handicap at Galway in July.  Ryan Moore gets the nod which may be a tip in itself.

Euchen Glen (16/1)

Ran a close third to Magic Circle at York last time out on the back of beating Byron Flyer in the Shergar Cup Stayers race. Respected.

Star Rider (33/1)

Bred to stay and was the winner of the Goodwood Stakes in 2016 beating Percy Veer and Oceane. Has shown none of that old sparkle this season and returns after a break.

Swamp Fox (14/1)

Swamp Fox went down by a neck in the Galway Hurdle and now switches to the flat to avenge that heartbreaking defeat. Definitely has all the credentials to be a major player in this.

Swashbuckle (33/1)

Swashbuckle got the better of Sternrubin at Salisbury in June but has underperformed in two subsequent runs since. Would not be the biggest surprise if he put in a good show.

Dubawi Fifty (12/1)

This lightly-raced four-year-old has won his last two starts in the style of an improving stayer, but he has not run since mid-August in order to protect his handicap mark.  Former jump-jockey Graham Lee takes the ride for Karen McLintock.

Taws (33/1)

Likeable mare who picked up a couple of wins at Chepstow on softish going in August. They type to be running on late in the day but probably too late.

John Constable (8/1)

John Constable hacked up in Haydock's Swinton Hurdle off a mark of 134 before making defying a 16lb rise in the Summer Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen. Evan Williams’ six-year-old looks thrown in and is an understandable favourite.

Poyle Thomas (66/1)

The eight-year-old last won in 2014 when trained by Ralph Beckett. Has looked very poor this season for his new trainer.

Frederic (50/1)

Rooney! Rooney! No, not that one- Paul and Clare Rooney own this one but their flat adventures have not been quite as fruitful as their jump ones. This is a tough ask for the six-year-old.

Duke Street (25/1)

A decent hurdler for the good Doctor and has previously scored on the flat. Hector Crouch takes off a useful 3lb and the 25/1 on offer will tempt a fair few to follow.

Cape Caster (66/1)

Also representing Evan Williams but is nowhere in the same league as the favourite John Constable.

Arthur Mc Bride (33/1)

Picked up an all the way success at Goodwood in the soft at Goodwood in September but is unlikely to get his optimum conditions on Saturday.

Withhold (10/1)

Withhold looks to have been laid out for this by Roger Charlton. Successful over 2m at Haydock a year ago he should get all the assistance he needs from champion-elect Silvestre De Sousa.

Friday Night Light (40/1)

Martin Pipe won this race twice with Miss Fara and Heros Fatal whilst David has come close with Mamlook who finished second and third in the race in 2008 and 2009. This runner would prefer more cut in the ground one would suspect.

Aurora Gray (25/1)

Came second to Cool Sky in attritional conditions in the Goodwood Handicap and has been running consistently all season. Will run off a favourable 8st 3lbs after Charlie Bennett takes off his riding allowance.

Rolling Maul (40/1)

The nine-year-old has been a revelation since switching codes, making it three wins from three on the Flat before running a poor race at Ffos Las on the heavy going. He comes into this race with no weight at all on his back - can he make the most of it?

Summary

Invariably it pays to side with trainers with dual-purpose runners in this race and there is a plethora of them to choose from in this marathon contest.

Evan Williams’ John Constable holds a profile that could easily see him demolishing this field but things aren’t always that straight forward in horse racing.

Mirsaale and Duke Street look like really decent each-way bets and complete our trio against the field.

888sport suggests: John Constable, Mirsaale and Duke Street (all E/W).

It may be a month away but the excitement and fervour is beginning to mount for “the race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Gold Cup in Australia.

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Preparations are well under way for trainers and owners with Gold Cup ambitions, especially those international raiders who have to organise transportation and quarantine for their equine stars.

Let’s take a look through some of the runners that all being well will line up at Flemington Park on Tuesday 7^th November.

Almandin (current odds 6/1)

Almandin is favourite to join an exclusive group of back-to-back Melbourne Cup winners and represents the home nation.

The defending Melbourne Cup champion can be forgiven his unplaced run in The Bart Cummings race as he did not get a favourable draw at all.

Almandin is rated one of the best stayers in Australia and will be a tough nut to crack on the day.

Bonneval (current odds 10/1)

Dual Oaks winner and New Zealand horse of the year Bonneval arguably has the perfect weight to win the Melbourne Cup should she take up her entry.

Bonneval began her campaign with an impressive victory in the Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley. Just over 24 hours later she was named Horse of the Year, Three-Year-Old of the Year and Stayer of the Year for the 2016-17 season at the New Zealand Thoroughbred awards.

Ventura Storm (current odds 14/1)

David Hayes, who trains in partnership with his son and nephew, is aiming import Ventura Storm at the Melbourne Cup and hasn't ruled out the Caulfield Cup.

"I would say he's our number one seed (for the Melbourne Cup)," Hayes said.

Ventura Storm won a Group One race in Italy last October after his second in the St Leger at Doncaster

He finished midfield in the Heatherlie Handicap on his second Australian start.

"We're just getting the miles into his legs," Hayes said.

"There's no pressure on him because he's qualified and in the Cup. So we just have to get him in form by late October."

Amelie’s Star (current odds 14/1)

Darren Weir’s impressive mare Amelie’s Star put herself right into the Melbourne Cup frame by upstaging Almandin in The Bart Cummings at Flemington.

Weir said he was still unsure which path the mare would take before the first Tuesday in November.

“I don’t really know, to be honest,” Weir said of the six-year-old mare’s lead-up run before the Melbourne Cup. “But it’s a good problem to have.”

“She has had a beautiful preparation, she is going to have to have a run between now and then. We will just map out what we do, but she is very sound and has lots and lots of miles in her legs. We just need to get things right between now and the Melbourne Cup and who knows what will happen.”

Red Cardinal (current odds 16/1)

It was announced at the weekend Ryan Moore will partner Red Cardinal at Flemington.

This brings together the team that won the 2014 Melbourne Cup with Protectionist - trainer Andreas Wohler, owners Australian Bloodstock and Ryan Moore.

Red Cardinal is currently in quarantine following his arrival in Australia just over a week ago.

He was expected to run in the Herbert Power Stakes, the race Protectionist ran fourth in before his Cup victory, but will head straight into the feature race on November 7^th without having an Australian start.

Admire Deus (current odds 16/1)

Top Australian jockey Craig Williams has endorsed Darren Weir’s Admire Deus as a serious Cup contender after partnering the Japanese import on the gallops at Werribee.

“I’m really happy with where he’s at,” Williams said. “He’s moving really well, he’s athletic and he’s got a very, very big motor. He was very, very solid when I asked him.

“I’ve been really happy with his preparation.

“Darren Weir’s been down to have a look at him and he’s really happy with him.

And Matt (Scown), who’s been his travelling foreman, he spent time with him in Japan and is now in quarantine with him here is happy with the way the horse has travelled.

“I went across to Japan to sit on him and I think that’s been very important to have a base to compare him to over.”

Marmelo (current odds 25/1)

Hughie Morrison's dual Group-winning stayer went into quarantine in mid-September and has arrived in Australia to be prepared for the big race.

Marmelo is up towards the head of the weights carrying 8st 9lb for the prestigious two mile handicap.

"The handicapper's been pretty tough on him. The form probably reflects his rating and on we go.

"Hopefully he can run well over there and come back for the Cup races here next year.

"We've been quite careful not to over-race him this year as we've had this race at the back of our minds."

Marmelo won the Group Two Prix Kergoraly at Deauville on his latest start.

Nakeeta (current odds 25/1)

Nakeeta will fly out to Australia on Thursday after a period of quarantine in Newmarket. As well as capturing this year’s Ebor, Europe’s most valuable handicap, and the Old Borough Cup in 2015, the Iain Jardine trained gelding finished second in last season’s Chester Cup.

When the weights were revealed Jardine said: "He's got the same mark as Heartbreak City (last year's Ebor winner who finished a close second in Melbourne) and he should get a run.

"I'd be hopeful of getting him there in the same form he is in now and if he is, he must have a chance.

"He's a stayer with a change of gear, which is what you need.

"It's not every year you get the chance to run in a Melbourne Cup."

Summary

Any horse that Ryan Moore rides in a feature race is likely to see plenty of support in the days leading up to the event. At this moment in time an e/w wager on Red Cardinal at 16/1 looks a generous price for the early birds out there. 

Former Manchester City keeper Nicky Weaver has been critical of Claudio Bravo’s derby display on Saturday claiming the clumsy Chilean drops the ball when it comes to the cardinal rule of goalkeeping.

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“Bravo is one of the smallest in the Premier League and the glove-work on Saturday wasn’t at the standard expected of him. He always wants to play with his feet and in Spain, the keeper is always seen as the eleventh outfield player and that’s how City want to play. But first and foremost for me, I like to see a goalkeeper keep the ball out of his net.”

The 33-year-old debutant endured a torrid ninety minutes during City’s 2-1 win at Old Trafford with an erratic performance that had Blues pining for the swift return of Joe Hart and United supporters off their seats every time the ball was in his vicinity. Weaver – who remains a firm fan’s favourite following a decade’s service for the club – believes further costly errors could be on the horizon.

“Obviously it wasn’t an ideal debut for him though he got away with it because they won. He made a mistake with the goal and whether he was to blame for a lack of communication or if it was John Stones only those two know but he’s the type of goalkeeper who plays on the edge, he plays high and takes risks. We can expect the odd mistake.”

At this moment in time comparing the German sweeper-keeper to the nervy £17m summer purchase may be like contrasting chalk with a cheese full of holes but down the pitch last Saturday lunchtime stood a parallel that could possibly offer City hope.

“De Gea had a really difficult time when he first arrived but he’s now massive for United and is one of the best keepers in the world. So with Bravo having a similar dodgy start hopefully he can build from it and go from strength to strength.”

That is assuming of course that the under-fire Bravo is given a chance to prove his credentials that include over a hundred international caps and two La Liga-winning seasons with Barcelona. Weaver isn’t so sure.

“There is going to be a circus around him now in the media and teams coming up will have watched that game and be closing him down and forcing a mistake. He’s also going to get lots of jeers from opposing fans but he is vastly experienced so that won’t worry him.”

“A lot of goalkeepers struggle with the Premier League when they first come. At corners they will try and pen him in and put it under the crossbar. Teams will try and exploit every weakness and City don’t have many so any little advantage will be taken.”

The most startling of errors committed by Hart’s headline-grabbing replacement was a failed attempt to turn Wayne Rooney as the United forward advanced with intent. It led to an incident that many believe should have resulted in either a penalty or sending off, an opinion unsurprisingly shared by Jose Mourinho in his post-match interview.

Weaver, however, suspects diversionary tactics may be at play here as the wily Portuguese coach detracts attention from his side’s disappointing defeat.

“Bravo had a really heavy touch and had to go in hard to win the ball. He did go in with the foot raised but his studs weren’t showing towards Rooney. It was angled away so for me it was a hard but fair challenge. It was typical Mourinho to jump on that one and to reflect away from his side. So we’re coming off the back of a Man City win and all people want to go on about is the goalkeeper.”

Point duly taken and certainly there were many positives to be gleaned for the blue half of Manchester after a tremendous victory and an opening forty-five minutes that was arguably the most impressive witnessed for several seasons in the Premier League.

“With some better finishing from City there could have been a few more. They hit the post a couple of times and every time De Bruyne had the ball something happened. With City at the moment every time a question has been asked they are answering it.”

“It’s high-tempo and if they lose the ball the pressing gets it back. There has been a lot of talk about the possession based game but it’s possession with a purpose. They have a lot of young dynamic players in the team and with Iheanacho stepping in for Aguero they have goals and options all over the place. They have subs who can change things and they’re going to take some beating for the title.”

Though United and Chelsea will still insist on having a significant say on this matter there is no question that Pep Guardiola’s revolution has immediately sparked into life with several players finding themselves revitalised under his charge. For Weaver though there has been nobody more impressive than City’s Brazilian brilliant bundle of energy Fernandinho.

“He’s been fantastic and has been the unsung hero for a while now. He’s all over the place and breaks things up and starts things off. He can be one of the mainstays in Guardiola’s team now and like Iniesta he links things up and doesn’t over-complicate it. He gets it and gives it and creates little pockets of space for others. He may not be a de Bruyne or Sterling but the role he plays is pivotal.”

As the likable former City stopper knows all-too-well though there is no position more pivotal than a team’s number one. Considering the nature of his exit how does Weaver think Joe Hart reacted when viewing his successor’s struggles at the weekend?

“He is probably glad that they won but would have had a little wry smile to himself.”

1. Who will win the Premier League Title?

   Manchester City - Bet on Premier League Title Winner

2. Who will win the Champions league?

   I hope they go deep into the competition and go one better than last year. So Manchester City. - Bet on Champions league Winner

3. Who will win the Premier League’s Golden Boot?

   Sergio Aguero - Bet on Premier League’s Golden Boot

Ahead of this weekend’s momentous derby, Manchester United and England legend Andy Cole has insisted that Wayne Rooney is the main man at Old Trafford who has earned the right to play where he wants.

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“He is going to play a massive role because it’s Wayne Rooney. People have questioned his position for England but that’s England, man. He has earned the reputation where, if no one is better in a certain position, he can play in that position. Of course he’s going to play a big part but there is competition for places now, which is always a key thing for Manchester United”

Some of that competition comes in the form of a formidable midfield presence who cost United twelve times the £7m fee that made Cole the most expensive player in Britain when he signed from Newcastle back in 1995. The weight of the world and 89 million pound coins rests on Paul Pogba’s shoulders, yet a series of assured performances is already lessening the impact of the astronomical sum needed to wrestle him back from Juventus. Cole is evidently a fan.

“I can’t see why he can’t be the complete midfielder. For such a young man to go to Italy and do what he did then of course he can. He can be a special player at Old Trafford and that’s why they paid all that money to bring him back.”

“To cope with the price as he has done, it’s just water off a duck’s back. So fair play to him to come back to Old Trafford for unfinished business.”

It is business expected to include plenty of silverware but having played ahead of arguably the greatest midfield duo the club has ever boasted, Cole knows all-too-well the exceptional standards that are required and demanded to drive the global giants to glory. Any comparison therefore between Pogba and either Keane or Scholes is – at this stage at least – chuckled away.

“Roy and Scholesy, well I’m very biased because I played with the pair of them. Pogba has the ability to become a fantastic player. But will he surpass them two? I’ll tell you what; if he does then he’ll turn out to be some player. Those two were absolutely phenomenal”

“I’m very biased. The ’99 team was a very good team and what we achieved means a lot of people love that team and want to see Manchester United play like that team.”

And there is the rub. For as great as that era was – for club and supporters alike – it set an almost impossible benchmark for all subsequent teams to follow. It is fair to state that under the brief tenure of David Moyes and drawn-out gloom of Louis Van Gaal, the thirteen times Premier League champions fell far below that level. With the self-appointed Special One now scowling on the touchline, might an overdue resurgence be on the cards?

“I’m hoping the good times are returning and you can certainly see a swagger. All the players are talking about what he (Mourinho) wants to win. The few games we’ve had so far you can see the fear factor returning and that’s what Manchester United is all about. These past few years teams have gone to Old Trafford believing they can win. When you played under Sir Alex Ferguson teams would just hope they wouldn’t get beat by five. Mourinho is bringing that back now and they’re starting to look like the old United.”

Pogba may still have much to prove it seems but here a lofty comparison is more deserving.

“Jose has the same great aura about him as Sir Alex. Look at what he’s done in the game – going to Italy and Spain and doing it out there - and now he’s trying to emulate his phenomenal record in England.”

Whether he does only time will tell, but an immediate challenge for Jose – in addition to a forthcoming Manchester derby for the ages – is to revive a player in Anthony Martial who has clearly lost his mojo in recent weeks. Does he have the man-management chops to put the va-va-voom back into the French forward?

“I see it as an extension of the Euros. He played a game then got left out and didn’t feature after that and of course that’s going to dent your confidence. He’s a young man and had a fantastic season last season with Manchester United but confidence is everything. He is too good a player not to turn that around and Mourinho will help Anthony get his confidence back. He has worked with players his age before.”

“I’ll think he will be okay because all it takes is a goal and I’m not sitting here worried about him because he is far too good not to get out of the slump he’s in.”

Illustrating just how difficult a task modern coaching is at the other end of the scale, Mourinho must also accommodate a raw striker who has no such crisis of self-belief: indeed he scores for fun, including a sensational hat-trick this week on his England Under 21s debut.  Just how good is Marcus Rashford and, perhaps more pertinently, will he be granted sufficient opportunity to fulfil his immense promise for the Reds?

“He’s had a great start to his career: he’s been brilliant and I’m hoping he has enough games this season to show everyone how good he is. He has all the qualities for the big time and, like myself, he nicks a goal. Will he become a Manchester United great? We’re all hoping that he can be.”

With the grandmaster Guardiola at City and Mourinho controlling the reins at old Trafford the seasons to come will be box office in Manchester starting with this weekend’s tumultuous encounter. Cole – who played for both sides in his goal-laden career – believes picking an ultimate winner is too close to call

“If I knew who would do best in the next three years, then I’d head straight to the bookmakers!”

Andy Cole quickfire questions

Who will win the Manchester derby?

Manchester United

Who will win the Golden Boot?

If he stays fit then Sergio Aguero

Who will win the Premier League?

It’s a toss-up between United or City

Who will win the Champions League?

Barcelona, but I say that every year

Run at Newmarket on the Rowley Mile course, the race was first inaugurated in 1966, initially for three-year-olds only over a distance of one mile and two furlongs. In 1974, the race was opened to fillies and mares over the age of three and amended further in 2000 when the race became a one-mile event.

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The most successful horse in the race is Sahpresa, who won the contest on three consecutive occasions from 2009 until 2011 for French trainer Rod Collet.

Here is a runner-by-runner guide to the 2017 renewal on Saturday 7^th October.

Aljazzi

Aljazzi was a three-length winner of Sandown’s Group Three Atalanta Stakes last month and had previously finished three-quarters of a length behind Qemah in Royal Ascot’s Group Two Duke Of Cambridge Stakes and comes into the race a relatively fresh horse. She has been the standout market mover all this week.

Dawn Of Hope

Finished halfway down the field behind Qemah in the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, then marginally went down to Lincoln Rocks in the Pipalong Stakes. She looks to be a little way short of what is required to win a race of this stature.

Muffri’Ha

The William Haggas-trained Muffri'Ha opened her account for the campaign with success in the Muhaarar British EBF Rosemary Stakes last weekend. Third in her only previous attempt at a Group One, Muffri'Ha is poised to have a crack at the top level again.

Nathra

Nathra was fifth in last year's Guineas after winning the Nell Gwyn but has been unable to add to her her tally despite running several excellent races in defeat in Group Two and Group Three company. Nathra’s three-quarters of a length second to Aclaim reads extremely well given that horse took last Sunday’s Prix De La Foret at Chantilly.

Persuasive

Persuasive was last seen finishing third in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and represents Arc winners John Gosden and Frankie Dettori in this weekend's Group One feature. She was fifth to Roly Poly in the Prix Rothschild on her belated summer return but she looks open to further improvement.

Qemah

The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Qemah will be aiming to stamp her authority over her comtempories just like she did at Royal Ascot. She was a close up fourth when denied a clear run behind Roly Poly at Deauville and looks like being very much in the mix on all known form.

Siyoushake

The Freddy Head-trained five-year-old ran a respectable fourth in this Group One last year which was won by Alice Springs, after which she went on to land the Group Three Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud. Siyoushake has run extremely well at the top level, being placed in the Prix Rothschild and the Prix Jean-Romanet on her last two starts. The French are no strangers to winning this race.

Spangled

Spangled has been lightly raced this year after suffering a setback in the spring. The Roger Varian-trained chestnut appears to have needed the run when down the pack in the Group Three City of York Stakes last time but has won only over seven furlongs. Varian’s table has been in decent form this week so she is no forlorn hope in this.

Usherette

Andre Fabre's Usherette is yet another contender that forms part of a formidable French challenge on this Group race. The five-year-old won the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and was a close-up third when defending her title this June. Last month she claimed a Listed prize at Maisons-Laffitte and should be written off at your peril.

Alluringly

She won a Listed race over the extended one mile and one furlong at Gowran over the summer but in the main has looked out of her depth in races of this magnitude this season. She does however hail from the all-conquering Aidan O’Brien stable so you cannot put a line through her completely.

Arabian Hope

Arabian Hope is trained by Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Suroor and comes into the race in good form having captured the Group Three Istanbul Trophy over a mile in Turkey, on September 2^nd. Prior to that victory she was an eye-catching third behind Roly Poly in the Group One Falmouth Stakes. Plenty of Godolphin runners have been running and winning at big odds recently and she could be another one that has been underestimated.

Roly Poly

Three-year-old Roly Poly will be hoping to emulate the achievements of her same age stablemates Rhododendron and Hydrangea by taking this valuable prize for the Ballydoyle team. She scored back-to-back wins in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and the Prix Rothschild at Deauville, both at the one-mile distance of the Sun Chariot. Her last run in the Matron has to be excused though if she is to have any chance on Saturday afternoon.

Tomyris

Set off in fine style with two wins at the start of the season before a far from disgraced run in the Coronation Stakes. She returned from a short break to record a solid third over seven furlongs in a Doncaster Group Three last month. There are certainly a lot worse 40/1 shots that you can follow.

Summary

Aidan O’Brien is only three short of breaking Bobby Frankel’s record of 25 Group/Grade One victories in a calendar year after scoring doubles at both Newmarket and Chantilly last weekend and there is every chance that Roly Poly can put him just two shy of the landmark this Saturday afternoon.

Roly Poly has twice already contributed to that tally this season and her form suggests she can give the champion Irish trainer another notch on the board.

888sport suggests: Roly Poly (win)

The Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs and takes places at its temporary home at Chantilly on Sunday.

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The race is certainly the highest quality Group 1 middle distance event on the European racing calendar and is arguably the best race of this type in the world.

Some true greats have the race over the past twenty years including Montjeu, Sinndar, Dalakhani, Zarkava , Sea The Stars and the renowned Treve.

This year Enable is a touch of odds-on to record another Arc victory for her trainer John Gosden but can she really be backed at theprice with confidence?

According to the official statistics no winner of the Oaks, Irish Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks or filly winner of King George has ever won the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe. She’s going to have to do something really special on Sunday afternoon to unshackle herself from that statistical millstone.

Runner-by-runner guide

Enable

Victory aboard the John Gosden trained Enable would give her jockey Frankie Dettori a fifth Arc elevating him above Jacques Doyasbere, Freddy Head, Yves Saint-Martin, Pat Eddery, Olivier Peslier and Thierry Jarnet, who are all on four wins each.

Enable was supplemented on Wednesday morning at a cost of 120,000 euros as she was not entered at the first entry stage.

That fee will pale into insignificance if she manages to land the 2.85m euro first prize pot.

Ulysses

Sir Michael Stoute's four-year-old finished second to Enable in the King George before winning the Juddmonte International at York on his latest start.

Stoute's Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International hero will have his work cut out to reverse the form with Enable but Frankie Dettori does rate him as one of his main dangers.

Order Of St George

Donnacha O’Brien had to wait and see which of his father’s remaining entries he was going to be jocked up on and his father has decided it will be Order Of St George for his son based on the probable going come Sunday.

It is very possible AOB has out his son aboard his best chance in the race. Ryan Moore has already won an Arc and Donnacha is one of his offspring after all.

The five year old was third a year ago after a shock Irish Leger defeat but won that race with ease at the Curragh earlier this month.

Brametot

French Guineas and Derby hero Brametot is reported to have been doing all the right things on the gallops and his trainer is enthusiastic about his chances.

After clocking up a hat-trick of wins at the start of the season a question mark had been hanging over him after the first disappointing run of his career when behind Eminent in last month's Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville.

Connections put that down to a ricked back and he is now firing again on all cylinders.

Dschingis Secret

Trained in Cologne by Markus Klug, Prix Foy winner Dschingis Secret has been the subject of sustained support in the betting this week based on the predicted going.

Adrie de Vries, who landed the Group 1 Preis von Europa in Cologne at the weekend for Klug, is relishing his first Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe ride on Dschingis Secret.

Winter

Winter's winning streak came to an end in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, but Aidan O'Brien believes enough in her to have a crack at the Arc with his dual Guineas heroine.

There is a slight doubt over her stamina lasting out over this 1m 4f however.

Capri

Another piece of the Ballydoyle jigsaw and a decent winner to boot in the recent St Leger at Doncaster.

It does make you wonder though if this was an afterthought but Capri cannot be dismissed lightly.

Zarak

The four-year-old has had a break since winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the beginning of July but put in a nice gallop on Tuesday morning.

Zarak is a 14/1 chance with 888sport to give owner Aga Khan a fifth success in the Arc and Royer-Dupre a third.

Satono Diamond

Satono Diamond lines up in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in an attempt to end years of Japanese heartbreak in the race.

His modest fourth of six in the Prix Foy hardly enhanced his standing as a serious Arc candidate and it is a struggle to make a real case for him.

Cloth Of Stars

Andre Fabre saddles Cloth Of Stars for Team Godolphin, who are looking for a third success in the Arc after a gap of 15 years.

Cloth of Stars beat Zarak to win the Group 1 Prix Ganay in Saint Cloud earlier in the season and appears to have been overlooked somewhat in the betting.

Idaho

At Ascot Enable had Ulysses, Idaho and Highland Reel all in behind. It’s a fair call to say Idaho will be trailing her home again in this contest.

Seventh Heaven

Two-time Group 1-winning filly Seventh Heaven, had not been seen since a devastating display at Newmarket in May before trailing home last in the Blandford Stakes last time.

If she can bounce back from that she may be a lively outsider.

Silverware

Winner of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Prix Foy last season and set off this term in good form.

Underperformed last time out but does have the back-class to bounce back.

Doha Dream

Won the Prix Chaudenay here last year and showed he has the stamina required to win this. He seems rather big at 50/1 for an Andre Fabre trained runner.

Iquitos

Dual Group 1 winner Iquitos is a second runner in the race for Germany and will hoping to emulate the last German winner, Danedream in 2011.

One Foot In Heaven

Alain de Royer-Dupre runs the five-year-old One Foot In Heaven in this race rather than waiting for the Prix du Conseil de Paris at Chantilly on October 15^th which indicates that he must be feeling confident about this one.

Then again the owners may simply want an Arc runner this year?

Plumatic

Andre Fabre’s Plumatic just lost a photo in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange when last seen out and will have to take a massive step up to trouble any of the main protagonists.

Satono Noblesse

Quite simply the travelling companion and pacemaker for his stablemate Satono Diamond.

Summary

To put it bluntly, on all known form Enable is going to have to seriously underperform or fail to act on the track or the going to not win on Sunday.

However, many strong favourites have come a cropper in this race because it does come at the end of a long and arduous season for many and even the best can flounder whilst at the top.

The predicted rain may just make the wonder filly vulnerable and the each-way thieves will be out in force trying to find something that can at best beat her and at worst, place behind her.

Two such horses to take Enable on with are Order Of St George and Dschingis Secret. Both will enjoy any cut in the ground and their stamina will come into play at the business end of the race.

SELECTIONS: Dschingis Secret and Order Of St George each-way.

We all get excited about a big money signing in the Premier League although there have been some transfer captures that have turned out to be unbelievable value.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the best ever Premier League signings, starting with a prolific striker who now works for the BBC…

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1)  Alan Shearer, 3.6million, Southampton to Blackburn Rovers

Shearer is the all-time top Premier League scorer, managing 260 goals for Blackburn and Newcastle, although it was with the former he proved to be the most dangerous.

Rovers smashed the British transfer record to land the striker, although they were rewarded with 112 goals in 138 league appearances, with Shearer capable of scoring all manner of goals.

His aerial ability was well documented, although the Geordie could also hit a mean free kick, while he was a sharp shooter inside the box. His goals ultimately helped Blackburn claim the Premier League title in 1995.

2) Eric Cantona, £1.2 million, Leeds to Manchester United

There will never be another player like Cantona, even if Zlatan Ibrahimovic draws obvious comparisons. Sir Alex Ferguson identified the Frenchman as a missing piece of the jigsaw following failed bids for Matt Le Tissier, David Hirst and Brian Deane.

Cantona arrived in November 1992, with the enigmatic forward taking little time to endear himself to the Old Trafford faithful. Teaming up with Mark Hughes in attack, he helped Manchester United win their first league title since 1967.

“The King” helped the Red Devils win a further three Premier League titles and two FA Cups, with Cantona having achieved legendary status by the time he hung up his boots to pursue an acting career.

3) Thierry Henry, £11 million, Juventus to Arsenal 

Henry was unsettled at Juventus during a disappointing six-month spell with the Turin club, although it didn’t stop Arsene Wenger splashing the cash on his compatriot ahead of the 1999/2000 season. The initial signs weren’t too encouraging, with the player’s pace not matched by his final ball or finishing ability.

However, that didn’t last long and Henry was to become arguably the greatest player in the history of Arsenal FC. During eight seasons at the club, he managed an incredible 174 goals in 254 games and formed an integral part of a highly successful Gunners team that swept all before them.

Henry’s speed regularly had defences on the back foot, with the striker part of the “Invincibles” that went unbeaten during the 2003-4 season, while he enjoyed a first league title in 2001-2 and lifted the FA Cup on three occasions.

4) Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, £1.5 million, Molde to Manchester United

While Shearer, Cantona and Henry arrived to something of a fanfare, the same couldn’t be said of the little-known Solskjaer. However, the Norwegian was worth his weight in gold to Sir Alex Ferguson and is probably the Premier League’s best ever “substitute”.

Indeed, the striker often had to wait patiently for his chance to shine, especially when part of a United squad that featured Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham. However, Solskjaer was a goal poacher and his stats were extremely impressive.

He was part of the furniture at Manchester United for ten years and his crowning moment was undoubtedly scoring the dramatic winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

5)  Gianfranco Zola, £4.5 million, Parma to Chelsea

In 2003, Zola was voted Chelsea’s greatest ever player, with the Italian bringing joy to the Stamford Bridge faithful before Roman Abramovich arrived to completely change the landscape at the London club.

Seven years previously, Ruud Gullit decided to snap up several players from the continent that included Gianfranco (in addition to compatriot Gianluca Vialli), with this new-look Chelsea side providing lots of entertainment even if they were unable to challenge Arsenal and Manchester United for title honours.

Zola was a magician with the ball. He had immense skill that could take him past players and he had the sort of deft touch that saw him score a series of remarkable goals. One such goal came in 2002 where the Italian produced a back-heel volley from a corner against Norwich. 

In total, Zola won six pieces of silverware at Chelsea, including two FA Cups and a Cup Winners’ Cup. 

6)  Patrick Vieira, £3.5 million, AC Milan to Arsenal

“He comes from Senegal, he plays for Arsenal”. So went the chant about this formidable midfielder who was the driving force behind the Gunners for nearly ten years.

Patrick Vieira was everything you could want from a central midfielder. He had a phenomenal engine which saw him play box-to-box, while he had a tremendous ability to win the ball back for his team and feed the more skilful players such as Robert Pires, Fredrik Ljungberg and of course Thierry Henry.

Incredibly, AC Milan gave the Frenchman just two starts before allowing him to leave for Arsenal, although it was Ajax who originally wanted to sign him before the London club were able to swoop.

Vieira famously struck up a winning midfield partnership with Emmanuel Petit and the pair helped land the 1997/8 Premier League title before further successes were enjoyed in 2002 and 2004.

7)  N’Golo Kante, £5.6 million, Caen to Leicester City

A modern day signing took place during the summer of 2015, with the little-known Kante arriving at the King Power Stadium for a relatively modest fee. Twelve months later, Leicester would be selling the Frenchman to Chelsea for a reported fee of £32 million.

However, while a £26 million profit on the 25-year-old is clearly very welcome, Kante’s achievements during the 2015/16 season will always be remembered by virtue of the fact that he helped Leicester to the most unlikely Premier League title triumph.

The Foxes were available at odds of 5000/1 to win the league before a ball was kicked, although Kante’s formidable performances helped the Foxes achieve the impossible, with the diminutive midfielder reading the game brilliantly and winning the ball back on a consistent basis.

8)  Cristiano Ronaldo, £12 million, Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United

The most expensive teenager in English football arrived in the summer of 2003, with few aware of the Madeira-born winger who initially appeared to be a one-trick pony. Making his debut against Bolton, Ronaldo seemed overly keen on step-overs although the best was yet to come.

Indeed, his six seasons at Old Trafford saw him progress from exciting teenager to one of the best players in the world, something which saw Real Madrid part with £80 million in the summer of 2009, with Sir Alex Ferguson having persuaded Ronaldo to stay twelve months earlier.

During his final three seasons with United, the Portuguese started finding the net on a regular basis. 17 goals in 34 games were followed by 31 in 34 during the 2007/8 season and there were three Premier League titles enjoyed. 

Ronaldo scored the opening goal of the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea, with United winning on penalties even if Cristiano missed a spot kick for his team in the shootout.

9)  Frank Lampard, £11 million, West Ham to Chelsea

Lampard has recently been voted the worst MLS signing of all time, although Frank was worth his weight in gold at Stamford Bridge. The hard-working midfielder arrived in 2001 and played thirteen seasons for Chelsea, amassing an incredible 429 Premier League appearances in the process.

It took the England international a little while to find his feet at the Bridge, although he slowly developed into a vital member of a squad that was to claim a whole series of honours, with Lampard’s pinnacle season being the 2009/10 campaign where he managed 22 goals in 36 games.

He left Chelsea as one of the most decorated Premier League players of all time. Three titles, four FA Cup triumphs and two League Cups were enjoyed domestically, while there was also the small matter of a Champions League winners’ medal and the same for the Europa League final.

10)  Lucas Radebe, £250,000, Kaizer Chiefs to Leeds United

Radebe was completely unknown when arriving at Elland Road in 1994, with the central defender signed to accompany the arriving Phil Masinga, although it was Lucas who would prove to be a far more valuable asset for Leeds United.

After a shaky start with manager Howard Wilkinson, Radebe thrived under the tutelage of George Graham and got even better when David O’Leary was manager, with the Irishman partnering Radebe with Jonathan Woodgate to excellent effect.

Radebe had a wonderful positional sense that helped Leeds qualify for the Champions League in 2000, with United then reaching the semi-final stage of this competition in 2001. It’s little wonder that Manchester United wanted to sign this no-nonsense defender, with Sir Alex Ferguson admiring the player on several occasions.

Former Manchester United and England defender Paul Parker has offered up some tough love to Wayne Rooney as the forward seeks to re-establish himself as the main man at Old Trafford. 

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“This is a defining season for Rooney. It’s no longer about him breaking records but finishing his career at Manchester United. He needs to show his worth and that he deserves to be in the team and not just because of marketing.”

“As much as people appreciate what he’s done over the years and how many goals he’s scored football is about now and being judged on now. If someone had only heard of Wayne Rooney but seen him now they’d think ‘Who is this fella? He’s overweight and slow. That shot was terrible, and it looks like he can’t move or shift his body quick enough.’”

The two-time Premier League winner turned successful pundit has similar strong views on United’s recent record signing Paul Pogba and while the rest of the world remains in shock and awe at the astonishing fee Parker goes significantly further, airing doubts on even his suitability for the Reds.

“With Pogba you do wonder when you look at his style of play for Juventus can he play that way for Manchester United? If he plays behind Ibrahimovic that puts Wayne Rooney in doubt and Rooney has to play – not that he deserves a place, but they have to play him. So it’s a difficult situation.”

“Can he be as good as Roy Keane or Bryan Robson? I wonder about him playing that midfield role. I worry about him making tackles and getting across to close players down because he is rangy. He doesn’t have quick feet, and his game is about going to ground. That’s going to be a problem. In a holding position, it would be a waste because he’s not a Makelele or even a John Obi Mikel.”

“Pogba can get forward, and score goals, and pass the ball but in a high-tempo game, he won’t be very good in a deep role. We saw that in the Euros where he looked lost for long periods of games when France didn’t have the ball. So when United don’t have the ball what’s he going to be like?”

With the expensive addition of Pogba and the legend that is Zlatan leading the line this is unquestionably a new and potentially exciting era for United and the four major signings, this summer has been met with widespread enthusiasm among supporters. Parker, however, believes it would be catastrophic to put away the chequebook at this point.

“They still need a forward and a centre-half and another midfield player. Manchester United aren’t finished yet; they can’t be because that present squad just isn’t going to win the league and Mourinho is all about winning the league.”

“Would you say United can even finish top four after what we saw in the Bournemouth game? I’d have to say not really. Liverpool look good and Arsenal will improve. Tottenham and Chelsea are hard to break down and will be in there. So United have some work to do between now and the end of August to bring in at least three players to guarantee a Champions League spot and maybe win the league.”

Mention of Mourinho inevitably leads to a discussion on the new scowling presence set to patrol the Old Trafford technical area; an appointment Parker has been critical of since it was announced last May.

“It comes down to how he handles situations with individual players because he’s all about people who love Mourinho and if you don’t show him what he wants that is you gone. All he wants from his players is that they love him.”

“If you work with someone you may not like him but if he’s doing a good job for you then you stick with him. With Mourinho, it doesn’t work that way and therein lies the problem. That’s why Schweinsteiger has been pushed away. With Mata there seems to be a reprieve, but I’m sure Mata hasn’t been fooled by that after starting against Bournemouth.”

“For Mourinho to be at the sharp end of Manchester United that’s a concern for me because he is saying that he has changed, but he said that at the start of his second spell at Chelsea. We saw what happened twelve months later.”

It should be noted that even fans of the self-proclaimed Special One have been critical of his alienation of Bastian Schweinsteiger since taking charge at the club, a snubbing that seems all the more brutal when dished out to a World Cup winner. Parker is clearly disgusted by it and after serving five years under arguably the most no-nonsense gaffer of them all has a pertinent comparison to draw upon.

“There is no way Sir Alex would have handled the Schweinsteiger affair like Mourinho has done. He would be told he can leave but would have treated him with respect and still involved him in first team training as long as he had the right professional attitude. Mourinho never gave Schweinsteiger the opportunity to be professional about the situation.”

It is perhaps not unexpected that Jose has chosen to make his mark on a new club by taking down one of its big names – this is, after all, a man who lives and dies by the laws of the jungle – but unseemly player disputes aside, how does Parker feel about Mourinho’s ability to turn around a club and squad that appears to have lost its identity in recent times?

“Every team has an identity and a certain style of playing. Even Liverpool under Klopp still have some of that football they had in the 1980s. United lost that under Van Gaal and I don’t think they can retain it under Mourinho. It’s sluggish and slow with no pace in the team that shows when they’re attacking. The ball isn’t shifted around quick enough. Mata isn’t being used as a focal point and instead it comes to Rooney who controls, looks and passes.”

The St Leger Stakes is the final Classic of the season and takes place at Doncaster on Saturday 16th September.

Check out our 2023 St Leger tips and betting preview here!

The race is confined to three-year-olds. In recent years the two races that have supplied the bulk of the winners have been the Great Voltigeur and the Gordon Stakes with 11 out of 16 winners since 2000 running in one or the other on their previous start. The Epsom Derby can also provide some interesting clues.

• Bet on 2017 St Leger

Here is a runner-by-runner guide to this year’s renewal on Town Moor.

Capri (A.O’Brien/R.Moore)

Capri is one of four horses that are trained by Aidan O'Brien in the race.

A son of Galileo, Capri took the scalp of Cracksman in the Irish Derby but missed his intended prep race in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month after suffering a small setback.

O’Brien arrives at Doncaster in search of a fifth success in the world's oldest Classic.

Count Octave (A.Balding/O.Murphy)

Count Octave may be one of the outsiders but he appears to be in great form and was far from disgraced on his latest start at Goodwood.

He needs to make a big leap forward but he has stamina in abundance.

Crystal Ocean (Sir M.Stoute/J.Crowley)

Sir Michael Stoute’s colt emerged as a leading contender for the season’s final Classic when landing the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last month.

After finishing third to the ill-fated Permian in both the Dante Stakes at York and the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, Crystal Ocean well and truly stepped up to the plate at Goodwood.

Crowley has notably teamed up with Stoute this season to win both the Eclipse at Sandown and the Juddmonte International at York. Can they make it a hat-trick together at Doncaster?

Defoe (R.Varian/A.Atzeni)

Defoe, carrying the silks of Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum, has emerged as a very likely challenger for this end of season Classic.

The grey colt comes into the race having won all his four starts this season.

He won a handicap at Newbury in May went on to complete a four-timer by taking the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer last time out.

His first and last success were both on soft going which he is likely to experience on Saturday.

Douglas Macarthur (A.O’Brien/E.McNamara)

Ran well in the Epsom Derby but could not live with Cracksman last time out in the Great Voltigeur at York.

Capri is more convincing but it is always difficult to rule any horse out from this yard.

Raheen House (B.Meehan/A.Kirby)

Raheen House enhanced his St Leger credentials with victory in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket's July Festival.

The son of Sea The Stars has had a 65-day break and will enjoy the underfoot conditions.

Rekindling (J.O’Brien/D.O’Brien)

Joseph O'Brien's colt was disappointing in the Epsom Derby in early June, but bounced back to beat last year's Irish Leger hero Wicklow Brave in the Curragh Cup in July.

The son of High Chaparral was last seen chasing home Arc contender Order Of St George in the Irish Leger Trial at the Curragh.

This horse could give the O’Brien sons a fairytale win together.

Stradivarius (J.Gosden/J.Doyle)

Among those hoping for a drier forecast will be connections of Stradivarius, who was eased slightly in the betting this week based on the weather and the jockey bookings.

John Gosden is looking to win the St Leger for a fifth time with Stradivarius, who lowered the colours of Ascot Gold Cup hero Big Orange at Goodwood.

The going was very different that day however and it remains to be seen how the conditions pan out at Doncaster come the off on Saturday afternoon.

The Anvil (A.O’Brien/M.Hussey)

The Anvil has already been employed for pacemaking duties at Epsom and the Curragh so far this season so I think we already know what the outcome is for this one.

Venice Beach (A.O’Brien/J.Heffernan)

Venice Beach led home a 1-2-3 for trainer Aidan O'Brien at Chester back in the summer and could be one to include in any forecast and tricast permutations on this occasion too.

Second, albeit at a distance, behind Cracksman, in the Great Voltigeur at York and looks the stable second string behind Capri but is certainly worth an each-way interest.

Coronet (J.Gosden/L.Dettori)

Frankie Dettori has chosen to ride Coronet over better-fancied stablemate Stradivarius and that immediately had an impact on the betting on Thursday.

The grey daughter of Dubawi was seen last time finishing second to the yard's brilliant Enable in the Yorkshire Oaks and a big run is expected at Doncaster.

Winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, the St Leger has been on the Gosden radar for some time with this filly.

Verdict

A quality field of eleven stake their claim this year but in reality only a handful of them have all the necessary credentials to lift the esteemed trophy.

Defoe has gone from strength-to-strength this season and may have not stopped improving yet. His jockey Andrea Atzeni appears to have an affinity for the racecourse and his results at the track speak for themself.

Roger Varian boasts a 28% win strike rate at Doncaster in 2017 and already boasts a winner at this Festival meeting.

Selection: Defoe