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After losing to Liverpool 5-1, and drawing 2-2 at home to bottom club Fulham, both Arsenal and Manchester United were eager to make amends when the two face each other on Wednesday night.

Unfortunately last night ended up as a drab 0-0 draw; however there have been some memorable meetings between the two clubs over the years.

Lets look back at the five best meetings between the two sides in the Premier League era.

Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal, 22nd October 2004

If this was a Friends episode, this would be called, “The One Where the Pizza was Thrown.” This controversial match was the day that Arsenal had their amazing run of 49 unbeaten games end in the worst possible way.

In a game where both teams could have easily been down to nine men due to terrible tackles, Arsenal fell behind to a Ruud Van Nistelrooy penalty after Wayne Rooney (who turned 19 that day) dived after tangling with Sol Campbell. Arsenal’s misery was complete when Rooney got the decisive goal in the last minute of the game, sending Arsenal to defeat for the first time in the league for 17 months.

If everyone thought that the match was a spectacle, the aftermath was even better. Tempers boiled over in the tunnel, and it was reported that Sir Alex Ferguson was the victim of having food thrown at him by a then unknown Arsenal player, which turned out to be Cesc Fabregas. Sol Campbell refused to shake Wayne Rooney’s hand after the penalty incident, whilst Van Nistelrooy and Ashley Cole squared up following a dangerous tackle by the Dutchman during the match.

United faced Arsenal five times that season, with Arsenal eventually getting the last laugh, defeating United on penalties in the FA Cup final.

Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United, 21st January 2007

The first Premier League meeting between the two clubs at the Emirates was going to be a great occasion. Arsenal had beaten United in the corresponding fixture a few months earlier, but were 12 points behind United when the two sides faced again.

It looked like Arsenal’s first defeat at their new stadium was imminent when Wayne Rooney scored from a diving header 10 minutes after the restart, but RVP (who spent more time on the Arsenal treatment table at this point of his career), scored which looked like to have saved Arsenal a point.

However, they don’t call him King Henry for nothing. With a minute to go, Thierry Henry scored a fantastic header from an Eboue cross to help Arsenal complete the double over their arch nemesis. It was the first time since their double winning season of 2001/02 that Arsenal did the double over United, but United got the last laugh by winning the league for the first time in four years.

Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United, 22nd January 2012

This game makes Arsenal fans infuriate. It was the first meeting since the 8-2 riot, and Arsenal were desperate for revenge. After a tight first half, Arsenal fell behind thanks to an Antonio Valencia goal on the stroke of half time.

But after bashing the United defence with many changes during the second half, Arsenal finally got their goal from a former fan favourite in Robin van Persie after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain practically ran rings around the United defence. The goal brought over loaded optimism to Arsenal fans, as everyone related to the club thought the Gunners actually had a chance of beating United.

The fans, players and bench were hyped, as Arsenal were playing so well that victory was well insight, the pay back was on.

However, this mere thought was dashed away when Wenger decided to bring off the English starlet for Russian flop Andrei Arshavin. The sub back fired as Arshavin was dispossessed in the middle of the park, which lead to Danny Welbeck’s 81st minute winner. Wenger even said in his post match interview that the sub didn’t work, and Arsenal paid the price. Arshavin was loaned out to Zenit a few weeks later.

Manchester United 0-0 Arsenal, 21st September 2003

The Battle at Old Trafford, the game that played a pivotal moment in Arsenal’s title winning season.

In a tight game of football, where there were limited chances, the game exploded into life when Patrick Vieira saw red for kicking out at Ruud Van Nistelrooy, despite not actually making any contact with the Dutchman with 13 minutes remaining. The Arsenal players were ballistic, the United fans were joyful and the fans of both sets of teams were excited for a tense finale.

With seconds to go, United flop Diego Forlan was floored by Martin Keown and United were given a penalty. A scuffle broke out and this seemed to effect Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s concentration.

Up he stepped and the ball crashed against the crossbar with Arsenal celebrating the point that they knew that they were going to get.

The whistle went and everything exploded. Martin Keown’s famous jump triggered off a massive melee which was greeted with heavy fines and lengthy suspensions. Ray Parlour, Ashley Cole, Lauren, Martin Keown and Patrick Vieira were all fined by the FA whilst Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo were punished for their wrong doings.

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The bust up between the players was costly as Manchester United and Arsenal paid a total of £250,000 between them for the incident.

Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal, 28th August 2011

Everyone knew a thrashing was on the cards, but not like this.

The two sides had contrasting summers; Ashley Young, Phil Jones and David de Gea were all signed for United whilst Arsenal sold Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Eboue and Gael Clichy without signing anyone significant before the match apart from Gervinho (who was suspended for the match), and Carl Jenkinson, a 19 year old defender who had only made 8 league appearances for Charlton.

Arsene Wenger relied on youth and inexperience for the match by selecting players such as Henri Lansbury, Giles Sunu, Armand Traoré and Carl Jenkinson. The expected risk didn’t work as Arsenal suffered their worst league defeat since the 1800’s.

A hat trick from Wayne Rooney, a double from Ashley Young (his first goals for the club), Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park Ji-Sung rubbed deadly salt in the ever increasing Arsenal wound. To make things worse for Arsenal that day, RVP missed a penalty and Carl Jenkinson, a boyhood Arsenal fan was sent off with 13 minutes to go. A damaging day for Arsenal indeed, however, there was some good news.

It was the first time in the Premier League era that Arsenal had scored two goals at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the league. Every cloud has a silver lining I guess.

It hardly required the yellow ‘Breaking News’  banner that perennially scrolls the bottom of the Sky Sports News display to tell you that Tottenham Hotspur had sacked manager Tim Sherwood. His day of judgment was beckoning from the moment he was appointed, and only in the most unlikely of circumstances would it have occurred any differently.

Whilst nobody truly believed we’d get to see more than half a season of Sherwood at Spurs, it was a joy to behold while it endured.

I’m not speaking from a results-based perspective. Sherwood’s approach to the job was a real breath of fresh air. His candid manner may not have won fans in the dressing room, the club hierarchy, the White Hart Lane stands or even in some areas of the media. But his ramblings, whilst writing good copy for the daily papers, at times harboured the incoherence of your everyday football supporter. And I always felt as though from the point of view of a football fan, that he wasn’t as disconnected with those who love the game as many modern day football managers are.

I struggle to think of any other managers who would have done what Sherwood did on the last day of the Premier League season. Even when times are good, and the fans are singing praises of a manager, you rarely see much acknowledgement. A small clap here, a wave there. But no actual communication. Sherwood embraced the criticism of a regular stadium-goer, and gave him his five minutes of fame with good grace.

In his post-match interview he said that the fan was there every other week trying to direct his tactics and his substitutions. The fact that Sherwood was aware of this was pleasing enough, but for him to act upon it in a light-hearted and fun manner was a beautiful moment to conclude the season. Such is the pressure of the life of a Premier League manager, the 19 others in his position would have stood with a cold gaze across the pitch, allowing the fan to continue bellowing into the ether. Granted, by and large, the pressure was off that day. There was little to play for and it was largely a procession. But that doesn’t make it any less of a captivating moment.

Whatever he could be branded as – confrontational, brash, loud, unpredictable, cocky, egotistical – he was never afraid to speak his mind. And this wasn’t a speaking of his mind in the way that Jose Mourinho will try to belittle or derogate others. His honesty felt as though it came from deep within him. A man who – when his attire allowed for it – wore his heart on his sleeve with every decision he made and everything he stood by. There was nothing false about him. Everything you saw was everything you got.

The fact that he didn’t toe the line that Daniel Levy clearly expects from his managers was enough to win him over for me, whilst probably going in the opposite direction for the Spurs chairman. He openly admitted to the flaws in the Tottenham squad. After yet another humbling at the hands of a so-called ‘rival’ club, Chelsea, he laughed off the idea of gaining a top four spot, claiming that everyone at the club needed to ‘wake up’ from the dream of coming fourth.

Whilst it may not have been to the liking of many around the club, the fact he addressed the reality of the situation was a brave thing to do. Far too many managers would reel off the old ‘mathematical possibility’ platitude, or any of the other pre-prepared clichés from interviews of the past. Instead, he said what, in all honesty, should have – and probably already was – recognised by many around about the club. All but the big wigs that is.

Ten points may not be the ‘million miles’ that Sherwood confessed Tottenham were from Champions League football. But it is a significant distance to catch up. The club may not be willing to wake up to the fact that many of the players they signed in the summer aren’t up to the job, but Sherwood was aware.

Right now it stands to reason that Tottenham won’t finish in the top four for yet another year. And the chances are that Sherwood’s successor may just face the same destiny of nine previous. While the hierarchy at the club continue to believe that the money-throwing, manager-firing approach will eventually achieve the desired results, they’ll continue replicating the same old errors.

The clubs ambitions right now appear to be delusions of grandeur. Despite his Tottenham background, Sherwood didn’t buy into this. Everything he said was steeped in realism.

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Whilst he may not have been the right man to guide the club towards their lofty aspirations, it would be worth Levy and co. learning a few lessons from him along the way. Sherwood got the problems of the football club out in the open, and they would be wise to take note. He may not have been to the liking of everybody, but he sure won me over.

Tim Sherwood: I hope to see you back in the Premier League very soon.

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The safest thing to do would be to go into full media lockdown with regards to Arsenal transfers. Mathieu Debuchy looks to be Bacary Sagna’s replacement for next season, and Alexis Sanchez is as good as out the door at the Camp Nou, with Barcelona already promoting Luis Suarez as their new No.9 in the club shop.

Maybe there isn’t anything to worry about; that champagne will be ready to open soon enough. But forgive the cynicism on this one, this is a club that has previous, previous of going to great and even humourous lengths to wind up their supporters.

Alexis Sanchez may be Arsenal’s marquee forward signing, or, like Gonzalo Higuain last summer, he could end up in Italy. How about one step further into moonsaulting-out-your window territory? He could do a Juan Mata and end up at a local rival. You never know, Manchester City have way too much cash to sit idly by and not stick a middle finger up at one of next season’s title contenders.

There is cause for concern because Arsenal are being left behind by teams who aren’t for following the nonsensical ideal that players can’t be bought either before or during a major international tournament.

Chelsea have landed Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa; Manchester United have addressed two glaring needs by signing Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw; Liverpool, not content to sit on their hands and hope for an improvement on last season to come naturally, have signed three players thus far. As for Arsene Wenger, well he just looks a little too relaxed on the beaches of Brazil, only really taking time out of his day of kickabouts with the locals to dine with a few ex-players, who are definitely not coming out of retirement for one last hurrah.

It’s true, clubs have departments that can handle the day-to-day of the transfer window without the manager, but at Arsenal, I’m not entirely convinced Dick Law actually exists.

Any other club could get away with it – and after all, it’s still only the beginning of July. But Arsenal aren’t to be treated like any other club when it comes to transfers, notoriously having a history of ill-preparation and skilful yet insubstantial PR.

At this stage of the summer, Alexis very much feels like Higuain of last summer, Yann M’Vila of the year before and Mata the summer prior to that. All players who apparently had the club’s shirt in hand ready for the customary first photo shoot, only for a strong London breeze to carry them off elsewhere. And strong London breeze can be substituted for dithering. Oh how we both love and loathe that word.

All the money in the world may not be able to change Wenger. Despite the club’s supporters breaking off into factions, we’re still not absolutely sure whether Wenger has a long-standing reluctance to spend, or if the club’s hierarchy have been withholding funds.

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But this summer is vital for the manager in repairing that severely damaged relationship with a majority of the fan base. Nothing has changed at this point. Arsenal may be extremely close to signing a host of new players, but close doesn’t win you a league title. Again, excuse the cynicism, but you know…

In a summer promising much, with the club not holding back on parading their new sponsorship deal with Puma, the club can’t afford to follow the tired and disastrous transfer routine of the past.

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Rarely these days do you see Englishmen as club owners in the Premier League.

Even less is the likelihood that the owner would have any connection or care for the club or at least the sport.  It seems more and more that football teams are just becoming a property on their Monopoly board to many of these owners. To me it is much more. If only these owners felt that same affection.

Now, I know all the soldiers in the Toon Army will rip me apart as a result of this but I have to pay respect to an English businessman in this day and age. If I met him I may not like him either but it’s definitely refreshing to still see English owners who actually appreciate the sport for what it is.

Mike Ashley isn’t exactly a local lad but, he does seem to have at least some care for the club. Of course it is to him, as it is to every other owner, an investment with expected returns. But it appears, just like top tier players, that there is a growing lack of English ownership in the business.

Arsenal co-owner Alisher Usmanov once said that foreign owners are good for English football and he argued was that it helps boost the economy. In many respects Usmanov was right in what he was saying.

But it’s more than that. Football is a culture to some, even a religion, so it would be almost sacrilegious to stand by and watch your club be dismantled by outside investors.

The issue isn’t always the fact that the owners of these clubs are foreign, that they don’t sit in the stands with the fans or even that they don’t wear the kit at home games. For me it’s more about the care of the game.

Of the 20 Premier League clubs, 13 are under foreign ownership. It’s possibly even likely that these owners couldn’t even name the starting XI of their respective clubs. How can that even be?

Don’t get me wrong, changing the name of St James’ Park perplexed me as much as your average Magpies fanatic and didn’t do much Ashley’s reputation amongst the fans of the club he owns. But he’s far from the worst nightmare some would make him out to be. It’s just like being at school. No one likes the Headmaster but, once they leave, they realise he/she wasn’t as bad as first thought.

Ashley’s reign was tough to begin with. Ut was as though Ashley just didn’t get the ethos at St James’ Park that he so desperately wanted and needed. Surely it wasn’t as distressing as how the Hull City fans felt about Assem Allem’s attempt to change the clubs name to ‘Hull Tigers,’ or Cardiff City fans’ reaction to their club colours being changed from blue to red by owner Vincent Tan.

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Club owners don’t appear to care about fans views and it’s hard to realistically expect a multibillionaire to immerse himself in the community and align himself with the so-called ‘lower classes,’ but they should at least make an effort.

We need more owners like Mike Ashley, who really appreciate the culture behind they club they run. I just wonder if more English owners in the game would also lead to more English managers and then ultimately, a stronger English core at these top tier clubs.

But I’ll leave that idea for another day.

After a summer of chasing Southampton’s stars, Spurs are set to head back to the South Coast in January with a swag bag over their shoulder to nab Jay Rodriguez. The injured attacker is believed to be one of Mauricio Pochettino’s favoured targets, but in order to nab him they may need to offer a player in exchange to tempt the high-flying Saints.

One star to have been linked with a swap deal is Harry Kane, who has been, arguably, the north Londoners’ best forward this term. So would this deal make sense for Southampton?

We think so, and here are FIVE reasons why…

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Kane is in form

While Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor have been, well… awful this season, Kane has actually performed well in the white shirt of Spurs. Mauricio Pochettino handed his young striker his first premier League start of the season ahead of the international break at home to Stoke as reward for the hit-man’s eight goals in 13 appearances – although the less aid about that, the better.

Such a record puts him streets ahead of Adebayor and Soldado, while only Graziano Pelle in the Southampton squad boasts a better return. When you take into account that the majority of Kane’s outings have not been for full 90-minute periods – one of which he ended up in goal! – his record is all the more impressive.

Rodriguez’s knee injury may be a problem

Rodriguez’s injury at the back end of last season was a real shame. The versatile forward had been enjoying, arguably, the season of his life, and was on the verge of making England’s World Cup squad – which may have been a good thing to avoid, on reflection. ACL problems are, on the whole, bad news for footballers. The knee is, obviously, a major joint in terms of movement, and damage to ligaments tends not to heal 100%, leaving the problem open to becoming a recurring one.

The medical staff at Southampton are understood to have done a thorough job with J-Rod and are not rushing him back, but an attractive fee for a player who may be a long-term risk might never come along again…

Cash plus Kane

Kane as a straight swap for Rodriguez just won’t happen. The players themselves are miles apart in terms of value, so Spurs will have to put cash down alongside their striker to land their target. With J-Rod, according to reports, having a price-tag of between £20m-£25m, It’s likely that Tottenham will have to offer at the very least £10m plus Kane for the ex-Burnley man, which may well be attractive to the Saints. There is also the possibility of Andros Townsend being involved.

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Good start without Rodriguez

Whatever way you look at it, Southampton have made a simply stunning start to the season. The losses of big name players and an opening day defeat at the hands of Liverpool – who ironically had signed Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert – had set the Saints up for a horrible 2014/15, but a terrific run of form since then sees them second to only to Chelsea with 25 points and eight wins to their name. All of this has been achieved without Jay Rodriguez, so there’s no reason the push cannot continue if he leaves.

Options to replace Rodriguez already in

Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane are both able to operate on the flanks or in a central ‘No.10’ role, so Ronald Koeman has option should he be unable to ever use Rodriguez. The Dutchman’s current set-up is one full of pace and fluidity, so having J-Rod is not an absolute necessity for the ex-Feyenoord coach, who has already shown that he can use money wisely in the transfer market to replace big name stars.

Spurs have really yo-yoed this season, matching the impressive with the, erm… not so impressive. But we here at Football FanCast appreciate the North London side, who are, after all, one of the nation’s top clubs.

The coverage we give them is thorough and diverse, and here are five of the very best article revolving around the Lilywhites for you to get your teeth into…

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FIVE reasons this Tottenham ace HAS to be first choice

Harry Kane really bagged the headlines over the weekend in north London. The Spurs ‘super sub’ netted a stunning late free-kick at Aston Villa to snatch victory with what looked to be the jaws of defeat, further strengthening his claims for a Spurs starting berth.

Cup action has made up the majority of the 21-year-old’s playing time this campaign, but Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that he may now give the youngster more chances in the bigger games. So, with that in mind, here are FIVE reasons we at FFC Towers believe that could be wise decision…

So, is Kane able? Click here to read on

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FIVE reasons Tottenham must take a punt on this Baggies ace

While Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa having been hogging the limelight and Graziano Pelle has been picking up praise for his adaptation, Saido Berahino has been quietly plugging away in the background. The 21-year-old has now notched six Premier League goals and looks set to fulfil the obvious potential he’s had for some time.

Naturally, with West Brom being one of the division’s smaller clubs, the big teams are circling the young striker, with Spurs particularly keen. Talk of a big money January bid has been doing the rounds, and here are FIVE reasons it would make sense for the White Hart Lane side.

Is Berahino the answer? Find out now!

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Should Tottenham bring back THIS former ace to ease their problems?

Many great England strikers have graced English football. Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Michael Owen, Teddy Sheringham, Jimmy Greaves and Geoff Hurst just to name a few. Scoring a vast number of goals in the best league in the world will have people saying our name for many years. Greaves and Hurst are prime examples of this. One striker in this generation that has always guaranteed goals at any level is Jermain Defoe.

The England international has set the Premier League alight in the past 10 years. After being spotted at Charlton Athletic by West Ham United, Defoe was shortly shipped out on loan to play for AFC Bournemouth. In 29 appearances for the Cherries, Defoe scored a respectable 18 goals. While at Dean Court, he was also breaking records, scoring in 10 consecutive games, the first player to do so since John Aldridge’s post-war record.

Is Defoe the answer? Click here to read on…

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FIVE release clauses Tottenham should consider activating in January

Who first dreamed up the notion of the release clause? Perhaps it was a ploy adopted from the business sector – potentially incarnated by former Tottenham-owner-turned-TV-personality-turned-Lord, Alan Sugar. Perhaps it was invented by Mr. R. Clause himself. Perhaps ex-Liverpool director Damien Comolli, a relentlessly suspicious character, came up with it.

Either way, the release clause adds an interesting dynamic to the transfer market – a simple-yet-effective method of saying ‘If you want him that badly, this is how much you’ll have to pay. Don’t bother negotiating. I can’t be bothered to sit in a boardroom, sipping coffee and downing croissants, whilst debating it.’

Indeed, release clauses can often be extortionate. But here’s FIVE buy-out fees Football Fancast thinks strikes great value-for-money and Spurs should consider activating when the transfer window reopens in January.

Who could Spurs net on the cheap? Read on, here

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FIVE signings to make Spurs a ‘Pochettino team’

Former Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino came in during the summer and although there are signs of his progressive, high-pressing philosophy being successfully implemented at White Hart Lane, his Tottenham side are still very much a work in progress.

The style and attitude of player available to him appears to be the biggest stumbling block; the Saints were a hard-working, earnest bunch, but the Lilywhites have a couple more Prima-donnas in their ranks.

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In terms of squad dynamics, some assembly is still required. In other words, the Argentine needs to make signings that with transform Tottenham into a definitive, bona fide ‘Pochettino team’. Here’s FIVE he should strongly consider.

Who could help ‘Mo Po’ get on the go-go…

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Arsene Wenger’s 18 years at Arsenal have seen the North London club develop their status as one of the most entertaining and successful teams in Europe. The Gunners are now synonymous with playing good football with the relationship between club and manager labelled as the perfect marriage.

However, in 2014, that marriage is well and truly on the rocks with a painful divorce looking increasingly inevitable. Nothing lasts forever, and as fans of the Premier League are reportedly pay the most expensive season tickets across Europe’s top five leagues, they have the right to demand a change.

Wenger’s time at Arsenal seems to be coming to an end for several reasons. The most immediate of which has been a series of questionable tactics and line-ups deployed by the French boss this season. When Arsenal fans first saw their second choice left-back, Nacho Monreal, playing at centre-back alongside a Per Mertesacker, who seems to be suffering from a World Cup hanger-over, optimism wasn’t exactly high at the Emirates.

The fact that Calum Chambers, who certainly looks a lot more comfortable in the centre of defence than he does at full back, is continually being deployed at right-back has also left the Arsenal fans in even more dismay. It seems wrong that a club of Arsenal’s stature can look so weak and vulnerable at the back, with sides such as Southampton, West Ham and even Swansea City achieving better defensive records in 2014/15.

The Gunners have subsequently drawn five and lost four this season, which is exactly the same record as Alan Pardew’s Newcastle United. The Magpies were reportedly in crisis at the beginning of the season, but now after fifteen games played in the Premier League, they sit behind Arsenal in 7th only on goal difference.

Arsene Wenger’s tactical errors are largely part of a bigger issue surrounding the North London club. The Gunners’ transfer policy in recent years has been nothing short of baffling.

Whether or not their French boss is to blame, Arsenal sold Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona without bringing in an adequate replacement. The club have also been forced to make do with a so-so Danny Welbeck, when the likes of Mario Mandzukic and even Loic Remy were available this summer. Seeing one Alex Song perform so well for the Hammers must also be a hard pill to swallow for Gunners fans, as a strong defensive midfielder is another area that needs addressing in this current Arsenal side.

You only need to look to history to see how even untouchable mangers can fall from grace eventually. Nottingham Forrest’s Brian Clough was simply the best during his time at the East midlands club, but as time inevitably wore away at the European glory days Clough brought to Forrest in the mid-seventies, the famed manager departed the club after seeing his side be unceremoniously relegated from the top flight.

Whilst such a dramatic decline obviously doesn’t await Arsenal any time soon, the Clough story clearly outlines that nothing lasts forever in football.

There was once a time when Arsenal couldn’t afford to sack Wenger because there were simply no other managerial names out their worthy of carrying on where Arsene would have left off, but today that is no longer the case. Atletico’s Diego Simeone would certainly seem a suitable candidate, and despite his recent shortcomings with Borussia Dortmund, so would Jurgen Klopp.

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Yes, Arsenal fans owe Wenger a huge deal of respect for bringing consistent European football and the ‘Invincibles’ team to North London. Yes, some of the players wearing the red & white have been guilty of under-performing in recent years and should be giving more for their manager.

Yes, injuries to key players have done no favours for Arsene this season – but ultimately, as the same problems seem to be afflicting the Gunners with every passing season, Arsenal are slowly losing grip of their ‘big club’ status and a change is going to be needed sooner or later if they are to maintain it.

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Arsenal have been one of the Premier League’s busiest clubs on the inward front this month, securing a deal for 17-year-old defensive midfielder Krystian Bielik and following it up this week with an £11million swoop for Villarreal centre-back Gabriel Paulista.

There’s certainly no immediate obligation to balance the books – Arsene Wenger was issued a £20million budget for the January window and in fact, there should still be a bit left in the kitty.

But new arrivals often spell departures for other players, and recent speculation suggests a small batch of Arsenal stars could still leave the Emirates before the deadline on February second.

With that in mind, here’s a list of FIVE Gunners we believe could be plying their trade with alternative clubs by the end of the window.

CHUBA AKPOM

Striker Chuba Akpom is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Arsenal’s academy, racking up prolific hauls for the Gunners’ youth squads and boasting 14 goals in 35 appearances for England across the junior levels, ranging from U16 to U20.

Arsenal are by no means looking to offload the 19 year-old this month, in fact, they’ve lined him up a new three year contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign.

But Akpom, who enjoyed loan spells with Brentford and Coventry during 2014, is also entertaining offers from abroad, with FC Twente, Feyenoord and Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund all intent on signing the teenage forward on pre-contract deals.

The 6 foot goalscorer’s potential availablilty has attracted interest throughout the Premier League too; The Express claims Liverpool, Everton, Spurs and Manchester City are all keen on Akpom and could launch bids before the transfer window closes.

In other words, unless Arsenal can offer a more lucrative deal, or greater assurances of first team football, they could lose the Junior Lion this month.

FRANCIS COQUELIN

Defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin finds himself in a near-identical situation to Chuba Akpom this month; his contract is set to expire at the end of the season and like the young striker, is currently delaying on a new deal.

The 23 year-old made his senior debut for the Gunners way back in 2008, but it’s taken a heroic performance against Manchester City at the Etihad two weekends ago for Coquelin to become a potential fixture in Arsene Wenger’s long-term plans.

In the meantime, he’s been lingering on loan with FC Lorient, Freiburg and Charlton, and is resultantly reluctant to pen extended terms until assurances are made regarding regular first team football. With Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini, Santi Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky and Aaron Ramsey currently ahead of him in the centre-mid pecking order, the Frenchman’s doubts are understandable.

With that in mind, the Gunners could decide to sell instead, should a viable suitor emerge over the next few days.

SERGE GNABRY (LOAN)

Amid a flurry of promising performances at the start of last season, many tipped young winger Serge Gnabry to become a future Arsenal star. It was a run that earned him a nomination for the 2013 Golden Boy award and a new five-year deal at the Emirates.

We haven’t seen much of the 19 year-old winger since however – in fact, he’s yet to appear for Arsenal’s seniors in any competition this season – due to him picking up a knee injury in March 2014 and spending the next six months on the sidelines.

That ruled him out of several loan moves during the summer, particularly to Aston Villa, so now that the German youngster, who boasts 10 goals and 45 caps for the Mannschaft minors from U16 to U19, is back to full fitness, we could see him leave the Emirates on a temporary deal this month.

Barring a potential revival in interest from Aston Villa however, viable suitors are currently thin on the ground.

MATHIEU FLAMINI

One of the only players Arsene Wenger has signed twice for Arsenal, the Emirates boss is clearly fond of French midfielder Mathieu Flamini.

But 30 year-old’s second Gunners tenure is increasingly becoming a weak impersonation of his first, and Flamini has been at the heart of several disappointing Arsenal displays over the last 18 months – one of the most recent being their 2-2 draw with Liverpool back in December.

With the former Milan man’s contract up at the end of the campaign, Wenger might be prepared to let ‘the running man’ leave north London six months earlier than planned.

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He’s clearly not a fixture in the Arsenal gaffer’s long-term arrangements and fellow defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin has emerged as a viable alternative in recent weeks. Likewise, captain Mikel Arteta is allegedly on the verge of signing a new contract.

That being said, not a single penny in transfer fees has been spent on Flamini throughout his career; moves from Marseille to Arsenal, Arsenal to Milan and Milan back to the Emirates were all free transfers, suggesting a particular fetish for the bosman ruling.

SANTI CAZORLA

A shock suggestion perhaps, considering Santi Cazorla’s produced some incredible form over the last few months and a particularly imperious display against Manchester City two weekends ago. Likewise, his ambipedal feet and positional versatility makes the 30 year-old a huge asset in the Gunners squad.

But where does the high-flying Spaniard actually fit into Arsenal’s starting Xi long-term? His predominant role of No.10 will surely be taken by Mesut Ozil, whilst lesser displays earlier in the season suggested Cazorla lacks the power and pace required to be an effective force out wide – even if he did somehow usurp a first team role from Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

With the playmaker now 30 years of age and his contract entering its final 18 months, Arsene Wenger might just be convinced into relinquishing the Spain international this January should the right offer come along.

There’s certainly a market out there for the former Villarreal and Malaga star; Atletico Madrid were strongly linked with an £18million bid last month.

Fantastic start at Anfield, with Manchester City and Liverpool both giving the neutrals the perfect beginning to an action packed day of football.

Despite the Citizens coming out of the blocks flying, Brendan Rodgers’ side settled down and made a good spell of dominance count with Jordan Henderson completing a fine move with a wonderful curled finish into the top corner, leaving international team-mate Joe Hart without any hope in the world of saving it.

After a poor start to life on Merseyside, following his high profile transfer from Sunderland, Henderson has gone on to become a key player for the Reds over the last few months. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for Liverpool with talisman Steven Gerrard leaving for LA Galaxy in the summer.

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Filling the shoes of the iconic Stevie G won’t be easy but the signs are promising from Hendo, especially after his beauty today, and Liverpool fans are certainly getting carried away:

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According to reports from The Daily Star, manager Mauricio Pochettino wants the final say on all things transfers at Tottenham in the coming summer window and quite frankly, I can hardly blame him.

Managers live and die by their signings but the Argentine appears to have had little input – if any – on Spurs’ acquisitions since taking the White Hart Lane hot seat at the beginning of the season.

He’s still working with a squad inherited from predecessors Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood, resultantly turning to Spurs’ youth system to try and implement the high-octane philosophy that earned him critical acclaim at Southampton.

But with the summer now just around the corner, Pochettino finally has the chance to imprint his own image on the Lilywhites squad.

And just in case he’s short on ideas on how to do so, Football Fancast have outlined FIVE signings that would help implement his philosophy in north London.

MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN

Mauricio Pochettino needs an on-pitch general and Southampton star Morgan Schneiderlin is the perfect candidate for the job.

He flourished during the Argentine’s 18 months as St. Mary’s boss and is now one of the Premier League’s most formidable enforcers, this season averaging the third-most tackles per match, 3.7, of any player in the division.

Pochettino likes his deep-sitting midfielders; we saw Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama double screening at Southampton, and Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason are now performing a similar kind of service for Spurs – so signing the 25 year-old seems the next logical step in bringing the Tottenham gaffer’s philosophy to fruition.

The tabloids already view the France international as a likely Tottenham target, but Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been linked by The Guardian – who also claim he’s valued by Southampton at around £27million.

JAMES MCCARTHY

Another midfielder worth Spurs’ strong consideration is Everton dynamo James McCarthy.

Mauricio Pochettino has shown preference to the energy and enthusiasm of youth in his engine room over the somewhat more lackadaisical styles of Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and Mousa Dembele this season, and although McCarthy’s no budding youngster he certainly shares Bentaleb and Mason’s capacity to get up and down the pitch without leaving gaping holes.

Although the Toffees have struggled this season, the 24 year-old’s relentless injury, covering every blade of grass twice, continues to stand out. He’s also dependable on the ball – a playmaker for Wigan Athletic under Roberto Martinez in their previous life together – this season boasting a pass completion rate of 86%.

The Ireland international would be a fantastic Lilywhites addition. But Everton will be reluctant to sell to a club they’ve often rivalled for a Europa League spot over the last decade, whilst long-term interest from Arsenal and Man United – as claimed by The Daily Mail – could prove problematic.

CHRISTIAN BENTEKE

There’s nothing Pochettino likes more than a big and burley centre-forward. At Southampton, he had Rickie Lambert and Dani Osvaldo leading the line, and he originally opted for the lanky stylings of Emmanuel Adebayor when first arriving at White Hart Lane.

Of course, he now has Harry Kane providing a similar kind of service. But Tottenham need to sign some back-up for England’s latest hero this summer and Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke is another striker of that old-fashioned No.9 mould.

Measuring in at 6 foot 3, blessed with an imperious leap and broad shoulders, the 23 year-old is quickly emerging as one of the Premier League’s leading target men, boasting a potent return of 48 goals in 97 appearances for the Birmingham outfit – including a prolific run of ten goals since Tim Sherwood took the Villains hotseat in February.

The former Spurs gaffer has admitted the Belgium international could force a move away this summer – as reported by The Daily Mail – but the tabloids claim Villa won’t sell for anything less than £30million.

ANDRE PIERRE-GIGNAC

A cheaper alternative to Benteke and therefore perhaps better suited to the role of Harry Kane’s understudy, Andre Pierre-Gignac isn’t the most talented of strikers but he’s set to leave Marseille on a free contract this summer.

And despite my fears over his quality, the 29 year-old has been in fantastic form over the last few seasons, netting 60 times in his last 118 appearances for the Stade Velodrome outfit.

Once heckled with chants of ‘Un Big Mac pour Gignac’, there’s no doubting the France international’s strength and power – even if some of it’s more flab than muscle.

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As aforementioned, Gignac is set to leave L’OM under the bosman ruling this summer. The Premier League seems like as suitable a destination as any – but talkSPORT claim he’s already agreed a move to Dynamo Moscow.

ANDRE AYEW

Another Andre-based, bosman-based, Marseille-based suggestion.

The physical styles of winger-forward Jay Rodriguez became a defining feature of Southampton’s attacking play under Mauricio Pochettino, and although Nacer Chadli has performed well in a similar capacity this season, a summer upgrade certainly wouldn’t go amiss.

Enter Andre Ayew, who boasts a potent return of 57 goals in 187 appearances for Marseille – including seven strikes in Ligue 1 this season. He’s made considerable goalscoring strides on the international scene too in recent months, earning the Goal King (top scorer) award at the 2015 African Cup of Nations.

Blessed with dynamic power and strength and surprisingly good in the air for a 5 foot 9 forward, the Ghana international seems like an ideal fit for the Premier League, whilst his versatility, featuring in no less than six different positions for L’OM this season, would boost the depth of Tottenham’s squad enormously.

As previously stated, the 25 year-old is set to leave Stade Velodrome on a free transfer this summer – but Swansea City have already offered him a contract, so Spurs will have to act quickly.