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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Liverpool player Phil Thompson has pointed to West Ham when asked which club has been the biggest surprise so far this season.

What did he say?

The pundit, who often features on Sky Sports News’ Soccer Saturday, was full of praise for the Hammers having been impressed by their early season form, which has resulted in just two defeats from eight games.

In particular, he lauded the attacking options and likened them to Jurgen Klopp’s side when they had Philippe Coutinho, whilst also targeting Declan Rice and Mark Noble as the subject of his admiration.

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Speaking to SportingLife, he said: “I really like the forward line if they can keep them fit. Sebastien Haller, Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko are all threatening, and then you have to take into account Manuel Lanzini.

“It takes you back to Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho – West Ham have Lanzini as their fourth, just like Liverpool did. It is an attacking and potent side.”

The Hammers’ enjoyed a six-game unbeaten run prior to defeat against Crystal Palace, which included what Thompson termed “impressive results”, perhaps thinking of the points gained against Manchester United and away at Bournemouth.

More to come

Comparisons to the Reds’ attack is high praise indeed but each of West Ham’s front four, aside from Lanzini, has shown top form at times this season.

Haller, Anderson and Yarmolenko have seven goals and five assists between them, and if Pellegrini can get the Argentine performing to his best level then the Hammers could build on a solid start.

He has shown a similarity with Coutinho through his 2.4 key passes per league game this season and has achieved a WhoScored rating of seven or more in the three years where he has made more than 10 Premier League appearances.

As well as that, he always makes good use of the ball, never falling below a pass accuracy of 87% since joining the Irons, so if he can turn that quality into more goals and assists then the Irons could even have realistic aims of qualifying for Europe.

The aim for Pellegrini will likely be consistency from now on, to ensure it isn’t a surprise that his side are doing well. Lanzini could be vital in achieving that goal, and if he can stay fit his history suggests he will contribute directly to ten goals a season.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In The Pipeline series, which takes a look at some of the most promising young talent either linked with clubs or emerging from their academies…

Real Madrid have definitely had their fair share of talented youngster throughout their history.

In fact, some of the best players in the world have come out of their academies. The likes of Raul, Iker Casillas and Dani Carvajal spring to mind.

Of course, those are the stars that were brought up in their own backyard but sometimes, talent can also be bought and currently, Los Blancos have plenty of that as well. Takefusa Kubo and Martin Odegaard are two prodigious talents who are currently away from the club, both on loan at other La Liga teams.

But one such talent that is both blessed with great potential and also at the club as we speak is Rodrygo Goes, the 18-year-old prodigy who is still a newcomer to the Santiago Bernabeu.

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The young Brazilian joined the Galacticos during the summer for a major fee, especially considering his age and his potential.

Rodrygo was bought for a reported price of €40m (£35.2m) but he is yet to make any significant impact on the team’s performances. In fact, it is not really clear what exactly Zinedine Zidane plans to do with him, though he did make his La Liga debut against Osasuna earlier this week.

Raul recently came out with a statement insisting that Rodrygo is a first-team player and should be treated as such.

He said: “We had 18 players in the squad and he stayed behind because he’s a first-team player. Whenever they tell us that he has to come (with Castilla), I’m delighted to have him.”

All of that sounds good but it still doesn’t explain why Rodrygo has only featured for 19 minutes so far this season.

Sure, getting into Real Madrid’s first-team is a tall task for any youngster, regardless of the talent, but as it currently stands, Rodrygo is just being wasted on the sidelines while being torn between two Galactico squads.

It would be wise for Zidane to find a place for the 18-year-old prodigy. Indeed, during his time with Santos, he made 49 appearances and scored 10 goals, while registering five assists, in senior football. A Brazil Under-20 international, he has also won 10 caps for his country.

But if Zidane isn’t convinced, then he needs to be with Castilla full-time, to integrate into the team and get as many minutes as possible.

Currently, it feels as though his talent is in danger of going to waste.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Arsenal striker John Hartson has cast doubt on the future of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli.

The England international was once a mainstay and a key man in Mauricio Pochettino’s side, but he just hasn’t looked the same player in the previous 18 months or so.

While he was suffering from injury at the beginning of he campaign, the 23-year-old has been limited to just 30 minutes of Premier League action since his return, and was left out of the squad entirely for the 2-1 defeat against Leicester City last month.

Hartson has highlighted the situations of the former MK Dons man, rated at £81m by Transfermarkt, and believes that Mauricio Pochettino could soon have another issue to deal with on top of the likes of Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen all being out of contract next summer.

He said: “You’ve gotta look at players like Dele Alli who’s not in the team. If he sees three or four players leaving and then all of a sudden his agent is telling him a huge club wants to buy him. All of a sudden there becomes another issue.

“That’s where managers earn their crust in situations like this.”

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There will undoubtedly be some frustration from both sides of the coin in the current situation, with Alli wanting to be on the pitch making a difference and the club needing the player who was so influential for them in the past – after all, he has 53 goals and 49 assists in 188 games for the north London side.

The Englishman was handed a chance from the start against Bayern Munich on Tuesday to be fair, although it would be difficult to say he grasped it with both hands seeing as the hosts were thrashed 7-2 in north London.

That is the type of result that could lead to key players considering whether their own personal aims can be met in a white shirt, including Alli even if he clearly isn’t performing as well as Tottenham know he can.

This could be yet another headache for Pochettino to deal with if Hartson proves to be right about the 23-year-old.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans are excited at a Daily Star report claiming that they could look to sign Paulo Dybala in January.

The club attempted to do a deal for the Argentina international in the summer, though it reportedly fell apart on transfer deadline day.

Sources confirmed to Football FanCast throughout the summer that Spurs were serious about the prospect of bringing the 25-year-old into the club.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino is understood to be a big fan of the forward, though numerous details were too difficult for the club to overcome, particularly the issue of his image rights.

The report claims that Spurs could be offered the opportunity to bring the forward into the club at the turn of the year, when the transfer window reopens.

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And supporters are excited at the potential opportunity, with many hoping that a transfer can finally be pulled over the line.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

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Rafael Benitez is still a Geordie, pass it on.

Ah, good old Rafa. China is just about as far away from St. James’ Park as one can get, but that’s where the former Newcastle United boss now resides after a breakdown in contract talks saw him head to the far east.

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It’s safe to say that, having secured Premier League promotion at the first try and then keeping the Magpies afloat in the top flight for two seasons on a slim, Mike Ashley sized budget, Benitez is a very popular man around Tyneside.

As former midfield star Rob Lee said last week, Benitez may not be a Geordie, but he gets what the club means to the city and fans, and his latest Instagram snap shows he clearly still holds the Toon Army close to his heart.

Dalian, where Benitez currently manages Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, is located a short 5,134 miles from Newcastle, but that hasn’t stopped Magpies fans from reaching their former favourite…

Emojis can sometimes say more than words, and the Spaniard’s red-faced smile in the caption is a pretty clear sign that he still adores Tyneside. Well, that and the ‘good memories’ hashtag of course.

According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Southampton have made a January move for striker Che Adams. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his excellent efforts for the Blues this term seemingly attracting the interest of new Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

And that’s because a recent report from The Daily Mirror suggests that the South Coast club have launched a bid for the striking sensation, who might well prove to be a replacement for current Saints forward Charlie Austin, who has been linked with a move away from St Mary’s this month (as per The Daily Telegraph).

But given just how prolific Adams has proven to be this term, Southampton needn’t worry about Austin’s possible exit were Hasenhuttl to lure the 22-year-old striker to St Mary’s.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, 29-year-old Austin is one man who has suffered from Hasenhuttl’s arrival at Southampton last month, what with the Englishman having started just twice in the Premier League under the Austrian, none of which coming in their last three league matches.

And with Danny Ings very much the main man at St Mary’s with eight goals in all competitions this season, and Shane Long very much possessing the energy needed to complement Hasenhuttl’s high-intensity style of play, regular minutes look few and far between for Austin between now and the end of the season – a move away looks to be in his best interests.

But with the 29-year-old possessing those predatory instincts to get into the right place at the right time in the penalty area, Southampton could well miss Austin’s prolific nature in front of goal as the season wears on – but no such worries would be had were Adams to join the club.

The 22-year-old may never have played Premier League football in his short career to date, but the striker has proven to be quite the Championship forward in the last few months to emphasise his bright future in the game.

The Englishman has bagged 14 goals in just 28 league games for Garry Monk’s Blues this term to represent his best season in front of goal since moving to St Andrew’s – in fact, only four players have netted more in the second tier than Adams so far this season.

And with nine goals last term for the Midlanders and seven the campaign before, the 22-year-old has threatened to go on and really produce the goods for Birmingham in his short time at the club, doing so this time round to highlight just what a talent he is, and how far he could go in the game.

And in a Southampton side that have somewhat struggled for goals in the last 18 months or so, and potentially losing arguably their most natural goal-scorer in Austin, Adams could well flourish in the Premier League – he is clearly a striker on the upward trajectory.

And while potentially losing Austin may come as a disappointment to some Southampton fans, they needn’t worry about his possible exit were Hasenhuttl to get a deal done for Birmingham’s Adams.

Southampton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Arsenal will have no doubt have been disappointed by failing to qualify for the Champions League last season.

Instead of finishing in the top four, they just missed out to end up in fifth place and as such, they will be competing in the Europa League once again this term.

The draw for the group stage took place last week, and the Gunners were placed with last season’s semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt, as well as Standard Liege and Vitoria Guimaraes.

“They have the bigger mentality” – Spurs fans come to blows after the North London Derby in the video below…

Mmanager Unai Emery has now decided his squad for the competition, and some unfamiliar names have been included amongst the usual suspects.

One of those is 17-year-old Joel Lopez, who signed for the north Londoners from Barcelona in July of last year. Clearly one for the future, he may get a taste of European football this term.

The Arsenal supporters are clearly intrigued by the announcement, and they have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

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Tanguy Ndombele’s days are surely numbered at Tottenham Hotspur after another disastrous outing resulted in a torrent of boos from the crowd on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs edged into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over League One minnows Morecambe but that was after the Frenchman was withdrawn by manager Antonio Conte.

The introduction of Harry Kane and Lucas Moura changed the game and spared the Lilywhites their blushes.

Ndombele, who was graded as SofaScore’s lowest-rated outfield player for either side, was withdrawn in the 69th minute to a raucous reaction from the home supporters. He trudged off slowly as the volume of the boos increased and went straight down the tunnel – that will surely anger the Italian head coach.

Considering the £34m-rated midfielder cost a club-record £55m over two-and-a-half years ago, the 24-year-old should be picking apart a side of the Shrimpers’ quality – with all due respect.

Indeed, the expensive flop, who ex-goalkeeper Joe Hart once dubbed “unplayable” cut an uninterested figure throughout the game and that drew criticism from the press box.

‘Booed off by his own fans after trudging towards the touchline when he was replaced by Kane. It felt terminal and you wonder if that’s the last we’ll see of him in a Spurs shirt. Followed an ineffective display,’ wrote the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick in his post-match column.

Ndombele won just one of his six duels (16%), a rather weak effort up against a team two divisions below. Elsewhere, he failed to register a single shot on target, key pass, tackle or interception, via SofaScore.

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are “looking for a solution to sell or loan out” the former Lyon dynamo, so after these latest antics, it could well be the beginning of the end for Ndombele at the club.

That, at the very least, should be the last time that he gets to put on a Tottenham shirt.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt major injury blow ahead of  Chelsea clash…

Newcastle have offered Manchester United £10m to take Jesse Lingard on loan until the end of the season.

That’s according to 90min’s Graeme Bailey, and as to be expected, it has had a number of United fans talking on social media.

Lingard is currently in Dubai alongside Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot, with his future still up in the air with days remaining in the January transfer window.

The attacking midfielder, who has started just two games all season, is into the final six months of his Old Trafford contract, and according to 90min, Newcastle have offered the Red Devils a £10m loan fee.

The Magpies will also hand Lingard a huge bonus if he helps them to avoid relegation, and they expect United to accept their latest offer.

United fans react

@utdreport relayed Bailey’s claim regarding Lingard on Twitter. Here is what these supporters had to say in reply, with one labelling United as ‘crazy’ if they reject the offer.

“Crazy if we turn this down”

Credit: @UtdXtra18

“Too good to be true..”

Credit: @ShaneOhhh_

“That’d be an unreal bit of business…we probably won’t do it”

Credit: @_MUFCFrank

“TAKE THE MONEY”

Credit: @ThashkinG

“£10M? For a loan? And CDMs available for £10M? United can’t be this stupid right? Only Jesse saying no can stop this, right? Right?”

Credit: @UnitedAJ7

“For a loan?!! Take it right now!!!”

Credit: @KingCantona21

In other news: ‘Wow’ – Lots of Man United fans erupt as ‘ridiculous’ transfer news emerges

Leeds United are reportedly lining up a bid for John Swift this January…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football Insider, who claim the Yorkshire giants are keen on landing the Reading midfielder during the winter transfer window as he enters the final six months of his current contract.

The Championship outfit previously put a £7m price tag on his head amid interest from Marcelo Bielsa and co in the summer but that valuation may well have dropped given his contractual situation – January will be the last time the Royals can secure a fee for him.

It’s thought that director of football Victor Orta is scouring the market for an attacking no.8 and it seems as if Swift fits the bill nicely.

Hernandez heir, finally?

Indeed, the 26-year-old maestro – once on the books at Chelsea – has been one of the second flight’s best players this season.

After missing the bulk of last season with a pair of serious hamstring problems, Swift has bounced back in an exciting fashion by providing the Championship strugglers with eight goals and nine assists from 21 appearances.

It somewhat echoes his form from the 2019/20 campaign, where he directly contributed towards 16 goals across 41 games.

He is by far and away Reading’s best talent, topping the WhoScored charts with a 7.40 average rating. Swift is also managing a whopping three key passes per game, making him the Championship’s most creative talent, on top of 1.9 dribbles per match, too.

That makes him a prime candidate to solve Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking midfield woes. It could be argued that United failed to replace the reliable influence of Pablo Hernandez, who left in the summer.

Only five teams have scored fewer goals than Leeds this season. No player has registered more than two assists, with Raphinha leading the way for key passes per game (1.8) – still some way off Swift’s impressive form.

Bielsa is said to be a huge fan of the Reading dynamo, according to the reliable Phil Hay of The Athletic, so he should be trusted if he wants him at Elland Road in January.

“[It] was interesting to see John Swift linked over the weekend because Swift is someone Bielsa quietly admires,” he revealed last month.

Therefore, the attacking midfielder who has been lauded as a “grafter” and as being “super-talented”, should be one of Orta’s biggest priorities heading into 2022.

Leeds could well finally replace Hernandez with a bargain swoop for Swift this winter.

AND in other news, Bielsa can finally axe Leeds’ “absolute disaster” by signing “spectacular” 5 ft 9 gem this winter…