All posts by h79snht.top

He’s a man that most Premier League fans love to hate.

Over the past few years we’ve seen Hatem Ben Arfa at Hull City and Newcastle United, and when he’s at his mesmerising best he’s an absolute pleasure to watch. However his time in England was blighted by ill-discipline and patches of poor form.

He’s so unpredictable. One minute he’s competing with the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi in the skills department, but other days he can appear disinterested and lazy.

Now back in his native homeland, Ben Arfa seems to have settled at Nice. The club are fighting for Europe and sit fourth in Ligue 1, and it’s fair to say the former Newcastle winger has played his part in securing their continental credentials.

And it is his form that has made the Premier League stand up and take notice once again, with Liverpool thought to be considering a summer move. 16 goals in 29 appearances has ensured the winger is being tracked by Jurgen Klopp, who is believed to have sanctioned a tentative contract offer for the soon-to-be-free-agent.

The transfer talk is justified, regardless of the player’s reputation. Ben Arfa has been absolutely fantastic for Nice this season, after all. He’s been on-form week-after-week and the troubles with discipline that have plagued his career so far seem to have been left in England. If Klopp is keen to boost his attacking options ready for next season, HBA is an option.

But at the forefront of the German’s mind will be the problems that Ben Arfa has created for himself for the entirety of his career. One of the reasons he’s not already at a top club is because he has a distinct inability to control his behaviour, and the tough tactician won’t tolerate any fooling around as he attempts to build his Liverpool legacy.

He’s run into trouble in both France and England and various players and managers have been unimpressed by Ben Arfa’s attitude. He got into a ‘heated’ debate with former Arsenal man Sebastian Squillaci back in 2006, whilst two years later he was disciplined by Lyon for refusing to warm up when called upon by coach Eric Gerets.

Meanwhile in England, Ben Arfa was simply unable to be found when he decided his spell at Hull City wasn’t working out. He went completely awol, with manager Steve Bruce conceding he had no idea where his player was – not a great sign.

But as we know, with the controversy comes a player that can really play football at the highest level. He’s been glittering on many an occasion, but it seems like managers are growing weary with his antics.

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It has been 20 years since Gareth Southgate broke the hearts of millions of expectant England supporters in the Semi-finals of Euro 1996 by missing the crucial fifth penalty. From that moment, the fate of the England team has be underwhelming to say the least.

Penalty heartbreak in 1998, Phil Neville in 2000, Ronaldinho in 2002, penalty heartbreak part two in 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006, Steve McClaren in 2008, Germany (and the linesman) in 2010, penalty heartbreak part three in 2012 and… well, let’s just forget about 2014.

All of the aforementioned daggers that ploughed vehemently into the hearts of Three Lions fans over the past two decades have left many cynical about seeing any international success for a long while… and for very good reason.

However, every proud Englishman brutishly clings to any threadbare sense of optimism they can find before major tournaments, which usually comes in the form of a young, untested talent.

How many times have us English found ourselves screaming at the television, hoping that the lads can hear us in Brazil or Japan? Never more so than with Roy Hodgson’s brand of conservative football which leads to many pubs around the nation being filled with quips such as “Just run at them”, “get forward”, “SHOOT!… Please!”.

This is perhaps the reason why we all heap expectation onto the fresh-faced, young English stars in international tournaments. The ability to play directly, with no fear, often with frightening pace and a desire to take people, on sits well with England fans, who have had to put up with ‘almost’ for far too long.

In 1998, an 18-year-old Michael Owen lit up the World Cup in France with his stellar displays. He was the toast of English football.

In 2004, Wayne Rooney, at just 17, was our top scorer in the European Championship in Portugal.

And now, in 2016, Marcus Rashford look set to be the man (or boy) to become the new saviour.

However, while both Owen and Rooney made instant impacts at these tournaments, they never reached those heights in World Cups or European Championships again. Did the pressure of becoming the new footballing sensation on these shores take its toll?

Ultimately, it is not the youngsters who have to impress us in these tournaments, it is the likes of James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Gary Cahill. These are the men who have felt the pressure of World Cups and European Championships and should carry the nation’s weight of expectation on their shoulders.

So, before we are inevitably knocked out of this summer’s EUROs (on penalties… probably by Germany), let’s judge the senior members of the squad, rather than piling more pressure on the younger lads who are the future of our international game.

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Everton fans aren’t a happy very often these days. Roberto Martinez’s name is not a popular one on the blue half of Merseyside and it looks like he could be gone at the end of this season.

FA Cup semi-final defeat seems to have been the final straw for many of the Toffees die-hard supporters, and understandably so. A mediocre league finish is not doing a great deal to win over uninspired fans and we could be set for some Arsenal-style protests.

Players are under pressure, the manager looks a goner and Goodison Park needs some TLC, but it isn’t as bad as it may seem for the new Evertonian owner.

Ambitious clubs are littered across the midtable cabinet, from Newcastle and Stoke to Southampton and Everton, only a couple can really overachieve in a given campaign, though.

We have a few pointers for the new Everton owner, Farhad Moshiri, on how he can see his Everton side get close to the sensational over-achievement of West Ham this season…

Keep the superstars

John Stones, Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley. The Toffees cannot afford to lose any of their most prized assets in this summer window and you can expect an uprising if they were to sell the crown jewels.

James McCarthy may also warrant an inclusion in this list, and it’s crucial that the bigger names in the squad aren’t tempted in by the riches of ‘trophy-winning’ clubs.

Defence, maybe?

Everton’s defence has been calamitous for much of this season.

It’s hard to tell whether its coaching or personnel that is the issue but, either way, they are in dire need of cover at centre-back particularly. Anthony Martial waltzed through the centre of their defence embarrassingly easily at Wembley and Leicester then stuck goals past Joel Robles with ease, and without any further changes it could become a regular humiliation.

Hire a gaffer

Martinez has lost the faith of the fans and there is every chance that the players will be the next to lose belief in his abilities – if they haven’t already.

There is only one solution, unfortunately. The new owner(s) must think more like Newcastle’s appointment of Rafael Benitez than looking to appoint from within. A big name to handle large ego footballers and Everton may just surprise a few people.

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Drop the wasters

As with any team, the first thing to do is to realise which players are just not good enough.

Remove them, sell them and reinvest the money in players with energy, talent and tactical awareness. It might only be a couple of players, or it might be half the squad, but change is evidently needed and it might finally be time to move on from the elderly Gareth Barry and Leighton Baines.

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Use ya hands

Joel Robles may well make it to be a long-term Everton superstar, but it’s not exactly nailed on.

Either way, Everton need a ‘keeper to either compete or dislodge the Spanish stopper. There are plenty available, of varying levels of experience, just buy one.

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Jose Mourinho has answered questions as to the future of Wayne Rooney in his first press conference as Manchester United manager this morning.

As well as eluding to the Red Devil’s aims for next season, the departure of Ryan Giggs and activities in the transfer window, Mourinho gave United fans the answer they have been craving for the past few months surrounding their club talisman, and hinted that the England international very much still has a role to play at Old Trafford.

He said: “There are many jobs on the field.

“The most difficult to find is one to put the ball in the net. It is normal that a player at his age will change a little bit. One thing that will never change is his natural appetite to put the ball in the net.”

The outspoken Portuguese star continued, even taking a sly dig at both England boss Roy Hodgson and his United predecessor Louis Van Gaal: “With me he will never be a No6, playing 50 meters from goal.

“Yes, his passing is amazing but mine is also amazing without pressure. Many players have a great pass, but to put the ball in the net is the most difficult. He will be a No9, a No10, a No9.5 but never a No6 or a No8.”

The question still looms as to where Rooney will fit in United’s now star studded front line including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and, erm, Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Twitter has spoken on Mourinho’s comments on Rooney however, and here are some of the best reactions…

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The return of the Premier League may have been underwhelming for many, but for some it provided a welcome chance to win some cash from FanDuel.

Of course, those of you had selected the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Leroy Fer and Nathan Redmond in their team will have boosted their chances of winning some money last weekend – but they weren’t necessarily the players who got you most value for money.

That’s because while goals and assists will always boost your points scoring, there are 17 other ways in which players can earn, or lose, points throughout the weekend.

This is evident in the fact West Ham’s James Collins scored the highest points per million over the weekend, despite being on the end of a 2-1 away defeat to Chelsea.

Priced at just £4.3m, Collins would have been a shrewd addition to any FanDuel player’s squad. The Welshman totalled 43.25 points against Chelsea, averaging an impressive 10.06 points per million.

This is because he collected vital points via his tackling, interception and clearance statistics – proving there are far more points to be won than just goals and assists.

Collins did score West Ham’s only goal, netting 20 points (5 for the shot on target and 15 for the goal itself), which boosted his points total impressively.

The same can be applied to the likes of Arsenal’s Calum Chambers, who enjoyed a similar game to Collins, and Hull City trio Adama Diomande, Robert Snodgrass and Curtis Davis.

For example, 10.5 of Curtis Davis’ total score 32.75 points came interceptions alone. As players earn 1.5 points per interception, it shows that defenders, and even midfielders, can collect a serious amount of points from deep areas of the pitch.

These cheaper players have already hammered home the fact that spending big money on more recognisable names isn’t always the best way to win at FanDuel. Any player of Fantasy Football games will know all about the importance of getting value for money when putting your squad together – and it’s no different with FanDuel.

So looking ahead to this weekend, which bargain players should you be looking at to get you the best value for money?

It’s important to look at the fixtures being played and then work out where the best value for money is. Players playing at home, or even against sides you know they are going to dominate, should be at the forefront of any decisions. So here are three players we think you should be considering this weekend…

Kyle Naughton (£5.5m)

The Swansea defender totalled 24 points last week, and although that wasn’t exactly up there as one of the highest in the division, it still represented a good total for a player playing away from home.

Swansea host newly-promoted Hull on Saturday, and it’s important not to be deceived by Hull’s shock opening day win over Leicester – their squad isn’t big or strong enough to keep up such impressive form.

Expect Swansea to dominate the game against Hull, which will give Naughton the chance to rack up the points. Last week he picked up 12 points for tackles and six for interceptions, which is where he’ll earn most of his points each week. Additionally, with Swansea expected to enjoy more of the possession, Naughton is bound to build on the 2 points he earned from successful passes this time around.

Simon Mignolet (£6.8m)

Much has been said of Liverpool’s defensive issues after their 4-3 win over Arsenal last weekend, so you’d think picking Liverpool’s goalkeeper would be a strange choice.

However, Liverpool travel to newly promoted Burnley on Saturday and it’s difficult not to look past the Belgium international as someone who can nab a decent points total.

He only collected 12 points against Arsenal, and that was partly down to earning 6 points for saving Walcott’s penalty. It’s unlikely he’ll save another penalty, but you’ll expect him to pick up points for saves (3 points per save) and there’s huge potential for a clean sheet (10 points), making him good value for money at just £6.8m.

Jonathan Calleri (£6m)

The Argentine has just signed for the club, so it’s a bit of a gamble putting him in. However, with West Ham suffering crippling injuries to a number of key players in recent days, there’s a huge chance Slaven Bilic will hand him a Premier League debut for the Hammers.

It will be West Ham’s first Premier League game at the new London Stadium, so they’re going to be eager to impress against Bournemouth in front of 57,000 fans. They were disappointing against Chelsea on Monday night, but you can count on Bilic reverting to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation at home, which is the system in which the Hammers were so impressive last season.

Calleri is likely to play a huge role give the Hammers’ injury woes and, with 3 goals in 5 appearances for Sao Paulo before arriving in East London, the 22-year-old is already in good form.

Expect him to have a positive impact against Bournemouth this weekend, whether it’s via goals (15 points a goal), shots on target (5 points) and even assists (7 points).

Think you know fantasy football? Prove it! Sign up now: http://po.st/FanDuelEd

In Gameweek 5, lots of popular players rewarded those who captained them in fantasy football with a wealth of points.

Manchester City pair Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling were among the highest scorers with 14 and 13 points respectively, while Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku and Dimitri Payet also treated their owners to double figures.

Harry Kane and Diego Costa also found the net, while Jamie Vardy and Zlatan Ibrahimovic managed assists.

This week, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero returns from a suspension for elbowing West Ham’s Winston Reid.

Despite the Argentine being among the top points scorers after netting three goals in three games, only 29% of fantasy players have him in their side – with the majority struggling to free up the funds to get him back in their team.

This means that despite him being fresh, after missing two league games and City’s EFL Cup tie on Wednesday, 70% of players don’t have Aguero in their side ahead of an enticing game against Swansea.

Football FanCast looks at three alternatives you can turn to for Gameweek 6.

ROBERTO FIRMINO

Roberto Firmino is the first man given the nod ahead of an interesting match against Hull City.

With Daniel Sturridge carrying a knock and unlikely to start, Firmino is in line to return to his central striking berth after missing the Reds’ 2-1 against Chelsea.

The Brazilian will be hoping to profit against a Hull side coming off the back of a 4-1 loss to Arsenal last week.

The Tigers have relied upon the heroics of ‘keeper Elden Jakupovic to bail them out after conceding the most shots in the league so far (108), meaning there should be no shortage of chances for Firmino and his teammates.

ROMELU LUKAKU

One man who is in electric form is Everton’s Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgian boasts four goals and one assist in the two matches since the international break, scoring 29 points in that time.

The striker will be hoping to add to his tally against a porous Bournemouth defense.

Eddie Howe’s men have conceded 9 goals and seem to be particularly struggling with conceding headers, which is encouraging for an aerial threat such as Lukaku.

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CHRISTIAN BENTEKE

The Crystal Palace striker will be hoping to profit against a Sunderland side who have yet to keep a clean sheet and currently lie in 19th place.

Benteke is the main attacking threat for Pardew’s side and should get plenty of service from Andros Townsend, Jason Puncheon and Wilfried Zaha, with Palace ranking among the highest teams for crosses into the box.

With the international break over and done with and the Premier League about to get back into swing Liverpool sit fourth in the league, which Jurgen Klopp would probably have taken as the season began.

Barring a shoddy result against Burnley, the Reds have looked seriously impressive on a number of occasions this season and, under Klopp, they’re looking very ruthless indeed.

So with some encouraging form going forward, many people have now begun questioning whether the Reds can continue this form for the entirety of the season, or whether they’ll let it slip at some point.

And whilst this team might have their doubters when it comes to defending, if they can outscore their opponents, they’re not going to struggle – and they’ve been doing that with aplomb so far.

But at Liverpool, there is more than just a good set of players on the pitch with a charismatic manager – there is also a buzz about the whole place which we haven’t seen for years.

The Anfield stand development has seriously aided the team’s development on the pitch, but it’s easy to forget that when Klopp took over, things on the red half of Merseyside had almost hit rock bottom.

Week after week we see the former Dortmund man charging up and down the touchline barking orders with extreme rigour and embracing his players after the game. You won’t find another manager in the whole world who lives and breathes football like the German, and his energy is infectious both on and off the pitch.

He puts smiles on everyone’s faces and – like we saw with Leicester City last season – the way to win trophies is to instil team spirit, and Klopp certainly seems to have done that.

A lack of European football has given the manager the chance to really focus on matters in the league, and so far they’ve been pretty good. Perhaps some supporters feel a lack of Champions League action is a really bad thing, but for Jurgen Klopp it’s given him the chance to get rid of the deadwood and get his squad looking neat and tidy. And it’s certainly beginning to pay off.

In recent years, you really got the feeling that the various managers at the helm of this great club didn’t perhaps know who their best players were. But now, we’ve seen continuity and stability and with the summer window giving Klopp the chance to sign the players he wanted, we have a Liverpool team centred on what he sees in winners.

Obviously, there is a long way to go this season and with some key games coming up, no one at Liverpool should be getting carried away just yet. But the early signs have been extremely promising and if they can keep it up, there should be no reason why they shouldn’t be challenging come the end of the campaign.

Klopp is a winner and the Reds will be there or there abouts in May.

Manchester City desperately need to get back to winning ways when they host Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Citizens saw their lead at the top cut to just a point after losing for the first time this season against Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago.

Guardiola’s boys were unable to find a way past a Spurs side who harried and pressured them, with Aleksandar Kolarov unlucky to score an own-goal before Dele Alli coolly slotted home before half-time.

While it was a wake-up call for City, they can at least be reassured by the fact the result may have been different had Kevin De Bruyne been fit, with the Belgian rated as having an outside chance of facing Everton.

Guardiola has also had two weeks to identify what went wrong at White Hart Lane and tweak his side to get three points at the weekend.

With that in mind, here is the starting XI we expect to beat Everton.

GOALKEEPER – CLAUDIO BRAVO

The Chilean is a certainty to start in goal for Pep Guardiola’s side.

The City manager clearly favours the Chilean for his ability to play with the ball at his feet and build from the back.

The ex-Barcelona man needs to repay this faith, with Joe Hart showing what City are missing with a standout performance against Slovenia last night.

While he was shaky on his debut against in the Manchester derby, Bravo has since looked slightly more assured in goal.

But he will have to improve his decision-making and distribution after giving the ball away too often against Spurs.

RIGHT BACK – PABLO ZABALETA

With Bacary Sagna sidelined until November, Pablo Zabaleta has a chance to stake his place.

The Argentine needs to prioritise his defensive work first and foremost after being beaten too often by Son, Alli et al against Spurs.

The 31-year-old doesn’t look as dynamic as he was a couple of seasons ago and will be given a torrid time by Yannick Bolasie if he isn’t careful.

CENTRE-BACK – JOHN STONES

It remains to be seen how John Stones’ City career will play out, with the the 22-year-old putting in mixed performances for club and country.

Stones looked assured against a tame Malta side but was again exposed when England played Slovenia.

Playing Everton for the first time since his record £47m move, Stones is another who needs to focus on his defending rather than overplaying the ball.

What Stones needs is a man of Vincent Kompany guiding him through. For now though, the ball-playing defender must focus on getting through games without taking unnecessary risks.

CENTRE-BACK – NICOLAS OTAMENDI

While some of the criticism that has come his way has been unfair, Otamendi looks likely the be the man to make way when Kompany is eventually fit again.

The Argentine was a warrior for Valencia but hasn’t looked as assured for City, particularly in the loss against Spurs.

Otamendi chased and hacked the men in white, making you wondered if he was going to finish the game after getting booked early on.

The centre-back looks more confident when City are on top, however, and will need to be more dominant against the Toffees.

LEFT BACK – GAEL CLICHY

It’s fair to say Kolarov has had a bit of a nightmare of late.

First he missed a clearance to allow a Celtic goal in the Champions League, then he put the ball into his own net to give Spurs the lead in his last appearance.

Kolarov looked reasonable at the start when Guardiola played him at centre-back but has since shown the frailties.

What the Citizens need is someone solid and dependable. Clichy is that type of player and it is worth noting the Frenchman played at left-back during their only clean sheet in the league this season.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD – FERNANDINHO

One man who has looked dependable all season is Fernandinho.

The Brazilian midfielder must be one of the first names on the team sheet after his brilliant start to the season.

Few players in the City side get through as much work as the 31-year-old, whose diligent defending allows both David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne to join the attack.

He will probably have to nullify the threat of Ross Barkley, while also helping to start City attacks.

DAVID SILVA

If Fernandinho’s name is written on the team sheet, David Silva’s should be permanently embossed.

The Spaniard is the archetypal Guardiola player; small, great on the ball and able to dictate the rhythm of the game.

One way the Spaniard could improve on is his scoring record, although on Saturday his manager will be happy if he is able to keep the ball moving against Gareth Barry and Idrissa Gueye.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD – KEVIN DE BRUYNE

De Bruyne is facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s game.

The Belgian pulled up at the end of the Swansea game with a hamstring injury and his absence was telling as City failed to score for the first time this season against Spurs.

If De Bruyne has any chance of being fit, he has to play. The 25-year-old has the most assists in the league with four and also has two goals to his name, showing how important he is to the City attack.

RIGHT WING – RAHEEM STERLING

Another man who has been essential for City this season, Sterling will need to be on top form against Everton.

If Leighton Baines misses out again through injury, the England man will fancy his chances against whoever deputises, whether it be Bryan Oviedo or somebody else.

Sterling will also have to track back should Zabaleta have his hands full with Bolasie, but his key duty will be getting into the box to make – or finish – chances.

LEFT WING – NOLITO

Nolito was extremely foolish to get himself sent off against Bournemouth.

The Spaniard has just completed a three-match ban after clashing heads with the Cherries’ Adam Smith.

Available for selection, Nolito should start ahead of Leroy Sane and Jesus Navas so they can take advantage of his superior finishing.

The 29-year-old has four goals in all competitions so far and could find opportunities to score again against an Everton side that give most of their chances away on the flanks.

STRIKER – SERGIO AGUERO

Simply put: if Aguero is fit, he has to play.

There were a lot of fears for the Argentine after he reportedly suffered a calf injury on international duty, but he had since declared himself fit and played the full match against Paraguay.

While he struggled in Argentina’s 1-0 loss, Aguero has been in lethal form for City and is the Premier League’s top scorer.

If the 28-year-old is tired then Kelechi Iheanacho is a viable replacement.

What they ask

First of all, the club are pretty strict on what they want. Attacking, possession football is a must, while developing players using the strong youth facilities you have in place is also a demand from the board.

Like most of the bigger clubs on the game, the board do not care for the EFL Cup and success is in the FA Cup is only really relevant if the league and Champions League are not going to plan. Winning the league is the initial demand, although competing will probably be enough to keep your job, and a run to the quarters of the Champions League is asked for.

What they give

A fair bit of flexibility on the wage budget and a healthy transfer budget mean you have freedom to go wild in the transfer market.

Retaining plenty of the money from sales, a couple of marquee signings are well within the realms of possibility.

Three to Buy

Bernardo Silva

Attacking midfield is one of Arsenal’s stronger areas, but the talent of Bernardo Silva is impossible to ignore.

He will cost a princely amount, but he is certainly worth it. Versatile, hard-working and with potential to be a Ballon D’or winner – get scouting.

Matteo Darmian

Darmian is not a starter at Arsenal, but would be a very useful addition for depth.

Comfortable on either side of the defence and able to play as a wing-back, the Italian is a short-term acquisition in many ways. He is a means to an end and many managers would rather sign a young talent for that role.

Victor Kovalenko

Midfield playmakers aren’t in short supply at Arsenal, admittedly, yet Kovalenko would be a solid addition to the squad.

Far from at his peak, he could be the long-term Cazorla replacement in your squad.

Three to Sell

Francis Coquelin

With Elneny, Xhaka, Cazorla and Ramsey, Arsenal’s midfield is particularly hectic.

Coquelin, who has a limited set of attributes, is unlikely to get many games, even if you are playing a sitting midfielder. Sell him on, upgrade him, and your squad will be looking a fair bit stronger.

Kieran Gibbs

Sadly, Gibbs is not going to improve any further. His role as a backup left-back is handy, but a little unnecessary.

A player capable of covering in more positions would be more useful and Gibbs can still be sold for a decent fee.

Danny Welbeck

Unable to be sold initially because of his long-term injury, Welbeck has reached his ceiling and it is a matter of time until he becomes surplus to requirement.

Sell him while his value is still high and you could recoup quite a sizeable fee.

Three to Nurture

Jeff Reine-Adelaide

Spoken of positively for several years, Reine-Adelaide is ready to be a first team option even in the first season of your save.

However, such is the attacking depth at Arsenal, it is probably best he is sent on loan and used in 2017/18.

Reiss Nelson

Yet another attacking midfielder off the Arsenal production line, Nelson – with the right care – can develop into one of the Premier League’s best.

It will take time, as he starts the save as a 16-year-old, but a mix of reserve football and loans should see the winger blossom.

Alex Iwobi

Already a key member of the first team squad, Iwobi is obviously one of the standout members of Arsenal’s squad.

Unless severe injuries stunt his growth, the Nigerian becomes a very useful versatile attacking player. Should be reach the top end of his potential, Iwobi can become one of the best in the world and I would fully advise keeping him at the club from the off.

West Ham United have had a miserable time of late, as they are currently only out of the relegation zone in the Premier League on goal difference.

In the past week, Slaven Bilic’s side were knocked out of the EFL Cup quarter-finals by Manchester United and lost 5-1 to London rivals Arsenal on home soil in the league.

Speculation over the manager’s future has been growing, so the Hammers could have done with an easy draw when Steven Gerrard and Ian Wright pulled balls out of the hat for the FA Cup third round.

They did not get much luck, though, as West Ham were drawn at home to Manchester City, who have won the tournament on five occasions.

It was easily the biggest match-up of the night as holders Manchester United host Championship side Reading at Old Trafford, while Arsenal travel to Preston North End and Tottenham Hotspur welcome Aston Villa to White Hart Lane.

Premier League sides Everton and Leicester City will go head to head, while Liverpool and Chelsea earned favourable ties against lower-league teams who are yet to be decided.

As expected, fans took to Twitter to give their thoughts on the draw, with the West Ham versus City clash attracting the most attention.

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