“Shut up!” That was the message from Liverpool’s Mario Balotelli on his Instagram account yesterday, as the Italian once again hit out at the ‘haters’ who have plagued his second spell in English football.

For those with an easy judge without knowing s*** about others. Good night

In fairness to Balotelli, he has had a hard life, as he emphatically stated, with his journey to the top of the footballing ladder having been a tough one filled with set-backs both on a personal and professional front.

He, however, does little to help himself, and considering the links with a move away from Anfield after just under a year on Merseyside, it’s hard to see the 24-year-old staying a part of Brendan Rodgers’ set-up, especially given the Reds’ recent impressive run of form.

So who should ‘shut up’? Mario or his critics? We think the former, and here are FIVE reasons why…

Four goals is… erm… shocking!

£16m is not a massive fee in terms of modern day football, but such an investment in a striker should bring plenty of goals, especially if he’s playing for one of the biggest sides in English football. However, Balotelli has a tally of four, one of which came from the penalty spot, to his name, despite playing over 20 games for his current side.

To put that into perspective, Raheem Sterling – a winger who has been used as a centre-forward – has six in the Premier League alone.

Simply doesn’t fit the Rodgers way of playing

Rodgers’ teams are all about fluid movement, high-tempo pressing, intelligent runs and tactical flexibility. Although a clearly talented player, Mario does not truly fit into any of those criteria, with his game based on power and individual magic. Balotelli’s show reel proves that he has some justification to his approach, but as long as Rodgers is in charge, it appears that he will not truly fit at Anfield.

Somewhat ironically, ‘Balo’ may well have been a success under previous managers such as Kenny Dalglish, Roy Hodgson and Rafa Bentiez, who would have been more inclined to make use of his hold-up capabilities.

Liverpool’s best run has come without him…

Liverpool have won eight of their last nine games, playing themselves right into contention for fourth place after a shocking start to the campaign. The Reds are undefeated in domestic action (over a 90 minute period, at least) in 2015, and this upturn in form has coincided with Balotelli’s peripheral first-team role.

The 24-year-old has been, largely, confined to the bench or dropped altogether, which has allowed Rodgers to get the players he needs on the pitch, and the points haul speaks for itself. Okay, Balotelli scored a massive goal to seal a 3-2 win at home to Spurs, but he’s done little else of not since Christmas.

He’s failed here before

He may have won the Premier League and the FA Cup in his spell at Man City, but Balotelli’s Etihad Stadium journey was one blighted with controversy and a failure to live up to expectations. Some big goals were scored, but fall-outs off the pitch and questionable actions on it saw him shuffle off back to Italy with his tail between his legs.

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Some players use such experiences to develop and move on, yet ‘Balo’ appears to have done little in terms of self-improvement.

Doesn’t get assists

To this day, Balotelli has one assist in Premier League action. That ball was the one from which Sergio Aguero scored the title-winning goal back in 2012. Not bad, eh?

But, to contribute to a Liverpool team that is all about the sum of its parts, Balotelli has to add creativity to his skill set, and it looks as if he’s just not cut out for that. Luis Suarez may have earned plaudits for his goal tally last season, but the Uruguayan also contributed 12 assists, which were just as important.

It’s clearly gone past the point of any form of contention anymore – Harry Kane deserves to start for England.

But fitting him into the current England squad is complex on a number of levels. It challenges the factor of selecting Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck who have all been mainstays in recent years. It questions whether their current 4-2-3-1- formation – Roy Hodgson’s preference in recent times – is viable. It challenges whether England’s attacking options are more versatile than anybody really realised.

Currently, Hodgson has persisted in playing a 4-2-3-1-ish shape (there have been minor variations) for much of the last year. Sturridge has been the first choice no. 9, Rooney has nearly always figured as a no.10 (barring his cameo on the left versus Italy) and Danny Welbeck has been pulled out left. Raheem Sterling has played right in the absence of Theo Walcott (that’s another factor that needs to be re-addressed), while Jordan Henderson, Jack Wilshere and James Milner have all featured behind.

It’s amazing how quickly the international scene can change; not a year ago Rickie Lambert and Tom Cleverley had claims for squad places. To think of either of them challenging now would be far-fetched.  These are the formation alternatives that Hodgson can turn to if he wants to select Kane.

Persist with the current 4-2-3-1

Pros: Already a proven system that’s been quietly effective in Euro 2016 qualifying so far. Allows two wingers and a three of sorts in midfield, which plays nicely into everybody’s hands – a formation that all are pretty familiar with on a domestic level.

Cons: One of Sturridge or Kane lose out… It’s difficult to actually guess how authentic Kane’s performances are at the moment; has his form in recent weeks been wholly representative of his ability? Without marring the euphoria-optimism-hysteria with a tinge of realism, you’d probably still say Sturridge is the better of the two. Either way, you don’t want to omit either of them (despite Sturridge’s slower international form), so alternative formations would be best sought to accommodate both.

A 4-1-2-1-2 (diamond)

Pros: Allows you to play Sturridge and Kane together up front and Rooney as a 10 behind, which basically gets them all in a coherent formation. Or, alternatively, you put Sterling as a no.10 (where he was excellent against Italy) and push Rooney deeper into midfield. Either variation accommodates all of them.

Cons: If Sterling does play as a 10, Rooney’s pushed further away from goal into a position he’s not hugely proven in. Width is sacrificed outright, which basically means no Adam Lallana, Walcott, Stewart Downing (he did actually play in England’s last qualifier) or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Also places a greater reliance on England’s full backs to bomb forward into vacant space, which seems kind of silly when you’ve got so many other attacking options waiting to be utilised.

4-4-2

Pro’s: Two strikers AND width, meaning the losers this time are in midfield where you only have a two. That would probably mean playing Rooney really deep and partnering him with someone like Wilshere if you wanted Kane and Sturridge to play up front. Kane’s also shown himself to be especially complete at coming deep to get the ball, meaning you could partner him with another no.9 to some effect.

Cons: Numerous. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt with 4-4-2s and England. Sven’s was wasteful, Fabio’s was farcical. It’s outdated and archaic. It means there’s a degree of midfield vulnerability against big teams where the possession battle will almost certainly be lost. Also calls on wide players to retain some form of defensive responsibility, which doesn’t really suit Lallana, Ox, Walcott and the like, who function better in the final third, away from the burden of avid defensive responsibilities.

3-5-2

Pro’s: The beauty of playing three at the back in any level is it allows you to play three players in midfield and two strikers up front. That would again accommodate all of England’s best attacking players. Louis Van Gaal’s and Brendan Rodgers’ preference towards the system show it holds viability with this band of players.

Con’s: Not a negative as such, more that Hodgson has categorically stated on a number of occasions how he much prefers playing four in defence, not three. (See this in depth coaching video, where Hodgson vindicates his categoric preference for a back four). However, the contents of that video are pretty old, and the presence of the forward thinking, progressive Gary Neville on the coaching staff could sway him.

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And the verdict…

Verdict

In all, Kane’s noisy form causes a whole load of selection headaches for England’s management. Play two up front with some width and you expose yourself in midfield. Play two up front and three in midfield and sacrifice width and a whole category of players. Play with three in midfield and two wide and you’ve got a direct Kane versus Sturridge dilemma.

England’s next big match is not until March 27 against Lithuania so plenty can still happen between now and then, especially regarding injuries. Still, if you take the view of BBC pundit Danny Murphy, that Hodgson should build his England team around Kane, then some big tactical decisions will need to be made.

It’s a good dilemma to have after all. Good luck, Roy.

There was to be no fairytale ending to Steven Gerrard’s Livepool career after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa last weekend.

Despite taking the lead in Sunday’s semi-final, the Reds were pegged bag by Villa who ran out deserved winners and booked their place in May’s Wembley showpiece thanks to a 2-1 victory.

With the final on his birthday, Gerrard was at the centre of attention throughout their cup run with the script suggesting he would lead the team out for his last game as Liverpool captain on 30th May before his move to LA Galaxy in the summer.

But typical of his last couple of seasons at Anfield, it all ended in disappointment and there will be no happy ending for the club legend.

Gerrard has been a fantastic servant to Liverpool, and has delivered some memorable moments that mean he will be remembered as on of the Premier League’s greatest players.

But despite his success, there will also be some not so happy moments that will live long in the memory for football fans.

Here are five defining moments in the career of Steven Gerrard…

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December 2004: Liverpool 3-1 Olympiakos

Perhaps Gerrard’s most famous Liverpool moment came on a famous Champions League night at Anfield as he scored a dramatic goal to seal qualification from the group stages.

Having fallen behind to a Rivaldo free-kick, the Reds were left needing three goals to avoid an early exit. Sinama Pongolle got the ball rolling just after half-time and once Neil Mellor scored with just 10 minutes remaining, the stage was set for Gerrard.

With 86 minutes on the clock, Mellor’s knock down fell to the midfielder who from 25 yards out hit a stunning half volley that flew into the net and sent the players and fans into pandemonium.

Little did they know there was plenty more drama to come later that season.

May 2005: Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan

If Liverpool fans had thought there victory over Olympiakos was dramatic enough, it was nothing compared to final against Italian giants AC Milan.

The Serie A side had seemingly put the tie to bed before half-time having raced into a three-nil lead at the break.

There looked to be little hope for Rafa Benitez’s side but what happened next will live long in the memory of football fans everywhere.

A captain’s performance from Gerrard saw him galvanize Liverpool to produce a stunning comeback, and he got the scoring underway in the second half with a great header to kick start seven minutes of madness.

His goal gave Liverpool a glimmer of hope before Vladimir Smicer fired in a second to spark panic within the Milan ranks.

And the turnaround was complete just moments later when a driving run for Gerrard saw him brought down in the box, giving Xabi Alonso the chance to equalise from the spot.

Dida saved the resulting spot kick, but the Spaniard was on hand to tuck away the rebound, and thanks to some further heroics from Jerzey Dudek; Liverpool were left celebrating after a penalty shootout as Gerrard lifted the club’s fifth European cup.

May 2006: Liverpool 3-3 West Ham

Liverpool were rescued yet again by their captain in what was one of the most thrilling FA Cup finals to date.

Having fallen two-down early on, the Hammers were well on their way to a famous victory in Cardiff, only for the England star to come up trumps once again.

His terrific pass set up Djibril Cisse to volley home and reduce the deficit before the skipper fired home an equaliser after the break.

The Londoners took the lead once more and were just moments away from lifting the trophy before Gerrard struck a stunning last-minute equaliser from long range to level the scores once more.

Liverpool went on to win the match in a penalty shootout and Gerrard was once again celebrating as he held the trophy aloft.

April 2014: Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea

There was real sense of excitement at Anfield as Liverpool were set to move within touching distance of their first Premier League title if they could avoid defeat to an under-strength Chelsea side.

But in a cruel twist, Jose Mourinho masterminded a famous victory for the Blues that not only ended the home side’s 11-match unbeaten run, but also dashed their hopes of being crowned champions.

With the match edging towards a goalless first-half, Demba Ba capitalised on a costly slip from Gerrard which presented him with the chance to race through on uncontested and slide the ball into the net.

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It was a blow the Reds failed to recover from and a late breakaway goal from Willian sealed the three points for Chelsea with Gerrard’s mistake making all the headlines.

It was to be a painful end to an outstanding season for the Reds and one that Gerrard will rue for the rest of his life.

March 2015: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United

Nearly a year on from that fateful afternoon against Chelsea, Gerrard was once again the villain as his side suffered another damaging defeat.

Having put together an impressive unbeaten run since they lost at Old Trafford in December, Liverpool went into their return fixture against Manchester United as favourites and with it could leapfrog their rivals and move into the top four.

But a dominant first-half display saw them trail one-nil at the break thanks to Juan Mata’s clinical finish.

Having started on the bench, Gerrard was summoned at half-time to spark a revival for the Reds, however a moment of madness just 38 seconds after the restart saw him sent off for a stamp on Ander Herrera.

There was to be no way back for the ten men as United extended their lead thanks to another wonderful goal from Mata, with Daniel Sturridge’s goal just a consolation in the end.

The defeat put a huge dent in their hopes of securing Champions League football for the second consecutive season with United moving five points clear; a gap that has only widened since then.

Unfortunately for Gerrard it will the defining moment of his final season at Anfield, and could be his last meaningful contribution for the team as his time at the club draws to a close.

Since March, Manchester United have, once again, been linked with Benfica winger Nico Gaitan.

Fans are already sick of hearing his name but there have been some developments. According to the Portuguese television, Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira and agent Jorge Mendes are in England to discuss his contract and Portuguese newspapers reported that the 27-year-old has now played his last game before joining Manchester United in a deal worth around £25million.

Unfortunately the same newspaper also reported on the same day that the same player is moving to French side Paris Saint-Germain. Now, unless he has a twin brother, that is hardly going to be possible.

Gaitan has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for years and in 2012 the Telegraph reported that a deal had been agreed for the Argentine. Since then fans have stopped getting excited that a deal could really be made.

[ffc-gal cat=”manchester-united” no=”5″]

The press is busy reporting that a deal is “definite” this time but it would seem to be a bit of an odd signing for the Red Devils. Manager Louis van Gaal has already made it quite clear that during this transfer he needs to sign a defensive midfielder – something Gaitan is not. Van Gaal is after someone who can perform similar duties to Michael Carrick, but the 27-year-old is a lot more attack minded.

To add to the confusion, Chelsea are supposedly close to signing Gaitan, too. According to the Express, Benfica’s president has been spotted in London and the attacking midfielder has been on Manager of the Year Jose Mourinho’s radar for some time. It’s clear that no one really knows where he is going! The Blues were hoping to seal the deal by offering a part-exchange with their Brazilian defender Wallace.

Despite the Red Devils needing a defensive midfielder it seems like Angel di Maria has been desperate to convince van Gaal that Gaitan would make a great signing for the club.

The 27-year-old has a great speed and would really help their attacking options. Ironically Gaitan was bought by Benfica to replace Di Maria when he went to Real Madrid but the pair play together in international games and Di Maria believes that together they could bring an awful lot to Old Trafford.

Di Maria had a great start to the season for United, but he tailed off after getting injured. Bringing in Gaitan could be van Gaal’s way of spurring him on to get back to his best next season. The Dutch boss is nothing but unpredictable and Red Devils fans are not going to believe that he has signed until an official conference and a photograph appears with Gaitan holding a Manchester United shirt.

Despite reports there is still a slightly slimmer chance that the Argentine star could go to PSG, Chelsea or even Liverpool, but is seems more unlikely by the day. If Gaitan finally makes it through the doors of Old Trafford it must be one of the longest conquests in history.

Will Wesley Sneijder be joining him next? We haven’t heard his name mentioned for a while.

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If it was a Mauricio Pochettino gift to Pep Guardiola, it was the gift that kept on giving.

When Serge Aurier started Tottenham’s game against Brighton just days before their trip to the Etihad Stadium to on Saturday afternoon, Mauricio Pochettino’s habit of rotating his full-backs seemed to suggest that the Ivorian wasn’t going to play any part in the bigger game at the weekend. And that turned out to be true.

It also, potentially, turned out to be something of a mistake.

It’s easy, after the fact, to point to one decision and characterise it as the reason a team won or didn’t. Too easy, usually. In this case, as in many others, it may have made no difference at all. City are the best team in the Premier League and maybe even the best team in the world at the moment. There’s even a debate as to whether we should be calling them the best team ever to grace the Premier League.

Whether or not that’s simply too far doesn’t really matter when that’s the question: just the fact we’re seriously talking about it is enough to make you think Spurs were up against it no matter what the team selection was.

And yet, before the game started, Aurier looked like he might well have been crucial to Spurs’ success.

It’s no secret that if City have a weakness, it’s the defence. That doesn’t really get borne out in the stats: they’ve conceded 12 goals this season and no one has let in fewer. And yet, without Vincent Kompany, John Stones and their one and only recognised left-back Benjamin Mendy, City are quite clearly weakened in that area. And pitting Fabian Delph, who is a makeshift full-back and relatively unused to the position, up against an athletic and direct player like Aurier might well have been a difficult test for him.

Instead, Pochettino decided that the former Paris Saint-Germain man’s defensive deficiencies were enough to make sure that he chose former City defender Kieran Trippier instead. It was a decision probably made on a combination of loyalty and safety, but nonetheless, it set the tone: Spurs were more worried about City’s attacking prowess than they were about exploiting any defensive they might have been able to find.

That’s fair enough in some ways. It’s natural to fear a team like City, and given the fact that Pep Guardiola’s league leaders are now so far ahead of the chasing pack, it won’t be the away game against the Blues that shapes Tottenham’s season: it’ll be games against the other sides from second to sixth that will decide whether or not Champions League football will be coming to the new White Hart Lane’s inaugural season next Autumn.

But it was also a decision that seemed to epitomise the way Spurs handed the initiative to City rather than attacking them fearlessly. They aren’t the only team to do so this season, which suggests it’s not that simple. But how else are you supposed to get at a team whose only weakness lies in their defence?

But playing Tripper didn’t just provide City with the gift of attacking initiative. In the end, he provided them with fertile ground for attacking, too.

The former City youngster’s three successful tackles saw Trippier make more than any other Spurs player all game. And yet, his success rate was only 33%: he was dribbled past an entire six times, whilst his direct marker, Leroy Sane completed six dribbles and provided two assists.

Trippier saw more touches than all but two Spurs players, and played two key passes, suggesting that he was able to find some success up against Delph and Sane down Spurs’ right wing, but you then wonder what the more attacking Serge Aurier would have been able to do.

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The modern full-back isn’t solely a defender – as Delph is showing. He’s also a player who has to take full part in his team’s attacking systems, too. And yet, athleticism – that pace and power that a player like Aurier possesses – is so important.

Maybe it would have made no difference to the final score. Or perhaps it would have even made things worse if Tottenham had gone with Serge Aurier at right-back, who may have had an even worse time against Sane and co. But it’s worth wondering what would have happened if Spurs had taken a more proactive stance on getting at City’s makeshift left-back Fabian Delph.

But giving Pep Guardiola’s side Kieran Trippier at right-back let him off the hook defensively. And going the other way, City seemed to target him anyway. And to great effect.

How do you get motivated to play football if you’ve won everything there is to win?Toni Kroos is 27 years old, but he has completed the game. Four league titles, three national cups, three Champions Leagues, four Club World Cups and a World Cup mean that the only major trophy that the German hasn’t won is the European Championships, which his national side haven’t won since 1996. But with the pressure off, how do you get motivated?Perhaps, if the Real Madrid midielder’s interests are anything to go by, he should be doing everything he can to rock up in the Premier League this January.We all know about his predilections for the less well-travelled road when it comes to what you’d expect footballers to be interested in: his music taste alone is part eyebrow-raising but fully endearing.

And then there’s the fact that Kroos is all-in on his fandom: every 13th February he wishes Robbie Williams a happy birthday. Just look how joyful and starstruck he looks when meeting the man himself last year – it’s the same look a football-mad kid has when they meet, say, Toni Kroos…

But perhaps the most surprising revelation about the German international repeats itself every once in a while when the darts comes around. Safe to say he’s a fan of that, too. And when Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor took to the oche to face down Rob Cross for one final time before retirement at the final of the PDC Darts World Championship on New Year’s Day, Kroos took to Twitter like every other fan to cheer on another of his unlikely heroes.

With New Year’s Day opening the madness that is the January transfer window, Kroos should think about his future. A move to Manchester City, who may be missing Kevin de Bruyne or David Silva for some time would be an obvious choice. Or Manchester United, who could be doing with another midfield maestro to pull the strings and let Paul Pogba roam freely.

But those options just seem wrong. Just as Real Madrid somehow seems wrong, too. Sure, his personality on the pitch – all silk and class – matches perfectly with the back-to-back European champions. But sometimes a footballer’s personality off the pitch demands a club where he just seems to fit in. And that’s not with one of the superclubs of the latter stages of the Champions League.

That’s surely with a more salt-of-the Earth People’s Club. Surely for the man who’s won everything, a move to one of England’s traditional clubs would suit him down to the ground – Everton and West Ham will be on the lookout for new recruits this January under new management (both solid British managers who’d be up for a round of darts) so why not rock up there? The European footballing sophistiqué for the Brexit generation needs an appropriate home, after all.

Of course, it might be tongue in cheek to suggest that Kroos would leave the Bernabeu to follow what must clearly be his dream of sitting in a dark pub with a pint of bitter in one hand and three darts in the other – maybe with a few quid saved over for a go on the jukebox later – but after winning everything in Spain and Germany, perhaps it will very seriously be time for a new adventure sometime soon.

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And England looks like the perfect place.

Watford boss Marco Silva has insisted that in-demand midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure will not be leaving the Hornets in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Doucoure joined Watford from Rennes in the summer of 2016, and the midfielder scored once in 20 Premier League appearances during the 2016-17 campaign.

The 24-year-old has taken his form to a new level this season, however, with his all-action performances in the middle of the park leading to suggestions that a number of clubs were considering a move when the January transfer window opens for business.

Watford boss Silva, however, revealed on Friday that ‘nobody will leave the club in the January market’ amid suggestions that his squad could be raided by other clubs.

It has also been claimed that the Hornets are preparing to offer Doucoure a new £70,000-a-week contract in a bid to protect the valuation of a player that could eventually end up at a top-six team.

Which clubs would Doucoure suit?

West Ham United are in the market for a new central midfielder, and there is no question that Doucoure would be an upgrade on Pedro Obiang, who continues to divide opinion.

Everton are also expected to splash the cash this month, and it would not be a surprise if the Merseyside outfit approached Watford over a move for Doucoure.

At the age of 24, there is every reason to believe that the former France Under-21 international, who is valued at £5.4m by transfermarkt.co.uk, will continue to improve.

It is not out of the question that a Liverpool or an Arsenal would move for a player that would not command a ridiculous transfer fee, whilst Manchester United also need a new central midfielder as they look to ultimately replace Michael Carrick.

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Watford boss Silva has insisted that Doucoure will not be leaving Vicarage Road in the January transfer window, but it does appear that the impressive midfielder will depart the Hornets sooner rather than later.

Southampton surrendered a 2-0 half-time lead to draw 2-2 with Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday as Abdoulaye Doucoure put a last minute equaliser in with his hand, but Saints fans weren’t impressed with Ryan Bertrand’s performance.

The south coast outfit looked to be on their way to their first Premier League win since the end of November following James Ward-Prowse’s brace in the opening 45 minutes, but Andre Gray pulled one back for the hosts soon after the break after Steven Davis was caught in possession.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s men then lost a much-needed three points when left-back Bertrand left Doucoure free at the back post, and he finished past Alex McCarthy with his hand.

Southampton supporters were quick to have their say on the England international’s display via social media, and while one said “Bertrand couldn’t care less”, another agreed and said “Bertrand had an absolute shocker”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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According to the Birmingham Mail, Leeds United are plotting a £7million swoop for Aston Villa duo Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack.

Elphick has experienced great difficulty in establishing himself as a regular at Villa, and he only featured in the absence of club captain, John Terry. On the other hand, Ross McCormack is currently on loan at Melbourne City in the A-League.

What’s the story?

Leeds United are allegedly keen on signing Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack from Aston Villa, both of whom are seemingly unrequired at Villa. Indeed, there is considerable competition for spaces in the Villains defence and considering the expertise and the knowledge that John Terry and Chris Samba provide, it’s surprising to see Elphick on the periphery. Thus, Leeds are looking to exploit his availability.

Ross McCormack has also experienced a difficult time as an Aston Villa player, he only scored three goals in 22 games for the club last season, having scored an impressive total of 42 goals in 100 games for Fulham. He is currently enjoying a productive spell on loan at Melbourne, where he has amassed a terrific tally of 14 goals.

What will they bring?

Elphick will provide Leeds with an abundance of experience having amassed 350 appearances throughout the entirety of his professional career, many of which were attained while playing in the Championship. The Englishman will provide the Peacocks with physicality and know-how of winning the division.

Ross McCormack is a familiar face to Leeds United supporters, having played 158 games for the Whites, scoring an impressive 58 goals.

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The Scotsman is highly regarded for his ruthless finishing and proficiency from long distance, especially with his terrific ability from set-pieces. If Leeds United’s attempts to sign the pair are successful, then they will provide Thomas Christiansen’s squad with a higher degree of experience and class.

Southampton slipped back into the relegation zone following their 2-0 defeat against Liverpool at St Mary’s on Sunday combined with other results going against them, but it hasn’t brought an end to Mauricio Pellegrino’s spell as manager.

Saints supporters have shown their vocal disapproval against their Argentine boss plenty of times in recent weeks, but it seems as though the board are ready to give the 46-year-old more time to turn the side’s fortunes around, with a crucial five-match run against Burnley, Stoke City, Newcastle United, Swansea City and West Ham United to come following the FA Cup fifth round tie against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

If Pellegrino does get the results needed to keep the south coast outfit in the Premier League he may well keep his job in the summer and be backed in the transfer market, as the club look to put what has been a disappointing campaign in many aspects behind them.

The Argentine staying at St Mary’s wouldn’t be good news for some though, and there would certainly be a number of players that would be unhappy and believe that they could be on their way out at the end of the campaign as a result.

Here are three Southampton players that have no future at the club if Pellegrino stays this summer…

Fraser Forster

The goalkeeper quick established himself as the number one choice at St Mary’s following his move from Celtic in 2014, and he had kept his spot in the side – when he was fit – right up until the end of 2017.

The 6ft 7in stopper’s performances had begun to drop and the St Mary’s faithful were beginning to get on his back, and the England international was finally dropped following the 5-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Boxing Day.

Alex McCarthy kept a clean sheet on his first start of the campaign against Manchester United at Old Trafford and has started every match since then.

Forster’s lack of involvement in the FA Cup ties against Fulham and Crystal Palace suggest that opportunities are going to be limited for him unless McCarthy is ruled out in the future, and Mauricio Pellegrino and the club could look to cash in on the 29-year-old in the summer.

Nathan Redmond

Like Forster, the winger has been a regular fixture in the Southampton team ever since he joined them from Norwich City in the summer of 2016, racking up 74 appearances in total.

However, the one-cap England international has struggled in terms of goals and assists this term – he has none of the former – and he was another that was dropped to the substitutes’ bench against Manchester United.

The 23-year-old has only played 33 minutes of football for Saints in 2018, and rumours of a poor attitude on the training pitch saw him left out of the matchday squad altogether against Watford and Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League, and the Hornets in the FA Cup.

It remains to be seen whether Redmond can prove to Pellegrino that he still has a future at St Mary’s, but it seems unlikely as things stand right now and he could be on his way in the summer.

Manolo Gabbiadini

Southampton thought they had found the regular goalscorer they were desperate for when Gabbiadini hit the ground running following his move from Napoli during the 2017 January transfer window, but after a fine start it has turned into something of a nightmare spell at St Mary’s for the Italy international.

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The 26-year-old struggled for goals and looked uncomfortable in the lone striker role in the early stages of the current campaign, and he quickly found himself behind the likes of Charlie Austin and Shane Long in the centre-forward pecking order, even though the latter only has one goal for club and country in the last year.

The Italian has only played 112 minutes of football in 2018 – with 82 of those coming in a rare start against Tottenham Hotspur – while he didn’t even come off of the substitutes’ bench in the 2-0 defeat against Liverpool despite Pellegrino’s men needing a goal.

If the Argentine boss stays at the end of the campaign and following the arrival of Guido Carrillo last month, Gabbiadini will surely be one of the first through the exit door even if the club secures their Premier League status.

Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.