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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…

Moussa Sissoko has maintained that Tottenham Hotspur can get back to their best despite a poor start to the season, per the club’s official website.

What’s he said?

The France international has started every single game in the Premier League this season, but Spurs have won just three of those encounters.

Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino’s men are currently 11th in the top-flight, eight points behind both Leicester City and Chelsea in third and fourth respectively.

But Sissoko is confident that he and his team-mates have the ability to turn their form around and begin to climb the table.

He said: “Like always, I give my best for the team and that’s what I will always do, like every player, until the end of the season.

“We are together and we want success together. Of course, the results in the last few weeks haven’t been great for us, but that’s football, that’s life.

“Sometimes it can be like this and we have to work our way through it, stick together and I’m sure good things will follow soon.”

Nonsense quotes

What’s the point of coming out with cookie-cutter quotes that supporters will surely find infuriating?

At the end of the day, all that matters – clichéd as it may be – is the score at the final whistle.

It is all very well coming out with these template words but Sissoko, of all people, needs to start backing everything up on the pitch.

He has been one of the club’s most improved players and, obviously, Pochettino trusts him.

But he has yet to add an end product to his play. On Sunday, against Liverpool, as Spurs lost 2-1, he had a prime opportunity to play in Son Heung-Min in the final 10 minutes but he ended up playing the ball through to Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker instead.

Indeed, per WhoScored, while he has laid on one assist this season, he averages just 0.5 key passes per game, is dispossessed on average 0.9 times and has 1.7 unsuccessful touches.

Sissoko would do better to work on adding an end product to his game instead of pontificating about his side’s chances.

Tottenham Hotspur fans were less than thrilled with Christian Eriksen’s goal against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday.

The Denmark international came off the bench to score against the Serbian side in the Champions League as Spurs ran out comfortable 4-0 winners on the road.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men held a 3-0 advantage when the Dane was introduced and he merely added the cherry on top of the cake.

However, fans weren’t exactly delighted that he added his name to the scoresheet.

Indeed, he has struggled throughout the season, netting just once before Wednesday’s game and laying on one further assist.

Of course, the Dane revealed his desire to take on a new challenge in the summer, with The Athletic claiming that he would only have joined Real Madrid or Barcelona.

His contract expires in the summer and he could well leave on a free if he does not come to an agreement over a new deal with the north London club.

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

After the Premier League’s opening nine matches, Wolves currently occupy 13th but have only lost two games, which is the same number as four of the top five in the league, including reigning champions Manchester City.

Nuno Santo’s men actually dealt one of those defeats right before the international break as Adama Traore netted a brace at the Etihad Stadium.

Ruben Neves made his first start in three matches during that game, playing the full 90 minutes, but last time out against Southampton, he could only manage the first-half after picking up an injury – which has been the story of his season so far.

The 22-year-old has struggled to continue on from the form that saw him contribute to Portugal’s UEFA Nations League triumph in the summer.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Several of the Molineux faithful have taken to social media to assess his performances so far.

One supporter brandished him as one of the worst in the Wolves squad while ‘woeful,’ ‘anonymous’ and ‘completely useless’ were three other phrases used to describe him.

Another fan believes the Premier League may be a step too far for Neves after the player dominated the Championship in his debut season as the west Midlanders clinched the title in 2018.

The 6-foot midfielder scored six in that season, but could only manage four last term with his figure for this season being just the one from nine appearances, per WhoScored.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

Aston Villa suffered defeat at the hands of Manchester City on Saturday, going down 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium (via BBC Sport).

Dean Smith’s side had held the Citizens for the first half, but second half goals from Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan condemned the Villans to defeat.

It was the first defeat for Aston Villa in four matches, having drawn against Burnley and secured back-to-back wins against Norwich City and Brighton prior to the game against the champions (via Transfermarkt).

It was also the first time that the Villans have failed to score in a league match since their 0-0 draw against West Ham on 16th September (Transfermarkt).

One reason for them firing a blank was the fact that centre-forward Wesley failed to have much of an impact on the game at the Etihad.

The Brazilian really struggled and failed to have a shot on target in the game, whilst also having one unsuccessful touch and one offside before being substituted after 70 minutes. He finished the game with a low WhoScored rating of just 5.83, mustering just one shot off target.

After game, several Villa fans were unhappy with Wesley’s performance. Many of them called his work rate into question, whilst some were also not happy with his attitude in the game…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Aston Villa have made a mixed start to life back in the Premier League after ending their three-year absence, winning three of their first 12 fixtures, but Dean Smith would be wise to alter his attacking midfield selections if he is to get the best out of club-record signing Wesley.

The Brazilian forward arrived from Club Brugges in a £22m deal during the summer transfer window, and despite scoring four league goals, the striker has struggled at times – appearing isolated at the spearhead of Villa’s attacking frontline.

Utilising the 22-year-old and his proven goalscoring prowess – having scored 32 league goals in the Belgian Pro League – will be crucial if Smith is to ensure his side can stave off relegation, and a player who could unlock Wesley’s potential is another of the club’s summer signings – Jota.

Having made the switch from rivals Birmingham City to Villa Park, the Spaniard has struggled with a hernia injury alongside falling in the preference list of his manager.

The 28-year-old has started just three leagues games for the newly-promoted side, but created a crucial assist for Wesley in the club’s 2-0 victory over Everton; a delicate through ball timed to perfection for the striker to bury in front of a rapturous home crowd. That type of service would be ideal for Wesley.

Not only is the summer signing creating space, but he is aiming to take on opposition defenders and break through at an impressive rate.

Despite his lack of starts, Jota’s take-on success rate at 83.3% – the 11th highest rate in the league of any player to have attempted more than five.

The £4.5m-rated playmaker’s ability to find space between the lines is the type of service that Villa’s Brazilian forward thrives off.

Having gone four league games without a goal since scoring a brace against Norwich City at Carrow Road, the re-introduction of the former Birmingham man could be a shrewd move from Smith if he is to galvanise Wesley and ensure he can reach double digits in his debut Premier League campaign.

Bury have one thing over Manchester United and it’s not an eviction notice.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have somewhat struggled since “that†night in Paris, the very game that appeared to land the Norwegian the permanent job.Five wins, seven draws and 10 losses in 22 matches. We repeat, five wins, seven draws and 10 losses in 22 matches. This isn’t the form guide of some midtable minnow struggling to stay afloat amongst the Premier League behemoths that flood the competition with cash, influence and power. This is 20-time Champions United, the side that knocks (or at least used to). Grim times indeed.Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

You may or may not have noticed (though, we’re sure you have) that it’s been a long time since United won an away game, and that’s because it has; seven months long, to be precise.

To put things into perspective, in case you didn’t already realise how tragic this is, expelled League One side Bury, who don’t even exist anymore, have won on their travels more recently than the Red Devils.

Andy Robertson finally scored for Liverpool on Wednesday evening.His strike against Red Bull Salzburg was only his second goal since joining the Anfield outfit.Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

That is a rather disappointing return for a left-back who gets forward so much, and Liverpool are a club who know all about goalscoring left-backs.

John Arne Riise was a classic example of a full-back who could find the back of the net, as he scored 31 goals for Liverpool during his time with the Reds.

The Norwegian took to Twitter after seeing Robertson score for the first time since the 2017/18 season, and he had one piece of criticism for the Scotland captain.

Riise was glad to see Robertson scoring, but he seemingly wasn’t too pleased about the manner of the goal.

The 39-year-old was renowned for his powerful long-range strikes while playing for Liverpool, and he seemed a bit disappointed by the fact Robertson hadn’t scored in the same fashion.

Hopefully, the Scot can start scoring on a more regular basis from here on out, and for Riise’s sake we hope he bangs in a screamer sooner rather than later.

Marcus Rashford’s inclusion in the England squad is irritating some fans, many of whom believe he should be nowhere near the team after his performance against the Czech Republic.

The Manchester United striker was subbed on by Gareth Southgate with 20 minutes remaining but struggled to impact the game, with only nine touches and four passes made.

For several supporters, his lacklustre display was a reminder of the lack of form he has shown for his club thus far, with three goals in 10 games this season despite leading the line since Anthony Martial’s injury in late August.

Watch England Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With Bulgaria up next for the Three Lions on Monday, many are keen for him to remain on the bench this time around, with some suggesting that Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham is more deserving of game time due to his eight goals in eight Premier League games.

It remains to be seen if Gareth Southgate will continue to show faith in Rashford, but supporters are hopeful that he will be dropped for the next qualifier.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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While speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, John Hartson explained that Teemu Pukki’s failure to make the grade at Celtic was simply another example of a common occurrence throughout the sport. 

Everybody loves an underdog and Norwich City are flying the flag for the humble outsider in the Premier League this season. Tied within the wider story of the newly-promoted side is another underdog story in the shape of Pukki, the prolific centre-forward who is taking the top flight by storm. 

But, unlike plenty of the outstanding individuals within Norwich’s ranks, including Todd Cantwell and Jamal Lewis, Pukki is not a youngster aiming to make a name for himself; he is an experienced late bloomer who struggled to make his mark at Schalke, Sevilla and Celtic.

The Finland international’s experience at Paradise was modest at best, with a return of 9 goals in 38 matches in all-competitions underlining the mediocrity of his goal scoring prowess in Scotland. 

With that in mind, FFC asked Hartson whether he was surprised by the regularity at which he has found the net since signing for Norwich in 2018, and his response effectively encapsulated the idea that footballing success is determined by a combination of intricate factors. 

“He’s one of them who just went under the radar and was let go. But I think that happens sometimes, you know there’s there’s loads of players that have gone to certain clubs and not done it and been let go. 

“You look at Mo Salah, one of the best players in the world and Chelsea let him go. You look at De Bruyne one of the best players in the world and Chelsea let him go. Sometimes these things happen.

“You find the club where you’re happy in your environment and you play great football and you manage to excel.

“I’m delighted for him because I do like to see players surprise a few people in the top flight. A lot of people are surprised and I’m pleased for him. He’s absolutely flying right now.”

The examples of Salah and De Bruyne are pertinent here as they serve to prove how particular circumstances aren’t conducive to success – even for some of the best players in the game. 

Pukki is clearly not on the same level as the aforementioned pairing, but there are certainly comparisons to be drawn between the three players and how their respective careers have unfolded. 

Tactical systems, teammates and managers are all factors – amongst many others – that contribute towards a striker’s goal scoring form, and it seems that Pukki has now found an environment in which the various pieces of the jigsaw have fallen into place – something that clearly eluded him during his time at Celtic.

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A number of Leeds United fans have lavished praise on Stuart McKinstry after the teenager’s impressive first start for the club’s Under-23 outfit.

McKinstry, who is just 16 years of age, won two penalties during his team’s 6-0 win against Watford’s Under-23 team on Monday night.

The midfielder took to social media after the match to reveal that he was “buzzing” to have been handed the chance to start his first game at that level.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And it will not come as a surprise to learn that a number of the Leeds fans were out in force to lavish praise on the Scotland Under-17 international, who was signed from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell during the summer.

In a team that included plenty of first-team experience in the shape of Luke Ayling, Tyler Roberts, Eddie Nketiah, Barry Douglas, Gaetano Berardi and Jack Clarke, McKinstry certainly made a big impression on the fans.

Find out a how a world-record-holding freestyler got on with the worst football in the world in the video below…

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: