Bristol City have had a fantastic season so far, after the disappointments of the last few years. Relegation to League One was followed by a poor season last term but manager Steve Coterill has changed things right around since taking over in December 2013. They were really struggling at the bottom end of League One when he took over and he managed to guide them to mid-table safety before making a real promotion push this season round.

City have only lost two of their 20 league games so far this season, not losing until the 17th outing after a 1-0 defeat to Swindon which ended a 22-match unbeaten run in League One, dating back to last season.

The Robins have found the right balance between defence and attack. They are equally solid in both departments, boasting the joint second best defence and the third best attack. This is a real key for any team particularly at this level where we have seen teams both score and let in plenty, but Bristol City have the best of both worlds in this instance.

In terms of attack, clever summer signings are to thank for the amount of goals they have scored. 35-year-old Aaron Wilbraham was brought in on a free transfer from Crystal Palace and is the club’s top scorer so far with 10 league goals. Wilbraham has plenty of experience at this level with MK Dons and has adapted to life extremely well following tough spells at Norwich and Crystal Palace.

Kieran Agard was signed from Rotherham for a fee around the £750,000 mark, after a high scoring season with Rotherham. He scored 21 goals as The Millers secured back-to-back promotions but Agard decided to stay put in League One which could prove to be a great decision if Bristol City win promotion and Rotherham fall back down to the third tier.

Agard has netted seven league goals in 16 appearances but has looked quick, sharp and threatening throughout his spell so far; he can play either on the wing or up-front, giving plenty of options to the manager and proving a great asset to the club. Wilbraham and Agard are forming a terrific partnership, one that will continue to be key to Bristol City’s dominant promotion campaign.

In goal, the Robins possess perhaps the best goalkeeper in the division. Frank Fielding was signed from Derby in 2013 and is one of the main reasons why Bristol City have the joint best defence in League One, conceding just 19 from his 20 appearances.

Considering the nature of the division where there are plenty of goals scored, this is a very good return for the back-line. Fielding had been a regular for Derby before his move to City, so has experience of a higher division should the club continue the expected path to promotion.

The young defence of Mark Little, Aden Flint, Derrick Williams and Luke Ayling have been extremely impressive in front of Fielding. Considering the age and relative inexperience of playing together as a back four, it has been a terrific season for the defence and City will hope they can continue to grow as the club move on to bigger and better challenges.

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With a young, hungry and extremely talented squad put together by Steve Cottrell Bristol City are playing an exciting brand of football which has led to their turn around in fortunes from last season.

With an equally impressive defence as their attack, City are looking like odds on favourites to continue their excellent run and win promotion back to the Championship.

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Crystal Palace 3-1 Liverpool

Liverpool suffered their second successive poor result at Selhurst Park after sliding to a 3-1 loss at the hands of Crystal Palace. The Eagles effectively ended the Reds’ title challenge in south London last season by coming back from 3-0 down to draw, and once again bounced back this afternoon to heap the pressure on Brendan Rodgers. Rickie Lambert netted his first goal for the club after just two minutes, but the elation of the Merseyside-born ace’s strike was punctured 15 minutes later. Dwight Gayle was once again the goalscorer – he netted three against Liverpool last season – as he punched after Yannick Bolasie’s effort hit the post. Palace had to wait until the 78th minute to take the lead through Joe Ledley – teed up by Bolasie once more – before Mile Jedinak scored an excellent free-kick to round off the win.

Hull 1-1 Spurs

Spurs came back from behind away at Hull to secure a dramatic win and move into the top half of the Premier League table. The Tigers took the lead in the opening ten minutes through Jake Livermore. The former Lilywhites star offered a muted celebration after the goal, due to his close ties with the north London club.

Gaston Ramirez’s petulant kick out in the second half altered the game, as the Uruguayan saw red. The former Southampton man reacted angrily to a challenge from Jan Vertonghen and was promptly sent down the tunnel. Harry Kane than ensured Mauricio Pochettino’s men profited from the situation, as he turned the ball home after Christian Eriksen’s free-kick came back off the post.

The Dane then popped up to win the game with a neat effort from outside the Hull box to make it 2-1 with just minutes left to play.

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There are some things that just aren’t acceptable in the eyes of a football fan.

One of those is leaving a club for their arch rivals. It should never happen. It’s simply wrong. Like cheating on your partner with the one person in the world they truly hate, it is the ultimate betrayal.

And if recent reports are true, Hammers defender Winston Reid is now a target for London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The New Zealand international’s Upton Park contract expires in the summer and after refusing to sign a new deal with the east London outfit, he has been linked with a number of clubs in the Premier League.

One of those is Arsenal, who are reportedly desperate to strengthen their defensive options this month. Hammers fans aren’t too pleased about losing one of their best players, but leaving for Arsenal would’ve have been fairly acceptable.

Spurs are a completely different prospect all together, though, and the claret and blue faithful aren’t too pleased with the prospect of Reid following in the footsteps of the likes of Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe and Scott Parker to White Hart Lane.

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Just have a read of some of the comments from West Ham fans on Twitter to realise just how much it would affect them…

Celtic celebrated their first trophy win under manager Ronny Deila last weekend when they beat 10-man Dundee United in the Scottish League Cup. Whilst Ronny Deila wanted to celebrate his with his team, he cut the celebrations short by telling the players they had a midnight curfew!

The two sides were set to meet each other for the third time in 10 days and Delia wanted to make sure his team were fighting fit – and more importantly, not hungover for training on Monday afternoon!

Speaking after the match, Delia told reporters:

“We should enjoy the moment. There will be a couple of beers but it will be early to bed before midnight and ready for training tomorrow.”

Delia has always been keen on making sure his team are fully-fit telling them he wants them to be ’24 hour athletes’ but his comments were made after captain, Scott Brown was seen getting drunk in a strip club four nights before the final.

The Celtic manager however was not bothered about the skipper’s antics as he was home by 10.30pm – and it was a day off! For him fitness is one of the key things for success but setting a positive image for young fans is also very important.

The curfew set by the manager was there to make sure they don’t get carried away in the middle of the season but also set a positive example to youngsters. Delia is keen to show people that while you can celebrate it is possible to celebrate without messing things up for the rest of the week.

And it looks like his tactics worked.

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Celtic’s dreams of a domestic treble remain intact after beating Dundee in the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay. The 4-0 win came in an eventful game with Ryan McGowan being sent off for Dundee and Anthony Stokes for Celtic.

The game was, in the end, a comfortable one and it showed that Celtic were back to business after their evening of celebrations. Ronny Delia is so far showing to be the perfect manager for Celtic.

He knows when to let the players relax but he also knows when to tell them to focus and the most important thing about that is they listen and respect him. Celtic are hoping to win the Scottish Treble and it is good to see such a team united the way they are in all parts of the club.

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Carry on like this and they could be dominating all the Scottish trophies for many years to come. They have the right attitude on and off the pitch and it is good to see a team which is setting a good example to youngsters.

Instead of showing young players and fans that football is all about the money, the fame and the glory; they are showing it is about commitment, passion and pride. In order to achieve trophies and be the best, you have to work hard like you would any other job.

Hopefully more teams will look at Celtic’s ways and take note.

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Their apparent challengers might not be ready to admit it just yet, but as widely suspected from the opening weeks of the season, Chelsea are this year’s Premier League champions.

The Blues boast a seven-point lead over second-place Arsenal, with one game in hand, and are now just four wins away from securing the prestigious guard of honour.

So the real question in the final weeks of the season isn’t who’ll take this year’s crown, who’ll make the top four or in what order – it’s who’s ready to challenge Chelsea next year, following a campaign in which they’ve held top spot for its entirety.

With Manchester City set for a few years of soul searching, logic suggests Arsenal and Manchester United will be the predominant competitors – two sides who’ve shown drastic improvements as the season’s dragged on.

Arsenal’s turning point was that 2- 0 victory at the Etihad in January, not only providing their first win against reigning Premier League champions since Chelsea all the way back in 2010, but also representing a seismic shift in Gunners philosophy; the introduction of defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin and a more disciplined approach all round showing the pragmatic shrewdness they’ve shunned in favour of champagne football over the last few years.

Since that result, Arsene Wenger’s side have lost just once in the Premier League – in the north London derby – and improved their league standing from fifth to second. The Coquelin-induced formula has brought more stability to the Gunners, leading to five clean sheets in their last ten outings. Title-winning form, unquestionably.

The prevailing concern, however, is that we’re witnessing yet another false dawn. Arsenal have a habit of ending campaigns in hollywood fashion just in time for season ticket renewals, whipping their fans into a frenzy of title-winning fantasy before bringing them back down to earth with a lackadaisical start to the following season.

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Their biggest challenge will be to start at the same pace as the rest of the pack next year; this term, for example, the Gunners won just four of their first twelve, dropping down to eighth place. The season previous began with that infamous 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa – which almost caused a small riot at the Emirates – and during the 2012/13 campaign they spent just two weeks in the top four until mid-April.

Similarly, Arsene Wenger’s atrocious record against Jose Mourinho, still waiting on his first win from twelve Premier League encounters with the Portuguese, is another obstacle the north Londoners must overcome to get to the English crown. More than simply the six points on offer, the psychological subtext does the Arsenal boss no favours.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s 2014/15 campaign draws parallels with Chelsea’s transition process last season. It’s not always been pretty, glamorous or exciting, but hard graft and efficiency has dragged them through. Likewise, their record against the top teams is fantastic, picking up 13 points from a possible 16 against last term’s top four, including four consecutive victories – Arsenal in November, a double over Liverpool and a 4-2 win against the noisy neighbours last weekend.

Admittedly, a Chelsea scalp heralding a title charge in 2015/16 is missing from that list. But in recent weeks, Louis van Gaal’s master plan has finally begun to materialise amid a run of six consecutive wins, three of which have come against some of their closest divisional rivals – Spurs, Liverpool and City. If this is the end result of an often painful transition process, United look ready to challenge next season.

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That being said, the summer window will have a considerably bigger impact on United than Arsenal or Chelsea. Whilst the former will strengthen sparingly and the latter already have a trusted starting Xi, the Red Devils are expected to spend another £150million and sign some major names – potentially Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels. Although, in theory, the new signings should make United stronger, that all depends on how quickly they settle in.

But the coming weeks will give us some vital insight; Chelsea face Manchester United on Saturday and Arsenal the weekend after. Although the Blues can afford to lose both and still boast one game and at least one point over second place, the fixtures are an important barometer of where all three clubs are at right now, and whether Wenger or van Gaal are capable of outfoxing Mourinho – a manager neither have yet beaten in the Premier League.

We may not be left with a definitive answer to who’ll win next year’s crown, but results over the next fortnight will affirm whether either can compete with Chelsea next season.

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This summer is set to be a big one for West Ham. Although the season started well in east London – there were even dreams of Champions League qualification over the winter period – a post-Christmas slide leaves the Irons very much in the midtable zone of the Premier League, which, although far from disappointing, is a state of affairs plagued by ‘what ifs?’

Sam Allardyce looks almost certain to go and a new manager with more razzmatazz is on the menu going into the club’s last season at Upton Park ahead of the Olympic Stadium move.

New signings will, however, be needed, and although some foreign imports are in favour among the fans, a look at a few bargains from the relegation zone could be wise.

With that in mind, here are FIVE stars set for the drop that West Ham could gamble on….

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Charlie Austin

By far the standout player in the relegation zone, Austin has been mightily impressive this season. In a poor ‘Super’ Hoops team, the 25-year-old has smashed 17 Premier League goals, which is a tally only bettered by Diego Costa, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero. While the aforementioned trio ply their trade in the upper half, Austin has been making do alongside the likes of Bobby Zamora!

Reports have already suggested that the former Swindon Town man will be on the move in order to stay in the top tier, with a figure of around £10m needed. With only 43 goals, the Hammers have the second worst return in the top half of the table, so Austin could remedy a big issue.

Leroy Fer

Although he’s quickly becoming the ‘new Nigel Quashie’ following back-to-back relegations with two different sides, Fer is certainly not a poor player. In between dropping with Norwich and joining QPR’s cause, the midfielder played for the Netherlands at the World Cup, and even got on the scoresheet in Brazil.

If he can be kept interested and motivated, which have appeared to be issues, the 25-year-old is a very promising player, with his mix of athleticism and technical ability making him a fearsome prospect in the middle of the park. He could potentially replace loanee Alex Song.

Kieran Trippier

Although his 14 assists as Burnley romped to Championship promotion have not been replicated in the top tier, Trippier has still impressed, albeit in a more quiet way. The 24-year-old right-back has been restricted by the Clarets’ slightly more pragmatic approach this season, but he’s still averaged 1.9 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game, which are very much on a par with his Championship exploits.

With Carl Jenkinson likely to return to Arsenal after a fairly impressive loan spell in east London, Trippier could be an ideal replacement, and is unlikely to command a major fee.

Robert Snodgrass

Hull are by far the most likely candidates to join QPR and Burnley in moving down to the Championship. Two points from safety with Spurs and Manchester United to play, it’s hard to see where any points, let alone the win they need. Are coming from.

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Although he’s missed the entirety of the season with a dislocated kneecap, Scotland international Snodgrass is a player who may be worth a gamble, with the wide midfielder having been impressive in the Premier League. Prior to joining the Tigers, the 27-year-old was Norwich’s standout performer as they slipped to relegation, with his dead-ball prowess and crossing ability major traits.

Andrew Robertson

Another Hull player worth consideration is Robertson. With Aaron Cresswell attracting attention, a new left-back may be needed at Upton Park, and the young Scot is certainly a worth successor. Not dissimilar to the Hammers’ current option, the ex-Dundee United defender is likely to move on should the KC Stadium be hosting Championship football.

Pacey and able to swing in a cross, the 21-year-old is, albeit a little underwhelming, a potential good buy from the relegation zone.

It was a job well done for Louis van Gaal as his first season at Manchester United ended with a fourth place finish and with it qualification for next seasons Champions League.

But while it marked a significant improvement in terms of results from the previous year, the Dutchman knows there is still plenty of work to be done as he continues to build a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League in the not too distant future.

The Red Devils have already announced the signing of PSV star Memphis Depay who is sure to be a strong acquisition, and with links to a host of other players it promises to be a busy summer at Old Trafford.

But with new arrivals; there are sure to be a few departures also and for some it appears their time with the Premier League’s most successful club could be coming to an end.

With uncertainty surrounding their futures; here are five Manchester United stars that could be facing a summer exit…

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Adnan Januzaj

Much was expected of Adnan Januzaj when he burst onto the scene during David Moyes’ reign at Old Trafford, but his career at United has failed to get going.

The Belgian winger scored twice on his full debut at Sunderland back in 2013, but since then has failed to hold down a regular position in the starting line-up; finding himself limited mainly to substitute appearances.

The arrival of Memphis Depay won’t have done much to help his cause, and a possible loan deal could be the best option for the 20-year-old in order to continue his development with both Everton and Real Sociedad possible destinations next season.

Spurs have also been linked with a move for the midfielder, but given his potential the Red Devils would be keen to hang onto him for a little while longer.

Nani

Another winger that looks to be heading for the Old Trafford exit is Portuguese star Nani.

The 28-year-old has shown plenty of flashes of brilliance during his time at United, but his inconsistency has proved the downfall; and it appears the club are ready to move him on.

Nani spent last season on loan at Sporting Lisbon where he put in some impressive displays, although this hasn’t done enough to convince Louis van Gaal that he still has a future with the Red Devils.

Roma and Inter Milan are believed to be interested in a deal of around £10m, but his £100,000 a week wages could still prove a stumbling block.

Javier Hernandez

Mexican striker Javier Hernandez was another of United’s players to spend last season on loan; this time with Real Madrid.

Despite scoring seven goals for the Spanish giants, Hernandez was unsurprisingly used sparingly with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench.

Madrid decided against making his move a permanent one, and it’s thought United are willing to let him leave this summer as he doesn’t feature in the manager’s long term plans.

Reports suggest Inter Milan have lodged a bid of £8m for striker, but the Reds are keen to hold out for £10m and with a number of Premier League clubs after his signature; he could be set to stay in England.

David de Gea

One man who looks certain to be leaving Manchester United is their star man David de Gea with his move to Real Madrid surely due to be completed sooner rather than later.

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De Gea enjoyed another terrific season in goal for the Red Devils, with his performances ensuring he has become Madrid’s number one transfer target this summer as a replacement for long serving shot stopper Iker Casillas.

The 24-year-old is thought to have already agreed personal terms with the Spanish giants, with just the transfer fee left to sort out before he completes a move back to his homeland.

De Gea has just one left on his contract meaning United may struggle to bring in the £35m valuation they have slapped on the Spaniard, with Madrid looking to pay closer to £25m for his services.

Robin van Persie

It seemed inconceivable not so long ago that United would consider selling Robin van Persie, but following a disappointing campaign with the Red Devils; his time at the club could be nearing an end.

The Dutchman struggled for both fitness and form last term netting just 10 goals, and with the team seemingly performing better in his absence; his future has been placed in major doubt.

Van Gaal is keen to bolster his attacking options during the transfer window, and with Lazio and Juventus keen on a £10m deal for the the 31-year-old; Van Persie has been left to consider his future with no promises about regular first-team football should he stay at Old Trafford.

2014/15 certainly has to go down as a rather disappointing campaign for Newcastle United, not just in front of goal, but across every area of the pitch and among the coaching staff as well.

Despite a brief run of results mid-way through the season, last term ultimately proved frustrating for the St. James’ faithful, who nonetheless managed to fill out their over 50,000 seater stadium on an almost week-to-week basis. Mike Ashley and the rest of his cronies behind the scenes on Tyneside must therefore make amends this summer and at least try and turn the club’s fortunes around for the new campaign.

However, with young Serbian hot-shot – Aleksandar Mitrovic – looking increasingly likely to sign on at St. James’ for a reported fee of £13 million, perhaps the Magpies may eventually be able to see light at the end of the tunnel next season after all. Gini Wijnaldum has already put pen to paper on a deal with Newcastle this summer, and with Steve McClaren looking to make the most out of his Dutch contacts whilst in the North East, more signings could well be on the way to St. James’ sooner rather than later.

So then, although the attention gathering 20-year-old hasn’t quite yet sealed his move to Tyneside on an official basis this summer, just what can the Newcastle United faithful ultimately expect from their imminent new signing?

First things first, Aleksandar Mitrovic seemingly arrives as a goal-scorer above all else. In reminiscent style to fellow Belgian Pro League favourite Romelu Lukaku, before he made his debut in the Premier League, the bustling Serbian youngster topped the charts with an impressive 20 goals for Anderlecht last season, and certainly made himself a few new fans whilst he was at it.

The rapidly emerging striker – who has already represented his side at Champions League level, as well as on the international scene – is somewhat Carlos Tevez-esque in his approach. Mitrovic isn’t quite the most balanced striker we’ve ever seen by any means, yet what he seemingly lacks in stature is more than made up for through his powerfully aggressive nature in front of goal.

When it comes to proving a dangerous aerial threat in an around the box, constantly testing the opposition’s defence inside the final third, and making bustling runs straight through the middle of the pitch to great affect – this latest Magpies target has very rarely disappointed. 2014/15 was simply a great year for the young striker, who has subsequently witnessed his reputation grow dramatically this summer.

He may have previously looked slightly over-weight in the past, and one good year in the Belgian league isn’t exactly the most valid cause for excitement in all honesty – but in possessing such a promising level of potential for the not too distant future – Newcastle United fans certainly have reason to be quietly optimistic regarding this latest Tyneside transfer saga.

However, there is just no escaping the fact that £13million is quite sizeable amount of money to spend on a largely unproven 20-year-old, who has only just made a name for himself on the wider European footballing scene. Newcastle don’t often splash the cash with every passing transfer window, so in witnessing the Magpies being so frivolous with their resources in this instance, a few curious question marks have inevitably been raised.

This particular transfer seemingly has the ability to fall flat on its face next season, potentially condemning Aleksandar Mitrovic to the unfulfilled talent category on Tyneside, previously filled by the underwhelming likes of Albert Luque and Xisco in the past.

With his signing perhaps offering last season’s somewhat lost figure of, Papiss Cisse, a recognised strike partner to do the business with up top throughout 2015/16 however, its ultimately hard to view this purchase as anything other than positive in the cold light of day. Aleksandar Mitrovic could just as easily revitalize Newcastle’s shape next season, and finally help get the goals flowing once again before the Tyneside faithful truly give up on their increasingly struggling club.

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As the youngster’s potential arrival would nonetheless signal another attacking marque move from Steve McClaren this summer though, the chances of Newcastle signing QPR’s Charlie Austin are certainly weakened – especially with Aston Villa recently joining the hunt for the striker’s signature in the run up to the 2015/16 campaign.

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According to Le10Sport, Newcastle United are interested in signing Troyes attacker Samuel Grandsir in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez is still unsure what type of budget he will have in next month’s winter window, but it is understood that the Spaniard is hoping to be able to sign a couple of players at the start of 2018.

The Magpies need some fresh blood after going stale in recent weeks, and it would be fair to say that the club could do with a fresh impetus in the final third of the field.

According to Le10Sport, Newcastle are interested in signing Troyes attacker Grandsir, who helped his French club gain promotion to Ligue 1 during the 2016-17 campaign.

This season, the 21-year-old, who is valued at £1.4m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has scored twice and registered four assists in 17 Ligue 1 appearances.

How likely is the move to occur?

Well, according to Le10Sport, Troyes are adamant that they will not sell Grandsir at the mid-point of the season.

However, the same report claims that the French outfit are simply playing hard ball as they know that there is a host of interest in the attacker.

Bournemouth have also been credited with an interest, although it is understood that Newcastle are prepared to make a significant offer in order to secure a deal next month.

Newcastle’s transfer plans have been thrown into doubt due to the fact that it is still unclear whether Mike Ashley will be in charge when the January window opens for business.

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Benitez has a number of targets in mind, but the Spaniard might yet be frustrated due to the uncertainty surrounding ownership.

Grandsir has certainly shown his potential in Ligue 1 this season, and it will be very interesting to see whether talk of interest from Newcastle sparks a bidding war next month.

Over the last few weeks, there have been two good news stories to warm the hearts of anyone who cares about football as a sport and not an all-out war between partisan sides who harbour genuine hatred for each other.

Two footballers of elite level quality who have had heartbreaking injuries have come back to play vital roles in their respective teams over the last few weeks. And although it is, perhaps, natural for most people to roll their eyes to a certain degree at too much sympathy for very well paid young men complaining about not having to go to work for a few months, the curtailing of a life’s ambition should never be something to revel in. And, indeed, anyone who feels a tinge of sadness at those whose career ambitions have taken a hit should feel a particular satisfaction that they’re coming back in a World Cup year.

The two in question are Jack Wilshere and Ilkay Gundogan, both of whom have suffered severe bad luck, and are now coming into what would usually be described as their peak years. And football shouldn’t be deprived of their special talents.

What’s interesting about both players upon their return, however, is two interviews that both men have given in recent weeks.

At the start of January, Wilshere revealed his gluten free and vegan diet, extolling the health benefits of the switch, but more importantly the psychological effect it’s had on him, too.

There are always plenty of people who hear buzz words like gluten free and vegan and instantly roll their eyes, or are instantly suspicious. If that’s you, that’s fair enough: there are plenty of crazy fad diets and those who partake in them are often the bores and the pushers. But in this case, it’s the wrong reaction. For Wilshere, even if the perceived health benefits are just that – perceived, and not real – that’s beside the point. The point is his relationship with his body and the fact he’s conscious of what he’s consuming – if it makes him cope with injuries simply because he’s more in tune with his body, then it’s more than worth it.

Ilkay Gundogan, too, has been telling a similar story – not of new diets and changed life choices, but of how he, too, is a “different kind of player” off the pitch. The German told the Manchester Evening News that he’ll never be the same player he was before, but rather than claim that he’ll never reach his previous level, what the City midfielder was trying to say was that he, like Wilshere, is thinking more about the impact on his body of doing certain things.

“I remember when I was at Dortmund I would go outside and kick the ball into the goal straight away, taking free-kicks or something,” he told Stuart Brennan of the news outlet. “I would never do that now. When I see the young players doing that, I think ‘Oh my God, no!’ I won’t do it and maybe I couldn’t even do that. I need to get myself warm first and get ready to perform. It doesn’t matter whether it’s training or a game.”

That’s part of how injuries change footballers. But more importantly, how the player has to change himself. It’s one thing getting back to fitness again, but it’s a completely different thing to understand and realise that you have to be more aware of what’s happening with your body.

But that should extend into the next step, too. Surely that can’t just mean being more aware of your joints and muscles and what you’re asking them to do when you’re off the pitch or away from training – surely that has to be the same for what you ask it to do in games, too.

“The few times I’ve had dairy in the hotel I’ve had an upset stomach. But I just cut it out completely and I think I look better. I’ve certainly lost a little bit of weight. I’m leaner and probably a little bit fitter as well. I feel I can last longer” – Jack Wilshere

Wilshere and Gundogan have something in common with the way they play football. Both are central midfielders who play box to box, but both are more valuable to their clubs for their abilities to get the team forward and turn defence into attack.

But perhaps that’s what has to change. The movements required to play one-twos with teammates and jink your way through the opposition’s tackles are tough for the injury-prone, especially if it’s a weak knee or ankle we’re talking about. There’s also the all-action nature of a player like Wilshere, who endears himself to fans when he’s on top of his game because of his fearlessness in a tackle or his willingness to take a player on.

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It’s not abnormal for players to change roles in teams as they get older, but the plight of players like Gundogan and Wilshere show the side of the game that doesn’t just have to do with tactics and fitness – there’s also a wider thing to think about, and that’s how to preserve yourself for the next game, too. We see that already with players who are a booking away from missing a crucial game, for example.

You can’t go out onto a pitch fearing injury. But what you can do is change your relationship with your body and the game you’re asking it to play in order to make sure that your game matches your adjusted physical ability. If that means learning a new role in the team, then so be it. For both of these players to come out and say as much in the space of two weeks is enlightening and interesting, and it should shed some light on what it takes for a player to come back from a long-term injury and actually thrive again once they’re back.

In a World Cup year, let’s hope that approach works for two players who could light up the competition in Russia this summer.