He’s been good, really good, but the best? Nani has probably been Manchester United’s finest player this season, fulfilling potential that we could all see, but never really got hold of. Well something has got hold of the Portuguese winger because he is producing the best form of his career. One of the reasons we love the Premier League however, is that it is awash with talent, and Nani, is not the only wide man shredding full-backs to pieces.

As far as I am concerned, there have been three other contenders so far this season: Florent Malouda, Adam Johnson and Gareth Bale. There are plenty of other candidates but for a variety of reasons they are struggling. Aaron Lennon is a ghost, walking through the shadow of last season’s player, Theo Walcott started magnificently but has been curtailed, and as good as Matthew Etherington has been, he is just that fraction off the standards of the first three.

Adam Johnson has been class when playing for Man City (and England) this season, the problem is that he hasn’t been playing as much as he (or I for that matter) would like. In a squad as competitive as City’s that was always going to be an issue, but I still believe what he has produced warrants a greater number of starts.

Gareth Bale is one of the most exciting players in the league at the moment. He has lost the self-consciousness of playing at full-back and having to adhere to defensive duties with reluctance. Pushed forward he has been like slaloming greyhound, released from his traps. His volley against Stoke is – no arguments please – the goal of the season so far, and anyone that believes otherwise can send in a photograph of them trying to volley a ball, while standing, when it’s five foot off the ground.

And then there is Florent Malouda. While wingers are supposed to be supplying the ammunition, West London’s highest cheekbones have been firing them in of his own accord with ruthless ease. Six goals already this term (joint top scorer with Berbatov and Drogba) has made up for the injury to Frank Lampard.

To say that Nani is becoming the best winger in the league implies that he must have attributes of that and beyond his competitors. And what do we want our wingers to possess? The ability to beat men, at pace, with the ball never more than half a yard from their next touch; there must be a final product, whether sweeping in a cross, of finishing themselves. Can we say that Nani has these qualities more than the likes of Bale and Malouda? They all can boast these skills, and the question will be over what period of time? Right now, I personally, would put Malouda at the top of the pile, but then Nani and Bale have time on their side (23 and 21 respectively compared to 30-year-old Malouda).

Nani has had a couple of years struggling to live up to pressure of playing for Manchester United, and adapting to the Premier League. But the story is a familiar one for Malouda and Bale, who took time to bloom. Johnson is still raw, but all are capable of becoming the ‘league’s best winger’; it will be a matter of having to wait to see what paths their careers take. And after all, maybe we shouldn’t even be entertaining such a conversation, I mean, it feels sacrilegious talking about it while Ryan Giggs still graces the Premier League’s pitches.

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Having continued his fine form from last season, with two performances of the highest calibre against the defending European Champions, it is no surprise that quotes of huge sums of money coming from Europe’s finest clubs for Bale’s services are being thrown about by the media.

Considering the damage to the opposition he is capable of doing and how quickly he has developed into the main attacking outlet of the team. He is always on hand providing an outlet on the left flank either to just alleviate pressure when Spurs are on the back foot or to start attacks at such blistering pace right up until the 90th minute. It is essential for Tottenham’s progress as a club to keep on to this prized asset. In an attempt to deter this interest Levy has decided to act first by preparing a new contract that will put Bale among the highest paid at the club. Believed to be upwards of £50,000 a week, still not a great deal compared to the riches some could offer. So it is important that financial reward is not the only ploy used to keep the player. Fortunately for Spurs the player seems content to be playing, learning and further developing his game at Tottenham for the time being. A player of this calibre will want to be playing at the highest level and for Spurs to keep him in the long term it is this that they will need to address more than the financial aspect. Primarily by striving to make Champions League football a regular occurrence not merely a one season foray.

There are further complications also for trying to tie down the player to the club merely by throwing money at him. Having only improved his contract in the summer the club should not want to set a precedent for the player whereby he is able to almost demand an improved contract after some good performances and rumours have circulated in the transfer mill. Although Gareth Bale hardly seems the character to wish to employ such tactics. I am not convinced everyone else in the dressing room shares his honest approach. And with agent influence players could start demanding improved contracts mere months into their existing ones on the back of a few good performances. Perhaps this already happens, but to so publicly offer improved terms so soon into an existing agreement I feel could be further damaging to the integrity of a contract. And transfer too much power to the player and agent.

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Yet what is possibly more important for Tottenham than keeping the services of Bale at the club or preserving some level of sanity in their long term contracts is the message of intent that this would send out to prospective buyers. To be able to hold on to such a talent in light of what is some serious financial incentives would demonstrate turning a corner from a club that has become a bit too used to selling its best players. The previous departures of Carrick and Berbatov north the brighter lights of Manchester United set the club back tremendously. Not only were these players the focal points of the team, but the manner in which they left demonstrated the vast gap that still lay between them and a club like Manchester United. Whether or not Spurs are able to hold on to Bale will be a test of Levy’s will and an indication of how far they have come.

Fancy playing your mates every week in a Premium Fantasy Football game?

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It appears that draws were the name of the game in the Premier League this week, with Chelsea benefiting greatly from what was a dismal Manchester derby. Edwin van der Sar felt that City simply parked the bus last night, while Mancini believed it was simply fatigue playing its part. Elsewhere it was pretty predictable, with the only real shock occurring at St James Park where Sam Allardyce had a triumphant return to the North East.

In the papers today it has been relatively quiet with the only news really surrounding Cesc Fabregas’ lunge and Joey Barton’s off the ball punch on Pedersen. There has been plenty of transfer gossip flying around, as the count down towards the January window has begun.

Edwin blasts ‘defensive’ City – Sky Sports

Villa play catch-up as Houllier plans global vision – Daily Telegraph

Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool chase PSV Eindhoven midfielder Balazs Dzsudzsak – IM Scouting

Barton in Ped punch shame – Sun

BBC boycotter Ferguson lays into Match of the Day over United jibes – Daily Mail

Szczesny set to sign new deal – Mirror

Juventus join Inter Milan in race for Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger – IM Scouting

Fabregas so sorry for lunge – Sun

Aston Villa target Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis to replace John Carew – IM Scouting

Arsenal’s Gael Clichy was once the Premier League’s best left-back. What happened? – Daily Telegraph

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Holloway issues quit threat – Sky Sports

Modric calls for greater protection – Daily Telegraph

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Glen Johnson has made his peace with Roy Hodgson following the Liverpool manager's recent outburst when he criticised the England international's club form so far this season.

Johnson returned to the Reds first team on Saturday, scoring his team's first goal in the 3-0 victory against West Ham United.

Johnson admitted:"Believe me, no-one wants me to find my best form more than me, and I was aware of what I had to do. It was a little reminder from the boss, he told me that was what he meant by it.

"We spoke and he explained he wanted it to help me, to push me and I said to him, I don't need people to tell me, I know where I'm at in terms of form, and I knew it all already.

"The gaffer told me he has faith in my ability, we spoke and we cleared things up. Sometimes comments like that can be made to look more negative than they are meant.

"The boss explained that he didn't mean it in a negative way, just that he knew I had more to offer than I was showing and wanted to get that from me.

"No player wants to be injured and it's been frustrating to me, to be out for so long. But that was more like it for me on Saturday. I think it's been a difficult season for me, but it's been a difficult season for a lot of teams and a lot of players.

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"You just have to keep doing what you've done in the past and try to reignite some of that form. The last seven games I haven't played and it's impossible to improve your form if you aren't out there, so it's been extra frustrating for me.

"I had some niggling injuries at the start of the season, and when you don't have that consistency it can affect your form. I'm not making excuses, but sometimes it is difficult."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester United are thought to be the latest club to have joined the chase for Real Madrid defender Pepe.

In order to sign the Portuguese ace, United will have to beat Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City and German side Bayern Munich who are all rumoured to be keen on the defender.

Despite claiming a few weeks ago that he was happy at the Bernabeu, contract extension talks between Pepe and Real Madrid are believed to have stalled over the wage demands of the player. Pepe is currently among the smallest earners at Real Madrid and is on about €1.8 million a year.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are all looking for defensive reinforcements in January and the 6ft 2in Portuguese centre-back’s strong style of play would fit nicely in the Premier League.

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The 27 year-old defender started his career at Maritimo before moving to FC Porto in 2004. It was in Porto where Pepe made a name for himself playing under Dutch coach Co Adriaanse and guided them to two consecutive league titles. Pepe’s improved reputation resulted in a big money move to Real Madrid where he has been since 2007.

August 1989. The Eastern Bloc was crumbling, the Voyager space craft had just passed Neptune, the second attempt to stage another Woodstock was rubbish, the Sega Genesis has just been released in North American and the 1989/90 football league season was about to kick off and usher in a new decade in football. The 90s. Chelsea had just been promoted and Arsenal were Champions, beginning the new campaign away at Manchester United, which – rather fittingly – is where we lay our scene.

This short shorted, dodgy haired retro-tastic video goes behind the scenes at United during the opening few games of 89/90, a seminal time for not just the club but English football as a whole. The last season of the 80s was also the last Liverpool would enjoy as the dominant force, whilst the horrors of the Hillsborough tragedy four months earlier were about to change English Stadia forever. The BBC had lost the rights to screen live games to iTV due in part to a substantial rise in value which had threatened to force a breakaway, which in turn would buoy Greg Dyke – then of ITN – to hold a meeting between the “Big Five” to propose this new – Premier – league, at the end of the season. Unfortunately for Dyke, one of the five was about to be bought by an as yet untitled and apprenticeless Alan Sugar, who was busy hawking dishes to a certain fledgling Satellite channel.

At United, plain old Mr. Alex Ferguson had yet to win a sausage and would face very real concern over his job, finally earning himself a reprieve through a successful FA Cup run and his first trophy for the club.

And it all started here, in 1989, before prawn sandwiches, before all-seaters, before Sir Alex, before Murdoch, before Sky, before the Carling Cup, before the Worthington Cup, before the Coca Cola Cup, before the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON, before anything was sponsored by E.ON, before E.ON, before Pop Star wives, before texting, before ringtones, before the crazy frog, before Cantona, before Henry, before Twitter, before Blatter, before Soccer Am, before Fantasy Football, before Andy Gray had any final thoughts, before Richard Keys had shaved his hairy hands, before we knew Richard Keys had hairy hands, before everything. This was football, but not as you know it.

Things to look out for.

-Terrible Music.

-Painfully staged conversations.

-Brian Kidd’s “kiddies”

-Miss Manchester United

-Awful, awful music.

-Shaun Goater championing G&G

-Bobby Charlton when he still had hair to comb over.

-Fergie’s Floplings

-Mike Phelan with hair. Just not on his head.

-Clayton Blackmore’s state of the art games console.

-Appalling music.

Part One

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Part Two

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Part Three

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Liverpool will attempt to arrest their three-match winless slide on a trip to Wolverhampton on Saturday.

The Reds are yet to taste victory under new manager Kenny Dalglish, though they came from behind to snatch a point in last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Everton.

The solitary point was not enough to keep Liverpool from slipping to 13th on the English Premier League table, however, and with the drop zone just four points away Dalglish will be keen for his side to inflict further pain on battered Wolverhampton.

Wolves found themselves back in the relegation zone following a 4-3 loss at Manchester City, though the visitors showed tremendous spirit to claw back from a 4-1 deficit with 24 minutes to play.

Mick McCarthy’s side have won three of their past four at home, including a 1-0 victory over reeling Chelsea earlier this month, and will go into Saturday’s match in a confident mood after thumping Doncaster Rovers 5-0 in Tuesday’s FA Cup replay.

Wolves also defeated Liverpool 1-0 when the two sides met at Anfield over the holiday period, prior to Roy Hodgson’s departure from the embattled club.

Liverpool will be without Steven Gerrard due to suspension, while defender Jamie Carragher is recovering from shoulder surgery and Joe Cole is still in doubt with an ongoing ankle injury.

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McCarthy will be unable to call on left-back George Elokobi due to a red card picked up in Wolves’ initial FA Cup draw at Doncaster.

Joey Craddock and Karl Henry got through 90 minutes against Doncaster and should line up at the Molineux on Saturday.

Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka has sung the praises of in-form striker Karim Benzema.

Benzema’s goal in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey first-leg clash with Sevilla handed his side a 1-0 lead to take into next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu.

After struggling to cement a place in the starting line-up for much of the season, the 23-year-old Frenchman is starting to have an impact for Jose Mourinho’s side, also scoring the winner in their last La Liga match – a 1-0 win over Mallorca.

“Karim looked good from the start, and when the manager has spoken about him it has spurred him on,” Karanka said.

“Karim scored and went over to the manager, so I think that shows the affection that we have for him. We’ve said a thousand times that he is an important player.”

“A first leg is always difficult. It’s a game that could have been 0-2 or 0-3 -or maybe 1-1 with the chance that they had at the end. It’s a good result, but not definitive by any means.”

“I think that the fans in the Bernabeu will be supportive next Wednesday. It’s a positive result, but it’s not over by any means.”

Sevilla boss Gregorio Manzano, meanwhile, thinks his side were unlucky to lose the tie and believes Luis Fabiano’s shot was over the line before it was cleared by Real defender Raul Albiol.

Although replays were inconclusive, Manzano is adamant Fabiano should have been credited with the goal.

“In my view, football-wise my team were unlucky to lose,” Manzano said.

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“I think that we made a great effort and had a great attitude, and we fought back well when we conceded a goal against a great team like Real Madrid.”

“However much it will be debated tonight and tomorrow, it was a goal. It’s a difficult move that was hard for the linesman to judge, but we had a similar situation at home against Almeria, and that was a goal. “

“There is still a second leg to play, and we have to think that we can play the same in Madrid as we did here.”

Fulham manager Mark Hughes has insisted that he is keen to prolong Andy Johnson’s career in West London, despite the striker’s injury record.

The English striker, 29, has suffered a torrid time with injuries during his two and a half years at the club but is now showing signs of a return to his best form, having scored twice in 2011 after almost two years without a goal.

He netted the Cottagers’ first goal in their 2-2 English Premier League draw with Aston Villa on Saturday, and also scored a dramatic equaliser at the DW Stadium to rescue a point for Fulham against Wigan on January 15.

His upturn in personal fortunes has prompted Hughes to back Johnson for an extended stay at Craven Cottage.

“Andy has 18 months of his contract left. Do I want to keep him? Yes, absolutely,” said the Welsh manager.

“He’s missed a lot of football and we’re hopeful now that he’ll have a run of games and his career will progress without injury.”

“We’re starting to see the best of Andy Johnson now. He had a significant injury and he’s been out for a considerable length of time.”

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“In fairness to him, he’s played a number of games now and his performance levels have been good. All that’s been lacking have been goals. Now thankfully he’s added goals. He’s in good shape at the moment.”

Johnson will be hoping to continue his fine vein of form when Fulham host local rivals Chelsea in the west London Derby on Monday.

Lille climbed back to the top of Ligue 1 despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Lyon on Sunday.Rudi Garcia’s side were shuffled back into second spot courtesy of Rennes’ 2-0 win over Lens on Saturday, but were on track to hit back and reclaim the league lead when Moussa Sow scored in the ninth minute at the Stadium Nord Lille Metropole.But Swede Kim Kallstrom pegged back the home side with a 28th minute goal, earning fifth-placed Lyon a point.The result sees Lille regain top spot from Rennes by account of goal difference. Paris Saint-Germain moved into fourth on the table with a 2-1 win over Toulouse.The home side at Parc des Princes were cruising after Sylvain Armand and Mathieu Bodmer scored in the first half, and the momentum was well and truly with the Parisians after Paulo Machado had missed an earlier penalty for Toulouse.Franck Tabanou pulled a goal back for the 11th-placed Toulouse, but it did not save them from a third straight defeat.Andre Ayew was the hero as Marseille came from behind to win 2-1 away to Nancy.Ayew had earlier cancelled out Julien Feret’s opener at the Stade Marcel Picot, before netting an 87th minute winner that ensured his side maintain third place on the table.