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Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann impressed and scored in his side’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final tie at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night, and Manchester United fans have urged their club to sign the Frenchman, rated at £90m by Transfermarkt, to play alongside Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku in a front three next season.

The versatile forward has long been linked with a move away from the La Liga club, but he extended his contract with the team from the Spanish capital by another 12 months last summer, and has gone on to score 27 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions for Diego Simeone’s side.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils are still yet to find a real solution to their right-sided issue with the likes of Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata playing there this season, and Jose Mourinho could look to make an addition in that position during the summer.

Man United supporters, who also want Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich to solve their right-back issue, were quick to have their say on Griezmann’s latest display via social media, and while one simply said “sign Griezmann”, another said “Alexis – Lukaku – Griezmann. Front three next season, make it happen @manutd”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Once again it looks like Queens Park Rangers are headed for the drop back down to the Championship.

At present, they’ve  collected just 26 points from 33 games and are in 18th place. They are level on points with Burnley, but Sean Dyche’s men have a game in hand. In dead last is Leicester City, with one less point, yet two goals in hand. But, if QPR go down, will they struggle to come straight back up?

It’s becoming all too clear that Queen’s Park Rangers are not cut out for an elongated life in the Premier League. The story of this season is one the West London club know all too well. The yo-yo’ing the side are doing, in and out of the Championship, has been going on for the last four years.

Back in the 2010/11 season, QPR were promoted to the Premier League, but definitely struggled in their debut season in the top flight.

Queen’s Park Rangers finished that 2011/12 season in 17th – just one place from safety. They cut it fine as they ended the season with just a point separating them and Bolton Wanderers, who were relegated. It is always hard for newly promoted teams to stay up in the Premier League, so credit where it is due for the Hoops, but they did it by the skin of their teeth.

A year later, QPR weren’t so lucky. They found themselves back in the Championship after finishing rock bottom in the Premier League. Their Championship days were short lived though, as they made their way back to the top flight through the play-offs.

After bouncing in and out of the Premier League for the last few years, and toying with relegation once again, it looks like QPR’s days are numbered.

It’s becoming tiresome, if anything, to see a team make their way into the top flight and do so little with their opportunity. There is only so long that any side can play this game.

If they do face the drop, they should remain in the Championship for a good while: they cannot hack the pace of the Premier League.

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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini blasted Premier League teams for ‘playing soft’ and handing over the title to United, according to The Guardian.

Mancini’s critique comes on the verge of the Manchester derby tonight at the Old Trafford, in which City will try to close the 15 point gap between them and the league-leading Red Devils.

“No one plays well with United because they only play with fear,” said Mancini. “Every team that plays against United plays very soft because they think the game is difficult, that they can’t beat them. It is not true.”

The 48-year-old manager blames the dominant perception that Sir Alex Ferguson has created at the Old Trafford, saying “United have been a strong team for a long time,” and that teams competing against them may give 100 per cent, but have a poor mentality.

The Italian also claimed that City hope build that same empire state of mind, even though currently, they “don’t have the same importance like United in this moment.”

“Maybe in 10 years it will be the same. The history is very important. We need to improve as a team, as a club. If we win every year, probably it will also be the same for us.”

Fergie, on the other hand, attributed United’s dominance this season with his players’ conviction and disappointment at losing the title to City by the difference of a goal last season, saying the team had “a definite purpose in terms of getting the title back”.

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“We have improved. That’s the difficulty for [City]. Even if their points tally was as good as it was this time last season, it wouldn’t have matched ours. So you have to give us credit for that.”

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Newcastle United and Arsenal face each other on Sunday but the landscapes at the respective clubs look very different.

The Gunners are a modern superclub with a plush new stadium, boasting World Cup winners Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker and looking to get back into the Champions League via the Europa League.

Meanwhile, the Magpies returned to the top flight this season with one thing on their mind – survival. While a European run for Arsenal has been a means to an end, it would be a genuine adventure for Newcastle.

They are in the same league literally, but figuratively they are operating on different planes. They also have no shortage of problems, and neither set of fans is particularly enamoured with their respective boards.

Yet, the solutions appear to be very different. Arsenal fans think that a lot of their problems would be solved by sacking Arsene Wenger. A culture of mediocracy has set in from board level, but while that has not gone unnoticed – the recent Emirates boycotts show that – it is the Frenchman who receives the bulk of the ire.

Meanwhile, in the North East, the manager is almost the only aspect of the club that the fans are convinced is right.

The natives could not be happier that Rafa Benitez in charge of Newcastle United and he is seen as the bedrock on which progress must be built.

Everything else around Benitez – the board, the standard of the players and the ownership situation – needs changing but for as long as he’s around, Newcastle fans can believe that a better future is around the corner.

The opposite is true at Arsenal. Wenger’s prolonged presence in the dugout snuffs out any hope that the changes that need to be made from top to bottom will continue to be pushed back.

Even three FA Cups in four years, reasonably regular Champions League qualification and attractive football only provide sticking plasters. Wenger is a legend at Arsenal but only his removal from the situation at the club – as painful as it may be – can start the wheels of change in North London.

Wenger’s removal – whenever it comes – would be a symbol that the powers that be are prepared to move away from the current turmoil and towards a genuine assault on England’s summit.

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Benitez’s arrival – and subsequent commitment to Newcastle in the Championship – was a similar catalyst for change and cause for optimism.

The unrest is comparable at the two clubs but at one, the manager is the root of all the rot. At the other, he is the only beacon of hope.

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With seven games to go, and only sitting in sixth, Tottenham look like missing out on Champions League football once again. A goalless draw away to Burnley on Saturday was not exactly the kind of result that the north London team need to be producing if they want to make one last push for the top four. Honestly, it seems like Spurs have given up and switched off.

A top four finish has been the goal for many seasons now. Manager Mauricio Pochettino was brought in to White Hart Lane for that very reason. After all, previous manager Tim Sherwood could have led them to sixth again and done it on a cheaper salary.

They did achieve their ambition back in 2010 making it all the way to the quarter finals of the tournament but were ultimately knocked out by Real Madrid. Since then they haven’t quite made it and competition for places has become even fiercer. Their inability to climb the table coincided with the loss of super winger and now Real Madrid punching bag Gareth Bale. Their failure to find a replacement for the Welshman has greatly hindered the Lilywhites and it is only now, with the emergence of Harry Kane onto the big stage, that Spurs look like their fortunes may be changing.

To be honest, it is not that Spurs didn’t try to replace Bale it is just that the signings they made in his wake have all been a massive disappointment.

Paulinho, Erik Lamela, Roberto Soldado and the ever unreliable Emmanuel Adebayor have all been unable to live up to their own hype. The once decent players seem to lose their talent and ability as soon as they arrived at White Hart Lane. Pochettino has done well under the circumstances to even get them to a Europa League position – though that is probably in no small part down to incredible performances by Harry Kane.

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Kane is in contention for Player of the Year due to what can only be described as a golden season. He currently sits joint top along with Chelsea’s Diego Costa as the Premier Leagues highest goal scorer and with the Brazilian’s form going off the boil recently there is every chance that he could pinch it.

How long Kane will stay loyal to the Lane is unknown but if Spurs continue to miss out on the top four and limp once again across the finish line then no one would blame the young forward for setting his sights elsewhere. And then where would they be?

Tottenham next play relegation threatened Aston Villa and before the seasons end must overcome Manchester City and a newly resurgent Everton. They are on equal points as Liverpool so they can jump to fifth but that surely will be of no comfort. Seven points separate Spurs and fourth place which, with only a handful of games left, is not an impossible task but it does appear unlikely. The Champions League places look all but decided and anything but a minor miracle will need to take place to change that.

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Tottenham instead need to look to the future. Clear out the deadweight this summer and start new with emphasis on building a team around main man Harry Kane. His good season looks likely to be more than a one off and he might just be the key to finally infiltrating those precious four places for many years to come.

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In the modern day managers don’t necessarily pick their best starting eleven anymore, instead selecting what he considers to be his ‘best team’. To put it into perspective he chooses the best possible line up to begin the game but also pays heavy attention to the substitutes bench, electing players that could be called upon to offer an extra dimension when the situation requires.

The role of a substitute has altered significantly since they were first introduced in the mid-1960’s and have taken on a pronounced sense of importance. This is especially true in cup competitions when matches can stretch beyond the allotted 90 minutes into extra time and penalty shootouts. The introduction of fresh legs and fresh minds at the opportune moment can prove to be the ultimate difference between success and failure.

As the role of a super sub harks itself back into fashion this term the Capital One Cup has shown that football’s equivalent of a proxy is becoming more of a valuable asset to managers. Examples of such aren’t exactly thin on the ground either with Chelsea and Aston Villa two of the more prominent teams to benefit from a change over the course of a game.

The introduction of Eden Hazard essentially swung the quarter final clash with Leeds in favour of the Blues, the Belgian winger entering the fray on the hour mark with the score finely poised at 1-1. In the 30 minutes he was on the field Hazard provided the pace and incision missing in the first period and unnerved the home side enough for Chelsea to score four more goals, including one of his own nine minutes from time, and easily dispatch their Championship opponents.

Similarly for Villa, their last eight clash with Norwich was won by a well judged substitution by Paul Lambert. The decision to throw Andreas Weinmann on for an injured Darren Bent in the 35th minute once again showed the value of a strong bench with the Austrian going on to win the game for the west Midlands club with two goals in the second half.

Those are just two samples that have cropped up from this seasons competition and they certainly won’t be the last. Teams are now throwing caution to the wind in cup competitions, with an emphasis now placed on rotation and maintaining player freshness, there is a viable argument that astute substitutions are the key to winning the Capital One Cup.

You just have glance at some of the finals that have been decided on the swing of a substitution in the competitions illustrious history. Obafemi Martins for Birmingham in 2011. Wayne Rooney for Manchester United in 2010. Mateja Kezman for Chelsea in 2005. Perry Groves for Arsenal in 1987. All made significant contributions for their team on the way to cup success.

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In an era where squad rotation and fixture congestion has become more and more prevalent the value of a strong bench has never been higher. Substitutions are now shaping the landscape now that managers are opting not to field a full strength eleven and games are frequently being taken into extra time. The requirement for these game changers is becoming a standard necessity as the advantage of having a strong squad is cherished.

The days when decisions were made at the drop of a hat are long gone with changes now more methodical and mapped out as the minutes tick by. More and more managers are now beginning to probe how a sub can impact the pattern of game and turn the tide in their favour.

Over the last few seasons Tottenham Hotspur have established themselves as regular top-four finishers, with just the lack of silverware preventing them from being considered an elite Premier League club.

Mauricio Pochettino has transformed his young side into challengers, but in recent matches, a chink in the armour has appeared.

Hugo Lloris, who has been widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, has had some shaky displays in between the sticks.

In a 3-1 victory over Chelsea, the Frenchman made a costly blunder while trying to clear the ball that had been crossed into the danger area.

The club captain came off his line in an attempt to punch the ball away, but fluffed it completely and Alvaro Morata scored the Blues’ only goal of the game.

The following week, Lloris looked unsteady again as he played a part in Stoke City’s goal by hitting the ball straight at Mame Biram Diouf in a failed clearance.

The 31-year-old’s errors were not highlighted as strongly due to Tottenham winning both matches, but he had nowhere to hide on Saturday against newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester City.

In a 3-1 triumph for Pep Guardiola’s side, Lloris managed to make three saves and only cleared the danger on two occasions.

The biggest mistake came 24 minutes into the contest when he rushed off his line to bring down Raheem Sterling on the edge of the box.

Despite the foul being outside of the area, the referee awarded a penalty, which was slotted home by Ilkay Gundogan.

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Lloris could also have done better to prevent City’s third goal, as even though he initially made a save, the keeper pushed the ball back into Sterling’s direction and the former Liverpool attacker punished him.

Suggesting that Tottenham splash the cash on a new keeper would be unwise given that the Frenchman has made some match-winning saves this season.

However, Tottenham fans have noticed Lloris slipping in recent matches, and he needs to overcome this blip in order to prevent the defenders feeling uneasy around him.

Make no mistake about it; Harry Kane has been an absolute revelation for Tottenham Hotspur this season. Once hailed as a hopeful academy prospect, Kane has taken his career to extreme heights so far this term and is now Tottenham’s first choice striker under Mauricio Pochettino.

In order for Tottenham to build on Kane’s success this season, Pochettino needs to shape a team around the striker, similar to the way in which Gareth Bale became an integral figure during his time at White Hart Lane. Although Kane and Bale are different players, the recent impact made by the Englishman has been top quality, as well as consistent.

The 21-year-old has 14 goals and three assists in 22 Premier League games this season. His work rate across the 90 minutes plays a huge part in Kane getting his goals as well as a lot of attacking variation. The striker is good in the air and a very good finisher inside the box. He also has a very accurate shot on him, scoring twice outside the area this season.

Building a team around a player like Kane would work well due to the striker’s ability to contribute more than just goals to the team. Although finding the back of the net is a huge part of Kane’s game, he also brings other players into the game in a variety of different ways. He can hold the ball up, allowing other players to play off the striker as he draws in a defender. His direct running style also creates space for teammates as well as Kane can be very difficult to muscle off the ball when he gets into full flow.

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After another vital Premier League goal against West Ham at the weekend, the English striker is only confirming his importance to this Spurs side. Tottenham have scored a lot of late goals this season and Kane has been instrumental in driving his side to compete until the very last kick of the game. It is this attitude paralleled with his excellent ability that makes him a vital player for his current club.

Rumoured interest from Real Madrid may sound slightly ridiculous but if Kane continues to find the back of the net from now until the end of the season, it would be no surprise if some of Europe’s biggest clubs made a move for the 21-year-old. Although there might be suspected interest from other clubs, you get the feeling that Harry Kane will stay put at White Hart Lane for a number of seasons to come.

He certainly seems to wear his heart on his sleeve and looks like he loves playing for the club, something that has been lacking up front for Tottenham with the likes of Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor hardly rousing the home faithful.

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Kane does represent one of England’s most promising young stars and it will be interesting to see how he develops at Tottenham in the near future. He has already established himself as a very dangerous Premier League striker and it is in England’s top flight that he should continue to develop his career to become the national team’s next great frontman.

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Rafael Benitez has reignited his rivalry with Sir Alex Ferguson claiming the Manchester United boss avoids punishment for unduly pressurising match officials, the Daily Mail report.

The interim Chelsea manager crossed swords with Ferguson on a number of occasions during his six-year spell at Liverpool – notably attacking his old foe in 2009 press conference for his treatment of referees and their assistants.

Ferguson has been thrust into the spotlight once again this after criticising the performance of linesman Simon Beck during the 1-1 draw on Sunday, claiming he had a ‘shocking game’ after failing to flag for a penalty after Steven Caulker’s trip Wayne Rooney in the second half.

And Benitez insists it is crystal clear his Old Trafford adversary is still harassing officials without being reprimanded and questioned whether the FA will discipline the 71-year-old for his behaviour on the touchline.

“Maybe now a lot of people are seeing the same things,” he said.  “I will not talk too much about that because it’s obvious. It’s a question for the FA what they do about it.

“What I said at that time was what I thought and what I’m seeing now is similar. It depends on the FA. I don’t know what they will do.”

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Leeds fans are furious their side didn’t do more to fix their goal drought during the January transfer window, and particularly for missing out on Aleksandar Mitrović.

For many Leeds fans, many of the problems at their club were summed up by a 14 second period in the second half of the 2-0 defeat to Fulham.

24 year-old Caleb Ekuban was put through on goal with the score at 1-0, only to fire directly into the keeper. Within 14 seconds, the hosts went down the other end and doubled their lead, with a fine counter-attacking move finished clinically by January signing Aleksandar Mitrović.

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You’d be hard pushed to find a set of fans more infuriated by their club’s transfer strategy than Leeds, and Tuesday’s defeat showed exactly why.

Mitrović was available on loan in January, and has scored eight times in nine starts for Fulham. Leeds signed their own striker in January – 19 year-old Tyler Roberts, who is yet to play for the club due to a shin injury.

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Leeds’ knack of signing young, unproven players like Roberts and Ekuban is hurting them massively, and fans are fuming with their January business.

Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…