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Manchester United picked up an important English Premier League win on Sunday, defeating West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

With Manchester City in as lethal form as ever this weekend, it was crucial that Jose Mourinho’s didn’t slip up to a determined West Brom side and they got the job done in a professional manner.

Two first half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard were enough for the three points, with Gareth Barry’s late goal not enough to get the Baggies back into the match.

It was Lukaku’s third goal in four matches, all of them won by a single goal margin. It appears the Belgian has found his scoring boots again despite a faltering performance in the derby against Manchester City and fans are pleased he is getting back in amongst the goals on a regular basis.

There was some controversy regarding his lack of passionate celebration after his goal, but as far as supporters are concerned they’re just pleased he’s getting the job done.

He’s now scored 14 goals in 24 appearances since making the switch from Everton in the summer.

Fans took to Twitter to defend him from the criticism that has come his way this recently…

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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli posted on his official Twitter account following the 5-1 win against Stoke City at Wembley on Saturday, and Spurs fans had plenty of advice for the 21-year-old.

The north London outfit came into the clash against the Potters in disappointing form having only taken two points from the last 12 available in the Premier League, with Alli also failing to live up to the high standards that he set with an outstanding campaign last time out this season.

While the England international endured another difficult 45 minutes in the first-half against Mark Hughes’ men which the Wembley faithful didn’t approve of, he did improve after the break when he assisted Son Heung-Min, before he was replaced by Erik Lamela after 65 minutes.

Tottenham supporters were quick to react to the former MK Dons man’s social media post, and while one urged him to “stay focused”, another said “don’t be arrogant”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Leeds United fans in the Transfer Tavern will be expecting a few more faces to be brought into the club this summer.

Marco Bielsa is eager to bring in a few changes to his squad and it’s expected that a new striker will be at the top of that list.

The Whites struggled to score goals last season and as a result are looking to add Matej Vydra. According to the Sun (h/t HITC), however, both Leeds and West Brom are interested in signing Kyle Bartley.

The Breakdown

The former Arsenal defender spent a year on loan at Leeds for the 2016/17 season and became a fan favourite at the club.

On his return to Leeds, Bartley did sign a new four-year deal due to his strong loan spell but then picked up a serious knee injury in an EFL Cup match against MK Dons. If that wasn’t bad enough, after returning from surgery in January, Bartley injured his knee yet again only three months later which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

The tall defender has been a player Leeds fans have wanted back at their club since he made that successful loan spell. The defender is valued at around £3.15 million by Transfermarkt, which may seem slightly steep for a player coming off such a poor run of injuries but Bartley’s performances for Leeds should show Bielsa his quality.

The Swansea man would be a great partner to Pontus Jansson in the middle of defence – an area the new boss needs to strengthen.

Would you be happy with him Leeds fans? 

Everton fans have been discussing their move for Yerry Mina, and the overwhelming majority of fans want the beastly Colombian to partner Michael Keane this season.

Last week, The Liverpool Echo reported that Colombia’s goalscoring centre back was wanted by the Toffees, and that contact had already been made with Barcelona about a summer swoop.

The latest reports claim a deal is not as close as first thought, but that the Barcelona youngster is definitely a top target for Marco Silva and Marcel Brands.

The new leadership at Goodison have a lot of work to do to trim an oversized squad and wage bill while still improving the starting 11, and signing one of the World Cup’s most impressive stars would be an excellent starting point.

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Mina is 6 ft 5, surprisingly fast for his size, and loves throwing his body on the line for the cause. He also has great feet for a big man, meaning he could help Keane build out from the back for Silva’s new look side.

His one weakness is perhaps his positional awareness, as Davinson Sanchez bailed him out a few times this summer.

Fans clearly like what they see though, as a whopping 81 per cent voted to sign one of the few men that scored past Jordan Pickford this summer.

You can find the full poll results down below…

Leeds United kicked off the Marcelo Bielsa with a win in their first pre-season fixture of the season.

The Whites ran out 2-1 winners against Forest Green Rovers and looked good doing so. It was the first chance Leeds fans got to watch the style of play implemented by the Argentine boss. Leeds pressed high with intensity, and the game could have been out of sight if their finishing improved. Despite a slower second half, goals from Luke Ayling and Kemar Roofe ensured Bielsa kicked off the season with a victory.

It was a great opportunity for the former Chile boss to see his new stars in action and assess his options heading into the new season. Bielsa is yet to make a move in the transfer market but has reportedly been given a £20m transfer war chest to bolster his squad. The Leeds board will be expecting the club to gain promotion back to the Premier League.

One man they should target is Brentford winger – Florian Jozefzoon. Valued at £1.35m by Transfermarkt, the forward has been targeted by both Leeds and Derby and Brentford announced they had accepted a bid from an unnamed club. It was later revealed, according to Sky Sports, that Derby were the club in pole position to land his signature. Leeds mustn’t allow their rivals to win the race for his services.

The 27-year-old was a stand-out performer in the Championship last summer, scoring seven and assisting seven in 39 appearances for the Bees. A graduate from the Ajax academy, the Dutchman would add some much-needed creativity to the Leeds attack.

After watching Derby land both Mason Mount and Harry Wilson from Chelsea and Liverpool, Leeds must ensure that Jozefzoon lines up at Elland Road next year.

Leeds fans, thoughts?

Without the goals of Dwight Gayle, Newcastle United would not have achieved promotion to the Premier League in the 2016/17 season. Gayle is one of those who seems to suffer from ‘Cameron Jerome syndrome’ in that he’s too good for the Championship and not good enough for the Premier League and the fans are ready to let him go, as The Chronicle report West Brom are interested.

In the Championship, Newcastle’s number nine bagged himself a tidy return of 23 goals in 32 games, a record for any striker to be proud of. However, when you step up to the premier league things get a whole lot harder and that showed in Gayle’s goal tally as he only managed to find the net six times last season in his 35 games. Understandably there are plenty of Championship clubs after the 27-year-old, including West Brom.

If The Magpies were to use Gayle as a bargaining piece with West Brom it could help them land one of their own transfer targets in Salomon Rondon. The move would make sense as Rondon is being looked at as a serious potential target by Rafa Benitez, who’s need for a striker is far from a secret. The club looks to be selling Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer and if the club doesn’t bring in a striker they could be left in real trouble come the end of this season.

You can read the Geordies’ verdict on Dwight Gayle here:

Whilst the fans appreciate what Gayle did for them in the Championship, they know that they won’t be going very far with him up front in the Premier League.

Stoke City are eyeing a bid for Southampton striker Sam Gallagher, who spent last season on loan at Birmingham City, according to the Daily Mail.

What’s the story, then?

The Mail report that former Blues boss Gary Rowett wants the 6ft 4in hitman to bolster his Potters attack as he reshapes his new charges in preparation for their attempt to make an instant return to the Premier League.

They claim that Rowett has cooled his interest in Dwight Gayle and has turned to Gallagher, but faces competition from Sheffield United for the striker’s signature.

Elsewhere, it is clear that Garry Monk is looking to bolster his Birmingham attack, with Ipswich Town forward Martyn Waghorn reportedly attracting his interest.

A Gallagher return would be a real statement

Gallagher was as bright as any Blues forward last season, despite a campaign of turmoil and managerial juggling that saw the club narrowly avoid relegation once more.

He can score goals at this level and he would be prevented with chances next season under Monk as the passing football the former Middlesbrough manager prefers should get Birmingham on the front foot more often.

The Saints hitman would provide a focal point for the likes of Che Adams and Issac Vassell to work off, and snaring him ahead of Stoke, one of the most ambitious and rich sides in the second tier, would be a major statement of intent.

It would go some way to bringing the feel-good factor back to St Andrew’s and offer Monk the chance to oversee the attacking revamp that has been needed since before the days of Lee Clark.

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According to reports in The Daily Mail, West Ham United have held talks with FC Porto over a potential deal for £22m-rated attacker Moussa Marega, and their Premier League rivals Southampton must hijack any move.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Daily Mail says that the Irons have been in discussions about bringing the impressive 27-year-old to the London Stadium, with the player’s agent – Mark McKay – the same one that helped them sign Dimitri Payet from Marseille previously.

The Daily Mail says that while the Mali international was a key part of his side’s Liga NOS title win last term having scored 22 goals in 29 Portuguese top-flight matches – and 23 in 40 in all competitions.

Should Marega, who has primarily played as a second striker, but can also play out wide and as a centre-forward, arrive in the capital, he would be competing with the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez and Felipe Anderson for a spot in the starting XI.

Why should Southampton hijack any move?

Well, while Saints have brought in Mohamed Elyounoussi to replace the outgoing Dusan Tadic, the fact that they only scored 37 goals in their 38 Premier League fixtures last term, as well as the fact they drew a blank in their 3-0 pre-season defeat to Derby County last weekend, is worrying.

The south coast outfit certainly look as though need further reinforcements in their attack with Manolo Gabbiadini and Shane Long both struggling to find the net last term and with Charlie Austin continuing to be hampered by injury, and bringing Marega to St Mary’s in a club-record deal could prove to be an inspired move – especially given his versatility.

Quick and strong in the air, the 27-year-old would add a new dimension to Southampton’s frontline.

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West Ham United are on the verge of signing defender Harold Moukoudi from Le Havre for £10.7m, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.

What’s the word?

The Hammers have made an impression in this summer’s transfer window as they have spent close to £100m on new arrivals.

So far, manager Manuel Pellegrini has brought in eight new faces, including Jack Wilshere, Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko.

The most recent target is believed to be Le Havre centre-back Moukoudi.

According to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol, the 20-year-old is closing in on a move to the London Stadium.

How much will he play?

Given his age and lack of experience at the top level, it is unlikely that Moukoudi will earn a regular spot in the first team.

Also, Pellegrini has already brought in two defenders in the form of Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena.

Moukoudi is likely to be one to watch for the future, which is a positive move from the Hammers as they are thinking long term rather than hoping for a quick fix.

The Frenchman, who has been capped at Under-20 level, made his first-team debut for Le Havre in 2016.

The youngster could potentially become a powerful and commanding presence in West Ham’s back line, but he will have to be patient.

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Jurgen Klopp has refused to rule out the possibility of some last-minute transfer business.

The German has spent £170m to bring Fabinho, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker to Anfield this summer. The Reds have been linked with a move for Nabil Fekir all summer but are yet to revive a move for the playmaker following concerns over a past knee injury. With a day remaining in the window, Klopp admitted he didn’t know whether Liverpool’s business was complete.

With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ruled out for the entire season and Adam Lallana struggling with injuries yet again, Klopp would be wise to sign another centre midfielder this summer. If a move for Fekir fails to materialise again, Liverpool should switch their attention to his Lyon team-mate – Tanguy Ndombele.

Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Frenchman enjoyed an excellent breakthrough season in Ligue 1 after joining from Amiens on loan. He made 32 appearances in the league, picking up six assists, as well as earning a permanent move for £7m. For the right price, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas may be interested in a sale.

Ndombele can play as the number six or the number eight meaning he would slot seamlessly into Klopp’s system at Anfield. He is an excellent passer of the ball – only Georginio Wijnaldum averaged a higher pass success rate in the Liverpool midfield last season (WhoScored). He loves carrying to back to transition defence into attack, averaging 2.2 dribbles per game last year – more than any other Liverpool player bar Mohamed Salah (WhoScored).

A midfield pivot of Ndombele and Naby Keita would have the Liverpool attackers licking their lips.

Liverpool fans, thoughts?