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Brazil is known as, perhaps somewhat stereotypically, the home of the beautiful game. Some of the world’s most exciting players have represented the nation across the decades and have wowed crowds across the globe. However, at the domestic and national level their football has taken a more pragmatic approach in recent years. There has thus been an evolution in the style of players being produced, and coupled with the alterations in the English game this millennium it has made the Premier League a more suitable home.

The norm in Brazil has is to operate with two, sometimes even three, defensive-midfielders, or volantes as they are known locally. There is no shortage of players to occupy this position and having been raised to play in this position, the quality in the domestic league is strong. It is now commonplace to see such two deeper lying midfielders across Europe too. They are used to offer greater freedom to a group of four forwards, allowing them to play higher up the pitch whilst not compromising the defence.

Typically in Brazil the forwards currently play at a far narrower degree to their transatlantic coutnerparts. The wing-backs are used to provide the width while the volantes separate the duties of defending and linking the play. In Europe it tends to be a less energetic position, but the shift from one holding player to two in the English game has enabled players like Sandro and Ramires to flourish. The Chelsea midfielder proved a revelation as he surged forward with lightening pace that led to an impressive 12 goals this season. This surprising source of goals has put a spin on the traditional English view of a defensive-midfielder as someone who has to police the game without departing his own half.

The evolution of the Premier League means that the formations are now more suitable to Brazilian players. Not too long ago, a player such as Lucas Moura would only have been able to fit in on either side of a midfield four or as a forward in a 4-4-2. He would then have been expected to contribute to defending at a far greater level. That is now eased by the two defensive-midfielders, but some tracking of opposing full-backs is still required.

Under Roberto Di Matteo Chelsea used Ramires wide on the right. This offered his full-back a greater deal of cover due to his defensive capabilities whilst also exposing the opposing defender with his electric pace. Such a role was displayed perfectly when he scored against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou.

The convergence of formations has allowed for greater expression and has therefore made the transition from Brazilian to European football a smoother one. Whereas a Brazilian player may have previously been more keen on a move to Spain or Italy the adaptation of the English game to less rigid tactics, as well as remaining the best ranked league in the world, has made it a far more attractive destination.

Many people are of the opinion that players of a smaller frame such as Neymar, Lucas, or Arsenal target Wellingon Nem would find the Premier League far too physical. However, they are no strangers to on-pitch brutality. Following his rapid rise to stardom, Neymar is watched like a hawk with defenders desperate to stop him. Indeed Velez Sarsfield defender Gino Peruzzi said of the Santos attacker: “If he tries his tricks on me I will break him in half.”

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The coalescing of certain tactical ideals across the Atlantic means that now, more than ever, the Premier League can offer a more than suitable home for players from the Samba nation. Brazilian footballers are able to flourish in a more flexible approach that has been adopted by many of the top English clubs meaning that now, possibly more than ever, they are able to find a suitable home in England’s top flight.

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Australia coach Holger Osieck has cautioned against complacency after his team were handed a kind qualifying draw for the 2014 World Cup.The preliminary draw, conducted in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, saw the Socceroos placed in Group D of Asian third-round qualifying, alongside Saudi Arabia, Oman and Thailand.

Australia begin their campaign – with a place in the final two fourth-round groups at stake – at home to Thailand, a team 96 places below them in the FIFA rankings and seemingly an easy target for the Asian Cup finalists.

But German Osieck, who succeeded Pim Verbeek as head coach in August 2010, dismissed any suggestion that his team were guaranteed a place in Brazil next year.

“There are a lot of strong teams in Asia right now. We know that from experience,” Osieck said.

“You shouldn’t underrate the teams we will play in the group, they all went through the second round, they qualified, so they must have some potential.”

“Take for instance the Asian Cup when we had India … it was important for us to go into the tournament, play well, score a couple of goals and build our confidence.”

“And the same happens here – we will definitely have the best team available.”

While attempting to play down expectations of a swift passage to the fourth round, Osieck did endorse the ability of his players, calling on them to demonstrate their quality with a flying start in the first match on September 2.

“Our target is simply to go through to Brazil,” he said.

“We are at the first stage, so we have to take every single step very seriously.”

“Football is not a wishing well, and you can’t predicate anything. It would be an ideal scenario that we could make the qualification for the second round as early as possible, but there’s a lot of unpredictability.”

“What I don’t like in football is to calculate. First we play, then we go from there.”

“I’m a positive thinker. I want to see our guys play. We have a lot of potential; I want to see them perform. It’s very important to have a very positive start to the campaign and … to really build on the confidence we should be in from that first game.”

KSC Lokeren missed the chance to climb into the top four of the Belgian First Division after being held 0-0 by KV Kortrijk on Tuesday.Elsewhere, Seth de Witte’s second-half strike secured a 1-0 win for KV Mechelen away to Eupen.

Guiseppe Rossini went closest for Kortrijk in the first-half at the Guldensporenstadion, while team-mate Mario Carevic threatened from set-pieces without success.

Croatian midfielder Carevic had a strong claim for a penalty turned down in the second half, but a Jeremy Taravel header for Lokeren and a final effort from Rossini proved to be the only other chances of note in a dire second half.

The draw leaves Lokeren fifth and one point behind Club Brugge but with two games in hand.

Kortrijk slipped to ninth following Mechelen’s narrow victory in Eupen.

Julien Gorius should have put the visitors ahead in the first half at the Kehrweg Stadion, but shot wide when one-one-one with Eupen goalkeeper Olivier Werner.

On-loan Fiorentina forward Matthias Lepiller troubled the Mechelen goal with a succession of dangerous free-kicks, but he was unable to find a way past Olivier Renard.

The match appeared to be drifting towards a goalless draw before de Witte rose to meet a Gorius free-kick, beating Werner with a near-post header to snatch the win with 13 minutes remaining.

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Mechelen are seventh but, with three games in hand and just four points behind fourth-placed Club Brugge, they retain realistic ambitions of finishing in the European qualification places.

Defeat leaves Eupen 13th and just three points clear of the relegation zone.

Chelsea vs Tottenham represents the biggest clash in the Premier League this weekend. This London derby has become one of the key rivalries in English football over the last few years, deciding the last two Premier League titles, and Sunday’s instalment is another high stakes contest with Chelsea needing a win to avoid all-but-mathematically ending their hopes of claiming a place in the Premier League’s top four.

But can history tell us anything about this fixture? Which manager faces the bigger injury problems? Who is currently enjoying the better form? And how could the referee influence the match? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 4pm kickoff at Stamford Bridge.

What History Tells Us

Remarkably, Tottenham are still awaiting their first ever win at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, a run that could extend to a whopping 26 games on Sunday. In fact, Spurs only first beat Chelsea in the Premier League in 2006, so perhaps it’s no surprise the Blues have dominated this fixture in terms of wins, goals scored and clean sheets.

However, the clash is far less one-sided these days. During the last six meetings, both clubs have drawn, won and lost two apiece – the watershed moment being Tottenham’s 5-3 win over Chelsea at White Hart Lane on New Year’s Day 2015.

Still though, Tottenham will have to overcome the tide of history to claim all three points on Sunday.

Form Guide

There’s no question Tottenham enter Sunday’s game enjoying the better form. Their only defeat since losing to Manchester City in December was against Juventus in the Champions League, and with those games excepted due to the sheer quality of the opposition, their undefeated run stems all the way back to a 2-1 loss at the King Power Stadium back in November. Their last six Premier League games, meanwhile, have produced 16 points and four clean sheets – including wins over Arsenal and Manchester United and an impressive 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have lost and drawn as many games as they’ve won thus far in 2018, six apiece, in a clear downturn in form for last season’s champions. Their previous six Premier League encounters have produced four losses and just two victories; in sharp contrast to Tottenham’s impressive results against key rivals, the west Londoners have lost to Manchester City and United (both away) during that time. The good news though, is that Eden Hazard’s still regularly finding the net.

Referee Influence – Andre Marriner

There’s only one thing you really need to know about Andre Marriner – he’s easily the most lenient referee in the Premier League. Indeed, from the 19 officials to work in the top flight this season before the weekend, he ranks bottom for fouls per game, second-bottom for fouls per tackle and fourth bottom for yellow cards per game.

That means two key things in regards to Sunday’s game. Firstly, it should allow for the kind of fiery London derby we all want to see, echoing the famous Battle of Stamford Bridge a few years ago. Secondly, however, as Marriner’s modest return of just three penalties awarded this season also alludes to, the 47-year-old often shies away from making game-changing decisions.

While some like the idea of referees letting the game flow as much as possible, it also means Chelsea and Tottenham shouldn’t expect much luck in terms of penalties and key decisions.

Team News

With 3-4-3 still proving easily Chelsea’s most effective system despite flirtations with 3-5-2 and 3-6-1 this season, we’re largely expecting Antonio Conte to stick with the same starting XI that beat Leicester City last time out in the FA Cup quarter-final, injuries permitting.

The real question is whether Thibaut Courtois – who Transfermarkt value at £54million – and Andreas Christensen win their races for fitness. But should they do so, the former will almost certainly replace cup goalkeeper Willy Caballero, while the latter should retain his spot at the heart of defence.

The only other area of contention is in the midfield. Tiemoue Bakayoko was hauled off at half time against Leicester, so it’s more than likely playmaker Cesc Fabregas will be given the nod alongside N’Golo Kante. After scoring at the King Power Stadium, Alvaro Morata will surely lead the line once again.

The big concern for Tottenham is how they’ll fare against top-quality opposition in the likely absence of Harry Kane, but much of the team largely picks itself at this stage of the season and we’re expecting six of the back seven to keep their place from the 4-1 win over Bournemouth – with Ben Davies replacing Danny Rose at left-back.

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Accordingly though, Pochettino will have to rejig his attack. Heung-min Son proved a perfect solution to Kane’s injury against the Cherries, scoring twice after the England international made way, so the ultimate question is who supports the South Korean in attacking midfield. Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli are both likely to start, leaving a toss-up between Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela on the right flank.

The Argentine has thoroughly impressed in recent weeks but considering how Son’s deployment as a striker takes some of the speed out of the midfield, we’re tipping a fourth Tottenham start for the exciting January signing instead. He’d certainly give left wing-back Marcos Alonso, a key player for Chelsea going forward, a few problems defensively.

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Louis van Gaal has again opted to name Wayne Rooney is a midfield position for the Red Devils clash with West Ham, with Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao leading the line for Manchester United.

On the rare occasions when everyone is fit, the Dutchman has had a hard time fitting in all of United’s superstars with the likes of Angel di Maria, Juan Mata and the aforementioned trio all offensive-minded players.

van Gaal isn’t the first manager to deploy Rooney in a deeper role, with Sir Alex Ferguson toying with the idea fleetingly during his spell at the helm of the Red Devils, however, long-term it appears the former Bayern Munich views his captain as a midfielder.

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That decision isn’t going down well with the United fans, and who can blame them when you realise the former Everton striker has 10 goals in his last nine Premier League games against today’s opposition.

AZ Almaar manager Gertjan Verbeek has encouraged star midfielder Adam Maher to join Arsenal if he decides to leave the club, Metro reports.

Maher, rated at £8.5million, has been one of the standout performers in the Eredivisie this season and his impressive form was rewarded with a first cap for Holland in the defeat to Belgium last August.

PSV Eindhoven have already registered their interest in acquiring the 19-year-old, who has five goals to his name this season, this month with the Moroccan-born teenager making no secret of his plans to leave the AFAS Stadium.

And Verbeek believes Maher’s potential would be better nurtured under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger and urged him to consider waiting for the Gunners to make an approach.

“I think Arsenal would be a good environment for him,” he said.

“Under Arsene Wenger, these young talents have often improved. I think he [Maher] is very good and can grow there a bit like Robin van Persie.”

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Wenger is apparently looking to do some late business in the Premier League transfer window and has been linked with a surprise bid for Defensor Sporting forward Diego Rolan.

Reports in France claim the North London club have submitted a £6m offer for the 19-year-old, who is also being chased by Bordeaux as a replacement for the recently departed Yoan Gouffran.

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According to reports in the Chronicle Live, Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez will have been alerted to the news that Manchester United defender Luke Shaw, who is reportedly earning £80,000-a-week, is unhappy with life at Old Trafford after an interesting weekend.

The 22-year-old made a rare start at left-back against Brighton and Hove Albion in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with Ashley Young often preferred there in recent weeks, but he was taken off at half-time by manager Jose Mourinho with the Portuguese boss publicly criticising him post-match.

Now, the England international could be looking for a way out this summer following the latest incident, with the Magpies one of the clubs that were interested in taking him on loan during the January transfer window, before Mourinho opted to keep Shaw.

Benitez would likely see a long-term future for him at St James’ Park with Paul Dummett a solid but unspectacular full-back for them right now, but they certainly won’t be the only Premier League club taking a look.

Meanwhile, West Ham United manager David Moyes will also be starting to plan for the future if the Irons secure their top flight status for another year – even if the fans are starting to lose patience with him – and he may well target his defence as a priority given they have conceded 57 goals in 30 league matches this term – only 19th-placed Stoke City have let in more.

In that regard, bringing Shaw to the London Stadium could prove to be a shrewd move as the Hammers look to push on next season if they avoid relegation to the Championship.

Here are three reasons West Ham must hijack Newcastle’s bid to sign the 22-year-old…

While Aaron Cresswell has played as a left centre-back in a three-man defence on occasions this season, his strongest position is still as a left-back or left wing-back.

West Ham currently have the 28-year-old, Arthur Masuaku and Patrice Evra fighting for that position, but few would argue that Luke Shaw wouldn’t be a big upgrade on the trio this summer if the Irons secure their Premier League status for another season.

Cresswell has failed to impress and come under scrutiny from his own supporters at times, Masuaku has shown what a liability he can be by picking up a six-match ban after being sent off for spitting against Wigan Athletic in January, while Evra was only ever going to be a short-term buy.

Shaw would bring a real freshness to the team as a full-back or wing-back, and would be able to showcase the qualities that he has.

While Shaw perhaps needs some work on his fitness following some bad injuries and his concentration on the pitch, there is no doubt of the qualities that he possesses in his locker.

The 22-year-old showed at Southampton and in the early stages of his United career how good he can be at either end of the pitch, and his pace and ability to get forward and beat his opponents mean that he is as useful in the final third as he is at the back.

The England international perhaps needs an arm around the shoulder from a new manager to boost his confidence, and David Moyes could be that man if Shaw joins West Ham.

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West Ham have signed older players like Evra, Pablo Zabaleta, Jose Fonte, Joe Hart and Javier Hernandez in recent times, and while they certainly don’t neglect bringing in young players when you think back to the likes of Cresswell and Sam Byram in the past, it is a strategy that they need to start following more often.

Bringing in younger players that have the potential to improve in the future and either stay at the club for years or move on for a profit are what a club like the east London one should be looking to do, and Shaw would be the ideal signing in that respect.

The 22-year-old has lost his way at a big club like Man United but there is no doubt about the ability he has and his potential for the future, and he could prove to be a fruitful addition for West Ham both in the short-term and the long-term.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

They really are learning

Following a mature and disciplined performance from Arsenal against Borussia Dortmund, everyone was wondering whether it was a flash in the pan or whether Arsene Wenger’s side were starting to realise that sometimes you are allowed to see out games. Following their 1-0 win over West Brom, it looks like the Gunners are learning.

Defence is sorting itself out

Arsenal’s defence has been all over the show this season, however, following back-to-back clean sheets there is a belief that the Gunners defensive woes are behind him – Laurent Koscielny’s return is huge for the north London club.

Still on course for Champions League

Arsenal jumped back into fourth following their win at the Hawthorns, which will be welcome relief for the Gunners faithful as, prior to kick-off their were real concerns Arsene Wenger’s side would be in the midtable positions for the rest of the season.

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This season, Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe has been in incredible form, and has already nearly matched his Premier League goal tally from the year previous. For once at White Hart Lane, the England international has been given the credit his talent and track record deserves, with Andre Villas-boas clearly viewing Defoe as his main man and even left the club’s new signing Emmanuel Adebayor dwelling miserably on the bench for the first stretch of league games at the beginning of the campaign.

The Portuguese gaffer has played down talks of a January spending spree, telling reporters before in the days before Christmas: “[Levy and I] spoke about the January situation and the eventuality that we could look to strengthen the squad to be better. What came out of those conversations was that our level of focus is not to do a lot in January. We feel comfortable at the moment. Our squad will become big even in terms of numbers with the return of injured players. I believe that they will give us an extra edge. I am not ruling out any situation in the market, but at the moment it looks unlikely.”

Despite the hesitant attitude towards bringing in new recruits, Spurs have been linked by the tabloids with a number of the January bargains, including Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Wesley Sneijder, Willian, Christian Eriksen, Fernando Llorente and David Villa. The gossip begs the question – would a new arrival who plays upfront unsettle the in-form Defoe?

Well, it of course depends how AVB is planning to set-up his team. The Tottenham coach has favoured playing Defoe alone up top for the majority of games so far this season, but more recently he has succumbed to the wishes of fans who want to see Adebayor playing either next to or just behind him. Ever the tactician, AVB’s tinkering largely depends on his opponents and who’s available to him. But going forward, Tottenham strike me as a 4-5-1 team due to the fact that their main assets are their wingers – Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. So should another front man be brought in come the New Year, it is likely Defoe will have to accept becoming part of the rotation or at the least will not feature in every game as he has so far this season, bar a single fixture.

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It would be hardly a new experience for Defoe. In fact, being rather unjustly considered as a third or fourth choice striker has bizarrely been a common feature of his career, especially during his time in a Spurs jersey. Despite often appearing as a substitute, the 30-year-old has managed to consistently score at least ten goals a season in the league for the majority of his career, and has also hit the onion bag on a regular basis in the cup competitions. Should Tottenham sign a new striker, it is unlikely Defoe would suffer in terms of scoring goals. Whenever he plays his potential to score is obvious, and if his role in the first team diminished it would be safe to assume he would return to his old ways of providing a strong contribution of goals for a cameo player.

But this season especially makes you wonder just why the former Spurs bosses have never given Defoe a prominent role in the Starting line-up and assured the England man he is an important part of first-team plans. Well, Defoe’s physicality, or lack of it, makes him tactically less advantageous than many of his counter-parts. Similarly, he is a goal poacher and nothing more. Especially in his earlier career whilst he was still learning his trade, if Defoe failed to score his inclusion seemed somewhat pointless. His natural greed, which I do not judge him for considering his ability to finish, also mean’s the 30-year-old’s game can be somewhat direct and one-dimensional, and he’s certainly not known for his assists.

Should Tottenham even be in the market for a new striker anyway? As a strike force, Defoe and Adebayor rate highly compared to many of the other Premier League clubs competing for fourth spot, and even Chelsea, who are considered to be part of the title race or at the least a dead cert for third place, would probably swap their lackluster pair of Daniel Sturridge and Fernando Torres for the two Spurs front men. But apart from Defoe and Adebayor, there are no out-and-out strikers in the Tottenham squad. Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele are both capable of playing there, but should there be an injury crisis it would be difficult to rely on either for regular goals and the latter footballer has a crucial rule in the Spurs midfield. Similarly, Defoe, Adebayor and Dempsey are all into their peak years now, and bringing in a younger forward and keeping the future in mind would not be the worst move from AVB.

Whether Defoe would take it to heart is the real concern. I do not doubt he is a professional and, although confidence is a factor in every player’s game, I don’t believe it would severely affect his performance. But, it would be a difficult blow to take should Spurs bring in a new man, especially if it were a high-profile striker such as Huntelaar. As previously mentioned, Defoe has been dismissed as a first-choice player for years, despite his goal record, and this season appears to be somewhat redemption for the England man. If he were displaced by AVB, it would be further confirmation that there is some mystic underlying flaw to Defoe’s game that mean his positional rivals will always be a better choice than him.

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So would Defoe suffer, in terms of performance and maintaining his prowess in front of goal? Probably not – Defoe has proved throughout his career that given enough game-time, he will score goals. But, to flip the debate on its head, would Tottenham suffer? Most probably – “don’t fix what ain’t broken” as my mother used to say back when she was a plumber.

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Leeds captain Liam Cooper could miss Saturday’s clash with Reading with because of a dead leg, which is great news for Leeds fans apparently.

The 26-year-old centre back has made 104 league appearances for Leeds since joining in 2014, but it doesn’t seem like that’s endeared him much to the fans.

Cooper looks set to miss Saturday’s trip to the Madejski Stadium thanks to the dead leg that forced him off in the 3-0 defeat against Wolves on Wednesday.

The defender ran into his own player while attempting to clear a corner, and manager Paul Heckingbottom says the injury “seized up,” causing concerns it could keep him out longer than a typical dead leg.

“He limped off – swollen leg – and we knew it was an impact injury straight away,” Heckingbottom said.

“We will probably scan him and see what fluid is in there and how bad the bleeding is but at the minute he is struggling as it stands.

With Pontus Jansson just one yellow card away from a two-match ban for accumulating ten yellow cards, Leeds could face a serious defensive crisis if Cooper does not recover quickly.

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As the club continues to fall further away from the playoff places and the injuries mount up, Paul Heckingbottom may be looking at top ten as the target for the season.

Leeds fans have decided to see the funny side of this injury, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…