Phil Neville
MOTD pundit

Image source, Getty Images

"Louis van Gaal put Angel Di Maria up front to exploit the space behind the Southampton defence in their last match, but it didn't work, and it didn't work against QPR either. It looks an unfamiliar position to him and he is receiving the ball in areas that he is not used to. Nothing came off for him in the first half.

"But in the second half Van Gaal made a substitution and Di Maria came a bit deeper and became the player we have seen at Real Madrid. What he does best is pick the ball up deep and run at defenders. He also has the ability to pick that pass.

"Van Gaal has a problem with Di Maria as he trusts Wayne Rooney to be more disciplined in midfield."

Image source, Getty Images

Phil Jones taking corners, Radamel Falcao missing chance after chance and Marouane Fellaini proving decisive... these are, indeed, strange days at Manchester United.

Still, a laboured victory at QPR yesterday keeps them safely ensconced inside the top four and increases the pressure on Rangers manager Harry Redknapp.

"The first half we played like Queens Park Rangers and that is not good - we were mostly playing the ball through the air but we have to play how we used to play with the ball on the floor," said a forthright Van Gaal.

Image source, Getty Images

This morning we've teamed up with Get Inspired, a BBC initiative that aims to increase participation in sport, and want to hear your stories of Sunday League dedication. Which player in your team has come off their sick bed to score a last-minute winner? Or walked five miles when their car was snowed in?

Kane: Manager needed a right-back. I drove 105 miles from Sheffield to Stratford, leaving at 06:30 (after three hours sleep) to play.

Ryan Stevens: Scoring a last-minute header despite playing with a broken rib! Kept us in the league!

Ollie Kaye: Conceded 67 goals in the first four games of the season yet we still put a team out every week.

Let us know via #getinspired or text 81111 (UK only) and we'll include the best ones.

Image source, Getty Images

While we've all been focusing on other things, Stoke have stealthily clambered up to 10th in the table.

Bojan Krkic's lovely goal at Leicester earned Mark Hughes' side a fourth away win of the campaign as the hosts missed the opportunity to climb off the bottom of the table for the first time in two months.

"Stoke have Premier League know-how, there is no doubt about that," said admiring Leicester manager Nigel Pearson.

After defeats on Saturday for some of the Premier League's strugglers, including Leicester, QPR, Sunderland and Aston Villa, we want to know which top-flight manager you think is under the most pressure?

Vote now at the top of the page. The vote will close at 12:00 GMT and the results will be announced here shortly afterwards. Terms and conditions can be found here.

Phil Neville
MOTD pundit

Image source, Getty Images

"Alan Pardew does not get the credit he deserves, if you look at the likes of Harry Redknapp and Tony Pulis. Alan has survived the test of time and he will want to take Crystal Palace to the next level.

"If he gets the backing, mid-table and security is what he will be aiming for. He will not want to be in survival battles every season."

Image source, Getty Images

It's been a painful week for Burnley, who allowed a two-goal lead to slip for the second time in four days on Saturday. Careless stuff, boys.

Having fallen to a 4-2 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Tottenham on Wednesday, Sean Dyche's side were beaten again as Crystal Palace fought back to maintain Alan Pardew's 100% start as manager.

"There are many lessons," said Dyche. "The simple one is if you're not on top of your game for every minute, you get hurt."

Phil Neville
MOTD pundit

Image source, AFP

"There's going to be a massive hole when Steven Gerrard leaves Liverpool. Jordan Henderson is a coach's dream. He can play anywhere on the pitch and will get on with it. After a sticky start to the season he is bang in form and he can become a captain of Liverpool."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool have been unrecognisable in the first half of the season but manager Brendan Rodgers says his side have "regained their identity" following Saturday's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.

Perhaps more encouragingly, they are now just five points off the Champions League places in seventh after four wins in an unbeaten six-match run.

"If we can get through to the end of January, getting to the top four is still an objective," said an emboldened Rodgers.

Right, time for a closer look at what happened in Saturday's Premier League games...

Image source, Getty Images

This morning we've teamed up with Get Inspired, a BBC initiative that aims to increase participation in sport, and want to hear your stories of Sunday League dedication. Which player in your team has come off their sick bed to score a last-minute winner? Or walked five miles when their car was snowed in?

Dan Arn: Missed last church appointment two weeks before my wedding to play in a cup quarter-final... and broke my leg.

Terry Lambert: I was two hours late after picking up ex-wife and new baby from hospital to play extra time in cup game! We won so no probs!

Vaughan McKee: Half of the team turning up still drunk from the night before and managing to come back from 2-0 down in the cup.

Let us know via #getinspired or text 81111 (UK only) and we'll include the best ones.

Image source, Richard Winton

The Star also have the De Gea line - albeit without mention of Bale - and suggest that Yaya Toure's future at Manchester City is in doubt.

Another day, another batch of rumours. Don't you just love the transfer window...

Today's standout suggestion is that Manchester United have set in motion a complex £100m deal that would bring Gareth Bale to Old Trafford from Real Madrid, with Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea moving to the Bernabeu in return.

Read that and other rumours in today's gossip column.

Image source, Richard Winton

The Telegraph, like many of their rivals, go with a picture from Chelsea's 5-0 win over Swansea but they also carry a line suggesting that Manchester United are keen to negotiate a deal with Monaco that would bring Falcao to the club on a permanent deal.

Image source, Mail back page

The Mail on Sunday lead with Harry Redknapp denying suggestions that his jacket is on a shoogly peg at QPR remain in the relegations places following defeat by Manchester United at Loftus Road.

We've had a couple of people calling in sick this weekend, others struggling to get to work because of the weather and some being forced to change plans at the last minute to cover absences. So with that in mind, we want to know your stories of Sunday league dedication.

Which player in your Sunday team has gone the extra mile and what did they do? Did they come off their sick bed to score a last-minute winner? Did they walk five miles to get to a match when their car was snowed in? Did they abandon a partner's birthday to fill in in goal?

Let us know via #getinspired, external or text 81111 (UK only) and we'll include the best ones.

Image source, Richard Winton

If you've not managed to drag yourself down to the shop yet, here's a look at how the papers reported the day's action.

The Express focus their attention on the future of manager Paul Lambert at Aston Villa, with the Birmingham club's defeat by Liverpool their fourth in eight games.

First, a reminder of Saturday's Premier League results. Swansea fans might want to look away now...

Image source, Results

Still, it's a while before a ball is kicked so let's have a little meander around the houses while the morning coffee is brewing...

But whose supporters will be nursing a grievance later today?

Hull travel to Upton Park to face West Ham in the 13:30 GMT kick-off before Manchester City welcome Arsenal at 16:00 GMT, with interest at both ends of the Premier League.

Either way, someone is bound to be hurting by the end of it all...