Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Leeds and England defender Danny Mills has taken stock of the Premier League 's middle and lower order.
Mills has predicted a January exit for Lisandro Martinez at Manchester United , set a realistic bar for Daniel Farke 's Leeds , and warned Sunderland about the demands of European football.
The former right-back has also assessed the rebuild facing Mattias Jaissle at Newcastle and the resurgence of Oli McBurnie at Hull .
Old Trafford
Are Lisandro Martinez's Days at Old Trafford Over?
They're not going to get a huge amount of money for Lisandro Martinez in January.
At the moment, clearly, maybe he was angry and disappointed he didn't get that contract extension, and that's maybe where his frustration has come from. But now that he misses a few games, you'd expect him to be leaving the football club either in January or definitely at the end of the season.
Could Manchester United Also Be Tempted to Sell Bruno Fernandes?
There was a lot of speculation about Bruno Fernandes going or staying, whether he was going to go to Saudi or wherever it might be. He's a very good player who hasn't maybe been at his sparkling best this season, and I guess it depends on him.
Can he carry the team? He carried the team a lot last year. It may depend on who comes in in terms of recruitment. Does he feel he's going to get the support around him to kick on and start to challenge again? If he doesn't, then maybe it'll be his choice, and he might think enough is enough.
Leeds and Europe
Have Leeds' Lack of Goals in Recent Weeks Been a Slight Concern?
What Leeds did last season was fall into a formation that worked for them. They're high-energy, aggressive and physical, and they've caused teams a lot of problems. What would be success for Leeds this season? Safe by March, I would say. In the second season, if you can consolidate again, then you start to build slowly.
They did fantastically well last season to stay up, and now you're looking at them as solid; they don't get beaten easily, which is a fantastic basis to work from. They've got a formation that's worked, and they've recruited for it. They will be difficult to beat and will cause teams problems with their athleticism in the wide areas, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front.
They do have replacements, and they might even look in January, thinking it looks like they're going to be safe, to recruit a backup or someone to assist Dominic Calvert-Lewin . So they're in a strong position at the moment.
How Important Will Leeds' Defence Be Going Forward?
Europe is always a dream for fans, but sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. Going into the Conference League can be more of a hindrance than a help if you don't have the strength in depth. How many times have we seen teams go into the Conference League or even the Europa League and struggle because of that?
You're looking at an extra fifteen or so games. Suddenly you can't do the coaching you want because you're playing Saturday-midweek, Sunday-midweek all the way through, so you don't get as much work on the training ground.
Long term, if Leeds finish eleventh, twelfth or tenth and build on that for the following season, that would actually be better than jumping into the Conference League next season.
Is There a Case of Sunderland Getting Into Europe Too Soon?
It's not easy for Sunderland . We struggled at Leeds when we were in the Champions League ; we also played in the UEFA Cup , now the Europa League , before that. Come Christmas, we were fifteenth in the league but doing very well in the Champions League , not dissimilar to how Sunderland are doing at the moment.
It becomes difficult because the games are sometimes more glamorous in Europe . We were going to the likes of Milan , Barcelona and Real Madrid , which is a bit better than going to Bolton or Selhurst Park . Can you get up for a game at the Bernabeu ? Absolutely. Can you get up for a game away to Wimbledon ?
It's not quite as easy. We saw it with Burnley in the past; they did fantastically well to get into Europe and then struggled. To compete in Europe at the top level and in the Premier League , you need twenty-five players in your squad who are seriously good. If you don't have that, you're going to struggle.
Newcastle and Hull
Is Mattias Jaissle Already Under Pressure at Newcastle?
You have to look at the players Newcastle have lost in the last twelve months or so; they're very difficult to replace. You've ripped the heart out of your midfield. You lost Isak , then a midfielder in Tonali , a very influential winger in Gordon , and your captain in Bruno Guimaraes .
How many players can you lose? Even the likes of Kieran Trippier , good players and good pros, are influential. It's difficult to replace all of those players and get it right immediately. You have to go down to the Brighton model, and it takes time to really build. You can't expect instant results overnight; that's simply not going to happen.
How Good Is It to See Oli McBurnie Firing in the Goals for Hull?
Oli McBurnie is that sort of player who's come into the twilight of his career and is now just playing with an enthusiasm and a freedom, thinking he might as well go for it, give me the ball and I'll try stuff.
Once a striker gets into that groove and has that confidence and belief, things start happening. The team is organised, they're playing well and playing to his strengths. He's got that desire now, and it could be great for Scotland as well.
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