Paper Round: Sam Allardyce set for Sunderland return, Jose Mourinho's stark warning

Sam Allardyce has had a quiet fortnight, for which he is doubtless grateful, but now he's being linked with jobs again - and the Sun think a return to Sunderland might be on the cards. A new consortium are ready to take over the North East side and install a new man in the hot-seat.

Paper Round's view: It's hard lines on David Moyes, but it's hardly like he's setting the world alight there - and the new consortium seem to have plenty of cash to splash, and bring back their former boss. Allardyce and Sunderland are a great fit - and if he's looking to get back into the game as soon as possible, this would hardly be a surprise.

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Jose Mourinho has declared that any one of his Manchester United players could find himself dropped or out of the door, according to the Sun.

Paper Round's view: It's a stark contrast to his Chelsea squad of a decade ago, when he declared that at least nine of his players were automatically entitled to their places in the starting line-up. Mourinho's words are surely at least partially aimed at Wayne Rooney, whose form for club and country has raised questions about his future; but it's sensible to also inject a little bit of fear among other senior players who might be feeling a touch complacent.

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Mourinho also has things to say about Marcus Rashford, according to the Metro. He's asked the powers-that-be to make a decision about whether the youngster is part of the U21 squad or one of the seniors - and stick to it.

Paper Round's view: Leaving aside the specifics of this situation, the fact that the discussion is being had at all outlines the problem of continuing conflict between a player's club and their country. Surely it isn't up to a club manager to start making requests about how their players are used at international level - he should be, perhaps, concentrating on his own job and considering how he should best be using his players to maximise his team's own success.

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England quick bowler James Anderson could miss the first half of the tour in India beginning next month, according to the i, who quote his captain Alastair Cook.

Paper Round's view: The physical demands of fast bowling are huge - and the shoulder injury that is already keeping Anderson out of the current series against Bangladesh looks like it might be serious enough to limit his playing time for the rest of the winter. One has to wonder at this point whether Anderson's cricket career has a great deal of time left in it after a succession of niggling injuries; on the plus side, England do seem to be very cautious about selecting him, even when he insists he is fit. Ensuring that he only plays when at 100 per cent health will protect him as far as possible.