Liverpool midfielder James Milner insists the increased competition for a starting berth at Anfield this season has driven the players on to even greater heights in the Premier League.

Milner scored twice on Saturday as Liverpool hammered Hull City 5-1 at Anfield, meaning the Reds have now won their last four games in all competitions.

Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho also added their names to the scoresheet during another encouraging display; with many predicting Liverpool to be genuine title challengers this season.

Despite starring for Liverpool during the two-goal win, Milner admits he is refusing to get carried away with his performances just yet.

With an array of talent sitting on the bench for Liverpool or even, in some cases, in the stands, Milner knows one bad performance could spell a period out on the sidelines.

“You look down the squad list and the quality is unbelievable,” Milner said.

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

“You see the bench and some boys have been injured, some players aren’t in the squad, and the young boys who are knocking around the squad with such quality. It’s pleasing.

“And you know if you don’t perform, the shirt is going to be taken off you and someone else is going to get the chance. And you don’t know how long they are going to have that shirt for.

“You need that competition for places to drive each other on. Hopefully we can keep improving as a team.”

West Ham United skipper Mark Noble has called for calm from Hammers’ supporters after a sluggish start to the new Premier League season has seen them languishing at the wrong end of the table.

Before their last-gasp midweek win against Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup, West Ham had slumped to four straight defeats in all competitions – and the Hammers faithful have been getting restless.

The exciting new era at the Olympic Park has yet to come to fruition, with the Hammers struggling to adapt to life away from the Boleyn Ground.

But Noble is convinced improved results are firmly on the horizon and has called on the West Ham faithful to keep believing and to keep getting behind the team.

Noble said: “As I said at the end of last season when I did an interview on the pitch, this is not just a football club, it’s a family. We all need to stick together.

(Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

“The fans are a massive factor to us and we know how important they are. With 60,000 all behind us it could be pretty special.

“The mood among the players is still great. We have a great bunch of lads and we have spoken between ourselves and know what’s happened.

“We have a great manager and great players. We had a fantastic season last year but other teams we are competing against are spending £50million on one player and it makes a difference.

“We probably have the best squad here since I have been playing. The way we are together is  fantastic and I believe it’s just the way football is. Sometimes stuff just doesn’t go for you.”

Crystal Palace defender Zeki Fryers is relishing his newfound opportunities after helping Alan Pardew’s men claim a last-gasp win at Sunderland.

Fryers came on as a 74th minute substitute as Crystal Palace produced the unlikeliest of comebacks to battle back from two goals down before winning it in stoppage time through Christian Benteke’s last-minute header.

Jermain Defoe had earlier put Sunderland in charge with two well-taken goals but Joe Ledley pulled one back with a deflected shot before James McArthur’s header brought Palace level.

And Fryers, who has spent time on loan at Rotherham and Ipswich recently, is relishing his involvement in the Palace first team and is hoping for more opportunities soon after his latest contribution.

“It is a great feeling and I am buzzing for the team,” he said.

(Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

“The instruction was to get forward and get some crosses in and my first opportunity I was able to get past the man and get the cross into the box and of course we scored our second goal from that.

“Looking back I have been out on loan quite a bit, had some bad luck with injuries but then this opportunity came along and I was pleased with how I did.

“When you don’t get the break you have to just keep your head down, work hard and wait for your opportunity to help the team so I was pleased to get the chance.

“After pre-season it was looking good for me as I had some games, played OK but then a groin injury came at the wrong time, I got back from injury and kept at it and delighted that I was called upon in this one and it’s a great result for the team.”

Record buy Paul Pogba is convinced the anxiety around Manchester United after back-to-back Premier League defeats has been lifted from Old Trafford.

United thrashed Leicester City 4-1 yesterday after putting Northampton to the sword in the EFL Cup in midweek but pressure had been growing on Jose Mourinho’s men after defeats to Manchester City and Watford, plus Feyenoord in the Europa League.

All of the talk in the build up to the game had centered on the form of skipper Wayne Rooney, who was rested against Leicester yesterday, but Pogba is convinced the victory over the defending champions answered any critics.

Manchester United raced into a 4-0 lead before the break, with Pogba – outstanding throughout in the centre of midfield – scoring his first Premier League goal for his new club.

And the Old Trafford record purchase believes the hammering of Leicester could now be the catalyst for a run of form for Mourinho’s men.

“We were focused and we produced a big performance on the pitch. We want to carry on like this,” said Pogba.

“It feels great to get my first goal at Old Trafford. For me it was very good and very important. I hope it won’t be the last one.

(Photo credit: ANTHONY DEVLIN/AFP/Getty Images)

“The first half was almost perfect and that’s why we won the game I think.

“It was our best half since the start of the season. It wasn’t easy for the players in the second half to switch on when we knew Leicester were going to push up to try to score goals but I think we did great.

“The thing we did well was we did great without the ball. It was very important and when we had the ball we just played like I knew we could.”

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin admits is burgeoning relationship with Theo Walcott down the Gunners’ right this season is proving a major plus for Arsene Wenger’s men.

After a disappointing end to last season for Walcott, which included his omission from England’s Euro 2016 squad, the winger has started the new campaign on fire.

Walcott has been a near ever-present for Arsenal this season, scoring in their opening day defeat against Liverpool and again during Saturday’s rout of London rivals Chelsea.

With increased competition in the Gunners’ ranks this term, Walcott has clearly raised his game and Bellerin admits Arsenal are benefiting down the right flank as a result.

“Sometimes when you’re getting games regularly that helps a player’s confidence as well,” said Bellerin.

(Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

“We’ve been playing together on the right side for the last few weeks and it’s a partnership that we both enjoy. We understand each other a lot and I think that shows on the pitch. It’s great fun to play with him.

“I think you can see that he’s been doing it for the past month and I’m glad to see him back to his best.”

Bellerin is also convinced yesterday’s 3-0 win over Chelsea could prove the catalyst for an Arsenal title challenge this season.

“We need to go game-by-game like we’ve always been doing,” he added. “For us it’s a great confidence boost because Chelsea is always a difficult rival and is a team that puts things really hard so to get this victory and to get the three points is something that is a good boost of confidence.

Heung-Min Son believes he is in the form of his life for Tottenham after helping them to their best top-flight start for 51 years with a double at Middlesbrough.

No Harry Kane, no problem for Spurs, as the North London club continues to share the heavy burden of replacing the England striker’s goals around the team.

South Korean star Son has now hit four goals in his three Premier League appearances this season – already taking him past his total for the whole of the last campaign.

He marked his return from international duty with two goals at Stoke, followed up with an all-star show against Sunderland and now it’s a double-double with two goals in successive road trips.

“I shocked myself for the second goal,” said Son.

“I train every day for this (type of) shot; I lost the ball but got it back and took the shot.

“I feel very good now. I felt good last season as well but I got injured. I try to do my best every game, last season was my first in the Premier League and now I want to do better.

 (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

“It’s not finished, I look forward and will work hard every day for Tottenham.

“I’m very thankful for the fans, they were unbelievable again, every game. We fight for them as well.

“The reaction was fantastic and it was a great feeling for me. I want to score more goals to see those reactions.”

Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri is optimistic that three of his key players will be available for their first Champions League home game,  on Tuesday night.

Kasper Schmeichel missed the 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford, on Saturday, with a muscle issue while Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were both brought off at half-time.

The Foxes were 4-0 down at the break after a nightmare opening 45 minutes, which saw Manchester United score three times from corners.

Demarai Gray got a consolation goal for the Premier League champions, in the second half, with a thunderous strike, but the game was long gone for City.

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

After the game, Ranieri reassured fans that the decision to bring off two of his most attacking and influential players, at 4-0 down, was a precautionary measure.

“I hope tomorrow he (Schmeichel) can train with us,” said Ranieri.

“It was a little problem with his muscle but I hope he is ready.

“I thought it was much better to preserve Vardy and Mahrez for the next match in three days. At that time, the match was gone.”

The Foxes face FC Porto at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night having beaten Club Brugge 3-0 in their opening Champions League fixture.

Tony Pulis has revealed the secret to his long managerial career is togetherness and playing a system that works for the players at his disposal.

The head coach, who has often been criticised for his negative style of football, took charge of his 1,000th match when West Bromwich Albion travelled to his former club Stoke City on Saturday.

He is the 25th manager to reach the landmark and has been inducted into the League Managers Association’s hall of fame following the achievement.

The 58-year-old Welshman has also enjoyed spells at the likes of Crystal Palace, Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth and Bristol City during his 24-year career in management.

“I have always instilled – which is so important to me as a manager of people – the DNA get on together,” he said.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“Everyone was prepared to work together, and everyone either won or lost together.

“People say about me and my style of play. I tell you what I do, I go into football clubs, try and find out what systems suit those players and try to get the damnedest out of the players.

“That’s what I’ve done everywhere I’ve been. If I’ve got a load of centre-halves who can’t pass, you don’t want them to pass out from the back.

“You have to look at the strengths and work around that.”

Everybody loves to feel wanted and Hull City defender Harry Maguire has revealed that Middlesbrough’s summer-long transfer interest has left him high on confidence.

The 23-year-old struggled with an ankle injury during pre-season, but Aitor Karanka still pursued the youngster before the transfer window closed and had a £5million bid rejected.

(Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Hull refused to budge over the highly-rated youngster  and the former Sheffield United defender admitted that made him hopeful of remaining an integral part of their long-term plans in the Premier League.

“Middlesbrough kept coming back, but the club kept rejecting them , which gave me a bit of confidence really and showed that they want to keep me for the long season ahead.” Maguire explained.

“I was not really concentrating on it too much. The club reiterated to me that they were not going to accept anything for me.

“Obviously, it is up to the club and I am under contract here and while I am playing here, I want to get into the side and hopefully do a job.

“I was injured at the start of the season and the boys have started well and they have picked up some good results. Now I am back in the side, hopefully I can stay in. We will have to see how it goes.”

The £12.5million summer arrival of striker Isaac Success will prove to be good news for club and country, Watford boss Walter Mazzarri believes.

The 20-year-old has made three Premier League appearances so far this term – all of them as a substitute – and this week earned his first call-up to the Nigeria senior squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Zambia.

Success is one of six English-based players named in the squad, so will find Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa of Leicester City among those in his way.

(Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

However, his immediate priority will be attempting to win a regular starting berth in the Watford team.

But Mazzarri backs Success to soon find a home in the Premier League and begin to become a star for his national side.

“We’re very pleased for him. We think we helped for him to get a call-up from the national team,” said Mazzarri.

“He’s a very young player and if he follows our mentality at this club we think he’s going to have a very good future with this team and for his national team.”