The Festival of Words: From Gyles Brandreth to Anthony Scaramucci – all you need to know about the Fleet Street Quarter festival
Premier League appoints Richard Masters as chief executive after embarrassing saga December 12, 2019 The Premier League today approved the appointment of interim chief executive Richard Masters to the role on a permanent basis. Masters’ appointment follows an embarrassing saga for the football body, which gave the job to two previous candidates, neither of whom took up the role. Read more: The Premier League’s incoming CEO has quit before [...]
Chelsea 2-1 Lille: Blues avoid banana skin to qualify for the Champions League last 16 December 10, 2019 Frank Lampard was clear in his view on Chelsea’s crunch match with Lille tonight. The Blues needed a result from their final Champions League group game to reach the last 16 and their manager was ready to embrace the occasion. “I like the pressure of this game being a knockout,” he said in his pre-match [...]
Manuel Pellegrini must wake up and take West Ham back to basics to avoid the sack December 10, 2019 Manuel Pellegrini says he not worried about West Ham being relegated from the Premier League, but he needs to wake up because right now that is a possibility. Monday’s 3-1 home defeat by Arsenal means the Hammers have taken just four points from their last eight games – a run that leaves them one point [...]
Bayern Munich dead-rubber is a chance for Mourinho to show his changing attitude to youth players December 10, 2019 On one hand, Tottenham’s match with Bayern Munich on Wednesday night represents an opportunity for them to enact revenge on the 7-2 thrashing suffered at the hands of the German side earlier this season. On the other, with both sides already guaranteed to progress to the round of 16 and Tottenham unable to move above [...]
Leicester’s solid defence has been the foundation of their rise up the Premier League table December 10, 2019 Leicester have proven a serious attacking threat this season with the re-emergence of Jamie Vardy as one of the deadliest strikers in the Premier League and a record-equalling 9-0 victory away to Southampton. But under Brendan Rodgers they have also rediscovered the defensive resilience that was so crucial to their logic-defying title triumph of four [...]
West Ham 1-3 Arsenal: Gunners’ nine-minute burst enough to give Ljungberg a first victory and end nine-game winless run December 9, 2019 In the end all it took was one morsel of confidence to build on. For successful teams winning becomes a habit; over the last nine games Arsenal had forgotten how to do it. Booed off after 45 minutes in the London Stadium tonight it looked like the Gunners were set for another dispiriting night on [...]
Champions League permutations: What results Liverpool and Chelsea need to reach the last 16 December 9, 2019 Manchester City and Tottenham may have already sealed their place in the Champions League knockout round, but for many clubs a place in February’s round of 16 is still to play for. City are guaranteed top spot regardless of Wednesday night’s result against Dinamo Zagreb, while Jose Mourinho’s Spurs face a trip to Bayern Munich [...]
Six months after their treble, where has it all gone wrong for Manchester City? December 8, 2019 If Manchester City’s relentless brilliance created an impenetrable sky blue wall around the Premier League trophy last season, this term they are rolling out the red carpet. Saturday’s surprise 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United means they now trail runaway leaders Liverpool by 14 points, a chasm that manager Pep Guardiola called “not realistic” as [...]
Arsenal 1-2 Brighton: Gunners left in disarray as winless run continues December 5, 2019 The last time Arsenal failed to win in nine consecutive matches it was March 1977, under Terry Neill. Freddie Ljungberg had not even been born. A 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton last night ensured the Gunners’ winless run continued and increased the pressure on Arsenal’s board to appoint Unai Emery’s permanent replacement sooner rather [...]
Liverpool 5-2 Everton: Jurgen Klopp’s gamble pays off as Reds rest, rotate and roll on undeterred in Merseyside derby December 4, 2019 Some might have questioned Jurgen Klopp’s wisdom when they saw the Liverpool teamsheet he turned in to face Everton in the Merseyside derby. With a daunting and draining festive fixture list lying ahead, Klopp has decided rotation is his only option. The clash with their rivals from across Stanley Park represented the fourth of 12 [...]