Chelsea v Brighton: Stubborn Maurizio Sarri weighed down by his own philosophy as end edges closer April 2, 2019 Chelsea find themselves in a familiar position ahead of tomorrow's match with Brighton: clouded by a miasma of discontent, yet still on the pathway towards potential success. Last season Antonio Conte secured the FA Cup despite the end of the campaign being overshadowed by his protracted, bitter exit from the club rumbling on in the [...]
Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle: Aaron Ramsey’s virtuoso display leaves bittersweet taste for Emirates crowd April 1, 2019 It was all about Aaron Ramsey. Mesut Ozil may have brought some tricks and flicks, Alexandre Lacazette some bustling approach play and a neat finish, but for Arsenal fans leaving Emirates Stadium the performance of their Welsh midfielder – and all that it meant – was what had tongues wagging. Strangely for a virtuoso, all-action, eye-catching [...]
Fulham must shed their excess to prepare for relegation and the hard landing looming in the Championship March 31, 2019 The summer was a time of excitement and optimism for Fulham. After an impressive 23-game unbeaten streak and fairytale play-off final win at Wembley, the club set about expensively assembling a squad it thought could not just avoid the drop the following season but thrive in the Premier League. Thanks to the deep pockets of [...]
Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham: Fortune favours the Reds as they go back top of the Premier League March 31, 2019 The title race remains on. It looked very much to be slipping away from Liverpool, but as the ball trickled over the line at the Kop End it was clear fortune favoured the reds. Rather than one of their own players, Liverpool fans were left celebrating the mistake of an opponent, as Hugo Lloris inexplicably [...]
Arsenal v Newcastle: Unai Emery’s incessant tinkering is proving a hidden strength March 31, 2019 In the Premier League’s current climate, new managers are expected to revolutionise the way their team plays, implementing an attractive style of football and instilling a work ethic that often involves pressing high up the pitch. Under Unai Emery this season, Arsenal have been accused of failing to follow that blueprint and told that they [...]
Where Huddersfield Town rank among the five worst teams in Premier League history March 28, 2019 Huddersfield's relegation from English football's top tier could be confirmed this weekend. But where do the Terriers rank among the worst teams ever to play in the Premier League? 5. Sunderland 2002-03: 0.50 Points per game The fifth worst team in Premier League history, this Sunderland side took just 19 points from their 38 matches. Under [...]
Wolves on course for Europa League, but is becoming the Premier League’s best of the rest worth it – or a poisoned chalice? March 28, 2019 Should Burnley manager Sean Dyche feel moved to dispense some characteristic no-nonsense wisdom to his opposite number this weekend, it might be of the be-careful-what-you-wish-for variety. Occupying the visitors’ dugout at Turf Moor on Saturday will be Nuno Espirito Santo, a rising star whose Wolves team have cut a dash in their first season back [...]
English referees are being overlooked by Uefa for Champions League ties March 27, 2019 If the full complement of English teams progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals is evidence that England’s teams are among the best in Europe then the absence of referees from these shores raises some uncomfortable questions for our officials. For the first time in a decade, four Premier League clubs have reached the last eight [...]
Trevor Steven: England have never looked so confident and Euro 2020 rivals will be taking note March 26, 2019 England winning qualifying matches is nothing new, but while we have seen emphatic scorelines in the past, they have not always been accompanied by emphatic performances. That is why Gareth Southgate and his players deserve such praise for Monday’s 5-1 victory in Montenegro and the 5-0 defeat of the Czech Republic at Wembley three days [...]
Montenegro 1-5 England: Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling star but five-star visitors’ win marred by reports of racism March 25, 2019 For so long Ross Barkley has been defined by his potential, rather than his output for England. Tonight in Montenegro he finally delivered. It’s been a productive 2019 for the central midfielder, with his January 2018 transfer from Everton to Chelsea now paying off with a sustained run in Maurizio Sarri’s side. And after an [...]