Marcus Rashford and the new player power: it won’t be long until clubs and sponsors put a price on it November 4, 2020 Just when you think that 2020 can’t throw up any more surprises, Marcus Rashford, a 23-year-old footballer, becomes the government’s loudest source of opposition. At the time of writing there’s been no U-turn on extending the provision of free school meals when faced by Rashford’s campaign. But by generating support and sentiment through his 3.7m [...]
Manchester United and Arsenal leave Premier League looking like a one-horse race November 2, 2020 For a moment back then, there was an intoxicating sense of possibility about this Premier League season. Liverpool’s aura of invincibility looked to have been shredded by a seven-goal humiliation at Aston Villa. Villa, like Everton, were riding high and reviving memories of past glories with swashbuckling displays. After three years of duopoly, the league [...]
Drop in drama comes at bad time for Premier League’s pay-per-view push October 26, 2020 Who remembers the good old days of a few weeks ago, when the Premier League was all goals and madcap scorelines? Leicester smashing five at Manchester City was soon eclipsed by Tottenham’s six-goal romp at Manchester United and then, giddily, Aston Villa putting seven past champions Liverpool. Gameweek Two had set the tone, ushering in [...]
Manchester United chief throws down gauntlet to Premier League over Project Big Picture October 21, 2020 Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has publicly warned the Premier League that the club have not given up on plans to reshape English football. Project Big Picture, a radical overhaul of the domestic game drawn up and championed by United and Liverpool, was defeated in a vote of top-flight clubs last week. Woodward called on [...]
Manchester United lose £23m as coronavirus cuts revenue by £120m October 21, 2020 Manchester United suffered a £23m loss as revenue plunged by almost 20 per cent for the year ending 30 June. Annual income fell to £509m, from £627m the previous year, as the coronavirus outbreak saw football suspended. All three of Manchester United’s main revenue streams were hit during the fourth quarter, when most games were [...]
Top English clubs and JP Morgan ‘in talks’ over $6bn European super league October 20, 2020 US banking giant JP Morgan and top-flight English clubs are said to be in talks over a game-changing $6bn (£4.6bn) plot to launch a new Fifa-backed European football league.
Cast adrift on a sea of hubris, refereeing has lost sight of the spirit of football October 19, 2020 Only three possible explanations exist for both referee Michael Oliver and video assistant referee David Coote failing to designate Jordan Pickford’s crumpling of Virgil van Dijk a red card offence. One: neither thought it worth addressing. Two: neither felt it was in their power to act since Van Dijk had been guilty of the most [...]
Record return for King Henry October 19, 2005 Two goals for the returning Thierry Henry left Arsenal on the verge of qualification for the knockout rounds of the Champions League. The striker, not even sure of making the squad after returning from a groin injury, finished the match as the most prolific scorer in Arsenal’s illustrious history. Despite their domestic troubles, Arsene Wenger’s [...]