Trevor Steven: Why Pep Guardiola is my Premier League manager of the season May 29, 2023 Trevor Steven on why Pep Guardiola pips Ten Hag, Emery, De Zerbi, Howe, Arteta and O’Neil to his Premier League manager of the year award. So many different storylines emerged during the Premier League season that finished on Sunday, one of the most volatile campaigns that I can remember. Some big clubs and managers badly [...]
Trevor Steven: Treble is in sight for Pep Guardiola’s best Manchester City team yet May 16, 2023 Manchester City couldn’t ask for a much better chance to beat Real Madrid and reach another Champions League final than the one they face tomorrow. City are fortunate to have home advantage for a second leg in which they know exactly what they will have to do, having drawn 1-1 in Spain last week. After [...]
Trevor Steven: Fixture pile-up means Manchester City MUST beat Arsenal in title showdown April 17, 2023 At this stage in a delicately poised Premier League title race you are looking for little signs of where the trophy might be heading, and in the last week Arsenal and Manchester City have provided some. On Sunday at West Ham, leaders Arsenal put themselves firmly in control with two early goals, only to let [...]
Trevor Steven: Nagelsmann would be a better fit as Tottenham manager than Conte March 27, 2023 I’m astonished that Antonio Conte didn’t get the job done at Tottenham Hotspur and am disappointed that he has left the Premier League. But the Italian has to take his fair share of the blame that his time at the club ended prematurely. In his defence, he only had 16 months in charge and the [...]
Trevor Steven: Why my time at Marseille gives me hope for Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace March 21, 2023 It’s easy to dismiss the sacking of Patrick Vieira and re-hiring of their 75-year-old former manager Roy Hodgson as a case of Crystal Palace clutching at straws in their desperation to avoid relegation from the Premier League. My own first reaction to the firing of Vieira was that it was a bad decision, especially without [...]
Harry Kane to Manchester United? Striker upgrade could turn Erik ten Hag’s improving team into title contenders – Trevor Steven February 27, 2023 Erik ten Hag has brought the good times back to Manchester United but the signing of Harry Kane would make them serious Premier League title contenders, says Trevor Steven. If the hallmark of a good manager is improving your players then I have to take my hat off to what Erik ten Hag has accomplished [...]
Trevor Steven: Why Arsenal’s title race cannot sustain defeat to Manchester City tonight February 15, 2023 The Premier League’s top two finally meet in north London tonight and if Manchester City beat Arsenal I think it’s “here we go again” time. For the first time this season I feel that the trophy will be staying with champions City, who look like they’re ready to make a big push in the title [...]
Trevor Steven: The method in Chelsea’s transfer madness – and why Todd Boehly is still taking a massive gamble January 31, 2023 Chelsea’s transfer strategy has been fascinating to watch since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club from Roman Abramovich last year. From the outside, the signing of more than a dozen new players for an outlay of around half a billion pounds in transfer fees looks like a scattergun approach. But I can’t imagine for one [...]
Trevor Steven: Everton had to sack manager Frank Lampard – the worst thing the board could have done was nothing January 23, 2023 Former Everton star Trevor Steven on why the club had little choice but to replace Frank Lampard with a new manager – and why Sean Dyche would be a good choice to step in. It has been nothing short of crushing to witness Everton’s decline in recent years. They are an iconic club who have [...]
Trevor Steven: VAR, handballs and concussion breaks – seven rules that English referees must resolve in football in 2023 January 10, 2023 While some readers will have New Year’s resolutions and supporters may have January wish lists for their clubs, I have my own hopes for football in 2023 and they revolve around rules and refereeing. Recent times have seen a conveyor belt of tweaks to officiating that I believe has only muddied the waters. The thinking [...]