Trevor Steven: Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat is a blow but Jurgen Klopp is right to focus on the Premier League and Europe January 8, 2019 It’s been a difficult start to 2019 for Liverpool but their FA Cup defeat by Wolves on Monday was nothing more than unfortunate. They came into the match on the back of two high intensity games against Arsenal and Manchester City, even if they did thump the former 5-1. Jurgen Klopp had decisions to make [...]
FA Cup talking points: Giantkillings, QPR arrest their slump, Watford avoid Woking slip-up, Blackpool’s plight and 7-0 thrashings January 6, 2019 Where else to start than with the upsets? They are what makes the FA Cup such a unique competition, and as ever the first involvement of Premier League sides brought some giant killings. Oldham and Newport County led the celebrations today after beating Fulham and Leicester respectively, while Accrington Stanley, Gillingham, Barnet, Bristol City and [...]
Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool: Leroy Sane winner keeps Premier League title race alive in epic clash at the Etihad January 3, 2019 It was described as the biggest game of the season and for once that lived up to its billing. October’s last meeting – a drab 0-0 draw which featured a league-low 13 shots – was quickly forgotten last night as Manchester City and Liverpool set about producing a high-tempo, high-octane display befitting the best two [...]
Maurizio Sarri has not had the instant impact Chelsea expect of new managers with the club one point worse off than last year January 3, 2019 Chelsea's blueprint for success under Roman Abramovich's ownership has been dependent on new managers and signings having an immediate impact, with the high turnover of personnel a trade-off in the pursuit of instant results. But after a promising start, those instant results have begun to desert manager Maurizio Sarri, with the Blues one point worse [...]
Manchester City are ready to halt the Liverpool juggernaut and get their Premier League title defence back on track January 2, 2019 It was at this stage last season that Liverpool ended Manchester City's unbeaten run in the Premier League with a 4-3 win at Anfield. Until then City had looked unstoppable, but they came undone when visiting Anfield on 14 January and have been unable to beat Liverpool in three attempts since. Thursday night's trip to [...]
Cardiff City v Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes to spark happy new era at old stomping ground December 20, 2018 When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer parted ways with Cardiff City in September 2014, the Norwegian could not have envisaged the circumstances of his return. Solskjaer, in his own words, “stepped aside” at Cardiff due to a “difference in philosophy” with owner Vincent Tan, but the brutal reality is that he had failed during his nine-month spell [...]
Happy Hammers: West Ham starting to reach heights promised before move to London Stadium under Manuel Pellegrini December 20, 2018 The ugly scenes at the London Stadium towards the end of last season are now just a distant memory as West Ham sit pretty in the top half of the Premier League on the back of four straight wins for the first time in almost in five years. It was just nine months ago when [...]
Trevor Steven: Gareth Southgate tops my football roll of honour for 2018 December 18, 2018 It has been a year when quality coaching came to the fore in football. The World Cup and the Premier League is full of top bosses who are getting the best out of their players. Here are my highlights. Southgate shines in Russia Where else to start but with England’s efforts at the World Cup? [...]
Jose Mourinho’s fall from grace signifies the end of an era as his time in English football comes to a bitter end December 18, 2018 Jose Mourinho's fall from grace has been played out in the public eye over a torturous period that feels as though it began from the moment he took charge at Old Trafford, if not before. Mourinho has had a tendency to bounce from job to job and his decision to live out of the Lowry [...]
Jose Mourinho leaves Manchester United after worst season start in three decades December 18, 2018 Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has left his job amid the club's worst start to the season in almost three decades. The Premier League team, which is currently languishing in sixth place, said the Portuguese manager was leaving with immediate effect after two and a half years in the job. The club was beaten 3-1 [...]