Pep Guardiola said on Friday he would remain at Manchester City even if the club were to face relegation from the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules.
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Guardiola, who has won six Premier League titles in the past seven years with City, signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday, committing him to the English champions till 2027.
A hearing into the Premier League’s 115 charges against City has been ongoing for several weeks, with a verdict expected before the end of the season.
The club have strongly denied any financial wrongdoing, but could face a severe points penalty if found guilty of some or all the charges.
“I said that six months ago, one year ago when all the clubs accuse us of doing something wrong. If we get relegated, I will be here,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Tottenham’s visit on Saturday.
“If they send us to the Conference (fifth tier) we will come up and up and come back to the Premier League. I knew it then and I feel it now.”
Guardiola’s decision to extend his deal is also a boost during a rare period of on-field turmoil.
For the first time in the Spaniard’s managerial career, his team have lost four consecutive matches.
But the 53-year-old hit back at City’s critics, pointing to their success in becoming the first side to ever win four English top-flight titles in a row.
“When you are here for nine years, with a long time at one club, you live all the scenarios, all the situations,” added Guardiola.
“You’re able to lose four games in a row, but at the same time you’re able to win four Premier Leagues in a row.
“The difference is that most of the teams are able to lose four games in a row in different competitions but just one team won four Premier Leagues in a row.”
City’s poor run began with a League Cup exit to Tottenham before Premier League defeats to Bournemouth and Brighton either side of a 4-1 loss at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.
All four losses came on the road and Guardiola is hoping for some home comforts when City return to the Etihad Stadium, where they have not been beaten in open play in two years.
“We have to start to win games, we know it,” he added.
“We are coming back at home, hopefully we can perform well and start to take our rhythm.” City’s loss of form had coincided with an injury crisis before the international break.
Mateo Kovacic is now set to be ruled out for up to a month due to an issue he picked up while playing for Croatia.
But there is more positive news for Guardiola as defenders John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are back available, while Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku have trained this week despite withdrawing from their national team squads.
Pep Guardiola suffered four consecutive defeats for the first time in his managerial career as Manchester City’s dismal spell hit a new low with a late collapse in their 2-1 loss at Brighton.
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With just 12 minutes left, Guardiola’s troubled side were clinging onto the lead given to them by Erling Haaland in the first half.
But they collapsed in the closing stages as Joao Pedro equalised before Matt O’Riley bagged Brighton’s winner seven minutes from full-time.
For the first time in his glittering career as a manager with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Guardiola has been beaten four times in a row.
It was also the first time City had lost four successive games since a run between April and August 2006 under Stuart Pearce.
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City.Source: AFP
After exiting the League Cup to Tottenham and suffering a first league loss since December at Bournemouth, City were thrashed 4-1 by Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek.
The slump continued as they failed to kill off Brighton before the second half implosion that threatens to derail their bid for a fifth successive Premier League title.
Second-placed City are two points behind leaders Liverpool, who can extend that gap to five points if they beat Aston Villa at Anfield later on Saturday.
City have been beset by injury problems, most notably the loss of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri for the rest of the season.
Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji were only fit enough for the bench, while Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish were absent from the squad.
Guardiola had insisted he would solve City’s problems but he has so far been unable to come up with the answer to their mounting crisis.
City had paid for failing to turn their dominance into more than a one-goal lead against Sporting and profligacy was a problem again on the south coast of England.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 09: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, interacts with Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton & Hove Albion following the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Manchester City FC at Amex Stadium on November 09, 2024 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
– City in turmoil –
Savinho should have put City ahead when Mateo Kovacic’s pass sent him surging into the Albion area, but the Brazilian’s weak finish allowed Bart Verbruggen to save.
Kovacic was the catalyst when City took the lead in the 23rd minute with a goal equal parts inspiration and perspiration.
The Croatia midfielder’s inch-perfect pass split the Brighton defence but Haaland still had work to do as his initial shot was blocked by Verbruggen, leaving the Norwegian in a race with Jan Paul van Hecke to poke the ball in before it could be cleared.
Haaland’s 15th goal in all competitions this season was only the second time he had netted in his last six league appearances.
Haaland’s 75th league goal since joining City in 2022 was almost followed by the 76th moments later, his low drive repelled by Verbruggen at the near post.
Kovacic’s long-range volley forced another good stop from the increasingly over-worked Verbruggen.
But City fatally dropped their intensity just before half time, allowing Fabian Hurzeler’s side to gain a foothold.
Brighton’s Cameroonian midfielder #20 Carlos Baleba (2R) celebrates on the pitch.Source: AFP
Jack Hinshelwood wasted a golden opportunity to haul Brighton level early in the second half as his close-range header from Pervis Estupinan’s cross was palmed away by Ederson.
Ederson raced off his line to save at Kaoru Mitoma’s feet before Pedro scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Pedro made amends for that miss as the Brazilian punished woeful City defending to equalise with 12 minutes left.
Mitoma was given too much space for a pass into Welbeck in the six-yard box. Rico Lewis’s block-tackle stopped Welbeck shooting but Josko Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes didn’t clear the danger, allowing Pedro to pounce with a close-range strike.
Guardiola slumped into his seat but there was worse to come for the City boss in the 83rd minute.
Pedro slipped his pass through City’s leaky defence and O’Riley timed his run perfectly to clip a composed finish past Ederson from 10 yards to leave the champions in turmoil.
RESULTS
Brentford 3 (Wissa 27, 58, Damsgaard 50) Bournemouth 2 (Evanilson 17, Kluivert 49) Brighton 2 (Pedro 78, O’Riley 83) Manchester City 1 (Haaland 23) Crystal Palace 0 Fulham 2 (Smith Rowe 45+2, Wilson 83) West Ham 0 Everton 0 Wolves 2 (Sarabia 2, Cunha 51) Southampton 0
Ange Postecoglou did not hold back in his post-match assessment of Tottenham’s second half capitulation at Brighton as he labelled the 3-2 Premier League loss “probably the worst defeat since I’ve been here”.
The Australian’s side were flying high when Brennan Johnson banged home his sixth goal in six games in the 23rd minute before midfielder James Maddison gave Spurs a second goal in the 37th minute to ensure they headed to half time with a two-goal advantage.
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But after the break, the momentum Tottenham gained from the first half as well as from winning their last five matches across all competitions evaporated.
Brighton produced a breathtaking burst with goals from Yankuba Minteh (48th minute), Georginio Rutter (58th minute) and Danny Welbeck (66th minute) coming in just 18 minutes to snatch the three points and leave Postecoglou seething.
“It was disappointing, and I’m absolutely gutted with that,” he said.
“It’s an unacceptable second half – we were nowhere near where we should be. Maybe we got carried away with how we’re going.
“We kind of accepted our fate and it’s hard to understand as we’ve not done that while I’ve been here. We usually fight for everything, and when you don’t you pay a price.”
What was most perhaps most frustrating for Postecoglou was that Welbeck’s match winner came with 24 minutes of regular time left on the clock.
Tottenham had ample time to hit back but never looked like doing so, and the manager suggested that possibly his players got ahead of themselves following their recent run of form.
“Maybe things were travelling too smoothly. Football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself and that’s what it looked like in the second half,” Postecoglou said.
“It’s a terrible loss for us, as bad as it gets, and there’s only one way to fix it and that’s my responsibility.
“We lost all our duels, we weren’t competitive and if you’re not competitive irrespective of what you do tactically, it is not going to work.”
The second half meltdown also created unwanted history for Tottenham.
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It was the first time they lost a Premier League game after being 2-0 up since they went down to champions Manchester City 4-2 at Etihad Stadium in January last year, and it is the 10th time in Premier League history that they have done so.
They have coughed up that advantage on at least three more occasions than other side in Premier League history, and without sharing exactly what was said, Postecoglou made it clear that he hit his players between the eyes with his post-match address.
“Yeah, feedback is always what I believe (in),” he said. “I don’t hide things. I’m sure the players are disappointed, but I don’t really care about that. They should be disappointed. Our supporters are disappointed, I’m disappointed.
“I want them to understand football is not losing a game of football, that happens. The disappointment comes from us not going the very basics of what’s expected at the highest level from a competitive standpoint.
“They all go on international duty, the majority of them. They will process it individually and I will process it when everyone get back.
“We’ve conceded before, but it is how you react, and our reaction wasn’t what it should be.
“It’s a bad day for us and when it’s a bad day the responsibility falls at my feet.”
Tottenham missed their opportunity to go sixth on the Premier League, they now sit ninth with three wins, a draw and three losses from seven matches to start the campaign which leaves them eight points behind league leaders Liverpool.
The 2023-24 summer transfer window has drawn to a close, with some clubs nailing their business while others have fallen well short of the mark as financial regulations heavily influence the Premier League’s spending habits.
Unlike windows of the past, where the Premier League attracted some of the biggest names in Europe, this year has felt a little different, with clubs focused more on ensuring safer financial practice as opposed to nailing their big money signings.
We saw less deals akin to the ones that brought Erling Haaland to Manchester City and Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea in recent seasons, and more like Elliot Anderson’s to Nottingham Forest and Conor Gallagher’s to Atletico Madrid: transfers done to appease accountants more than managers.
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The strict Premier League crackdown on its Profit and Sustainability rules in recent seasons, exemplified by Everton and Forest’s respective points deductions, appear to have frightened clubs.
This was highlighted in the 10 days preceding the June 30 accounting deadline when six clubs – Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester – sold 15 players for a grand total of £323 million ($631.8 million AUD) in a late attempt to meet PSR requirements.
According to a report from The Athletic, those 15 deals accounted for 16% of the Premier League’s spending this window, with some of those clubs enacting creative accounting to ensure their books comply and a costly points deduction is avoided.
Though this did not slow Premier League spending, with 14 clubs parting with over $150 million on players during the window, but did create a strange spending environment that will surely become a mainstay in the coming seasons.
Changed spending conditions have coincided with changing spending habits, which have been on show throughout the window and go in part to explaining the business of some sides.
The average age of the league’s 10 most expensive signings this season is 23.3 years old, highlighting how clubs are targeting younger players with high potential and resale value, as opposed to proven products in the prime of their careers.
Foxsports.com.au rates every Premier League team’s summer dealings in our Transfer Report Card!
Arsenal
Biggest signing: Riccardo Calafiori ($81.3m from Bologna)
Total spend: $186.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m to Fulham)
Total income: $161.4 million (AUD)
Having finished second last season, Mikel Arteta’s side needed a strong transfer window to strengthen their side and solidify their title push. They did just that.
Riccardo Calafiori arrives after a strong season with Bologna and a good Euros campaign with Italy to strengthen one of Arsenal’s problem areas last season – left back, with the Italian’s ability to seamlessly invert into midfield key to Arteta’s tactical shape. Mikel Merino provides midfield strength, and allows Arsenal to push Declan Rice into a deeper role whenever required, while the move to permanently sign David Raya, and sell Aaron Ramsdale, cleared up one of the biggest clouds over the club’s 2023-24 season.
Raheem Sterling’s deadline day arrival from Chelsea is a great move, providing cover on both wings as well as title-winning experience. If Arteta can get the Englishman to perform at his best, like he did when the pair were at Manchester City, it’ll provide Arsenal with an additional goal scoring threat this season and afford Bukayo Saka a chance to rest his legs after an intense year.
Fighting off interest in Leandro Trossard from the Saudi Pro League is shrewd too given the Belgian’s impact off the bench and versatility, which will come in handy given Gabriel Jesus’ recent injury record.
Crucially in modern football the sales of Emlie Smith-Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, which will appear as pure profit on the club’s books, ensure they remain compliant with the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.
Where some feel Arsenal’s window missed the mark is their failure to bring a world class No.9 in, with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney but avoided for various reasons. Arteta has faith in Kai Havertz, who scored eight goals in 13 games as striker last season, with Trossard, Jesus and Sterling as cover.
Grade: B+
Arsenal’s Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori challenges for the ball with Brighton’s Paraguayan attacker Julio Enciso during a English Premier League match between the Emirates Stadium.Source: AFP
Aston Villa
Biggest signing: Amadou Onana ($96.8m from Everton)
Total spend: $295.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Diaby ($97.7m to Al-Itthad)
Total income: $271.2 million (AUD)
Villa were dealt a massive blow this window in losing Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz, two of their strongest performers last season.
The club signed Belgian holding midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton, with the 23-year-old already hitting the ground running by scoring twice in his first three games. Onana adds size, power and strong ball-winning skills to Villa’s midfield, though lacks the passing range and set-piece threat of Luiz.
Not to worry Villa fans, given the club already possesses Youri Tielemans, one of the Premier League’s strongest passers and a set piece specialist to rival the best of them.
Ian Maatsen, who was key in Dortmund’s run to last season’s Champions League final, gives good depth at left back, though there are concerns about the drop off between right back Matty Cash and his understudy, particularly with injuries in central defence not allowing Ezri Konsa to shuffle across.
Diaby’s loss is massive, even if the Frenchman’s performances tailed off at the end of last season, but Unai Emery already has the pieces to compensate for his departure.
Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barenechea, both signed from Juventus as part of the deal to send Luiz the other way, are young and unproven but could become integral cogs in the Villa machine once they return from their respective loans.
Villa haven’t just signed Ross Barkley is an underrated piece of business. The former Chelsea man provides Emery with experience and brilliant midfield cover following an impressive Premier League season with Luton Town.
Omari Kellyman, Tim Iroegbunam and Cameron Archer’s sales will go towards balancing the club’s books, even if the latter was re-signed from Sheffield United before being sold to Southampton, while Philippe Coutinho’s loan move to Vasco da Gama lightens the club’s wage bill.
Grade: B
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: New signing Ian Maatsen acknowledges Aston Villa fans after the team’s victory against West Ham United FC (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth
Biggest signing: Evanilson ($61.3m from Porto)
Total spend: $172.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Dominic Solanke ($106m to Tottenham Hotspur)
Total income: $110.3 million (AUD)
There was no more important player to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side last season than striker Dominic Solanke, who finished the campaign with 19 goals and three assists.
Brazilian striker Evanilson joins for a club-record fee having scored 13 Portuguese league goals last season for 3rd placed Porto.
An unknown quantity in England, Evanilson has all the makings of a well-rounded striker and joins a side that had more shot creating actions last season than Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, though it will be hard for the striker to have link up play as exceptional as Solanke.
First-choice goalkeeper Neto joins Arsenal on loan, with Kepa arriving from Chelsea to replace the Brazilian, marking a significant downgrade in the club’s goalkeeping ranks. The Spaniard is a gamble for Iraola’s side given his failure to set the Premier League alight, weak shot stopping and shortcomings when competing for crosses.
19-year-old Spanish-Dutch defender Dean Huijsen has all the makings of a serious transfer coup, with multi-Premier League winning manager Jose Mourinho once describing the centre back as “one of the highest-quality prospects in European football at this age level.”
Grade: C-
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 25: AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson during the club’s Premier League match against Newcastle United. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Brentford
Biggest signing: Igor Thiago ($58m from Club Brugge)
Total spend: $169.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Ivan Toney ($77.4m to Al-Ahli)
Total income: $129.7 million (AUD)
Sometimes a transfer window is less about what you gain and more about what you lose.
In letting Ivan Toney walk, Brentford offloaded a player who evidently did not want to be at the club for some time, at a significant fee that allowed them to invest in the future of their club by bringing several talented youngsters in, such as Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Gustavo Nunes.
Not only does Toney’s transfer have significant financial benefits for the Bees, but it should also create a harmonised Brentford squad this season.
Igor Thiago was signed as Toney’s replacement after 29 goals in the Belgian league last season but is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa have led Frank’s line brilliantly to begin the season, with the club’s ability to hold on the latter arguably their most important piece of business.
Keep an eye on teenage left back Jayden Meghoma, viewed by many good judges as one of England’s brightest young prospects. Injuries could pave the way for the flyer to break into Thomas Frank’s side at left back at some point this season.
Grade: B
Brighton
Biggest signing: Georginio Rutter ($77.4m from Leeds United)
Total spend: $381.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Deniz Undav ($49.7m to VFB Stuttgart)
Total income: $90.4 million (AUD)
Only Chelsea spent more money than Brighton, which comes as a surprise given the South Coast club’s highly successful ‘moneyball’ style tactics in recent years.
Those tactics are still at play, with the club not splashing huge cash on a big name signing this summer. Instead, they’ve picked up several highly promising footballers who add to 31-year-old coach Fabian Hurzeler’s squad.
Georginio Rutter, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer, Ferdi Kadioglu and Brajan Gruda all have the makings of quintessential Brighton signings and will no doubt be sold for triple their purchase price in 18 months.
Over the opening three games of the season, fresh faced winger Yankuba Minteh has been incredibly impressive, playing with little fear and plenty of creativity and drive, frightening opposition left backs with his relentless attack.
Billy Gilmour’s deadline day move to Napoli weakens the club’s holding midfield stocks, which took a hit earlier in the window with Pascal Gross’ departure to Dortmund. Hurzeler has said as much in recent days, noting the club “don’t have enough players at (No.) six.”
Grade: B
Right winger Yankuba Minteh during Brighton’s Premier League win against Everton. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Chelsea
Biggest signing: Pedro Neto ($104.6m from Wolves)
Total spend: $400.6 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Conor Gallagher ($65.9m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $303 million (AUD)
Deep breath in. And another. 11 players arrived at Stamford Bridge over the summer, bloating Enzo Maresca’s first team squad out to a whopping 30, with a further 12 out on loan.
“You want to ask about where Joao Felix is going to play, I’ve got another question – where’s he going to get changed at the training ground?” Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher questioned.
“How are all these players in one dressing room? How are you putting on a training session?”
The Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling sagas were sour, and typified the current Chelsea regimes cold, and seemingly senseless, approach to business, but the deals to offload Ian Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson were savvy moves that will go towards balancing the club’s books.
In amongst the madness of moving on Sterling and Gallagher, uncertainty around Trevoh Chalobah’s future, the lack of resolution around Ben Chilwell’s situation, and signing three left wingers, there is some small semblance of method.
Chelsea have made their intentions clear with their business; they are backing Maresca in the market and signing players whose profile fits his needs.
There is little risk to the Jadon Sancho deal, while Joao Felix’s signing could be viewed differently if the Portuguese star hits the heights expected of him when he burst onto the scene six years ago.
And yet, despite these faint glimmers of hope there is still the overwhelming sense of restlessness at the Bridge, not only given the way the club has conducted business this summer, and the enormous squad size, but also given the club spent more money than any other Premier League side while failing to address their widely perceived problem area: striker.
Toney and Osimhen were both on the table, though moves for either failed to materialise, with finances key to this. A lack of depth in holding midfield remains a concern for Maresca with Romeo Lavia’s injury history meaning the club are a Moises Caicedo injury away from a near unpluggable hole in their midfield.
Grade: B-
New signing Jadon Sancho is presented to the Chelsea fans before his side’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crystal Palace
Biggest signing: Eddie Nketiah ($48.3m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $130.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Michael Olise ($87m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $174 million (AUD)
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace shocked the Premier League at the back end of last season, winning six of their last seven from 14th to 10th.
The pre-season expectation was for them to build on this, even with Michael Olise’s big money move to Bayern Munich removing one of the stars of last season from the fold.
Joachim Andersen left for Fulham not long after, and things could’ve gone from bad to worse if Newcastle’s aggressive pursuit of captain Marc Guehi paid off.
It didn’t, and Palace’s defence was stronger for it. Trevoh Chalobah arrived on loan from Chelsea, while the promising French Maxence Lacroix joined from Wolfsburg, further strengthening Glasner’s backline.
Japanese international Daicha Kamada and Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr strengthen his frontline, so too does the signing of Eddie Nketiah – who just feels like a Crystal Palace player.
While they’re yet to reap the rewards on the field, Palace have had one of the better windows in the Premier League, defined not so much by who they brought in as much as who they didn’t lose – Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton.
Grade: B+
Everton
Biggest signing: Jake O’Brien ($33m from Lyon)
Total spend: $83 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Amadou Onana ($96.8m to Aston Villa)
Total income: $133.6 million (AUD)
Much like Palace, Everton’s best bit of business in the summer window was not allowing their most important defensive cog to leave the club.
That Jarrad Branthwaite remained at Everton is a massive win for Sean Dyche, even if the defender has missed the opening games of the season through injury.
The 22-year-old was ranked sixth for clearances and seventh for interceptions last season and was a key reason behind Everton keeping 13 clean sheets, second only to Arsenal.
However, the Toffees lost Amadou Onana to Everton, denting their midfield stocks for perhaps the most important Premier League campaign in the club’s recent memory.
Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom headline a suite of creative signings that have their work cut out for them in trying to inspire a side that scored just 40 goals last season.
There’s no doubting Everton have made some smart additions. Whether they’ll be what’s needed to keep them away from the relegation fight is a question only time has the answer for.
Grade: D+
Amadou Onana traded Everton for Aston Villa this transfer window. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fulham
Biggest signing: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $173.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Joao Palhinha ($81.9m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $112.9 million (AUD)
One of the smaller Premier League clubs who executed a smart summer window that leaves their squad stronger this year than when it ended last season.
Of course Joao Palhinha’s departure to Bayern Munich leaves a massive hole in Marco Silva’s midfield – no player made more than his 152 tackles last season. Not signing a replacement may come back to bite them, though Harrison Reed, Sasa Lukic and new signing Sander Berge are more than capable in that role.
At the back Joachim Andersen rejoins from Palace, softening Tosin Adarabioyo’s departure, while Jorge Cuenca offers Silva an additional left footed centre back following Tim Ream’s departure.
In attack, Fulham’s have invested plenty in Emile Smith Rowe, a brilliant attacking talent who’s been stifled by injuries and falling out of Mikel Arteta’s favour in recent years. The winger/attacking midfielder has hit the ground running, scoring in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Leicester City, and could be viewed as a bargain in coming seasons if he can match, or exceed, the 10 goals he scored for the Gunners in 2021-22.
Reiss Nelson provides depth out wide following Willian’s departure for Olympiakos and could potentially push Alex Iwobi into a central midfield role he excelled at for Everton a few seasons ago.
While their business hasn’t set the world alight, it’s quietly done what it’s needed to do: make up for their outgoings and strengthen where possible.
Grade: B-
Fulham attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe joined the club this summer for $65.8 million from Arsenal. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ipswich Town
Biggest signing: Omari Hutchinson ($42.6m from Chelsea)
Total spend: $205 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: George Edmundon (loan to Middlesbrough)
Total income: N/A
Only two players contributed more than Omari Hutchinson’s 16 goals in Ipswich’s promotion campaign last season. A deal to bring the England youth international back to the club is massive towards their bid to stay up, with the attacking midfielder showing lots of promise in the season’s opening games.
Jack Clarke, Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap all have the potential to be great signings, especially for the price tag they were collected at, and could all benefit from Kieran McKenna’s brilliant management, while signing last season’s Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics for just over $17 million is smart business.
This quartet are good enough to cut it in the Premier League, but also have the added benefit that, in the event of relegation, Ipswich can extract a high resale value or utilise their talents to earn promotion back to the top flight.
The deal to bring Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City has rocks or diamonds potential. At his best Phillips is a brilliant defensive midfielder with an exceptional passing range and wonderful ability to bait and beat opposition presses. At his worst he is injury riddled, just ask Manchester City, and error-laden, just ask West Ham.
Ipswich will be praying he’s more of the former, especially considering the 28-year-old’s experience keeping freshly promoted sides in the Premier League.
Grade: C
Omari Hutchinson during Ipswich’s Premier League match against Liverpool FC. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Leicester City
Biggest signing: Bilal El Khannouss ($38.7m from Genk)
Total spend: $153.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ($58.1m to Chelsea)
Total income: $58.1 million (AUD)
A few seasons ago the Foxes had a reputation as one of the savviest market operators in Europe. Deals for N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Wesley Fofana and Ricardo Pereira were struck with little interjection from other clubs and to great benefit for Leicester.
Relegation zapped that reputation. And while it will be hard to replicate their previous market success there are at least several positives to take from Leicester’s transfer window.
Bilal El Khannouss arrives from Genk as the Belgian league’s Young Player of the Season and an Olympic Bronze medallist who was involved in nine goals last season. The Moroccan’s stats may fail to flatter, but he’s a highly technical and intelligent footballer who glides across the park and could provide some necessary creative spark.
That creative spark takes on greater importance without Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the attacking lynchpin around which the club won promotion last season. Dewsbury-Hall’s move to join Enzo Maresca is the club’s only major outgoing – a big plus in their bid to keep their top-flight status intact.
Dewsbury-Hall’s is also major for Leicester given the fee he collected will register as pure profit on the clubs’ books, an important factor given they had significant financial restraints throughout the window.
Elsewhere, Oliver Skipp is a reliable Premier League footballer signed at a good price, while making Abdul Fatawu’s loan permanent is savvy too. Both will be crucial for Steve Cooper this season.
Where their window fell short is really strengthening at striker, especially considering Jamie Vardy’s age and recent injury history and the departure of Kelechi Iheanacho to Sevilla.
Odsonne Edouard has Premier League experience, and was once a prolific goalscorer at Celtic, yet found the net just 21 times in his 103 Palace games. Given the importance of reliable goalscoring in staving off relegation.
Grade: C
Liverpool
Biggest signing: Federico Chiesa ($19.4m from Juventus)
Total spend: $19.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Fabio Carvalho ($43.7m to Brentford)
Total income: $102.6 million (AUD)
This summer always loomed as the end of an era at Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s time at the club had drawn to a close, with Dutchman Arne Slot taking the reins of Anfield.
Immense change was expected, with new personnel viewed as a guarantee in order to assist Slot’s transition in the Liverpool managerial role.
Yet, for much of the window Liverpool were the only club in Europe’s top five leagues to have not signed a single player. That was until Giori Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia before being immediately loaned back to Spain, while a bargain move for Federico Chiesa is as risky as it is promising given the Italian’s recent injury history.
Their lack of market activity has not significantly impacted Liverpool, who have begun the season brilliantly.
Even more impressive is the club’s failure to panic once Martin Zubimendi informed them he would remain at Real Sociedad. The Spaniard, who impressed in the Euro final, was billed as the No.6 the Reds desperately needed, with many doubting who would be shoehorned into the role in his place.
Enter Ryan Gravenberch, who has done so seamlessly, bringing a unique profile into the defensive midfield role and justifying Liverpool’s lack of panic in the market.
Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Bobby Clark all left for good deals given their experience, while Stefan Bajcetic’s loan to RB Salzburg will be beneficial to the club in the coming seasons.
Thiago retired and Joel Matip was released, with the club opting not to dip into the market to replace the experienced Cameroonian centre half. A move for Frenchman Castello Lukeba never materialised, meaning the club only have four recognised central defenders, which could prove their Achilles heel down the line.
Liverpool great Jamie Carragher believes the club “are still short – not in terms of numbers but maybe in terms of quality – at centre-back and in holding midfield,” though credited them for not panic buying, which rarely ever works.
Grade: C+
(FILES) Liverpool new signing Federico Chiesa celebrates scoring a goal for Juventus. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)Source: AFP
Manchester City
Biggest signing: Ilkay Gundogan (Free from FC Barcelona)
Total spend: $40.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Julian Alvarez ($125m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $264.6 million (AUD)
When Julian Alvarez traded Manchester for the warmth of Madrid and the intensity of Diego Simeone, there was a sense that this may be the season City finally trips up.
At times filling in for both Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, the Argentine World Cup winner played the fifth most minutes for Pep in the Premier League last season, scoring 11 and creating eight.
Where exactly would City find a player capable of filling in for both their striker and chief creator? The answer, it seems, had been hiding in plain sight.
Released from the final two years of his Barcelona contract, former City captain Ilkay Gundogan has been deployed as a false nine many times for Guardiola but is naturally a brilliant creative midfielder. There is arguably no better Alvarez replacement in world football.
The German headlines a quiet summer of incomings for City, which includes tricky Brazilian winger Savinho – who joined from Girona and has already shown what a delight he is with the ball at his feet. Both are smart additions that boost an already exceptional squad.
Even still, City enter the campaign without a recognised back up striker on their books.
For any other side this would be deeply concerning. For City, it’s a problem, given Haaland’s relatively good injury record, without yet being a major issue, yet.
Pep noted as much, stating the club’s choice not to replace Alvarez could be a “problem” that may turn into a “mistake” but believes the club have enough players in house who can fill in for Haaland, including Gundogan, Phil Foden and youngsters James McAtee and Oscar Bobb.
Where City were smart this window is their ability to offload unwanted, but talented, academy products for strong fees that allow them to clean their books.
Liam Delap, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle all permanently moved away from the Etihad. Offloading Joao Cancelo’s contract from the club’s books can also not be understated.
Grade: B-
lkay Gundogan re-joined Manchester City from FC Barcelona on a free transfer this summer. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Manchester United
Biggest signing: Lenny Yoro ($101.4m from LOSC Lille)
Total spend: $354.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Scott McTominay ($49.9m to Napoli)
Total income: $164.5 million (AUD)
As has been the case for the last decade, it’s incredibly hard to get a read on whether or not United’s transfer window has been good.
On paper they’ve brought in good players. Lenny Yoro has massive wraps on him and may just be the best centre back at his age group, Joshua Zirkzee is a unicorn of a striker as capable of dropping deep and creative as many attacking midfielders, and Manuel Ugarte appears the kind of no-nonsense midfield anchor they’ve been crying out for.
Matthijs De Ligt was once Europe’s finest young centre half but has failed to impress at two of the continent’s biggest clubs. He arrives with a major question mark. While at just over $25 million, Noussair Mazraoui has all the makings of a bargain.
And yet there is an element of groundhog day about this window. United have had good windows in the past. Remember 2021, When the club signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo? Or 2022, when Casemiro, Antony and Lisandro Martinez arrived at Old Trafford? Or last year, when Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund joined?
All of these windows were rightly perceived as great windows on face value of the signings. And the same can be said for this window. All of United’s deals look good on paper, but that matters for very little if the club’s form doesn’t turn around.
Where United, and their restructured footballing ownership, deserve credit is offloading Mason Greenwood to Marseille, clearing the club of the winger’s baggage. Allowing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to move to West Ham is also smart given he doesn’t fit the profile of an Erik Ten Hag fullback.
At nearly $50 million, the club would have been foolish to reject Napoli’s offer for Scott McTominay, though his passion and versatility could well be missed dearly.
Grade: B-
Manchester United’s new signings (L to R) Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro (using crutches due to a metatarsal injury), Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui acknowledge the fans prior to United’s clash with Fulham. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Newcastle United
Biggest signing: Lewis Hall ($54.6 million from Chelsea – loan move made permanent)
Total spend: $74.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million to Nottingham Forest)
Total income: $132.8 million (AUD)
Arguably no Premier League club had their hands tied behind their back by financial constraints more than Newcastle United.
Manager Eddie Howe described it as “challenging,” before sharing his hopes the club’s minimal business helps them strengthen in future windows.
Out went Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, both of whom would have pushed for a place in Howe’s squad, and potentially starting XI, with Anderson’s move to Forest facilitated purely for financial reasons.
The club’s financial constraints meant they were limited in their ability to dip into the transfer market, with Lewis Hall’s loan move being made permanent and William Osula’s signing the only two the club splashed cash on.
Lloyd Kelly adds much-needed defensive depth, and will be a valuable squad player once everyone is fit, but is hardly a signing to set the world alight.
It would be harsh to judge Newcastle’s incomings too severely due to the club’s financial constraints, though questions need to be asked about their failed pursuit of Palace centre back Marc Guehi, as well as their inability to offload Kieran Trippier – who begins the season as Howe’s right back deputy.
Clearly the money was there, just not used in ways that strengthen the players at Howe’s disposal. What did strengthen Howe’s side was keeping Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, which is about the only commendable business Newcastle conducted.
At best, Newcastle will reflect on this window as one that boosted their squad and brought in two fine young talents. At worst, it will be seen as a failure that failed to achieve anything other than balance the club’s books.
Grade: D+
Nottingham Forest
Biggest signing: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million from Newcastle United)
Total spend: $175 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Niakhate ($52.8 million to Lyon)
Total income: $88.9 million (AUD)
Dare we say it… did Forest have a strong transfer window?
Considering the club have had an even more scattergun approach to transfers in recent years than even Chelsea, their activity was measured, geared towards strengthening Nuno’s squad as opposed to signing as many players as possible.
Elliot Anderson is a wonderful footballer, Nikola Milenkovic has been impressive in recent seasons for Fiorentina, Jota Silva has massive wraps as an elusive winger with goal scoring nous, while James Ward-Prowse’s loan adds depth, experience and set piece threat to Nuno’s midfield.
Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga remain at the City ground, highlighting how their astute incomings came without expensive outgoings.
Given the club targeted seven goalkeepers throughout last season, and current No.1 Matz Sels had the lowest save percentage (57.4%) of all 25 goalkeepers in the Premier League last season, not bringing in a new goalkeeper is the one glaring negative against Forest’s window.
The club lagged in their attempt to sign Aaron Ramsdale, who joined Southampton instead, saw their advances for Neto knocked back, missed out on Sam Johnstone to Wolves, failed in their attempt to bring French international Brice Samba back to the club and were unwilling to meet Liverpool’s valuation for Ireland international Caoimhim Kelleher.
Another clear area the club were attempting to strengthen but failed to do is up front, with their pursuits of Eddie Nketiah, Yoane Wissa, Omar Marmoush, Evanilson and Santiago Gimenez all ending in nothing.
While this is disappointing for Forest fans, their manager reportedly has no qualms with Sels as first choice keeper, while New Zealand international Chris Wood has begun the season in red-hot scoring form.
What isn’t disappointing for Forest fans is the fact their club didn’t panic buy when missing out on their targets and instead stuck the course with what they had and trusted Nuno to get the best out of them.
Grade: B-
Elliot Anderson joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle just before the June 30 PSR deadline. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Southampton
Biggest signing: Aaron Ramsdale ($35.2 million from Arsenal)
Total spend: $205.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Carlos Alcaraz ($29.7 million to Flamengo)
Total income: $82.5 million (AUD)
For much of the window, Southampton seemed to sign players with one eye on remaining in the Premier League and another on gaining promotion in the event they’re relegated this season.
Given last season’s promoted contingent – Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United – all went straight back down at the end of 2023-24, this business approach is as smart as it is sad.
Aaron Ramsdale’s signing late in the window shows the hunger is there for Russell Martin’s side. He headlines a savvy window for the Saints, who also made Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes’ loan moves permanent, while Ben Brereton-Diaz should add goals.
Goals will be a problem for Southampton this season given Adam Armstrong’s never scored more than two Premier League goals in a single season, and Brereton-Diaz has the potential to provide a threat upfront after scoring six times in 14 Premier League games on loan at Sheffield United last season.
There is hope Cameron Archer can blossom into a reliable Premier League striker, which is why the Saints paid Villa $29 million for his services, even if he’s scored more than 10 goals in a season once in his career.
At the very least, should Southampton fail to find the goals they’ll need to survive, their signings this window have a high enough ceiling to serve them well in the coming years.
Grade: C-
Ange bullish wins will come soon | 00:25
Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest signing: Dominic Solanke ($107m from Bournemouth)
Total spend: $234.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Oliver Skipp ($39 million to Leicester City)
Total income: $114.6 million (AUD)
12 months after Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich, Spurs have finally landed on their replacement for the England captain.
In Dominic Solanke, Ange Postecoglou has a striker moulded similarly to Kane as you can get on the market. A career-high 19 goal haul last season is the headline figure for the former Bournemouth man, but his link up play and ability to drag opponents out of position and bring teammates into play is among the best in Europe.
An early injury setback following a disappointing debut has soured the early weeks of Solanke’s time at Spurs but Postecoglou has made it no secret that he feels the 26-year-old will succeed at the club.
“He is a presence and scores different types of goals. I think the way we play suits him,” the Spurs coach said.
Elsewhere, the club brought in Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall in, all three of whom are fine young footballers with the potential to grow into exceptional players around which Spurs’ side can be constructed.
18-year-old Gray in particular marks a significant transfer coup, with the 2023-24 Championship Young Player of the Season already a fine holding midfielder, and capable right back, who was highly-rated by former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Last season, Gray led Leeds in tackles, was ranked third in tackles and won possession back more often than just about anyone at the club.
Away from new signings, Spurs were able to offload several high-wage, low performance players, namely Tanguy Nbombele, and find new homes for footballers who don’t suit Postecoglou’s style, such as Eric Dier, Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
For his part, the Australian described the club’s activity as a “real positive” but noted there were shortcomings with their activity.
“We know there’s still some areas where I look at squad management and we can improve. Again, it’s got to be the right person, the right player and right person,” Postecoglou said, before hinting at potential reinforcements joining the club in January.
One area the club are undoubtedly assessing depth options for is defence. Last season, Spurs’ campaign was derailed by injuries and suspensions to Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie.
At present, Spurs have just four centre backs on their books, with one of those being Ben Davies – who began his career at left back. Depth in this area is a must if Spurs are to blossom in the coming seasons, with a potential January defensive signing on the cards, one in a similar mould to Radu Dragusin.
Grade: B
Spurs record signing Dominic Solanke joined Spurs from Bournemouth during the summer window for $107 million. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
West Ham
Biggest signing: Max Kilman ($78.2 million from Wolves)
Total spend: $247.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Flynn Downes ($35.2 million to Southampton)
Total income: $81 million (AUD)
It’s almost impossible to ignore West Ham’s business and suggest the club aren’t the winners of this year’s summer transfer window.
And the fact they’re the winners is not because they’ve signed a lot of players (nine). If that were the case Chelsea would’ve won by many country miles.
No, it’s the type of players the Hammers have brought in. Good players, with a clear place in the squad, that add value to Julen Lopetegui’s side while coming at largely affordable prices.
Picking up Max Kilman from Wolves is such astute business; only three players made more clearances last season and only four won a higher percentage of their tackles.
He is one of several defence reinforcements joining the Hammers, alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’s defensive excellence compensates for his offensive limitations, and Jean-Clair Todibo, who joins on a loan with an obligation to buy.
Given the two-time French international was on the radar of many clubs, including Manchester United, West Ham’s ability to sign him represents a significant transfer coup.
Last season’s Championship Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville bolsters an already stacked attack line. The Dutchman’s importance could grow depending on the outcome of an FA investigation into Lucas Paqueta’s potential betting breaches.
Spanish international Carlos Soler and Argentinian midfielder Guido Rodriguez provide depth to Lopetegui’s midfield too, especially with James Ward-Prowse’s loan to Forest.
West Ham’s smart signings have been counteracted with necessary outgoings, including Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer, Maxwel Cornet and Nayef Aguerd, all of whom had rather forgettable spells with the Hammers.
Grade: A+
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Biggest signing: Andre ($41 million from Fluminese)
Total spend: $120.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Pedro Neto ($104.6m to Chelsea)
Total income: $192 million (AUD)
Club captain, gone.
Best player, gone.
Fair to say, it hasn’t been the best window for Gary O’Neil’s Wolves. Max Kilman left for West Ham and Pedro Neto for Chelsea, significantly weakening the manager’s defensive and creative options.
“Those guys, we need to replace them,” O’Neil told Sky Sports. That they didn’t could prove damning for the club, even if they have faith in the in-house options they have to make up for their two big losses.
Andre, signed from Fluminese, shapes as smart business, with the ball-winning midfielder a wild success in his homeland. He adds to a strong midfield contingent at the club.
Tommy Doyle’s return is positive after he impressed on loan last season, with Jorgen Strand Larsen has already shown his immense presence up top.
Sam Johnstone is a fine goalkeeper, but is he better than Jose Sa? While question marks remain about the rest of the clubs’ signings, many of whom have high ceilings while lacking Premier League experience.
Speaking to Sky Sports, O’Neil indicated earlier in the window that the club needed to look at bringing in players capable of helping them win now.
“Recruitment has been asset-driven and we are hopeful that we can balance that slightly, to get some that are Premier League ready,” he said.
For the large part the club didn’t, and if their start to the season is anything to go by that strategy will do more short term harm than long-term good.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has added two A-League alumni to his staff, with former Central Coast Mariners duo Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo joining as assistant coaches.
Montgomery and Raimundo were the architects of the Mariners’ thrilling A-League resurgence as head coach and assistant respectively.
The duo guided the Central Coast to the championship in 2022/23 thanks to a 6-1 mauling of Melbourne City in the grand final, the club’s first title since 2013.
However, Montgomery and Raimundo departed before the 23/24 season for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.
Unfortunately the pair’s time in Edinburgh lasted just eight months after Montgomery was sacked having failed to record a top-half finish.
In a club statement, Postecoglou revealed his excitement at bringing the duo onto his staff at Tottenham.
“Both Nick and Sergio have a wealth of coaching experience over a number of years,” Postecoglou said.
“They have already demonstrated a strong desire to both develop young talent and implement a football style that I believe will further strengthen the environment we have established. I’m looking forward to working with them.”
Nick Montgomery has been appointed as an assistant coach at Tottenham. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Montgomery and Raimundo join a coaching staff that includes former Mariners skipper and Australian great Mile Jedinak along with Ryan Mason and Rob Burch.
Matt Wells has also been promoted to senior assistant coach after Chris Davies was appointed League One side Birmingham City’s manager.
With Montgomery and Raimundo working under Postecoglou, it means the Australian’s coaching tree grows even more and continues his trend of giving Aussie and A-League coaches a platform to progress.
Harry Kewell spent time as an assistant under Postecoglou at Celtic and now manages Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan while Kevin Muscat, now at Shanghai Port in China, worked with the Tottenham boss during his stint at Melbourne Victory.
Tottenham kick off their 24/25 Premier League season with a trip to newly-promoted Leicester City on August 20 (AEST).
When Ange Postecoglou sat down for his first press conference as Tottenham manager last July, he revealed his vision for his new team.
Aside from being “successful”, Postecoglou wanted Tottenham “to be an aggressive team, a dominant team, a team who takes the game to every opposition home and away”.
With Postecoglou’s debut season as a Premier League manager in the rear-view mirror, it’s hard to argue the Australian hasn’t delivered on his plan, especially the desire to show no fear against Spurs’ opponents.
However, the same pundits who lauded Postecoglou’s bravery and ingenuity for the style of play at the start seemed to turn on him just as quickly once results began to slide.
It was a predictable discourse and one Postecoglou has faced at almost every stop in his managerial career.
However, one game – and one specific moment – proved that no matter what the pundits said, the Australian would not waver from his beliefs.
This is how Postecoglou silenced the doubters, at least for now, and guided Tottenham back to the bright lights of European football, all without the club’s record goal scorer.
Postecoglou laid out his ambitions for Tottenham in his first press conference. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE REVEALS GREAT SPURS ‘HOPE AND DESIRE’ AMID GLARING $157M HOLE
Along with an outline of what he wanted from Tottenham during games, Postecoglou made it abundantly clear it would be no overnight transformation.
But, at the very least, he wanted fans to see the foundations for what was to come.
“We had a massive rebuild at Celtic but at the beginning, even though the results weren’t there, the supporters could see what we were trying to do and get behind us,” Postecoglou said.
“I don’t know whether it’s going to be a rocky start or a good start for us but my hope and desire and what I’m going to try to do is give supporters hope that we’re going to embark on something special.”
What made Postecoglou’s rebuild all the more difficult was the drawn-out transfer saga surrounding superstar striker Harry Kane.
In the 2022-23 campaign, Kane accounted for 43 per cent of Tottenham’s 70 league goals but he was so much more than just a goalscorer. Kane was Tottenham.
Kane left Tottenham to go to Bayern Munich. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Kane was sold to Bayern Munich for $157 million on the eve of Tottenham’s Premier League opener against Brentford, although Postecoglou insisted he planned for the superstar’s exit.
It’s impossible to replace Kane directly, so Postecoglou opted to upgrade several positions across the squad prior to Kane’s departure.
Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro’s temporary deals became permanent while Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Mickey van de Ven and Brennan Johnson all arrived in the summer, with Johnson joining on deadline day.
With the loss of Kane coupled with the squad needing to adapt to Postecoglou’s methods, the Australian was reluctant to set any expectations for the season ahead, at least externally.
“Again, from the outset what’s important is that we try and establish some key principles of who we want to be first of all,” Postecoglou said.
Well, if Postecoglou didn’t want to vocalise any concrete goals, the stunning unbeaten run to start the season gave fans plenty of reason to dream.
Maddison was one of Postecoglou’s first signings. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
POP ICON GETS BEHIND ANGE AS SPURS DARE TO DREAM
In Postecoglou’s first season at Celtic, a draw and three losses in the first seven league games — including a defeat to bitter rivals Rangers — had some sections of the fanbase already doubting his credentials.
It was the complete opposite at Tottenham.
Postecoglou oversaw a pulsating 2-2 draw against Brentford to start and the results that followed led to a tidal wave of positivity and optimism from Spurs supporters.
Tottenham went on a staggering 10-game unbeaten run featuring victories over Manchester United and Liverpool, albeit the latter result was dripping in controversy as the Reds were wrongly denied a goal.
Not even bitter rivals Arsenal could stop Tottenham as the first north London derby of the season ended 2-2.
Yet the one game in this dizzying run that truly united the fan base was a 2-1 victory over lowly Sheffield United.
Tottenham celebrate after scoring a late, late winner to beat Sheffield United. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Blades looked set to escape north London with a highly valuable victory and were ahead as late as the 97th minute.
Just 180 seconds later, Kulusevski scored what proved to be the game winner as the stadium erupted in a chorus of joy.
Tottenham sat in first with 26 points from a possible 30, Postecoglou was constantly serenaded to the tune of Robbie Williams’ Angels — with the pop icon even signing the amended version himself — and fans dared to dream of what could be.
But Tottenham supporters were quickly brought crashing back to earth in the club’s 11th game of the season as a reporter’s prediction about how Postecoglou’s first season would unfold came true.
Postecoglou laps up the support from the adoring Tottenham fans. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW EERIE PREDICTION CAME TRUE AS LOSS SPARKS GREAT DEBATE
In early November, Tottenham welcomed a Chelsea team stuck in mid-table having won just three of their opening 10 games.
Postecoglou’s side began brightly as Kulusevski scored in the sixth minute and looked a threat every time they went forward against Chelsea’s fragile backline.
But the contest flipped on its head in the 33rd minute when Tottenham defender Cristian Romero got sent off and Cole Palmer buried the resulting penalty to equalise.
It went from bad to worse for Tottenham when star duo Van de Ven and Maddison were forced off with significant injuries just before half time.
If that wasn’t grim enough, Destiny Udogie’s second yellow in the 55th minute reduced the hosts to just nine men.
Much to the surprise of the wider football community — except those who have followed Postecoglou’s career closely — Tottenham refused to park their nine men behind the ball and continued to pour numbers forward in attack.
Yes, it meant Chelsea’s speedy wingers got behind Tottenham’s defensive line with ease, but it is not the Postecoglou way to simply roll over and accept defeat.
An iconic image emphasised how wedded Postecoglou is to his philosophy and also proved The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare correct in his pre-season prediction.
“I think there will be quite a tedious debate,” Eccleshare told The View From The Lane podcast in August.
“The way this will pan out is that Postecoglou will get a lot of plaudits early on because he plays attacking football.
“But there will come a point at which they lose badly to a team they’re expected to beat because they play in this certain way.
“There will be a lot of pundits saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m all for good football but there comes a time you’ve got to shut up shop. I don’t care who you are, you’ve got to show more respect to the opposition.’”
Despite going down to nine men, Postecoglou still used a high defensive line against Chelsea. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Those critical pundits came out swinging after the Chelsea defeat.
“I have to say, there was a bit of an arrogance about not changing it,” former Chelsea defender and talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy said, adding Postecoglou’s stubbornness was “naive”.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson was equally critical.
“I’d never seen anything like it,” Merson told Sky Sports.
“But Ange Postecoglou should have changed tactics. It was very easy. If that was Man City playing Tottenham, it would have been 10-1 at least.”
Even Tottenham legend and former England manager Glenn Hoddle was stunned at Postecoglou’s refusal to adapt.
“If Tottenham keeps playing that high, near the halfway line, then I think it’s footballing suicide with 10 men,” Hoddle told Premier League Productions during the halftime break.
“They had defenders in there that they’ve had it work, but it seems to me they haven’t changed their tactics. They’ve got to change.”
Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou was peppered with questions as to why he did not change his approach with nine men on the park.
“It is just who we are mate,” Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference.
“It is who we are and who we will be for as long as I am here. If we go down to five men, we will have a go.”
Only Postecoglou could have the ability to make Tottenham fans view a 4-1 defeat to a rival team through an optimistic lens.
However, the debate slowly turned against him as results became harder to come by in the second half of the season.
Postecoglou’s approach against Chelsea had pundits questioning his bold tactics. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE’S BRUTAL VERDICT AS ‘WORST EXPERIENCE’ LEAVES AUSSIE SEETHING
After the Chelsea defeat, Tottenham failed to win any of their next four games as Postecoglou grappled with a mounting injury list that exposed a worrying lack of depth, especially in defence.
Tottenham ultimately kept just one clean sheet from the Chelsea clash on November 6 through to the 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on March 10.
Conceding goals off of set pieces also proved to be problematic, with Tottenham shipping the fifth-most (16) throughout the season.
There were calls from the external world for Postecoglou to appoint a specialist set piece coach to combat the issue but the Aussie refused, insisting his assistant coaches Ryan Mason and Mile Jedinak were well-equipped at the role.
“There are far more important things that we need to concentrate on at the moment in terms of the team we’re building,” Postecoglou said.
Although Tottenham’s form in the second half of the season was patchy, the 4-0 victory over Villa had many believing a top four finish was achievable.
But Postecoglou’s side won just four out of their final 11 games as the Champions League dream slipped further and further away.
Granted, Tottenham had to face Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in their final seven games.
Tottenham’s form dropped off a cliff at the end of the season. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The defeat to City proved to be especially bruising — and eye-opening — for the Aussie boss.
Tottenham had to win if they were to remain in the mix for the Champions League, but victory would have also put Arsenal in the box seat to win the Premier League title.
Lose or draw that match and they could kiss the Champions League goodbye for another season.
Sections of the Tottenham fan base made it clear they weren’t terribly fussed about losing to City, especially if it robbed their bitter rivals of a first league title in 10 years.
When asked before the game about the supporters being okay with defeat, Postecoglou bristled and responded: “I understand rivalry, but I have never, and will never, understand if someone wants their own team to lose.”
Tottenham would lose 2-0 to City amid a subdued atmosphere within the stadium as Postecoglou delivered an explosive post-match press conference where he criticised the club’s “fragile foundations”.
The defeat to Manchester City left Postecoglou with a bitter taste in his mouth. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It left The Telegraph’s Matt Law believing either Postecoglou or Tottenham had to fully adapt to the other and could not maintain their stubbornness.
“In many respects Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are a match made in heaven,” Law wrote.
“But if the marriage is not to ultimately end in another messy divorce, then something will have to give.
“Put simply, either Tottenham have to change or Postecoglou does because the last three months have demonstrated that stubbornness from both sides will grow into something much more damaging.”
A few days after the game, the Aussie boss conceded it was “probably the worst experience” he’s had as a manager during a match and “got it wrong” in terms of what he expected the atmosphere and the fans’ sentiments to be.
Postecoglou and Tottenham managed to end the season on a high as a comfortable 3-0 win over Sheffield United ensured a spot in the Europa League for next season.
Tottenham qualified for the Europa League. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW PL VACUUM COULD GIVE SPURS BIG BOOST AS HISTORY ON ANGE’S SIDE
Although some may look back on Tottenham’s season wondering what could have been, Postecoglou’s debut Premier League campaign should fill supporters with optimism.
Objectively it was a better season than the 22/23 one: under Postecoglou, Tottenham finished with more points, won more games, scored more and conceded less.
Let’s not forget Postecoglou did all of this without Kane’s goals.
Another cause for a positive outlook is how Postecoglou traditionally fares in his second season at a club.
During his stints with the Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic, the 58-year-old averaged more points per game in his second season.
The summer window will give Postecoglou another chance to shape the squad further into his mould and ship out those who he does not believe can play his high-octane brand of football.
There could also be a serious vacuum at the top of the ladder which opens the door wide open for Postecoglou and Tottenham to return to the top four.
With Jurgen Klopp no longer at the helm for Liverpool, new boss Arne Slot will hope to avoid the slump attached to those replacing long-term managers.
There’s plenty to look forward to in Postecoglou’s second season at Tottenham. (Photo by Barrington Coombs/PA Images via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
David Moyes couldn’t do it at Manchester United after he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson and Unai Emery struggled at Arsenal as Arsene Wenger’s successor, so there’s every chance Slot and Liverpool slide down the ladder.
Chelsea will also have a new manager in Enzo Maresca as the Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino despite the latter leading the club to a sixth-place finish.
There’s also a chance Aston Villa take a slight tumble as they contend with the club’s first Champions League campaign in 41 years.
A return to Europe’s elite club competition next season would represent yet another improvement for Postecoglou.
So too would winning a trophy, something Tottenham have not done since 2008.
Australian Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham team face Manchester City on Wednesday morning (5am AEST) in a massive clash that could have huge implications on the Premier League title race.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are one point above City at the top of the table, but Pep Guardiola’s team crucially have a game in hand.
Arsenal, on 86 points, host Everton in their final match of the season on Sunday while City play West Ham at home.
It means if City win their final two games, they will secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive English top-flight title.
That also means should Tottenham win, it would hand their bitter north London rivals Arsenal a huge boost in their bid to win a first title in two decades.
But Tottenham are still in with a – very slim – chance of finishing in the top four and qualifying for Champions League football next season.
Even if Spurs spring a huge surprise against City, they must still hope that fourth-placed Aston Villa fail to beat Crystal Palace on the final day.
If Villa lose that match, and Tottenham beat both City and Sheffield United, then Spurs will finish one point ahead and seal fourth place.
If Villa draw with Palace, then Spurs must win their final two games by a combined margin of NINE goals – not impossible, but certainly unlikely.
Ange Postecoglou has made it clear that he is fully focused on victory – and won’t be doing City any favours in an attempt to stop Arsenal’s title dream.
“Real success looks like trophies. Anything else in between, bragging rights, whatever, it is absolutely meaningless to me … we’ve got a game tomorrow we want to win,” he said in a passionate exchange with a journalist.
“If you go by social media there’s probably 99 per cent of Spurs supporters who don’t (want to win against City), if that’s your world but please don’t tell me that’s your world … we’ll need to have a counselling session if that’s your world,” he said.
“I understand rivalry — I was part of one of the biggest ones in the last couple of years in the world with Celtic and Rangers but I will never understand if somebody wants their own team to lose. That’s not what sport’s about.”
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Almost like clockwork, the scathing analysis from Premier League pundits dominated the airwaves during Tottenham’s recent dip in form.
Four consecutive losses put a major dent in Tottenham’s Champions League aspirations, although a 2-1 win over Burnley ensured those hopes are not dead just yet.
It was a familiar storm of criticism from experts whenever things start going wrong for a manager who has never played or coached in the Premier League.
Sure, that individual may have had success abroad with their own specific style, but they don’t know the Premier League.
Yet to use that same analysis when it comes to Ange Postecoglou is immensely unfair.
Dealt a difficult hand on the eve of the 2023/24 Premier League season, Postecoglou has had to drill his eye-catching style into his players, most of which he did not bring in.
And he goes into the final two games of the season sitting in fifth, with a spot in the Champions League still up for grabs.
Postecoglou has had a successful debut season in the Premier League with Tottenham. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ask any manager about the impact of losing your star player on the eve of the season and they’ll tell you it’s detrimental to the club’s entire campaign.
If anything, it’d be used as a mitigating circumstance should the rest of the season crumble and most fans would feel it’s a justifiable defence.
But Tottenham and Postecoglou didn’t just lose their star player, they lost a club legend who happened to be their record goal scorer in Harry Kane.
Sold to Bayern Munich for the hefty sum of $AUD189 million, Kane’s departure was not unexpected but it dealt a crippling blow to Tottenham’s aspirations, even if Postecoglou insisted he planned for life without Kane.
Regardless, attempting to replace a man who scored 280 goals for the club is a near-impossible task.
Even then, Postecoglou never directly replaced Kane in the transfer market and elected to spread the income across multiple players such as James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Brennan Johnson and Guglielmo Vicario to name four.
Aside from signing players of his choosing that would fit his style of play, Postecoglou also needed time for the squad to understand his philosophy and tactics.
Tottenham’s squad had gone through a cycle of three managers who weren’t exactly known for expansive and attacking football in Nuno Esperito Santo, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
So for a group of players who had been accustomed to one way of playing, learning the Postecoglou way would take time and no amount of new additions would speed up that process.
Tottenham have had to learn the Postecoglou style of play. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The fact Tottenham went on a ten-match unbeaten run in which they won eight games may have allowed expectations to balloon into the realm of the unrealistic.
But Postecoglou, who always speaks from his experiences as a football fan before a manager, wanted the fans to get swept up in the excitement and optimism of this early success.
Four losses from their next five quickly suppressed the joyous mood and provided the first reminder Postecoglou’s revolution needed time.
A number of injuries to key players, especially in their defensive unit, also exposed a worrying lack of depth in Tottenham’s squad.
Square holes in the back four were filled with round pegs as fullbacks Ben Davies and Emerson Royal were forced to deputise in the unfamiliar roles of centre back.
Maddison, who had quickly established himself as Tottenham’s creative fulcrum, was another key absentee as the club won just four of ten league games he missed due to an ankle injury.
Yet Postecoglou found a way, like he often does, to plough forward.
After a 2-1 loss to West Ham United on December 7, Tottenham won ten of their next 16 games to keep the club firmly in the mix for a Champions Leagues spot.
However, the race for the top four took a brutal twist for Tottenham as four straight losses to Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool cranked up the volume on criticism directed at Postecoglou.
Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood boldly suggested Postecoglou had been “found out”.
A run of four consecutive defeats had pundits questioning Postecoglou’s methods. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“When he’s talking there about set pieces not being important, it is important and there’s no reason to say it’s not important,” Sherwood said on Premier League Productions’ coverage after the loss to Liverpool.
“This is the Premier League, this is the most competitive league in the world. You’re going to get found out.
“It’s not Scotland, with respect, it’s not Japan, it’s not Australia.”
Jamie Redknapp, who spent three seasons with Tottenham, also made a worrying claim on Postecoglou’s body language after the loss to Chelsea.
“I look at the manager and he looks beaten,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“I was like, ‘wow, that’s pretty damning’.
“I don’t like to see a manager like that. When you manage Tottenham – he’s not been there that long – a lot of them get like that after a while but that’s really early.”
Yet despite all of the noise and criticism about his style of play not befitting the rigours of the Premier League, Tottenham remain in contention for the top four.
They have already eclipsed last season’s points total, scored more goals and conceded fewer with two games remaining.
Tottenham have already improved on last season’s points total with two games to spare. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
And Postecoglou has done it all with a squad that isn’t completely his and without Kane, who scored 30 of Tottenham’s 70 league goals last season.
It’s why Manchester United legend Roy Keane, who is never short of a fiery take, believes Postecoglou has done well considering the sizeable task that lay ahead back in August.
“Rightly or wrongly, we are reflecting on the last three, four or five games,” Keane told Sky Sports.
“But if you think back to the start of the season, there were big challenges for him. He was new to the Premier League, there were question marks over his CV, which was unfair.
“But he has had a pretty decent season. It’s just over the last few games where they have fallen away.
“You start analysing Spurs and the perception of Spurs is that there is always a softness to them. He has got to try and change that.
“He will look back on some positives at the end of the season, but to get to the next level, when you finish fifth or sixth, that next step of competing and getting into the Champions League is the hardest step.
“But give the man a chance.”
Postecoglou has surpassed most fans’ pre-season expectations. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However unlikely it may be, it’s remarkable to think Tottenham are still in with a chance of securing Champions League football.
But to do so, they must defeat Manchester City on Wednesday morning. A draw will simply not be good enough.
It is a fixture fraught with complications for Tottenham diehards.
Beating the defending champions will provide a significant boost in their bid to finish in the top four, but it also gives their arch rivals Arsenal the edge in the nailbiting title race.
Postecoglou fired back when a reporter told him some Tottenham fans want the team to lose to City to prevent Arsenal from winning the league title, stating he’ll “never understand” that mentality.
City have also not won away to Tottenham in the Premier League in 2,023 days, so something will have to give.
And if Tottenham can stun City, they must then beat the already-relegated Sheffield United on the final day and hope Crystal Palace defeat Aston Villa if Champions League football is to return to the club.
Tottenham will need to win their final two games and hope for a favour from Crystal Palace to make the top four. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Even if Tottenham finish in fifth, the season should not be viewed as a failure.
Postecoglou spoke prior to the City game that he and the club will “not look for some silver bullet that is going to get us to where we want”.
“It is hard work, it is perseverance, it is resilience, it is quality that will get us where we want,” Postecoglou said.
“Not to fall for any sort of false dawns or short-term result reactions.”
If anything, Tottenham fans should already be looking forward to what Postecoglou will conjure up in his second season.
During his stints with the Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic, the 58-year-old has averaged more points per game in his second season.
Postecoglou’s ability to improve on last season without Kane should be more than enough of an indication that better times are on the horizon for Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou said Tottenham will go all out to beat Manchester City on Tuesday, even though it could open the door to bitter north London rivals Arsenal to win the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are one point above City at the top of the table, but Pep Guardiola’s team crucially have a game in hand.
Arsenal, on 86 points, host Everton in their final match of the season on Sunday while City play West Ham at home.
It means if City win their final two games, they will secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive English top-flight title.
Much of the talk ahead of Tuesday’s game has centred around whether Tottenham fans will want their team to lose in order to deny Arsenal the chance to win the league for the first time in 20 years.
But Spurs manager Postecoglou bristled at the notion that Spurs were focused on anything other than a win at his pre-match press conference on Monday.
“I understand rivalry,” said Postecoglou. “I was part of one of the biggest ones in the world in the last couple of years with Celtic and Rangers, and I understand the rivalry. But I have never, and will never, understand if someone wants their own team to lose.
“That’s not what sport is about. It’s not what I love about the game. What I love more than anything in the game is the competitiveness, challenging yourself to beat someone and coming out successful.
Postecoglou was left stunned at the thought of Tottenham fans wanting to lose to Manchester City so Arsenal could not win the title. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Anything outside of that, it’s got nothing to do with sport. It’s got nothing to do with me. If other people want to treat it that way, that they get pleasure from other people’s misery, that’s not how I’ve lived my life.”
“It’s hard work, perseverance, it’s resilience, it’s quality that will get us what we want, not to fall for any sort of false dawns or any short-term result reactions, stick to the course and thirdly, know what real success looks like.
“Real success looks like trophies. Anything else in between, bragging rights, whatever, it is absolutely meaningless to me … we’ve got a game tomorrow we want to win.”
The former Celtic boss said he was confident that supporters would be behind Tottenham on Tuesday and that opinions online were not a good guide.
“If you go by social media there’s probably 99 per cent of Spurs supporters who don’t (want to win against City), if that’s your world but please don’t tell me that’s your world … we’ll need to have a counselling session if that’s your world,” he said.
“I understand rivalry — I was part of one of the biggest ones in the last couple of years in the world with Celtic and Rangers but I will never understand if somebody wants their own team to lose. That’s not what sport’s about.”
The Premier League’s finish line is in sight, but we are no closer to finding out who will claim the league title as five teams jostle for position in pursuit of European football next season.
Liverpool have faded away from the title race, leaving Arsenal and Manchester City in a two-horse race that will go down to the final matchday.
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham will also have a say on the battle between Arsenal and City for top spot as they look to leapfrog Aston Villa and secure Champions League football for next season.
Tottenham are also caught in a wild four-way tussle for Europa League and Europa Conference League qualification.
Foxsports.com.au breaks down EVERY scenario regarding the title race and European spots … along with the utterly unthinkable relegation scenario.
Remaining fixtures: Tottenham (a), West Ham United (h)
Well, isn’t this a bit exciting?
Both teams were neck-and-neck for so long last season before Arsenal simply ran out of gas as Manchester City went on to claim their third-straight league title.
But Mikel Arteta’s side now know what it takes to be a true title contender and remain firmly in the mix with a one point buffer going into the final game.
With a slightly superior goal difference and a solitary point advantage, the title is Arsenal’s to lose at the moment.
However, Manchester City have that all-important game in hand as Arsenal pray their arch rivals Tottenham can get a result against Pep Guardiola’s side.
The result of City against Spurs on Wednesday morning (AEST) will certainly set the mood around the title race, as both title contenders enjoy home games to finish off the season.
Arsenal have not won a Premier League title in a decade. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
How Arsenal win the title
– Arsenal defeat Everton; Manchester City defeat Tottenham and draw with West Ham (vice versa)
– Arsenal draw with Everton; Manchester City draw with Tottenham and West Ham
– Arsenal draw with Everton; Manchester City lose to Tottenham and draw with West Ham (vice versa)
– Arsenal lose to Everton; Manchester City lose to Tottenham and West Ham
How Manchester City win the title
– Arsenal defeat Everton; Manchester City defeat Tottenham and West Ham
– Arsenal draw with Everton; Manchester City defeat Tottenham and draw with West Ham (vice versa)
– Arsenal draw with Everton; Manchester City lose to Tottenham and defeat West Ham (vice versa)
– Arsenal lose to Everton; Manchester City draw with Tottenham and West Ham
– Arsenal lose to Everton; Manchester City defeat Tottenham and defeat/draw/lose to West Ham
Manchester City are aiming to win a fourth-straight Premier League title. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Source: AFP
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
4th: Aston Villa (P36, 67 pts, +20)
Remaining fixtures: Liverpool (h), Crystal Palace (a)
5th: Tottenham Hotspur (P36, 63 pts, +12)
Remaining fixtures: Manchester City (h), Sheffield United (a)
To most neutral observers, Aston Villa have emerged as the surprise package of the season but the rise of the Midlands club is one that clued in fans will have seen coming.
Ever since Emery took over last year, Villa have become a fearsome outfit and they continued the momentum into this season despite losing star duo Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia before the season began.
However, a lack of depth, more injuries to key players and a run to the Europa Conference League semi finals has Emery’s troops running on empty and stumbling over the finishing line.
Tottenham have also suffered a major wobble as of late, losing four consecutive games to give Villa a leg up in the battle for the final Champions League spot.
A vital win over Burnley snapped that run, but a daunting challenge awaits against Manchester City who have their own title ambitions.
Champions League qualification would cap off a remarkable debut season for Ange Postecoglou as a Premier League boss, but could it be a bridge too far?
Unai Emery has overseen a remarkable season as Aston Villa manager. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
How Aston Villa secure a Champions League spot
– Aston Villa defeat Liverpool, all other results irrelevant
– Tottenham lose to either Manchester City or Sheffield United
– Aston Villa draw with Liverpool and lose to Crystal Palace (vice versa); Tottenham defeat Manchester City and draw with Sheffield United (vice versa)
– Aston Villa draw with Liverpool and lose to Crystal Palace (vice versa); Tottenham defeat Manchester City and lose to Sheffield United (vice versa)
– Aston Villa lose to Liverpool and Crystal Palace; Tottenham defeat Manchester City and draw with Sheffield United (vice versa)
– Aston Villa lose to Liverpool and Crystal Palace; Tottenham draw with Manchester City and Sheffield United
– Aston Villa lose to Liverpool and defeat Crystal Palace; Tottenham’s result is irrelevant
How Tottenham secure a Champions League spot
– Tottenham must beat both Manchester City and Sheffield United
– Aston Villa cannot win any of their games against Liverpool and Sheffield United
– Aston Villa lose to Liverpool and draw with Crystal Palace (vice versa); Tottenham defeat Manchester City and Sheffield United
Postecoglou needs favours from Liverpool and Crystal Palace if Tottenham are to qualify for the Champions League. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BATTLE FOR EUROPE
5th: Tottenham Hotspur (P36, 63 pts, +12)
Remaining fixtures: Manchester City (h), Sheffield United (a)
6th: Newcastle (P36, 57 pts, +22)
Remaining fixtures: Manchester United (a), Brentford (a)
7th: Chelsea (P36, 57 pts, +12)
Remaining fixtures: Brighton (a), Bournemouth (h)
8th: Manchester United (P36, 54 pts, -14)
Remaining fixtures: Newcastle (h), Brighton (a)
OK, here’s where things get rather complicated so bear with us.
As it stands, fifth place receives direct entry to the Europa League while sixth qualifies for the Europa Conference League playoffs as the other Europa League spot goes to the winner of the FA Cup final.
Like last year, the FA Cup final is being contested between Manchester City and Manchester United.
City have already qualified for the Champions League, which means if they win the FA Cup final, the Europa League spot then goes to the team that comes sixth, allowing whoever finishes seventh a spot in the Europa Conference League.
That’s why it’s in Newcastle and Chelsea’s interest for Pep Guardiola’s side to win back-to-back FA Cup trophies.
As for United, they’d want to avoid the scenario of needing to win the FA Cup final just to make the Europa League, but to make the top six will prove extremely difficult.
All eyes on the fight for the top six will no doubt centre on Old Trafford on Thursday as United host Newcastle in a clash which has significant permutations in the fight for Europe.
Given Manchester United will qualify for the Europa League if they win the FA Cup final, let’s break down all the scenarios should they lose the final.
Chelsea have found form at the right time. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
How Tottenham secure a Europa League spot
– Tottenham draw with either Manchester City or Sheffield United; all other results irrelevant
– Newcastle and Chelsea fail to win either of their final games
How Newcastle secure a Europa League spot
– Newcastle defeat Manchester United and Brentford; all other results irrelevant
– Newcastle defeat Manchester United; Chelsea lose to either Brighton or Bournemouth
– Chelsea fail to match Newcastle’s points haul
– Newcastle lose to Manchester United and Brentford; Chelsea lose to Brighton and Bournemouth, Manchester United defeat Newcastle and lose to Brighton
How Chelsea secure a Europa League spot
– Chelsea defeat Brighton and Bournemouth; Newcastle defeat Manchester United and draw with Brentford (vice versa)
– Chelsea defeat Brighton and draw with Bournemouth (vice versa); Newcastle defeat Manchester United and lose to Brentford (vice versa)
– Chelsea draw with Brighton and Bournemouth; Newcastle lose to Manchester United and draw with Brentford (vice versa), Manchester United draw or lose against Brighton
– Chelsea draw with Brighton and lose to Bournemouth (vice versa); Newcastle lose to Manchester United and Brentford, Manchester United defeat Newcastle and draw/lose against Brighton
How Manchester United secure a Europa League spot
– Manchester United must defeat Newcastle, a draw will not suffice in any scenario
– Chelsea and Newcastle must lose both of their games
– Manchester United defeat Newcastle and draw with Brighton; Newcastle and Chelsea lose both of their games
– Manchester United defeat Newcastle and Brighton; Newcastle draw their final game and Chelsea take one point from their final two games
Erik ten Hag has overseen one of the most dismal Manchester United seasons in recent memory. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BONKERS SCENARIO TO FLIP RELEGATION ON ITS HEAD
Burnley and Sheffield United are making an instant return to the Championship and it is all but confirmed Luton Town will join them.
But it’s not mathematically confirmed just yet.
So, how can the Hatters produce a FIFA-like miracle to stay in the Premier League?
As it stands, Luton are on 26 points with a goal differential of -31 while Nottingham Forest sit in 17th on 29 points and a goal differential of -19.
If Luton are to survive, they must beat Fulham on the final day of the season, hope Nottingham Forest lose to Burnley and, somewhere amid the madness, have a 12-goal swing.
It’s extremely unlikely, but it’s not over until it’s over.
