Mohamed Salah rescued Liverpool as the Egypt star’s late equaliser earned a pulsating 2-2 draw against title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s side were on the brink of only their second defeat this season until Salah netted with nine minutes left at the Emirates Stadium.
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
Liverpool had fallen behind to Bukayo Saka’s early opener and, although Virgil van Dijk equalised, Mikel Merino put Arsenal back in front before half-time.
Salah’s eighth goal in 13 games in all competitions this season was aided by Arsenal’s latest rash of injuries, with defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber both forced off in the second half.
Manchester City were the real winners on Sunday as the draw in north London ensured they finished the weekend on top of the Premier League.
Unbeaten City, who beat Southampton 1-0 on Saturday, are one point ahead of second-placed Liverpool, with third-placed Arsenal sitting five points adrift of top spot.
It was only the second time Liverpool had failed to win since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season, starting his Anfield reign with 12 victories from 13 games in all competitions.
Barcelona pump Real Madrid in El Clasico | 00:59
Even so, Liverpool will be happier with the point after showing impressive resolve to twice come from behind against a fellow title contender.
Arsenal were left to lick their wounds after the defensive injuries that left them fatally exposed.
They were already without Riccardo Calafiori, sidelined by an injury suffered against Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, while William Saliba served a suspension following his dismissal in last weekend’s loss at Bournemouth.
Mikel Arteta’s side have now gone two league games without a win, leaving them with only three victories in their last seven top-flight matches in a major setback to their hopes of a first title since 2004.
– Saka’s perfect start –
Saka, back from two games out with injury, had given Arsenal the perfect start in the ninth minute.
Ben White’s sublime long pass sent Saka surging down the right flank before he deftly cut back into the Liverpool area, leaving Andrew Robertson trailing in his wake as he lashed a fierce close-range strike into the roof of the net.
Merino nearly gifted Liverpool an immediate equaliser when he carelessly let the ball run to Salah, who rifled his shot just wide from the edge of the area.
So often over the last two seasons, Arsenal have been dead ball masters thanks to their set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, but for once they were exposed as Liverpool drew level in the 18th minute.
Luis Diaz beat Kai Havertz to flick on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner and Van Dijk got in front of Thomas Partey as the Dutch defender stooped to head home from close-range.
But Arsenal’s prowess from set-pieces enabled them to regain the lead in the 43rd minute.
Declan Rice’s teasing free-kick arrowed into the Liverpool area and Merino was perfectly placed to thump his header past Caoimhin Kelleher from six yards.
A lengthy VAR check followed to confirm Merino was just onside as the Spain midfielder celebrated his first goal since his close-season arrival from Real Sociedad.
Arsenal keeper David Raya plunged to his right to keep out Alexis Mac Allister’s header on the final seconds of a thrilling first half.
Arteta’s already makeshift defence suffered another blow when Gabriel limped off with a knee injury after a challenge from Darwin Nunez early in the second half.
Without their first choice centre-back, Arsenal adopted a more cautious approach and Raya was booked for time-wasting with over 20 minutes to play.
But the Gunners lost Timber to an injury in the closing stages as their defensive issues reached crisis point and handed Liverpool a lifeline.
With just nine minutes left, Arsenal’s under-manned rearguard was ruthlessly exposed as Alexander-Arnold’s lofted pass sent Nunez clear of teenage substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Nunez slipped in the unmarked Salah and he slotted home as Arsenal slumped to the turf in frustration.
Defending champs fight back to 1-1 draw | 01:11
VAR FURY AS MAN U PLUMMET TO NEW LOWS
Manchester United’s under-fire manager Erik ten Hag said he could only fault his side’s finishing after a damaging 2-1 defeat for the Dutchman at struggling West Ham on Sunday.
United slipped to 14th in the Premier League table after Jarrod Bowen’s controversial stoppage time penalty winner handed the Hammers all three points.
Crysencio Summerville put West Ham in front against the run of play 16 minutes from time before Casemiro equalised.
Ten Hag was furious at the award of the spot-kick after VAR intervened when Matthijs de Ligt clashed with Danny Ings inside the box.
United captain Bruno Fernandes had a red card rescinded after being sent-off in a 3-0 defeat by Tottenham last month and Ten Hag highlighted the inconsistency of when VAR decides to challenge the referee’s on-field decision.
“Before the season they explained the process of VAR – only when (it is) clear and obvious they should interfere,” said Ten Hag.
Victory stun City in Melbourne derby | 01:07
“What they didn’t do against Spurs, that was a wrong decision. Now they make a wrong decision interfering and both have big impact on the games. I don’t criticise the personnel, I criticise the process.” However, it was a familiar lack of wastefulness in front of goal that cost United a much-needed victory.
Diogo Dalot missed an open goal, while Alejandro Garnacho and Fernandes were also guilty of missing huge chances in a dominant first-half display.
“We created so many chances, played so good football, especially in the first half. How I want my team to play in and out of possession,” added Ten Hag.
“Six or seven 100 per cent chances we should have scored. That is a point of improvement. But overall I had not so many criticisms of my team, apart from not scoring.” United’s return of eight goals from their first nine games is their worst in the Premier League era.
Ten Hag’s men have won just three of those matches and drawn all three of their opening games in the Europa League to leave their manager clinging on to his job.
But he claimed to have seen positive signs in a 2-1 win over Brentford last weekend and a 1-1 draw at Fenerbahce prior to their visit to the London Stadium.
“At this moment the luck is definitely not on our side. Last season was not different and near the end we turned it around,” said Ten Hag.
“We are so determined it will be the same (this season). We have to turn this around and it will turn around if we keep playing like we are now.
“Brentford, Fenerbahce, today, we played really good football.”
Ten Hag doubled down on his feelings of being hard down by at the moment when speaking to the BBC’s Match of the Day.
The Dutchman is firmly pointing the finger at the referees for contributing to their lowly start to the season.
“Three times this season we feel injustice,” he said.
“We have to score, we created so many chances. We should’ve been two or three up. Second half we were forcing it but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0 you need big personality and character of the team and showed resilience to get back into it. Unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty.
“I spoke with them (the referees). But the decision is made. There’s no way back and that’s football. That’s a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It’s not right.”
The under-fire manager boss is feeling little sympathy from fans and the English press pack, however.
Many believe it is a matter of when, not if, he will be given his marching orders and the UK Telegraph columnist Jim White believes the loss to West Ham is the sort of game that could be Ten Hag’s curtain call.
“When the obituary of Erik ten Hag’s time in charge at Manchester United is written, this match might well serve as exhibit A,” White wrote.
“Quite how his team managed to lose here for the third time is indicative of his time in charge – if never quite in control – at Old Trafford. “For the first half United looked smart, together, organised. They passed quickly and imaginatively, Bruno Fernandes at his quick-witted best. And they carved out chances. Loads of them. The trouble was, they wasted the lot.
“Diogo Dalot was the most culpable, blasting over an empty net after dinking the ball over Lukasz Fabianski’s head. So bad was United’s finishing, it was only the manner of their misses that silenced the growing insurrection in the London Stadium stands: it is hard to be too revolutionary when you are smirking at others’ incompetence in front of goal.
“And woeful as West Ham had been for 45 minutes, there was time for Julen Lopetegui to make adjustments. He duly did. Tightening, sharpening, probably reading the riot act, he managed to make West Ham look competitive again. So, the inevitable happened.”
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.
Watch selected NRL, AFL, SSN games plus every F1 qualifying session and race live in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial today.
‘It’s not like I am Harry Potter’ | 00:22
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.
Manchester City kept the heat on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday, seeing off a feisty challenge from Nottingham Forest after Mikel Arteta’s men held their nerve to beat Tottenham.
A captivating three-way title race has become a duel between Pep Guardiola’s City and Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, who are determined to make amends for last season’s late collapse.
Arsenal are on 80 points with just three matches to go, one point clear of City, but the champions crucially have a game in hand and remain firm favourites.
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!
EPL Wrap: Gunners fire against Spurs | 02:11
The Gunners raced into a 3-0 lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the early kick-off on Sunday, surviving a late fright to win 3-2 and temporarily move four points clear at the top of the table.
City, though not at their dominating best, battled past profligate Forest, who are fighting for their lives, with goals from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland.
Croatia defender Gvardiol opened the scoring, heading in Kevin De Bruyne’s corner shortly after the half-hour mark, and Haaland coolly slotted home after another assist from the impressive De Bruyne in the 71st minute to make it 2-0.
But Forest, who remain just one point clear of the drop zone with three games to play, will rue a number of squandered opportunities, including two glaring misses from forward Chris Wood.
Guardiola was relieved that his team had come out on top but warned against complacency in the final weeks of the season as they hunt a domestic trophy double.
He does not believe his team can afford to drop any points as they chase an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title.
“We prefer they (Arsenal) lose, we cannot control what they do, they make a good result,” said the City boss, whose team are now unbeaten in 31 matches in all competitions.
“Four games left, I don’t think we can lose any points and we know exactly what we have to do.”
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest, staring at the trap door, will desperately hope to recover at least one point from their appeal against a four-point deduction for breaking Premier League financial rules.
EPL WRAP: Salah, Klopp fiery exchange | 03:11
Arsenal know if City win their remaining games, they cannot be caught but they show no signs of wilting under intense pressure.
Arteta’s men silenced the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a three-goal blast before halftime.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s own goal put Arsenal ahead before Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz netted to leave Arsenal in complete control.
Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min struck for Tottenham after the interval to set up a nervous finish, but the visitors clung on by their fingertips.
Arteta believes his team are better equipped to win the title than last season, when they stumbled badly in the run-in, having been eight points clear at one stage.
The Spaniard revealed he was hoping for divine intervention in the nervy closing stages against Spurs.
“I was praying,” he said.
“There were so many Spurs players in the box. It was a really emotional game. We had to dig in and suffer and react. I’m very pleased with the way the team has done it.”
He added: “The margins are so small. Don’t get carried away with yourself. We want to be better. There are margins for improvement. Go again against Bournemouth because it’s going to be really tough.”
Defeat for fifth-placed Tottenham dealt a huge blow to their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
They remain seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, though they have two games in hand.
Liverpool were in the box seat in the title race just weeks ago but have won just one of their past five matches and Jurgen Klopp will almost certainly have to content himself with just the League Cup in his final season at Anfield.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Bournemouth beat Brighton 3-0 with goals from Marcos Senesi, Enes Unal and Justin Kluivert to set a new club Premier League points record.
Liverpool were held to a damaging 2-2 draw by Manchester United as they handed the initiative to Arsenal in the Premier League title race, while Tottenham moved into fourth place with a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Monday (AEDT).
Jurgen Klopp’s side would have gone top with a victory against their bitter rivals at Old Trafford.
But despite taking the lead through Luis Diaz’s 23rd minute strike, Liverpool couldn’t deliver the knockout blow.
They wasted several chances to increase their advantage before Bruno Fernandes alertly pounced on Jarell Quansah’s wayward pass to score from just inside the Liverpool half in the 50th minute.
To Klopp’s visible fury, Kobbie Mainoo found space to net United’s second with an eye-catching curler in the 67th minute.
Liverpool avoided a repeat of their FA Cup quarter-final defeat at United earlier this season as Mohamed Salah equalised with an 84th minute penalty after Aaron Wan-Bissaka chopped down Harvey Elliott.
But it was still a frustrating final visit to Old Trafford for Klopp before his departure at the end of the season, with Liverpool stuck behind Arsenal, who hold a nine-goal advantage on goal difference.
Klopp’s team, who are one point ahead of third placed Manchester City, have seven games left to overhaul Arsenal as they chase a record-equalling 20th English title.
“We should have won the game, that is clear. We should have had other goals in the first half. We dropped too deep,” Klopp said.
Liverpool salvaged a point away to Manchester United as the title race took yet another twist. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
“The whole Liverpool community just stay calm. We are where we are and we keep giving it a proper go.
“Do I wish we had 10 points difference? Of course. We are in the race and I’m absolutely fine with it.”
United boss Erik ten Hag added: “Very mixed emotions. We have to blame ourselves for making stupid mistakes.
“On the other side I’m very proud. You see how we are improving and the potential of this squad is amazing.”
At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the game went ahead despite a fatal stabbing just yards from the ground earlier on Sunday.
Ange Postecoglou’s side took the lead thanks to an own goal from Forest defender Murillo in the 15th minute.
Timo Werner’s low cross into the six-yard box caused panic and Murillo’s stretching attempt to clear diverted the ball into his own net.
Chris Wood equalised in the 27th minute with a clinical strike from Anthony Elanga’s pass for his 12th league goal this season.
But Micky van de Ven bagged Tottenham’s second in the 52nd minute with a blistering strike from just inside the area.
And six minutes later Pedro Porro produced a powerful half-volley from 14 yards to put the result beyond doubt.
Tottenham moved into fourth with a win over Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Tottenham are now above fifth placed Aston Villa on goal difference and also hold a game in hand in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.
“Everyone has been banging on about us getting fourth. We’re fourth now but it doesn’t stop, we’ll keep going. We’re in a good shape to finish the season strong,” Postecoglou said.
Fourth bottom Forest are outside the relegation zone by the slenderest of margins, above Luton only on goal difference.
In Sunday’ other game, Ole McBurnie’s last-gasp equaliser forced Chelsea to settle for a 2-2 draw at bottom of the table Sheffield United.
Fresh from scoring twice in the final seconds of stoppage-time to beat Manchester United on Thursday, Chelsea took the lead after 11 minutes as Thiago Silva finished off Conor Gallagher’s corner at the far post.
The Blades equalised in the 32nd minute as Gustavo Hamer’s pass sent Jayden Bogle through on goal and the right wing-back slotted home.
Noni Madueke put Chelsea back in front in the 66th minute, cutting in from the right to drive his shot into the far corner.
Yet mid-table Chelsea’s troubled season suffered another setback when McBurnie levelled with a close-range finish three minutes into stoppage-time.
“We feel really bad in the way we conceded. We need to be more clinical,” Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino said.
Tottenham’s bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League suffered a blow as West Ham’s Kurt Zouma rescued a 1-1 draw in Tuesday’s London derby.
Ange Postecoglou’s side took an early lead through Brennan Johnson at the rain-lashed London Stadium.
But Zouma quickly hit back to leave Tottenham with just one win in their last three league games.
Tottenham remain in fifth place, two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, who face title-chasing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Tottenham Hotspur’s coach Ange Postecoglou.Source: AFP
If Villa beat City for the second time this season, they would move five points clear of Tottenham in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
A Villa defeat would allow Tottenham to move above them into fourth place if they win their game in hand.
“It’s what you expect when you come here. They are a strong team and they sit compact, so you have to be patient,” Spurs’ Australian manager Ange Postecoglou said.
“Disappointed not to get a better outcome but I thought we handled it okay. “I will be very surprised if all games aren’t tight. Everyone is fighting for something. We have to maintain our levels.”
The Aussie bemoaned a lack of ‘clarity’ in their decision making in the final third, but cheekily added: “They are human beings, it is just football.
“I would love to have a joystick and put them where I want them, but it does not work like that. “
West Ham are now without a win in their last four league games, but boss David Moyes could take heart from the way his side bounced back with a spirited display after last weekend’s meltdown.
The Hammers blew a 3-1 lead against Newcastle last weekend as three late goals condemned them to a 4-3 defeat.
Tottenham, without a win at West Ham since 2019, came from behind to beat Luton 2-1 on Saturday thanks to Son Heung-min’s late winner.
The momentum from that gritty success was still fuelling Tottenham as they snatched the lead in the fifth minute in East London.
Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen scuffed wide from close range in the opening seconds and the visitors immediately made him pay.
Timo Werner was the catalyst for Tottenham’s opener with an astute cutback that Johnson converted with a clinical finish from five yards for his fifth goal this season.
Tottenham needed to win by at least two goals to climb above Villa and Pedro Porro nearly doubled their advantage with a long-range strike that fizzed just wide.
Confusion between West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski and Vladimir Coufal ended with the ball running to Son, but Tottenham’s captain couldn’t apply the finishing touch to punish that slack defending.
West Ham made the most of those escapes to equalise against the run of play in the 19th minute as Zouma rose highest to meet Bowen’s corner.
The French defender misjudged his attempted header but still managed to deflect the ball into the far corner off his back.
Bowen weaved through the suddenly anxious Tottenham defence for a deflected shot that Guglielmo Vicario saved at full stretch.
Vicario made an even better stop to push James Ward-Prowse’s dipping free-kick over the bar.
West Ham were on top again after the interval and Michail Antonio’s close-range effort was repelled by Vicario before Lucas Paqueta curled narrowly wide from 25 yards.
As the pressure mounted on Tottenham, Antonio held off Micky van de Ven but hit his shot straight at Vicario with just the keeper to beat.
After labouring for much of the half, Postecoglou’s men almost snatched the points in stoppage time, but Destiny Udogie’s shot was too close to Fabianski.
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!
‘Didn’t show the minimum to compete!’ | 01:44
STRUGGLING TOFFEES HIT HORROR LOW
Meanwhile, injury-hit Newcastle’s hopes of European football next season were dented by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late equaliser for Everton from the penalty spot.
Alexander Isak scored for the fifth consecutive game at St James’ Park to open the scoring.
The Swede took his tally for the season to 19 as he cut inside Jarrad Branthwaite and slotted into the far corner on 15 minutes.
How Sean Dyche longs for a striker of Isak’s quality. But Calvert-Lewin ended a near six-month goal drought from the spot after Ashley Young was hauled down inside the box by Paul Dummett.
Everton set a new club record winless run of 13 Premier League games to leave their 70-year stay in the top flight still at risk.
The Toffees edge four points above the relegation zone but have the threat of a second points deduction for breaches of financial rules hanging over them.
FOREST’S INSANE FIRST-HALF BLITZ
Nottingham Forest pulled three points clear of the relegation zone with a first-half blitz of Fulham to win 3-1.
The home side sped out of the blocks at the City Ground as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood smashed home inside the first 19 minutes.
Fulham boss Marco Silva showed his disgust by making a triple substitution after just half an hour.
However, even that did not halt Forest’s momentum as Morgan Gibbs-White made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time.
Fulham pulled one back through Tosin Adarabioyo in the second half but it was too little, too late for the Cottagers.
BURNLEY SLIP FURTHER AWAY
Second-bottom Burnley are now unbeaten in four but slip six points adrift of safety after a 1-1 draw at home to Wolves.
Jacob Bruun Larsen put the Clarets in front, but Rayan Ait-Nouri’s header secured Wolves a point.
Bournemouth climbed above Chelsea into 11th thanks to Justin Kluivert’s winner as they beat Crystal Palace 1-0.
UNITED’S BIG INJURY BLOW
Manchester United defenders Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof have been ruled out of action for at least a month due to muscle injuries.
Argentine World Cup winner Martinez’s season has been decimated by a series of injuries.
The former Ajax man picked up a calf problem when making his return from a long-term knee issue as a substitute in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Brentford.
Martinez had replaced Lindelof after the Swede picked up a hamstring injury. A difficult second season for United boss Erik ten Hag has been blighted by the consistent loss of key players to injury.
The Red Devils are sixth in the Premier League, 11 points off the top four with nine games remaining.
Martinez and Lindelof are also set to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry later this month
Son Heung-min’s late winner fired Tottenham to a 2-1 win over Luton but Aston Villa beat Wolves 2-0 to retake fourth place in the Premier League from Spurs on Saturday.
Meanwhile Manchester Untied were caught in staggering stoppage time drama after they thought they had done enough to beat Brentford when Mason Mount scored in the 96th minute, only for the hosts to hit back and claim a well-deserved point.
Chelsea remain in the bottom half of the table after they twice blew a lead at home to 10-man Burnley in a 2-2 draw.
An action-packed afternoon also saw Newcastle come from 3-1 down to stun West Ham 4-3 and Fulham hit back for a 3-3 draw at bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United.
Son even had time to make friends with a young pitch invader.Source: AFP
Spurs have now come from behind to win in four of their last five home games and needed another second-half turnaround to keep their challenge for a return to the Champions League next season on track.
Tahith Chong’s strike after just three minutes gave Luton a shock lead, but the Hatters ended the day in the relegation zone as their winless run extended to 10 games.
An Ange Postecoglou halftime substitution again made an impact for Tottenham as Brennan Johnson’s cross was turned into his own net by Issa Kabore just six minutes after the Welsh international’s introduction.
Son had missed a number of chances earlier in the game but finally got some fortune when his deflected effort trickled past Thomas Kaminski for his 15th goal of the season.
“Until the end I was getting frustrated but I wanted to stay calm as captain,” said Son.
“We don’t want it to always end like this, it could be nicer when we have it (won) earlier.”
Tottenham’s victory briefly took them into fourth, but Villa responded as goals from Moussa Diaby and Ezri Konsa gave them the bragging rights from a Midlands derby.
Manchester United are now 12 points adrift of the top four ahead of their trip to Brentford later on Saturday.
Son celebrated emotionally after finally getting on the scoresheet.Source: Getty Images
UNITED STUNNED IN FINAL SECONDS
Mason Mount’s first Manchester United goal was not enough to snatch victory at Brentford as Kristoffer Ajer’s 99th minute equaliser earned the Bees a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
A point was the least Brentford deserved after dominating throughout and hitting the woodwork on four occasions.
However, it looked like Thomas Frank’s men were to be hit by a sucker punch when Mount struck to ease the pain of his injury-plagued first season with the Red Devils.
But United failed to hold out, inflicting another blow to their chances of Champions League qualification, as Ivan Toney teed up Ajer to smash home.
Victories for Aston Villa and Tottenham earlier in the day upped the pressure on United to respond in the battle for Champions League football next season.
A draw leaves Erik ten Hag’s men 11 points off the top four and eight adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham.
But it was the manner of the performance that was just as concerning for Ten Hag on the back of a thrilling 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool in their last outing before the international break.
It was back to the drawing board for the Dutchman as his side were comprehensively outplayed by a Brentford side that have won just twice in 16 Premier League games.
Captain Ivan Toney was just one of four Brentford players to hit the woodwork as they peppered the United goal with 31 shots.
BLUES BOOED OFF AFTER MINNOWS’ TWO RED CARDS
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was met with another backlash at Stamford Bridge after his side failed to make the most of an extra man for the entire second half against second-bottom Burnley.
The Blues appeared on course to cruise to victory after Lorenz Assignon was harshly sent off for pulling down Mykhailo Mudryk inside the area.
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany was also shown a red card for taking his protests too far.
Cole Palmer coolly chipped in the resulting penalty, but the 10 men levelled two minutes into the second half thanks to Josh Cullen’s super finish from outside the box.
Raheem Sterling had been booed off in Chelsea’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Leicester a fortnight ago but thought he had set up the winner in style with a flick that Palmer stroked into the far corner.
Chelsea, though, failed to hold out again as Dara O’Shea headed in a corner nine minutes from time to leave Pochettino’s men still in the bottom half of the table.
“Today we didn’t show the capacity, the energy, the hunger that is the minimum to compete in the Premier League,” said Pochettino.
“In the defensive phase we conceded too much. That is why I am so upset and disappointed.”
He added: “It’s difficult to accept not to win. It was a must-win game.”
Chelsea’s Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino was furious after another disappointing day.Source: AFP
NEWCASTLE FIGHTBACK
Newcastle closed to within one point of West Ham in seventh after a remarkable fightback at St. James’ Park.
Goals from Michail Antonio, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen wiped out the advantage given to Newcastle by Aleksander Isak’s early penalty.
However, a second Isak spot-kick 13 minutes from time sparked the turnaround before substitute Harvey Barnes struck twice to send Eddie Howe scurrying down the touchline in celebration.
Newly-capped England international Anthony Gordon had been involved in three of the four Newcastle goals but was then sent-off in stoppage time for kicking the ball away.
“A lot of emotions in that game, we were swinging all over the place,” said Howe.
“The last 10 minutes was amazing to be part of.”
Eddie Howe celebrated a wild win.Source: Getty Images
EVERTON’S HUGE RELEGATION BLOW
Everton’s winless run stretched to 12 Premier League games after a 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth to leave the Toffees still perilously placed just three points above the relegation zone.
Dyche’s side looked set for a valuable point when Beto’s 87th minute goal cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s opener at the Vitality Stadium.
But in the final seconds, Adam Smith’s cross hit Everton defender Seamus Coleman on the chest before dropping into the net.
With a potential second points deduction for alleged financial breaches also hanging over them, Everton face a nervous end to the season but coach Sean Dyche remains confident.
“The question marks over this club have been here for two-and-a-half, three years,” he said.
“I believe in the players and I believe in myself.”
He added: “Obviously I’m frustrated and disappointed with the dying embers of the game.
“For such a simple moment we get confused and they get a goal out of nothing really.
“We find a goal and I’m pleased with that, because it’s an ugly goal and you can’t always score the perfect goal.
“We should go away with a point of course, but we can’t defend like that.”
Bournemouth took the lead in the 64th minute as Solanke got between James Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey to head home Lloyd Kelly’s cross.
Everton hit back when Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto dropped Dwight McNeil’s cross right at the feet of Beto for a simple tap-in.
But Dyche’s delight turned to despair after Coleman’s own goal sent Everton home empty-handed.
Seamus Coleman scored a ridiculous own goal.Source: Getty Images
FOREST HIT BACK AFTER DEDUCTION, FULHAM FIRE LATE
Nottingham Forest edged out of the bottom three on goal difference in their first match since receiving a four-point deduction as Chris Wood salvaged a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
Sheffield United were denied just their fourth win of the season by Fulham’s late fightback at Bramall Lane.
Ben Brereton Diaz struck twice as the Blades led 3-1 with four minutes of the 90 left only for Bobby DeCordova-Reid and Rodrigo Muniz to snatch a point for the visitors.
Manchester United are now nine points adrift of the top five and desperately need to beat Brentford in Saturday’s late kick-off to maintain their hopes of Champions League football next season.
All of the three title challengers are in action on Sunday.
Liverpool have the chance to go top when they host Brighton before Manchester City and Arsenal kick-off at the Etihad in a clash of huge significance in the title race.
Tottenham wasted a chance to move into the Premier League’s top four as they slumped to a shock 3-0 defeat at Fulham, while Luton salvaged a crucial 1-1 draw with relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Sunday (AEDT).
Ange Postecoglou’s side would have climbed above Aston Villa into fourth place with a win, but instead they handed the initiative back to their top-four rivals.
Fifth-placed Tottenham were punished for a sloppy performance as the in-form Rodrigo Muniz netted twice either side of Sasa Lukic’s first goal for Fulham.
A 4-0 win at Villa last weekend was expected to act as Tottenham’s springboard to finish above Unai Emery’s team in the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Instead, the north Londoners crashed to a first league defeat at Craven Cottage since 2008 and failed to score for the first time in 40 games.
They sit two points behind Villa, who can extend that lead to five if they win at West Ham on Sunday.
With Micky van de Ven sidelined by a hamstring injury, Radu Dragusin made his first Tottenham start.
Worryingly for Postecoglou, Romania centre-back Dragusin, signed from Genoa in January, was often exposed in a rocky display.
Fulham took the lead in the 42nd minute when Muniz cleverly drifted away from Dragusin as the Brazilian forward found space to meet Antonee Robinson’s low cross with a clinical finish from 10 yards.
Postecoglou had plenty to ponder as Tottenham slipped to defeat against Fulham. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)Source: AFP
Tottenham’s defensive deficiencies were exposed again four minutes after half-time.
Iwobi was allowed to advance unchecked and he slipped a pass to Timothy Castagne, whose cross hit Lukic and deflected into the net.
Tottenham were in tatters and Muniz struck again in the 61st minute. Joao Palhinha’s header reached Calvin Bassey and when his shot was saved by Guglielmo Vicario, Muniz reacted quicker than Dragusin to stab home.
As the fight to avoid relegation comes to a head, Luton and Forest met in a vital showdown at Kenilworth Road.
Forest, beaten in their previous three games, took the lead through Chris Wood’s 34th minute strike.
But Luke Berry came off the bench to equalise from close-range in the 89th minute.
Third-bottom Luton, who blew a three-goal lead in Wednesday’s disastrous 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth, are without a win in their last nine games in all competitions.
They lie three points behind fourth-bottom Forest and boss Rob Edwards said: “You get knocked down on Wednesday and it was very tough for us all. We performed really well today in difficult circumstances.
“This group just keep going. We’ve got to fight. We’ve had to do that for a long time.”
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo added: “We did enough to win it with the chances we had and the way we played.”
Luke Berry scored a late equaliser for Luton against Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
At Turf Moor, second-bottom Burnley kept alive their faint survival hopes with a 2-1 victory against Brentford.
Vincent Kompany’s side took the lead in the 10th minute when Vitinho sprinted onto Josh Cullen’s pass and was about to shoot when he was pulled down by Sergio Reguilon.
The Spanish defender was shown the earliest red card in the Premier League this season, after a VAR check, and Jacob Bruun Larsen stepped up to convert the spot-kick.
David Datro Fofana, on loan from Chelsea, struck in the 62nd minute with a composed finish into the far corner.
Kristoffer Ajer got one back in the 83rd minute with a diving header from Bryan Mbeumo’s cross, but the Clarets held on for their first league win in 11 games.
They are now eight points from safety with nine games left.
“It had been coming. On another day we could have scored more,” Kompany said. Brentford have won only three of their past 18 league games and sit just four points above the relegation zone.
After mounting a surprise title tilt last season, with Granit Xhaka enjoying one of his finest campaigns for the Gunners, Mikel Arteta still believed he could find an upgrade in the centre of the park – and he splashed a Premier League-record £105m for Declan Rice.
Now, Rice is becoming an integral cog in the engine room as the Gunners remain firmly in the mix for the title.
What impresses Arteta most about Rice? “The way he dominates key aspects of the game,” replied the manager.
“First of all, it’s the way he reads the game, his intelligence, his decision-making on and off the ball, when to pass the ball, how to pass it, where to look, how to execute, and the timing of that, which is very, very relevant, especially in his position.”
He’s only growing more and more connected with his teammates. He could be the key to going one better than last season and finishing with the coveted trophy.
Although the Gunners rounded out the first half of the season with a disappointing defeat at the Emirates to West Ham, it doesn’t take away from what’s been yet another dazzling run for Arteta’s side.
Declan Rice has looked worth every bit of Arsenal’s major investment. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ASTON VILLA (3rd, +15 GD, 39 pts): A
Mid-season MVP: Douglas Luiz
Plenty of expert predictions for this season had Villa finishing well out of the title race. Manchester United great Gary Neville predicted a sixth-place finish, while former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had them out of the top six. It’s fair to say precious few predicted a genuine title challenge, but that’s what Unai Emery’s men have served up. A staggering 15-game win streak on home soil came to an end just before Christmas, though they salvaged a draw with a 97th-minute equaliser against Sheffield United.
Villa’s inability to beat a number of lower-table teams this season — see Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth and now Sheffield United — is their biggest blemish this season.
Three of those four games also came away from home, so if Villa are serious about a top four finish they must find a way to take maximum points when expected, especially against those who are struggling.
Ollie Watkins continues to turn in several all-action displays up front, contributing nine goals and six assists to date this season.
But the player most vital to Villa’s transformed fortunes is Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz who orchestrates every deadly move from midfield.
Luiz’s box-to-box displays have been something to behold as he breaks up opposition attacks only to drive the team up the field and thread the needle with aplomb.
Douglas Luiz is the midfield lynchpin driving Aston Villa forward. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
BOURNEMOUTH (12th, -5 GD, 25 pts): B+
Mid-season MVP: Dominic Solanke
Last season was a shemozzle, a mess, a rollercoaster (but not the fun kind). Remember the 9-0 thumping from Liverpool that saw Scott Parker sacked in August? Then came an ownership takeover, a slump to last place in March, before a late-season resurgence to finish 15th under Gary O’Neil, who probably deserved to win manager of the season.
They embarked on a stunning spending spree in the off-season, with a whopping net spend of €126.19m – sixth in the Premier League and in front of Liverpool and Newcastle United. Then they sacked manager O’Neil before the season began. The new owners had high expectations – but while there’s been some promising signs, things haven’t been smooth sailing. They were 19th and winless after nine games (three points), but have since turned things around impressively to rack up 22 points from the next nine games (W7 D1 L1).
After a 6-1 defeat to Man City they could have fallen apart, but instead they’ve been one of the form teams in the league to soar out of the relegation battle.
The big difference from last season has been Solanke’s form, with the ex-Liverpool striker hitting 12 league goals in 18 games – more than last campaign’s top scorer Philip Billing (7) managed in a full season. If he stays at Bournemouth (amid interest from Tottenham and West Ham), the Cherries could even threaten a top-half finish.
Dominic Solanke is enjoying an absurd goalscoring run. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRENTFORD (14th, -3 GD, 19 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Bryan Mbuemo
It was always going to be a tall task spending half a season without star striker Ivan Toney, but Brentford have managed to survive.
Toney was banned from playing until early January after breaching the FA’s gambling rules, meaning the Bees had to rely on other sources for goals.
Cameroonian winger Bryan Mbuemo has largely shouldered the burden and has a club-leading seven Premier League goals to his name.
However, Brentford — and this will be a constant theme for a lot of these teams, so bear with us — have been crippled by serious injuries throughout the season.
Kevin Schade, who turned his loan move to Brentford into a permanent one in the summer, was meant to help share the goalscoring duties but has been out of action since late September with no return date set in.
Star defender Rico Henry is out for the season while right back Aaron Hickey has also been sidelined for several months among others.
The Bees’ form this season has also been quite patchy, winning just one of their first eight games before four victories in their next six. But they’ve now lost four in a row and six of their last seven, seeing them slide towards the relegation zone.
With Toney due to return in mid-January, it could be the boost Brentford need to kickstart their season once again.
Brentford have struggled without their star striker Ivan Toney this season. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRIGHTON (8th, +5 GD, 30 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Pascal Groß
After the lofty heights of a sixth-place finish last season, high expectations had been set for the Seagulls in the 2023/24 campaign.
But a bright start in which Brighton won five of their opening six games is in the distant past, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side have tasted victory just three times in the following 12.
Although De Zerbi’s great entertainers have been kept scoreless just once this season, they have scored two or more goals just five times since a 3-1 win over Bournemouth in late September.
What is most alarming about Brighton this season is the number of goals they’ve shipped, which stands at 33.
For reference, 16th-placed Nottingham Forest and 18th-placed Luton Town have conceded 34.
Part of this is no doubt down to a backline crippled by injuries.
Star left back Pervis Estupinan had been out for some time before marking his return to action with a screamer against Tottenham, while Tariq Lamptey and Adam Webster have also spent time on the sidelines.
De Zerbi has also switched between Jason Steele and summer signing Bart Verbruggen in the goalkeeper position, offering little consistency in a crucial part of the field after Roberto Sanchez’s exit to Chelsea.
One shining light of consistency this season has been German stalwart Pascal Groß, who continues to be a vital cog in De Zerbi’s Brighton machine.
Another bright spot for Brighton is the goalscoring prowess of Joao Pedro, who joined from Watford for a club-record fee of £30 million.
And despite all of the things that have gone awry for the Seagulls this season, they’re still just three points away from the Europa League spots.
Joao Pedro (centre) leads the goalscoring charts for Brighton. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BURNLEY (19th, -20 GD, 11 pts): D
Mid-season MVP: Josh Brownhill
Burnley won the Championship last season at a canter but life in the Premier League has most certainly not been kind.
There was plenty of intrigue as to whether Vincent Kompany’s brand of football at Turf Moor would hold up against the best England has to offer and so far, the answer has been a resounding no.
Kompany took a significant risk going into the season with the youngest squad in the Premier League with an average age of 24 years and 170 days.
So far, it is a risk that has not paid off as Burnley sit 19th and have conceded the second-most goals in the league.
Burnley lost 11 of their first 13 games, achieving a win and a draw over fellow relegation candidates Luton Town and Nottingham Forest respectively.
But apart from that, there hasn’t been much to sing about on the terraces of Turf Moor although a much-needed 2-0 victory away at Fulham will give Kompany’s troops a needed lift going into the second half of the season.
Skipper Josh Brownhill has been one of the few shining lights in this Burnley team, providing a wiser head in a team brimming with young and eager minds.
Staying up this season will be a mammoth task but with Kompany’s remarkable leadership skills, don’t count out the Clarets just yet in the fight for survival.
Vincent Kompany has a massive job on his hands to keep Burnley in the Premier League. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CHELSEA (10th, +2 GD, 25 pts): F
Mid-season MVP: Cole Palmer
If Chelsea fans thought last year would be the worst of it, well, can only provide our condolences.
A fresh start under new manager Mauricio Pochettino as well as several of the players becoming more familiar with the Premier League had Blues fans hoping for the world.
Instead, they’ve been delivered an atlas.
Chelsea managed to ship off $AUD435 million worth of talent (per Transfermarkt) elsewhere including Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City) and Mason Mount (Manchester United) to name just four.
But the players brought in — at an estimated total expense of $756 million — have simply not lived up to the billing.
Defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo was the most expensive of the lot, joining Chelsea from Brighton for an eye-watering $187 million.
Yet the Ecuadorean continues to struggle to live up to his price tag and doesn’t look at home in Pochettino’s system.
Sure, Pochettino has been dealt a somewhat rough hand with injuries as skipper Reece James continues to spend more time off the pitch than on it while the likes of Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella are sidelined for some time.
Yet for a team that has been so expensively assembled and one of Chelsea’s grand stature, just six wins from 17 league games is simply not good enough.
One summer signing who has looked sharp since arriving is Cole Palmer, who looked to be a seriously risky piece of business at $76 million.
But the Manchester City youth product has delivered several crucial performances for Pochettino’s side and is cold as ice when stepping up to take penalties.
Despite Palmer’s emergence, it cannot be ignored that Chelsea are a serious risk of failing to qualify for European football for a second-straight season.
And if that happens, it’s safe to say Chelsea’s answer will be to throw more money at it and hope it fixes itself.
Despite heavy investment in the summer, Chelsea are still struggling badly. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CRYSTAL PALACE (15th, -9 GD, 18 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Eberechi Eze
After Roy Hodgson steered the club away from relegation at the end of last season, Crystal Palace rewarded him with a one-year extension.
It’s taken just 19 games for Hodgson, a boyhood Palace fan, to have the Eagles once again nervously looking over their shoulder at the drop to the Championship.
After just two defeats in the first eight games, Hodgson’s troops have suffered a massive nosedive in form.
Palace have lost seven of their last 11 fixtures, with only one win — against 19th-place Burnley — in that run.
The main issue crippling Palace is their inability to find the back of the net, with their tally of 19 goals the third-lowest in the league: only Burnley (18) and Sheffield United (15) are worse.
Talk is heating up about the Palace top brass eyeing up a move for Steve Cooper, who was recently sacked by Nottingham Forest, as a mid-season replacement for Hodgson.
It could be what the team needs if it is to surge up the table and unlock the attacking talent it possesses.
The dynamic duo of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze is one of the league’s most exciting on paper, but largely due to injuries they have not been able to share the field.
If those two can start to fire, Palace theoretically should pull away from the danger zone.
Roy Hodgson has overseen a worrying run of form at Crystal Palace lately. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
EVERTON (17th, -1 GD, 16 pts): B+
Mid-season MVP: Dwight McNeil
It’s worth starting with the obvious: Everton copped a Premier League-record ten-point penalty for financial breaches last month that dropped them to 19th and level on points with the bottom-placed team. Without it, they’d be in the top half of the table right now. But the players have responded brilliantly to that hefty blow, beating Newcastle and Chelsea comfortably in recent weeks to climb out of the relegation zone. They are doing so even after recording a €42.30m transfer profit in the off-season – one of only four teams to receive more than they spent. After narrowly avoiding relegation in recent seasons, the points penalty has ignited a fire in their collective belly and they look set to push well clear of danger.
The key marker of improvement behind Everton’s resurgence is their defensive record, a hallmark of Toffees boss Sean Dyche.
Everton have conceded just 25 goals this season, a figure equal with heavyweights like Newcastle and Manchester United.
Although Everton have improved as a collective, one star who looks especially rejuvenated under Dyche is winger Dwight McNeil.
The winger burst onto the scene at Burnley during Dyche’s tenure and the two are once again getting the best out of each other, with McNeil constantly whipping in dangerous crosses that have opposition backlines scrambling.
Despite a 10-point deduction, Everton have not been feeling sorry for themselves. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
FULHAM (13th, -8 GD, 21 pts): C
Mid-season MVP: João Palhinha
After losing talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to Saudi club Al-Hilal in the summer, serious questions were going to be asked about Fulham and Marco Silva this season.
Would they have the same goalscoring credentials? Will Silva tweak his team’s style of play to mitigate the loss of Mitrovic?
Could they actually replace Mitrovic and achieve the same results?
In short, no.
Summer signing Raul Jimenez and Willian lead the club’s goalscoring charts in the Premier League with just four to their names, followed by Bobby Decordova-Reid and Alex Iwobi who have three each.
However, Fulham somehow managed to score 16 goals in the space of four games, including back-to-back 5-0 wins at home over Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.
Throw in a recent 2-0 defeat at home to relegation battlers Burnley and you start to see why Fulham are just a very, very odd team this season.
One man crucial to Fulham’s hopes of a comfortable mid-table finish this season is defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, who almost joined Mitrovic out the exit door but to German giants Bayern Munich instead.
Palhinha could have easily downed tools given the move of a lifetime didn’t come off, but the opposite is true.
The Portuguese start leads the league in tackles by a massive margin and will be crucial to Fulham’s efforts in the second half of the 23/24 campaign.
Fulham are all but certain for a comfortable midtable finish. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LIVERPOOL (1st, +23 GD, 42 pts): A+
Mid-season MVP: Mohamed Salah
They’re scoring goals for fun, have the best defensive record in the league and if it weren’t for an egregious officiating error, would be undefeated.
Oh, and they’re sitting in first place too.
It’s been some start to the season for Liverpool who have won 12 of their 19 league games so far.
Unsurprisingly, Mohamed Salah has been pivotal to Liverpool’s success this season thanks to his 12 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.
The new-look Reds midfield has also impressed, especially summer arrival Dominik Szoboszlai.
Despite all of the Reds’ success this season, they have not been without their flaws.
Liverpool have had to come from behind to either win or draw on eight occasions this season and of those eight games, a goal has arrived in second-half stoppage time.
One side of that argument plays into Jurgen Klopp’s previous comments about his players being “mentality monsters”.
On the other hand, it is an unsustainable trend that could come back to bite Liverpool dearly.
Of course, the biggest question that faces Klopp’s side is how they will cope without Salah when he takes off for the African Cup of Nations with Egypt.
Given he has been involved in 19 of Liverpool’s 39 league goals this season, his absence takes away the team’s best goalscoring threat.
But Klopp is one of the best managers in the world for a reason and will have devised a plan to make up for Salah’s absence.
Just how well that plan works will likely prove the difference between winning the Premier League and falling agonisingly short yet again.
Mohamed Salah is vital to Liverpool’s title hopes. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
LUTON TOWN (18th, -13 GD, 15 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Ross Barkley
They’ve got no money, the smallest ground in the league, and it’s fair to say they were given no chance of survival. From the start of the season, they showed they were up for the fight. But the big question was always around whether they had enough quality.
In their first 12 games, they had six points and had scored just 10 goals. It felt like they probably deserved more – they gave Man Utd a huge scare and came within inches of beating Liverpool.
But they turned things around after that. Since then, they’ve scored 10 goals in six games and racked up nine points!
After being all-but-written-off in pre-season, they’re mounting a genuine run at avoiding relegation.
The Hatters have now won both games since captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest, including a genuine ‘six-pointer’ over Sheffield United.
Ex-PL defender Stephen Kelly told BBC Radio: “Sometimes it can be a horrendous moment like that that galvanises you as a group of players.
“Quality-wise I don’t think Luton are there when it comes to the Premier League and they can’t compete with the finances. But they compete with hard work, energy and desire.”
Maybe the magic touch of quality comes from Barkley, who has slotted in perfectly after joining from French first-tier team Nice in the off-season.
The former Everton and Chelsea midfield star is shining in a deeper role, picking up the ball deep and driving forward. His long balls and ability to draw in defenders has been crucial for Luton’s attack. The 30-year-old is undergoing a career resurgence – and it might just carry the Hatters to survival.
Ross Barkley is enjoying a career resurgence at Luton Town. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MANCHESTER CITY (4th, +22 GD, 37 pts): A-
Mid-season MVP: Rodri
The status that comes with winning four Premier League titles in a row explains why this season so far feels a little below par for Manchester City.
It’s been a rather bizarre season for Pep Guardiola’s side, who found themselves in fourth at the halfway mark of the 23/24 season.
Some things remain relatively normal: Erling Haaland leads the golden boot race with 14, City are the league’s highest scorers with 43 and have conceded the third-fewest goals (21).
But there’s a feeling City, for the first time in a long while, might be a little vulnerable.
The absence of star Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has no doubt played a major role in that sentiment, while Haaland’s recent injury has lightened the load on opposition backlines.
Yet there’s one alarming stat which suggests those two aren’t the vital pieces to City’s title charge.
Instead, it’s Spanish midfielder Rodri.
Granted he’s not going to provide the mind-boggling assist and goal numbers De Bruyne and Haaland provide.
But from the three games City have not had Rodri available, they have lost all three: a 2-1 loss to Wolves as well as 1-0 defeats to Arsenal and Aston Villa.
City also could and perhaps should have a better defensive record, if not for the 4-4 and 3-3 goalfests against Chelsea and Tottenham respectively.
In fact, City have conceded goals in the 90th minute and beyond for three of their four draws this season, pointing to a serious concentration issue that has crept in for Guardiola’s side.
However, there’s always a sense of inevitability with City given they know exactly when to peak during the final run-in and simply cannot be counted out until it’s mathematically impossible.
Manchester City have not won when Rodri has been absent. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
MANCHESTER UNITED (7th, -4 GD, 31 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Bruno Fernandes
Let’s start with the positives. They’re seventh on the ladder and still in top-four contention. Bruno Fernandes is putting together a season for the ages when it comes to playmaking (more on that below). But it’s fair to say there are still big problems.
Ten times this season, Manchester United have conceded more than one goal in the space of 10 minutes or less. This month alone that has included two in five minutes (Villa), two in six (West Ham), two in five (Bournemouth).
Then there’s the attack. United have scored just 21 goals this season, which is the equal-third fewest of any team in the Premier League.
Before their impressive comeback win over Aston Villa, United’s forwards had scored a combined four league goals from open play in 18 games. The team had gone over 420 minutes without scoring before Garnacho’s opening goal against Villa. Big-money signing Rasmus Hojlund’s goal in the game was his first in the league … in his 15th appearance!
“Too many people talk about the strikers at Man Utd,” Garnacho said after the game.
United fans will be hoping their forwards can finally find some form and shut up the critics.
Thankfully, they’re getting plenty of service from Fernandes, who keeps creating chances at a remarkable rate. His expected assists this season stands at 6.47 per understat, while his actual assists is just three. If his teammates can stop missing so many chances, United can still make something of this season.
Bruno Fernandes is providing chances but his United teammates are struggling to finish them. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
NEWCASTLE (9th, +12 GD, 29 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Anthony Gordon
It was always going to be a difficult ask for Newcastle to build on the wild ride all the way to the Champions League they enjoyed last season.
And so far, that’s exactly what it’s proving to be.
A 5-1 win over Aston Villa and an 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield United are distant memories as Eddie Howe’s side limped its way to the halfway mark, losing four of their last five games.
The depth of Eddie Howe’s squad has been tested beyond belief as the addition of a European schedule has placed plenty of strain on a playing group desperately short on depth.
Couple that with lengthy injury spells to key players like Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes and Sven Botman to name three and it’s easy to understand why the Magpies are suffering this season.
There’s also been the unwanted distraction of marquee summer recruit Sandro Tonali’s suspension for gambling, robbing Newcastle of a player deemed pivotal to their domestic and European hopes.
But amid all the doom and gloom in the Toon, winger Anthony Gordon has been a shining light.
Gordon wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s his relentless energy that has resulted in vital goals for Newcastle.
The 22-year-old has six league goals to his name but, most crucially, has started 17 of 19 games.
Having guided Newcastle back to the Champions League last season, Howe’s job is extremely likely to be safe despite the team’s struggles this season.
But given it is the first sustained period of on-field woes, it will be extremely intriguing to see how patient Newcastle’s Saudi ownership are.
Newcastle are struggling to emulate the highs of last season. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (16th, -12 GD, 17 pts): D
Mid-season MVP: Morgan Gibbs-White
It wasn’t anything close to the transfer extravaganza prior to their Premier League return last year, but Nottingham Forest still decided to loosen the pursestrings and bring a raft of stars to the City Ground, including star wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.
Despite the high-profile additions, Forest boss Steve Cooper couldn’t quite get them firing when he needed to and as a result the cult hero was sacked.
Looking at Forest’s results this season and it’s hard not to see why club owner Evangelos Marinakis lost patience with Cooper.
Things appeared reasonably bright for the Reds at the start of the season having lost just four of their opening 11 games and even then, those defeats were to Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.
But after a surprise 2-0 win at home against Aston Villa, the wheels fell off for Cooper and his team.
Four straight losses — including a 5-0 humiliation away to Fulham which resulted in Marinakis hurling his matchday accreditation into the front garden of a home near Craven Cottage — cranked up the pressure on Cooper.
A 1-1 draw against Wolves only proved to be a brief stay of execution, as a 2-0 loss to Tottenham the following week brought an end to Cooper’s time at the club.
Former Wolves boss Nuno Esperito Santo has now arrived and although he tasted defeat amid controversial circumstances in his first match in charge, Forest looked a brighter side in a 3-1 win away to Newcastle.
Although Forest may privately harbour aspirations bigger than just survival, Nuno’s remit will no doubt be to avoid the drop.
Dynamic forward Morgan Gibbs-White will be vital to achieving this aim, as will the goalscoring prowess of Kiwi striker Chris Wood.
Morgan Gibbs-White (left) is one star who is set to play a big role in keeping Forest up. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SHEFFIELD UNITED (20th, -32 GD, 9 pts): E
Mid-season MVP: Gustavo Hamer
The Blades have lacked a cutting edge (sorry) up front, but they’ve also been sliced apart defensively. They’ve got the worst offensive and defensive record in the league by some distance. In fact, after 19 games, they hold the second-worst defensive record in Premier League history. Their 47 goals conceded is second only to Barnsley 1997-98 (50 conceded).
But to be fair, expectations were low this season, especially when they sold two key players in Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille and Sander Berge to rivals Burnley. At times they have been a shambles that feels more like a bunch of individuals than any sort of united team. They’ve lost two games 5-0 and another 8-0, sacked a manager and need a miracle to avoid relegation. It’s been a sorry season.
Hamer, a 15 million pound signing, has been a rare shining light. He struck an absolute screamer on his Premier League debut and has impressed with his workrate on and off the ball. He is creative and courageous – which sometimes results in gifting possession to the opposition too frequently – but he has the kind of intensity and drive to win that is infectious. At least, Sheffield fans will hope so, otherwise it will be straight back to the Championship for the Blades.
Sheffield United are favourites to be relegated. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
TOTTENHAM (5th, +11 GD, 36 pts): A
Mid-season MVP: Ange Postecoglou (we had to!)
From leading the league in October, to managing to find a way to score goals after losing arguably the club’s greatest-ever striker Harry Kane, and most importantly playing an attractive style of football, it’s been one hell of a start to the season for Spurs. They’ve faced a major injury crisis that’s about as bad as any team in the league, and took out two of their star signings (and most important players overall) James Maddison and Micky van de Ven.
At the same time, they’ve been struck down by suspensions – like Cristian Romero, who sums up their season with his two red cards followed by a big injury.
Sure, they had a poor November, but overall the first half of the season has been more than impressive.
They lost 14 games last season. At the mid-point of this season, they’ve lost five.
And if Postecoglou thought he had already undergone a brutal test with a casualty ward at capacity as well as constant suspensions, he’s got a nightmare scenario in the very near future.
He’s about to lose star midfield duo Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr to the African Cup of Nations as well as club captain Heung-Min Son to the Asian Cup.
But the Australian boss has never shied away from a challenge and he won’t be about to do so now.
Perspective is also needed when viewing Postecoglou’s achievements amid the brutal hand he has been dealt when it comes to the unavailability of several of his first team stars.
When he’s had everyone free to play, we’ve seen just how good this Tottenham team can be.
Postecoglou has enjoyed a true rollercoaster of a Premier League season and we’re only at the halfway mark. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WEST HAM (6th, +3 GD, 33 pts): B
Mid-season MVP: Jarrod Bowen
Prior to the season, the big question surrounding West Ham was about how they would navigate life without talismanic midfielder and captain Declan Rice after his £105 million move to Arsenal.
Granted, a direct replacement of Rice’s quality was just about impossible.
But thanks to the summer additions of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, Rice’s absence is not as keenly felt as first feared.
Hammers boss David Moyes also began the season as one manager tipped as a likely chance of getting sacked and, for a brief period this season, it looked like that could have eventuated.
A run of five defeats in seven games heaped pressure on the Scot, but in typical Moyes fashion, he managed to turn the ship around.
Since that run, West Ham have lost just once — a rogue 5-0 hammering at the hands of Fulham — and have won six of their last eight to rocket up from 12th place all the way to sixth.
Pivotal to this uptick in form is the dynamic trio of Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.
Paqueta leads the league in the most through balls with 19, ahead of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard, and has five assists to his name.
After a slow start, Kudus has found his feet in the Premier League and has four goals in his last six league games.
But it is Bowen who has been the real shining light of West Ham, with his 11 goals to date proving vital.
His pace and ability to stretch opposition backlines is crucial to the Hammers hitting teams in transition and, as it stands, should be considered a lock for England’s squad at EURO 2024.
Jarrod Bowen is in sensational form for West Ham this season. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WOLVES (11th, -4 GD, 25 pts): C
Mid-season MVP: Matheus Cunha
When Julen Lopetegui resigned on August 8, many Wolves fans would have been forgiven if they feared the worst going into this season.
The relatively underwhelming appointment of Gary O’Neil — who was sacked by Bournemouth not long after the end of the 2022/23 season — did little to allay those fears.
Despite the initial fears, Wolves fans backed O’Neil to the hilt and that bond has strengthened over the course of this season.
The highs have been very high for Wolves so far, with home wins against the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City giving the Molineux faithful plenty to sing about.
But the one thing that has tightened the bond between Wolves fans and O’Neil is the fact the club has been on the wrong side of an alarming number of VAR calls.
It began in the first match of the season when Wolves were denied what looked like a stonewall penalty after Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic.
Wolves also had two penalty calls go against them in the 3-2 defeat to Fulham, with O’Neil even claiming referee Michael Salisbury told him he made a mistake in awarding one of the penalties.
It led O’Neil to state his team had lost seven points as a result of VAR’s ineptitude, but it also helped create a siege mentality amongst the entire club.
To an extent it’s paid off, with Wolves sitting 10 points clear of the relegation zone and only six points off seventh, the position which qualifies a team for the Europa Conference League.
Matheus Cunha, who joined on a permanent deal in the summer, is a big reason for Wolves’ improvement this season as are the goals from Hwang Hee-Chan.
Cunha’s four goals and five assists goes some way to explaining the attacking threat he provides for O’Neil’s team and will look to continue to be a nuisance for the opposition.
Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez ended his goal drought to inspire a 2-0 win against Burnley, while Chris Wood’s hat-trick against his old club Newcastle gave Nuno Espirito Santo his first victory as Nottingham Forest boss on Wednesday [AEDT].
Jurgen Klopp’s side took an early lead through Nunez at Turf Moor and held on despite wasting a host of chances.
Nunez’s eighth goal this season was his first for 12 games since he netted against Bournemouth in the League Cup on November 1.
Diogo Jota, back from a month’s injury absence, wrapped up the victory late on to leave Liverpool two points above second placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
Darwin Nunez celebrates after scoring. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
Third placed Aston Villa would move level on points with Liverpool, behind them on goal difference, if they beat Manchester United later on Wednesday.
Arsenal can regain top spot with a victory at home to West Ham on Friday. After successive draws with Manchester United and Arsenal prior to Christmas, this was an essential victory for Liverpool’s title ambitions.
Wood left Newcastle to join Forest in a £15 million ($19 million) deal in June, but had scored only four times for his new club.
The 32-year-old New Zealand international managed just two league goals for Newcastle last term, but he surpassed that meagre total with a treble in 60 minutes at St James’ Park.
Alexander Isak’s first half penalty put Newcastle ahead, but Wood equalised just before the break.
He struck twice more in the second half to hand former Tottenham manager Nuno his maiden victory with Forest in his second game in charge after replacing the sacked Steve Cooper.
It was Forest’s first win in eight games and only their second success in their last 15 matches.
Forest moved five points clear of the relegation zone ahead of the rest of the day’s matches.
Nuno’s first game in charge ended in a painful 3-2 stoppage-time defeat against Bournemouth at the City Ground last weekend.
Newcastle’s fifth defeat in their last seven games in all competitions leaves them seven points adrift of the top four in seventh place.
Wolves claim Xmas victory over Chelsea | 00:58
FULHAM BOSS INSISTS KEEPER ‘DIDN’T PUSH’ BALL BOY
Fulham boss Marco Silva insisted his goalkeeper Bernd Leno “touched” but “didn’t push” a ball boy during the Cottagers’ 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth.
The second-half incident occurred when Leno went to collect the ball from the youngster’s outstretched hand before using his own hand to make deliberate contact with the shoulder of the boy, who appeared to take a step back for balance.
The 31-year-old German later returned to apologise to the ball boy for the encounter, though Silva was adamant the interaction had been exaggerated.
“Have you seen him pushing? I didn’t see this. Yes, he apologised. I spoke with Bernd about it,” Silva said.
“It’s clear he went to speak with the boy after that moment as the top professional that he is, the really experienced player that he is as well.
“He wanted to play quick. The ball boys, I don’t know who gave them instructions to hold always the ball to delay the beginning of the game again. OK, we are losing, he ran to the ball. I didn’t see him pushing.
“He touched the ball boy, he didn’t push the ball boy. They are different things, when you touch a ball boy or you push a ball boy. I am not English but I know the difference between one word and the other, and we have to say the truth in that moment.”
POLICE INVESTIGATE ALLEGED RACIST COMMENT TOWARDS LUTON PLAYER
Luton boss Rob Edwards said South Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged racist comment towards Carlton Morris in his side’s 3-2 win at fellow strugglers Sheffield United.
Morris complained of a comment made from a United fan late in the second half, which left him “pretty angry”, and the police have spoken to him.
It soured what was a great day for Morris as he came off the bench to create two own goals in four minutes as third bottom Luton came from 2-1 down to beat the division’s bottom club.
“There was an alleged racist comment, the police are dealing with that, they have spoken to Carlton and got his take on it, so it is with them now,” Edwards said.
Aussie boss Graham Arnold made five changes to his lineup which included a welcome recall for Massimo Luongo as hyped defender Alessandro Circati made his Socceroos debut.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at how EVERY Aussie performed in Socceroos Player Ratings!
The skipper was rarely troubled throughout but made crucial saves when he needed to, pulling off a brilliant save low to his right in the 30th minute to deny Chris Wood.
Ryan’s distribution was equally impressive as well, helping to kickstart attacks or keep the ball.
Aziz Behich: 6
Behich provided plenty of energy and looked to get forward as much as possible down that left flank.
Had an interesting dynamic playing behind Bos, who’s predominantly a left-back himself, but Behich still did plenty to keep New Zealand’s right side in check.
Harry Souttar: 7.5
Once again an impressive performance from the towering defender.
Got on the scoresheet — albeit in contentious fashion — and helped the Aussies keep a clean sheet by nullifying a Premier League striker in Chris Wood.
Did have a few careless moments in possession, but otherwise another dependable performance at the back from the Leicester City man.
Souttar thought he scored the opener. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Alessandro Circati: 8
Trying to keep Wood quiet is no easy task, let alone in a Socceroos debut, but Alessandro Circati was immense.
The youngster looked calm and composed with the ball at his feet and did his defensive duties perfectly.
His centre-back partner Souttar thought Circati was “first class” and felt the youngster had a “bright future” give how well he played, while Arnold said he “looked like he’d already played 30 or 40 caps.”
It’s hard to disagree.
Lewis Miller: 6
Miller earned a starting berth at right back and although he endured a bit of a shaky start, the Hibernian man grew into the contest.
He whipped in the cross that led to the opening goal and was involved in some tidy passages of play in the final third, but only got one half of football before he was taken off for Ryan Strain at the break.
MIDFIELD
Keanu Baccus: 5
Baccus had a bit of a mixed bag when it came to his performance.
He always looked to help take the ball off of defenders and move it around the field, but was sometimes guilty of gifting the ball away in dangerous areas.
Baccus also made a number of crucial tackles yet also gave away some careless fouls in dangerous areas.
Not his finest performance, but he’s definitely proven he belongs at the base of the Socceroos’ midfield.
Massimo Luongo: 7
You could see as early as the national anthems what this recall to the Socceroos meant for Luongo, as he couldn’t wipe the smile from his face.
He most certainly carried over his impressive club form for Ipswich Town onto the international stage and looked lively across all areas of the field.
His eagerness got the better of him at times when he held onto the ball for too long, yet Luongo has certainly made the case for keeping his place in the next international window.
Luongo performed well in his first Socceroos appearance in five years. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Jordan Bos: 6
Bos’ attacking qualities are no secret as a left-back, but he didn’t exactly have his best game as a left winger.
He was often tasked with set pieces but his deliveries didn’t quite hit the mark, although he almost had a goal when he cut inside and unleashed a curling effort with his right foot that was well-saved.
Bos can definitely do a job at left wing if needed, such is his boundless energy.
But just as Luke Wilkshire and Alex Brosque pointed out, the youngster is best served as a left-back going forward.
Martin Boyle: 7
The man simply cannot stop running.
Boyle was once again full of energy down the right wing, chasing lost causes and burning opposition defenders with his electric pace.
Also notched a late assist when his corner found Jackson Irvine at the back post for the second goal.
ATTACK
Connor Metcalfe: 7
Metcalfe seemed to be given free licence to roam in the final third as he popped up in all areas of the field.
It certainly troubled the Kiwi defenders and midfielders who struggled to lock him down.
He’ll be kicking himself for missing a golden chance in the first half when Luongo slipped him through on goal and had his effort well saved by the All Whites goalkeeper.
Mitchell Duke: 6
He had a goal, then he didn’t, then he finally did.
Duke scored the Socceroos’ first goal but his volley took the slightest of deflections off of Souttar, yet it was the former who was eventually credited with the opener.
Aside from his goal though, it was another showing from Duke where his work off the ball was perhaps more notable than what he did on it.
Duke’s volley opened the Socceroos’ account in London. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SUBS
Ryan Strain: 6
Came on in the 46th minute for Lewis Miller.
Had a difficult chance to double Australia’s advantage when he sidefooted a high ball wide of goal from range.
Strain looked to get forward as much as possible but didn’t quite find the rhythm he’d have liked in the 45 minutes he spent on the field.
Craig Goodwin: 7
Came on in the 66th minute for Jordan Bos.
Goodwin immediately made an impact at left wing, exploiting the acres of space he often found himself in and tracked back well.
You almost felt that the Socceroos were going to score whenever he had the ball as Goodwin continues to cement his spot as the Aussies’ first choice at left wing.
Brandon Borrello: 7
Came on in the 66th minute for Mitchell Duke.
Borrello zipped around the field like a madman as he looked to make his case for inclusion in future windows.
His eagerness got the better of him on a handful of occasions as he was flagged offside, but the intent was certainly there from the Wanderers ace.
However, Borrello will rue a golden opportunity as he missed an open goal to score the Socceroos’ third.
Jackson Irvine: 8
Came on in the 66th minute for Massimo Luongo.
Irvine was the true game-changer for the Socceroos when he came on, making driving runs from midfield and getting back to do his defensive duties.
The St Pauli midfielder was especially dangerous on the transition as he helped spark attacks with his passing.
He capped off a strong showing with a goal from a Martin Boyle corner just 10 minutes after coming on.
