Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he is “disappointed” by the club’s failure to sign a new striker before the transfer window closed on Monday.
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Arsenal were unable to lure England forward Ollie Watkins away from Aston Villa after their £60 million ($75 million) bid was rejected last week.
Having failed to pivot to another deal after the Watkins snub, the Gunners ended the January window with questions about a forward line weakened by long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka.
Ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final second leg at Newcastle, Arteta conceded the lack of transfer activity was frustrating.
“We talked very openly about the intention to improve the squad if we had the capacity. With players with injuries, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it,” Arteta told reporters on Tuesday.
“We are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players.
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“We couldn’t do it for certain reasons and we have to accept it. It was a combination of things. We have to be very disciplined with that as well.”
Arsenal operated in the window without their former sporting director Edu, who resigned in November after playing a key role in their transfer policy.
Edu was a close ally of Arteta but the Spaniard insisted he had no complaints about Arsenal’s recruitment process despite their unsuccessful striker hunt.
“When you try your best and do things with the right process, and after you don’t achieve it, OK. For sure there are things to learn from it but now we have to move on,” he said.
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Arsenal FC at Molineux on January 25, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
While Arsenal have to cope with an understrength attack for now, they showed no signs of being affected in Sunday’s 5-1 demolition of Manchester City.
German forward Kai Havertz and teenage attacking midfielder Ethan Nwaneri both netted against City and Arteta remains confident in the players at his disposal.
“From now there is no discussion on it and we focus on improving the group we have. It is remarkable what the team has done. I have full faith in them,” he said.
“We are going to have to be flexible in the front line. We have to make sure they stay fit, contributing, and can play that position. At some point we will have to try something different.”
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Arsenal have a mountain to climb at St James’ Park on Wednesday after losing the first leg 2-0 at home in January.
Newcastle also beat the Gunners 1-0 in the Premier League in November. “They are a very difficult team to play against. Obviously this season two very different games,” Arteta said.
He hopes the rout of City will be a confidence boost for his team as they chase a first League Cup final appearance since 2018.
“When you compare the emotional state of the team after the first leg and now after Man City it is very different. Next stop is the final. We know how big that is,” said Arteta, whose club have not won the League Cup since 1993.
“The buzz the City game gave us and the manner we did it. It is momentum. It is time for full gas and go for it.”
Alexander Isak fired Newcastle into the Premier League’s top four on Wednesday, scoring twice in a 3-0 cruise against Wolves as David Moyes endured a miserable return to the Everton dugout.
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Red-hot Isak found the net for the eighth league match in a row as the Magpies leapfrogged faltering Chelsea into fourth spot in the table.
The Swedish international put the home side ahead in the 34th minute when his shot took a huge deflection off Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, leaving Jose Sa wrong-footed.
The striker is just the fourth different player to score in eight successive Premier League appearances, after Jamie Vardy (twice for Leicester), Ruud van Nistelrooy (twice for Manchester United), and Daniel Sturridge (for Liverpool).
Isak doubled Newcastle’s lead shortly before the hour mark, controlling Bruno Guimaraes’ pass before firing home for his 15th league goal of the season and Anthony Gordon added a third.
Eddie Howe’s men, who have now won six straight league games, have recovered strongly from a lengthy poor spell to make a powerful case for a Champions League spot next season.
Taking advantage of the faltering form of Manchester City and Chelsea, they are just three points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Alexander Isak of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at St James’ Park on January 15, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
– Villa ruin Moyes’ return –
Moyes, in the first game of his second spell in charge of Everton, watched his toothless side lose 1-0 to Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, slotting past England teammate Jordan Pickford after he was sent clear by Morgan Rogers.
Everton huffed and puffed but showed a lack of creativity — unsurprising for a team who have scored just 15 league goals in their 20 matches this season.
The result lifts Unai Emery’s Villa to seventh in the table but Everton remain in deep trouble, just one point above the relegation zone in 16th spot.
David Moyes’ return as Everton manager failed to muster a response from the toothless Toffees in a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.Source: Getty Images
The Liverpool club’s new owners, the American-based Friedkin Group, sacked Sean Dyche last week and brought back 61-year-old Moyes, who enjoyed success during an 11-year stint at Goodison Park from 2002 to 2013.
But the Toffees, ever-present in the top flight since 1954, have battled relegation for the past three seasons and are once again in deep trouble.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester suffered their sixth straight league defeat, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace to leave the Foxes second from bottom of the table.
Jean-Philippe Mateta put the visitors ahead early in the second half and Marc Guehi made the points safe with a late second.
Arsenal, winless in three matches in all competitions, are hosting injury-hit Tottenham in the late kick-off on Wednesday.
Ange Postecoglou has drafted a contingency plan should one of his defenders leave, while a Socceroos defender could find himself nudged out of the starting squad.
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ANGE’S $64M CONTINGENCY PLAN REVEALED AS STAR NEARS EXIT
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is wasting little time in preparing for the rumoured exit of Emerson Royal, with a Monaco defender lined up as his replacement.
The Spurs right back has attracted plenty of interest from Italian giants AC Milan, who are in the market for a right-sided defender.
However, Romano claims the deal won’t exactly be straightforward given Monaco have slapped a $AUD64 million price tag on the 22-year-old.
It would be a large outlay on a back-up defender given Pedro Porro is Postecoglou’s first-choice right back.
Vanderson began the season operating as a right midfielder but found himself in defence for six of Monaco’s final eight Ligue 1 games this season.
Postecoglou has a Monaco defender in his sights. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
RED DEVILS PONDER PROMISING DUTCH STAR
Manchester United are pondering whether to meet the $64m release clause of Dutch international Joshua Zirkzee as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his attacking options.
Sky Sports reports the Red Devils are keen on Zirkzee but have not made a final decision on a pursuit of the forward.
However, the report claims the release clause figure isn’t expected to be an issue should United’s transfer committee decide to green light the deal.
Zirkzee is coming off one of his best seasons to date as his 11 goals and five assists helped fire Bologna to an unexpected Champions League birth.
The 23-year-old was previously on the books at Bayern Munich before he moved to Bologna in 2022 for just $13 million.
Joshua Zirkzee is a target of Manchester United. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SOCCEROO’S SPOT UNDER THREAT AS PL NEWBIES EYE DEFENDER
Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess could find his place in Ipswich Town’s starting lineup under threat as a Hull City defender has emerged as the club’s transfer priority.
Burgess, a centre back, started in 38 of the Trotters’ 46 Championship games last season and played a key role in lifting the club to the Premier League.
However, the news of Ipswich making Hull’s Jacob Greaves their top target this summer could leave the Aussie out in the cold.
The Telegraph claims Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is a big fan of Greaves, but the newly-promoted side may have to fend off Everton in the battle for his signature.
McKenna has made a new centre-back his transfer priority. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CHELSEA’S STRIKER SEARCH HITS A SPEED BUMP
Chelsea’s search for a new striker has hit a speed bump after a bid for a 20-year-old was rejected.
The Blues made a $52 million offer to Atletico Madrid for Samu Omorodion but the Spanish side decided to turn it down, per The Athletic.
Omorodion joined Atletico last summer from Granada and was immediately loaned out to Alaves, where he scored nine goals and registered one assist from 35 league appearances.
Although the door may be momentarily shut on moves for Omorodion, The Athletic reports Chelsea still have other transfer targets in mind.
Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran is one who has heavily been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge and the clubs have been in talks regarding the Colombian.
The report also claims Chelsea admire former academy product Dominic Solanke but it appears unlikely at this stage due to his $124m release clause.
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FOXES CLOSE IN ON EX-BRIGHTON BOSS
Leicester City are inching closer towards appointing Enzo Maresca’s successor as they gear up for their return to the Premier League.
According to The Guardian, the Foxes are “close to reaching an agreement” with former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter to take over.
Potter has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 but has not been short of offers, with Ajax one of numerous clubs he turned down.
Should Potter take the job, he’ll have to contend with Leicester’s worrying financial position as they could be docked points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
It took just 78 seconds to spark ecstasy in Manchester and agony some 207 miles away in north London.
Phil Foden’s thumping opener against West Ham United was the goal notification Arsenal fans had dreaded, knowing a Manchester City victory would secure the Premier League title for a fourth consecutive season.
Foden added a second in the 18th minute, twisting the knife even further into Arsenal as they watched Everton’s Idrissa Gueye score a deflected free-kick to take a shock lead at the Emirates Stadium.
Although Arsenal would come back to win, it was all in vain as City marched on to secure a 3-1 victory over the Hammers.
The win meant City became the first team to win four-straight league titles and their sixth in their last seven seasons.
But this latest triumph is made all the more remarkable by the fact they spent just three games on top of the ladder from November 12.
It followed a trend from last season in which Pep Guardiola’s side sat second for 30 of the first 32 games before leapfrogging Arsenal into first with just six matches remaining.
If it wasn’t evident before, it certainly is now: City are, quite simply, inevitable.
Another element to City’s title charge is how they once again finished top of the pile after winning the treble last season, including their first Champions League.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Manchester United legend Gary Neville said his “most difficult season” was the one after the Red Devils claimed the treble because it “took so much out” of him.
“What is City’s cause this year?” Neville asked.
“They have achieved utopia. They cannot do any more.
“When you have fought so long and hard to win a Champions League like they have and won the treble, there has got to be that little bit of a sigh of relief.”
Perhaps the cause of making history once more was the key motivational factor for Guardiola.
But City are not done rewriting the record books just yet because victory in the FA Cup final would make Guardiola’s side the first to win consecutive Premier League titles and FA Cup finals.
Given City’s sheer dominance since Guardiola’s arrival in the Premier League, one must wonder what more his title rivals can do to knock the heavyweights off the throne.
Jurgen Klopp couldn’t keep up the fight, conceding he was “running out of energy” when he announced he’d leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
Given how close Arsenal came last season, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had hoped the big money signings of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz would be the boost needed to pip City to the post.
Guardiola guided Manchester City to an unprecedented fourth-straight Premier League title. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Yet an improved Premier League season across the board was still not enough, sparking former Premier League veteran Clinton Morrison to claim Arsenal will never win the league until Guardiola decides to throw in the towel.
“They are not far away,” Morrison said on BBC Radio’s Friday Football Social.
“They need Pep to go and when he goes they will win the title. It’s as plain and simple as that.
“Arsenal have been fantastic and any other season, or if Manchester City weren’t in the league, they win the Premier League because they have been fantastic under Mikel Arteta.”
Well, by Guardiola’s admission, it doesn’t seem like Arsenal will need to wait much longer.
“The reality is I’m closer to leaving than to staying,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.
“It’s eight years, will be nine. Right now my feeling is I want to stay next season. We talked with the club, we have time to talk next season because I have to see the players as well, if they follow me, they follow us.
“I want to stay next season. During the season, we will talk. But after eight, nine years …”
Even if Guardiola decides to stay a little longer and continually find new causes to spur his star-studded squad on even further, Arsenal will be ready to pounce on any slip-ups.
The Gunners possess one of the youngest squads in the league and, most importantly, have now had two experiences of what’s required in a title race.
Arsenal came agonisingly close to the title yet again. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Gabriel and William Saliba have developed into one of the best centre back pairings in the league while the midfield triumvirate of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey is one teams across Europe view with envy.
Throw in attacking options like Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, it’s easy to see why Arsenal fans are so optimistic about the future.
As the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel wrote, “any sense of disappointment was quickly replaced by an impression of pride” once it was confirmed Arsenal had finished second once again.
“The Emirates Stadium was at its loudest as Michael Oliver blew for full time,” Mokbel said.
“They know their team is on the cusp of something special.
“Indeed, in a few weeks time, as the battle scars of another failure have healed, those dreams will burn brightly once again.
“They are so close and the reaction of the supporters to a heartbreaking disappointment suggests they believe they’ll eventually reach the promised land.”
“It will still hurt that their name will not be engraved on the trophy, that their wait for a title will stretch into a 21st year, that as Manchester City’s supremacy hardens into dynasty, theirs recedes further into memory,” Gheerbrant wrote.
“But this felt, by the end, like an uplifting occasion, not a funereal one; not a day to mourn how close this young team had come, but instead to celebrate how far.”
Although City remained the dominant force for yet another season, the scenes in sunny north London showed that this Arsenal team are inching ever closer towards a breakthrough title and everyone at the club knows it.
Ipswich need just a point to guarantee promotion when they host Huddersfield, who are already practically relegated, on Saturday.
Leeds, who do boast a better goal difference than Ipswich, must beat Southampton at Elland Road to have any chance of finishing in the top two.
Under the guidance of former Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna, Ipswich are on the brink of back-to-back promotions.
McKenna’s men had not won in their previous four games as they failed to take full advantage of Leeds’ faltering form at the business end of the season.
Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess has put Ipswich on the brink of promotion to the Premier League. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But they righted the ship just in time with a precious victory over the FA Cup semi-finalists.
Kieffer Moore fired the visitors into the lead after just eight minutes. However, Ipswich’s nerves showed during a tense second half and Haji Wright’s powerful effort flew through the grasp of Vaclav Hladky.
Coventry were only level for five minutes as Socceroos star Cameron Burgess fired in at the near post to spark jubilant scenes among a packed out away end.
Those celebrations were repeated at full-time with Ipswich closing in on a £200 million bounty ($AUD385 million) by making it back to the English top flight.
Leicester have already booked their place back in the Premier League as Championship winners after a 3-0 win at Preston on Monday.
Liverpool’s Premier League title bid suffered a devastating blow in a 2-0 defeat at Merseyside rivals Everton, while Manchester United spared Erik ten Hag’s blushes with a 4-2 victory against lowly Sheffield United on Wednesday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were beaten at Goodison Park for the first time in 14 years in a brutal setback to their hopes of catching leaders Arsenal.
Jarrad Branthwaite put Everton ahead in the 27th minute as the defender prodded the ball under Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker via the post after the Reds made a hash of clearing a free-kick.
With Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah once again struggling to convert chances to equalise, Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin delivered the knockout punch with a 58th-minute header.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 24: Jordan Pickford of Everton celebrates after the team’s victory in the Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC at Goodison Park on April 24, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Second-placed Liverpool remain three points behind Arsenal, who have a vastly superior goal difference, with both sides having four games left.
Third-placed Manchester City, who visit Brighton on Saturday, will be crowned English champions for an unprecedented fourth successive season if they win their last six matches.
Liverpool have reportedly opened talks with Feyenoord’s Arne Slot to take over from Klopp, whose long goodbye looks set to end with a whimper.
It hardly the scenario Klopp envisioned when Liverpool beat Chelsea in the League Cup final in February.
Back then, his team were in contention for a quadruple that would have capped his final season in spectacular fashion.
Instead, the end of Klopp’s nine-year reign is becoming a damp squib, with Liverpool knocked out of the FA Cup quarter-finals by Manchester United and losing to Atalanta at the same stage of the Europa League as their title challenge evaporates.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 24: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool reacts during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC at Goodison Park on April 24, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MAN UTD’S WILD COMEBACK
At Old Trafford, Ten Hag’s side twice trailed to the league’s bottom club before Bruno Fernandes came to his beleaguered manager’s aid in the second half.
Jayden Bogle put the Blades ahead and although Harry Maguire equalised before half-time, Ben Brereton Diaz restored the visitors’ advantage soon after the interval.
Fernandes bailed out Ten Hag with a penalty equaliser before the Portugal midfielder’s long-range rocket put United in front with nine minutes left.
Rasmus Hojlund got United’s fourth to ensure they could finally enjoy a first league win in five games since beating Everton on March 9.
It was a temporary reprieve for Ten Hag, who hopes to salvage sixth-placed United’s dismal season by winning the FA Cup and finishing high enough to qualify for the Europa League.
Ten Hag endured stinging criticism after United stumbled into the FA Cup final with a spluttering penalty-shoot win after blowing a three-goal lead against second tier Coventry on Sunday.
The Blades are 10 points from safety with only four games left as they sink towards relegation just one year after promotion from the Championship.
Bruno saves United, Palace purr again | 01:07
MORE VAR DRAMA
Referee Stuart Attwell was embroiled in further controversy after contentiously disallowing a Wolves goal in Bournemouth’s 1-0 win at Molineux.
Attwell was already in the spotlight for his role as VAR in denying Nottingham Forest three penalties in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton, which led Forest to insinuate bias as he supports relegation rivals Luton.
This time, he adjudged Matheus Cunha to have fouled Justin Kluivert in an off-the-ball incident in the build up to Hwang Hee-chan’s second-half equaliser, which looked to have cancelled out Antoine Semenyo’s opener.
It was not spotted in real time but Attwell opted to give the foul following advice from VAR Darren England to watch it again on the pitchside monitor.
Attwell remained in the thick of the action as he showed a straight red card to Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez for a foul on Matt Doherty.
PALACE FIRE AGAIN
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored for a fifth consecutive home match to fire Crystal Palace to a 2-0 win over Newcastle.
Mateta broke the deadlock at Selhurst Park with a smart 55th-minute finish before he added a second late on to end Newcastle’s four-match unbeaten run and damage their prospects of securing European football for next season.
France star Paul Pogba has been given a four-year ban from football by Italy’s anti-doping tribunal after testing positive for testosterone last August, his club Juventus said on Thursday.
A spokesman for the club told AFP it had been notified of the decision against the 30-year-old World Cup winner, who had been provisionally suspended in September.
“We received notification from the tribunal this morning,” the spokesman said. Italy’s anti-doping body did not immediately respond when contacted by AFP.
Pogba announced he would appeal the ruling, which risks bringing a premature end to his career.
“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me,” he posted on Instagram.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 16: Paul Pogba of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on April 16, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Declaring the verdict was “incorrect”, he denied ever using performance-enhancing substances.
“When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations”, he insisted.
“As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.” The ban means Pogba will not be able to play again until the 2027/28 season, by which time he will be 34.
Anti-doping prosecutors had called for the four-year ban to be imposed on the former Manchester United midfielder, who tested positive following Juventus’s opening match of the Italian Serie A season against Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
A month later a B sample confirmed the presence of testosterone, and he had been provisionally suspended since.
Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
The ban could have been limited to two years if Pogba had been able to prove he was not at fault, or even just a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and (was) not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba, who returned to Juventus for a second spell in 2022 after six years at United, was a key member of the France team that won the World Cup in Russia in 2018, scoring in the final against Croatia.
His positive doping test came as he was trying to put behind him a difficult first season back at Juve, in which he struggled with fitness problems and made just 10 appearances, while also missing France’s defence of the World Cup in Qatar due to injury.
He made two substitute appearances for Juventus at the start of this campaign before being suspended.
Chelsea, United & Liverpool advance! | 00:52
Meanwhile Pogba, who was a youth player at Le Havre before a first move to Old Trafford aged 16 in 2009, has been troubled by off-field issues.
An investigation is ongoing in France into an extortion attempt against him in March 2022, which involved a break-in at his home in the Paris suburbs.
Two intruders allegedly held Pogba against his will demanding 13 million euros ($14.1 million at today’s rates).
Pogba’s older brother Mathias is one of the suspects involved in the case, along with childhood friends of the family.
His contract at Juventus, worth a reported eight million euros ($8.7 million) a season, runs until 2026.
However, he has been unable to train since the announcement of the positive test and Juve have suspended payment of his salary.
Pogba made just a handful of appearances in his first spell in England before becoming a star at Juve between 2012 and 2016.
In that time he won four straight Serie A titles and played in the Juventus side that lost to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final.
He returned to United in 2016 for 105 million euros, a world record fee at the time, and won the Europa League and League Cup in his first season back, playing under Jose Mourinho.
Pogba has won 91 caps for France, and played in the team that got to the final of Euro 2016 before their World Cup triumph two years later.
Right now, Chelsea are closer to away days at Millwall and Plymouth Argyle than the blindingly bright lights of the Champions League.
It’s a scarcely believable reality given the exorbitant expenditure at the club, but it’s a fact: Chelsea are 12 points away from the relegation zone and 15 off the Champions League places.
A 4-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge to Wolves ensured Chelsea dropped into the bottom half of the table and the mood amongst fans was palpable.
There were even chants clamouring for the return of Jose Mourinho, who was recently sacked by Serie A side Roma.
The wife of veteran Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, Belle, also joined the pile on and called for “change” in a social media post, before she later apologised for the “outburst.”
Victory over high-flying Aston Villa in the FA Cup has somewhat lifted the pressure from Pochettino, but it doesn’t take away from what’s been, to date, a nightmare season at the Bridge.
So, how have things got this bad at the Bridge and where do the Blues go from here?
Chelsea have struggled in the Premier League this season. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BLEAK REALITY BEHIND POCH’S TENURE … AND WHY HE MIGHT BE SAFE IN HIS ROLE
After 31 games in charge, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has overseen 14 wins, six draws and 11 losses, with the club sitting in 11th place on the Premier League ladder.
It’s a strikingly similar record to that of his predecessor, Graham Potter.
Potter won 12 games, drew eight and lost 11 in the same amount of games and even had Chelsea in the same spot on the ladder, but was sacked just seven months into his tenure.
As it stands, Pochettino will not face a similar fate to Potter just yet, claiming he “received a very good text” from Chelsea co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly despite the defeat to Wolves.
However, some may say the hot seat at Stamford Bridge should be scorching hot given Pochettino had the benefit of an entire pre-season to get his philosophy across to his new players.
Additionally, the Argentinian has been afforded more time on the training pitch during the week given Chelsea are not competing in Europe this season.
But a glance at some of the statistics comparing Potter and Pochettino suggests that despite their similarities in records after 31 games, there has been progress made under the latter.
Under Pochettino, Chelsea have scored 54 goals compared to the 33 scored during Potter’s tenure at the 31 game mark.
Yet it’s a different picture defensively, with Pochettino’s Chelsea shipping 43 goals to Potter’s 31.
Chelsea co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly have poured billions into the club since taking over in May 2022. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ultimately, the only statistic that matters is how many points they have which, as of now, is humiliatingly low for a club of Chelsea’s stature.
And it could get a lot worse before it gets better.
“The mistake we have made with Chelsea so far is presuming that because the new players are young and the manager is Mauricio Pochettino there is a corner that will inevitably be turned,” The Times’ Martin Samuel wrote.
“Not true. It doesn’t have to come right. There isn’t always light at the end of the tunnel. Some tunnels can be pretty long.
“Chelsea will not inexorably rejoin the elite.”
Should Chelsea’s results continue to nosedive, the noise for Pochettino’s sacking will only grow in volume.
But, in a rather unsurprising twist, the club might not be able to relieve the Argentinian of his duties due to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Some fans have called for Pochettino’s exit already. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea would be forced to pay $19 million to hand Pochettino and his entire staff their marching orders, with that figure to factor into this season’s financial reports.
To paint a picture regarding Chelsea’s precarious position with PSR, renowned football finance analyst Swiss Rambleestimated Chelsea’s losses from 2021 to 2024 to be £201m ($AUD387m), well over the £105m limit.
If Chelsea miss out on European football for a second straight season, it leaves an £80m hole in their finances yet again.
Not only that, but Potter and Thomas Tuchel, who was the manager in place when Boehly took over as Chelsea owner, are still being paid out by the club after both were sacked last season.
It all presents a rather grim financial outlook for the club but, for Pochettino’s job security, it’s somewhat of a silver lining.
Chelsea’s extravagant spending in recent years could save Pochettino from the sack. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The dominant headline of Boehly’s reign as Chelsea owner is the mind-boggling amount spent on transfers.
Since the summer window in 2022 the Blues have spent $AUD1.8 billion on 31 players, ranging from future prospects to those expected to hit the ground running.
Central midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo both joined for figures in excess of $192 million, yet neither have made the impact expected of a player attracting such a fee.
The scattergun transfer approach has been widely panned given how the transfer fees have not translated into any success as of yet.
Cole Palmer, a 21-year-old midfielder who arrived from Manchester City for £40m last summer, has represented the club’s best bit of business to date.
Since joining, Palmer has ten league goals to his name and made his international debut for England, such has been his form this season.
According to Johnson, “Chelsea’s idea from the outset was to build a squad ready to take advantage of the moment Pep Guardiola and (Jurgen) Klopp leave their jobs at Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.”
Klopp’s departure will happen a year earlier than Chelsea anticipated. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Source: AFP
Chelsea powerbrokers had anticipated Klopp and Guardiola would both leave their roles at the end of the 2024/25 season, but the former has decided to leave a year earlier than anticipated.
Given the struggles Arsenal and Manchester United endured after long-term managers Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson departed, the Blues are supposedly anticipating similar scenarios at City and Liverpool.
“Most of the Premier League has been clinging to the hope City, post-Pep, will not be quite the force they are with him and Liverpool you can put in the same bracket,” Fifield said.
“Not least because you’ve seen what’s happened to other clubs when a talismanic figure at the top has left.
“So I can sort of understand the logic, but I do think that the naivety is born of the fact there are so many other clubs that will be targeting that as a moment when they can click into gear and challenge.”
Whether Pochettino is the right man to lead this project remains to be seen.
For some pockets of Chelsea fans, he is not the answer.
However, the man they perceive to be the answer could set the club back even further.
Chelsea expect Guardiola to leave City at the expiration of his contract next year. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)Source: AFP
DANGERS OF NOSTALGIA LINGER AS FANS CHANT FOR ‘YESTERDAY’S MAN’
As the game against Wolves slipped further and further away, so too did the consciousness of Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge.
Instead, they forced themselves to think back to happier, more joyous times with trophies aplenty.
And in those thoughts was Jose Mourinho, proved by a chorus of supporters singing his name.
After all, Mourinho represents the time when Chelsea was good. Very good.
He’s still the most successful manager the club has ever had, winning seven major trophies throughout his two spells as Chelsea boss.
It was Mourinho who oversaw the period which transformed Chelsea into European heavyweights.
But it was also Mourinho who left Chelsea in 2007 and then again in December 2015 when the atmosphere had become toxic as a result of the boss continuously slamming his players in public.
Since that exit in 2015, Mourinho’s managerial stops have seemingly followed the same formula.
Initial excitement is met with improved results before things quickly turn dour on and off the field, prompting an irreparable relationship between Mourinho and his players or the powers above (often both), leading to an acrimonious exit.
Mourinho has been sacked from his previous four jobs . (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)Source: AFP
That same narrative followed at his latest role with Roma as he was sacked in January, leaving him a free agent – something that has not gone unnoticed by nostalgic Blues supporters.
So, would Mourinho really be the right man to rescue Chelsea from this supposed rut?
“It will be 20 years ago next month since Mourinho announced himself to the world by sprinting down the touchline at Old Trafford to celebrate Costinha’s 90th-minute goal for FC Porto that sealed the round-of-16 elimination of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United from the Champions League.
“Porto went on to win that season’s competition, and Mourinho earned his move to Chelsea on the back of it. He really was The Special One, the biggest name in football at the time, and his charisma and success seemed a recipe for a decade of dominance at the highest level.
“But the game moved on, Pep Guardiola presented a different image of the perfect coach and Mourinho was left behind.
“At 61, he can still be box office with what he says, but it’s been a while since you could say the same about his teams.”
Chelsea fans sang Jose Mourinho’s name during the defeat to Wolves. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
As it stands, all signs point towards Pochettino lasting the season.
Once that’s done, all parties will sit down and discuss the campaign with a decision to be made then.
Boehly and Eghbali will be conscious to avoid a repeat of last season’s embarrassing fade out when they sacked Potter and replaced him with Frank Lampard, who won just one of his 11 games in charge.
There’s no question of who some fans want as Pochettino’s replacement, should the Argentine be sensationally sacked.
And if Mourinho is indeed appointed as Chelsea boss for a third time, there’s no prizes for guessing how it will play out.
However, 18-year-old Mainoo popped up just two minutes later with a stunning curling effort from the edge of the box that sparked delirium among the away fans at Molineux.
The Red Devils opened the scoring in the 5th minute through Marcus Rashford before Rasmus Hojlund doubled the advantage after getting on the end of a Luke Shaw cross.
Pablo Sarabia halved the deficit with a penalty for Wolves in the 71st minute, but Scott McTominay restored United’s two-goal advantage not long after.
Wolves threatened late chaos when Max Kilman scored in the 85th minute and the hosts continued to push for an equaliser.
And it came midway through second half stoppage time courtesy of Neto.
Teenage star Kobbie Mainoo was the hero for Manchester United. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
United made the puzzling call to throw numbers up the field despite holding a lead and it backfired, as Wolves broke rapidly on the counter attack.
The ball was quickly worked out to Neto on the right wing who managed to free up space from United defender Raphael Varane and fire home past Andre Onana.
It felt like the Red Devils had dropped two points at that moment as Neto soaked up the celebrations.
However, the joyous scenes among Wolves fans were cut short as Mainoo provided one final dagger to the hearts with his late strike.
Over in London, West Ham United played out a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth as Kalvin Phillips had a debut to forget for the Hammers.
Phillips, who joined West Ham on loan from Manchester City, gifted Bournemouth their goal when he attempted to pass the ball back to Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
However, the $83 million star didn’t realise Cherries striker Dominic Solanke was lurking in the box as the latter pounced and scored with a first time finish.
The Hammers would get their equaliser via a James Ward-Prowse penalty in the 61st minute.
Chelsea could break the bank yet again in pursuit of a superstar striker while Jordan Henderson’s wish to leave Saudi Arabia could be realised.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are eyeing up one of the hottest strikers in the Premier League while a maligned Manchester United star doesn’t want to leave the club just yet.
Catch up on all of the biggest transfer whispers doing the rounds in the latest edition of the Rumour Mill!
Just when you thought Chelsea couldn’t spend any more money, think again.
The Blues’ attacking woes were on display for all to see after a shock 1-0 loss to Championship side Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
Chelsea’s struggles in attack has also plagued the team this season in the Premier League as they sit in 10th.
So it’s no surprise that Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are willing to open the cheque book once more to bring in a new forward to the club, per the Daily Mail.
And the report claims Chelsea holds a “strong interest” in Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen has a release clause of $AUD195 million but is away with Nigeria for the African Cup of Nations, meaning a deal might not be done until the summer.
Should Chelsea bring Osimhen to Stamford Bridge, it would represent a major upgrade on the unproven Armando Broja as well as Nicolas Jackson, who has struggled to impress since joining from Villarreal last summer.
Osimhen is attracting plenty of interest from Chelsea. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SURPRISE EXIT ROUTE EMERGES FOR ENGLAND STAR STUCK IN SAUDI ARABIA
Jordan Henderson hasn’t verbalised it himself, but the rampant reports of his desire to leave Saudi Arabia says it all about his disillusionment with his current situation.
The former Liverpool skipper is just five months into his Saudi adventure with Al-Ettifaq, the club managed by his former Reds teammate Steven Gerrard.
However, Henderson is looking for a return to Europe either on a permanent or loan deal as he attempts to remain prominent in England boss Gareth Southgate’s thoughts ahead of the 2024 Euros.
The England international could be inching closer to realising his new dream, with The Telegraph reporting Dutch giants Ajax have made contact with his representatives over a loan deal for the remainder of the season.
A team in the Bundesliga is also keeping a keen eye on Henderson’s situation, per the report.
However, Henderson’s mammoth weekly wage of $665k will likely prove a major stumbling block to any teams interested.
Henderson wants out of Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
PL BIG BOYS EYE RED-HOT STRIKER
With eight goals in his last eight games, Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has rocketed towards the front of the golden boot race.
The season is just 20 games old and already Solanke has secured his best-ever goals return in the Premier League with 12 to his name, just two goals behind golden boot leaders Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah.
Unsurprisingly, Solanke’s red-hot form has caught the eye of some big teams, none more so than Newcastle United, per The Telegraph.
However, Newcastle’s inquiry was immediately knocked back by the Cherries as they have no intention of selling their prized asset in January.
Solanke is no stranger to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe given it was the latter who brought the striker to Bournemouth in the first place back in 2019.
Bournemouth’s reluctance to let Solanke go this month is understandable given the club has just one other fit striker, Welsh international Kieffer Moore, with Dango Outtara and Antoine Semenyo at the African Cup of Nations.
Solanke is in sensational form for Bournemouth. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MALIGNED RED DEVIL WANTS TO STAY
Despite receiving offers from elsewhere and not being a guaranteed starter, Anthony Martial is reportedly keen to stick around at Manchester United for the remainder of his contract.
Sky Sports reported Martial, who will become a free agent on June 30, has little interest in leaving Old Trafford in the January window.
The report claims the French striker has knocked back the likes of Marseille, Fenerbache as well as cashed-up clubs in Saudi Arabia in order to prove his worth at United.
The Red Devils also have the option to trigger a one-year extension on Martial’s deal, but that appears to be an unlikely scenario.
Martial also might not have much say in an exit should a club decide to bid for him in January as United look to receive a transfer fee before losing him for free in the summer.
After scoring 17 league goals in the 2019/20 campaign, the 28-year-old has found the back of the net just 12 times across the next four seasons.
