Tottenham are reportedly lining up several possible replacements for Australian manager Ange Postecoglou as chairman Dan Levy hit back at his club’s own fans.
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With the international break followed by the FA Cup quarter-finals providing a two-week Premier League hiatus, the British press have been highly focused on what is going on off the pitch.
One of the key stories is Postecoglou’s future with it being no secret that the former Celtic boss is under the pump in north London.
Spurs’ league campaign went down the drain before Christmas and they presently sit 14th on the table with 15 losses from 29 games.
The only reason Postecoglou remains in charge is the allure of silverware.
FA Cup and League Cup runs ended within four days of each other in February, but the Europa League persists as the great white hope to end Tottenham’s highly publicised trophy drought which dates back to 2008.
The first leg of their quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt, who are third in the Bundesliga, kicks off at 5am AEST on Friday 11 April with the return bout to be played in Germany a week later.
So while Postecoglou and his squad still have ample time to ramp up their preparations, behind the scenes plans are being made for impending doom.
Levy released a statement on Monday on the club financial situation, which included a thinly veiled way of reading the riot act to the manager he hired in 2023, and revealed that Spurs recorded a £26.2 million loss.
A big hit to the coffers has been the absence of Champions League football with UEFA prize money decreasing from £56.2 million to £1.3 million after Spurs’ absence from Europe during the 2023/24 season.
“As we announce our financial results for the year to 30 June 2024, we currently find ourselves in 14th position in the Premier League, navigating what has been a highly challenging season on the pitch,” Levy said.
“We are, however, in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Winning this competition would see welcome silverware and mean qualification for the Champions League. We must do everything we can to support the team in these final key stages.
“I want to thank everyone who supports us through good times and bad. We are resilient and passionate about our club. We shall aim to finish this season as strongly as we can and continue to build for success on the pitch.”
Watching the likes of Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Fulham and even Bournemouth, who were fifth on the Premier League table before only picking up a single point in their last four games, enter the race for a Champions League berth this season must be a bitter pill for Levy to swallow.
It is well-known that Spurs have suffered an injury crisis this campaign, but as the finances tell us, money talks and that is why Tottenham are looking at other options.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham manager Marco Silva are two names that have come up regularly in reports as potential Postecoglou replacements.
The Tottenham hierarchy reportedly admire Spaniard Iraola’s tactical nous and see similarities in style to former Spurs manager Mauricio Pocchettino, who is now in charge of the US men’s national team, but surprisingly said in a recent interview that he would like to comeback to Spurs.
Iraola appears gettable with a reported release clause of £10-11 million, the same as Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim had at Portuguese outfit Sporting CP.
Meanwhile, Silva has impressed at Craven Cottage with the fourth lowest budget in the league.
A trait that is clearly endearing to Levy given he shut down fans calls to pay up during the upcoming summer transfer window to help rejuvenate the squad.
The Tottenham chair has long been ridiculed for his reluctance to match the spending of many of their rivals, despite earlier this year being reported as the ninth richest club in the world behind only Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in England.
Part of Levy’s statement on the finances was very clear that he will not change his ways in the transfer market.
“Since opening our new stadium in April 2019, we have invested over £700 million net in player acquisitions. Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means,” Levy said.
“I often read calls for us to spend more, given that we are ranked as the ninth-richest club in the world. However, a closer examination of today’s financial figures reveals that such spending must be sustainable in the long term and within our operating revenues.
“Our capacity to generate recurring revenues determines our spending power.
“We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club – indeed, our off-pitch revenues have significantly supplemented the lower football revenues this year, testament to our diversified income strategy.”
Those other revenue streams include hosting concerts and NFL games at their stadium.
But the financial demand for better results on the pitch place even more weight on Postecoglou’s shoulders in the coming weeks.
If they are bundled out of the Europa League, Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi is another reportedly in Spurs’ sights.
But a possible move would be a step down for the Italian given his side are top of Serie A and play a two-leg Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich this month.
The first step for Tottenham however is at Stamford Bridge against London rivals Chelsea on Friday morning Australian time.
The Blues inflicted Postecoglou his first Premier League loss when they smacked Spurs 4-1 but the Australian was still lauded for his commitment to trying to score goals and obtain a result despite being reduced to nine men,
Times have changed massively from that honeymoon period when Spurs sat top of the league ten games into Postecoglou’s reign.
Defeat in the first game back from the international break and Postecoglou will become the first Spurs manager to lose their first four matches against Chelsea.
It is an unwanted slice of history he will be keen to avoid, but most importantly, he will be eager to find form in his squad in that outing as well as hosting cellar dwellers Southampton on Sunday before taking on Eintracht Frankfurt.
For now, the “I always win things in my second year” proclamation remains alive, but the backing he receives is thinning.
Mid-season transfers in IPL: A Game-changer or a risky move?
There have been certain players who get bought in the IPL auctions, but apart from that, fans have also witnessed player transfers. These transfers usually take place just before the season begins, with some players moving from one franchise to another. A big example of this was last year when Hardik Pandya was transferred from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season.
The big question is: what could happen if players were transferred in the middle of the season and changed franchises? This potential change in the IPL could either be disastrous or groundbreaking, depending on how the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the IPL committee handle the mid-season transfer window. The rules that teams may have to follow if this system comes into play would also play a crucial role in its success.
There could be both pros and cons to this system. On one hand, it could provide more opportunities to certain players, but on the other, it might introduce significant challenges. Notably, sports leagues that implement mid-season transfer windows, such as the English Premier League (EPL) and Major League Baseball (MLB), have much longer durations. It’s time to discuss the pros and cons of introducing such a system in one of the richest franchise leagues in the world.
Pros and Cons of the System
Let’s first discuss the pros of this system in the IPL and consider which league’s transfer window format could be most suitable for the tournament. Given that the IPL lasts only two months if a transfer window is introduced, the committee and the BCCI would most likely adopt a system similar to MLB’s, which offers more flexibility compared to the EPL, which runs for ten months.
Pros
Vignesh-Puthur-and-Suryakumar-Yadav. (Photo Source: X and IPL)
The advantages of this system include providing more opportunities for players who may not be getting enough chances in their current franchises. If a team is not utilizing a player’s skills effectively, a mid-season transfer could allow them to move to a team that better suits their abilities. Another positive is that it could add excitement for fans, who would be curious to see how a newly added player impacts their team.
Cons
Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)
On the downside, mid-season transfers could lead to controversial moves that might stir drama among fans and pundits. Another major concern is that, since the IPL is only a two-month tournament, incorporating a transfer window might require extending the season’s duration. This could disrupt the international cricket schedule. Additionally, leagues like MLB and EPL have multiple breaks between matches, a luxury not often seen in the IPL.
Overall, while introducing a mid-season transfer window in the IPL could be an exciting concept, it would require significant adjustments. If implemented, it could impact both players and fans, making it a decision that needs careful evaluation before execution.
In a media blitz, Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has repeatedly claimed that the club would go “bust by Christmas” if he did not execute a controversial cost-cutting plan.
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United have made 450 staff redundant, 39% of the club’s workforce, so far this financial year as penny pinching methods including scrapping staff lunches and ending legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2 million-a-year ambassador deal have been implemented.
Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of British multinational conglomerate Ineos who bought a 28.94 per cent stake in the club from the Glazers a year ago for £1.25 billion with a commitment to inject a further £232 million, has total control over football operations and has copped flack for the redundancies in particular.
But in separate interviews with the BBC, UK Telegraph as well as with club great Gary Neville for Sky Sports and The Overlap podcast, Ratcliffe reiterated that United had “gone off the rails” and his measures were necessary to get the club back on track.
“In super simple terms the club has been spending more money than it has been earning for the last seven years, including this year,” he said.
“If you do that for a prolonged period of time it ends up in a very difficult place and, for Manchester United, that place ended at the end of this year. At the end of 2025, Manchester United would have run out of cash. There would be no cash at the end of this year. That is the first time we have ever said that in public, but that is the fact of the matter.
“It [United] goes bust at Christmas [without change]”.
“Do you want to run an organisation as the press would like you to run the organisation or run the organisation the way you think is the best?” Ratcliffe added.
“My mother would say: ‘You look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves.’
“[The club can say to staff] ‘We’ll give you free lunches, we’ll give you all these perks and we’ll pay for your first-class train fare. We’ll give you a free taxi for this, but we’re going to cut back here [elsewhere].’ It’s not coherent.
“I know I’m getting a tough time in the press for being brutal, unpleasant, all those sorts of things.
“People [think], ‘Well, you know the directors are doing this, in that case I can do that [in terms of spending]. That sort of thing, you can’t be half pregnant. You either get it sorted out or not.
“I mean it [United] goes bust at Christmas.
“To be clear, if we hadn’t implemented the cost-saving projects and [even] if we bought no players in the summer then it would have run out of cash at Christmas.
“However, we reduced the cost of running the club by about £125 million so that transforms the club. And £125 million is a lot.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 25: Manchester United co owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe with Sir Dave Brailsford (L) and Sir Alex Ferguson (R) before the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on May 25, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The dire financial state that Ratcliffe has outlined is the result of astronomical spending on a massively underperforming squad.
United have lost £410 million over the past seven years on the transfer market and are required to spend £100 million this summer in fees for players they already own.
Despite all that spending, the Red Devils sit 14th on the Premier League table and need to beat Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League Round of 16 tie on Friday morning Australian to keep their last remaining hope of winning silverware this season alive.
Such a lowly standing in the league prompted Ratcliffe to label some of the recent signings “not good enough” and “overpaid” but he defended manager Ruben Amorim, who is having a torrid time since replacing Erik ten Hag in November.
Ratcliffe stated that the squad the Portuguese boss is dealing with is a “fraction” of Liverpool or Manchester City’s.
“If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben, I think he is doing a really good job to be honest,” Ratcliffe said.
“I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do. He’s an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time.”
Utd coach full of praise for Fernandes | 00:48
Ratcliffe was also reluctant to point the finger at his co-owners.
The Glazers have been the bane of Manchester United fans throughout the club’s downward spiral, and Neville pointed out that United had “the best stadium in the country, the best training ground in the country, the best team in the country and were debt-free” roughly 20 years ago when the American family took charge.
But Ratcliffe insisted that past administrations were at fault for United’s current woes, rather than the Glazer’s.
“If you look at some of the other characters in English football that are owners, and you know them very well, they’re heavily involved in all the running of the club,” Ratcliffe said.
“They [The Glazers] gave management an awful lot of rope, too much rope, obviously. But the previous two teams of management have to take a lot of the blame for the decisions they made.
“They have to, I’m afraid. It’s not just the Glazer family. They’ve not been involved in a level of detail.”
Neville was angered by the Glazer’s stepping back from the intricacies of how the club was run, labelling their actions “negligence”.
“You’re involved in the level of detail and you’re having to correct their mistakes,” Neville said to Ratcliffe.
“If they’ve not overseen the club in the last ten years to the point where it’s run out of cash, that’s negligence.
“You know that better than anybody.”
Premier League wrap: Arsenal fall behind | 03:13
Ratcliffe avoided the debate going further and instead also took the chance to look to the future.
One of the biggest gripes among United fans for many years has been the state of Old Trafford.
As rivals have unveiled shiny new stadiums or redeveloped their traditional homes, ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ has remained much the same, a relic of a bygone era, fitting of the club’s downfall.
A roof leak at the famous Stretford End last year was a particularly embarrassing moment for the iconic venue, while rival fans love to chant ‘Old Trafford is falling down’ to taunt United supporters.
All the while ticket prices have risen and away fans have gained easy access to sit among season-ticket holders, causing clashes, at several Premier League and European fixtures this season.
But despite the cost-cutting measures, Ratcliffe revealed that a new-look Old Trafford is among his plans to make United the most profitable Premier League club within three years.
“It’s definitely deliverable but I think it needs to be set in context again,” Ratcliffe said.
“If you take the view that it’s the greatest football club in the world, then if it’s going to build a new stadium it should be a new stadium that’s befitting the greatest club in the world.
“And also a stadium that befits the greatest league in the world because the Premier League is the greatest league in the world.”
Ratcliffe wants to emulate Real Madrid’s Bernabeu which was renovated from 2019 to 2024.
The stadium in the Spanish capital can hold up to 83,000 fans and boasts a retractable playing surface to easily swap out the football pitch for stages to host concerts.
It also has a retractable roof to ensure matches are always played in sublime conditions, as the club spent more than US$1 billion on the project to make the venue look out of this world.
“At the moment, if you look at the Premier League, we’ve got some great stadiums, but we don’t have a Bernabeu, do we? And we don’t have the new Nou Camp. We don’t have that in the Premier League,” he said.
Ange Postecoglou admits Tottenham’s “vicious cycle” of injuries has hampered his attempt to get the troubled club back on track.
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Postecoglou is under severe pressure after a miserable run of seven Premier League games without a win, with six defeats in that dismal spell also triggering fan protests against chairman Daniel Levy.
Ahead of Sunday’s game at Brentford, Postecoglou’s side are languishing in 15th place, just eight points above the relegation zone.
The Australian earned a little breathing space on Thursday when a 3-0 win against Elfsborg booked Tottenham’s place in the Europa League last 16.
But Postecoglou is battling a lengthy injury list that threatens to stop the north Londoners ending their malaise.
Postecoglou was already without Dominic Solanke, Cristian Romero, Guglielmo Vicario, Brennan Johnson, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert, Timo Werner and James Maddison.
Romanian defender Radu Dragusin became the latest to be bitten by the injury bug when he was forced off against Elfsborg, although centre-back Micky van de Ven played 45 minutes on his return from a hamstring problem.
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“We’ve had to deal with a real extreme situation, which unfortunately once we got hit, it is then very hard to rectify on the run,” Postecoglou told reporters on Friday.
“We obviously got some significant injuries early on, which hampered our progress, and then we had to rely on a small group of players to get us through and that then burdened them.
“It has been this vicious cycle. The volume of games that clubs are playing, we’ve been in an extreme situation but a lot of clubs are facing similarities in Europe.”
It is a vital week for Tottenham, who travel to Liverpool holding a 1-0 lead in the second leg of the League Cup semi-finals on Thursday before heading to Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round on February 9.
Injuries forced Postecoglou to turn to youth academy graduates Dane Scarlett, Mikey Moore and Damola Ajayi, who all scored their first goals for the club against Elfsborg.
Now the former Celtic boss is desperate to avoid any further fitness setbacks as he bids to end a Tottenham trophy drought stretching back to 2008.
“Every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s usually been an oncoming train,” he said.
“We seem to be losing players as we get them back. We don’t want to lose anyone else, but again, best laid plans.
Jovial Ange jokes before crucial goal | 00:57
“You can’t plan for these things. We’ve got a big week coming up, starting Sunday.
“We’re going to have to do it with this core group of players, so we’ve just got to be careful about how we go about it.”
Spurs’ terrible injury crisis has spurred the club’s usually frugal chairman, Daniel Levy, into action in the transfer market.
However, their attempt to strengthen the Australian’s options, and deepen his squad, have taken a major dent with Bayern Munich teenager Mathys Tel’s decision to reject a move to the club, according to Sky Sports.
A deal reportedly worth £50m had been struck between the two clubs for the highly promising Frenchman, whose game time has been limited since joining the German giants in 2022.
It is believed the French U-21 international has knocked back the chance to unite with Postecoglou in London in favour of a loan deal to one of Manchester United, Aston Villa, or Chelsea. Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli are also interested in the highly-rated attacker, who is capable of playing across the front line.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Transfer Show, Arsenal legend Paul Merson doesn’t believe Tel’s decision is a major blight on Spurs, given the disparity between Bayern’s position and Tottenham’s.
“I wouldn’t say it’s embarrassing for Spurs. He’s coming from Bayern Munich, he’s not coming from a lesser team. No disrespect to Tottenham, but he’s coming from a huge team. He’s got to get the right move,” Merson said.
Given injuries to Solanke, Odobert, Johnson, and Werner, as well as captain Heung-Min Son’s form struggles, Tel’s decision is a major blow for Spurs. However, Sky Sports are reporting the 19-year-old isn’t the only talent pursued by the club in the final days of the January window.
According to the publication, the club are in advanced talks with AC Milan to sign former Chelsea centre back Fikayo Tomori, a move that would bolster Postecoglou’s depleted backline options.
The 27-year-old, who was integral to Milan’s league title back in 2020-21, has struggled for minutes this season, having played just 826 for the Italian giants, who sit 7th in Serie A.
Despite this drop in game time, Tomori would be a worthwhile asset for a Spurs side who’ve utilised teenager holding midfielder Archie Gray at centre back at various points this season, with the five-time England international’s recovery pace a key part of his game.
However, according to Arsenal legend Ian Wright, a few new additions to Spurs’ squad mightn’t be the silver bullet many expect, given their current injury record.
“Even if they bought three players now, they might lose more,” Wright said on a recent episode of The Overlap.
Wright believes Tottenham’s loaded schedule, which sees them play four times in the next 10 days, the constant game time the likes of Son and Dejan Kulusevski have had to ground out, and the period of adjustment most new signings require, could lead to further players being sidelined.
Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer stressed the impact new faces can have on a squad, even if they don’t take the field.
“When a couple of new players come through, it gives everyone a lift,” the 39-year-old said.
While Postecoglou’s managerial future is on the line in the coming weeks, Rooney stated his wish for the Australian to maintain his post, regardless of the outcome of their next few games.
“I hope he survives. I like him. I like his demeanour. I think, how honest he is, sometimes you can be too honest, and sometimes that comes back to kill you,” he told The Overlap.
Falling behind early, hitting the lead, missing a penalty, conceding late, more injury blows, boos from the fans, it has became an all too familiar tale for Tottenham.
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The ever-repeating script played out once again in a 2-2 draw at home to relegation-threatened Wolves as the scrutiny on Ange Postecoglou intensifies.
The visitors, who are unbeaten with two wins and a draw since Vitor Pereira took over as manager, opened the scoring in the seventh minute with Hwang Hee-chan curling home a superb strike from the top of the box after a brilliant set play from a free kick.
To add to the moans and groans of the home fans, the first goal created an unwanted slice of history for Spurs.
It was the 15th time in 2024 they have conceded the opening goal of a Premier League game at home, the most ever in a calendar year.
Things looked back on track as Rodrigo Bentancur header from a corner and Brennan Johnson’s classy finish from a pass from Dejan Kulusevski put Tottenham in front at half time.
It could have been a two goal advantage however, as Johnson was brought down in the box minutes before his goal but Son Heung-min’s penalty was saved, and it proved to be costly.
Tottenham looked spent in the second half and they paid the price in the 87th minute when Strand Larsen smashed the ball into the roof of the net from a ridiculously tight angle to equalise, and create more unwanted records for Spurs.
They are now winless in five straight home Premier League matches, the first time since October 2008 when they failed to win eight straight times at home before manager Juande Ramos was sacked.
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At present, Tottenham sit 11th on the table with 24 points from 19 outings.
They have won once in their last seven matches, and a dealing with an injury crisis at the back.
All those factors are why The UK Telegraph’s football news correspondent Matt Law wrote that “watching Spurs should come with a health warning even for the club’s young fans”.
Meanwhile, The Times’ James Gheerbrant believes Postecoglou is now stuck in an awkward position in his Tottenham tenure.
“Right now, they either win in style or fold under duress, an unhappy binary for any team, and one which leaves them in the bottom half at the year’s end, and their head coach Ange Postecoglou in an uncomfortable limbo,” he wrote.
“At the start of 2024, Tottenham were fifth in the Premier League, Postecoglou’s win rate stood at 60 per cent, and the energy around his project felt buoyant. The past 12 months have featured a slowdown in results and a dissipation of that positivity.
“A significant cluster of injuries and absences has hurt them this season, providing some partial mitigation for their poor form, and what must be beginning to feel to Postecoglou like a relentless inundation of bad news…”
Postecoglou made the bold call to play Radu Dragusin despite the centre back clearly not being match fit after sustaining an ankle injury in Spurs’ Boxing Day loss at shock second-place sitters Nottingham Forest.
It is an example of things going from bad to worse with Postecoglou justifying the decision to send the Romanian onto the pitch by saying “we had no choice. If Radu doesn’t play I don’t know who plays”.
First choice centre back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have been sidelined with injury for Tottenham’s past six matches in all competitions, while other option Ben Davies has been out of action since their trip to Bournemouth earlier this month.
As a result, 18-year-old Archie Gray, who has mainly been a midfielder or right-back during his young career, has been trying to hold the fort in the central defensive positions alongside Dragusin, and even with the support of midfielder Yves Bissouma when Dragusin went down at Forest.
To add further pain, left back Destiny Udogie also picked up a hamstring injury and Bentancur’s late booking rules him out of Saturday’s match at home against Newcastle.
The selection headaches make for “fragile foundations”, as Postecoglou famously said of the club after their fans were cheering for their side to lose to Manchester City in the penultimate match of last season to prevent rivals Arsenal from winning the league, that only grow the Australian’s frustrations.
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“It doesn’t feel like we’re getting a smooth run at anything,” Postecoglou said post-match. “As soon as we get one back we lose one. We have to get through it. There’s still a hell of a lot for us to play for. With what’s on the horizon, we have to give the players all the support we can to perform at their best.”
Speaking on Sky Sports post-match, former Tottenham and England striker Darren Bent expressed his belief that most of Tottenham’s issues stem from what is happening at the club during the week, rather than on match day.
Bent, who scored four goals from 13 appearances at international level, is adamant that Spurs’ current playing group’s conditioning is not at the level required for Postecoglou’s high octane style of play.
“The medical department, surely Ange is saying ‘what is going on here?’ because I do feel for him in that regard, that he’s getting so many injuries, but they’ve got to look at that,” Bent said.
“You can’t keep having the same players breaking down with the same injuries.
“When you look at the way that they play, the intensity that they play at, clearly they’re not training at the same level that they’re playing at cause that’s where the injuries come from.
“Usually, if you train a lesser tempo and you’re expected to go out on a Saturday and play at this Angeball pace that’s 100 miles an hour, you’re going to break down all the time.
“Also, the recovery situation. They have players that keep getting the same injury has got to be a concern as well, van de Ven, we know how quick he is. He changes the whole dynamic of the back line, but you can’t keep having the same injury, hamstring, over and over and over again. At some point, someone’s got to go. You know what, he may be ready now but let’s give it another two weeks, three weeks, just to make sure.”
In the same panel discussion on Sky Sports, former Tottenham midfielder and manager Tim Sherwood agreed with Bent that more of the heat needs to be directed towards Spurs’ medical staff.
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Sherwood, who captained Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League title in 1995, also believes that Postecoglou needs greater support from the club in the form of spending more money to build greater squad depth in the upcoming January transfer window.
“He’s going to stick to what he’s doing. What he knows best and that’s playing this way. He just needs a little bit of help in the transfer market in January, I’d suggest,” Sherwood said.
“I’m not sure what sort of quality of players they can bring in, or get some players back. Udogie gets injured today, another hamstring, so something must be happening.
“I thought in the world of sports scientists, that was all eradicated but it seems to be increasing. I don’t think they’re overtrained, players these days, I think they’re undertrained.
“I don’t know what goes on day-to-day at the training ground, but to continually pick up muscle injuries, there must be something they need to look at.”
As for how Postecoglou is managing this incredibly difficult stretch, Sherwood believes he is simply doing what he can.
“I don’t think he’s running out of ideas because he’s got clear ideas of how he wants to play. I think what he is struggling with is the depth of the squad. He’s not being able to rest his squad,” Sherwood said.
“I made a point during the game of, they’ve got the two centre backs missing, Micky van de Ven and Romero, and Vicario, the goal keeper.
“Other than that, it’s a full strength side.
“What the problem is, is when he wants to make the changes, he doesn’t have the quality off the bench to make the changes, and everyone is having to play all of the minutes, all of the time.
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“He’s trying to rest them. He’s trying to juggle it up to keep them fresh.
“Talk about sharpness in the final third, they haven’t got a problem scoring goals. We all know they can score goals. It’s trying to keep the opposition out.”
Tottenham fans have recently protested against club chair Daniel Levy for his reluctance to spend more to build a deeper squad.
It will fascinating to watch in the January transfer window how proactive Spurs are, but before any reinforcements can be brought on, Levy will be demanding better from the existing troops.
“Levy had a face like thunder in the stands and may well fear the worst ahead of a run of games that include Newcastle United next, Liverpool in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and a trip to Arsenal,” the UK Telegraph’s Matt Law wrote.
“The way things are going, Spurs might not even be particularly confident about their FA Cup trip to Tamworth.”
Spurs have been hit by injuries and suspensions during the past month, with Postecoglou refusing to rein in his attacking approach as the London club have dropped down the Premier League table during a run of inconsistent results.
A thrilling 4-3 win over Manchester United in the League Cup quarter-finals last week was followed by an embarrassing 6-3 loss at home to Liverpool in the league on Sunday.
But ahead of Thursday’s Boxing Day match at Nottingham Forest, Spurs manager Postecoglou said he was aiming to bring in new recruits next month.
“Like I said a while ago, we’ve been planning,” he told a pre-match press conference.
“A lot of it was going to be around where we’re at around this time. Fair to say we’re still a little bit short in a couple of areas and we need to reinforce.”
The 59-year-old Australian added: “I think the fact that, obviously, we’re still in the Carabao (League) Cup semi-final, still got Europe, FA Cup, we’re in all the competitions, it’s not like our schedule’s going to ease up at any stage.
Ange Postecoglou manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“So, I think it makes sense. We will try and reinforce. Where and what number we’ll have to wait and see.
“You don’t just want to panic and bring in anybody that you don’t think will help our cause in the back half of the year, but I think we’ve already shown we are pretty methodical and prudent about our work.” Tottenham have lost three of their last five Premier League matches and lie 11th in the table heading into Christmas.
However, they have also been coping with cup commitments and a lengthy injury list that includes Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Postecoglou had sympathy for the players picking up the slack in their absence as they try to implement his aggressive style.
Man U fan frustration felt by Amorim | 00:41
“I can’t be critical of this group of players at the moment in any sense,” he said.
“I think it would be unfair for anyone to because what they’re doing is they’re giving absolute maximum effort.
“That’s backed up by the physical parameters you put against what they’re doing. They’re trying to do it in the way that I’m asking them to.
“So how can I be critical of that? I think that would be hypocritical of me. The players are doing their part.
“They’re doing it to the maximum of their ability and it’s a credit to them.” Postecoglou, meanwhile, was preparing for another solitary Christmas Day, something the former Celtic boss has become used to during his football career.
“It’s a family tradition mate that I’m on my own,” he said. “The family is in a warmer climate in Australia.
“We have a couple of young boys, so it’s important they are around family at this time. I will give them a call in the morning and then get on about my day.”
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs rollercoaster continues to roll on and he has an injury crisis on his hands that will force the North London club to hit the transfer market.
Meanwhile, a United talisman could be on the move, while City’s woes continue on the other side of Manchester.
Read below for all the latest Premier League talking points!
WHY TOTTENHAM MUST HIT THE TRANSFER WINDOW IN JANUARY
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou was scathing in his assessment of Timo Werner, who arrived at the North London club in January 2024.
The German winger is one of Tottenham’s most recent arrivals, and he was intended to provide depth, pace and energy to a depleted attacking line.
Postecoglou pulled Werner from the field at halftime in a draw against Rangers, and was later asked about the player’s response to his comments.
“I’ve got no time for that sort of stuff anymore. We’re in a fight here, collectively we’re in a fight. I’m not going to go around worrying about people’s bruised egos,” he said.
Spurs’ biggest issue is their injury crisis, but his comments serve as a big message to the Tottenham squad.
Postecoglou has been without a host of big-name players that make up their regular starting side.
Guglielmo Vicario, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Heung-Min Son, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have all been sidelined.
So the former Celtic boss called upon teenagers Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall to start against their Scottish rivals.
Ange Postecoglou, manager of Tottenham, looks on before the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at St Mary’s Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I’m pulling kids out of school. I literally am. I’m getting notes from their teachers saying young Lucas (Bergvall) has missed another day of school,” he said.
With Spurs sitting in 10th and disappointing losses coming against Ipswich and Bournemouth in recent weeks, Postecoglou must hit the transfer market in January and it’s almost certain he will bring in defensive reinforcements.
On the attacking front, South Korean winger Min-Hyeok Yang is set to arrive, having already signed a contract in July until 2030.
However, he’s only 18-years-old and could take time to develop before he becomes a candidate to start, potentially getting minutes on the bench.
In defence, according to Spanish outlet AS, Postecoglou is set to recruit Paraguayan defender Omar Alderete from Getafe in the La Liga.
He is predominantly a centre back, but also can ply his trade off the left and he reportedly has a release clause said to be worth around $26 million AUD.
Meanwhile, according to Football Insider, Abdukodir Khusanov, who plays for Lens in the Ligue 1, has also caught Postecoglou’s eye.
He’s reportedly been scouted on multiple occasions by Spurs, and the 20-year-old is reportedly also the subject of interest from rival Premier League clubs, namely Newcastle United.
Epic free kick sees draw for Bournemouth | 00:53
UNITED SUPERSTAR ON THE OUTER IN ARMORIM REVOLUTION
New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim dropped Marcus Rashford ahead of the cross-town derby against Manchester City.
The Red Devils secured a 2-1 win in that clash, and the 27-year-old’s time at the club could be coming to an end.
It’d be a considerable move for Rashford, who made his debut at his boyhood club as an 18-year-old, joining United’s youth system at only seven.
He’s played 287 games for the Red Devils, and now he’s openly admitted he believes it’s the right time to leave Old Trafford.
“For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps,” Rashford said to Henry Winter, a prominent football writer.
“When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings.’ You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.
“If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person.
“When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me. It’s disheartening to be left out of a Derby, but it’s happened, we won the game so let’s move on.
“It’s disappointing, but I’m also someone as I’ve got older I can deal with setbacks. What am I going to do about it? Sit there and cry about it. Or do my best the next time I’m available.”
Rashford has been a heavily criticised figure during his time at United, revealing he believes he is “misunderstood”.
“I’m halfway through my career. I don’t expect my peak to be now. I’ve had nine years so far in the Premier League and that’s taught me a lot, that’s helped me grow as a player and as a person. So I don’t have any regrets from the last nine years,” he said.
“I have my own dreams. I’ve achieved parts of it. But I’m not at where I want to be. But the problem is when you get there, you create another thing.”
The dangerous attacker will likely command a significant transfer fee ahead of a potential January move, but it’s shaping as a disappointing end for a figure once revered as the face of Manchester United.
Marcus Rashford of Manchester United applauds the fans as he looks dejected after defeat to Nottingham Forest during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Old Trafford on December 07, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CITY’S WOES CONTINUE
Winning four Premier League titles in-a-row is a staggering feat, and the drop off Manchester City are experienced has been forecast for years.
But Pep Guardiola’s outfit are dropping to new lows in the run to Christmas, winning just one of their last 11 games.
The Spanish super coach has won every trophy under the sun during his time in the sky blue side of Manchester, but as his continue to get beat on the pitch, Guardiola is showing signs of a coach under siege off it.
“They implode on themselves, which is the reason why everybody says they’re fragile. Pep Guardiola’s reaction on the sideline, that all adds to it, and as players, you see everything,” former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer said to Optus Sport.
“Everybody is seeing for the very first time a manager in Pep Guardiola being under such intense scrutiny now, questioning his ability to get themselves out of the situation.
“Maybe there’s an element of… players seeing stuff from him that they’re not buying into anymore. Maybe finger pointing is happening.”
Manchester City now sit nine points from the top of the Premier League ladder, and Guardiola himself even went as far as admitting he’s the one to blame for City’s woes after their 2-1 derby loss to United.
“I’m the manager and I’m not good enough, simple as that. I have to find a way to talk to them, to train them in the way we need to play, to press the way we need to press. I’m not good enough. I’m not doing well. That is the truth,” he said.
So what has gone wrong? Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes his transfer decisions have put them in a vulnerable position.
“We all know, it’s the first time and we’re allowed to say it, that we can challenge his decisions in the way of letting Cole Palmer go, Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez,” Henry said on Sky Sports.
“Ilkay Gundogan came back and it’s not the same Gundogan who scored 17 goals a season.
“You’re missing those goals. Erling Haaland is scoring the same goals, a few less than in his first season but he’s doing what he does usually.
“I’ve seen him miss sitters in every season but where are the goals of Mahrez, Alvarez or Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan – where are those goals?”
However, there could be light at the end of the tunnel and the French striker was of the belief if anyone could turn City’s fortunes around, it is Guardiola.
“One thing I will say about this team, it’s the first time it’s happening like this to him in his career. Let’s not kill the guy or this team because of what’s happening,” he said.
Ange’s Spurs strike in under 37 seconds | 01:11
SET PIECES CARRYING ARSENAL’S ATTACKING WOES
Arsenal have scored a league high eight goals of their total 29 from set pieces.
That figure includes two penalties, but it raises a question — are Arsenal too reliant on dead ball situations?
Overall, the Gunners attacking output has been down. They’ve scored 29 goals in 16 appearances in the 2024/25 season, compared to 33 and 40 at the same stage in campaigns.
It’s also been more than three games since Kai Havertz scored Arsenal’s last goal from open play, which came against West Ham.
Nicolas Jover is the man who has been credited with Arsenal’s success from set pieces, but dead ball scenarios alone won’t be able to spark a title resurgence.
As it stands, Chelsea and Liverpool sit four and six points clear in first and second place, and Arsenal dropped crucial points in their last outing against Everton.
For former Arsenal women’s player Karen Carney, Arteta’s side rely too heavily on the impact of Bukayo Saka.
“They’re very right side dominant,” she said on Optus Sport.
“[Teams] set up a game plan to eradicate that, and [apart from] being good from set pieces, then you’re thinking where else you’re going to get goals from.
“The left side isn’t giving us the output that [they] want. And that’s why I’m saying if they don’t go and get someone for the left side, I think they won’t ever kick on to the levels where they want to get to.
Nicolas Jover, Set-piece coach of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Arsenal FC at Craven Cottage on December 08, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Saka and Odegaard are their main guys, and if you block that, there is a problem. I think the rest of the team is built on really good physicality, and they’re a hard team to beat.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry echoed that opinion and labelled Arteta’s attacking style “predictable”, whilst admitting it is a positive sign to be scoring off set pieces.
He compared the Gunners’ attack to that of Liverpool, explaining Saka has limited attacking options at his disposal beyond Martin Odegaard.
“Think about Liverpool, when Mo Salah cuts inside, you have Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota, or [Darwin] Nunez running [on the left], or Conor Bradley sometimes on the inside running. Look at what Bukayo Saka has,” Henry said
“But it’s predictable, we all know he’s going to play with [Martin] Odegaard, everyone sees that. Can you beat the line?
“You can pass to Declan Rice and enjoy a quick three vs. two. That’s called creating, playing between the lines, attracting an opponent one way and going the other way to see what you can do.”
While Arteta remained coy when speaking on potential transfers, Arsenal could target another strike option to command the left wing spot over Gabriel Martinelli.
“The amount we generate in the match and how little we concede, I fully trust my players,” he said on Wednesday.
Newcastle ace Alexander Isak has previously been linked with a move to the North London club, while former Premier League defender floated the idea of recruiting Dutch playmaker Xavi Simons.
“For his size, he’s quite physical and he’s very good technically, so I believe he’s the type of player that would thrive in the Premier League,” Johnson said.
“£66 million’s not too bad for a player that’s going to be knocking on the door for a starting place in the team.”
UGLY WOLVES SCENES AS TENSIONS BOIL IN RELEGATION BATTLE
The Wolves are in a relegation battle, and tensions are clearly running high in Wolverhampton.
In their last two Premier League games they’ve been involved in post-match stoushes, with the latest coming after a 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town.
Not only does the loss boost the chances of a relegation rival, it also gave them a three-point buffer from Wolverhampton who now sit in 19th place with only two wins.
Gary O’Neil was sacked following the defeat, and Portuguese manager Vitor Pereira is in talks to replace him.
But the real issue looks to be a lack of emotional control from the playing group.
Rayan Ait-Nouri received a second yellow card after the final whistle, being walked down the tunnel by teammate Craig Dawson after a grapple with Ipswich’s Wes Burns.
Meanwhile, striker Matheus Cunha pushed and shoved with a member of Ipswich’s coaching staff in staggering scenes.
The latest incident came only days after Mario Lemina had the captaincy stripped off him after arguments between he and his teammates and coaching staff broke out.
“We are under a lot of pressure,” O’Neil said.
“I understand the players being emotional but we have to keep control better.”
While O’Nell will no longer have to deal with the turmoil in the Wolves dressing room, it’s going to be a big ask to turn the club’s fortunes around.
Only last season Wolverhampton were playing an entertaining brand of football, finishing in 14 with 13 wins.
Last campaign saw Luton town finish in 18th place with 26 points as the highest-placed team to go down. So can Wolves conjure up 17 points in their remaining 22 games?
The midlands club will likely experience a ‘new manager bounce’ when their next mentor arrives, but it’s a big ask.
Arne Slot insisted Darwin Nunez is still an important part of Liverpool’s plans despite the struggling striker falling below the “standard” in the Champions League win against Girona.
Mired in a lengthy slump, Nunez has scored only one goal in his last 10 appearances and three in total all season.
In Liverpool’s victory in Girona on Tuesday, the Uruguay international cut an increasingly frustrated figure after missing several chances.
Slot admitted he kept Nunez on for an extended period, before eventually replacing him in the 71st minute, in the hope he would score a confidence-boosting goal.
After receiving criticism in midweek, Nunez posted on Instagram: “They are not all, they are some. Thank you Reds for your support, we are all still together.”
Slot believes the 25-year-old needs the support of fans and his team-mates to help him rediscover the form that made him such a sensation at Benfica prior to his move to Anfield in 2022.
“All our players feel the support of our fans but he is definitely one of them. Mo (Salah) is scoring so many goals he likes the support of the fans but doesn’t really need it at the moment,” Slot told reporters on Friday.
“We all saw they did something with him when he missed a few chances on Tuesday and everyone needs an arm around you, either from a team-mate, the fans or your manager.
“But I also made it clear to him that he is not only judged on the goals he scores, he is also judged on the team performance and he adds something to the team performance as well with his work-rate and how much he does winning the ball back high up the pitch.”
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez shoots during the UEFA Champions League match against Girona.Source: Getty Images
Slot’s only issue with Nunez was a dip in his work-rate against Girona that drew a rebuke from the Reds boss.
“Ideally he would have scored a few goals more. But what should always be there is work-rate and I think that is what he has, apart from two games,” Slot said.
“I said that to him yesterday and the last half-hour against Girona wasn’t of the standard he should have.
“That had a lot to do with him being disappointed at missing a few chances.”
Nunez’s position will come under increasing pressure with Diogo Jota and long-term absentee Federico Chiesa set to return to the squad for the visit of Fulham on Saturday.
Chiesa has played for just 18 minutes in the Premier League since joining Liverpool from Juventus in the close-season.
The Italy forward has only three appearances in all competitions for the Reds, who sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League as they chase a first title since 2020.
“Federico missed quite a lot for a long time, was ill last week, so we have to wait and see how he is exactly doing,” Slot said.
“But maybe Diogo is in the squad and maybe Federico as well, but that depends a bit on the numbers we have and also how he recovered from his illness.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot.Source: AFP
MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he did not speak to Manchester City about replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before making his move to Old Trafford.
As Amorim prepares for his first Manchester derby on Sunday, the 39-year-old’s link to City prior to his arrival at United has become a hot topic.
United hired the highly-regarded Amorim from Sporting Lisbon in November after sacking Erik ten Hag.
Amorim had been mentioned as a contender to take over from Guardiola after City announced Sporting’s director of football Hugo Viana would replace Txiki Begiristain at the end of this season.
Guardiola eventually ended speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract shortly after Amorim’s arrival in Manchester.
Asked if he ever had a conversation about the prospect of joining City, Amorim told reporters: “Never. Never had and this was my only option.
“When Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I had already something in my mind that it could be a possibility.
“With Manchester City or Hugo Viana? Nothing about that.”
Amorim’s side ended a run of two successive defeats with a 2-1 victory at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.
But United have won just three of Amorim’s six games in charge and are languishing in 13th place after recent losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job he faces.
Yet, for the first time in years, City go into the derby mired in more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.
Rival EPL boss defends “under-fire” Ange | 02:30
Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City’s seventh loss in their last 10 matches, an astonishing decline for a club that has won the last four Premier League titles.
One of those losses was masterminded by Amorim, whose Sporting side enjoyed a 4-1 Champions League triumph over City.
“I never think about these things,” Amorim said of City’s woes. “We will face a great opponent and I’m more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here.
“I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I’m really focused on my team.”
Asked if United are facing a different, weaker City, he said: “No, no, no, no. “The great teams can respond in any moment, and I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments.”
City may be struggling but they still enter the weekend fourth in the Premier League, eight points better off than their neighbours.
“I just want to improve the team, so I cannot live it like a normal derby like it should be, like two great teams fighting for the title. It is not that in this moment,” Amorim said.
“Both teams are struggling in the moment, so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby, but I know it’s really important for our fans.
“But my goal now is to improve the team, win games and I will try to win this game.”
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim.Source: Getty Images
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola admits troubled Manchester City will not recapture their peak form until his injury-plagued side are finally whole again.
Guardiola’s fourth-placed side head into Sunday’s derby against Manchester United reeling after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.
A 2-0 defeat at Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday left City in danger of failing to make the last 16, while they are languishing eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
After winning an unprecedented four successive Premier League titles and six in the last seven seasons, City have looked more vulnerable than ever before in the Guardiola era.
The City boss attributes their stunning decline on injuries to key players, mostly notably Spain midfielder Rodri, who won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award earlier this year.
Rodri, who helped Spain win Euro 2024, is not expected back from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee for several months, although he has hinted he could feature at some point this season.
“What I want is my players back. The complete squad we had at the beginning of the season. My regret is that we don’t have these and not needing new ones,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“We have known it from the beginning but Rodri is a Ballon d’Or player. We are playing without the best player in England last season. That is the problem.
“Not one other team plays with a central midfielder who has a Ballon d’Or. It is difficult. The moment he comes back, we will be strong again. We will be a good team.
“Of course, we still have to try and play the same way and to win. Sooner or later we are going to be back.”
With City mired in such a woeful period, the champions have been linked with new signings in the January transfer window.
On the day City announced record Premier League revenues of £715 million. Guardiola didn’t rule out the possibility when it was put to him that reinforcements were needed to save their season.
“If we need players then we go to the transfer market but I don’t know who is around,” he said.
“Massive congratulations on the accounts because the club must be sustainable. That doesn’t mean we have big resources to buy whatever we want, especially with how expensive the transfer market is.”
Beating United at the Etihad Stadium this weekend would be a significant boost to Guardiola’s hopes of ending City’s spiral.
The Spaniard, who recently signed a new two-year contract, vowed to solve City’s crisis eventually and claimed he was not feeling under pressure.
“In our jobs we will always do our best and when the best doesn’t happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well. As a manager you are in scrutiny for every step of the team,” he said.
“But I am fine. I have more thoughts at this moment but what I feel right now is the same as what I’ve said for the last few weeks or month.
“We have to shoot more and cut out the mistakes. But we have been in the games.
“We have not been consistent for the 90 minutes but I know the reason why. We just have to keep working and moving forward.”
Adding to Guardiola’s mounting problems, Swiss defender Manuel Akanji has been ruled out of the Manchester derby with a pelvic injury.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.Source: Getty Images
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta is adamant Arsenal’s search for a new sporting director to replace Edu will not affect their ability to sign players in the January transfer window.
Edu’s sudden resignation last month has left Arteta without one of his trusted inner circle at a key point in the season.
The Gunners are third in the Premier League and sit six points behind leaders Liverpool after an inconsistent first half of the campaign.
Arteta could look to the transfer market to bolster his squad in the new year, but Edu’s exit has raised questions about Arsenal’s ability to land the Spaniard’s top targets.
Jason Ayto, who has been at Arsenal for a decade as a scout and then Edu’s assistant, has assumed the post on an interim basis.
But Dan Ashworth’s shock exit from Manchester United has seen him linked with a move to north London ahead of the transfer window opening on January 1.
Ahead of Saturday’s home game with Everton, Arteta was asked if not having a permanent sporting director in place could pose an issue.
“We have one. Jason Ayto is our interim sporting director. He has got the full capacity and support of the football club right now,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“He is doing really well with his team. The process is open, as you know. And the club, with the support of all of us, will decide who is the best person to move us forward.
“I never expect January to be super busy, but we have to wait and see where we are. There might be some opportunities, too.
“Hopefully the availability of the squad will be better in a few weeks. We have to wait and see.”
While Arteta is calm about the situation, he would like it to be resolved before the end of the season.
“Yes, but when we are convinced that we have the right person who can work the right team who are doing a great job at the moment,” he said.
“Someone who is going to take us to the next level. We might have him internally. Timing wise it’s hard to understand. I’m not running the process so it’s more for the club to respond.”
Arteta could be forced into the transfer market, with defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu all sidelined by injuries.
Jurrien Timber was only fit enough for the bench in Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Monaco in the Champions League in midweek.
Gabriel Magalhaes has also been absent for the past three matches, but he has returned to training and is expected to be available against Everton.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, was handed a full Champions League debut against Monaco and is in line to secure his first Premier League start this weekend.
“He certainly deserves to be in contention to be selected because he performed and competed really well,” Arteta said.
“At his age to show that maturity and personality is strange.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.Source: Getty Images
CHELSEA
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said Friday he felt privileged to work with Cole Palmer after labelling him as “different” to the Premier League’s other star forwards.
Palmer has been Chelsea’s outstanding player in their unexpected rise to second place in the Premier League.
With 11 goals in 15 games, the England international is Chelsea’s top scorer and has also provided six assists.
Palmer’s confidence and quality were on display once again with the cheeky chipped penalty in last weekend’s win at Tottenham.
It was the kind of eye-catching moment that Maresca claimed as evidence that the 22-year-old is a truly unique talent.
“I feel very proud and privileged to work with Cole. Cole is a different one to the rest,” the Italian said.
Chelsea host west London neighbours Brentford on Sunday looking to keep up the pressure on Liverpool in the title race.
The Blues are four points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and are also looking to qualify for the Champions League.
Palmer will be key to Chelsea’s hopes of keeping pace with Liverpool and returning to Europe’s elite club competition.
Maresca, who worked with Palmer during his time in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, praised his forward’s ability to handle the pressure and expectations of being Chelsea’s main man, “Many top players have that way,” he said. “They look like they almost don’t care but it’s just their way and being in that way gives them more freedom.
“They can relax and you can see Cole is the same way. Cole was this way five years ago and he’s still the same.”
Asked whether he believed Palmer is the best player currently playing in England, Maresca said: “At this moment, he could be, but England are lucky because there are so many good players and Cole is one of them. There are so many good players in the Premier League.
“Absolutely he can be world class but as you said, he is only 22 and there are many things he can improve, including that at the moment, everyone is marking him man-to-man, but there are many things he can still improve.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.Source: Getty Images
NEWCASTLE
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe admits he is battling to lift the mood at his struggling club as they come to terms with reduced expectations.
The Magpies are languishing in 12th place in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s clash with Leicester.
That is a far cry from the top four place they had targeted after competing in the Champions League last season.
When the Saudi takeover at St James’ Park was completed to much fanfare in 2021, Newcastle had hoped to establish themselves as one of the world’s top clubs.
But Premier League profit and sustainability rules have hampered the Saudis’ efforts to build on the fourth-place finish Newcastle achieved two season ago.
And with little sign of significant spending on new signings in January, Howe knows it could be harder to keep his players happy and attract fresh talent.
“Players are very astute human beings. I always say players feel everything at a football club,” he told reporters on Friday.
“They are the most perceptive people because they are on the front line. They are the ones delivering for us, so whatever is going on at a football match, they’re the ones absorbing it.
“Naturally, PSR has had an effect on the club and we haven’t been able to strive and reach as quickly as we wanted to initially. That has been halted somewhat in various ways.
“Of course they have felt that and been aware of that. The challenge for me is for that not to affect performances and mood and belonging to the club.”
Newcastle spent £400 million on new signings during the first four transfer windows under their new owners but have not made a major signing since.
Howe, who replaced Steve Bruce at Newcastle in 2021, finds himself under pressure after last weekend’s 4-2 defeat at Brentford, with his side having won just two of their last 11 league games.
“The best players we have, they’re like gold dust, and I’ve said that many times. They’re difficult to find, you’re not going to pick them up off the street,” Howe said.
“When you have them, you’ve got to cherish them and really care for them, and try to make the environment as strong as you can so they want to stay as part of that.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.Source: Getty Images
WEST HAM
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui and his players will visit Michail Antonio in hospital as the Jamaica forward recovers after his “miracle” escape from a car crash.
West Ham star Antonio was rushed to hospital after being cut out of his Ferrari following the accident in Epping last weekend.
The 34-year-old needed surgery on a lower limb fracture and is reported to be facing weeks in hospital recovering from multiple injuries.
Antonio was able to speak to his team-mates via a video call from his hospital bed before they beat relegation rivals Wolves 2-1 on Monday.
West Ham players wore ‘Antonio 9’ shirts while warming up at the London Stadium, with Jarrod Bowen holding up his team-mate’s shirt after scoring the crucial winner.
“We are going to visit him today or tomorrow,” Lopetegui told reporters on Friday ahead of Monday’s Premier League trip to Bournemouth.
“But the main thing is we are very happy because he is recovering very well. We are very close to him and his family and we wish him the best for the next days.
“The best news about Michail Antonio was that he was able to talk with us before the Wolves match, because looking at the car crash, it was one miracle he was ok, so we are happy for him.
“Now for sure he is strong, he is recovering himself in the next months to be a man first and then a player.”
Ruben Amorim is expected to be confirmed as Manchester United’s new manager on Thursday after the club reached an agreement with Sporting Lisbon, reports said.
The Athletic said the 39-year-old would stay with the Portuguese league leaders for their next three games, including next week’s Champions League match against Manchester City.
He is expected to take charge at Old Trafford during the November international break, with his first game set to be United’s away trip to Ipswich on November 24.
Ineos’ director of sport Sir David Brailsford appeared to confirm Amorim would be appointed in footage that emerged on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“Yeah, It’s done. It’s done,” he said to fans, after posing for pictures outside Old Trafford.
Brailsford was responding to questions from the fans, who replied: “The deal is done, he said it”.
Sky Sports said it was understood the Premier League club had paid Sporting an extra one million euros over and above his 10 million euro ($11 million) exit clause for an early release.
Sporting issued a statement to the Lisbon stock exchange on Tuesday confirming United were willing to meet the release clause.
United pulled the plug on Erik ten Hag’s two-year reign as manager on Monday after a 2-1 defeat by West Ham left them 14th in the Premier League.
Amorim quickly emerged as United’s number one option.
Shortlist revealed for Man Unt top job | 03:50
United caretaker boss Ruud van Nistelrooy oversaw a 5-2 victory against Leicester in the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
“I came here as an assistant to help the club,” said Van Nistelrooy. “I’m helping as long as I’m needed and in the future, in any capacity, I’m here to help the club build towards the future.” Despite spending heavily in the transfer market in the summer, Ten Hag paid the price for United’s poor start to the season.
Prior to the win against Leicester, they had won just one of their past eight games in all competitions.
Ruben Amorim said Tuesday that “nothing is decided yet” after Manchester United made the Sporting Lisbon coach their top target to replace sacked manager Erik ten Hag.
United pulled the plug on Ten Hag’s two-year reign on Monday after a 2-1 defeat by West Ham left one of the world’s wealthiest clubs 14th in the Premier League.
Amorim quickly emerged as the leading contender to replace the Dutchman and a statement issued by Sporting to the Lisbon stock exchange said United were willing to meet his 10 million euro (£8.3 million, $10.8 million) release clause.
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Man United boss AXED in brutal sacking | 01:55
The 39-year-old was guarded when asked after Sporting’s League Cup win against Nacional on Tuesday night if that was his last match with the Portuguese club.
“Nobody knows whether this was my farewell match. Nothing is decided yet,” the Portuguese coach said, reported by sports daily A Bola.
Despite spending heavily in the transfer market in the summer, United have won one of their last eight games in all competitions.
Former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has been named interim boss but United appear to be concentrating on Amorim, who is considered one of Europe’s leading young coaches.
He has won two Portuguese titles with Sporting since joining the club in March 2020.
Amorim had dismissed the speculation when quizzed on Monday ahead of the League Cup match.
“I’m not going to talk about my future,” he said. “I’m very proud to be the coach of Sporting Lisbon.”
Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler, a young manager already making his way in the Premier League, was asked Tuesday what advice he’d give Amorim should he leave Portugal for Old Trafford.
Sporting Lisbon’s Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim gestures on the sidelines during the UEFA Europa league quarterfinal second leg football match between Sporting CP and Juventus at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on April 20, 2023. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)Source: AFP
“Thirty-nine and he’s eight years older than me,” said Hurzeler. “He’s already achieved great things in Portugal. I’ve seen some games of him, he plays incredible football.” Amorim was linked with the manager’s role at Liverpool following the departure of Jurgen Klopp this year, but Dutch coach Arne Slot headed to Anfield instead.
The position of Ten Hag, 54, had been repeatedly called into question after United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, who made overtures to other managers, retained him following an internal review at the end of last season when the club finished eighth in the league but won the FA Cup with a shock victory over Manchester City.
But United, who last won the Premier League in 2013, have shown little improvement this season.
The former Ajax coach, who joined United in May 2022, had fiercely defended his record, arguing he deserved respect for winning two trophies in his two full seasons.
United ended a six-year wait for silverware by beating Newcastle in the 2023 League Cup final.
However, in his second season, injuries to key players, the lack of impact from expensive signings such as Brazilian Antony and Ten Hag’s failure to implement a clear playing style put him on the road to failure.
Shortlist revealed for Man Unt top job | 03:50
United crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage and suffered a string of defeats at Old Trafford last season.
Ten Hag was backed in the transfer market, spending more than £600 million ($778 million) — nearly half of which went on former Ajax players.
Yet early hope this season evaporated as Liverpool and Tottenham both won with ease at Old Trafford in September.
In truth, Ten Hag oversaw just a small period of United’s more general decline since legendary former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after the club were crowned champions of England for a record 20th time.
Five full-time managers have come and gone since then.
Speaking post-match on Sunday to preview United’s League Cup tie against Leicester on Wednesday, Ten Hag indicated he thought winning a trophy in his third season would make it a success.
“Definitely, it’s about trophies,” he replied in comments which were embargoed until Tuesday.
“If you win a trophy in pro football, that is most important because that is what the fans expect and what we expect, to win a trophy.”
