English Premier League
Arteta vs Emery: Arsenal boss under the cosh as stats expose progress myth
Arsenal have had another disappointing Premier League season, currently languishing in ninth spot, 10 points adrift of the Champions League places. There has been criticism from some fans towards manager Mikel Arteta while others believe that progress has been made. We look into how Arteta has fared when compared to his predecessor Unai Emery after 51 league games into their respective careers with the club. The Gunners have scored 16 fewer goals since Arteta took over in December 2019, but they have been unfortunate, hitting the woodwork on 15 more occasions. In general play, Emery’s team also had the upper side in terms of possession, but there has been more patience in the build-up play under Arteta. While the high pressing has been evident, the passing has also been more slow and intri...
Why talented midfielder should stay at Leicester City this summer
With just over two months remaining on his contract, Leicester City face a race against time to retain the services of midfielder Sidnei Tavares. The 19-year-old recently made his senior debut for the club, coming off the bench in the Europa League tie against Slavia Prague. He has since featured in Premier League games against Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion, highlighting that manager Brendan Rodgers is willing to give him first-team opportunities. There has been talk that Tavares could leave Leicester this summer, with Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, Almeria, Sevilla and Nice amongst the clubs credited with an interest in the youngster. Leicester have been negotiating with Tavares’ representatives, and Rodgers has admitted that he is keen to see him stay with the club. “I think we provi...
Predicted Newcastle XI vs West Ham: Bruce to make two changes, 24-yr-old to start
Newcastle United take on West Ham United in the Premier League later today and the Magpies will be hoping to build on their win over Burnley last time out. Steve Bruce’s side are 17th in the Premier League table and their position in the Premier League is not safe yet. They will be up against an in-form West Ham side and the Magpies will have to be at their best to grind out a result here. Newcastle have an excellent head to head record against the Hammers and they have managed to win three and draw one of the last four meetings with the London side. The last time these two sides met, Newcastle picked up a 2-0 win away from home and they will be hoping for more of the same later today. The Magpies have drawn their last three Premier League home matches and it will be interesting to fe...
Predicted West Ham XI v Newcastle: Moyes to make one change, 21-yr-old to start
West Ham United have picked up two consecutive wins in the Premier League against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City. They will be hoping to make it three in a row when they take on Newcastle United later today. The Hammers were beaten by the Magpies earlier on in the season and the Londoners will be out for revenge this time. This is a glorious opportunity for the Hammers to consolidate their place in the top four with a win and they cannot afford to drop points here. David Moyes’ side are fourth in the table right now and a win here would take them into the top three. The likes of Jesse Lingard and Jarrod Bowen are in exceptional form right now and the Londoners will fancy their chances against any side in the division. The visitors will be without the services of Darren Randolph...
Leeds expected to make their move for 28-yr-old, asking price won’t be a problem
Leeds United have been linked with the Sampdoria defender Omar Colley in recent weeks. According to the Sampnews24 (translated by Sportwitness), the Premier League side are keen on the Gambia international and they are prepared to submit an offer for the 27-year-old this summer. Colley has done well for the Italian side over the past year and he was linked with a move to Elland Road at the start of the season as well. Apparently, Sampdoria value the player at around €12 to 13 million and the asking price would not be a problem for the Premier League side. SL View: Defensive addition should be a priority for Bielsa There is no doubt that Leeds need to improve their defensive options in the summer and Colley could prove to be a quality addition for them. The 28-year-old has the defensive qua...
‘I couldn’t care less’ – Spurs boss Jose Mourinho responds to Paul Pogba’s criticism
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba recently hit out at Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho for his man-management skills. The French international revealed that he had a good relationship with the current Spurs boss but the equation between the two deteriorated after a trophyless second season and a poor start to the 2018-19 campaign. Mourinho was involved in a training ground spat with Pogba and the player was eventually stripped of the club’s vice-captaincy in September 2018. Pogba has revealed to Sky Sports that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would never go against his own players like Mourinho. He also revealed that the current Manchester United manager does not mistreat players even if he not picking them. The Portuguese manager has been criticised for his treatment of Spurs midfielder...
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce names his Premier League manager of the year
Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce has named West Ham United counterpart David Moyes as his Premier League manager of the year ahead of their clash this weekend. Bruce has battled relegation for most of this season, with Newcastle floating just above the bottom three in recent weeks. The 2-1 win against Burnley went a long way to confirming Newcastle’s safety for next season, but he faces a West Ham side with aspirations of Champions League football this weekend. Under the management of the former Everton and Manchester United boss, the Hammers have had a sensational campaign. Currently above both Chelsea and Liverpool in the Premier League table, West Ham have a realistic chance of securing a top-four spot. Now, ahead of West Ham’s meeting with Newcastle this weekend, Bruce has named Moyes...
Brendan Rodgers comments on Leicester City’s rule-breaking trio
“We dealt with it last week when they trained separately,” Rodgers explained, as quoted by the Leicester Mercury. “We had a meeting at the beginning of this week. We accepted their apology. They were sincere – they knew they made a mistake. “They knew they overstepped the mark. What I know is that in the working of our team, they gave that apology to me and the rest of their teammates. “We all make mistakes. They were punished for it. We have to move on. We suffered for it – they suffered for it. “It’s a really exciting period, and they are available. They know they have to focus for the rest of the season.” SL View – Did Leicester handle the situation correctly? Leicester should certainly be commended for their stern treatment of Maddison, Perez and Choudhury last week. While t...
Thomas Tuchel targets title charge next season
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has set his sights on a challenge for the Premier League title next season. Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard at Chelsea in January on an 18-month contract with the option to extend for a further year. Tuchel has enjoyed a fine start to life at Stamford Bridge Since his appointment, the Blues have been in flying form, losing just two from 18 games in all competitions. They currently sit fifth in the Premier League and have reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League. On Saturday, Tuchel’s side face runaway leaders Manchester City, who will be hoping to end the campaign with an unprecedented quadruple. Ahead of the fixture, the German has spoken of his aim to close the gap between the two sides next season. As quoted by Eurosport, Tuchel s...
West Ham United favourites to sign 20-goal striker, Leicester City have second thoughts
West Ham United are considered front-runners to sign Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, with Leicester City having second thoughts over a summer move, Football Insider reports. Edouard has had another good season with the Hoops, registering 20 goals and six assists from 35 appearances across all competitions. His current deal expires in less than 14 months, and he has reportedly made it clear that he won’t be signing an extension with the club. The Foxes and Hammers have been heavily linked with his services, but the former are said to have second thoughts over signing him this summer. The Midlands outfit have recently seen Kelechi Iheanacho hit top form leading the line, which contributed to him signing a fresh long-term deal. His glowing form has led the Foxes to reconsider a move for Edoua...
Arsenal to face Rangers in a commemorative friendly in July
Arsenal have confirmed that they will play a commemorative friendly against Rangers as part of the 150th-anniversary celebrations for the Scottish champions. The Gunners have a rich history with the Glasgow outfit since the early 1900s, and they first played each other in 1933 in a friendly dubbed as the ‘Game of Champions’. Over the next few decades, it was an annual event. The Gunners played a friendly against Rangers in 1973 when the Scottish club celebrated their centenary. The north London giants have now confirmed that they will participate in the 150th-anniversary celebrations for Rangers with a friendly at the Ibrox Stadium on July 17. Mikel Arteta told Arsenal.com: “We’re looking forward to travelling to Ibrox as part of our preparations for the 2021/22 season. I enjoyed two ...
Man City want to sign playmaker with 19 goal contributions, aware of release clause
Manchester City are aware of the release clause in the contract of Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, Football Insider reports. The England international has had another fine season for the Villans, registering seven and 12 goals from just 23 appearances in all competitions. It was recently claimed that Grealish would welcome a summer move to the Cityzens as he looks to play Champions League football and win the Premier League. It is now reported that the Cityzens are aware of the buy-out clause in the midfielder’s contract ahead of a potential move for his services this summer. Sportslens view: Grealish has played for the Villans in his entire career, but he may be assessing his options when the current campaign comes to a close. The Midlands outfit were in the mix for European footbal...
