Chelsea v Manchester United: Blues’ poor home form under threat from big-match specialists in top-four showdown February 16, 2020 While this season’s Premier League title race is now non-existent, the battle to finish in the top four is still very much on. Everyone from Chelsea in fourth to Arsenal in 10th will have aspirations of finishing in the final Champions League spot, while Manchester City’s prospective European ban has given even more teams hope. [...]
Arsenal 4-0 Newcastle: Mikel Arteta’s side finally turn the tide of draws in crucial, confidence-boosting home win February 16, 2020 Suddenly it all clicked into place. After a run of four successive Premier League draws and 45 minutes of predictable, frustrating and ineffective side-to-side football, Arsenal found their mojo. In the grand scheme of things it wasn’t much – a 15-minute spell of domination and creativity, and a strong finish against a unadventurous Newcastle side [...]
Manchester City could win legal row with Uefa but club’s Champions League ban is already having an impact February 16, 2020 If Friday’s announcement that Manchester City face exclusion from the Champions League for the next two years was a bombshell, then the accompanying shrapnel is the endless list of questions posed by Uefa’s verdict. What now for the most expensively assembled project in the history of football? Can Pep Guardiola be persuaded to stay at [...]
Manchester City banned from Europe for two years for ‘serious breach’ of FFP February 15, 2020 Manchester City have been banned from Uefa club competitions for the next two seasons after committing “serious breaches” of financial fair play (FFP) regulations. The current Premier League champions will not be able to participate in the Champions League of Europa League in 2020-21 or 2021-22. They have also been fined 30m euros (£25m). The [...]
Wolves continue to exceed expectations by juggling Europa League with Premier League commitments February 13, 2020 Love will be in the air at the Molineux Stadium on Friday night as fans welcome back their beloved, mould-breaking Wolverhampton Wanderers from the Premier League’s inaugural winter break. Amid a season that has been bereft of quality from five of the established Big Six, Wolves and tomorrow’s opponents, Leicester, are two of the sides [...]
Leah Williamson interview: England and Arsenal defender on the fortunate timing of her career, studying accountancy and her Olympic dream February 12, 2020 Like many football-mad children, Leah Williamson dreamed of becoming a professional player. The talent was there and she took the first step on the ladder aged nine when she joined the Arsenal Ladies Centre of Excellence in 2006. However, there was one major problem in her way: 14 years ago there was no such a [...]
Dominic Calvert-Lewin my favourite in shoot-out with Danny Ings to gatecrash England’s Euro 2020 squad February 11, 2020 This summer’s European Championship may still seem like a speck on the horizon but, for players hoping to gatecrash England’s squad for the tournament, the clock is ticking. Places are up for grabs among the strikers, where the uncapped Danny Ings and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have played their way into competition with Tammy Abraham and Callum [...]
Helping the Dons return home: AFC Wimbledon aiming to raise £5m through a bond to keep Plough Lane stadium plans on track February 10, 2020 The club may only be 18 years old, but AFC Wimbledon are no strangers to adversity. Having been founded in 2002 by supporters as a protest against the original Wimbledon’s uprooting to Milton Keynes, the Dons have risen through the divisions, winning six promotions in 13 years to reach League One. While there has been [...]
Nottingham Forest eye end to 21-year Premier League exile with promotion push February 5, 2020 This weekend sees two once-great clubs of English football go head to head as they both look to take a step closer to rising from the ashes. Both are battling for the Championship’s automatic promotion places, with Leeds one point off the top in second place and Nottingham Forest, who they visit on Saturday, close [...]
Les Ferdinand interview: QPR director of football on making the club a talent factory again February 5, 2020 Les Ferdinand harbours dreams of leading QPR back into the Premier League but the club legend and current director of football insists a new era of success in west London will not be ushered in overnight. Ferdinand, who marked five years in the role this week, believes the Championship outfit’s return to a philosophy of [...]
