Features

Manchester United already have their top transfer target in mind for summer 2025
Features

Manchester United already have their top transfer target in mind for summer 2025

Manchester United had a predictably disappointing showing in Ruben Amorim's debut as their new manager, as they couldn't capitalize on a great start with a goal in the second minute from Marcus Rashford, drawing Ipswich Town 1-1 in a game they should have lost. Only Andre Onana's heroics could spare Manchester United an outright loss against one of the Premier League's relegation candidates, as the Red Devils very much look like a squad that belongs in the bottom half of the table. The attacking output was concerningly poor, with the doomed-to-fail midfield tandem of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro overrun. Only Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes seemed to offer any sort of a consistent threat, as Rashford floundered after his tap-in goal while Alejandro Garnacho produced a disasterclass...
Liverpool are watching a possible Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement
Features

Liverpool are watching a possible Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement

Liverpool are in fierce negotiations with right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, as they are in a race against the clock to extend the world's most valuable right back before Real Madrid swoop in to sign him as a free agent. In a little over a month, Alexander-Arnold will be available for Real Madrid to sign to a pre-contract agreement for a free transfer in summer 2025, and with no rumored handshake agreement between TAA's representation and Madrid president Florentino Perez, Liverpool are still in the driver's seat. It makes sense for Alexander-Arnold to spend his entire career in Liverpool, but we have seen, in the past, how many great Premier League stars like Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard cannot resist the allure of the Santiago Bernabeu. In case Liverpool cannot keep Trent Alexand...
Features

3 burning questions Leicester City must answer after firing Steve Cooper

After losing to former manager Enzo Maresca's Chelsea 2-1, newly promoted Leicester City made the abrupt decision to fire manager Steve Cooper with the Foxes now 16th in the Premier League table. Here are three burning questions Leicester must answer after a mildly controversial managerial decision. Why hire Steve Cooper in the first place? The first question that pops into my head in the aftermath of Cooper's dismissal is simply, why even hire him in the first place? Leicester City have canned Cooper before Julen Lopetegui - though he could conceivably be fired on Monday if West Ham lose badly enough to Newcastle. Lopetegui had an even bigger summer of investment to work with than Cooper, and he certainly had greater expectations with the Hammers than Cooper with the Foxes. So ...
3 lessons Barcelona must take to heart after faltering against Celta Vigo
Features, LaLiga

3 lessons Barcelona must take to heart after faltering against Celta Vigo

Barcelona came into the November international fixtures with a disappointing result, falling 1-0 to Takefusa Kubo's Real Sociedad, and they are now starting the return to club play with another poor performance in a 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo. The Blaugrana started the match promising enough with trademark goals from superstars Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, but Lamine Yamal's absence loomed large again as Barca failed to kill the game off before collapsing late to share the spoils, opening up the chance for Real Madrid to close the gap with a 3-0 win over Leganes on Sunday. Here are three lessons Barcelona need to learn after back-to-back negative results in La Liga. Still lacking attacking depth Yamal is arguably the best player in the world already, and while it is understandabl...
Arsenal’s 3 most important building blocks were made obvious in win over Forest
Features

Arsenal’s 3 most important building blocks were made obvious in win over Forest

Arsenal came into this weekend's fixtures with perhaps more pressure than any other club in European football with the title race slowly starting to slip away after key injuries caused them to stumble in both big and lesser fixtures. So Saturday's battle at the Emirates against the biggest upstarts on the continent, Nottingham Forest, was clearly a must-win matchup for the Gunners, with Forest boasting one of the two best defenses in the league this season alongside current leaders Liverpool. Arsenal, after failing to win a Premier League match since Oct. 5 against lowly Southampton, finally delivered the goods in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 drubbing of this season's shock Champions League contenders. Their victory was made all the sweeter - and much more meaningful - with news of...
The 3 biggest reasons behind Manchester City’s collapse
Features

The 3 biggest reasons behind Manchester City’s collapse

No team in world football is reeling as badly as Manchester City right now, and their run of five consecutive losses is made all the more stunning by virtue of their sheer dominance in the Premier League over the last four seasons. Since Liverpool's remarkable 2019/20 campaign, Man City have been impervious in the English top flight - that is, of course, until the 2024/25 season when they suddenly seem vulnerable. Without Rodri, whose biggest claim to the Ballon d'Or has now been revealed after he already won the honor, Manchester City look listless. They are a second rate side in comparison to Liverpool, and their recent 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Tottenham marks a new low - and their second straight defeat to Spurs within a span of 30 days. Manchester City gave up four goals t...
Ruben Amorim’s harsh assessment of Manchester United is a stroke of genius
Features

Ruben Amorim’s harsh assessment of Manchester United is a stroke of genius

As Ruben Amorim gets ready for his first match as Manchester United manager on Sunday against Ipswich Town, there's a lot of speculation about the kind of manager he will be behind the scenes for the club, beyond just what he will change tactically or which new players he will bring in. At Sporting CP, Amorim built up his reputation as one of the best up-and-coming managers in world football because of his ability to build a winning culture and develop young talent. Manchester United haven't had that. They've done a woeful job at developing young players, because, beyond Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, most of their young investments over the years have failed to reach their potential. Blockbuster Monaco signing Anthony Martial is an obvious example, and even current starter...
The Real Madrid star who would benefit most from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury
Champions League, Features, LaLiga

The Real Madrid star who would benefit most from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury

Real Madrid and Liverpool will square off on Wednesday night in the Champions League in the latest iteration of the two clubs going at it on a European night. Beyond the famous finals in 2018 and 2022 - Real won both - they also went at it in the Champions League quarterfinals in 2020/21 and in the 2022/23 group stages. But this time, Liverpool look like the favorites. Whereas Real Madrid are six points behind Barcelona in La Liga coming into this weekend, the Reds are in a commanding first in the Premier League under new coach Arne Slot. Like Real Madrid, though, Liverpool are dealing with injuries of their own, and one of their most prominent going into Wednesday night's fixture is to right back Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 26-year-old is enjoying another productive season here i...
The Ruben Amorim request Manchester United have to grant in order to succeed
Features

The Ruben Amorim request Manchester United have to grant in order to succeed

Manchester United have made what could be the biggest upgrade of 2024, firing Erik ten Hag, whom they never should have carried into a new season anyway, and replacing him with Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP. Amorim is one of the most touted young managers in world football, having developed some of European football's most promising players at Sporting, including a pair of potential Manchester United transfer targets in center back Ousmane Diomande and striker Viktor Gyokeres. Unsurprisingly, Amorim's gems have already been linked with a move to Old Trafford, and even the blockbuster Gyokeres signing is entirely plausible should Marcus Rashford and/or Joshua Zirkzee fail to impress over the next six months under the Portuguese manager's leadership. After the INEOS takeover, Manche...
It looks like West Ham are trying to get rid of Julen Lopetegui
Features

It looks like West Ham are trying to get rid of Julen Lopetegui

West Ham are currently 14th in the Premier League after 11 matches played, even though they were one of the busiest teams in the summer transfer window, bringing in some established starters from notable European clubs like Carlos Soler, Niclas Fullkrug, and Jean-Clair Todibo. From the start, Julen Lopetegui was always an underwhelming hire and an arguable downgrade on David Moyes when comparing resumes, given that, outside of a strong 2021/22 season with Sevilla, Lopetegui has never actually outperformed on a club's expectations. Now, Lopetegui is headed for another disastrous season equivalent to the 2022/23 campaign in Seville that got him fired for relegation specialist Jose Luis Mendilibar, who took that same team to a Europa League Final triumph over Jose Mourinho's Roma. As...