Month: March 2023

Bayern Munich shocked many by firing Julian Nagelsmann during the international break and bringing in ex-Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel has been thrown in at the very deep end at Bayern at a crucial point of the season where every game is vital.

The Bavarians are involved in an extremely tight Bundesliga title fight and through to the quarter-finals of both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League. 

Ahead of their crunch match with league leaders Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, we examine the challenges Tuchel faces.

Instant impact

Bayern were not willing to wait until the end of the season to hire a coach they have admired for many years.

Tuchel earned a glowing reputation for his work at Chelsea, where he took the reins in January 2021 before winning the Champions League that May.

He outwitted Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Porto showpiece and Bayern will now come up against the Citizens in the last eight of Europe’s elite competition next month.

The 49-year-old will also face a familiar foe in his opening game as he welcomes former club Dortmund to the Allianz Arena.

Bayern have been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season but sit only a point behind their Klassiker rivals with all to play for on Matchday 26.

Case for the defence

A first priority for Tuchel will be to shore up Bayern’s defence.

The Bundesliga champions kept only two clean sheets from Nagelsmann’s final 10 league games, with costly errors at Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen resulting in two defeats.

In Tuchel’s first 14 competitive outings at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea conceded only two goals.

So expect the German coach to address the defensive third first, adopting his preferred back three with a wealth of options at wing-back, including Joao Cancelo and Alphonso Davies.

The hosts will sit deeper on Saturday than has been the case in recent weeks, with a more possession-based approach compared to Nagelsmann’s high-risk strategy.

Attacking solutions

Though Bayern have comfortably outscored every Bundesliga side this season, they are not the same force since Robert Lewandowski left for Barcelona. 

In the summer, it would seem certain that the club will look to secure a new striker, which could help to facilitate a switch back to a 4-2-3-1 formation over the longer-term. 

For now, Tuchel must find a solution from within. He will need to get Sadio Mane firing, with the injury-hit Senegalese ace not hitting the net since October 29.

The magic Tuch

At his introductory press conference, Tuchel said: “Bayern is about winning, also about the way of winning.

“The squad is one of the most talented and best in Europe. You’re a contender for every trophy with these players. It’s also a big commitment.”

Well versed with the pressures of managing Europe’s elite, Tuchel will know he has no time to waste in returning Bayern to their expected level of dominance.

With a wealth of quality at his disposal and a track record of success, expect his new side to come out punching in what could be a thrilling battle with BVB.

Manchester United back-up goalkeeper Tom Heaton has been ruled out until mid-April with an ankle injury.

The 36-year-old has featured twice for United this season, keeping clean sheets in the EFL Cup wins over Charlton Athletic and Nottingham Forest.

However, Heaton was not part of Erik ten Hag’s squad for the dramatic 3-1 FA Cup victory against Fulham prior to the international break after sustaining an injury in training.

And a club statement confirmed on Thursday the three-cap England international will miss “several of United’s upcoming matches”.

“Unfortunately, the day before the Fulham game I rolled my ankle in training,” Heaton said.

“Thankfully, it’s not too bad but it’ll mean a couple of weeks out. I should be back some point in April, hopefully halfway through.

“It’s an occupational hazard unfortunately, a bit of a random one. I just went over on the ankle and nicked the ligament.”

January recruit Jack Butland will now provide competition for first-choice keeper David de Gea, who has played the full 90 minutes in 42 of United’s 46 games this season.

UEFA has hit Eintracht Frankfurt and PSV with partial stadium closures after unsavoury scenes overshadowed European ties involving both clubs in February.

Both legs of Eintracht’s 5-0 aggregate defeat to Napoli in the Champions League’s last-16 were marred by violence, with clashes between supporters witnessed before the Partenopei’s 2-0 away win on February 21.

Eintracht were subsequently charged with the lighting of fireworks and blocking of public passageways by UEFA, and the governing body has now fined the Bundesliga club a total of €70,000 and ordered them to close areas of Deutsche Bank Park for their next continental fixture.

The fear of further violence led Italian authorities to attempt to ban Eintracht supporters from travelling to Naples for the return fixture on March 15.

However, supporters clashed with local police after defying that measure, with footage on social media showing crowds throwing missiles at officers wielding riot shields.

Meanwhile, PSV have also been ordered to close sections of the Philips Stadion for their next UEFA game after a fan attacked Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic during a Europa League match.

PSV suffered a 3-2 aggregate defeat in the competition’s knockout round play-offs, with the tie overshadowed by a supporter entering the pitch and throwing a punch at Dmitrovic in February’s second leg in Eindhoven.

The 20-year-old man was given a two-month prison stint on March 8, as well as being made subject to a 40-year ban from PSV’s stadium.

PSV have been fined €29,375 after UEFA investigated the incident, with the club also being charged with the throwing of objects at the same match.

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk remains a “world-class player” who is as capable as anyone of keeping Manchester City striker Erling Haaland quiet.

That is according to former Reds striker Robbie Keane, who also told Stats Perform talk of Jurgen Klopp departing Anfield is “absolutely ludicrous”.

Van Dijk’s form for club and country has been the subject of much debate, with Netherlands greats Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit heavily criticising the defender this week.

On the back of the Netherlands’ 4-0 loss to France, Van Basten accused Van Dijk of “making noise but not saying anything” and creating chaos in the side.

Fellow former Netherlands international Gullit, speaking alongside Van Basten in his punditry role with Ziggo Sport, said Van Dijk “thinks he is better than the rest”.

Experienced defender Van Dijk faces arguably the toughest challenge in world football this weekend when Liverpool travel to City on their return to Premier League action.

Haaland, who is expected to be fit despite pulling out of Norway’s squad, has scored 42 goals at club level this season – 11 more than any player across Europe’s major leagues.

But Keane believes Van Dijk is more than able to keep the prolific striker quiet in Saturday’s contest at the Etihad Stadium.

“The number of goals Haaland has scored is incredible for such a young player,” Keane said. “He’s certainly suited to this league and he’s powerfully strong.

“When you’re playing a team like Man City, who create the chances they do, you know as a striker you’ve always got a chance to score goals.

“But then you have someone like Van Dijk, who is a world-class player. If there’s anybody that can keep [Haaland] quiet, it’s certainly him.”

Liverpool have won just one of their past 13 Premier League away games against City, with that solitary victory coming in November 2015 when winning 4-1.

The Reds were beaten by Bournemouth last time out in the league and will finish the campaign trophyless following Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid.

Klopp has been asked numerous times about his future in what has been a poor campaign for Liverpool, but Keane does not expect him to go anywhere at the end of the season.

“If I’m being totally honest, I think it’s absolutely ridiculous people are even questioning Jurgen Klopp, if he should leave this club or not, absolutely no way,” he said. 

“The only person I think should get to decide that is Jurgen Klopp after what he’s done for this football club. It’s not going to happen. No way. The fans love him. 

“I know the owners love him being here, so it would be absolutely ludicrous for people to suggest that he would leave.”

Liverpool have taken 12 points from 13 Premier League away games this season, compared to 30 at home – the biggest difference (18 points) between any side in the division.

They are running out of time to climb into the top four, but Keane is confident Klopp is the right man to rebuild the squad regardless of what happens over the next two months.

“The team, like any other team, goes through bad spells and that seems to be happening this year,” added Keane, who spent one season with Liverpool in 2008-09.

“Jurgen Klopp, he’s very good at rebuilding. So I’m sure he’d be trying to get into the top four the season with 10 games still to go. 

“He won’t be resting. We know what he’s like, the character he is. We hope to get into the top four and then I’m sure he already has one eye on next year and ready to go again.”

Wayne Rooney has praised Manchester United for moving on from Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit, while backing their new talisman Marcus Rashford to beat his own Red Devils goals record.

Ronaldo left United for the second time in acrimonious circumstances in November, having declared he did not respect manager Erik ten Hag during an incendiary interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner then joined Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, while United have enjoyed a successful spell, winning the Carabao Cup and strengthening their grip on a top-four spot in the Premier League.

Asked about Ronaldo’s controversial departure during an interview with CNN, United’s all-time leading scorer Rooney said: “I suppose he got what he wanted.

“For Manchester United, it was important to move on as quick as possible from that and really refocus on the group of players who were there and wanted to be there. 

“I think that’s where Ten Hag has done a really good job in refocusing the players and getting them in a position where they are, obviously comfortably in the top four, and also winning the cup.”

Asked whether Ronaldo’s turbulent second stint at Old Trafford harmed his standing with the club’s supporters, Rooney added: “No, I think what he’s done for Manchester United is great. 

“He’s won Premier League titles, won the Champions League, scored many goals. I think certainly for the fans and his former team-mates, we’ll never forget what he did for Manchester United. 

“In my eyes, he’ll always be a club legend and it’s a shame the way it ended, of course, this time round. But I don’t think that takes anything away from his legacy at the club.”

Rashford has stepped up since Ronaldo left United, scoring 19 times in 25 appearances after returning from the World Cup.

Rooney saw his record total of 53 England goals surpassed by Harry Kane last week and he hopes his tally of 253 goals in a United shirt will one day be within Rashford’s reach. 

He said: “We’ve all known about Marcus, even before he was in the first team, coming through the academy.

“He’s a top player and he fell off a little bit over the last 18 months especially. And again, I think Ten Hag has come in and really simplified it for him.

“I’m not a player who sits on records and hopes no one breaks them. I hope he does it. I think it’s a great story and it means he’s been very successful with the club and been there a long time and scored a lot of goals if he does do it. So I hope he does. 

“I think he certainly has the ability and the capabilities to be able to do it. I’m sure, or I hope, sometime in the next few years I’ll be able to pass that mantle onto him.”

The Premier League will be entitled to disqualify club owners and directors for human rights abuses, under new rules revealed on Thursday.

That was one of the outcomes of a shareholders’ meeting as the league tightened up restrictions on who should be allowed to own and govern its clubs.

It was announced there would be increased clarity and transparency regarding due diligence carried out in the case of takeovers, as well as annual checks to determine directors remained compliant.

The owners’ and directors’ test (OADT) has faced plenty of scrutiny, mainly but not exclusively relating to the influx of money pouring into the league from overseas, with huge investments in Premier League clubs coming largely from the United States and the Middle East.

This update coincides with Manchester United, the Premier League’s most successful club, being targeted for a possible takeover by wealthy prospective buyers from various quarters of the globe.

The league said it had carried out a thorough review and stated clubs agreed the changes should take effect immediately, with all decisions to be reviewed by an independent panel.

It said the threshold to determine who held control of a club would be lowered from a 30 per cent to 25 per cent stake, while chief executives would be among those coming “within the scope of the OADT”.

Along with human rights abuses, which the league said would be based on the UK government’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020, it was decided that a situation where a person or company is subject to government sanctions would qualify as a disqualifying event.

The Premier League disqualified Roman Abramovich as owner of Chelsea in March of last year, soon after government sanctions were imposed on the oligarch following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It led to the club being sold to a consortium led by American Todd Boehly.

Anyone convicted of violence, corruption, fraud, tax evasion and hate crimes also faces the prospect of disqualification under the new guidance, and anyone under investigation for a potentially disqualifying event would also risk being prevented from becoming a club director.

Amid a number of further disqualifying circumstances, it was also decided the Premier League should clearly disclose who has been disqualified, as well as compiling an annual ‘report of compliance’.

Everton manager Sean Dyche is focused on the club’s fight to avoid relegation after the Toffees were referred to an independent commission over an alleged breach of the Premier League’s financial rules.

Last week, the Premier League alleged Everton had broken the competition’s profitability and sustainability rules during the 2021-22 season, which they finished in 16th place.

Everton ended last season four points clear of the relegation zone, but the Merseyside club have found themselves embroiled in another battle to stay in the top flight this term.

With reports suggesting Everton could face a point deduction, a club statement said the Toffees were “prepared to robustly defend” their position.

Asked about the alleged breach on Thursday, Dyche said: “There is no situation at the moment. The club’s statement covers everything. I’m happy to go along with that. 

“I’m more focused on what’s going on on the pitch, obviously. The club have assured me the statement is correct and the rest of it will come down to the powers that be to do what they have to do.

“At the minute, we are really focusing on what is going on now. Of course there are background views on the future but I’m working with the squad now, working to get more points and to make sure we get what we all want, which is to be in the Premier League.”

Everton sit two points above the bottom three ahead of Monday’s meeting with Tottenham at Goodison Park, having salvaged a 2-2 draw at Chelsea prior to the international break.

Dyche also confirmed striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is “back out on the grass” and progressing well from injury, but he not yet ready to participate in full sessions.

Fran Steele knows all about hard work — and the ex-England prospect is backing the Lionesses to reap the fruits of their labour this summer.

Had things panned out differently, Steele could have been part of Sarina Wiegman’s Euro 2022-winning squad, who are among the favourites for World Cup glory in August.

Now 26, the Londoner was a star at the Ipswich and Arsenal academies as a teen and captained her country at various youth levels.

But the beautiful game now plays second fiddle to her primary focus of studying medicine at Cambridge University. 

While Steele splits her time between the pitch and the classroom, she is convinced the Lionesses — skippered by old team-mate and close friend Leah Williamson — have their eyes firmly on one prize this year.

Speaking exclusively to LiveScore, she said: “During the Euros, I think we saw the ability England have with the ball at their feet, but also the mindset of the group and the potential they have to develop further.

“We’ve also seen how much the Women’s Super League has developed and how competitive things are across the league. I think it gives them a great chance of going all the way this summer.

“I loved watching the Euros. To see friends out there absolutely smashing it and changing the women’s game was incredible. 

“They have achieved something special and I’m sure they’ll continue to thrive for club and country.”

American adventure

If England are to triumph in Australia and New Zealand, they will have to overcome four-time World Cup winners and reigning champions the United States. 

Steele knows all about America’s pedigree in the women’s game, having moved there in 2015 to study molecular, cellular and developmental biology at Yale University while also playing college soccer at a high level.

Despite still being part of the England and Arsenal youth set-ups at the time, it was an opportunity she decided would be unwise to pass up.

Steele said: “It was the best option for me at the time. The combination of being able to continue studying and getting a decent degree, plus playing at a high level in terms of my football.

“America was the best place for that — and I think it probably still is now. College athletes are well respected there because people admire the effort of balancing your work with sport.

“The main difference I noticed straight away in the USA was physicality and a focus on athleticism. You play with some incredible athletes who are so fast and strong.

“England are one of the most technically brilliant sides in the world, as we saw last summer, but I think America will always have an advantage when it comes to the physical side.”

Busy schedule

Steele has not lost her love for the game, even if her busy study schedule presents a few challenges.

She added: “I play for Cambridge City now and my uni, which is intense — it’s a really good standard.

“I train most days, sometimes twice. For me, I always feel more productive once I’ve exercised. It’s just a case of being efficient with my time.

“You do have to be careful at times, though. Especially around exams, I do get a bit stressed about how I’m going to balance all of it but I just try to ride the wave!

“I have a few friends playing in the WSL now who are doing degrees on the side, or online education courses, so it’s definitely more viable than it was 10 years ago.”

Fran Steele is part of the FA Women’s National League’s Behind the Ball campaign, revealing more about the players’ lives off the pitch. Click here for more information.

Premier League leaders Arsenal went into the international break with an eight-point advantage, and the Gunners will be hoping for a favour from Liverpool on Saturday.

Before Arsenal host strugglers Leeds United, Liverpool travel to the Etihad Stadium to face second-placed Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand on Arsenal, but surely they must beat the Reds to give themselves a realistic chance of retaining the title.

Elsewhere, there are more huge fixtures at the bottom of the table, including West Ham v Southampton, while Newcastle United and Manchester United play in a repeat of February’s EFL Cup final.

Manchester City v Liverpool

Liverpool, who won the reverse league fixture 1-0, are looking to complete the league double over City for what would be just a second time in the last 17 seasons, previously doing so in Jurgen Klopp’s debut campaign in 2015-16.

Mohamed Salah has scored in all three of Liverpool’s games against Man City this season, in the Premier League, Community Shield and EFL Cup. The last Liverpool player to score in four different games against an opponent in a single campaign was Ian Rush, netting in five meetings with Everton in 1986-87.

Erling Haaland has scored 42 goals in all competitions for City this season, including six hat-tricks (all at the Etihad). Only two players have scored more in a single campaign for a Premier League club (since 1992-93) – Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2002-03 and Salah in 2017-18 (both 44).

Best bet – City to avoid defeat:  City have lost just one of their last 13 Premier League home games against Liverpool (W7 D5), going down 4-1 in November 2015 under Manuel Pellegrini. Guardiola’s team have won their last three top-flight games, but have yet to win four in a row this season. 

Long shot – Liverpool to win:  Liverpool have won more Premier League games against reigning champions than any other side (23). They are aiming to achieve their first such double since 2013-14, beating Manchester United 1-0 at home and 3-0 away. However, they have taken just 12 points from their 13 Premier League away games this season (W3 D3 L7), compared to 30 at home.

Opta prediction: Despite the fierce rivalry over recent years, City are the big favourites for this game, with Opta’s supercomputer ranking their chances of victory at 50.9 per cent. The draw is at 26.4 per cent, with Liverpool handed a 22.7 per cent chance of success.

Arsenal v Leeds United

Leeds have won just two of their 23 Premier League games against the league leaders (D9 L12), though both victories came away from home (v Middlesbrough in August 2000 and Man City in April 2021). They have lost all four such games against Arsenal by an aggregate score of 14-2.

Arsenal have won their last six Premier League games, their joint-longest such run under Mikel Arteta. They last won seven in a row between August and October 2018 under Unai Emery.

Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League this season is Gabriel Martinelli with 13 goals. The last player to score more while aged 21 or under in a single campaign in the division was Dele Alli in 2016-17 (18).

Best bet – Bukayo Saka to score or assist: Only Erling Haaland (33) and Harry Kane (23) have been involved in more Premier League goals than Saka this season (22), with the winger the only player so far to reach double figures for both goals (12) and assists (10).

Long shot – Leeds to keep a clean sheet: Since a 0-0 draw in their first Premier League away game against Arsenal in February 1993, Leeds have not drawn or kept a clean sheet in any of their subsequent 13 league visits to the Gunners (W3 L10), shipping 31 goals in total.

Opta prediction: Opta do not give Leeds much chance at Emirates Stadium (15.5 per cent). Arsenal are huge favourites, with a 61.6 per cent win probability, while the draw is ranked at 22.9 per cent.

West Ham v Southampton

Coming into this weekend’s games, Southampton have picked up the highest share of their Premier League points this season away from home (57 per cent – 13/23). Meanwhile, only Nottingham Forest (77 per cent) have a higher share of points won at home in 2022-23 than West Ham (75 per cent – 18/24).

Southampton have picked up as many points in their six Premier League games under Ruben Selles (8 – W2 D2 L2) as they had in their 17 league matches beforehand (W2 D2 L13).

Sides starting the day bottom of the Premier League have won 11 league matches this season, four more than the whole of last term (seven), and the most in a single campaign in the competition since 2017-18 (12). Southampton have been responsible for three of those victories by bottom-placed sides in 2022-23, a joint-high (also Leicester).

Best bet – James Ward-Prowse to create two chances:  Coming into this weekend’s games, only Kieran Trippier (49) has created more chances from set plays than Ward-Prowse (35) in the Premier League this season, while the Southampton captain is the only player to create 25+ chances from both open play (27) and set pieces (35) in the division this term.

Long shot – A goalless draw: No other sides have kept fewer clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Southampton (four) and West Ham (five)

Opta prediction: Despite both of these teams struggling, it is West Ham who Opta give 51.4 per cent chance of claiming all the points. Southampton have been responsible for three of the seven victories by the bottom-placed side this season, but the likelihood of them succeeding this time stands at 21.7 per cent. 

Newcastle United v Manchester United

Following their goalless draw at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture, Newcastle are looking to keep a clean sheet in consecutive Premier League games against United for the first time since May 1997.

No player has scored more winning goals in the Premier League this season than Marcus Rashford, with nine of his 14 strikes being the winner. Only two United players have ever scored more winning goals in a single campaign in the competition – Cristiano Ronaldo (12 in 2007-08) and Wayne Rooney (10 in 2009-10).

Coming into this weekend’s fixtures, only Bournemouth (38), Nottingham Forest (32) and Leicester (30) have conceded more away goals in the Premier League this season than United (27). Indeed, only in four different Premier League campaigns have the Red Devils conceded more on the road – 1999-00 (29), 2001-02 (28), 2018-19 (29) and 2021-22 (35).

Best bet – United to win: United have won more Premier League away games against Newcastle than any other side (14). However, they have lost two of their last five such visits (W2 D1), having lost just one of their previous 13 at St James’ Park. Newcastle are winless in six Premier League games against Man Utd (D2 L4), though the last two have both been drawn.

Long shot – Rashford and Alexander Isak to score: Rashford has been involved in seven goals in his eight Premier League starts against Newcastle (four goals, three assists) – only against Arsenal and Leicester City (nine each) has he been involved in more. Isak, meanwhile, has scored six goals in 10 Premier League appearances for Newcastle this season, including three in his last two. 

Opta prediction: This could prove a big game in the top-four race, with Newcastle only three points behind third-placed United. The visitors are made very slight favourites (36.8 per cent to 34.2 per cent). The draw is given a 29 per cent chance.

– Brighton sit seventh after one defeat in nine league games 
– Brentford have lost just once in 15 matches 
– Recommended bet: Draw

Brighton and Brentford are both challenging for surprise top-six finishes this season but they may have to settle for a point apiece on Saturday.

Two of the great overachievers of 2022-23 face off at the Amex Stadium and it is a measure of the progress of both clubs that defeat for either this weekend will be considered a serious setback in their push for European football. 

The Seagulls and the Bees are in excellent form, with Brighton losing only one of their last nine league matches and Brentford eclipsing even that with just one defeat in 15. 

However, defeat for the eighth-placed visitors would still be seen as a serious body blow in their push for a top-six or seven finish, given Brighton go into the match level on points with Brentford but boast a significantly better goal difference and have two games in hand. 

Team news

Brighton midfielders Adam Lallana and Jakub Moder are not expected back from injury for several weeks and are joined on the sidelines by Jeremy Sarmiento, who fractured a metatarsal on international duty. 

However, right-back Tariq Lamptey could return from a knee injury. 

Brentford’s Shandon Baptiste is suspended, while fellow midfielder Vitaly Janelt, centre-back Kristoffer Ajer and forward Keane Lewis-Potter are each expected to miss out through injury. 

Aaron Hickey was forced off with a knee issue while on international duty but is expected to feature this weekend. Fellow full-back Mads Roerslev is rated only 50/50. 

The stats

Brighton lost 2-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium in October but were hugely unlucky, bossing 72% possession, taking 21 shots, with seven on target, compared to Brentford’s seven attempts and just two on target. 

Since then, Brighton have lost only four of 16 league matches, including defeats to top two Manchester City and Arsenal and a smash-and-grab by Fulham in a match the Seagulls should have won handsomely. 

Brentford have lost just two of their last 17 matches, with their only genuinely poor performance in that time coming against Aston Villa in a 4-0 thrashing.

The Bees’ defeat at Everton on March 11 is Brentford’s only loss in seven league away games — a run that takes in victories at Manchester City, West Ham and Southampton, as well as a draw at Arsenal. 

Prediction

It is hard to split two of the most impressive teams of 2022-23 and a draw is certainly not the worst result for either side.

Playing catch-up, Brentford would be the most eager to push forward for all three points and they have the firepower to unsettle the Seagulls’ defence with red-hot Ivan Toney leading a slick Bees attack. 

However, Brighton are one of just five teams to have outscored Brentford this season and will expect to trouble a visiting backline that has kept just one clean sheet in their last six league outings. 

The best bet could well be to back Brentford to make it seven draws from 14 Premier League away games this season. 

Back the draw, available at 16/5 with LiveScore Bet.

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