Month: April 2023

Former colleagues Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta go up against one another in a crucial Premier League title clash tonight. 

Table-topping Arsenal are five points clear of Manchester City but the second-placed Citizens have two games in hand and are now in control of their own destiny, as they look to retain the title. 

Arteta was appointed as Guardiola’s assistant coach at City in 2016, before leaving to take charge of the Gunners in 2019. 

Ahead of tonight’s potential title decider, we turn the spotlight on the battle between managerial master and an apprentice who has been leading the way this season. 

Bogey side

Arteta’s Arsenal have lost all six of their previous league games against City. 

They are the only side that the 41-year-old’s team have failed to beat in the competition since he became manager of the North Londoners. 

Of the six defeats, three have come at City’s Etihad Stadium, with the hosts keeping a clean sheet on every occasion. 

In the reverse fixture at the Emirates this season, Guardiola’s side took charge in the second half, overpowering their rivals in a 3-1 victory. 

In addition, the two teams have met three times in cups. The first occasion was the one match in which Arteta’s Arsenal have triumphed over City, beating them 2-0 in the 2019-20 FA Cup semi-finals. 

The Gunners have lost the two subsequent cup ties. They were defeated 4-1 at home in the 2020-21 Carabao Cup quarter-finals and were knocked out of the FA Cup this season, in a 1-0 away loss. 

Contrasting form

With only one win and eight defeats against his former boss, the pressure is on Arteta to change the pattern tonight. 

The trouble is, the fixture comes at the worst possible time for the Basque coach, with his side having lost form, just when City have found theirs. 

Arsenal have drawn each of their last three games, conceding seven goals along the way. 

Last Friday night, they had to fight back from being 3-1 down at home to scrape a draw against the Premier League’s bottom club Southampton. 

Since William Saliba picked up a back injury in the Europa League tie against Sporting, the Gunners have played five league games and conceded in all of them. 

That is bad news against a City side that are unbeaten in 16 matches. Guardiola’s team have won each of their last 11 at home, averaging 3.63 goals-per-game. 

Saliba absence

Saliba will miss tonight’s tussle and it has been reported that he could even be out for the rest of the season. 

With Ben White being the only fit player able to play at right-back, Rob Holding has been deputising for the French defender. 

Without Saliba’s pace, the back four have been unable to push as high up the field as they would normally do. A once secure defensive unit, now looks like a weakness. 

It will be interesting to see if Arteta keeps faith in the 4-3-3 formation that has served him so well all season, or if he might be tempted to switch to a back three in an effort to stem the flow of goals conceded. 

If it were Guardiola’s side that had dropped points in three successive games, then you could bet that he would be looking to make a tactical change. 

This is perhaps Arteta’s biggest test as Arsenal manager. We will discover tonight if he makes revisions, or whether he feels that he is already well prepared.

Xabi Alonso has been touted as a surprise contender to replace David Moyes at West Ham this summer.

The popular former Liverpool midfielder has been excelling in charge of Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen and reports this week have suggested he is highly thought of by Hammers chiefs.

As the East Londoners prepare to host the Reds this evening, we look at Alonso’s managerial career to date and consider what he could bring to the London Stadium.

Pep’s proteges

Like Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany, Alonso is another emerging coach at the top of European football who has benefitted from time working under the great Pep Guardiola.

Alonso, 41, left Real Madrid for Bayern Munich in 2014, spending two of the last three years of his playing career learning from his esteemed countryman.

And when the World Cup winner took the Leverkusen job last October, his old mentor was one of the first to offer a ringing endorsement.

Guardiola said: “Xabi was an exceptional holding midfielder and when you are an exceptional holding midfielder you have to understand the game.

“He reads it perfectly and he’s a lovely, lovely person. It’s an incredible opportunity.

“It’s a really good team in the Bundesliga — prestigious, still playing Champions League. I wish him the best and hopefully he can do the job.”

Like father, like son

It would be too simplistic to say that Guardiola has single-handedly shaped Alonso’s coaching philosophy, however.

His first idol was his father, Periko Alonso.

A regular for Real Sociedad, Barcelona and Spain, Alonso Senior admits to have taken more satisfaction from perfect passing than fantastic finishing during his playing days.

That philosophy visibly fed into his son’s game and even now, the Basque tactician still values ball movement as a key factor within his coaching methodology.

Since arriving at the BayArena, only Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have completed more passes per game in the Bundesliga.

Interestingly though, Leverkusen rank only eighth for average possession percentage in the division — suggesting when they do have the ball, they pass quickly and with a purpose.

High five

Alonso has made sweeping changes since taking his first senior role, all of which have combined to make a stunning impact.

First, he ditched the back four used by his predecessor Gerardo Seoane, generally opting to line Leverkusen up in a 5-2-3 shape with attacking wing-backs and two No10s in a three-man front line.

Wide players are tasked with stretching the game to open up space for those in central areas, who have the freedom to make aggressive runs and thread clever passes into pacey forwards.

Off the ball, the Spaniard asks his side to press — but not too aggressively. 

While his men rank a lowly 18th in terms of possessions won in the attacking third during Alonso’s reign, their 636 regains in the defensive third is the Bundesliga’s highest tally.

It is from that deeper position where Leverkusen so often ruthlessly exploit their opposition on the break.

Stunning results

Few rookie bosses have made such an impressive impact in their first senior managerial role.

Alonso took over a side flirting with the relegation zone. Since November, they have won 12 out of 17 league outings and sit just six points off a Champions League qualification spot.

Furthermore, Leverkusen take on Roma in the Europa League semi-finals next month, with a genuine chance of securing only a second continental crown in the club’s history.  

If West Ham genuinely intend to lure Alonso to East London this summer, they must move quickly.

Judging on this campaign, Europe’s very biggest clubs will soon come calling.

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Emery daring to dream

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists there is little margin for error in his side’s pursuit of European football after moving up to fifth with a 1-0 victory over Fulham.

Tyrone Mings’ first-half header secured a fifth straight home win for the Villans and extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 10 games.

Villa now sit a point above Tottenham, who face Manchester United on Thursday. Liverpool and Brighton are four and five points behind respectively but with games in hand over the Midlands outfit.

And with Emery’s men still to face all three of their Europa League rivals during the final five games, the Spanish boss is daring to dream but insists there is plenty of work still to be done.

The 51-year-old said: “We are in the Europa [League] position, it is still difficult to achieve.

“The dreams are here and it’s good for everybody — and we can share this with the supporters.

“We’re now a candidate for fifth. But we have to play Liverpool, Tottenham and Brighton.

“With each match we are winning, it is giving us confidence and a chance to get there.”

Next up for Villa, who last played in Europe in 2010, is a trip to Old Trafford to face third-placed United on Sunday.

Vardy as important as they come

Dean Smith says Jamie Vardy is “as important as they come” after the Leicester striker’s late goal secured a potentially crucial draw against relegation rivals Leeds.

Vardy, 36, stepped off the bench to slide home the equaliser at Elland Road following Luis Sinisterra’s opener for the hosts.

The draw saw the Foxes move a point away from the relegation zone, with 18th-placed Everton in action against Newcastle tomorrow night.

With it being only Vardy’s second goal during a difficult season for the Premier League winner, manager Smith said: “[Strikers] know they’re judged by goals.

“It’s not been the most fruitful of seasons for him, but that penalty [he won against Wolves] on Saturday and the goal tonight — he’s as important as they come.

“Who knows, he could end up with eight goals by the end of the season.”

Vardy had another effort ruled out for offside as Leicester threatened to snatch all three points in the closing stages.

Smith added: “I think it’s his 135th Premier League goal, which just shows you the quality of the striker we have. I’m really pleased he got that goal.

“The chance he’s scored today, we’ve seen him take loads of them over time and if we can keep creating chances like that he will take them.”

In good Kompany

Vincent Kompany hailed Burnley clinching the Championship title with a 1-0 win at rivals Blackburn as a “tremendous achievement”.

The Clarets’ promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking had already been secured but Manuel Benson’s stunning winner ensured they will do so as champions.

After coming through a difficult contest in which they were second best at the home of their Lancashire foes, the former Manchester City defender says it will live long in the club’s memory.

Kompany, 37, said: “I don’t know if the lads realise it. I think J-Rod [Jay Rodriguez] does. He understands what it means for the people of Burnley to win the league at Ewood Park, you couldn’t write it.

“And even the scenario of the game. After everybody’s speaking about how good we are on the ball, today to see how good we were defensively, winning challenges, second ball, crosses, everything else. That’s a side of the team I’m proud about as well.

“A day that will live forever for us and a tremendous achievement by the lads.

“There are two awards that you win this season which is promotion and the league, and then there’s two more trophies to win, your two derbies.

“We’ve won all four this season. I know what those games have meant for me in my career.

“We’ve made memories for life. No one can take that away from us. We won the league at Ewood Park.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will not shy away from pitching Anthony Gordon into a cauldron on his return to relegation-haunted Everton as he targets Champions League qualification.

The 22-year-old left Goodison Park in a £45million switch to the Magpies in January in acrimony, having made his name in the blue half of his native city.

Gordon has had to remain patient since – although he allowed his frustration to get the better of him when he was substituted at Brentford earlier this month – having started just two games for his new club, but will hope to play a significant role on familiar territory on Thursday evening.

Asked if he had to be mindful of the hostile reception the youngster could receive, head coach Howe, who has a doubt over defender Fabian Schar, replied: “You don’t want to have or do anything that impacts the team, which is the most important thing.

“This is something surrounding the game, but is not influencing the game in terms of tactical preparation.

“There is nothing I can do to change that. It’s something we need to be mindful of, but I’m not too sure – other than concentrating on how we play – what we can do.”

In a terse announcement of Gordon’s departure, Everton confirmed the player, who had been confronted by angry fans as he left Goodison following a 2-1 defeat by Southampton in January, had submitted a formal transfer request.

He has since insisted the situation surrounding his departure was “misconstrued”, but whether he has a point to prove on his return, Howe – who revealed he would speak to the midfielder before the game – insisted he had to play the game rather than the occasion.

The 45-year-old said: “It’s staying very present and not thinking too much, just play the game – which is easier said than done in that environment where probably all eyes will be, he’ll feel, focused on him.

“I don’t want it to become a big talking point in the game.

“For me, it’s not important. It’s important for Anthony and it’s important that he comes through the game in a good way, but what’s important is that the team functions and we show our best selves.”

Seven of Gordon’s nine Newcastle appearances to date, the last of them in Sunday’s 6-1 Premier League romp against top-four rivals Tottenham, have come from the bench and while he is pleased with his contribution to date, Howe is confident there is more to come from him.

He said: “We have seen glimpses of potential, glimpses of what he can do. Putting it all together for 90 minutes, we have not seen that yet.

“I am really pleased with him and I know he will be a high-quality player for us in the future and I know he is going to be the right signing for us because of the way he has reacted to the move.”

Sunday’s rout of Spurs re-ignited the Magpies’ European charge and Howe and his players are in no mood to relax as the season’s climax approaches.

He said: “It’s hugely important that we don’t settle, that after a victory like we had on Sunday, we don’t sit back and relax with that.

“That is the wrong emotion. We have to use the confidence we have from the game, the way we played, the manner of the performance and use it to fuel us even more to try and recreate those moments again.”

Barcelona’s England defender Lucy Bronze will miss their upcoming Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea due to injury.

The 31-year-old limped off the pitch during the second half of the first leg on Saturday, which Barca won 1-0 thanks to Caroline Graham Hansen’s goal.

The Catalan club have now confirmed in a statement on Twitter that Bronze will be unavailable for the return fixture at the Camp Nou on Thursday after undergoing arthroscopy on her right knee.

Bronze’s injury provides a fresh concern for England manager Sarina Wiegman, with both Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson set to miss this summer’s World Cup.

However, after Saturday’s game Barca manager Jonatan Giraldez provided an upbeat assessment of Bronze’s injury.

He said: “She felt something in her knee in the beginning.

“But in the end right now she’s fine. At the moment we made the substitution the feeling was bad, but right now the feeling she has is good.”

Liverpool are set to make a move for Manchester City flop Kalvin Phillips in the summer. 

Phillips, 27, joined the Premier League champions from Leeds last summer in a £45million move but has struggled to make an impact under Pep Guardiola.

And with the Reds seemingly being priced out of a move for Jude Bellingham in the coming months, Jurgen Klopp may look to the England midfielder as an alternative.

The Daily Star say that the Anfield boss is desperate to rebuild his squad for the 2023-24 campaign and the 26-cap international would bring some much-needed stability to the Reds’ engine room.

With just seven league appearances this season, Phillips is said to be keen on a fresh start this summer after being frozen out of the squad by Guardiola after the World Cup.

Injuries and a lack of match fitness have not helped the midfielder’s case at the Etihad — the Yorkshireman underwent shoulder surgery back in September which kept him out until the tournament in Qatar.

But with City almost certain to be in the running to sign Bellingham among other stars during the transfer window, Phillips’ departure may be best for all parties.

The report suggests that the Manchester club would demand a fee in the region of £35m for a player that Guardiola openly criticised earlier in the season for being overweight.

In other news

Sources at Football Insider suggest that Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea are all ready to sanction a deal for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha. 

Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch will assess his options in the summer, with the Netherlands international unhappy at his lack of time on the pitch, according to Dutch sources.

Welsh media report that Wrexham owner Rob McElhenney has made a sly attempt to convince Wales legend Gareth Bale to come out of retirement and play for the Red Dragons next season.

West Ham hit back from a goal down to claim their first FA Youth Cup crown in 24 years after a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates.

A stunning 40-yard finish from Irons captain Gideon Kodua was the highlight of a one-sided final for Kevin Keen’s all-conquering youngsters who completed a league and cup double.

Kodua said: “It was a good game and I think our boys are just a special group, really.

“The work-rate on the pitch and off the pitch is unbelievable and that’s how you get here and win the cup.

“God has done so much for me and there is more to come from me and all of us, from the whole team, so we’re just going to keep beating people.”

West Ham sold out their 7,000-ticket allocation for the match and the supporters were in good voice.

Kodua said: “It sounded like there were 20,000 there. I would just to thank the fans for coming. 

“They were amazing, especially when we scored, and their emotion was just flowing all over the pitch.”

Omari Benjamin had given the Gunners’ Under-18s a seventh-minute lead but George Earthy levelled just after the quarter-mark with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box.

Within two minutes the Hammers were ahead through Callum Marshall, who coolly netted from Kodua’s wide ball into the area, before the West Ham skipper scored the goal of the game. 

Arsenal defender Josh Robinson mis-controlled a pass on halfway which allowed Kodua to steal in and stride forward before expertly chipping over stranded Arsenal goalkeeper Noah Cooper from 40 yards out.

Although Arsenal battled to get back into the game through most of the second half, Kaelan Casey extended West Ham’s lead after 79 minutes by heading home from Ollie Scarles’ corner.

Substitute Josh Briggs made a late appearance as West Ham lined up for another corner and had just enough time to shake a few hands of his team-mates before connecting with the cross to score with his first touch and rubber-stamp an emphatic victory.

The last time West Ham went all the way in this competition was in 1999, when a team containing Joe Cole and Michael Carrick thrashed Coventry 9-0 over two legs.

Newcastle United are reportedly planning a £150million injection of talent in the upcoming transfer window, with Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney and Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby high on their list.

Tierney, 25, is a Scotland international with 37 senior caps to his name, but despite making 22 Premier League appearances this season, he has only been handed five starts.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is keen to shift Dan Burn back into a central defensive spot where he is most comfortable, and views Tierney as capable of assuming a more integral role than he currently possesses at Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s 23-year-old winger Diaby is the priority in the front third, having contributed 14 goals and 10 assists during his 41 matches in all competitions.

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE PLAN OFFSEASON SPENDING SPREE

According to The Sun, Howe has been told he will have £150m to spend, and he believes £30m is a fair price for Tierney as his potential new starting left-back.

Diaby has a number of fans, including Newcastle’s Premier League competitors Arsenal, and is expected to cost in the neighbourhood of £62m (€70m).

Newcastle are also reported to have interest in Diaby’s Leverkusen team-mate Mitchel Bakker, a 23-year-old left-back who could be an alternative to Tierney.

ROUND-UP

– Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United are all planning bids for 27-year-old Fulham defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, per Football Insider.

– The Daily Star is reporting Liverpool and 27-year-old Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips have mutual interest in a transfer, and he is believed to be available for £35m.

– According to The Telegraph, 29-year-old Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku will be given the opportunity to revive his career at Stamford Bridge under expected new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

– Sport is reporting Barcelona are hoping to land 30-year-old Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha on a free transfer, while his current club have offered a new £200,000 per week contract in an effort to make him stay.

Leicester boss Dean Smith has backed Jamie Vardy to finish the season with a flurry of goals after his late equaliser clinched a 1-1 draw at relegation rivals Leeds.

Vardy stepped off the bench as a 70th-minute replacement for Tete to earn the Foxes a crucial point after Luis Sinisterra’s first-half header had put Leeds in front.

It was Vardy’s first Premier League goal since October – just his second of the season – and kept Smith’s side one place and a point behind Leeds in the table, just above the drop zone.

Smith, who has taken four points from his three games in charge since replacing Brendan Rodgers, said: “(Strikers) know they’re judged by goals.

“It’s not been the most fruitful of seasons for him, but that penalty (he won against Wolves) on Saturday and the goal tonight – he’s as important as they come.

“Who knows, he could end up with eight goals by the end of the season.”

Vardy had another effort ruled out for offside as Leicester threatened to snatch all three points after dominating possession in the second period.

Smith said: “I think it’s his 135th Premier League goal, which just shows you the quality of the striker we have. I’m really pleased he got that goal.

“The chance he’s scored today, we’ve seen him take loads of them over time and if we can keep creating chances like that he will take them.”

Smith conceded his side could have ended up with nothing to show for their efforts in a topsy-turvy encounter after clear chances for Leeds pair Marc Roca and Patrick Bamford in the closing minutes.

Roca’s header from a corner was brilliantly saved by Daniel Iversen before Victor Kristiansen hacked the ball off the goal-line, while Bamford missed from a yard out at the back post following another corner.

Leeds head coach Javi Gracia took heart from his players’ battling display after three successive defeats, but could not hide his disappointment after they let slip the lead.

When asked if his side should have won the game, the Spaniard said: “To be honest, I don’t know.

“We have one more point, but after competing in the game as we did it is hard to get only one point.

“Even after conceding the goal we had the clearest chance. We have to keep going and prepare for the next game as best as possible.”

Both sides face relegation rivals again in their next match. Leeds play at Bournemouth on Sunday and Leicester face Everton at home on Monday.

Unai Emery has emphasised the importance of the games ahead as Aston Villa and their fans dream of a return to Europe following the 1-0 home win over Fulham.

The result, sealed by Tyrone Mings’ 21st-minute header for the eighth victory of a 10-match unbeaten run, saw Villa move up to fifth place in the Premier League.

They are a point above Tottenham, who host fourth-placed Manchester United on Thursday. Liverpool and Brighton, in action on Wednesday at West Ham and Nottingham Forest, are four and five points behind Villa respectively with extra games in hand.

Villa boss Emery, whose side play Spurs, Liverpool and Brighton among their remaining five fixtures, was asked after the Fulham contest if European football next season was now an expectation for him.

And he said: “I have to try to be ambitious, to be realistic, and as well, play under pressure – because I like playing under pressure. Because when we play under pressure it is because we have something to do.

“We are now a candidate, we are fifth, but Tottenham is playing (on Thursday), Liverpool is one match less than us, Brighton three matches less than us.

“We are going to play against Liverpool, against Tottenham, against Brighton…could be key matches to really keep being candidates to get a European position.

“I think the dreams, they are here – OK, it is good I think for everybody, and we can share with our supporters. But I was speaking with the team – I like to play key matches. Like today.

“We are close to getting (a top-10 finish), and the next step is to try to be a candidate in a European position.”

Villa last played in Europe in 2010, when they lost in the Europa League qualifying rounds.

This season Emery has overseen some turnaround for the midlands club, who were 17th, outside the relegation zone on goals scored, when they lost 3-0 at Fulham in October, their final game under the Spaniard’s predecessor Steven Gerrard.

On this occasion they were rarely troubled by a Fulham outfit whose only officially registered shot on goal came in the opening minute when Andreas Pereira sent an acrobatic effort wide.

Emery said: “Good performance. The first half we really controlled the game.

“The second half I think the match changed a bit, we were a little bit more tired maybe. We didn’t control the game with the ball like we did first half, but I think they demanded of us different work in the second half, and we did it.”

The 83rd minute saw the ball in the Villa net, Harrison Reed’s delivery going in off Mings, but the flag was up for offside.

Fulham boss Marco Silva, whose side stay ninth, said: “First half was not good enough from ourselves, we were too shy, not aggressive enough. We conceded a completely sloppy goal. The first half was not at our level, the standards.

“Second half, even if we didn’t create enough chances to equalise, at least we were completely different, our pressure was completely different…(but) our front line didn’t create enough.”

Silva confirmed Willian had to withdraw from the starting line-up after feeling a hamstring issue in the warm-up, and that Harry Wilson had been substituted in the 17th minute due to feeling unwell.