Month: May 2023

The Premier League season came to an end on Sunday with Manchester City winning the title while Southampton, Leeds and Leicester were relegated.

Here, we look at the stand-out statistics from the season.

Seven – Premier League titles for Manchester City, including five of the last six.

89 – points for Pep Guardiola’s side, five more than runners-up Arsenal.

Five – Guardiola has five Premier League titles to his name, second only to former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s 13. Eight of his players, Ederson, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden, have been part of the squad for all five.

36 – City striker Erling Haaland’s Premier League record goal tally, ending a run of three straight seasons in which 23 won the Golden Boot.

30 – goals for Tottenham’s Harry Kane, the second time he has reached that mark without winning the Golden Boot. 

16 – Haaland’s team-mate De Bruyne led the assists chart, four clear of his nearest challengers Mohamed Salah and Leandro Trossard.

17 – clean sheets for Manchester United’s David De Gea as he won the league’s Golden Glove award for a second time.

1,084 – goals scored in this season’s top flight, a Premier League record.

248 – days Arsenal led the Premier League table, the most ever for a team who did not win the league. They won eight of their first nine games, with the club accounting for the last three examples of a team starting so well without winning the league having suffered similarly in 2004-05 and 2007-08.

21 – Newcastle finished in the top four for the first time in 21 years. They are only the second team from outside the league’s established ‘big six’ to qualify for the Champions League in the last 18 seasons, the other exception being Leicester’s memorable 2016 title win.

Three – all three promoted teams, Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, avoided relegation — only the fourth time in the Premier League era that has been the case and the first since 2017-18.

60 – Tottenham became only the second team to both score and concede more than 60 goals in a Premier League season, after they themselves did so in 2007-08.

One – Everton defender James Tarkowski was the only outfield player to play every minute of his side’s season, in addition to goalkeepers De Gea, Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya. Max Kilman was on track to achieve the same feat until being left on the bench for Wolves’ penultimate game against Everton.

Six – Wolves’ six red cards were twice as many as any other club, while their 84 yellows was jointly the most in the league alongside Forest and Leeds.

147 – Fulham’s Joao Palhinha was far and away the league’s leading tackler, with second-placed Moises Caicedo of Brighton on exactly 100.

Two – three players scored two own goals apiece – Leicester defender Wout Faes, in a seven-minute spell against Liverpool, Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen and Bournemouth’s Chris Mepham. Faes was only the fourth player to score two in a Premier League match.

Nine – Liverpool’s 9-0 win over Bournemouth equalled the biggest in Premier League history.

9.11 – the Cherries’ Philip Billing scored the second-quickest goal in Premier League history, 9.11 seconds into their eventual 3-2 defeat to Arsenal.

15 – Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri became the league’s youngest ever player when he made his debut against Brentford in September, aged 15 years and 181 days.

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti is set to leave the club after guiding them to their first Serie A title in 33 years.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis said that the 64-year-old, who took over the Partenopei in 2021, has asked to take a sabbatical and will leave the club with a year left on his contract.

“He’s a free man, now it’s right that he continues to do what he wants. I thank him,” De Laurentiis told Italian broadcaster Rai as reported by Sky Italy.

Napoli clinched their first title since 1990, when Diego Maradona led them to the Scudetto, with five games to spare.

Spalletti’s final game in charge is set to be at home to Sampdoria next Sunday.

Reports in Italy suggest Napoli will attempt to bring in former Barcelona and Spain head coach Luis Enrique to replace Spalletti.

A number of their star players such as top scorer Victor Osimhen and centre-back Kim Min-jae have been linked with moves away from Naples this summer, with a host of Premier League clubs among those reportedly interested.

The Premier League finished with a bang as 33 goals went in across 10 matches on a thrilling final day.

Aston Villa booked a spot in Europe at the expense of Tottenham and Everton survived by the skin of their teeth despite Leicester winning their last outing.

We take a look at the top performers as the players not involved in FA Cup or Champions League finals get ready to head on holiday. 

Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)

In what may be his final game for Arsenal, Granit Xhaka gave fans something to remember him by.

The Swiss midfielder’s return to form was one of the key driving forces behind the Gunners’ surprise title charge and he reserved one last all-action performance for the final day.

Xhaka, who has been linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen, nodded home Gabriel Jesus’ cross to open the scoring before pouncing on a loose ball to seal his first Arsenal brace after just 14 minutes.

Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton)

midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure stepped up when needed most to fire home an incredible half-volley that ultimately kept Everton in the Premier League.

Jordan Pickford’s saves at the other end of the field merit a mention but goals win matches and the Frenchman’s strike was a peach.

Doucoure refused to call himself a hero after the game — insisting the Toffees’ squad have some wrongs to right next season  — so we will do it here.

Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa)

There were superb performances all over the field from Villans stars as they secured Europa Conference League football for next season with a win over Brighton.

But local lad Jacob Ramsey takes the accolades this time after setting up both Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins in the 2-1 triumph.

Rampaging down the left flank throughout, the only thing that was missing was a goal, which the academy graduate almost bagged when he arrived at the back post but steered over from close range.

Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton)

Just like London busses, Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana did not have to wait long for his second Southampton goal after breaking his duck.

With his relegated side 2-0 down to Liverpool, the February arrival set up James Ward-Prowse before his poacher’s effort drew the Saints level.

Sulemana, 21, then curled into the side netting after a mazy run from his own half that suggests Championship defenders will be praying he is sold before next season.

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Harry Kane took himself to 30 goals for the season as Tottenham breezed past Championship-bound Leeds.

In most other campaigns, that would have seen him posing with a shiny bit of footwear after the game but Erling Haaland’s incredible 36-strike haul earned him the Golden Boot.

Kane’s efforts were both finished in typically clinical fashion to highlight why his signature is being coveted by Manchester United and Bayern Munich among others this summer.

Leicester were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday, just seven years after being crowned champions of England.

The Foxes, also FA Cup winners in 2021, beat West Ham 2-1 at home on the final day of the season but Everton’s victory over Bournemouth condemned them to the second tier for the first time since 2013-14.

Here, we examine some of the reasons why it went wrong.

Summer of discontent

For a club that had twice finished fifth – narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification – and eighth in Brendan Rodgers’ three full seasons in charge, there was an alarming drop in expectations at the start of the camapign. 

Summer cutbacks meant Rodgers was unable to significantly strengthen his squad, with chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha explaining Financial Fair Play and the coronavirus pandemic had hit them hard. 

Central defender Wesley Fofana went to Chelsea for £70million before Rodgers could bring in any new recruits and the departure of title-winning goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, a huge character at the club for more than a decade, hurt them badly.

Squad planning

Leicester had appeared to be the byword for shrewd planning for so long in English football after launching the stellar careers of title winners N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez. 

But eight players – Caglar Soyuncu, Daniel Amartey, Jonny Evans, Nampalys Mendy, Ryan Bertrand, Tete, Youri Tielemans and Ayoze Perez, who spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Real Betis – were out of contract.

Belgium midfielder Tielemans, scorer of the FA Cup final winner against Chelsea, was nowhere near the levels he had shown after joining from Monaco in 2019. 

Deals for a further eight players are to expire next year, among them England attacking midfielder James Maddison.

Post-World Cup blues

After a terrible start that saw Leicester anchored to the foot of the table with one point from seven games, their form picked up before the World Cup break with five wins in eight. 

But Leicester’s form nose-dived again when domestic football returned in December, taking just one point from 15. 

Evans was not fit to marshal a leaky defence and unconvincing Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward eventually lost his place to Daniel Iversen. 

Foxes great Jamie Vardy became increasingly marginalised and did not score a league goal for six months as a squad deemed ‘too good to go down’ hurtled towards a relegation scrap.

Was sacking Rodgers the right call?

Rodgers adopted a negative tone to Leicester’s summer strife by insisting the target was 40 points and top-flight survival. 

The former Liverpool and Celtic boss, more familiar with competing at the top of the table rather than the bottom, almost grew more pessimistic by the week with selection inconsistencies and injury undermining the Foxes’ cause. 

Rodgers was eventually sacked on April 2 after defeat at Crystal Palace had dropped Leicester into the bottom three. 

After Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell spent two games in caretaker charge, Dean Smith took command for the last eight. 

But would Leicester have been better served backing Rodgers as Nottingham Forest and West Ham did with Steve Cooper and David Moyes?

Barcelona are keen to sign Newcastle playmaker Bruno Guimaraes this summer.

The 10-cap Brazilian maestro has been at the heart of Toon’s incredible season which saw Eddie Howe return them to the Champions League.

And The Times claim his performances have caught the eye of Barca, who reportedly believe Magpies chiefs value their star at £87million.

That fee would pose a problem for the cash-strapped Catalans but Newcastle have been linked with Raphinha, giving them a potential makeweight to sweeten the deal.

Guimaraes joined Toon in a move worth around £40m in January 2022 and has since gone on to establish himself as one of the best playmakers in the Premier League.

The 25-year-old boasts nine goals and six assists in 49 top-flight matches since arriving from Lyon and has become a firm fan favourite.

Howe is set to strengthen his side in the summer and Football Insider claim he will raid relegated Leicester for James Maddison and Harvey Barnes.

Barca, meanwhile, have their hearts set on bringing Lionel Messi back to the club after his relationship with Paris Saint-Germain soured.

In other news

Real Madrid are weighing up a swoop for free agent Roberto Firmino after his Liverpool contract ran down, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Luciano Spaletti’s potential Napoli exit has boosted Manchester United’s pursuit of Minjae Kim and Victor Osimhen, claim GiveMeSport.

The Sun report that former Arsenal and United forward Alexis Sanchez is keen to return to the Premier League as a free agent.

Jurgen Klopp insists he does not need a break from Premier League management following a disappointing campaign with Liverpool.

The Reds missed out on Champions League qualification after finishing outside the top four for the first time in a full season under the German.

Sunday’s thrilling 4-4 draw at relegated Southampton stretched Liverpool’s unbeaten top-flight run to 11 games but the late resurgence was not enough to make up for earlier poor results.

Klopp, the division’s longest-serving manager, maintains he is “full of energy” and ready to revive the club’s fortunes going into the summer.

Asked if he needs time off, the Reds boss replied: “No, no, no, not at all. Honestly, I’m completely fine.

“If you’d asked me 11 games ago, ‘do you want to have a break?’, I would have thought about it, to be honest.

“But I’m absolutely fine, full of energy.

“I have a break – I don’t have training and these kind of things. But a really busy period hopefully starts now in a different area of the game. I’m more than happy to do that.

“I will find time to reenergise and then we start again in July.”

Liverpool’s fifth-placed finish was their lowest since they finished eighth in 2015-16 – the season during which Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers at Anfield.

The Reds looked destined to sign off this term in style following early strikes from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino at St Mary’s.

But quick-fire second-half finishes from substitute Cody Gakpo and Jota were required to avoid a major shock after Kamaldeen Sulemana’s double and goals from James Ward-Prowse and Adam Armstrong turned a chaotic contest in Southampton’s favour.

Klopp believes his club has stuck together during some difficult moments and is determined that they regain a fear factor for rival sides.

“There is not a lot to learn (from the season) but a lot of clubs when the expectations are as high as ours when things don’t go well pretty quickly you start blaming each other,” he said. “That didn’t happen here.

“The better you behave in a crisis, the better you get out of it – and I really thought that was the case for us.

“We’re really, really not happy about it and for a club like us it’s massive not to qualify for the Champions League.

“If we improve, we are all of a sudden again a team nobody wants to play against and that’s what we have to become again.

“There were a lot of games in the season where I think teams were happy to face us. That’s actually the worst thing that can happen to you and I hated these moments. But that’s over and now let’s start again.”

Southampton are preparing for life in the Sky Bet Championship following an exhilarating end to a dismal season.

Saints manager Ruben Selles, who will leave the club and is likely be replaced by Swansea boss Russell Martin, conducted a performance review ahead of his departure.

“We discussed the points we can do better, the points we need to hold,” said the Spaniard.

“We needed to end in a professional way and that’s not a discussion because it’s not about us as a technical staff, it’s about Southampton and the information we can pass to the future people working here is key in not repeating the same mistakes.

“If they find themselves in the same situations that we did, at least they have this footage and experience of what we did.

“We did our review as a technical staff together. We got some conclusions for us and somebody will present it in the proper place to present it.

“It’s not for us to decide for the future but it is for us to say what we think can be different next season.”

LiveScore Daily is here to deliver all the big talking points from the world of football throughout the day. Keep refreshing this page for the latest stories in bite-sized chunks.

Better times ahead

Mason Mount thanked the Chelsea faithful for their support after Frank Lampard’s side finished their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle. 

With Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter sacked during a turbulent season, club legend Frank Lampard was appointed as interim boss in early April. 

But he failed to breath life into the bloated squad he inherited and the Blues finished a lowly 12th in the Premier League. 

Mount, who saw his campaign curtailed by injury, said on Instagram: “It’s fair to say it’s been an up and down season but your support has never dipped. 

“Travelling all around the country, you were with us every step of the way and at times we didn’t deserve you. 

“But now it’s time to have a break and recover. Thank you and enjoy your summer.”

It remains to be seen where England international Mount, 24, will ply his trade next season as contract talks with Chelsea have stalled. 

Bring it on

Unai Emery is relishing Aston Villa’s European campaign. 

Villa finished seventh in the Premier League courtesy of yesterday’s 2-1 win over Brighton to secure a place in the Europa Conference League next season. 

And Emery, 51, cannot wait for the new challenge. He said: “We have an ambitious objective, we are trying to build a strong spirit and a structure.

“We have time to work more next season and we have one more competition to play — it is an another option for a trophy.

“I want it. I have played in Europe for 15 years and it is fantastic to have it.”

Time for change

Ryan Mason admits Tottenham face a crucial summer after missing out on European football. 

Interim boss Mason saw his side hammer Leeds 4-1 at Elland Road yesterday but the victory was not enough to secure a top-seven finish, with Spurs finishing eighth on 60 points. 

And with the club seemingly no closer to appointing a new permanent manager, the future remains uncertain. 

Mason, 31, said: “There are huge decisions to make for this football club. We need to understand where we want to go and who we want to be.

“I don’t know what people think the best is. The best isn’t necessarily the best option. 

“The most important thing for any football club is to have an identity, know who you are and who you want to be and stick to that.”

Jude Bellingham has been named the Bundesliga’s player of the season.

The England midfielder won the award just two days after his club Borussia Dortmund missed out on the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich on goal difference.

Bellingham has made more than 130 appearances since joining Dortmund from Birmingham for just over £20million three years ago.

“Every year or half year that I’ve played at the club, my responsibility in the team has increased,” Bellingham was quoted as saying on the official Bundesliga website.

“I have to continue to be everywhere on the pitch and try my best to contribute going forwards and backwards and try and control games, try to dominate the midfield.

“My teammates, the coaches and the staff have helped me to develop.

“I came to the club as a talented lad, but I have added elements to my game that have taken it to the next level and I think that’s down to them, mainly.”

Bellingham, who turns 20 next month, captained Dortmund this season to become the club’s youngest-ever skipper and scored 14 goals in all competitions.

He has been strongly linked to a move away from Germany this summer, with Real Madrid reportedly leading the race for his signature.

Erik ten Hag told the raucous Old Trafford faithful that Manchester United have a “really good chance” of winning the FA Cup and ending Manchester City’s Treble charge. 

Having wrapped up Champions League qualification by beating Chelsea last Thursday, the Red Devils sealed third in the Premier League on the final day of the campaign. 

United bounced back from Kenny Tete’s early header as David De Gea saved Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty before Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes sealed a 2-1 comeback win against Fulham. 

The players were given a fantastic reception at full-time and, after presenting De Gea with the Golden Glove trophy, boss Ten Hag made an impassioned speech to fans. 

He said: “First of all, I want to say thank you to our players. I think they played a brilliant season. 

“Secondly, I want to thank you all. We fought really strong during the season at Old Trafford and away. 

“I want to thank you for the season and your contribution backing us, for the support — it was great, so thank you. 

“But there is still one game to go and I am sure that these players will give everything to beat Manchester City next week. 

“If you have our back, I’m sure we have a really good chance to take the cup back to Old Trafford.” 

Those comments were met by a huge roar that will increase further still if Ten Hag’s men can beat City at Wembley next Saturday and add the FA Cup to February’s Carabao Cup success. 

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Ten Hag added: “You have always a chance in football. 

“The history shows we beat them in January but I think Man United in the last couple of years beat City many times. 

“So these players know when they play at their levels that they can compete. 

“It’s obvious we play against probably — at this moment — the best team. But still there is a chance and we have to go for the chance and we have to give everything. 

“We can’t be after the game finding excuses for ourselves. I’m sure we will play a good game on Saturday.” 

Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs says he was left feeling both relief and anger after the club secured Premier League survival on Sunday and has called for “major changes from boardroom level down.”

The final day of the season saw the Toffees claim the victory they needed for safety as Abdoulaye Doucoure’s stunning 57th-minute strike sealed a 1-0 win over Bournemouth and Leicester and Leeds were relegated.

Stubbs told BBC Radio 5 Live: “There are two [feelings] – one is relief and the other is anger.

“It was a horrible 90 minutes as an Everton fan, watching that and the emotions you were going through. The players did really well – to play under that pressure, it’s not easy and Sean Dyche deserves a lot of credit as well.

“But now…Everton need to make some major, major changes from boardroom level down. It’s got to happen.”

Regarding Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, Stubbs added: “I have to applaud him in terms of he’s invested in the club. 

“But he’s been really poorly advised by people on the board and probably people he’s trusted in as well. He has to take a step aside because he’s not a football person so he shouldn’t be getting involved in any football decisions.

“That’s got to be left to people and trust them to do the job, and if he doesn’t trust them they shouldn’t be there in the first place.

“(Chairman) Bill Kenwright, (chief executive) Denise Barrett-Baxendale, thanks very much but it’s time to go because you’ve failed this football club, on and off the pitch, and the owner has to make those decisions, because if he doesn’t, the animosity among the fanbase… they’ve had enough.

“This is where everyone’s waiting with bated breath, to see what the next steps are. I’d be surprised if there’s nothing coming from Everton today in terms of resignations. 

“Everton are broken. It can be fixed but there has to be major changes for that to happen.”

Leicester went down despite concluding their campaign with a 2-1 home win over West Ham.

Former Foxes skipper Steve Walsh told Sky Sports it had been a “sad day”. He added: “It really hurts, it does.

“The alarm bells were ringing after 10 games, we were in a bit of trouble, so you sensed something could happen, but you never believed it would because of the quality that was in the squad.

“These owners have won so much. Hopefully we can bounce straight back, but there’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes that has to be done and the club know that.”