Soon after arriving at New York City FC, Andoni Iraola immediately impressed staff with his attitude. Iraola, by then 33 and in the twilight of his playing career, was brought in specifically for his experience after captaining Athletic Bilbao for four seasons, but he quickly established himself as a team player, known for his humility as much as his leadership.
In his first season in Premier League management, Iraola has now led Bournemouth to their record points tally (48) in the top flight, the Cherries officially surpassing the team Eddie Howe led to ninth place with 46 points in 2017. If results go their way over the next three weeks, they could conceivably finish as high as eighth, ahead of Chelsea and West Ham.
Amidst the psychodrama of one of the most intense relegation battles in recent memory, it is a feat that has largely flown under the radar – Iraola’s March Manager of the Month award aside.
Arteta’s ally
Iraola will never be Howe, a man with whom fans forged an incomparable bond through years of adversity – both the club’s and his own. Howe more than repaid the fans who fundraised to re-sign him from Portsmouth as a player after two serious knee injuries, keeping the club in the Football League on the penultimate day of the 2008-9 season before taking them from League Two to the Premier League in seven seasons.
Iraola, by contrast, has had little time to establish a connection, an unfamiliar name in English football before his appointment. There was an acceptance within Bournemouth’s hierarchy that it was a risk. Yet owner Bill Foley was insistent that “style of play was an important factor” when finding a successor to Gary O’Neil.
Not only had Iraola attended the school of Marcelo Bielsa for two years, coached by the legendary Argentine at Bilbao, he had also played alongside Mikel Arteta at youth club Antiguoko and was represented by the same agency that works with Xabi Alonso. In a similar project at Rayo Vallecano, he secured promotion and then led them to 11th and 12th-placed finishes.
Born in the Basque country, Iraola was never going to spend the bulk of his playing career anywhere but Bilbao, the club that do not sign players from outside the region.
In Spain, he would talk of “grieving” defeats, a heated Copa del Rey in his final match perhaps the most painful of all. The showpiece might have been held at the Bernabeu to ensure a bigger capacity, but those plans were scuppered amid rumoured discomfort at the implications of either Barcelona’s Catalans or Bilbao’s Basques winning the King’s trophy at Real Madrid’s home – a political symbol for the separatists of those regions.
Iraola’s appointment was accepted as a huge gamble (Photo: Getty)
Instead, Iraola’s Bilbao had to play Barcelona at Camp Nou and were beaten fair comprehensively. Iraola, the skipper, was further incensed by a 23-year-old Neymar flicking the ball ostentatiously over Unai Bustinza, an insight into the “gentlemanly” values he has tried to instill in his players as a manager.
Long-term gains
Bournemouth initially struggled to adapt to his demands, but now they are pressing higher, man-marking further up the pitch and forcing mistakes as they transition from a 4-3-3 to a 3-2-5. Much of their progress has come from their work out of possession, though it took time. Nine games into the season, they were the only Premier League side other than Sheffield United not to have won a game and were still in the bottom three in October.
Iraola was undeniably fighting for his job but Foley persevered – at any rate, he was rated highly enough to be afforded a long-termism that was not granted to O’Neil or Scott Parker.
It has required a cultural shift and a change of mindset across the club and it is perhaps no coincidence that as Liverpool begin a project of mammoth proportions post-Jurgen Klopp, they have looked to the Vitality for one of the architects of Bournemouth’s success.
Bournemouth’s long-termism has finally paid off (Photo: AFP/Getty)
Richard Hughes worked in the Cherries’ recruitment team for a decade, becoming technical director in 2016. There is always a danger when a bottom half club scours the lower leagues for talent, they will have little chance of assembling a squad of Premier League quality. However, Hughes has not only identified signings with a high sell-on value – such as Tyrone Mings from Ipswich Town – he has strengthened with the likes of Lloyd Kelly and Alex Scott, both bought from Bristol City.
The goal was to evolve quickly – inspired by the models of both Brentford and Brighton – but without throwing out the gains already made since consolidating their top flight return in 2022.
Vegas gambles on red and black
It has taken time too for fans to trust that process. The scars still run deep from the two occasions – in 1997 and 2009 – when the club came perilously close to extinction. They would not be in the position they are today without the elusive Russian petrochemical trader Maxim Denim, with a wife who once insisted on giving a half-time team talk in the dressing room.
Some of the scrutiny around Foley’s £150m takeover from Denim in 2022 felt unfair. Bournemouth were looking for a buyer, but the timing was unfortunate after Todd Boehly had recently acquired his stake in Chelsea. Gary Neville publicly questioned the motivations behind Bournemouth’s transition of power, claiming US investors “don’t get” English football.
The acid test will be the new ownership’s ability to tread carefully around the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Regulations (PSR). They may have invested well, Justin Kluivert costing just £9.6m, Marcus Tavernier around £10m and Ryan Christie £2.5m, but their total expenditure since the takeover is approaching £175m.
As recently as 2016, the club was fined heavily for a violation of the EFL’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
Illia Zabarnyi has proven exceptionally good value for £20m, until the 3-0 victory over Brighton playing every minute of the league season. Zabarnyi is one of the best examples of an unconventional but bold recruitment strategy; he had not exactly been a fixture at Dynamo Kyiv but was seen as possessing the right attributes, with one of the highest pass completion rates for centre-backs in the Ukrainian Premier League.
The new Bournemouth
The focus has not been on signings who are guaranteed to hit the ground running, but players Zabarnyi and Kluivert who fit Iraola’s way of playing. The new Bournemouth are subsequently producing 1.49 goals per game, compared to one per game under O’Neil, more shots per game (14.2 compared to 9.4) and 28.6 touches per game in the opposition box (19.6 under O’Neil).
The shrewd recruitment of Antoine Semenyo, Kluivert and Tavernier has ensured they are not solely reliant on Dominic Solanke’s goals, even after he surpassed Josh King’s 2016-17 record return for a Bournemouth player in the Premier League.
Solanke is only an outsider for England’s Euro 2024 squad, even if he has scored 14 league goals more than Ivan Toney (four) and only one fewer than Ollie Watkins (19) – a remarkable transformation for a player who scored six goals in 33 league games last term.
Solanke has won just one international cap in 2017, not helped by his struggles at Chelsea and Liverpool. That could yet prove to Bournemouth’s advantage, having so far kept him out of Newcastle’s clutches.
Solanke is making a late play for England’s Euro 2024 squad (Photo: Getty)
There is a sense that things can get even better when Tyler Adams is not hampered by injury, and there is likely to be a greater role for Scott next season.
Bournemouth still look vulnerable defensively. Only five clubs have conceded more goals and four of them sit 17th or lower. Then there is the tendency to peter out – only Brentford are dropping more points from winning positions. Iraola’s men have taken the lead 24 times this season and won on just 13 of those occasions, drawing five and losing six.
Still, there has been little jeopardy in the second half of their campaign – they have effectively been safe since early March. It is a feeling not experienced since the days of Howe – and one which has seen Iraola overtake him in the history books.
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We’re entering the final straight of this Fantasy Premier League season with just three gameweeks and three transfer deadlines to go until the curtain comes down on 2023-24.
It’s at this point in the campaign that FPL managers generally do one of two things: play safe by hoovering up the most popular assets in the game to consolidate their ranks, or take risks on lesser-owned players in a bid to rise up their mini-league tables.
This week’s tips should have something for everyone with a couple of in-demand options supplemented by a few cheaper differentials with promising upcoming schedules.
Before pressing confirm on your moves this week, make sure you have planned sufficiently for the final double gameweek of the campaign next week in which six clubs play twice.
Brighton, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are the clubs doubling up in Gameweek 37.
The Gameweek 36 deadline is at 6.30pm on Friday 3 May.
It’s not often that we tip a goalkeeper in this article, but equally it’s not often that the cheapest player in the game suddenly becomes a regular starter for one of the best teams in the division.
Stefan Ortega looks set to start in Manchester City‘s final four fixtures after Ederson suffered a shoulder injury during the 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The Brazilian was seen wearing a sling after the game with Pep Guardiola admitting “it doesn’t look good”.
While losing Ederson is a blow for City as they go in search of a fourth successive Premier League crown, Ortega has proven to be an able deputy in the past. The 31-year-old kept a clean sheet during City’s title showdown with Arsenal at the end of March and recorded two shutouts in three league appearances last season.
City also have a double gameweek after this weekend with matches against Fulham (a) and Tottenham (a) which further boosts Ortega’s appeal.
Chris Wood had a nightmarish day at the office last Sunday, squandering two gilt-edged chances to score inside the six-yard box as Forest slipped to a narrow defeat to City.
The New Zealand international will have been relieved to hear Nuno Espirito Santo offer some public backing after the game with the Forest boss describing him as “one of the best strikers in the Premier League”.
Sunday aside, Wood has justified Nuno’s faith in him by becoming Forest’s talisman since the Portuguese took charge. The 32-year-old has scored nine goals in only 13 games under Nuno, which is five goals more than any teammate has managed in that time.
Although Forest do not have any double gameweeks left, they face three obliging defences in their final three games, starting with a Sheffield United side closing in on a century of goals conceded. They then face Chelsea and Burnley in their final two games.
We can all be guilty of falling into the trap of prioritising double gameweek assets over single gameweek ones due to the allure of the extra fixture, but that strategy can sometimes come back to bite us.
Arsenal only have regular gameweeks left, unlike Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, Chelsea and Tottenham, all of whom have excellent midfield options in FPL and all play twice in Gameweek 37.
Which is why some FPL bosses are deciding to move away from Bukayo Saka. That would be a mistake, though, after the England winger produced a 12-point haul in the north London derby, his best return since February.
Bournemouth, who have already accumulated their most points in a Premier League season ever, are tricky opponents for the Gunners on Saturday, but with a title up for grabs Saka and co will not be lacking in motivation.
There aren’t many defenders making a compelling case for inclusion in our FPL teams right now, which partly explains how we’ve landed on Marc Cucurella in this week’s tips.
Ordinarily, we’d advise swerving a player who has accumulated an aggregate score of -2 across his last two performances, but the bushy-headed left-back has posted some promising underlying stats since coming into Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Cucurella has started in each of Chelsea’s last seven Premier League matches – ahead of Thursday’s derby against Spurs – and in that time he has created 11 chances.
Only Andy Robertson and Ben White have set up more among defenders and neither of them have a double gameweek coming up.
Price: £4.8m Points: 24 Gameweek 36 fixture: West Ham (h)
Phil Foden (Man City)
Phil Foden missed City’s last game due to illness but is expected to recover to face Wolves on Saturday.
Although City ground out at a win at the City Ground, it wasn’t especially unconvincing and Guardiola will be pleased to welcome Foden back into the fold given his form in recent months.
This is already Foden’s most prolific Premier League season with the 24-year-old netting 16 times in 31 games, up from 11 in 32 in 2022-23. He has also started 29 times, an increase from 22 last term, which is further evidence of his increased importance in this City side.
With a double gameweek on the horizon too, it is little wonder that Foden is currently third in the most-bought player charts ahead of this weekend’s round of fixtures.
Paulo Fonseca is high on AC Milan’s shortlist to replace Stefano Pioli as coach, meaning the Italian giants and West Ham are effectively vying for the same two managerial candidates.
West Ham had identified Lille manager Fonseca as the top target to replace David Moyes, should the club decide to move on from the Scot when his contract expires at the end of the season.
However, i understands there remains a split in the West Ham boardroom as to who should succeed Moyes, with some liking the idea of going with an attack-minded Fonseca, who will bring a more exciting brand of football to what Moyes has instilled, and others preferring former Real Madrid and Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui’s experience.
The Hammers had looked set to miss out on Lopetegui as AC Milan were understood to be the Spaniard’s first option, with Pioli expected to leave in the coming weeks after Inter Milan stole this season’s Scudetto from their city rivals with ease.
However, Lopetegui to Milan is not a done deal yet, with some supporter groups rumoured to be unhappy with the appointment. As a result, Fonseca is being considered, leaving West Ham and their Italian counterparts as an unlikely pair stuck deciding between the same two coaches.
No final decision has been made on Moyes’ future as yet, with West Ham chairman David Sullivan waiting until after the final Premier League game against Manchester City to hold talks with the 61-year-old.
The Hammers had held talks with in-demand Sporting coach Ruben Amorim last week, a trip the Portuguese apologised to supporters for over the weekend. Nothing is understood to have come from the meeting described by one source close to the club as an “overly ambitious attempt”.
Former Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Roma coach Fonseca has long harboured ambitions of managing in England and said as much in an interview with i in 2022.
He is understood to be happy where he is for now, with Lille still having plenty to play for this season as they look to secure top four finish and Champions League qualification, but his contract expires in the summer and there is no sign of any extension being agreed. Marseille are also understood to be monitoring his situation.
Lopetegui has a glittering CV which includes managerial spells with Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla before his last job in the Premier League with Wolves, leaving in acrimonious circumstances unhappy at the lack of investment in the playing squad.
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The race for automatic promotion from the Championship has entered the final week, with Ipswich Town holding a precarious advantage over Leeds United despite trailing them in the table.
In the battle to join Leicester City in the Premier League next season, Ipswich are currently behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference but have a game in hand over their rivals, which is at Coventry City on Tuesday night.
After that the picture will become much clearer. Ipswich cannot secure automatic promotion on Tuesday, but they can ensure it remains in their hands heading into the final day on Saturday, while Leeds can still be hopeful their goal-difference advantage comes into play – currently +39 to Ipswich’s +32.
Simply put though, Ipswich – pursuing back-to-back promotions under Kieran McKenna – must win or draw at ninth-placed Coventry to move ahead of Leeds in the table and seize the initiative.
Then it will come down to their respective matches this weekend. Ipswich host Huddersfield Town – who are essentially relegated based on their goal difference – while Leeds host Southampton, both of whom are targeting immediate returns to the Premier League.
“It’s probably worked out better, rather than sealing the deal at Coventry,” Ipswich midfielder Jack Taylor told BBC Radio Suffolk.
“We can do it at home in front of our supporters, who’ve been with us all season. Sometimes you can’t believe it – whether you turn up at Plymouth or Middlesbrough, it’s sold out wherever you go.
“Hopefully we repay them [against Coventry] – and especially on Saturday. It will be special but we’ve got to stay level-headed and know we’ve got a very important game tomorrow night.”
Southampton will finish fourth in the table regardless of Saturday’s outcome, and are therefore likely to face Norwich City in the play-off semi-finals.
Norwich are currently fifth ahead of West Brom, meaning the Baggies likely await Leeds or Ipswich, depending on who finishes an unwanted third.
Hull City could yet trouble West Brom in the fight for a play-off spot, with only two points separating those two sides.
At the other end of the table, Rotherham United are already down – rock-bottom on just 24 points – and then beyond Huddersfield’s expected demotion there is a four-way battle to avoid the final relegation spot.
Currently Birmingham City occupy that place, 22nd in the table, and the Blues host Norwich knowing they must beat the Canaries and hope 21st-placed Plymouth lose at home to Hull.
Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday are not yet mathematically safe, with both clubs three points ahead of Birmingham.
Blackburn have the same goal difference as Birmingham (-16), with Wednesday’s (-26) significantly worse.
Wins for Birmingham and Plymouth would therefore put Blackburn and Wednesday under threat of relegation, a scenario not out of the question given Blackburn travel to Leicester and Wednesday head to Sunderland.
The only scenario where Birmingham and Plymouth end up on the same amount of points is a draw for the former and loss for the latter.
Providing Plymouth do not lose heavily to Hull City, given they are on -12 goal difference themselves, then they will stay up in that scenario.
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The Premier League has gifted MPs tickets and hospitality – including to the Brit Awards, cricket matches and cup finals – worth tens of thousands of pounds in the past year with the threat of an independent regulator looming.
Ahead of a vote on the bill that will mark one of the biggest changes in English football history, the Premier League ramped up donations, spending more than £5,000 per month in 2024.
The value of gifts this year has already surpassed that of the entirety of 2023 – £15,200 spent between January and March, compared to £11,180.15 last year, according to analysis of data by i.
There is no suggestion that any of the MPs named have had their position towards the bill influenced by the gifting of tickets.
However, the figures raise questions over the extent to which the league is trying to charm key figures in Westminster in a bid to avoid its powers being significantly weakened by the game’s first watchdog.
Starmer has said he would protect the interests of the Premier League, telling Sky News: “I think they’ve got their concerns and we’re listening to what they have to say. [The bill] supports the lower league clubs to give them the financial sustainability that we need. But we must also protect the Premier League. We’ve got the best football in the world in this country, and I want to make sure that’s fully protected.”
In March, three Labour MPs were given tickets to the Brit Awards that included hospitality, totalling more than £7,000.
Pat McFadden, the Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East, received two tickets plus hospitality for the ceremony, held at The O2 Arena in London, valued at £3,000. Dr Rupa Huq, Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, received one ticket plus hospitality worth £1,250 for the event, which featured performances from Dua Lipa and Kylie Minogue.
Liz Kendall, the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, was gifted two tickets plus hospitality valued at £1,500. And Peter Kyle, Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, was given a ticket and hospitality worth £1,500.
Tickets and hospitality expenses worth more than £4,000 were also paid for by the Premier League for MPs to attend the EFL Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley in February.
Damian Collins, Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe, received two tickets plus hospitality. The donation was worth £2,200. The package for Dr Therese Coffey, Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal, was valued at £1,100.
Coffey told i: “I was a late substitute for another MP who dropped out and I am a big Liverpool fan. It was the MP’s office rather than the Premier League who invited me really. However, I attended Wembley again with the Premier League for an England game, again subbing for another person. This time I was invited on the day.
“Like most fans would do, I snapped up the chance to see my team. I was delighted to see Liverpool win. I know the Premier League well from my time on the committee and when I was a trustee of their Community Foundation work.”
Justin Tomlinson, Conservative MP for North Swindon, was also given a package valued at £1,100.
Additionally this year, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Conservative MP for Bassetlaw, went to England’s game against Belgium thanks to the Premier League in a donation valued at £550.
Last year, MPs were handed tickets and hospitality packages to cricket matches and several Premier League games.
Suella Braverman, who at the time was Home Secretary, received two tickets plus hospitality last summer to watch the Ashes at the Oval, valued at £1,798. Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, was also gifted a ticket and package for the Ashes worth £899.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was given tickets to Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Porto (Photo: Getty)
Hundreds of pounds were given to MPs to cover drinks, food and tickets at football matches at Anfield, Liverpool’s stadium, Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park, the Emirates Stadium, Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and for others that were not specified.
The most expensive was gifted to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in September, for two tickets and hospitality at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea vs Aston Villa. It was valued at £1,342.10.
Starmer, Dr Huq, Kendall, McFadden, Kyle, Coutinho, Braverman and Gove declined to comment. Tomlinson did not respond to a request for comment.
Premier League sources insisted that many football stakeholders, including the Football Association and the English Football League, meet with MPs to discuss a range of issues, including gambling and policing.
There have also been a significant number of ministerial changes requiring Premier League officials to meet with new incumbents. Meetings regarding the football regulator have centred around stating the Premier League’s position and how the regulator will relate to and impact football, sources said.
A Premier League spokesperson told i: “The Premier League runs a programme of stakeholder engagement with a broad range of individuals including MPs and officials. Like all industries, including many football organisations, this is normal practice and used as an opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics and issues that affect both our areas of work.”
The independent regulator is set to have power over financial regulations, club ownership, fan engagement and protecting club heritage. The body’s exact remit is still to be finalised.
The Football Governance Bill passed to the next stage this month, with many MPs calling for it to be given greater powers. A formal vote has not been held.
During the debate, Dr Huq delivered a lengthy speech calling for the independent regulator to be granted powers to stop smaller clubs going out of existence and for equality and diversity to be a key part of the organisation. She revealed that the Premier League was “in here late last night wining and dining people”. None of the MPs named in this story spoke against the Bill in the Commons on Tuesday.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, appearing at a hearing about football governance in January, had said it was “pointless” to lobby MPs on the Football Governance Bill.
But since then MP Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, wrote to Masters accusing him of doing so after the Premier League took out an advert in Politico’s London Playbook – a newsletter that is sent to influential political insiders and lawmakers. Masters also wrote an op-ed in The Times warning against a regulator.
Masters called for MPs and peers “to protect the game” and insisted “it is a risk to bring politics and lobbying into football”.
Dinenage, the Conservative MP for Gosport, added on social media that “despite assurances from Richard Masters, [the Premier League] seem to have embarked on a lobbying campaign against the Football Governance Bill” and claiming that meetings had taken place around parliament.
The Premier League was criticised by popular pundit Gary Neville for the Politico advert, which stated: “The Premier League is the world’s most-watched competition, the Championship is Europe’s sixth wealthiest league and we have the best-attended and deepest pyramid in world football. Yet the UK will soon become the first major country to regulate football. We must guard against unintended consequences that would put English football’s success at risk.”
Neville shared a picture of the advert on his Instagram account and posted: “The Premier League stooping to a new low putting paid ads out attacking the new regulator for football! How to embarrass yourselves and look small!”
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He has made 115 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, and was named the club’s Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season, the first defender to win the award since John Terry in 2006.
Silva may have played his last game for the club after coming off injured late on during their 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday.
The 39-year-old is awaiting the results of an MRI scan on a groin injury that will determine whether he is able to play again this season.
In a video posted on social media, he thanked the club’s fanbase for their support over the years.
He said: “Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years. Not just for me but for my family, too.
“My sons play for Chelsea so it’s a source of great pride to be a part of the Chelsea family – literally because my sons are here. I hope they can continue their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be part of.
“I think in everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all. But, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end. That doesn’t mean that this is a definitive end. I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.
“But it’s an indescribable love. I can only say thank you.
“Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic so there wasn’t any fans in the stadium. But through social media, it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back to the stadium and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
“It is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances but when there is a mutual love, it’s even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue.
“The way in which I came to the club, with the support of the club, I got to the club as a leader even though I didn’t feel like it having arrived as the new guy. It’s always difficult to integrate but bit by bit I became part of the group and [Frank] Lampard played a big part in that. I am grateful to him for that.
“[It’s been a] dream, definitely a dream. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Goodbyes are for those that leave and don’t come back. I intend on coming back one day.”
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Probably. Maybe it’s wrong to tempt fate like this. Arsenal fans might not want to hear it. It is, after all, the hope that kills you.
The title is still in Manchester City’s hands. They have a game in hand and a clean sweep will seal a sixth title in seven seasons.
Still, it feels as though Arsenal have come through one of those weeks in which if ever a title charge was going to careen off the rails it was this one, concluding it with two wins, six points and eight goals scored against two London rivals.
They were the sorts of games that are layered in complexity, where anything is possible and unpredictability and chaos can trump form. You only have to look at Liverpool and that shock defeat to Everton that all but extinguished their title hopes as evidence.
Arsenal had looked wobbly after a draw with Bayern Munich followed by two defeats — to Aston Villa then the Bundesliga side which knocked them out of the Champions League — and then a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a match people thought could cause a stumble to turn into a fall just before the finish line. It was tight, but they came through it.
Next they hosted Chelsea, who have had a poor season but could still have harnessed that pressure on Arsenal to win, could have needled the anxiety of the home crowd and utilised the occasion to their advantage. Instead, Arsenal took the lead within five minutes and were three ahead before the hour.
Then to Sunday, when it felt like anything could happen against Spurs, free scoring throughout the season but also prone to fall apart in 90 minutes. What actually happened was Arsenal were three ahead by half-time — already enough to weather the storm of a second-half comeback. There were a nervy final five minutes — plus six of stoppage time — the kind of nerves induced by the opposition goalkeeper coming up for corners intent on blowing up your title chances. But Arsenal came through, the way champions come through when it matters.
And so to the four games they can’t control and the three they can.
Can City really withstand the heat and win 12 points against Wolves, Fulham, Spurs and West Ham? Even one draw will hand the advantage to Arsenal, who have a superior goal difference.
Can City hold up at the end of a long season featuring a run to the Champions League quarter-finals, a run to the FA Cup final, a mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia to win the Club World Cup, that has come after a long season featuring a Treble?
A season that has included five more games — 450 minutes plus many more of stoppage time — than Arsenal.
For Arsenal’s fresher legs, Bournemouth, at the Emirates Stadium, should be relatively straightforward. Aston Villa recently made light work of them, and they lost to Luton Town.
Manchester United represent the final major hurdle. They have had a woeful season, but it is a fixture that will again be laced with the uncertainty of the occasion. Old Trafford will rekindle the ghosts of an old rivalry from the days when the two clubs ruled English football and Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger went to battle for the Premier League crown over many years.
Overcome those two and it is Everton at home on the final day. If it is in Arsenal’s hands by then, the trophy will surely be in their hands by the end of the afternoon.
Everton have already been steered to safety by Sean Dyche and those players, wanting to put this season behind them, will lack that nervous intensity that would have come with needing a result to avoid relegation.
The prospect is tantalising.
This is an extract of The Score. Sign up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning this season for Daniel Storey’s verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs
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Daniel Storey is away on holiday – how dare he! – so i’s team of football writers have put together The Score in his place.
The Premier League title race looks set to go right to the wire with just a point separating the two teams at the top of the table. Arsenal remain in the lead for now having beaten bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. Second-placed City meanwhile crushed Nottingham Forest by a two-goal margin.
Elsewhere, Everton secured their safety after edging past Brentford, thanks largely to Idrissa Gueye. There was no such luck however for Sheffield United, who became the first side to have their relegation from the top flight confirmed this season.
Scroll down for our verdict on every team (listed in table order).
Bournemouth at home. Manchester United away. Everton at home. What a tantalising remaining three fixtures — win them all and Arsenal are probably Premier League champions, for the first time in 20 years.
Probably. Maybe it’s wrong to tempt fate like this. Arsenal fans might not want to hear it. It is, after all, the hope that kills you.
The title is still in Manchester City’s hands. They have a game in hand and a clean sweep will seal a sixth title in seven seasons.
Still, it feels as though Arsenal have come through one of those weeks in which if ever a title charge was going to careen off the rails it was this one, concluding it with two wins, six points and eight goals scored against two London rivals. By Sam Cunningham
There’s much to admire about Manchester City, including Pep Guardiola’s choice of touchline attire.
But more than the poise of Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri’s positioning and the presence and power of Kyle Walker, perhaps the most important quality of all as they chase another Premier League crown is their absolute sense of purpose.
Having seen leaders Arsenal throw down the gauntlet earlier in the day by beating Tottenham , City proved they possess the character as well as the calibre to perform under pressure. The reigning champions reminded us they know how to win ugly. Or at least by utilising focus and concentration; two essential traits of every trophy laden team.
“We showed character and personality, that’s what everyone will say,” Guardiola said, after watching City move to within a point of the summit with a game in hand. “It is in our control and we extend the run in. If we’d drawn, we would not have had a chance.”
Still, Forest exposed some defensive weaknesses which will convince Mikel Arteta’s side that the title race could be set for another twist yet. But, worryingly for the Spaniard, City remain unbeaten against domestic opposition since December 6th. And there were two more assists for the peerless De Bruyne, who carved the match winning openings for Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland.
However, at this stage of the campaign, it could be the likes of Mateo Kovacic who haul City across the line.
“I knew, with the number of games we’ve had, it was going to be dangerous,” Guardiola continued. “We were lucky with the chances they had.”
Despite their perilous position in the table, Forest ensured Guardiola’s 300th top-flight fixture in charge of the visitors was not a comfortable experience. Indeed, had Chris Wood brought his shooting boots, the outcome might have been very different.
The loss of Ederson through injury will also concern Guardiola, with the goalkeeper failing to recover properly after colliding with Willy Boly.
But his possible absence from some of City’s upcoming games was counterbalanced by the appearance of Haaland. Within nine minutes of coming on, and in front of father Alf-Inge who represented both clubs, the Norwegian was back doing what he does best; skipping past a defender before producing an ice-cool finish which effectively sealed City’s victory.
“The second half was much better,” Guardiola noted. “But the players were good at suffering to get there.” By James Shields
The Mo Salah conundrum was bubbling away as a quiet sub-plot to the grand narrative of Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour. Here it exploded into full view as the pair bickered on the touchline. Salah can have no argument that Klopp dropped him and Darwin Nunez to the bench unfairly, an inevitable consequence of the shambles at Goodison Park last Wednesday.
It is unfair to say Salah’s attitude – he warned there would be “fire” if he spoke about the incident after the game – will tarnish any perception the incoming Arne Slot might have of him, but it nevertheless feels another final reminder that it is time for Liverpool to cash in ahead of a new era. He will not be the only remnant of the old guard being ushered towards the way out.
Aside from that, the marking for Michail Antonio’s goal was inexcusable. Everything good West Ham did was fairly predictable, but Liverpool look devoid of ideas when it comes to overcoming low blocks. At the end of a gruelling season that might have ended in an unlikely quadruple, they are inevitably exhausted by emotion and uncertainty. Slot’s imminent arrival was understood to be greeted with glee in the dressing room and he is clearly highly respected, but the loss this group are about to suffer appears too great. By Katherine Lucas
Morgan Rogers is proving to be an inspired signing for Aston Villa (Photo: Getty)
There’s a fair argument that Aston Villa shouldn’t really take anything from their 2-2 draw with Chelsea. They were clearly exhausted after playing eight games in 28 days, Emiliano Martinez was substituted at half-time having kept a clean sheet and something appears to happen to Mauricio Pochettino’s side under the Villa Park lights. These things happen.
But if they want to learn any lesson from that match, it’s that Morgan Rogers is an inspired signing, indicative of how Unai Emery can help Villa weather the upcoming profitability and sustainability storm. The 21-year-old now has three goals and an assist in his past five Premier League games, scoring a thunderous near-post finish on Saturday evening.
Halesowen born-and-bred, Rogers spent four years in Manchester City’s academy with Cole Palmer — whose celebration he shares — after nine years at West Brom. He only needed seven months with Middlesbrough to earn his top-flight move, and in the three months since, Emery has gone from apparently calling him a “Championship player” to starting him regularly.
Rogers’ development shows how quickly and clearly Emery can improve players, supported by Monchi’s phenomenal recruitment. If Villa are now going to have to sell players to pass PSR in the coming seasons, fans should have confidence that this backroom team can find and fine-tune players of any value into an elite team.
And in Rogers, they really have a gem — a 6 ft 2 winger who also ranks in the top 10 dribblers per 90 in this season’s Premier League. He may well go from the Championship to the Champions League in less than a year. By George Simms
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are enduring a particularly painful present — a 4-0 thrashing by Newcastle United, closely followed by defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal, towards the end of a season that has failed to live up to its early promise.
Unbeaten in Postecoglou’s first 11 games in charge, leading the Premier League table playing a refreshing brand of ballsy attacking football, it had seemed as though the Australian had reinvented football — until he hadn’t.
But, as it nears the end of Postecoglou’s first season as Tottenham’s manager, how did his contemporaries fare in their first seasons?
Mikel Arteta took over at Arsenal in December 2019 and his first 38 league games saw a return of 57 points. There were sticky patches between then and now, including when he was very close to being sacked, but Arsenal’s owners stuck with him and look at them now: challenging for the title in successive seasons, a first Premier League trophy in two decades almost within reach.
Jurgen Klopp was appointed Liverpool manager in October 2015 and won 65 points in his first 38 games. By all accounts, the seasons that followed have been exhilarating for fans.
A quick glance at the table shows Postecoglou has already accumulated 60 points with five games still remaining. The chance of catching and overtaking Aston Villa in that fourth Champions League spot is still alive — even a brutal final run of games, which includes playing away to Chelsea and Liverpool and with Manchester City visiting in May, features Burnley and Sheffield United, meaning Postecoglou is likely to surpass Klopp’s early Liverpool record.
Worth remembering, too, that Spurs lost Harry Kane last summer. The absence of his goals, his aura, and his impact on the pitch would represent massive upheaval for any club, particularly one with a new manager. By Sam Cunningham
United’s goal tally is by some distance the lowest in the top six and of the teams in the top half of the table only Wolves have scored fewer.
The trend mirrors last season when United were the only team in the top six not to breach the 60-goal mark. United have managed only 52 in 36 games this season, which suggests they are on course to repeat the sub-60 total.
The one goal they did manage against Burnley came from the unlikely source of Antony, who jumped on a misplaced pass to steer the ball past the ‘keeper. It was a much-improved display from the Brazilian, who showed how threatening he can be when the game is stretched and he has space to attack.
Beyond that Bruno Fernandes came closest with a first-half shot against a post. Though United had plenty of the ball and gave the impression of being busy around the box, for the most part Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric was untested.
At the other end Andre Onana kept United in it with a string of high class saves. As ever with Onana, fallibility is never far away. It was his clumsy mistake from a corner, landing a blow on the head of an attacker, that led to Zeki Amdouni’s equaliser from the spot after VAR corrected the referee’s error in waving play on.
Just as Coventry City managed a week ago, and Sheffield United for 80 minutes on Wednesday, Burnley competed on equal terms. United remain a patched-up XI overreliant on the capacity of skipper Fernandes to conjure match-winning moments. By Kevin Garside
Saturday was one of the most bizarre 5-1 wins in Newcastle’s history. You could make a case that the first 45 minutes was the worst at St James’ Park this season – certainly since another struggler, Nottingham Forest, ran riot on Boxing Day. Disjointed and disinterested, they were thankful for the commitment of Dan Burn – almost single-handedly keeping Sheffield United at bay – and the excellence of Alexander Isak.
He feels inevitable right now, two more goals pushing him towards 19 for the season and into the slipstream of the ailing Erling Haaland. He is the more complete forward than the Manchester City man and at 23, his potential is scary. His movement, mobility, instincts, pace and power are already world class – and he turned the game here.
For all that this has been a bruising campaign, unpicking some of the certainties around Eddie Howe in the minds of a portion of Newcastle fans, they are sixth and bearing down on a Europa League place.
That’s remarkable given the injuries. Newcastle could have picked almost a whole XI of injured/suspended players* that would be very competitive in the Premier League on Saturday but it’s not really talked about anymore. Instead it is Guimaraes and the black and white tipping point that dominates the agenda.
* For the record, here it is. Just a striker light of a full team (and Callum Wilson only returned on Saturday).
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Targett; Joe Willock, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley; Miguel Almiron, Joelinton. By Mark Douglas
If you want a metaphor for David Moyes’ West Ham – something that by all accounts, we will not be able to say beyond the next few weeks – then look no further than Michail Antonio. Well into the second half, he had managed just 11 touches, through little fault of his own, and ended the day with two shots – and crucially, a goal. That is always the thing about this West Ham – it could be so much worse, so many of their supporters turned up fearing another drubbing like the one dealt by Arsenal.
The plan was clearly to stick with the low block and rely on Jarrod Bowen and to an extent, it worked. Bowen drove at Liverpool, opened the scoring and could have had another. There is so much to like about Mohammed Kudus too, albeit his decision-making continues to frustrate – a brilliant dribble past Trent Alexander-Arnold, only to be dispossessed, and scuppering another fine counter by holding too long and failing to find Antonio.
Moyes only has one game left at the London Stadium and however mixed the reviews on his reign, he deserves a decent send-off for all he has done in Europe. They are still on a run of one win in nine and it will not be an inspired end to his reign, but West Ham could have easily laid down and instead fought back. Another European run next year could still be on the cards, albeit there will almost certainly be another manager in the dugout. By Katherine Lucas
Chelsea
Stealing possession back 11 times, making five tackles and 15 passes into the final third, earning four fouls and even taking two ill-advised potshots, Moises Caicedo looked reminiscent of the £100m player he is against Aston Villa.
In fact, in a team that would pay anything for some reliability and responsibility, he looked temporarily priceless.
Whether helped by Enzo Fernandez’s absence or the simple culmination of a season’s improvement, something clicked for Caicedo at Villa Park. He is unlikely to ever escape his price tag, but a disastrous start led to criticism so stark that his recent development has been somewhat underappreciated.
In a double pivot with Conor Gallagher, there were glimpses of a sustainable future midfield for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Gallagher, who set up Chelsea’s first before curling in a second with his weak foot from range, also reminded the club of his quality and value.
Yes, Chelsea were still vulnerable in transition, and yes, they still conceded twice to an exhausted Villa team, but in a season which has provided constant questions, there were the makings of some answers here.
Gallagher is still heavily linked with a summer move, which remains insane regardless of the financial mess Chelsea have got themselves into. As both their captain and spiritual leader, against Villa it was impossible to miss the Cobham kid’s significance both mentally and physically. By George Simms
Bournemouth
When Bournemouth replaced Gary O’Neil as manager last summer with the former Rayo Vallecano coach Andoni Iraola, many apparent experts questioned the decision and, as late as 27 October, were pointing to a dismal run of nine Premier League games without a win to start this season as proof that they were right. Yesterday Iraola’s Cherries overtook O’Neil’s Wolves and moved into tenth place, the top half of the table. They also reached 48 points, their best ever total in the Premier League and still have three games still to play.
Win all three and they might even approach the European places. While Brighton, well beaten at the Vitality Stadium, were still taking about Europe in the build-up to this game, nobody put Bournemouth and Europe in the same sentence. But they are just five points adrift of seventh place, which would mean entry to the Europa Conference League.
Yesterday they were content to let Brighton have the ball between the two penalty areas and dominate what went on inside them, scoring three times through Marcos Senesi, Enes Unal and Justin Kluivert and limiting the visitors to one shot on target.
“This group deserves to arrive at this point,” Iraola said. “The players have been growing through the season. Brighton are a difficult team to play against but we were really disciplined and when we recovered the ball we had spaces to exploit. We were the ones creating the chances.”
Senesi headed in from close range after 13 minutes when Brighton failed to clear a corner, Unal planted an unchallenged header past Bart Verbruggen early in the second half, and Kluivert almost broke the net with a fierce shot after charging past Lewis Dunk. By Nick Szczepanik
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hwang Hee-chan played a full 90 minutes for the first time since December (Photo: Getty)
This may have been the game that exorcised Wolves’ defeat by Coventry in the FA Cup quarter final.
Since those two late, late goals snatched defeat from victory at Molineux, Wolves have fallen apart as if they realised there was nothing much worth playing for. The next three games at Molineux were all lost with manager, Gary O’Neil, describing the third, against Bournemouth, as the worst of the season. The 2-1 win over Luton was perhaps the minimum O’Neil could have asked for.
However, that this was Hwang Hee-chan’s first goal since the 4-1 victory at Brentford in December was a further reason for optimism, as was the fact that this was the first time this season Hwang and Matheus Cunha had started together. The way the South Korean and the Brazilian combined suggested it could be a pairing that will lead the Wolves attack well into the new season. By Tim Rich
Brighton
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi questioned his team’s motivation now that a second successive European campaign is out of reach.
“Tough result, tough period,” he said. “We are sorry for the performance and for this moment. We are not able to give our best and our best is not enough. We have to find the energy to finish the season in a different way. Injuries and motivation as well.
“Motivation is 80 per cent of our work. In my time every game was challenge with a target but now we are too many points from Europe and we are working without a clear target. I’m suffering a lot but I’ve worked in football for 30 years and I know these moments can happen. We have to be honest with ourselves and analyse this performance.”
He hinted once again that injuries had been part of the problem but Bournemouth were only able to field eight substitutes, including two goalkeepers and three players who had not made a Premier League appearance. Yet they made light of it.
The problem was that his players had 70 per cent of the possession but did very little with it, mustering only one shot on target. They are without a win in six games and their only goal in April was an own goal scored by Arijanet Muric in the 1-1 draw away to Burnley, which underlines their recent impotence. Not every player looked as committed to their cause as Bournemouth’s did, although skipper Lewis Dunk was an exception, single-handedly defying the home side at times. De Zerbi needs more like him and substitute Julio Enciso, who briefly threatened to spark a comeback that never quite materialised. By Nick Szczepanik
Fulham
It is a truth, almost universally acknowledged, that if Fulham score the opening goal at Craven Cottage, they will secure all three points.
Not since the opening day of the 2022/23 season, when Liverpool came back to force a 2-2 draw, had the visitors fallen behind and come away with something as Crystal Palace did on Saturday. Although Rodrigo Muniz scored once more, his 10th of the season and his first since the 3-3 draw at Sheffield United a month ago, the Brazilian struggled to impose himself.
Calvin Bassey, however, performed admirably as Fulham were pushed on to the back foot in the first half. Yet a lot of the spark that ran through Fulham in February and March seems to have drained from Marco Silva’s side. It is a flatness that needs to be addressed. By Tim Rich
Jeffrey Schlupp called his stunning equaliser at Fulham “the best goal of my career”. It was his first since the opener in the 2-0 win at Burnley in December and, without it, there would have been a profound sense of injustice in the away section at Craven Cottage.
Frankly, Palace should have had this match won by the interval. Even when there is little to play for, there are ways to end a campaign and 11 goals in their past five games should encourage season-ticket renewals.
When managers talk about “the performance matters rather than the result” as Oliver Glasner did, eyes tend to roll. However, this was a performance that merited more than a 1-1 draw. It is not often that Crystal Palace would look forward to playing Manchester United as they will on Bank Holiday Monday but the way Palace are attacking and the way Erik ten Hag’s side are defending, they would fancy their chances. By Tim Rich
“If you know your history….” chorused Goodison Park on the final whistle as Everton ensured they would be playing top-flight football for the 71st consecutive season.
This season has been a facsimile of the previous two which have seen despair, pessimism and not a little self-loathing as Everton teetered near the brink only to pull away amid euphoric scenes. Everton found their form and their feet when it mattered – four of the last five matches have been won – with the 6-0 capitulation at Chelsea sandwiched in between.
Wednesday night’s defeat of Liverpool will be remembered longer than any of the other victories and Sean Dyche would point out that only the top three have a better defensive record. That should be a marker for next season which everyone in the blue half of Merseyside would hope is considerably duller. By Tim Rich
Brentford
Although Thomas Frank’s side were guaranteed a place in the Premier League for a fourth successive season before kick-off at Goodison Park, there are some worrying trends.
Since November, Brentford have only beaten one club outside the bottom four. That was Wolves, who have a very similar turnover. Despite the encouragement of draws with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brighton, this is something for the club to ponder as they prepare to sell Ivan Toney in the summer.
Unlike say Villa, who lost £139m in their first two seasons back in the Premier League, Brentford have consistently made a profit. Toney’s sale will give Frank money to spend but, despite the celebrations, Saturday’s defeat at Everton is further proof that Brentford no longer punch above their weight. By Tim Rich
Nottingham Forest
Time clearly isn’t a great healer. Not inside the City Ground at least.
But Nuno Espirito Santo, the Nottingham Forest manager, can take some comfort from the fact his players channelled the sense of grievance his club feels following a series of well-publicised refereeing controversies into a combative performance against Manchester City.
Seven days after furiously lambasting Stuart Attwell, whose VAR calls they believe cost them at least a point during a defeat by Everton, Forest ensured Pep Guardiola’s 300th Premier League fixture in charge of the reigning champions proved an uncomfortable experience.
Never mind the dubious tweets or points deductions, if Forest can replicate aspects of this display in their remaining three outings, they should be confident of survival – providing Nuno’s frontline remembers how to finish.
“I take heart from that and we must believe in what we are doing,” he said, after watching striker Chris Wood miss a series of chances. “We must realise what is ahead of us.
“The fans were very encouraging when we had the ball and that also helped. I thought we played a very good game overall, against very difficult opponents. But we showed real belief, even if there were situations when we could and should have done better.”
If the booing of the Premier League anthem was predictable, together with the taunting of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville who had criticised Forest’s “mafia” like questioning of Attwell’s integrity, the challenge they posed City definitely wasn’t. Inside a bear pit of a stadium, where every free-kick awarded to the visitors was volubly questioned, Forest carved a number of opportunities against opponents for whom game control is everything. More, statisticians documenting the action revealed at half-time, than any other team this season.
The only trouble was, none of them were taken. After Morgan Gibbs-White and Wood had both gone close, Josko Gvardiol headed City in front with a near post header after ghosting in front of Murillo to meet Kevin De Bruyne’s cross.
Murillo compounded his mistake by hooking over from close range following an even worse miss by Wood before Erling Haaland announced his return with a clinical finish after stepping off the bench.
With Forest remaining only a point above the drop zone, they will be glad that relegated Sheffield United are next on their agenda.
“Against City, you know you have to press correctly because if you don’t they take advantage of the spaces you leave,” Nuno said. “We had a plan and showed belief in that. We must carry on doing the same.” By James Shields
Luton Town
No wonder Rob Edwards looks so worried… (Photo: Getty)
If in August you had told Rob Edwards that his side would be third bottom and in sight of safety with three games to go, it would have been a scenario the Luton manager would gladly have taken.
However, after a 14th match without a win, Edwards knows that Luton, despite all the praise for their pluck and spirit, have collapsed when they needed to be steady.
Perhaps the physicality and the long balls no longer surprise their opponents. The loss at Wolves was Luton’s 22nd defeat of the season. You would have to go back to Coventry in 1984/85 to find a team that survived in the top flight after losing this many or more.
This was in a 42-game season in which Coventry won their final three games to stay up. Luton will do well to match that and plenty now hangs on the trip to Everton, which looked like being a pivotal encounter for both teams. Now there is just one club desperate for a win. By Tim Rich
Burnley
Vincent Kompany was rightly proud of his team. They did not look second best at Old Trafford and were it not for two world class save by Andre Onana to keep out Lyle Foster on each first-half occasion, Burnley might have vaulted above Luton and out of the bottom-three.
The problem, as ever, is with execution in the hardest part of the pitch in which to operate, the final third. Burnley twice shot wastefully over the bar having cracked United wide open in the opening half. Though United pushed them back, the Burnley defence held its shape to keep the ball away from goal.
The goal United did score resulted from a rare error from Sander Berge, who left a square pass short to let in Antony. Apart from that Burnley were neat in possession, particularly playing the ball out from the back, where they always seemed to have an extra man.
Though it took VAR to spot Onana’s infringement and persuade John Brooks to give the penalty that brought them level, it was reward for Burnley’s willingness to throw men forward in search of an equaliser.
Kompany was proud of the courage showed by his inexperienced team on the ball, and of the way they took the game to United. If they maintain this standard over the final three games, they will give themselves a decent shot at survival. By Kevin Garside
Sheffield United
Chris Wilder talked a good game when he spoke about remedying the many issues that have suffocated Sheffield United this system.
Culture, recruitment, leadership – you could have ticked off the buzz words one by one as he pledged to make next season’s Blades unrecognisable from the group whose relegation was confirmed after a second-half collapse at St James’ Park.
Wilder certainly carries the swagger of a man with all the answers, from the performative huddle he convened after the final whistle at Newcastle to suggesting he nearly “had a heart attack” trying to get messages onto the pitch as goals rained in for the home side.
The problem is this: it is a good three years since Wilder was able to oversee any sort of meaningful run of results at one of the three clubs he’s managed. What makes Blades owner Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud sure he is the right man for this rebuild other than the intoxicating whiff of red and white nostalgia?
Wilder said a lack of leadership was the reason for Newcastle running amok in the second half and the gulf in class between the two sides was gaping. But shifting the blame onto the players will only get him so far, even when a close season clear-out looks assured. He has to take responsibility for the fact that, yet again, Sheffield United had no Plan B when things starting going against them.
Wilder had a 27 per cent win ratio during a short, 11-game spell at Watford last season and has overseen three wins in 23 since his return to Bramall Lane. They have been outgunned in the Premier League but so are Luton and Burnley, who both retain survival hopes.
That the Blades depart the Premier League with three games to play in a season where two relegation rivals have been docked points tells it own story. It has not been the worst Premier League season of all time but that is about the only comfort they can take from it.
If they can build around classy midfielder Oliver Arblaster, who was the best player in the first half at just 20 years old, they have a chance. Gustavo Hamer should prosper in the Championship too but there is a lot of mediocrity in their squad and a lot of work for Wilder to do. He will have to roll back the years to make it work. By Mark Douglas
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