Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! Rob Edwards did his best to keep his beloved side from the trap door marked Do One but, after eight seasons in the Premier League, Wolves have officially been relegated. West Ham – managed by former Wanderers manager Nuno Espírito Santo – earned a draw on Monday to finally put the Old Gold out of their misery, ending what has been a miserable season that had all the inevitability of Rúben Neves taking aim from 30 yards. Most relegations are an exercise in finger pointing and half-baked theories over what could have been but Wolves’ capitulation is remarkably easy to explain: years of systemic decline underpinned by Wanderers’ board of directors tendency to sell their best players and largely replace them with duds. I read with bemusement the suggestion that Erling Haaland’s ‘basic decency’ in Sunday’s showdown may well have saved the Gunners’ season (yesterday’s Football Daily). His refusal to ‘do an Arsenal’ and capitulate under the merest hint of pressure has been cast as an act of nobility akin to something from a Jane Austen novel. The reality is that he probably realised any such action would lead to his rightful vilification by the likes of Football Daily and various social media disgraces. As the yellow was flourished at Gabriel, I’m sure he mouthed lovingly: ‘I thought only of you.’ So selfless” – Anthony Brady. It is commendable of Haaland not to take a tumble, but as you point out, the ultimate result is that Gabriel will not now miss matches through suspension that he ought really to be missing. I think it’s worth going back a step, and considering why players started diving in the first place – it’s to make sure the referee’s attention is brought to what the diver thought was a foul. If justice was served on a regular basis anyway, the need for diving would not be there. If only there was some sort of assistance available to referees, perhaps involving cameras and monitors, maybe they’d get it right more often, and quite so many players wouldn’t feel the need to cheat. Wait, what? Oh” – Gumley Slats. Granted, your Devon Loch comparison with Arsenal is a good one (yesterday’s Football Daily), but the 1973 National with Red Rum catching and overhauling Crisp from way back after Crisp had led for a long time is, in my opinion, much more apposite. Arsenal are lolling all over the place, just as the desperately unfortunate top weight did and City are chasing them down like the multiple winners they are and Red Rum became” – Richard Askham. Fantastic to see Chelsea’s Frank Lampard’s Coventry back in the Premier League. If old Frank does a decent job of it, he could well find himself back in the hot seat as Chelsea’s Frank Lampard’s Chelsea manager” – Scott Coyne.

Pep Guardiola spoke before Burnley vs Man City

Erling Haaland believes Gabriel Magalhaes should have been sent off during Arsenal's match against Manchester City at the weekend.

Arsenal have seen their nine-point lead over Manchester City cut to just three after the Premier League title race took a twist and Erling Haaland has had his say

Welcome back to It Was What It Was the football history podcast. In today’s episode, co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper bring this Graham Taylor series to a close with the Oslo qualifier that defined his reign: a chaotic, tactically muddled 2–0 loss to Norway at the peak of their ‘golden age’, captured in painful detail by The Impossible Job. Unpacking Taylor’s mounting stress, tabloid caricature and “no‑win” selection calls—especially the dilemma of persisting with an undercooked Paul Gascoigne—before explaining how the back-three plan collapsed, England’s structure unravelled, and Norway’s alertness (including a quick free kick) punished them. The episode breaks down England’s chaotic structure, Norway’s tactical calm under Egil “Drillo” Olsen, and Taylor’s famous touchline outbursts, before tracing the fallout: “Norse Manure” headlines, concerns the players had stopped responding, and a demoralising US tour. England briefly revive by beating Poland, but lose in Rotterdam and, despite winning 7–1 in San Marino after conceding almost instantly, miss out as the Netherlands win in Poland. They assess Taylor’s broader legacy, his misfortune with timing and player form, and his later rehabilitation at Watford. 01:51 Norway’s Golden Generation 04:51 Tabloid Mockery Era 06:11 Psychology and Pressure 08:18 The Gaza Fitness Dilemma 18:30 Paranoia and Tactical Switch 22:50 System Collapse in Oslo 25:57 Quick Free Kick Nightmare 29:41 Norway Strike Again 30:32 Tabloid Backlash 32:07 Tactics And Trust 35:18 Bigger Picture Failings 42:56 USA Tour Fallout 43:49 Last Chance Qualifiers 45:36 San Marino Shock 48:28 Reassessing the Taylor Legacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arsenal were dealt a crushing blow to their title hopes by Manchester City with their mentality coming under scrutiny once again

PREMIER LEAGUE: City's win over Arsenal feels like a title decider and Erling Haaland + Gabriel Magalhaes = enemies or frienemies? Leeds, Forest and West Ham know they are in a relegation battle -- unlike Tottenham. Most incredible statistic of all time about LinkedIn Liam's Chelsea squad. Nobody has checked out harder than Newcastle. HALFTIME: What If we lived in a fascist dictatorship... who on the pod would be the best and worst dictator? ROUND THE WORLD: US Open Cup feels extra chalky this year and spiciest MLS Minute on record STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs

With Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, Manchester City has an elite shot-stopper. Also, City has a keeper who is experienced and has shown time and time again throughout his career that he can respond strongly to setbacks. This trait, coupled with his shot-stopping ability, has seen Gianluigi Donnarumma become one of the premier goalkeepers in world […] The post The way that the Manchester City keeper responded from an error defines him, not the error itself appeared first on Esteemed Kompany.