Analysis

Football Focus pundits Chris Sutton and Steph Houghton discuss whether Roberto de Zerbi can improve Spurs and keep them in the Premier League.

Manchester United have been urged to overlook caretaker boss Michael Carrick and appoint a 'better' Champions League manager.

Could Arsenal's shock defeat to Bournemouth prove to the the moment the title race swung in Manchester City's favour?

Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy debate whether 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha should start for Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG, after starring and scoring in the Reds' 2-0 win over Fulham.

Match of the Day's Alan Shearer analyses the performance of Brentford's Igor Thiago, as the Brazilian striker took his Premier League tally to 21 goals with a brace in his side's 2-2 draw with Everton.

The 26-year-old hoped his return to London would enhance his World Cup ambitions but arrived with Spurs descending deeper into crisis and made little impact in his early appearances.

Manchester City's hopes of claiming the Premier League title were handed a huge boost after Arsenal were shocked by Bournemouth - leaving their season in danger of falling apart

The USMNT lost two friendly matches to Belgium and Portugal ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Manchester City can brush off Rodri’s comments but Chelsea’s existential angst helps explain suspension of midfielder Enzo Fernández and Rodri would quite like to move to Madrid; many people would. They both said as much in the international break, those special parts of the season when players join up with their national teams and give interviews while apparently unaware that media are global these days: a whisper on Luzo TV can soon become a hurricane in London. But Rodri will line up for Manchester City at Chelsea on Sunday, while Fernández will not, suspended by the club for “crossing a line”. It’s worth, perhaps, looking at exactly what was said. Fernández expressed disappointment at Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day. “It … hurt a lot,” he told Luzo, “because we had a lot of identity, he gave us order, but it’s the way that football is, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. But we always had a clear identity when it came to training, playing and obviously his departure hurt us especially in the middle of the season – it cuts everything short.” Sadness that a manager has gone surely isn’t a crime; it could even be supportive of Liam Rosenior and the difficulty of taking over a club mid-season.

Arsenal's defeat by Bournemouth gave Manchester City the chance to narrow the gap in the title race. They did just that by beating Chelsea

The Final Score pundits react to Arsenal's loss to Bournemouth.

Nine points clear with six games to play - could Arsenal still really blow the Premier League title from that position?

There is an inescapable sense that Arsenal are blowing the title

Mikel Arteta urged fans to bring ‘your lunch, bring your dinner’ but when the set pieces fail to fire his side are short of a full plate It was another one of those games where Arsenal had found it necessary to rouse the troops beforehand. Mikel Arteta, in his occasional, unusual jokey mode, had urged Arsenal fans to “bring your lunch, bring your dinner” and make this 12.30 kick-off an occasion. The players, meanwhile, had been training under the eye of a big screen broadcasting footage of Arsenal in happy, successful moments, presumably to encourage the creation of more. “Every game, we have to be there,” Arteta said. So were they?

Troy Deeney has hit back at Arsenal supporters who have called on Mikel Arteta to drop Martin Zubimendi after the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth

Gunners will need a favour from London rivals Chelsea to remain in full control of the title race

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres put in a decent performance against Bournemouth by his standards - which may be half the problem

By: Oliver Fisher Massimiliano Allegri joked that he hopes that he has got the starting XI right, given it looks like AC Milan have switched to a front three. For Milan, it is imperative to get back to winning ways following the defeat against Napoli on Easter Monday. While that may have put an end to the slim […] The post Allegri explains selection choices amid apparent 4-3-3 switch: “The climate is changing” appeared first on SempreMilan.

Mikel Arteta has made it crystal clear to his Arsenal players that they need to be ready to fight for the Premier League title after they opened the door for Manchester City

Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth has reignited doubts in the title race, but the table and the wider context still leave room for a response.

Arsenal's 2-1 defeat by Bournemouth in the Premier League in Saturday's early kick-off left the door open for Manchester City, who now have the opportunity to close the gap at the top

By: Oliver Fisher AC Milan need Champions League football for many reasons, but perhaps the most important is the money that it would bring. As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, Massimiliano Allegri’s constant references to the top European competition are well founded. It’s not just a matter of prestige or personal satisfaction: the Rossoneri’s immediate future hinges primarily […] The post GdS: Lewandowski, Goretzka, Pulisic – what Champions League football could mean for Milan appeared first on SempreMilan.

Marco Silva Issues Clear Warning to Liverpool Ahead of Anfield Clash Liverpool head into a crucial Premier League fixture against Fulham under growing scrutiny, with recent results raising questions about consistency under Arne Slot. A run of three straight defeats has disrupted momentum, yet expectation around the club remains unchanged. At Anfield, the demand is […] The post Marco Silva shares his thoughts on Liverpool’s recent struggles appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Real Madrid confident of Champions League comeback despite blowing LaLiga title race Pulse Sports Nigeria

As the Premier League season approaches its finale, April could be the defining month for leaders Arsenal and closest challengers Manchester City. BBC Sport looks at the stats to explain why.

While long throws are trending, they are only effective if you have a player who can make first contact with them

As Jurgen Klopp once famously acknowledged, every side needs a conductor to knit things together, and that is true now more than ever

Jamie Redknapp has questioned whether Tottenham Hotspur have the matchwinners to stay in the Premier League after the club dropped into the relegation zone - and admits the decision to hire Roberto De Zerbi is a "big risk".

Hansi Flick admits his Barcelona players are 5% more motivated in Champions League matches compared to LaLiga, as they gear up for Saturday’s derby against Espanyol. The Blaugrana suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday, with the game turning on Pau Cubarsi’s […] The post Barcelona 5% more motivated in Champions League than in LaLiga, says Flick appeared first on Soccer News.

There may be no one better prepared to win the Champions League than Bayern Munich, and they're scoring goals at a rate the Bundesliga has never seen.

Eddie Howe must work out how to get the best out of Newcastle’s club-record signing Nick Woltemade. But if he can’t, it could mean Howe is out of a job at the end of the season. Howe ha…

BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team looks into the number of points needed to avoid relegation from the Premier League

Both marking their return from March’s international break this weekend, Burnley and Brighton will meet at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon. Heading into March’s fortnight interval in the midst of what was a real domestic flurry, the Seagulls will simply be looking to carry on from where they left off last month and they will […] The post Burnley vs Brighton Bet Builder Tips – 7/1 Champions League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

Mohamed Salah Omission Raises Fresh Questions for Liverpool The decision by Arne Slot to leave Mohamed Salah unused during Liverpool’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain became a major talking point on the Anfield Index Media Matters podcast. With Liverpool chasing the game, many expected Salah to be introduced, yet he remained on the bench. Dave Davis […] The post Arne Slot defended over Mohamed Salah decision in Liverpool’s defeat to PSG appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has come under fire for his performances this season but former Reds stalwart Jamie Carragher feels that is unfair

They tell us that in the beginning, there was a choice. A choice whispered through time, carried on the winds of myth, where gods watched and men trembled. A choice that stood before a boy named Achilles—glory without tomorrow, or tomorrow without glory. And he chose the fire. He chose the brief, blazing immortality of… The post Roberto De Zerbi: Sixteen, Seven Games, and the Refusal to Hurry first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

The LaLiga match against Girona will be used to try out options Leer

With Europe’s elite once again stealing centre stage this weekend, we have a stacked schedule from across the continent. As runaway Premier League leaders Arsenal seek an essential domestic boost, we have some heavyweight showdowns from the likes of La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga. For those of you looking to stick on a […] The post April 11th: Saturday’s European Accumulator – 4/1 Special, Betting Tips & Analysis appeared first on Soccer News.

Manchester City have some momentum. A few short weeks ago, it looked as though Arsenal had the Premier League title all but wrapped up. But since then, the Gunners have lost to Man City in the EFL Cup final, and then were stunned by Southampton in the FA Cup. The Gunners are still nine points […] The post The Numbers Game: Man City aiming to keep the pressure on Arsenal appeared first on Soccer News.

Argentina's World Cup preparations have come against lackluster opposition, all while its iconic captain won't go all in on this summer

IAN HERBERT: West Ham's uptick serves as a cautionary tale for Wolves, Nottingham Forest and perhaps even Tottenham, who were all too quick to discard Nuno and have suffered since.

The Premier League returns this weekend and with two double gameweeks on the horizon, the big question: Do you play the wildcard now or hold off until gameweek 33?

Arsenal are nine points clear as they chase their first title for 22 years. So what needs to be addressed to get over the line?

Paul Scholes and Marco Materazzi have delivered strong criticism of Manchester United’s transfer decisions. The heavy investments made by Manchester United in recent years to sign players have not translated into satisfactory results on the field, prompting soccer icons like Paul Scholes and Marco Materazzi to weigh in on those transfer decisions. In a recent appearance on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, Scholes discussed the roster changes Manchester United need to make ahead of next season, stating that at least eight players in the squad should be moved on this summer and replaced with new talent. Among those mentioned is Harry Maguire, who recently extended his contract through 2027. “I’m thinking about a Manchester United team you want to win the league and the Champions League… I’m not sure you’d do that with Maguire,” said the former English midfielder, who made more than 700 appearances for the Red Devils between 1993 and 2013. Luke Shaw was also identified by Scholes as a player whose time at the club may be over. “When he was playing consistently, I don’t think there was a better left-back in the world, not just Europe. But if you’re asking me now… I’d sell him. He doesn’t play enough games,” he said. Harry Maguire of Manchester United. That list also includes high-profile names such as Mason Mount—whom Scholes questioned due to his fit alongside Bruno Fernandes—as well as lower-profile players like Lenny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee. Materazzi points to Manchester United’s ‘biggest mistake’ While Paul Scholes focused on the players Manchester United should move on from, Marco Materazzi pointed to a past decision: the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli in 2024 for around $34 million. “McTominay is an incredible player from start to finish. I don’t understand how Manchester United sold him for almost nothing, because his value, in my opinion, is €60 to €70 million or more. It’s the biggest transfer market mistake we’ve ever seen, without a doubt,” said the 2006 World Cup champion with Italy during a promotional event, according to Mundo Deportivo. Manchester United have spent a fortune on signings The fact that Manchester United have gone 13 years without winning the Premier League and 18 without lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy can be explained not only by the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, but also by years of poor executive decisions that have impacted the team’s on-field performance. Financially, the Red Devils remain one of the most powerful clubs in the world, but that has not translated into results. In fact, last summer they were among the biggest spenders in the transfer market. Ahead of the 2025–26 season, Manchester United signed four players: Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Senne Lammens. The club spent close to $288 million on those deals—an enormous outlay that has yet to be justified by performances on the field.

Liverpool Struggle in Paris as Mohamed Salah Call Dominates Debate Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint Germain offered a familiar European lesson, control matters, efficiency matters more. Yet the central discussion after the final whistle was not purely about the performance, it was about the absence of Mohamed Salah and the reasoning of Arne Slot. […] The post Arne Slot discusses Mohamed Salah snub in Liverpool’s defeat to PSG appeared first on anfieldindex.com.