Anthony Hay
Welcome to The Athletic's coverage of today's breaking football news.
It was a bumper weekend of Premier League action, as Manchester City dropped points in the title race with a 2-2 draw at West Ham. In the fight for survival, Burnley lost 1-0 to Tottenham, Leeds draw 1-1 with Brighton and Everton lost 3-2 against Brentford.
Elsewhere, Liverpool lifted the men's FA Cup on Saturday and Chelsea won the women's competition on Sunday.
This week's big fixtures (Time: BST)
Monday: Newcastle vs Arsenal (8pm) | Tuesday: Southampton vs Liverpool (8pm) | Wednesday: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers (8pm) | Thursday: Everton vs Crystal Palace (7.45pm), Aston Villa vs Burnley (8pm), Chelsea vs Leicester (8pm) | Sunday (all 4pm): Arsenal vs Everton, Brentford vs Leeds, Brighton vs West Ham, Chelsea vs Watford, Crystal Palace vs Manchester United, Leicester vs Southampton, Liverpool vs Wolves, Manchester City vs Aston Villa, Norwich vs Tottenham
Background reading
- Why Alexander-Arnold’s basketball-style throw-ins are so important for Liverpool
- A case against Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City
- How Aston Villa held firm to sign Philippe Coutinho on a permanent deal
(Photo: Federico Maranesi / MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Well, well, well
What a result at St James' Park.
Arsenal lose 2-0 and their Champions League qualification hopes are all but over...
Luke Bosher· Junior Editor, News
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 16, 2022TWO!!
Bruno Guimarães doubles Newcastle's lead! Arsenal's top four hopes are up in smoke 😮 pic.twitter.com/s457bEUvlS
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We're into the second period at St James' Park
Live updates right here as Newcastle vs Arsenal is goalless so far.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Luke Bosher· Junior Editor, News
Some Watford news
Juraj Kucka will not be extending his stay at Vicarage Road, following Watford's relegation.
Luke Bosher· Junior Editor, News
— Adam Leventhal (@AdamLeventhal) May 16, 2022#WatfordFC breaking
Understand midfielder Juraj Kucka is set to leave club following relegation, was option for another year but decision not to extend now made. Alternative options now being looked at abroad, unlikely to stay in England. @TheAthleticUK
Breaking: Mbappe agrees personal terms with Real Madrid
Huge news out of PSG.
Luke Bosher· Junior Editor, News
🚨 Kylian Mbappe understood to have agreed personal terms with Real Madrid. 23yo forward has not yet signed. Paris Saint-Germain have not yet given up hope of keeping him. Would be among most high-profile deals of all time @TheAthleticUK #RMFC #PSG #Mbappe https://t.co/Dc5ln6xDEi
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) May 16, 2022
It's Newcastle vs Arsenal tonight
And you can find live coverage right here on The Athletic.
Luke Bosher· Junior Editor, News
Arsenal youngster Marcelo Flores declares he will officially play for Mexico national side
18-year-old Arsenal academy player Marcelo Flores has announced that he will represent Mexico at international level.
Flores, who already holds two caps with the Mexico senior side, was also eligible to play for Canada and England.
For further detail on how Flores is progressing at Arsenal, click below.
Ali Humayun
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Blackpool forward Jake Daniels comes out as gay
Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has become the UK’s first male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay since Justin Fashanu. Daniels, 17, told Sky Sports he “wanted people to hear his story”.
“Now is the right time to do it,” he said on Monday. “I feel like I am ready to tell people my story. I want people to know the real me.
“I have been thinking for a long time about how I want to do it, when I want to do it. I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be free and be confident with it all.”
He has scored 30 goals for the club’s under-19 team this season.
Click here for the full story.
Ali Humayun
Valencia claim club president's leaked audio clips have been edited
Valencia president Anil Murthy has said leaked audio footage in which he said he would kill Carlos Soler if he left the club without a transfer fee was edited and taken out of context.
On Monday, the Spanish newspaper Superdeporte published an audio recording which they said was from a private dinner attended by Murthy in April.
In one of the snippets of audio, a man the newspaper identifies as Murthy says he will “kill” 25-year-old Spain international Soler if he leaves the club on a free transfer.
“If you leave for free in January, I’ll kill you,” Murthy is alleged to have said, as per AP.
In the audio footage the man adds: “I’ll put down 100,000 euros to kill (Soler). Because you have to bring in money, you grew up in the academy, and the club has invested a lot of money in you.”
But Valencia have accused the newspaper of running a “smear campaign” against the club.
Valencia did not deny the audio depicts Murthy in a statement published on Monday. But they added the recordings were “taken out of context, from a private conversation and recorded illegitimately”.
Click here for the full story.
Ali Humayun
Carlos Carvalhal leaves role as Braga head coach
Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal has left his role as head coach of Portuguese side SC Braga, the club have confirmed.
A club statement, released on Monday, stated that Carvalhal was leaving Braga to “embrace new sporting projects” with his two-year contract set to expire.
Click here to read the full story.
Ali Humayun
A case against Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City
It’s not that hard to imagine Erling Haaland moving to Manchester City and just, like, breaking football.
But competitive English football may not be headed for extinction just yet. For all the justified hype around Haaland, there are just as many reasons to believe this signing doesn’t make sense at all.
Here’s the case against the Haaland signing…
Ali Humayun
How Aston Villa held firm to sign Philippe Coutinho on a permanent deal
The journey to bring Coutinho to the West Midlands on a permanent deal was a long and complex one but upon completion, now has the potential to change the landscape in times ahead.
Just like in the pursuit of a new No 6, Villa were only willing to tie up the Coutinho deal if the numbers added up in their favour.
As they grow back into an established Premier League club again, Villa can pick and choose their battles and decide when to steam in heavy-handed or sit tight until they hold the controlling hand.
For more on how Villa completed the permanent signing of Coutinho, Go Deeper below.
Ali Humayun
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Semi Ajayi signs new West Brom contract
The defender has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal.
Anthony Hay· EPL Staff Editor
BREAKING
— Steve Madeley (@SteveMadeley78) May 16, 2022
Semi Ajayi has signed a new three-year contract at Albion. His previous deal only had a year to run. Here's a piece from March on his revival under Steve Bruce. #WBA https://t.co/zlDY6w4PiP
Ben Foster confirms Watford departure
Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster has confirmed he will leave Watford at the end of the season following the club's relegation from the Premier League.
The 39-year-old rejoined Watford from West Brom in the summer of 2018, but will not be staying on as Watford rebuild for life back in the Sky Bet Championship.
"The ups, downs, good, bad & ugly...it's all part of the journey!" Foster wrote on Twitter.
"My time WatfordFC is up, but a huge thanks for all the support & love Iv received from fans, players & staff in the 6 years with the club, it's been a blast!
"Looking forward to what next season will bring."
Ali Humayun
Liverpool bolster backroom staff with returning physio
The quadruple quest has understandably taken a physical toll on Jurgen Klopp’s players, with Fabinho limping off away to Aston Villa before Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were injured at Wembley.
The seriousness of the situation is such that Liverpool have moved to strengthen their backroom staff to ensure they are in the best possible shape for the vital closing days of this season and further into the future.
The Athletic understands physiotherapist Christopher Rohrbeck is set to return to Anfield with immediate effect, in a move driven by Klopp two years after his fellow German originally departed.
For more on this story and all the latest news nuggets, Go Deeper with David Ornstein's column below.
Ali Humayun
John Lundstram: From outcast to 'best on earth' at Rangers
John Lundstram has shown resilience and fight all his life — he's had to at Rangers and is now an Ibrox hero for his role in his side's Europa League run.
For more detail on the midfielder, Go Deeper below.
Ali Humayun
Premier League title harder to win harder than Champions League - Ralph Hassenhuttl
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl claimed the Premier League title is the "most countable" trophy ahead of hosting quadruple-chasing Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds travel to St Mary's on Tuesday evening bidding to keep alive their hopes of overhauling leaders Manchester City.
Liverpool have already lifted the Carabao Cup and FA Cup this term and later this month will face Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Yet Hasenhuttl considers top-flight glory — which Liverpool have managed only once in 32 years — to be the greatest achievement.
"We all know Jurgen and how strong he is and you can be sure that he doesn't give up the chance for winning the league, for sure," said Hasenhuttl.
"This is still the title that is the most countable for everybody because it's the hardest to get.
"For me it's even harder to be over 38 games in the Premier League consistently on the top than to win the Champions League sometimes."
Ali Humayun
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Kane hopes Conte commits future to Champions League contenders Tottenham
Harry Kane is hoping Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte commits his future to the club amid speculation the Italian could leave at the end of the season.
Paris Saint-Germain are said to be among Conte's suitors but the Italian has so far refused to be drawn on speculation as his focus is on Tottenham's battle to finish in the top four.
Kane has enjoyed his time under Conte since the former Chelsea manager's arrival in November and he hopes their working relationship continues beyond this summer.
Click here to read the full report.
(Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Anthony Hay· EPL Staff Editor
Man City are ready to ‘give their lives’ for Premier League title — Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said his side are ready to “give their lives” in the final match of the season to retain the Premier League title in front of their supporters.
Speaking after his side’s 2-2 draw against West Ham on Sunday, Guardiola told reporters: “Next week our stadium will be sold out, we will give them (Manchester City fans) our lives and they will give theirs, all together.
“To do it is an incredible privilege, after many years.”
Click here to read the full report.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Anthony Hay· EPL Staff Editor
Why Alexander-Arnold’s basketball-style throw-ins are so important for Liverpool
You may not have noticed this but our very own Michael Cox has.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's throwing technique appears to have been inspired by basketball. Read our full breakdown by following the link below.
Michael Cox· Football Writer
Eriksen: 'I am considering different offers and options'
Brentford playmaker Christian Eriksen has said he has received multiple offers ahead of becoming a free agent this summer.
Eriksen, 30, has impressed at Brentford since joining on a six-month deal in January which has led to interest from rival clubs.
The Denmark international, who has scored one goal and claimed four assists in the Premier League since sealing a return to England after having to leave Inter Milan after having a pacemaker fitted, has admitted he would love to play in the Champions League again.
Click here to read the full story.
(Photo: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Anthony Hay· EPL Staff Editor
Load more updates
FAQs
What are this weekends Premier League fixtures? ›
| Match status / kick off time | |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Liverpool AFC Bournemouth |
| 10:00 | Luton Burnley |
| 10:00 | Man City Newcastle |
| 10:00 | Nottm Forest Sheff Utd |
The Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season will be released at 9am BST on Thursday, June 15.
Are Premier League fixtures fixed? ›We place each club in a pairing grid, which defines the dates they will be at home. For every date in the season, the fixture computer knows which clubs are at home and who are away and then it will mix them up randomly to determine the matches.
What will happen to Premier League fixtures? ›The final match round will be on Sunday, May 19 2024, when all fixtures will take place simultaneously. This means the calendar has now returned to its traditional format, after being altered heavily over the past three seasons to accommodate the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2022 World Cup.
What is Super Sunday Premier League? ›Super Sunday is Sky Sports' flagship live association football programme, broadcasting live Premier League football on most Sundays over the course of a season.
What is the best team in the Premier League right now? ›| CLUBS | W-D-L | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester Utd | 0-0-0 |
| 1 | Newcastle | 0-0-0 |
| 1 | Tottenham | 0-0-0 |
| 1 | West Ham | 0-0-0 |
Broadcasting the match would usually infringe on the Saturday 3pm 'blackout rule' also known as Article 48, which was created to protect lower league attendances. The rule has stood since the 1960s to protect the majority of Football League matches that take place on Saturday afternoons.
When Football League fixtures come out? ›The EFL schedule for the 2023/24 season has been confirmed, with the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two campaigns set to start on the weekend of Saturday, August 5th 2023. All 72 EFL Clubs will release their 2023/24 schedules from 9am on Thursday, 22nd June 2023.
Can you watch Premier League games at 3pm? ›From 2:45pm – 5:25pm it isn't permitted to televise any Premier League, Football League, or FA Cup game. Introduced in 1960 and proposed by Burnley chairman Bob Lord, the ban on 3pm games being televised was to counteract the negative impacts it would have on lower division teams.
Why no Premier League games this weekend? ›Due to the first FIFA international window of 2023, no Premier League games will be held this coming weekend as a number of clubs are left short of players. This is the final break for the 2022/23 season with the games coming thick and fast from here out.
How likely are Premier League fixtures to change? ›
Premier League match dates can change for a variety of reasons, including live TV broadcast selections, and also to accommodate matches in European and domestic cup competitions. For this reason, Premier League fixtures are always advertised as being subject to change.
Who are the Big 4 in Premier League? ›English Premier League Big Four clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Who is moving to the Premier League? ›Teams. Twenty teams will compete in the league – the top seventeen teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the Championship. The promoted teams are Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town, who will return to the top flight after respective absences of one, two and thirty-one years.
What teams moving up to Premier League 2023? ›A couple of them, Burnley and Sheffield United, confirmed their Premier League returns having secured the two automatic promotion places offered by the Championship. The playoff process - pitting the teams in third to sixth off against each other - set up a Wembley final between Luton Town and Coventry.
Can teams drop out of the Premier League? ›Today, the teams finishing 18th, 19th and 20th in the Premier League after each club has completed 38 games are automatically relegated to the second tier. Tiebreaker order criteria is based on points, overall goal difference, overall goals scored, and then head-to-head record.
Is Saturday or Sunday league better? ›Again, it is another term used in England to describe amateur football leagues. So, what is the difference between Saturday league and Sunday league football? Saturday leagues are, in theory, more competitive and of a higher standard than Sunday leagues.
Can Sunday league teams get promoted? ›The English football league system does not include the amateur version of the game often called Sunday league football. These leagues are independent entities with no promotion or relegation involving the football pyramid.
Why is there midweek Premier League games? ›The passing of Queen Elizabeth II is the root cause of this backlog of fixtures.
Who is the best footballer in history? ›The Argentine attacker is frequently recognised as the best player in football history. Like his rival Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo is regarded by many as the best football player to ever play the game. For more than 15 years, the pair competed at the highest level in one of the fiercest sporting rivalries ever.
Who are the Big 5 in the Premier League? ›As a commercial, free-to-air broadcaster, advertising revenues were critical to the network, so they focused primarily on the 'Big Five' clubs of the era – Liverpool, Manchester United, Everton, Arsenal and Spurs – and this caused considerable irritation among other clubs and their supporters.
Who is the most successful club in the Premier League history? ›
- Liverpool - 68 trophies.
- Manchester United - 67 trophies.
- Arsenal - 48 trophies.
- Chelsea - 34 trophies.
- Manchester City - 32 trophies.
- Tottenham Hotspur - 26 trophies.
- Aston Villa - 25 trophies.
- Everton – 24 trophies.
The English Football League are ready to ditch the 3pm rule as they prepare to negotiate their next TV rights deal from the 2024-25 season onwards. But Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has ruled out any change to the status quo when it comes to England's top-flight.
What is 3pm blackout rule? ›UEFA Article 48 states that no Premier League, Football League or domestic cup matches can be broadcast on a Saturday afternoon between 2.45pm and 5.15pm, meaning a host of domestic games are not available to watch in the UK.
What is the blackout rule in the UK? ›Currently, Scotland, England and Montenegro are the only three members who adhere to what is now known as 'the 3pm blackout rule'. This effectively means no live matches are televised between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.
What is the new football league going to be called? ›The United States Football League (USFL) is a professional American football minor league that began play on April 16, 2022.
What is the new football league called? ›The United States Football League (USFL) is a professional American football league that began play on April 16, 2022. The inaugural 2022 season is being played in its entirety in Birmingham, Alabama.
What is the name of the new football league starting in February? ›The XFL is the latest attempt at a spring-league start-up and will play its first full season in the spring of 2023. The league features eight teams that will play a 10-week regular season and three-week, three-game postseason to determine a champion.
How can I watch all 380 Premier League games? ›NBC has got you covered; you can watch all 380 Premier League games across NBC, NBCSports.com, USA Network, and Peacock. NBC took over Premier League broadcasts in the U.S. from Fox back in the 2013-2014 season.
Which Premier League games are not televised? ›Premier League games that kick off at 3pm on a Saturday are not on TV because of a British law that dates back 60 years that states no live matches can be shown between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday – known as the Saturday 3pm blackout rule.
Does Amazon Prime show Premier League games? ›Live football on Amazon Prime Video includes 20 exclusively live Premier League matches. Amazon Prime football fixtures include all 10 Premier League games from the early December midweek matchweek and the Boxing Day matchweek.
Why is there no half 12 kick off? ›
“The usual Saturday 12:30 BST UK live broadcast slot has been avoided so as not to clash with the King's Coronation. “A later kick-off is not possible due to police resourcing.”
Is Premier League on a break? ›The start of the new Premier League season is one week earlier than the 2021/22 campaign started, and means teams will have an 11-week break between the seasons. However, the Premier League will halt in the middle of the season to accommodate a winter World Cup for the first time.
Why is there a break in Premier League games? ›Last campaign was the most gruelling ever, with hundreds of domestic matches squeezed in around the 2022 World Cup. The Premier League took a month-long break between mid-November and Boxing Day to factor in the Qatar tournament.
Who is most likely to win the Premier League next season? ›Manchester City - 4/6
Man City have now won five of the last six Premier League titles following their success last season. For the 2023/2024 season, Manchester City have once again been priced up as the odds-on favourites at 4/6.
| Rank | Club | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Manchester City | 101 |
| 2. | Chelsea | 81 |
| 3. | Liverpool | 78 |
| 4. | Bournemouth | 77 |
In each of the last six seasons, 1-1 has been the most common scoreline. But this season so far, a 1-0 home win beats it. And you can see why: Southampton, Everton, Forest and Wolves have won 25 league games between them – 16 of those wins have been 1-0.
Who has the biggest squad in the Premiership? ›Despite Chelsea's vast spending in recent months, Manchester City still have the most valuable squad in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's side also have the most valuable player in the Premier League as Erling Haaland, who has already scored 33 goals in his debut season, has a market value of €170m.
Who are the Big Six Premier League? ›Premier League Big Six's seasons so far: How it started, how it's going for Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United and Tottenham.
Who owns the Premier League? ›The Premier League is a private company wholly owned by its 20 Member Clubs who make up the League at any one time. Each individual club is independent, working within the rules of football, as defined by the Premier League, The FA, UEFA and FIFA, as well as being subject to English and European law.
Who is getting relegated from the Premier League 2023? ›At the end of the 2022/23 EPL season, the clubs relegated were Leicester City (18th), Leeds United (19th) and Southampton (20th).
Who is the leader of Premier League? ›
Richard Masters is the current Chief Executive of the Premier League, the highest tier of association football in England.
How much money do teams get for promotion to Premier League? ›How much will the winners get for being promoted to the Premier League? Ahead of the 2020 Championship play-off final, Deloitte reported that the victorious club could earn anywhere between £135m and £265m, depending on whether or not they could avoid immediate relegation from the Premier League.
Who is most likely to win the Premier League 2023? ›- Manchester City @ 8/15.
- Liverpool @ 9/1.
- Arsenal @ 9/1.
- Manchester United @ 10/1.
- Newcastle @ 12/1.
- Chelsea @ 14/1.
- 50/1 bar.
1. Manchester City (Valuation) - €1.05 billion. The richest club in England, topping the list with a massive €1.05 billion valuation is Manchester City.
Who is being relegated from the Premier League? ›Leicester City and Leeds United have been relegated from the Premier League as Everton survived on a dramatic final day. The Toffees secured safety with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth at Goodison Park.
Can a losing team player be the man of the match? ›In team sport, a player of the match or man of the match or woman of the match award is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chosen from the winning team.
Who is the biggest team to not play in Premier League? ›1. Preston North End. Preston North End were the first team to win a league title in 1888-89 and they went back-to-back the next season. Unfortunately they're the only club to have won the top flight of English football and have never played in the Premier League.
Can a losing team player won man of the match in football? ›Yes. It's an individual award, and while usually the winner is from the winning team, there is nothing to say that a player on the other side cannot win it. If you ever see a game where the score is 5–0 and the losing keeper wins the award, you know that was a strong performance!
What is Sunday vs Saturday league? ›So, what is the difference between Saturday league and Sunday league football? Saturday leagues are, in theory, more competitive and of a higher standard than Sunday leagues. However, the gap between leagues varies depending on the county that organises them.
What are the Premier League fixtures tomorrow? ›There are no matches tomorrow for Premier League Football.
Why is the Premier League not on TV this weekend? ›
The blackout idea was put forward by the-then Burnley chairman Bob Lord, who lobbied support from his fellow Football League chairmen for the notion that allowing televised matches on a Saturday afternoon would negatively impact attendances, and thus reduce clubs' income.
Can Arsenal still win the Premier League? ›Should Arsenal win their last two games of the season, they would then require City to lose all their remaining games against Chelsea, Brighton, and Brentford. Another way the Gunners can win the title after emerging victorious in their two games is if City loses two and draws one of their remaining matches.
Can Sunday league teams play in the FA Cup? ›The FA Cup is open to any team that plays in the English football league system, including teams from the Premier League, the Football League, and the National League. The competition begins with the qualifying rounds, in which non-league teams compete for a place in the first-round proper.
Can a Sunday league team get promoted? ›The English football league system does not include the amateur version of the game often called Sunday league football. These leagues are independent entities with no promotion or relegation involving the football pyramid.
Does Sunday league cost money? ›As with the initial registration, joining this league will come with a registration fee, however this will be an annual payment. Again, the cost of this will vary, but you can expect to pay around £80 - £100 each year.
What is the biggest loss in Premier League history? ›Middlesbrough 8-1 Manchester City- 2008
Manchester City is one of the most ruthless teams in the world at the moment. When they are on song, they are never short of goals. However, 12 years ago, this was not the case. Unexpectedly, they have suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in Premier League history.
This is a summary of the highest scoring matches and biggest winning margins in the Premier League since its establishment in the 1992–93 season. The record score for the biggest win is 9–0, which has happened on four occasions.