Premier League Week 1 Preview: Retooled Liverpool Lifts Curtain On New Premier League Season

The Premier League begins its 34th season on Friday with defending champion Liverpool playing host to Bournemouth. The Reds refused to rest on their laurels this offseason, investing heavily in a squad which won the Premier League championship in Manager Arne Slot’s first season. Liverpool first broke the bank with its acquisition of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder was acquired for a Premier League record transfer fee, surpassing that which Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023. Next on the Liverpool shopping list was highly sought French forward Hugo Entitike. Defensively, the Reds added full backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. The cost for all of Liverpool’s signings this summer is more than ten times what the club spent in last summer’s window preceding Slot’s first season with the club.

The new players made a good first impression  this past Sunday in The Community Shield versus Crystal Palace when Wirtz assisted a goal by Ekitike and Frimpong scored Liverpool’s second goal of the match.

Helping to finance Liverpool’s shopping spree of course has been the departure of players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz. The revolving door at Anfield may also see a few more turns which will likely include the departure of forward Darwin Nunez. Perhaps the biggest deal of the summer, however, would be a controversial poaching of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, the prospect of which continues to dominate headlines. Newcastle has so far refused to sell while their wantaway Swedish striker has stridently demanded a move to Liverpool and is currently not training with the Magpies. Even without Isak, Liverpool should again be a juggernaut in attack. Leading Premier league goal and assist leader Mohamed Salah leads a line which now includes Ekitike, a 15-goal scorer in his breakout 2024/25 season for Eintracht Frankfurt. Wirtz, meanwhile, added 10 goals and 12 assists in Bundesliga play. Wirtz and fullback Frimpong also have the versatility to play as wingers in line with Slot’s vision of a fluid squad with dynamic players able to interchange positions and roles.

The retooled Reds face Bournemouth on Friday with the Cherries also undergoing renovations from last season, in their case largely on the back line. Defender Dean Huijsen will now be earning his wages at Real Madrid while his partner last season at center back, Ukrainian Illia Zabarnyi, has signed with Champions League titlist PSG. Left back Milos Kerkez, another budding star at just 21 years old, will now play for Liverpool, the Cherries’ Friday opponent. Bournemouth has begun the painful process of rebuilding its defense with the signing of Lille center back Bafode Diakite.

Like Liverpool, both Arsenal and Manchester United have focused their transfer efforts on improving in the attacking end. The two meet at Old Trafford on Sunday to find out how successful those efforts have been. The bar for Manchester United in particular is exceptionally lower than that of league champion Liverpool. The Red Devils scored 42 fewer goals than their historic rivals last season. To remedy that sad state of affairs, Manager Ruben Amorim and the club’s ownership have aggressively moved to reshape the attack in the manager’s preferred style of play. The tip of the spear is Benjamin Sesko, the RB Leipzig striker signed this past week. Amorim earlier found the two Number 10 cogs for his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo who bring impressive Premier League resumes from Wolverhampton and Brentford, respectively. The new and improved Manchester United front line will debut at home Sunday against an Arsenal side which hopes to have solved a striker problem which many believe was the Achilles heel which made the club a bridesmaid in the Premier Leage for the last three consecutive seasons. The Gunners beat a host of other suitors this summer to the signature of Viktor Gyokeres. The Swedish striker found the net 97 times in 102 appearances across all competitions for Portuguese side Sporting CP over the last two seasons. The Gunners also acquired winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea and talks reportedly continue for Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze. There has even been rumor that the Gunners may have interest in Real Madrid winger Rodrygo. A healthy Kai Havertz also returns after a season curtailed by a hamstring tear. Gyokeres and Havertz both scored in Arsenal’s recent tune-up friendly versus Athletic Club.

With Alexander Isak out of the line-up, Newcastle will likely need to start William Osula at striker when the Magpies meet Aston Villa on Saturday. The Danish youngster was signed last summer by Newcastle after short tours with Sheffield United and Derby County. Newcastle could also use some freshening in its midfield and Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey is a reported target. Financial rules compliance has forced Villa to consider the sale of key players such as Ramsey, forward Ollie Watkins, defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara and goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Villa supporters nervously await that game of musical chairs to be completed.

Brighton, meanwhile, could be closing in on another financial windfall consistent with their history of developing and selling on players. Midfielder Carlos Baleba is coveted by Manchester United with Brighton holding out for a major fee. The 21-year-old defensive midfielder has proved a worthy successor at Brighton to Moises Caicedo who was sold for a record-breaking fee to Chelsea. The Seagulls will open at home on Saturday versus Fulham. Cottager supporters are unhappy with a transfer window which has delivered just one signing for the Cottagers, goaltender Benjamin Lecomte who played nary a minute as the backup for Atletico Madrid last season. Fulham risks not only a slide down the table but also the possible loss of respected manager Marco Silva if ownership focuses more on stadium than roster construction. The Kahn family recently invested heavily in a new Riverside stand at Craven Cottage.

Chelsea supporters, on the other hand, often hold their heads in witness to the seemingly crazed nature of the myriad signings by the club. A strong Premier League finish topped by this summer’s Club World Cup trophy, however, has bought around some of the club’s doubters. This summer’s acquisition of forwards Joao Pedro and Liam Delap strengthens a position where the club has long been frustrated with Nicolas Jackson’s inaccuracy in front of goal and lack of discipline across the pitch. With Pedro and Delap available to lead the line, Jackson could be the odd man out. The Senegalese striker will be sitting out Chelsea’s London derby versus Crystal Palace on Sunday due to an overhanging suspension from last season. Crystal Palace visits Stamford Bridge after securing another trophy in a penalty kick victory over Liverpool in last Sunday’s Community Shield. Following on May’s FA Cup win over Manchester City, the Eagles have claimed their first pieces of domestic silverware over the last two champions of the Premier League. Manager Oliver Glasner is rightfully being acclaimed as one of the better managers in the league after leading the Eagles to unprecedented heights.

Sadly for the Eagles, however, their appeal to retain their Europa League place for this season has been denied. Nottingham Forest will inherit that spot from the Eagles who were prohibited from the competition due to multi-club ownership rules. The Tricky Trees, who open at Brentford on Sunday, were successful in keeping Morgan Gibbs-White from the clutches of Tottenham Hotspur and the attacking midfielder has signed a new three-year contract with Forest. Anthony Elanga, however, has moved on and the Tricky Trees have not been aggressive in seeking reinforcement this offseason. That could be problematic for a squad which became fatigued in the late stages of last season and must now juggle European competition as well. Brentford, meanwhile, has been ravaged by a difficult offseason marked by the departure of Manager Thomas Frank and leading scorer Bryan Mbeumo. Forward Yoane Wissa is also a possible loss before this window closes for the beleaguered Bees.

Frank and Tottenham Hotspur will have a quick turnaround from their loss in penalty kicks to PSG in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup. Spurs will host newly promoted Burnley on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Burnley Manager Scott Parker, with an admittedly less than pristine resume, needs be recognized for guiding three different clubs to promotion form the Championship to the Premier League. His problem has been keeping those clubs up.

Daniel Farke has similarly experienced Premier League promotion and relegation before. Farke, the former Norwich manager, now helms newly promoted Leeds, which will host Everton on Monday. The visiting Toffees became a more interesting watch this week when Jack Grealish was acquired on loan from Manchester City. The former Aston Villa icon and English international had become a forgotten man at Manchester City in recent years and will try to resurrect his career on Merseyside this season.

Manchester City visits Wolverhampton on Saturday as Manager Pep Guardiola tries to right the ship after a disappointing 2024/25 season. A third-place finish in the league ended a four-year run of consecutive titles and marked only the second time in eight years that Manchester City has not won the league. A loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final put an exclamation point on a frustrating season which resulted in no trophies for Guardiola for the first time since his maiden 2016/17 season in Manchester. City has added midfielders Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki to the fold this summer but the renovations have surprisingly fallen short of the investments by other title contenders, surprising for the notoriously big spending club. Wolves have also invested little this summer and must overcome the losses of Matheus Cunha and Ait-Nouri. Manager Vitor Pereira seemed to inspire Wolves last season to a level beyond what their talent would indicate. Replicating that will now be more difficult for the manager with many predicting Wolves are headed for a relegation fight.

One of the clubs who could be battling Wolves for survival is newly promoted Sunderland. The Black Cats return to the big stage after eight years in the wilderness, a torturous period of multiple relegations and failed promotions that was the subject of Netflix documentaries. The Stadium of Light is now once more home to Premier League football and Wearside supporters fervently hope it stays that way. The Black Cats have been active in the transfer market to help their survival hopes. Among the new players is Granit Xhaka, the former Arsenal captain who returns to the Premier League after having won a Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen two seasons ago. Xhaka is joined by 21-year-old Senegalese midfielder Habib Diarra, signed this summer from Strasbourg for a Sunderland club record fee. Bolstering the Black Cat defense is former West Ham left back Arthur Masuaku. The Black Cats make their return to the Premier League at home versus West Ham on Saturday. Hammer Manager Graham Potter is already in the hot seat after a miserable debut with the club last season. Potter took over in January from beleaguered Julen Lopetegui and was unable to positively impact the club, winning but five of 19 matches as the Hammers sank to 14th in the Premier League table. Potter has received little help in this summer’s transfer market. West Ham is gambling that Callum Wilson, last of Newcastle, can take some of the scoring load off Jarrod Bowen. That is unlikely, witnessed by last season’s injury plagued campaign which saw Wilson fail to score in his 18 Premier League appearances.

Double Blow For Tottenham Hotspur

Things just got a lot more difficult for new Tottenham Hotspur Manager Thomas Frank. The former Brentford manager has inherited a tricky situation in north London. Much has been made about the club’s Europa League trophy, a significant achievement for a silverware starved club. However, that title was won over a tournament field weakened by an expanded Champions League. A flawed Spurs club recognized the opportunity presented by a diluted field and put all its focus on being the tallest of midgets in a second-rate competition.

Thomas Frank

The strategy succeeded when Tottenham Hotspur were able to dispatch Manchester United 1-0 in a sad tournament final in which the title winners had only one shot on target and 26% of possession. Spurs fans were understandably thrilled with their first silverware in 17 years, but the truth of the matter was that the 17th place Premier League side merely upset a historically bad Manchester United side which was 15th in the Premier League table. Thomas Frank takes over a title winner but also is now in charge of a club who, at the same time, lost more Premier League matches last season than any club but for those relegated from the league. Spurs Premier League season was historically embarrassing for the Europa winners. No club ever before has lost 22 times in a 38 match Premier League season and not been relegated.

Premier League infamy outweighed the European success in the mind of Spurs Chaiman Daniel Levy who made Ange Postecoglou the 15th Tottenham Hotspur manager to be sacked by Levy. Thomas Frank was hired as the new man on the touchline. The Danish Manager, who maser minded Brentford’s promotion to the Premier League six years ago, led the Bees to a top half finish in 2024/25, 18 points above his new and more storied club. Despite his success at Brentford, Frank recognized at the time of his appointment that “There’s much more pressure at Tottenham Hotspur than at Brentford.” Testament to that is the fact that none of Spurs’ last three permanent managers have lasted more than two seasons at the helm.

Now, before this new season even starts, Frank’s chances for success have received two hammer blows. Club icon Son Heung-min is taking his talents to Los Angeles FC in America’s MLS league. The Korean international battled injuries last season when he failed to score in double digits for the first time since his initial Premier League season ten years ago. Son leaves the club with the most appearances in club history and 173 goals across all competitions. An indispensable wing man to Harry Kane for many of his years at Spurs, Son enjoyed a breakout 2021/22 season when he scored 23 Premier League goals, joining Mohamed Salh as joint Premier Lague Golden Boot winner. The 33-year-old Korean international will now embark on a retirement tour from a Los Angles base that includes the most South Korean residents of any city outside of South Korea itself. The announcement of Son’s departure coincided with Spurs’ Asian preseason tour, facilitating an emotional celebration in Seoul.

The newly arrived Frank, however, soon had even less to celebrate when James Maddison went down with what is believed to be a serious knee injury in that same game in Seoul versus Newcastle. Last week’s non-contact injury is to the same knee which ended Maddison’s 2024/25 season. His appearance versus Newcastle was his first since that May injury and it now appears that Manager Frank will be starting the season without the midfielder who scored nine goals and provided seven assists last season. Without Maddison, Spurs lacks creativity in its midfield with attacking options also limited by the continuing absence of Dejan Kulusevski who is still recovering from his own May knee injury.

The failed attempt to acquire Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest earlier this transfer window thus looms larger for Tottenham Hotspur. Of partial consolation is the July purchase of Mohammed Kusus from West Ham. The Ghanian attacking midfielder is recognized as an elite dribbler whose decision making and inconsistency can hopefully improve under Thomas Frank’s tutelage.

Meanwhile, another incoming transfer this window has seen Tottenham Hotspur at least partially address another gaping problem from last season. Only Wolverhampton conceded more goals than Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs that return to the Premier League this season. A big part of that issue was the absence of a defensive midfield presence; a flaw being addressed by a loan deal for Joao Palhinha. The former Fulham defensive midfielder had a difficult transition to Bayern Munch last season and now returns to the Premier League on loan to Spurs. The hope is that Palhinha can anchor things in back and help Frank install more discipline to a club which was often wide-open playing “Ange Ball” the last two seasons. The loss of Son and Maddison from the lineup only heightens the need for that defensive improvement.

Howe Bad Can It Get For Newcastle?

Eddie Howe

A disturbing summer for Newcastle is nearing catastrophe as Alexander Isak has reportedly agreed personal terms with Liverpool, risking a departure which could prove devastating for the Magpies. Isak was the Premier League’s second highest goal scorer behind Mohamed Salah last season when the Swedish striker found the net 23 times in league play. Replacing more than a third of the club’s goal production from last season would be problematic under any circumstances but Newcastle already seems to be struggling in this summer’s window. Winger Anthony Elanga, who scored six league goals for Nottingham Forest last season, has been the only noteworthy attacker added to date while pursuits of higher profile targets such as Hugo Etitike, Bryan Mbeumo and Joao Pedro have failed.

The intent heading into the summer was clearly to complement Isak’s quality up front. Callum Wilson was a non-factor last season, scoring just a single league goal, and has now departed after a five-year, injury plagued run on Tyneside. Should Isak leave, the club could be looking for two replacements up front in a market which has largely been picked over already.

An unstable management situation does not provide a lot of optimism. The club is operating this summer without a permanent sporting director after Paul Mitchell left at the end of June after less than one year in his position. Mitchell had filled a sporting director vacancy created when predecessor Dan Ashworth was put on “gardening leave” prior to a messy departure to Manchester United. In addition to Mitchell’s departure, CEO Darren Eales, who joined the club in 2022, has also announced he will be stepping down to deal with personal health issues. Recruitment, meanwhile, is currently in the hands of former Mitchell subordinates Steve Nickson and Andy Howe, the nephew of Manager Eddie Howe. Family ties have not prevented Manager Howe from being understandably vocal on the lack of success in this summer’s market.

The Toon Army is unhappy as well with supporters even calling for the return of former owner Amanda Stavely. The English businesswoman was a key driver of the 2021 purchase of the club from former owner Mike Ashly to a consortium dominated by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. Staveley fronted that takeover and was actively involved in transfer negotiations and importantly developed personal relationships with some of the key stars, including Isak. Purportedly, Stavely had spoken with Isak on a new contract before she and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi shockingly divested their ownership interest in the club and departed a year ago. Mitchell subsequently halted any talk of a new contract for Isak due to Profit and Sustainability concerns. Bad feelings ensued. Isak wants to play for big trophies and is probably a bit disillusioned with the top-level changes at the club and a perceived lack of vision.

Newcastle’s most important player is currently training on his own in Spain at his former club Real Sociedad while his teammates are on tour in Asia. Newcastle, for its part, remains adamant that Isak, with three years left on his current contract, is not for sale. An unhappy star, however, can be fatal to a club’s morale and performance and everyone has a price.

Liverpool’s first bid for the player was rejected this week. It is likely not the last bid from the recently free spending Reds and other suitors may well come to the fore now that the schism between Newcastle and its star is known. There has been rumored interest already from Saudi Arabia though Isak reportedly prefers the chance to compete for major European trophies. While claiming publicly that it will not sell Isak, the club has no choice but to explore other options. Benjamin Sesko, the RB Leipzig striker who has recently been linked with a Manchester United move, is one possibility. Brentford’s Yoanne Wissa is another name.

Trying to hold it all together now for the Magpies is Manager Eddie Howe. The former Bournemouth manager did a masterful job of turning things around last season when the club stumbled from the gate in league play and players were unnerved by the Stavely exit. The Magpies recovered in magnificent fashion to capture fourth place and a Champions League invitation. Even more exhilarating for the Toon Army was winning the Carabao Cup, capturing Newcastle’s first domestic cup in 70 years. Howe can now use some help bolstering his squad to contend with the demands of both Premier League and Champions League competition this season. The last thing he needs is the loss of 23 goals from last season’s Premier League roster as the Magpies prepare for their August 16th league opener at Aston Villa.

Transfer Update – The Search For Goal Scorers

The top Premier League clubs are once again scouring the globe for players who can find the net and enhance their club’s title chances. One of the more coveted goal scorers in this summer’s window came off the board this week and the winner is…last season’s Premier League champion and top goalscoring team, Liverpool.

Frenchman Hugo Ekitike, a twenty-three-year-old forward who scored 22 goals, adding 12 assists, across 48 matches for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, bolsters a front line for Liverpool which was rocked by the tragic death of Diogo Jota earlier this summer and could still see the departures of forwards Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz before the window closes. Ekitike boasts size and pace similar to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, who was the Premier League’s second leading scorer and was also a rumored target to become the Reds’ latest center forward. The champions have been active this summer with a total outlay for acquired players, including incentive add-ons, exceeding $250M. Ekitike joins former Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz as the featured offensive threats in this summer’s haul for the Reds. Liverpool beat German power Bayern Munich to Wirtz’s signature after a meeting with Arne Slot convinced the young midfielder of a prominent role in the Reds’ attack next season. Liverpool was also in a battle with other clubs for Ekitike’s signature.

An interesting dynamic arose with fellow Premier League side Newcastle which was chasing the French forward even as Liverpool was making overtures regarding Isak. In the end, Newcastle was unable to meet the financial demands of Eintracht Frankfurt and Ekitike. The Magpies, trying to strengthen a roster which will compete in the Champions League this season, also fell short in races with Chelsea for Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. To make matters worse, Isak was reportedly hot for a Liverpool move and is now a bit sulky as the Magpies, who have also said goodbye to striker Callum Wilson, begin preparations for the upcoming season.

Another, perhaps even more coveted goal scorer appears on the verge of signing after a dramatic battle between Premier League suitors. Viktor Gyokeres, a Swedish international who scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP, appears poised to undergo his medical tbs week for a move to Premier League runner up Arsenal. The runner up in the Gyokeres sweepstakes is Manchester United, which was still bidding on the striker mere days ago. Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta will breathe easier once Gyokeres is on board and fills a blatant hole at the point of the Gunner attack which may well have accounted for failed title chases in each of the past two seasons.

Manchester United was also a late entrant to the Ekitike chase, reportedly mounting a competing bid to the winning Liverpool proposal after Newcastle bowed out of the pricey pursuit. Despite missing on both Gyokeres and Ekitike, the Red Devils have completed other moves to rework their dismal attack. The Red Devils signed two of the top eight Premier League goal scorers last season in Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Wolverhampton’s Matheus Cunha. Mbeumo enjoyed a breakout season with 20 league goals last season for the Bees. Cunha found the net 15 times for Wolves, leading his club in chances and shots created. The two players inject exciting possibilities into the stagnant front line of a club which Manager Ruben Amorim freely admits was the worst in Manchester United history. Departing from that dreary group of last season will be Marcus Rashford who is close to a loan deal with Barcelona and Alejandro Garnacho whose destination is unknown but for the fact there is no place for him in Amorim’s line-up. Failed striker Rasmus Hojlund may also be on the move if a suitor can be found for a striker who scored but four goals last season. Jadon Sancho, meanwhile, has been connected with a move to Juventus after a failed loan stint with Chelsea last season. Manchester United can use the money from offloading these players to further improve an attack so feeble last season that only Everton and the three relegated sides scored fewer goals. RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko could be part of those plans. He was among the top names expected to move this transfer window but, somewhat surprisingly, rumors had quieted until the past few days when Manchester United interest was reported. Sesko bagged 21 goals across all competitions for the German squad last season.

Another striker rumored to be a possibility for the Red Devils is Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson who has bedeviled the Blues with inconsistency and lack of discipline. The Club World Cup winners could now find the Senegal international expendable after adding Liam Delap and Joao Pedro this offseason as key men to play alongside franchise player Cole Palmer to keep the goals flowing for the Blues. A change of address could be just the thing for Jackson who could still have untapped potential at the age of 24 after scoring 30 goals since his arrival in England from Villareal in 2023.

Chelsea Are World Champions

Chelsea upset reigning Champions League titlist PSG 3-0 in the Club World Cup on Sunday as Cole Palmer put on a dazzling display, PSG Manager Luis Enrique lost his mind and American President Donald Trump awkwardly inserted himself in Chelsea’s trophy lift.

Palmer scored twice and assisted on Joao Pedro’s backbreaking third goal to give Chelsea its three-goal advantage before halftime. Many thought underdog Chelsea would need to sit back and cautiously defend against the French champions. Chelsea Manger Enzo Maresca never bought into that idea in pre match comments, however, and unleashed his attackers from the onset. Rather than sit back, Chelsea pressed their opponent high on the pitch from the opening whistle, quickly fatiguing the French side in the searing heat at Met Life Stadium. PSG turnovers would lead to counterattacks where Chelsea sought to overload a vulnerable left side of PSG’s defense. Newly acquired Chelsea forward Joao Pedro drifted from the center of the field to combine with Palmer on the right flank and give PSG fits.

Palmer has looked comfortable in this tournament on the right wing where he first found success in the 2023/24 season whereas this past season saw him struggle at times in a more central Number 10 role. He was at the top of his game on Sunday putting Chelsea ahead by two goals before 30 minutes had expired with two almost identical strikes past PSG goaltender Gianluigi Donnarumma. The English phenom would then assist new teammate Joao Pedro just before halftime to essentially put the match to bed.

A tired PSG had no answers and became increasingly truculent in the heat and frustration of a scoreless second half. Joao Neves was tossed in the 83rd minute for pulling the hair of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella. Joao Pedro was another target for PSG’s petulance, perhaps tracing to his exuberant celebration after his first half goal that spelled doom for the Parisians. Following the match, the Brazilian was at the center of a scuffle where the defeated PSG players and their manager decided to humiliate themselves even further. PSG defender Achraf Hakimi and towering goalkeeper Donnarumma seemed to initiate the verbal sparring with Chelsea’s new addition post-match. Manager Enrique then made a fool of himself by physically assaulting the opposing player, an action that could earn him a FIFA imposed suspension.

No one would have predicted Chelsea to have inflicted such pain on a Champions League winner which had conceded only one goal across its first six matches of this Club World Cup. It was a tough pill for PSG to swallow on Sunday but euphoria for Chelsea and its supporters. One new supporter, however, was not entirely welcome. US President Donald Trump awarded the medals and trophy to the winners and then seemed unwilling to leave the center of the trophy lift celebration. FIFA President Gianni Infantino finally escorted Trump away as Chelsea captain Reese James and Cole Palmer looked on confusedly before finally letting loose with their well-earned exultations.

This championship will only stoke the growing expectations of Chelsea supporters who will see their club as a Premier League title contender next season. Chelsea won five of their last six Premier League matches this past season to earn fourth place in the table and a Champions League berth. A European Conference League title followed just days after the Premier League ended. That momentum continued into this tournament with the Blues now having  won 14 of their past 16 matches. Recent transfers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap already look to be smart acquisitions. Jamie Gittens, another new signing from Borussia Dortmund, awaits his new teammates back in England. Estevao Willian, an 18-year-old referred to as “Little Messi,” scored against Chelsea in a Palmeiras jersey this tournament but will be donning Chelsea blue for this upcoming Premier League season. Andrey Santos, a substitute in Sunday’s title match, has returned from a successful loan at Strasbourg and is expected to be in the squad next season.

The influx of talent will, of course, require some outgoings. Perhaps the most significant departure is the in-process transfer of winger Noni Madueke to Arsenal. Madueke is expected to undergo his medical this week. Chelsea also has an “island of lost toys” who are not in Manager Maresca’s plan. That group would include Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix. Benfica is purportedly interested in Félix.

One individual performance on Sunday could give pause to a widely expected piece of Chelsea’s transfer strategy. Much maligned goalkeeper Robert Sanchez impressed Sunday with his six saves. The former Brighton keeper has been under fire from the moment he joined Chelsea, and he has fanned those flames with some poor decision making and critical mistakes. Sanchez was benched at one point his past season for Filip Jorgensen. Just this past week, Chelsea was rumored to be considering a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Sanchez, however, once again proved himself a solid shot stopper on Sunday and made none of the mistakes that have angered Chelsea supporters in the past.

There will be mixed opinions as to whether World Champion Chelsea can win the Premier League with their present goalkeeping.

Chelsea To Face Familiar Face in Club World Cup Semifinal

The assumption was that Premier League fans had seen the last of Thiago Silva when he left Chelsea to return to Brazil this past season. The now 40-year-old defender stepped away from European football after four years at Chelsea and a lengthy and distinguished career in Europe which included Serie A, Ligue 1 and Champions League titles. He returned to Fluminense, a club he once played for at the age of 21. A quiet retirement tour, however, has been interrupted by a run in the Club World Cup which will see Silva lined up against Chelsea in Tuesday’s semifinal.

The Brazilian club’s advancement from a weak group was not a major surprise. In their first knockout game however, they toppled Champions League finalist Inter Milan. In the next match, they defeated the man that led Inter Milan to that final, the Brazilians triumphing over Simone Inzaghi and his new club, Al-Hilal. Al-Hilal was the underdog story after the Saudi side defeated Manchester City in their Round of 16 matchup. Fluminense prevailed in a tense 2-1 matchup, however, which saw Silva battling, quite testily at times, with former Chelsea teammate Kalidou Koulibaly.

Center back Silva has been a stable force in front of 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio. Not all Fluminense’s key players are senior citizens, however. Twenty-four-year-old Hercules has been a strong performer with goals against both Inter Milan and Al-Hilal, his 70th minute strike in the quarterfinal proving the winner against the Saudi Arabian side and putting the Brazilians into the semifinal. Their Premier League opponent in that semifinal was drilled by Fluminense’s Brazilian archrival Flamengo in group play, needed extra time before knocking out Benfica with a flurry of late goals and then nervily got by Palmeiras, yet another Brazilian side, 2-1 on an 83rd minute own goal. This last victory was noteworthy on two fronts. Cole Palmer scored to break an eight-game scoring drought for club and country.

Meanwhile, the scorer of the Palmeiras goal, Estevao, will now join Palmer and his mates in London. Chelsea signed the then 17-year-old winger in May of 2024 with the understanding that he would play one final season for Palmeiras. Chelsea secured his signing despite the interest of many of the major European giants who were interested in a young man referred to as “Messinho” or “Little Messi.” Against Chelsea on Saturday, the Brazilian would alternately orchestrate the Palmeiras attack from a central midfield position and then harry his future employers with attacks down the right wing. His initial time at Chelsea is likely to be on the wing and that has surely fueled the rumors that Noni Madueke could be leaving Chelsea, potentially to join London rival Arsenal.

Estevao’s three player of the match acclimations during his now concluded Club World Cup run inspire optimism but only time will tell if his potential translates to the English game. Chelsea will be without Liam Delap and Levi Colwell for the Fluminense matchup due to suspension. If the Blues advance on Tuesday, they are guaranteed to face another European power in the July 13th final as Wednesday’s other semifinal match  features heavyweights PSG and Real Madrid. 

Chelsea Carries Premier League Hopes In Club World Cup

Chelsea is the last Premier League side to remain in this summer’s Club World Cup. The London squad advanced to the quarterfinals when the Blues defeated Benfica last Saturday in a match which took almost five hours to complete. Chelsea, courtesy of a Reese James goal, was leading 1-0 in the 86th minute when warnings of a lightning storm caused the pitch to be cleared. Two hours later, the match resumed. It then seemed Chelsea would put this one to bed with ease after the Portuguese side went down to 10 men two minutes into stoppage time. Unfortunately for the Blues, however, more work was required after a Malo Gusto handball. Angel di Maria equalized the score with his penalty kick just three minutes after teammate Gianluca Prestianni was dismissed with his second booking. The 37-year-old Di Maria, who counts Manchester United as one of his seven career stops and won a Champions League with Real Madrid, is returning to his boyhood club Rosario following this tournament to end his career where it all began. Di Maria’s final goal for Benfica necessitated extra time to end a long day for Chelsea in Charlotte, North Carolina. Benfica would have hoped to hang on for penalties, but Chelsea overwhelmed the undermanned and tiring Portuguese side with a trifecta of goals in the second interval of extra time to win 4-1. Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kieran Dewsbury-Hall provided the goals in a nine-minute blitzkrieg for the Blues.

Chelsea now faces Brazilian side Palmeiras in the quarterfinals on Friday. Another weapon could be available for that match in the form of former Brighton star Joao Pedro. The Brazilian forward was signed this week by Chelsea, has already been added to the tournament roster, and is physically present in the United States. Should Chelsea win on Friday, their semifinal matchup will be the winner of the Al-Hilal versus Fluminense match. Al-Hilal knocked a heavyweight from Chelsea’s path when the Saudi Arabians defeated Premier League power Manchester City in a battle of oil financed clubs in the Round of 16. Al-Hilal is principally owned by the Sudi Arabian Public Investment Fund while Manchester City is majority owned by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Twenty-two-year-old Marcus Leonardo scored two goals, including an extra time winner, to give the Saudi club an exciting 4-3 victory over star studded Manchester City on Monday. Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden found the net in City’s losing effort.

The Saudi side, however, is not without its own familiar Premier League names. Joao Cancelo, a former Manchester City player who had a difficult relationship with Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola, assisted on Al-Hilal’s second goal. Former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly scored to give Al Hilal a 3-2 lead before an equalizing goal by Foden. Reuben Neves, who plied his trade for six seasons at Wolverhampton, then assisted on Leonardo’s winner. The Saudi Arabia club, which also raised eyebrows earlier in the tournament with a draw against Real Madrid, is also helmed by a manager who is well familiar with a big stage. Italian manager Simone Inzaghi joined Al-Hilal just days before the Club World Cup began, shortly after leading Inter Milan to the Champions League final for the second time in three years. Inzaghi and Al-Hilal will face Fluminense in Friday’s other  quarterfinal.

Saturday, meanwhile, features a marquee matchup between PSG and Bayern Munich followed by a battle between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. FIFA officials will be hoping weather cooperates for the quarterfinal contests. Six different matches have been suspended to date due to adverse weather, led by Chelsea’s delay which Manager Enzo Maresca termed a “joke.” The tournament has also been plagued by intense heat which has many questioning the wisdom of playing next summer’s World Cup in North America.

Best of Times, Worst of Times for Crystal Palace

All but Manchester City supporters will have greatly applauded the Crystal Palace victory over the Citizens in the FA Cup final, technically securing a spot in Europe next year with a David like performance over Goliath Manchester City in front of a supportive crowd at Wembley just over a month ago. Rather than hoisting silverware, the South London side has usually been more recognizable for its loyal and exceedingly loud fan base, its catchy “Glad All Over” anthem, the only cheerleaders in the Premier League, and the iconic Eagle which both circles Selhurst Park before matches and adorns the club’s badge.

The FA title  was the first major trophy in Crystal Palace’s long and largely mediocre existence. The club’s history dates to as early as 1861 though its formal professional beginning started in the shadows of the Crystal Palace exhibition building in 1905. Since then, there has been little notable success even though the Eagles have managed to tread water in the middle of the Premier League table for the past 12 seasons. There was concern just three years ago that relegation might come calling after the departure of iconic star Wilfred Zaha. Instead, the club’s excellent scouting and development has developed a crop of young stars which, under the guidance of Manager Oliver Glasner, delivered that first trophy.

With success and attention comes a new challenge as other clubs target Crystal Palace difference makers. Michael Olise already left for Bayern Munich last season, even before his former teammates climbed the steps for their medals at Wembley. His former running mate, Eberechi Eze, is now being targeted by Tottenham Hotspur and other suitors. Liverpool is reportedly close to signing Eagle defender Marc Guehi. Real Madrid supposedly has an interest in midfielder Adam Wharton. Even Manager Glasner was rumored to be leaving for perceived greener pastures, most notably for the Tottenham Hotspur job ultimately filled by Brentford’s Thomas Frank. Such foraging expeditions by bigger clubs are expected when a club like Crystal Palace pokes its head above its normal obscurity down the table.

The unexpected success this season, however, resulted in another, more unexpected problem. The ticket to European competition, earned on the pitch at Wembley, is in jeopardy. The reason is multi-club ownership rules which impose restrictions on clubs with common ownership competing in the same tournaments. One of the Crystal Palace ownership groups, John Textor and his Eagle Football Holdings group, has concurrent ownership in another club which qualified for the Europa League. Because of a higher table finish in their domestic League, French side Lyon technically gets the Europa League ticket. Crystal Palace cannot even trade down for the Conference League as another Eagle part owner, David Blitzer, owns the Danish club Brondby which has already qualified there and similarly has a glossier table finish than the Eagles.

Crystal Palace, of course, is not the first club to be faced with such restrictions. Manchester City, for example, is part of a multi-country, multi-club model. The difference is clubs like Manchester City expect to earn a European berth and proactively plan to circumvent such restrictions. Among the options are a reduction in individual club ownership percentages or the placement of an ownership interest into a blind trust. Such actions, however, technically need to happen before March 1st.

No one expected Crystal Palace to face such first world problems on that date, and nothing was thus done to address Textor’s 43% ownership share. The dilemma quickly began to overshadow the extended Cup celebrations. The irony was that Textor had already been talking about divestment because of his inability to exert influence in a club whose day-to-day operations are tightly managed by Chairman Steve Parrish. The chairman and other Palace stakeholders were unable to reach agreement on buying out their partner and Textor reinvigorated attempts to sell to an outsider. That attempt reached fruition this week with the news that an agreement has been reached for fellow American Woody Johnson to buy Textor’s shares for $254 million. Johnson is the principal owner of another football club. Fortunately, that club competes (if one can call it that) in American football as the New York Jets of the NFL. Johnson is not involved with another “soccer team.” Should the sale go through, however, Crystal Palace still faces two problems. Firstly, will UEFA excuse the ownership change falling outside the necessary time window to address. Longer term, will Johnson gain the voice in Crystal Palace operations that eluded Textor? If so, that could prove problematic. The New York Jets last qualified for the NFL playoffs in 2010, the longest drought of any NFL team.

Club World Cup Beckons for Manchester City and Chelsea

The United States will be the scene for a revamped Club World Cup which will begin this weekend and culminate with a title match on July 13th. The group play format resembles past international World Cups (before planned 2026 changes) and that of the Champions League before this latter competition changed to an abominable “table” format this past year.

Thirty-two clubs, including Manchester City and Chelsea from the Premier League, will be competing in this summer’s tournament. Unlike more typical summer friendlies played in the US, the stakes here are high in financial terms. The winner of the Club World Cup could rake in as much as $125 million. The stakes are such that contenders are fielding their best lineups despite the competition coming on the heels of grueling domestic league and cup campaigns.

There will be some powerful clubs battling in this summer’s heat. Champions League winner PSG heads a field which will compete first in eight groups of four, the top two advancing to the knockout rounds. Real Madrid is also one of the favorites and will have recently departed Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold available for duty. German giant Bayern Munich will be there along with Borussia Dortmund from the Bundesliga.

While the Premier League will be represented by two of its top four finishers from this past season, one might rightly ask, “ What happened to Liverpool?” The Premier League champion, despite the loss of Alexander-Arnold, has strengthened in recent weeks with the addition of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Jeremie Frimpong and more recently coming to terms for his teammate Florian Wirtz, though only Frimpong would have been eligible for the Club World Cup. Liverpool, however, is not invited to this summer’s get together. A largely opaque selection process supposedly considers performance over the past four years but has resulted in several head scratching omissions. In addition to Premier League champion Liverpool, the cockamamie selection process has also excluded Barcelona and Napoli, the champions of La Liga and Serie A, respectively. Meanwhile, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi will be competing for Inter Miami, a team dubiously selected most likely for its star player’s appeal to the ticket purchasing public.

The tournament has not generated the ticket sales initially expected, which is worrying to soccer authorities as the World Cup will be played in the US next summer. Premier League sides Manchester City and Chelsea will do nothing but help those attendance figures. Both sides, particularly Manchester City, have large fan bases in the United States and, unlike summer friendlies, the stars should be out and playing significant minutes in these matches. The Citizens are third favorite, behind PSG and Real Madrid, in the betting odds to take the title this summer.

In the run up to this tournament, a special transfer window was opened for clubs to secure some new weapons for the competition and Manchester City wasted no time in stocking up. Defender Ryan Ait-Nouri was signed away from Wolverhampton. Rayan Cherki (Lyon) and Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan) were added to a Manchester City midfield which has said goodbye to Kevin De Bruyne. Jack Grealish, meanwhile, is a notable omission from the Club World Cup roster and may be on his way out of the club. Chelsea supporters, meanwhile, will get their first look at new striker Liam Delap in a blue shirt. The 22-year-old was acquired after scoring 12 goals for Ipswich Town in the Premier league last season. The brazen young striker has elected to wear the Number 9 shirt for the Blues. Midfielder Dario Essugo, meanwhile, has joined from Portuguese side Sporting. That has resulted in some unfortunate news for another Portuguese midfielder on the Chelsea payroll. Essugo will strip the number 14 jersey from Joao Felix who was on loan at AC Milan for the latter half of last season and is now in limbo. Chelsea’s defense, meanwhile, will be bolstered by the addition of Mamadou Sarr from French side Strasbourg. Manchester City and Chelsea should both advance easily enough as one of the two top teams in their individual groups. Manchester City will be wary of Juventus, the historic Italian side which defeated the Citizens in Champions League play in December. There is a steep fall in quality then, however, to the other group members, Wydad AC (Morocco) and Al Ain (United Arab Emirates). Chelsea will have traditional Brazilian power Flamengo in its group but should feel little threat from Tunisian side Esperance de Tunis and MLS’s LAFC. The Los Angeles team has former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Loris performing their swan songs in the US league.

While tournament matches begin on Saturday, the Premier League sides first take to the pitch when Chelsea faces LAFC in Atlanta on Monday followed by Manchester City’s opener on Wednesday in Philadelphia versus Wydad AC.

Goodbye Ange…

Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham Hotspur Chairman Daniel Levy finally answered the question. A trophy won over a weak Europa League field was not enough to compensate for the club’s embarrassing Premier League season. Spurs Manager Ange Postecoglou has been sacked after two years in charge. Many Spurs supporters were ecstatic after their club’s first trophy in 17 years. Others, however, realized what a shallow victory it was and one which was gained at the expense of making the team a Premier League laughingstock.

Changes to the Champions League had a ripple down effect which resulted in a less competitive Europa League this season. The senior competition was expanded to more clubs and adopted an odd “league” format which no longer had an opening round of group play where third place group finishers would then drop into the lesser Europa League competition. The result was a watered-down Europa League field which culminated in 16th and 17th place Premier League finishers meeting in a European final.

Seventeenth place Tottenham Hotspur defeated 17th place Manchester United 1-0 in a match more grueling for spectators than the players. Brennan Johnson scored in the 42nd minute with Tottenham Hotspur’s only shot on target. Postecoglou’s trademark high line and aggressive attack were out the window as his club sat back and easily countered the meager offensives of the worst Manchester United side in history.

Still, silverware for the long-suffering Spurs faithful should not be completely minimized. The Premier League, however, is a proud institution in England and supporters hang on each week’s league match with a great deal of emotion. Postecoglou cared little for the league schedule as he realized by January that the league table would be problematic for him and his injury ravaged squad. He prioritized Europa League, preserving his stars for midweek European matches. With little exception, Tottenham Hotspur became an embarrassment on Premier League match days.

The 17th place finish, the worst since the 1977 relegation season, could have been even more horrifying but for the poor quality of the three promoted sides this year, all of them suffering relegation back to whence they came. Twenty-two league losses tied the Tottenham Hotspur club record and were the most defeats ever by a Premier League side not suffering relegation for its sins. The worst of the three relegated sides, bottom of the table Southampton, was the only Premier League team which Postecoglou defeated in the last 12 matches of Spurs’ season. The glorious trophy raising and self-congratulation after the Europa win in Bilbao over another struggling Premier League also-ran, therefore seemed just a tad fraudulent. Even loyal Spurs supporters must have cringed when Postecoglou described the Spurs’ season as “outstanding “ after yet another league defeat, 4-1 to Brighton, in the Premier League season finale just days after defeating Manchester United in Spain. With respect to the poor league performance, Postecoglou would, of course, point to the effect of injuries. The thing is, however, that the Australian’s playing style pushes players to the limit and perhaps beyond in a congested fixture schedule. The injuries may not have been just bad luck but also reflected naïve management.

In any event, Spurs proved to be a club which could not manage multiple competitions, a prerequisite for a top English side. Postecoglou’s style was also criticized for its simplistic tactics which other managers could exploit by taking advantage of the wide-open spaces left behind when Spurs’ aggressive fullbacks went forward. There needed to be serious doubt as to whether Postecoglou and his merry men could return to league respectability while also competing effectively with elite clubs in the Champions League next season. Levy lost faith and Ange is gone, two full seasons after joining the club from Celtic. There was understandable worry from the beginning that Postecoglou may find things difficult at a far higher level of competition than he had ever managed at before.

Things started well, however, as Postecoglou treated supporters to an unexpected 10 match unbeaten run to open the 2023/24 Premier League season. Cold water descended on the euphoria and optimism with Ange’s 11th match in 2023, a 4-1 loss to Chelsea. The means of defeating Postecoglou’s simplistic style became clear. In the remaining 66 matches of Postecoglous’ tenure, Spurs would capture only 78 points. While he may have won a trophy for the silver starved north London side, he also lost more Premier League matches (34) than he won (31) in his time at Spurs.

After a fool’s gold start in England, Postecoglou time was marked by rising stress and disenchantment as the relationship with fans deteriorated. The joyous trophy celebrations seemed to have assuaged that. Levy, however, put emotion aside and made a calculated decision he believed necessary to ensure the club’s competitiveness next season. Goodbye Ange. Brentford’s Thomas Frank is the rumored frontrunner to replace the Australian. Betting lines have fellow Premier League Managers Marco Silva (Fulham) and Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) as next favorites.

Europe Positions Set After Final Match Results: Chelsea Returns To Champions League; Bitter End For Aston Villa; Newcastle Slips In Despite Loss; Seagulls Left Out of Europe; Sunderland Returns

Chelsea will be back in the Champions League next season for the first time since their controversial ownership change. The Blues won five of their last six matches, never conceding more than a goal in their victories as Manager Enzo Maresca wielded a choking defense to make up for a largely silent attacking force. A defender scored the winning goal in a second consecutive 1-0 victory as Levi Colwill was in the right place at the right time for Chelsea to capitalize on a Nottingham Forest mistake. A poorly headed clearance attempted by Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams fell to Chelsea’s Pedro Neto who found Colwill for the easy tap in.

The Tricky Trees’ disappointing end to the season reflected a thin roster which lost steam as the finish line of the long season came into view. Sunday’s defeat marked a fourth defeat in a final eight match stretch where Nottingham Forest won but twice. A seventh-place finish and a berth in the Europa Conference League, however, is still a remarkable story for a club which risked relegation right up to the final match of last season.

Chelsea’s ownership, which took control in May 2022 after the forced divestment by former owner Roman Abramovich, can finally claim some validation for its strategy of exorbitant investment in often unproven young stars. Every player used by Chelsea this season was less than 28 years old, the first time that has happened in Premier League history. Twenty-three-year-old Moises Caicedo, who joined the club for the 2023/24 Premier League season for the highest ever transfer fee at the time after one breakout year at Brighton, was a prime example of that investment strategy. Caicedo was a central figure in the club’s success this season, becoming the first Chelsea midfielder since Frank Lampard a decade ago to start all 38 Premier League games. Meanwhile, often maligned goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, a teammate of Caicedo’s when both were at Brighton,  finished with the highest save percentage in the Premier League. Having secured fourth place in the Premier League, Chelsea can now grab some silverware should the Blues defeat Real Bettis in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.

Manchester City was the other one of the five remaining Champions League contenders entering the final weekend to prove their mettle with a win on Sunday. The Citizens ended what was a disappointing season by their standards by defeating Fulham 2-0 to secure third place in the league table and a Champions League berth for a 15th consecutive season. After Omar Marmoush’s missed penalty kick in the FA Cup final, Erling Haaland converted from the spot for Sunday’s second goal. Ilkay Gundogan scored the first goal and drew the foul leading to Haaland’s clincher, helping ensure teammate Kevin De Bruyne finished on a winning note in his final Premier League match for Manchester City.

In addition to Nottingham Forest, two other clubs competing for a Champions League invitation were losers on Sunday. The ramifications were different for those two clubs, however. Aston Villa was the big loser, falling to Manchester United 2-0, a loss which leaves Aston Villa sixth and consigned to a Europa League berth. A win or draw would have elevated Aston Villa to fifth position and Champions League because Newcastle also fumbled on the final day, 1-0 to Everton. The Magpies will enjoy the riches of Champions League competition, however, because of a better goal differential than Aston Villa with both clubs sitting on 66 points for the season.

While Aston Villa was victimized by poor officiating on Sunday, Manger Unai Emery’s side was also its own worst enemy. A ludicrous challenge by Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez in first half stoppage time reduced Aston Villa to 10 men. Still, the desperate club kept the match scoreless and then appeared to score midway through the second half when Morgan Rogers took a bobbled ball from Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and deposited it in the net. Referee Thomas Bramhall, however, incorrectly ruled the keeper had control. Since the referee also blew his whistle before the ball entered the net, it was not reviewable by VAR. Villa would file a complaint on Monday regarding the use of an inexperienced referee for a hugely important match. Amad Diallo scored just two minutes after the disallowed Rogers goal to put the Red Devils ahead. Christian Erickson would later add a penalty kick after Diallo was taken down in the box, a second referee decision which Emery disputed. Aston Villa’s Champions League hopes were thus dashed and Newcastle backed into Europe’s elite competition despite dropping their season finale, 1-0 at home to Everton. Newcastle fans were thus undeterred from celebrating an outstanding season which included a Carabao Cup trophy for the Magpies. Aston Villa supporters, meanwhile, were crushed. If there is any bright side, the Villans will be competing in the Europa League led by the competition’s most successful manager. Emery has won the Europa League four different times.

The Premier League trophy was lifted Sunday at Anfield by champions Liverpool following a meaningless 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. Unfortunately, the succeeding day’s parade and celebration was marred by a motorist plowing into paradegoers, injuring 27 celebrants. Terrorism appeared to be ruled out, but it was a horrible incident for supporters who were deprived of proper celebrations after Liverpool’s last title in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

Another trophy was tarnished Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur returned to form in a 4-1 loss to Brighton. Spurs, Wednesday’s winners of this year’s shambolically poor Europa League, lost for the 22nd time in Premier League play this season. Unfortunately for victorious Brighton, however, eighth place was not good enough this season to earn a berth in Europe though supporters can still applaud an excellent debut by their 32-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler as the Seagulls fell just one short of their club record Premier League point total.

With a wrap on this season, the Premier League now welcomes promoted sides Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland back to the league. Sunderland won a playoff versus Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley on Saturday and will return to the Premier League after for the first time since a 2017 relegation. The Black Cats have suffered some trying times, much of it documented on Netflix. Seven different managers came and went over seven years before the club found its way back to the top tier under Manager Regis Le Bris. The young Frenchman’s appointment last summer followed upon a largely unsuccessful run of ten successive English manager appointments by the Black Cats.