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Just moments before the final whistle sounded in Munich last Wednesday night, Bukayo Saka struck a corner straight onto the head of a Bayern defender at the front post.

It was a shocking set-piece, but one that rather summed up the tired nature of his recent performances, and indeed Arsenal's.

The last seven days or so have given Mikel Arteta and his side a reality check. The Gunners tasted a bitter defeat in the title race to Aston Villa last weekend and were then dumped out of the Champions League following an aggregate loss to Harry Kane and Co.

Both performances were rather lifeless, with Saka even singled out for criticism. Typically, the winger has been one of a few members of this team to escape the blame but not on this occasion.

His set pieces are usually some of the best in the business too – there is a reason Arsenal are the best in that department in the Premier League – but that moment in the dying embers in Germany signified that he may well be running out of gas.

Who could blame the Englishman, either? He has played over 3,000 minutes this term with five games still left to play.

It must be stated, however, that he has still been sublime for the vast majority of the campaign. Although he could not add to his tally for the season as Arsenal bounced back with a 2-0 win at Wolves, Saka remains the club's top goalscorer on 18 strikes.

That said, their player of the match from that victory at Molineux, Declan Rice, will be right up there with his national teammate when the club's player of the season award is discussed in a few weeks.

Declan Rice's performance in numbers

Is there anything the former West Ham man can't do? Seemingly not. Against Bayern, Rice was one of the players who looked like he was running on empty but it's amazing what a more positive performance can do.

As Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard wrapped up all three points in the Midlands, it was the Gunners' record signing who was running the show, not quietly either.

For large parts of the campaign the England international has operated as the lone 6 in the side, the only man in the midfield pivot. He was charged with that role again on Saturday evening, Kai Havertz moved back into a deeper role beside him.

Usually when that happens, Rice has to stay back and do the so-called 'dirty work'. He performed that task admirably at Molineux but he also surged forward with great purpose.

That lung-busting run the midfielder performs has become something of a trademark and it was that guile and power from the centre which set the tone for Arsenal's win. Only William Saliba (11) made more passes into the final third than Rice (10) from those on the visiting team while no player on either side provided more key passes than his five.

No matter how Arsenal play, the £105m man often stands out and is sure to run Saka close for Arsenal's Player of the Year. However, another man deserves to be in the conversation, Ben White.

Ben White's performance in numbers

The right-back has been a hot topic of debate in recent months. Now refusing to play for England, many outside of Arsenal have lambasted White for his decision.

Only he will know the true reason he doesn't want to play for his country, but either way, it's a rather big shame. Indeed, the defender has one of the best in his position in the division this term.

White will rightfully be judged on his ability to defend, first and foremost, but it's his attacking intuition that has caught the eye so much in 2023/24. This is already the 26-year-old's best campaign for goal contributions in his career to date, scoring twice and supplying five assists in all competitions.

That's certainly not a bad tally for a player who initially arrived in north London as a central defender.

He has been particularly vibrant in the last few weeks of the season, assisting two goals against Brentford a few weeks ago and supplying Saka's opener against Bayern in the first leg.

Against Wolves, the £150k-per-week earner showed many of the same qualities, even if no assist was forthcoming on this occasion.

White was accurate with 100% of his crosses – the only man on either team to prove as such – and was successful with all five of his long balls during the contest. It is probably not a surprise, therefore, to learn that no player at Molineux left the field with a better pass success rate than the full-back's 96%.

Also boasting 86 touches, the third-most of any player, it's clear just what a pivotal role White played in Arsenal moving back on top of the table again. He truly was the "utter monster" that blogger Rohan Jivan described him as.

When the former Brighton man first arrived in a £50m deal, eyebrows were raised. Some may not like what he brings to the table, notably those not associated with Arsenal, but it's hard to dispute what a key figure he has become at the Emirates. Watch out Saka and Rice, you have found yourselves a new rival for player of the season.

Friday's clash between Lyon and Strasbourg had major American flavor as Caleb Wiley provided an assist while Tanner Tessmann made his Ligue 1 debut.

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• Tessmann makes Lyon debut
• Wiley provides assist
• Lyon win seven-goal thriller

• IMAGO / Just pictures
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Caleb Wiley got his first Ligue 1 assist of the season, but it wasn't enough to defeat Lyon and debutant Tanner Tessmann in a dramatic 4-3 result.

  Both Tessmann and Wiley started the game on the bench for their respective clubs, but the latter, in particular, made his mark. Wiley came into the match with the score level at one apiece, but Strasbourg raced ahead with a pair of goals early in the second half. Wiley assisted the second of those goals with a fantastic through ball, playing Emanuel Emegha in all alone to make it 3-1.

  Lyon, though, stormed back with three goals between the 61st and 72nd minutes, putting them ahead 4-3. With the game winding down, Tessmann was handed his debut for the club as he was thrown into the fray in the 87th minute to help Lyon eventually see out the chaotic win.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ligue 1 is certainly a league to watch for American soccer fans with several rising stars playing in France's top flight. Wiley and Tessmann both joined their new clubs this summer, as did Mark McKenzie, who is now featuring for Toulouse.

  Folarin Balogun is also plying his trade in Ligue 1 as he begins his second season with Monaco and third season in the league overall after breaking out while on loan with Reims.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The assist is Wiley's first in Ligue 1, but the teenager certainly made is mark on games during his time in Atlanta. Wiley had seven assists during his time with the Five Stripes while also contributing six goals. Eight of those 13 goal contributions came during his breakout 2023 season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WILEY AND TESSMANN?

  Following Friday's match, both teams head into the international break, with the U.S. set to play Canada and New Zealand in the coming days. Tessmann will look to make his first start for Lyon against Lens on Sept. 14, while Wiley and Strasbourg will be back in action against Angers on Sept. 15.

Real Madrid are closing in on the signing of Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies on a free transfer.

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• Real Madrid pursuing Davies signing
• Canadian's contract is up next summer
• Signed for Bayern Munich in 2018

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After signing Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer this summer, Real Madrid are set to repeat the feat with a deal for Alphonso Davies. The left-back looks set to arrive next year upon the expiration of his contract with Bayern Munich, according to AS.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real Madrid have a historic pull that has helped them attract superstar after superstar. What is more impressive is the way they manage to get some of them without having to pay a transfer fee, which could happen again with Davies. The Canadian has been a lethal operator from the left side of defence and he looks set to follow in the footsteps of Marcelo.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Davies has already scored at the Bernabeu. The Canadian opened the scoring in the second leg of last season's Champions League semi-final, but his side fell to defeat in the end due to a Joselu brace.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DAVIES?

  The key date in this whole saga isJanuary 1, 2025 as this is when Davies will be able to officially sign a pre-contract with another team. For now, Davies will have full focus on Bayern Munich who have started life under Vincent Kompany well but know that the competition in the Bundesliga is as fierce as ever. A reunion with Davies and Real Madrid might be on the cards in the later stages of the Champions League.

Premier League referees have a great deal of influence on match results, since they are the arbiters of the beautiful game and the keepers of justice. But, what everyone often wants to know is which football teams these officials root for.

There has been plenty of controversy since VAR was introduced from red cards for kicking the ball away in 2024/25 – we’re looking at you Declan Rice – to Nottingham Forest going as far as to inferring that Stuart Attwell’s apparent allegiances to Luton Town influenced him to turn down three penalty decisions against Everton in April 2024.

Forest were notably on the wrong end of some key decisions in 2023/24, even hiring Mark Clattenburg as a Referee Analyst in a bid to get more clarity on officiating at the highest level. He has now left that post.

While VAR has got no better and the officiating goes from bad to worse, here is a look at every Premier League referee with known allegiances to other clubs…

Anthony Taylor

Altrincham

Anthony Taylor is an experienced Premier League officiating figure who was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester. From a city that is well known for its football passion, he is a supporter of the Greater Manchester team Altrincham FC.

Having worked at the highest level for more than 10 years, Taylor has officiated a number of high-profile games, demonstrating his ability to keep the peace in the high-stress environment of English football.

Michael Oliver

Newcastle United

Hailing from Northumberland, England, Michael Oliver is one of the more established referees on the Premier League officiating scene.

Though Oliver was raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city known for its fervent football culture, he is loyal to Ashington AFC, the team from his hometown, as well as supporting Newcastle United.

Oliver has advanced quickly through the ranks to become one of the Premier League’s youngest referees. He is one of the best referees in the world, as seen by his success officiating games in important European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League.

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By
Mark Marston

Nov 28, 2023

Stuart Attwell

Luton Town

Stuart Attwell is a well-known referee from Nuneaton in Warwickshire. He happens to be a Luton Town supporter, which was something Nottingham Forest pointed out to the Premier League prior to their most recent clash with Everton, where Attwell took up VAR duty.

At the age of 25, he was once the Football League’s youngest-ever referee, demonstrating his devotion and tenacity on his path to the Premier League.

Craig Pawson

Sheffield United

Born in South Yorkshire, England, Craig Pawson has made a name for himself as one of the leading referees for English football. He’s from the football-loving town of Barnsley, who he happens to support.

He has been entrusted with supervising some of the most dramatic meetings in English football, in addition to officiating many high-profile games.

Bobby Madley

Huddersfield Town

Premier League referee Bobby Madley made a bit of a name for himself in football with his own flair and assured refereeing. Madley, who was brought up in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, started officiating football at an early age and advanced fast through the ranks to work in the highest division of English football.

He supports Huddersfield Town, along with his brother and fellow top-flight referee, Andrew Madley.

Paul Tierney

Wigan Athletic

Paul Tierney is from Wigan, Greater Manchester, which explains his support for Wigan Athletic.

Tierney has established himself as a mainstay in the Premier League thanks to his attention to detail and no-nonsense refereeing. But, he has had his controversial moments, including the late goal Liverpool scored this season against Nottingham Forest, when Tierney dropped the ball to the Reds after a stoppage in play, despite Forest having possession when the game was halted.

Simon Hooper

Swindon Town

From Wiltshire, England, Simon Hooper has established himself as a prestigious Premier League referee, and is one of two Premier League referees who support Swindon Town.

The Englishman has been at the centre of controversy at times this season, none more so than as referee during the diabolical VAR error that saw Luis Diaz’s goal wrongly disallowed for offside in the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

Graham Scott

Swindon Town

Originating in Oxfordshire, England, Graham Scott has become a well-respected name in Premier League officiating circles.

When he first began officiating football in 1997 at lower-league level, he had no real aspirations of rising to the top of the sport. Now, 27 years later, he’s one of the least controversial referees in the top flight, which is some achievement when you consider all the terrible VAR decisions that have been made since its introduction.

Andrew Madley

Huddersfield Town

Yorkshire-born Andrew Madley is the second of the Madley brothers who both support Huddersfield.

His appointment as the FA Cup Final’s fourth official in 2021 was noteworthy, but it hasn’t all been pretty for Madley, as he was heavily criticised for his decision not to refer Jon Moss to the monitor for a penalty decision in a game between Manchester City and Southampton back in 2021.

David Coote

Notts County

Born in Nottinghamshire, England, David Coote opted for the black-and-white-striped side of Nottingham as a supporter of Notts County.

Notably, he has officiated in a number of high-profile games, including at the 2022 FA Cup final as fourth official and is now an experienced Premier League referee. Despite Coote’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the game and ability to make quick decisions, fans of Luton Town or Aston Villa may not have fond memories of him, as both had controversial decisions go against them this season.

Tony Harrington

Hartlepool United

Tony Harrington is a well-known figure in the football refereeing community, officiating games in the Premier League and EFL. He is originally from Cleveland, England, hence his love for Hartlepool United.

He has officiated several high-stakes games throughout the years, including crucial cup fixtures and many Premier League matches. But his decision-making was called out recently by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil after his side’s late equaliser was ruled out for offside against West Ham.

European champions Spain began their Nations League defence with a disappointing goalless draw over Serbia at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade.

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• Spain draw 0-0 with Serbia
• Yamal dazzles for La Roja
• Jovic disappoints for Serbia

• TELL ME MORE

  Spain returned to the field for the first time since their Euro 2024 final triumph over England in Berlin. However, during their Nations League A group stage opener against Serbia, La Roja seemed a shell of the side that cruised through the European Championship just two months ago. While Spain dominated possession as was expected, they failed to move the ball into threatening positions through the first half. Serbia, on the other hand, created multiple threats with AC Milan's Luka Jovic receiving the best chance of the game as he failed to convert a one-on-one chance with Spain goalkeeper David Raya.

  The second half saw La Roja create more opportunities majorly through Barcelona's in-form duo of Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal. However, Luis de la Fuente's men failed to break through Serbia's tight defence.

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  THE MVP

  16-year-old Yamal was not quite at his sensational best against Serbia, however, he was arguably the best player on the field as he was possibly the biggest threat to Serbia's goal with Ayoze Perez and Nico Williams seeming to struggle to find their feet. Serbia's defence held strong to cope with Spain's attack with Strahinja Pavlovic and Nikola Milenkovic playing a big part in the clean sheet.

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  THE BIG LOSER

  Jovic had the best chance to score for Serbia in the first half after a pinpoint pass from Lazar Samardzic sent him through against Raya who dove early to the wrong side. However, the Milan striker sent it way wide of the goal.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Spain will now take on Switzerland away from home in the second group-stage game of the Nations League on September 8, meanwhile, Serbia will face Denmark.

Brighton are looking to bolster their ranks on the cheap this summer, and are ready to exploit another English side's problems with Financial Fair Play to do so.

Uncertainty surrounds Brighton

Struggling in the Premier League by their own lofty standards this season, the Seagulls nonetheless head into the summer with plenty of uncertainty around the AMEX. Chiefly, that speculation surrounds manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has been linked with a move away almost since he arrived at the club.

Previously linked with vacancies at both Liverpool and Barcelona, Xavi's decision to stay coupled with Liverpool's move for Arne Slot appears to have put pay to that.

“Influential” manager now the “preferred” Pochettino replacement at Chelsea

He certainly knows how to transform a side…

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 21, 2024

However, other clubs are still lurking, and the likes of Juventus, Manchester United and Chelsea could all be on the hunt for a new manager before the new season begins. On the pitch, the Seagulls are braced for interest in striker Evan Ferguson, but it has very much been a season of rebuilding after losing all of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Leandro Trossard in the last 18 months.

That has reflected in their performances, with De Zerbi's side comfortably beaten by Manchester City on Wednesday night and having won just one of their last five Premier League games, leaving them 11th in the table and six points outside a spot for next season's European competitions.

The likes of Carlos Baleba, Simon Adingra and Julio Enciso are all very much stars for the future, but they are yet to be able to perform consistently for the Seagulls, while Brighton's season has been hampered by injuries to Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March and Jack Hinshelwood.

Now, they look set to try and bolster their ranks with some much-needed additions.

Brighton looking to Leicester FFP woes

That is according to Football Insider, who report that the ever-savvy Tony Bloom is keeping a close eye on Leicester City with a view to a potential move for midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Englishman has been in excellent form this season, and has long been a star in the making. Even after his debut for the Foxes, Brendan Rodgers hailed him as "outstanding", and he has not looked back since.

"I thought Kiernan was outstanding," said Rodgers back in 2021. "He wanted to prove a point, he was aggressive and he took on the burden of the game. "He knows the position that we want him to play. He has good energy and good athleticism.

"I've said about him improving on the ball, but he can give us that bite in midfield and he was a catalyst for the second half."

Now spearheading Leicester's attempted return to the Premier League, Dewsbury-Hall has attracted no shortage of interest in his services, while Leicester City themselves need to sell to comply with FFP.

Selling a homegrown talent would be the easiest way to balance the books, and the report claims that Brighton are "planning to submit a new bid" after seeing an effort to sign him in January turned down.

The Foxes demanded around £30m to let him leave in the winter, which Brighton were unwilling to match, but despite having three years left to run on his contract the midfielder may be available for less this summer as Maresca's side battle to avoid a points deduction.

On just £20,000 per week at the King Power Stadium, he could prove to be a low-cost addition with plenty of upside for the Seagulls should they find a way to get a deal over the line.

The 25-year-old forward has had to wait patiently for his chance under Arne Slot but came up big to help inspire a 3-0 win over the Cherries

Liverpool marched to the top of the Premier League table as two goals from Luis Diaz and one stunning curled effort from Darwin Nunez saw the Reds defeat Bournemouth 3-0 on Saturday.

After surviving an early onslaught from the visitors that saw VAR chalk off an Antoine Semenyo goal for a marginal offside, the hosts finally came alive. It was Diaz who did the job of settling a nervous Anfield, incisively scoring two goals inside a couple of minutes.

Enter Nunez. Out of the picture up to now under Arne Slot, the Uruguayan finally got his chance from the start and boy did he take it. The 25-year-old emphatically making it 3-0 after 37 minutes as he curled an unstoppable shot into the far corner after combining well with Mohamed Salah.

With the damage done in the first half, Liverpool concentrated on preserving their clean sheet to ensure they bagged the three points that takes them to the summit, if only for 24 hours.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Caoimhin Kelleher (8/10):

  Big responsibility on his shoulders as he stepped in for the injured Alisson but he certainly didn't let the side down, making one big save to deny Semenyo when it was still 0-0 and then reacting quickly to prevent Alexander-Arnold scoring an own goal.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (7/10):

  Given license to get forward in the first half especially and was at his creative best as he found Diaz for the second goal. Gave away possession 21 times – more than anyone else on the pitch – but that won't concern him too much.

  Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

  Turned into prime Andrea Pirlo as his lofted ball over the top set Diaz free for the opener. Bournemouth's attack gave him plenty to think about over the 90 but he'll take the clean sheet and assist.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Imperious in the air and made a couple of important interceptions as Bournemouth tried to find a way back into the game. Impressively completed all 45 of his attempted passes.

  Andrew Robertson (6/10):

  Not at his swashbuckling attacking best but was given a tough assignment up against the lively Semenyo and knew he couldn't gallop forward at will. He'll be pleased with the win and clean sheet.

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  Midfield

  Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):

  Struggled to contain Bournemouth's dangerous counter-attacks in the first half but improved in the second 45. Sloppy with his final pass at times but his driving runs forward consistently gave Liverpool forward momentum.

  Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

  Spots passes that few others can see and it's that vision that saw him link up effectively with Salah on more than one occasion.

  Dominik Szoboszlai (5/10):

  Not his day. Blazed one presentable chance over the bar in the first half and the game bypassed him somewhat. Eventually taken off on the hour mark.

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  Attack

  Mohamed Salah (7/10):

  It didn't quite happen for him in front of goal but he looked typically menacing whenever he received the ball on the right-hand side. Created a game-high six chances for his team-mates, including the assist for Nunez's belter.

  Darwin Nunez (8/10):

  Given the nod in attack – his first start of the season – and repaid his manager's faith with a stunning goal to put Liverpool 3-0 up. Withdrawn after 71 minutes but on this evidence, he'll get more chances to impress Slot.

  Luis Diaz (9/10):

  The man of the moment. Just when the nerves began to creep in around Anfield, Diaz showed supreme composure to net two quickfire goals and essentially put the game to bed. Denied his hat-trick as Slot decided to give him a rest after 71 minutes.

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  Subs & Manager

  Curtis Jones (6/10):

  Added a calmness in possession when he came on after 60 minutes although probably should've scored when well-placed in the box.

  Federico Chiesa (6/10):

  Almost made an immediate impact with a half volley from distance that was saved by Kepa before he struck the post, only to be flagged for offside.

  Cody Gakpo (6/10):

  Put one on a plate for Jones only for the midfielder to fire wide via a deflection.

  Arne Slot (8/10):

  After the disappointment of losing at home to Nottingham Forest he'll be both relieved and delighted to follow it up with back-to-back wins. After a sloppy start his team got the job done, with his decision to bring in Nunez proving inspired.

Celtic are back in action once again in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they prepare to host their closest rivals in a huge game at Parkhead.

The Hoops have the chance to move six points clear at the top of the table with just two matches left to play, which would leave them needing just one more point to secure a third successive title.

However, Brendan Rodgers' side are not home and dry yet as they must first overcome Rangers in the Old Firm clash at Paradise today to extend their lead at the top.

A defeat would leave them level on points with Philippe Clement's side and make for a nervous end to the campaign, which is why a positive result against the Gers is so important this afternoon.

The Bhoys come into this match off the back of a convincing 3-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead last time out in the Premiership, but that comfortable result may not result in an unchanged starting XI.

In fact, Rodgers must ruthlessly drop winger Nicolas Kuhn to the bench in order to unleash Daizen Maeda from the start against the Light Blues.

Why Nicolas Kuhn should be dropped

The German forward, who was signed from Rapid Wien in January, produced an underwhelming display against Hearts in the club's last match and struggled in the last clash with Rangers at Ibrox.

Against the Jam Tarts, Kuhn completed just 71% of his attempted passes, created one chance, and failed to register a single effort on goal from the right wing.

The left-footed whiz has now gone five Premiership matches without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts, despite starting all five of those games.

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old attacker struggled badly in the last Old Firm matchup as he made very little impact at the top end of the pitch and was a liability in possession.

He lost the ball 15 times from 30 touches in total, once every other touch on average, and that does not suggest that Rodgers should consider him to be a key player to start this game.

His recent lack of form in the final third coupled with his poor performance against Rangers last month suggest that he is droppable for this game, which is why the manager should remove him from the starting XI to bring Maeda back into the lineup.

Why Daizen Maeda should start

For starters, the Japan international is an important player for the Northern Irish tactician as his work off the ball is crucial to how he wants his team to play.

Rodgers previously claimed the forward "has the work rate of two players" on the pitch, which speaks to the incredible amount of work the star puts in during matches, in and out of possession.

He has the pace and determination to track back and put in the hard yards for the team to cut out opposition attacks, which could help to stop the likes of Borna Barisic and Rivan Yilmaz at left-back for Rangers, whilst also carrying an attacking threat of his own at the other end.

In the clash with Rangers in April, Maeda made his presence felt inside the opening minute of the game with his exceptional pressing that forced a mistake from James Tavernier.

He closed down the Rangers captain and deflected the ball past Jack Butland with his block on the right-back's pass on the edge of the box, to put Celtic 1-0 up early on.

The 26-year-old whiz went on to win nine duels and complete six tackles throughout the match, which speaks to his work rate and defensive quality from a wide position.

As you can see in the table above, Maeda has not provided consistent quality in the final third, with just seven goal contributions in 26 matches, but his pressing and work rate make him an ideal selection for an Old Firm clash of this magnitude.

He may not score or assist goals regularly but, per Rodgers' comments, Celtic know that they will get 100% from him on the pitch when competing in duels, which is perfect for a tough-tackling derby atmosphere.

The Japan international is typically deployed on the left flank but the form of James Forrest on that side means that Rodgers should unleash the winger on the right side, ahead of Kuhn, in order to keep the Scottish dynamo in the starting XI for this clash.

Why James Forrest should start

The Celtic academy graduate has been in fantastic form of late and deserves to start once again for the Hoops on the left side of the attack today.

In his last seven appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions, Forrest has racked up an eye-catching four goals and one assist on the left flank, which includes three goals in his last three outings.

The 32-year-old ace did not register a goal or an assist against Hearts last time out but he did create two chances and completed three of his four attempted dribbles.

Forrest was an unused substitute against Rangers at Ibrox in April and should now be presented with a chance to start against the Gers at Parkhead this afternoon, given his superb run of form of late.

With five goals in four Premiership starts this season, the experienced campaigner has already scored as many or more goals than Maeda, Hyeon-gyu Oh, Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, Paulo Bernardo, Kuhn, and Hyun-jun Yang, among others in the league.

This illustrates how impressive his scoring run has been given his lack of consistent minutes in the Scottish top-flight his term, and why he is deserving of more game time on the pitch.

Forrest should, therefore, start on the left of the front three against Rangers today, with Kyogo Furuhashi down the middle, and Maeda unleashed ahead of Kuhn on the right-hand side.

Phil Parkinson has called on his Wrexham players to learn from their loss to Stevenage Town and bounce back in this "unforgiving league".

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• Wrexham lose 1-0 at Stevenage
• Parkinson says it's an "unforgiving" league
• Fires warning to his players

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A Louis Thompson goal in the 10th minute condemned the Red Dragons to their second League One defeat of the season. After the match, manager Parkinson challenged his players to bounce back from this when they face Northampton Town this weekend, but sent a warning of sorts to his players as well.

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  WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

  When asked what message he would send to his players ahead of their next game, he said: "Take our medicine. We've got to get back and assess team selection, what we are going to do, we'll have a look at Northampton and get ready to respond and that is what we will do. It's an unforgiving league but every league is competitive. This is more unforgiving because the quality level is higher but we've got better quality and strength in depth and we are capable of coping with it. We're in a strong position but we need to improve in periods of games where you are under a bit of pressure. And I felt we didn't have enough players who responded to that today [Tuesday]."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham are going for an historic third-straight promotion, something no other team has done within the top five levels on the English football pyramid. They still sit second in League One and are in the automatic promotion spots but they will need to improve if they are going to make it to the Championship. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that Stevenage have the fourth-best home record in League One.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham, who have won all four of their home games this season, return to Stok Cae Ras on Saturday afternoon when they host lowly Northampton Town. Incidentally, if they can improve their away form, which is the 14th-best in the division, they will be right up near the top of the table this season.

Mauricio Pochettino’s time at Chelsea is up, not even a year after moving to Stamford Bridge.

Whether that’ll prove to be the right decision in the long run is unknown, with fans and players both in shock at his departure.

For many, the Blues’ five-game winning streak at the end of the season was enough to stick by the Argentine for the upcoming campaign, but Todd Boehly has other plans.

Now that the dugout is vacant, let’s take a look at a potential successor who’s caused Chelsea plenty of headaches in the past.

Chelsea’s search for a new manager

According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Thomas Frank is on the list of potential replacements for Pochettino.

The Danish boss has been discussed internally at the club as they look for a “dynamic manager.”

Other reports state that Frank is admired for his entire package, in terms of his relationships with the media and his players.

The 50-year-old is a strong candidate for the job, unlike Thomas Tuchel, whose return has been all but ruled out, but what would a Frank Chelsea side look like?

Frank’s Chelsea side compared to Pochettino’s

Throughout the campaign, Pochettino had attempted to install his philosophy within the squad, which prioritises an attacking approach.

This can be highlighted by the Blues scoring 77 goals and creating 3.2 big chances per game this season, which happens to be even more than Arsenal’s three big chances on average.

The other guarantee with a Pochettino side is that they’ll look to dominate possession, as shown by their 58.9% this campaign (fifth best in the division) and 505 accurate team passes per game.

On the other hand, Frank has a simply different style of play, which takes a slightly more reserved approach to attack, instead focusing on defensive security.

As you can see, given that they are the underdog in most games, unlike Chelsea, Brentford are a side that operates more without the ball while ensuring that the basics are mastered.

What makes Frank slightly different from the Argentine is that he’s more willing to be tactically flexible, whether that be via in-game instruction or pre-match formation.

Pochettino always favours a standard 4-2-3-1 system, while the Dane has alternated between a 4-3-3 and a 3-4-3 variant, which has seen him go unbeaten in the last five games against the Blues and versus Pochettino.

Given the Chelsea squad, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him utilise the three-back formation if he were to join, with Reece James and Ben Chilwell proving to be a deadly wing-back combo under the aforementioned Tuchel, with 18 goal contributions between them in the 2021/22 league campaign.

So, with the former Blues boss unlikely to head back to London, Frank would be a fine alternative for the decision-makers at Chelsea.

Promisingly, the Dane is also known for getting the best out of each individual on his team, hence why he’s earned promotion and stayed in the top flight on a far-from-large budget, and Boehly will hope that he can help develop talent into superstars.

Ivan Toney is a prime example of the kind of impact Frank can have on an individual, as he scored 20 Premier League goals last season, and there's the potential that he could develop Nicolas Jackson into a 20-goal a-season striker, especially if he's being supplied by Cole Palmer.

Overall, hiring Frank is a risk, and it gives a slight similarity to the appointment of Graham Potter, but there’s no doubt he’s an “outstanding” coach, as dubbed by pundit Troy Deeney, who could help rebuild the club.

Chelsea in talks with Poch replacement who could make Mudryk unstoppable

The manager target is also of interest to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion.

By
Tom Lever

May 22, 2024