Why are English clubs playing Champions League and Europa League matches at neutral venues? February 16, 2021 Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea are all playing Champions League fixtures at neutral venues this month. The same is true for Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in the Europa League. So why is it happening? Why have both legs of Arsenal’s tie been moved? Why is Leicester’s trip to Prague unaffected? And what does [...]
Why Manchester City’s 16-game winning streak is even better than you think February 15, 2021 Let’s start with what is indisputable: Pep Guardiola has turned Manchester City back into the best team in England. Through the flames of the dumpster fire that is Liverpool’s title defence, City have marched to the summit like a team of indestructible terminators. Seven points clear and with a game in hand, only a monumental [...]
Is Liverpool’s defeat by Manchester City a sign that history is repeating itself for Jurgen Klopp February 13, 2021 To paraphrase Liverpool owner John Henry, what do you think they’re smoking at Anfield? Because something is up with the champions. Losing to your main domestic rivals is one thing. Losing to them 4-1 at home is another. And losing to them when you are 27 points down on your tally at the same stage [...]
World’s richest football clubs 2021: Barcelona top Deloitte Football Money League ahead of Real Madrid while Bayern Munich overtake Manchester United January 26, 2021 Barcelona have retained their status as the world’s richest football club, according to Deloitte’s latest Football Money League. Barca remained fractionally ahead of fellow Spanish giants Real Madrid despite their revenue falling by €125m to €715.1m in 2019-20. European champions Bayern Munich climbed to third ahead of Manchester United, the highest placed English team in [...]
Manchester United slip to fourth in Deloitte Football Money League as Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham also make top 10 January 26, 2021 Manchester United have slipped further down the ranking of the world’s richest football clubs, according to Deloitte. England’s highest-placed team are fourth in the 2021 Football Money League, published today, after being overtaken by Bayern Munich. Barcelona and Real Madrid continue to occupy the top two places as clubs saw revenues contract due to Covid-19. [...]
Trevor Steven: It’s time for Manchester United to cut loose and show they deserve to lead the Premier League January 14, 2021 When Liverpool and Manchester United meet it is always a massive fixture for both clubs and their fans. But this Sunday at Anfield the match will have wider significance, due to United and Liverpool being first and second in the Premier League. It’s strange. A few weeks ago, the only discussion around United concerned Ole [...]
Silver Lake pours $500m into Man City owner to break sports group valuation record November 27, 2019 Private equity giant Silver Lake has made a $500m (£389m) investment into Manchester City Football Club’s owners. The cash influx means Abu Dhabi’s City Football Group is now worth $4.8bn, the firms said today, breaking the valuation record for a sports organisation. Read more: Mourinho’s changes spark Spurs comeback to seal last 16 The deal [...]
Sports Direct HQ sold to Malaysian pension fund for £120m May 28, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has confirmed the freehold sale of its headquarters to a Malaysian pension fund. The sportswear retailer, which will continue to occupy the building on a 15-year lease, said this morning that it has sold its logistics centre to Kwasa Logix Sportivo for more than £120m in cash. Read more: Debenhams versus [...]
Manchester City: Treble winners, record breakers, untouchable – and too good? May 19, 2019 In the wake of a domestic treble unprecedented in English men’s football, there should be no sparing of praise for the brilliance of Manchester City. Saturday’s FA Cup final against Watford was a devastating showcase: a 6-0 dismantling of a good team, the most emphatic margin of victory in the fixture for more than a [...]
Trevor Steven: My manager and players of the year from a vintage Premier League season May 13, 2019 Manchester City are champions again but they will never win a tougher Premier League title than this year’s. They and Liverpool have played at such a high level for the duration of the top-flight campaign that I can’t imagine we’ll see anything like it again for a long while. That is reflected in my choices [...]