Category Sports News

Each team has played ten games so far in the Premier League season, which is over a quarter of the way through.

What then can we infer about it?

The answer seems to be quite a lot, according to history.

Only two teams finished more than five places off the top of their current standings last year, for instance.

And already there would be at least one title challenger and relegation battler, who would need to do something unheard of.

On 25 points, Arsenal leads the Premier League, which is roughly the average (24.7%) for the eventual champions after 10 games.

The top team in this league season has won the title in 14 of its 33 matches so far.

However, after ten games, has a team scored the title, a team has only seven times, the tally of second-placed Manchester City, or 18 points.

Nobody has ever attempted it with fewer points, which would “exclude” any other hopefuls.

Arsenal leads City by six points, which is the most points a team has ever scored from behind at this point in a title race.

The two who did that were Manchester City in 2013 and Manchester United in 2002-2003.

This might not be a good thing for the Gunners, though, if you believe in omens.

City scored 19 points and Arsenal scored 25 in the same season. exact same totals as this season.

Every time there is a Premier League relegation, Wolves’ two-game winning streak after ten games has meant that.

At this point, four teams, including Wolves last year, have done it from a position of three points.

Under Gary O’Neil, Vitor Pereira assumed control and provided safety. O’Neil and Pereira have just been fired, and Molineux’ advanced discussions have ended.

The three promoted teams have gone straight back up without much of a fight in each of the previous two seasons.

However, they are far better this year, and they have yet to win any of their ten games.

Fourth place is Sunderland in the table. No promoted team has ever recovered from a 10-game losing streak after accruing 18 points.

Both Leeds (11 points) and Burnley (10) are already in double figures and two places above the relegation zone.

Cardiff in 2013-14 was the last promoted team to earn 11 or more points after 10 games and relegate itself.

Only two teams finished last season more than five positions short of their 10-game mark.

Tottenham dropped from seventh to 17th place as a result of Ange Postecoglou’s appearance of priority in the Europa League.

Wolves moved up four spots, while Nottingham Forest dropped the same amount, while Newcastle moved six places to fifth, Crystal Palace moved up five, and Wolves moved up four.

In Tuesday’s draw, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland will find out who they will face in the 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying draw.

The tournament’s qualification process, which will take place in Brazil, follows the same structure as the Nations League and is broken into three levels.

Only the top four League A winners will automatically advance to the finals, and the remaining eight teams will have to compete in the play-offs.

Italy, Norway, Italy, and the Netherlands are in the second pot.

Denmark, Austria, Iceland, and Poland are the pot three.

Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine, and the Republic of Ireland are the top four countries in the pot.

A team from each of the seeded pots will make up the four groups qualifying for World Cup.

England and Ireland will qualify for World Cup qualifying with League A, knowing that they have a play-off guarantee already.

The Lionesses are currently in the second tier, which could signal the start of a new phase of their rivalry with Spain despite winning the Euros.

No matter who they are drawn against from pot one, Sarina Wiegman’s team will back themselves to win automatic qualification in the event that they defeat France and Sweden in the final match.

For Euro 2025 qualifying, England and the Republic of Ireland could compete against one another.

The Irish were relegated from League A after being eliminated from a group that included heavyweights France and Sweden. However, with a stunning promotion win over Belgium, they were able to reclaim the title.

The Republic of Ireland qualified for the 2023 World Cup under the leadership of Katie McCabe but lost to Wales in the Euros.

A play-off for the World Cup is at the very least guaranteed, which is the biggest benefit of being in League A.

The top-tier group’s four respective winners will be automatically able to advance to the Brazilian finals.

The Lionesses will be looking for that despite being in pot two.

In the decisive play-off, England or the Republic of Ireland would face a League C side in their first-round play-off, followed by a League B team or a team that placed fourth overall.

The bottom four teams in League A will be relegated for the next Nations League, but they will still face a team from League B that placed second or third in the first round play-off.

Scotland, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Northern Ireland are all included in Pot Two.

Turkey, Slovakia, Israel, and Albania are Pot Three.

Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Latvia, and Pot Four.

A team from each of the seeded pots will make up League B’s four groups, just like in the top tier.

In order to qualify, Wales has a 50% chance of facing either Scotland or Northern Ireland.

World Cup qualifying will mark a new era for Wales, who won their first major tournament at Euro 2025. Jess Fishlock retired after that time.

Wales have now lost nine of their last eleven games and dropped from League A despite making an historic Euros appearance.

In fact, Wales last won the Euro play-off game against the Republic of Ireland in December.

Scotland’s final major tournament was Scotland’s last, and it almost seems unfair for a team that has a lot of top players like Caroline Weir and Erin Cuthbert.

In the first round of the four matches, Scotland and Belgium met twice in the autumn of 2023, and Wales also met in a friendly draw in February that year.

Northern Ireland has qualified for significant tournaments and has participated in League B every time.

Iceland comfortably won their promotion play-off with a score of 5-0 in two legs despite Tanya Oxtoby’s side finishing second in their Nations League group.

Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland must avoid finishing in the bottom of their respective groups if they want to advance to the play-offs.

They would not only lose out on a play-off, but they would also be relegated to League C, which would shock any of the three.

On the other hand, if they were to advance to League A and advance to League B, they would also be able to advance to League A in the first-round play-off.

Similar to this scenario, Scotland, Wales, or NI would face a team that finished in fourth place in League A or a Group B champion if they placed second or third in their group.

Seeded opponents are expected to face League A opponents in the second round of the play-offs.

The six World Cup qualifying matches will take place in March, April, and June of next year.

The two-legged play-off’s first round is set for October 2026, with the start of December and the end of November.

Kobbie Mainoo, a midfielder for Manchester United, and Barcelona will agree to a wage offer, while Newcastle are interested in Atalanta midfielder Ederson.

Kobbie Mainoo’s departure from Manchester United in January has gotten closer, with Napoli aggressively pressing for a loan deal for the 20-year-old. (Teamtalk)

If England international Marcus Rashford’s salary proposal is accepted, Barcelona will permanently sign the England international at the end of his loan deal with Manchester United. (Talksport)

The 32-year-old German striker would “make sense,” according to Niclas Fullkrug’s agent. (TOMorrow Business Podcast via Athletic)

William Saliba, 24, a 24-year-old defender for Arsenal and France, claimed he was “tempting” before signing a new deal with Real Madrid in September. (Sports Illustrated)

In recent meetings, Newcastle’s hiring department mentioned Atalanta midfielder Ederson, 24 as a potential replacement for Brazilian Joelinton, 29. (The I)

Liverpool are competing to sign Argentine winger Ian Subiabre, 18, from River Plate. (Fichajes – Spanish)

Vitor Roque, 20, from Palmeiras, is wanted by Chelsea and Manchester United. (Mundo Deportivo)

With no word on Vitor Pereira’s replacement as head coach scheduled for this week, Wolves are considering former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag as one of the candidates. (Athletic – A subscription required)

Oriol Romeu, 34, will resign from his previous club at Southampton after his Barcelona contract expires. (Sports) in Spanish

After settling at Juventus since moving to the Serie A club in the summer, Canada’s Jonathan David, 25, might make a move to Tottenham or Bayern Munich in January. (Sky Sports)

Rangers report having discussions with the Scottish FA regarding “major decisions” in their Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic, saying they have “concerns about the consistency of refereeing in Scottish football.”

Auston Trusty, a Celtic defender, was sent off for a challenge on goalkeeper Jack Butland, which caused Rangers to be upset.

There was no video assistant referee (VAR) intervention, but Rangers’ Thelo Aasgaard’s referee, Nick Walsh, who had earlier sent off Rangers’ Thelo Aasgaard, decided a booking was sufficient punishment.

In response to that incident, Rangers issued a statement saying, “We are unsatisfied with the explanation of the referee’s decision, the application of the Laws of the Game, and the VAR review itself, which we do not believe was sufficiently thorough or robust.”

Celtic won 3-1 at Hampden thanks to extra-time goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand, with Johnny Kenny headed home from a penalty from James Tavernier for Rangers’ 10-man squad.

You can’t kick a goalkeeper in the head, says Captain Tavernier, who later expressed incredulity over Trusty’s late save save from a red card late in the first half.

Concerns about the consistency of refereeing in Scottish football have been raised again by how important incidents were handled in Sunday’s semi-final.

The Scottish FA and club representatives met this evening to get answers about important decisions made in the game, including the one involving Jack Butland and Auston Trusty.

We are still unhappy with the referee’s decision, the application of the Laws of the Game, and the VAR review itself, which we do not believe was sufficiently thorough or robust.

Although we are aware that both sides can have an impact on refereeing decisions, too many crucial matches continue to be impacted by inconsistent and difficult-to-refuse decisions. These choices have real consequences, determining outcomes, having an impact on fans, and having an impact on the livelihoods of players, coaches, and staff whose work is based on the outcomes on the pitch.

The club has consistently raised issues with the Scottish FA, but we don’t think there has been enough change in how refereeing is developed at the highest level.

Our supporters have grown frustrated with the repeated contradictions in important match decisions that still affect the club because we understand and share their anger.

After making a shocking comeback to the club, Gary O’Neil has decided to step down as manager of Wolves.

11 months after being fired, the 42-year-old had been a contender for a surprise comeback in Vitor Pereira’s place.

O’Neil has since withdrawn from the process, according to sources who told BBC Sport. A significant portion of the agreement has been reached.

As Wolves continue to talk with a number of other candidates, Erik ten Hag, who was fired by Bayer Leverkusen in September after just three games in charge, is of interest to them.

O’Neil is still receiving money from the club in accordance with his 12-month severance package, which expired in December.

O’Neil and Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards were named as potential replacements for Pereira at Molineux, according to a report from BBC Sport from Sunday.

After Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Fulham left them eight points off the safety line and bottom of the Premier League, Pereira was fired on Sunday. He took O’Neil’s place in December.

Given his current position at Middlesbrough, Edwards’ position would present some challenges, with Boro believing to be entitled to a sizable salary.

After leading Wolves for two games in 2016, Edwards distanced himself from the position and said he was a former Wolves Under-23 coach. He also served as first-team coach.

He claimed that his daughter informed him yesterday that it was [Sunday], so that probably indicates where I stand on it.

“You may be aware of my ties to the club, but my main focus is on this job, which is fantastic, and trying to turn things around with a big game against Leicester,” I said.

It’s difficult for me to comment on anything else that hasn’t been done well so far, aside from Middlesbrough, which is where my focus is.

In Nuno Espirito Santo, Bruno Lage, and Pereira, Wolves have a history of appointing managers who have close ties to famous agent Jorge Mendes.

According to what we know, Wolves were speaking with at least one manager from Mendes’ stable in addition to O’Neil.

By Nick Mashiter

The 42-year-old could have returned, and sources close to O’Neil told BBC Sport he would not have considered making a comeback at the start of the year.

O’Neil’s mind had clearly changed before his decision to withdraw from the process after 11 months of missing work due to Liam Manning’s summer job in Norwich.

In an effort to find the right role, he has changed agents this year.

Sources also expressed concern about how it would operate if executive chairman Jeff Shi and former sporting director Matt Hobbs almost had previously served as a liaison.

Shi claimed that Wolves did not fire O’Neil early last season.

Hobbs left Al-Shabab in the summer, moving in as director of football in June with Domenico Teti, who previously worked for Vitor Pereira in Saudi Arabia.

Nelson Semedo, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Matheus Cunha, who O’Neil rated and rated Wolves’ best last season, have all left.

Under O’Neil, Wolves continued to struggle with them and lost any of their opening 10 games last season. This is a statistic that Wolves have kept coming up with this year.

Following the two-day schedule for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta has demanded that the Premier League match on December 21 be moved.

The English Football League (EFL) criticized the “undermining” of its competition because it had to compromise on the match date due to fixture congestion, and the manager made this request.

On December 23 (20:00 GMT), two days after the respective clubs travel to Everton and Leeds in the Premier League on away days, Arsenal will face Palace in the last eight at Emirates Stadium.

The Eagles host Finnish side KuPS in the Uefa Conference League on December 18 at Selhurst Park in addition to the previous week’s other three quarter-final matches.

Prior to his team’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague, Arteta stated, “Hopefully they will move our Premier League match because playing two days later makes no sense.”

“So we’ve already decided the EFL Cup game date,” I’m confident that they’ll also change the Premier League game.”

When questioned about his intentions to the Premier League, Arteta replied, “I’ll leave that up to the club.” The more logical day to play, they bring a different date, in my opinion, is very clear.

For comment, the Premier League has been contacted.

Between December 14 and December 23, Palace will have a grueling four-game schedule that includes a home game against Manchester City.

The EFL criticized the “expansion of European cup competitions,” which it claimed was “implemented without adequate consultation with domestic leagues.”

Schedule conflicts are “now completely unavoidable,” according to the EFL, who stated that it had “shown a willingness to compromise.”

The statement read, “To continue making endless concessions only serves to undermine the reputation of the EFL Cup.”

It also challenges the English football team’s traditional schedule and the intensity of our home games.

Instead of the six that Uefa’s European calendar used to, with the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League each having a separate week of exposure, Uefa now has 10 midweeks.

Due to the need for the third round of the EFL Cup to be seeded and played over two weeks to keep Champions League and Europa League clubs apart, it has created a significant logistical problem.

Oliver Glasner, the manager of Palace, stated last week that playing two games in three days would be “irresponsible.”

Arteta argued that the integrity of the competition was as much as “respecting” the squad depth of teams.

The Spaniard continued, “I’m sure we will apply the principles that we need to have equality and the same chances for every club first, then the supporters, then.”

The congested program, which deprived clubs of the “necessary time for preparation” and the ability to “field their strongest line-ups,” caused “frustration and concern” of managers and players.

There being just one game in the English top flight on December 26 due to the increased number of European matches, according to the Premier League’s recent press release.