Unlike the new norm of promoted sides opting for a more expansive style of play, however, Frank has stuck to pragmatic principles. The support that the Brentford executives have shown Frank reinforces how well he has done to keep Brentford afloat in the Premier League.

Recruitment, malleable principles of play, and ‘butterfly effect’ tactics are the main factors that have been conducive to Brentford’s consistency in the Premier League.

Pragmatic principles

A clear example of Frank’s pragmatism is how compact Brentford usually is, especially against better opposition. Whether it is a 5-3-2 or a 4-3-3, these formations are always predicated upon narrowness. This is quite a far cry from how dominant and expansive Brentford were in the Championship. Knowing the quality leap, however, Frank had to compromise to avoid falling into the trap of newly promoted sides conceding too frequently.

Frank’s more defensive approach should not be interpreted as cowardice though. Frank makes his Brentford side go man-to-man in the press to force high turnovers quickly. His pressing structure ensures that Brentford is not passive out of possession. Frank knows that physical aggression is needed from his players to hang in the notoriously physical Premier League.

Brentford’s off-ball setup has meant that, first and foremost, Brentford has been frustrating to play against. Emphasizing a strong defensive setup has contributed massively to Brentford’s consistency in the Premier League.

‘Butterfly effect’ tactics

Frank has been very adept at using his side’s aggression to take advantage of how his opponents set up defensively. He has been able to utilize his side’s aggression to implement special tactics to overwhelm his opponents. For example, if the opposition is kicking the game off, Brentford will usually hunt down the players like rabid dogs. If Brentford is kicking the game off, the Bees will often go direct and try to get the ball into the opposition’s final third as early as possible. The key is that Brentford will exploit specific aspects of a team’s defensive setup by overwhelming it with bodies. This is why they score so early so often.

These small tactical instructions sometimes end up having a significant impact on the game. The butterfly effect.

Attacking prowess

Frank’s narrow off-ball setup suits a counter-attacking team with willing runners in behind and attackers who can hold up the ball. This is highly valuable in a league where, now more than ever, more teams are defending high. Players like Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbuemo are perfect examples of the attacking dynamic that suits Frank’s Brentford. Both men were reliable attacking outlets who still aligned with Frank’s defensive setup. Brentford having a relatively tall squad also meant they retained a respectable set-piece threat.

It is important, however, to recognize that Frank was especially lucky to have had the immense quality of Toney and Mbuemo at his disposal. Toney and Mbuemo have a combined 96 goal contributions in the Premier League. Although Toney and Mbeumo’s dynamic worked for Frank’s system, their individual quality enabled Brentford to overperform.

Smart recruitment

Brentford has primarily recruited players who suited Frank’s needs. Data is used to assess whether a certain player aligns with what Frank requires for the position. Frank and the team consider many factors when determining if a potential signee can have a long-term future at the club. A common example of one of these factors is injury history.

Regarding midfielders, Frank has openly expressed that he wishes for his midfielders to be robust and athletic. Frank wants durable midfielders who can keep up with the physicality and intensity of the Premier League. This helps to instill discipline within the midfielders to maintain Frank’s defensive principles. When attacking, athletic midfielders help Frank institute fluid rotations in the final third and drag opposition players out of position.

Frank working closely with Brentford’s recruitment team has produced a squad that has exceeded expectations. Outside of standout players like Toney and Mbeumo who certainly helped with this overperformance, the rest of Brentford’s squad is uninspiring on paper. Frank’s physical profiling and his adaptable coaching, however, have consistently put Brentford in the best position to avoid relegation.

Frank himself is a particularly likable character and expressive communicator in the dressing room and the media. It may be that another reason why Frank is a pragmatic coach is because he is a pragmatic person.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.

It was not until the final set-piece of the game that City took advantage of a momentary lapse in the concentration of the Arsenal players. A shot from Mateo Kovacic ricocheted into the six-yard box and, where an unmarked John Stones easily tapped the ball in.

City once again sit atop the Premier League table, two points ahead of the Gunners. The most notable takeaway from the game, however, will be the sending-off of Trossard. It is yet another weekend where the consistency of the officials is put into question.

Another blunder from a Premier League referee?

Immediately after leaving the pitch, ambiguity surrounded Trossard’s red card. The Belgian international had already been booked earlier in the first half. The incident that got him sent off was not necessarily because of any harmful play either.

The official Premier League Match Center X account posted that referee Michael Oliver sent Trossard off for “delaying the restart”. This explanation applies to when Trossard hastily booted the ball in the air after conceding the foul. In this context, it appears that the referee is simply following the letter of the law.

Alternatively, there is an argument to be made about the careless inconsistencies shown by Premier League officials every week. An example exists in this same game. Jeremy Doku also delayed the restart of the game in an unrelated incident but did not see a card.

Many fans will also look back to a year ago when fans deemed Kovacic fortunate to remain on the pitch. Michael Oliver officiated that fixture, as well as the game today. After the game, PGMOL chief Howard Webb admitted that Kovacic was “extremely fortunate” to remain on the pitch after two reckless challenges.

It is patterns of incidents like these that conjure the accusations of inconsistency every week in England.

Arsenal defended for their lives against Manchester City in the second half

One thing that remained consistent, however, was Arsenal’s will to defend. Arteta sent his ten men out for the second half with a gameplan that became obvious quickly. Arsenal set up in a low block that would make Sam Allardyce proud and never looked back.

Similar to last week against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal’s shape was quite narrow. Arteta looked vindicated in assuming that City would attempt to play through their shape instead of attacking wide. Regardless of their position, an Arsenal player entered the pitch and immediately conformed to the rigidity of the shape.

Inevitably, Arsenal found some moments of respite higher up the pitch. Unfortunately, Arteta was adamant that Arsenal play without an outlet. The player this affected most was Kai Havertz. The German international became the first Premier League player in seven seasons to play a full game without completing a pass. This statistic added insult to the injury that Stones had already inflicted.

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In what many have called the sport’s trial of the century, it’s expected to take roughly ten weeks before a decision can be reached. Thankfully, the severity of punishment is not at the behest of the general public. Otherwise, the club could get slaughtered by rival fans. Nevertheless, Manchester City must be found guilty before being subject to any form of punishment.

In light of this, here is a run-through of the most serious charges that Manchester City faces:

54 charges of failure to disclose accurate financial information

Manchester City is accused of failing to provide the Premier League with necessary financial information from 2009/10 to 2017/18. In 2017/18, City became the first and only team to win the Premier League title with 100+ points. The nine-year period of these 54 charges is the longest period of all the breaches.

Premier League teams must disclose accurate and up-to-date financial information so that the league can properly assess the club’s revenue. This assessment involves sponsorship deals, cost of operations, and player’s salaries. Naturally, these assessments are necessary to ensure that clubs comply with the rules of Financial Fair Play (FFP).

Fifty-four breaches over nine years suggest that Manchester City was breaking these FFP rules multiple times a season. The likelihood, though, is that the prevalent case within these breaches was an omission of the true level of revenue.

14 charges for failure to provide accurate reports for player and manager payments

According to the Premier League, Manchester City was dishonest about the funds players and managers received between 2009 and 2016. The main issue is the loophole City created for itself as these payments hid from FFP. When German magazine Der Spiegel exposed these issues in an article entitled Bending the Rules to the Tune of Millions, the most notable names connected were Roberto Mancini and Yaya Toure.

In the cases of both men, the accusation is that undeclared parties paid for parts of their respective salaries. Both Mancini and Toure deny any knowledge of wrongdoing.

35 charges of failing to comply with Premier League conduct investigations

Similarly, Manchester City faces accusations of abstaining from cooperation in these investigations between 2018 and 2023. In allegedly failing to cooperate, Manchester City broke the Premier League’s code of compliance. The code of compliance is an agreement between the league and its clubs to operate ‘in good faith’. Much like the 54 charges, the high number of charges here suggests that City broke the code of compliance multiple times a year during that period.

How we got here

This hearing is the culmination of an investigative process that has evolved into charges brought against Manchester City. The Premier League announced this statement in February 2023. Manchester City have remained adamant throughout this process that they did not break any rules. Pep Guardiola even welcomed the accusations, admitting that he hoped the trial would end as quickly as it began.

Guardiola may have to wait a while yet. The trial could last ten weeks, with a result not expected until the early months of 2025. Then, there’s the likelihood of an appeal from City. The hope is that the case will wrap up before the end of this season.

The volume of financial breaches that Manchester City faces spans nine years. This fact alone has already convinced many that City must be guilty. Rival fans are already dreaming of potential punishments. At the same time, financial experts argue that City has a strong case against the accusations.

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Arsenal finds themselves in a valuable position being two points within Manchester City. This is because Arsenal will play Man City next weekend at the Etihad Stadium. Arsenal now have the opportunity to end Man City’s unbeaten run in the league and leap them in the table. Arsenal and Man City will turn their attentions to Champions League soccer during the week.

For Tottenham, more questions are raised about the practicality of Ange Postecoglou’s style. It was Tottenham’s defensive vulnerabilities that offset all their potent attacking play against Newcastle and the same thing occurred in today’s game. Tottenham currently sit at 13th in the table.

Arteta and Arsenal lost key players before the game

Arsenal were already missing the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu and new signee Mikel Merino due to injury. Arsenal’s weaknesses grew after losing another new signing Riccardo Calafiori and captain Martin Odegaard during the international break. Though both injuries are not serious, it remains unclear when both players will return.

Perhaps the most notable absentee was their $130m man at the base of midfield Declan Rice. The England international played during the international break but missed Sunday’s clash due to suspension. The pressure of the North London Derby was already enough. But, the deck was stacked even higher against Arsenal due to the loss of their two most important players.

Arteta got his tactics spot on with key players missing

Mikel Arteta will have been aware of Tottenham’s attacking prowess, so unsurprisingly, he set his team up to be ultra-compact defensively. Losing Rice was big, as he usually has a big enough engine to hold down a midfield line by himself. Arsenal rectified this by defending deep and pressing very narrowly. Arsenal often defended with five at the back and pressed in a narrow 4-4-2.

Arsenal’s defending deep in this narrow block made it practically impossible for Tottenham to play through the middle. Arsenal made sure to force Tottenham players wide, resulting in Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson having limited decisions to make. The right side of Tottenham’s attack was particularly ineffective for most of the game due to Arsenal’s strict defense and Johnson’s poor performance overall.

The other reason Arteta chose to play with such a deep block was to essentially win the ball deep and send the ball over Tottenham’s notoriously high line. Odegaard was not there to help Arsenal connect play in the middle so Arteta compromised by playing more direct. This was how Arsenal’s forward players found numerous opportunities to attack the space in behind.

The corner that led to the winning goal resulted from a ball being fed into Kai Havertz up top. His holdup play allowed Arsenal the opportunity to force a corner. This game was a comprehensive example of how to adjust accordingly when going into a big game with a weakened team.

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Despite drawing ample interest, no club triggered that massive release clause on Eberechi Eze in the 2024 summer transfer window. This admittedly surprised Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish. Talking to Sky Sports News, Parish claimed that he was “astounded” that clubs did not move for Eze during the summer. Many were expecting the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur to pursue Eze.

Manchester United will be busy once again next summer

It appears that the window of opportunity to secure Eze’s services will reopen next summer. United will also seek to sign a midfielder, a center-back, and a left-back. Manchester United had multiple advances for Everton center-back Jarrad Branthwaite rejected this past summer. It cannot be ruled out that the Red Devils may go back in for him next summer.

Unsurprisingly, Manchester United is searching for a left-back. This has been a problem position for the past year due to the perpetual injuries of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. United were expected to bring in a specialist left-back this past summer. The signing of Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich has plastered the left-back crisis temporarily, as he can play both sides at full-back.

It is unclear what profile of midfielder United will target next summer. This past summer Manchester United secured their primary defensive midfield target of Manuel Ugarte. Recent Carrington Academy graduate Toby Collyer has ample support at Old Trafford. Collyer, like Ugarte, is a defensive midfielder, so perhaps United will look for more central/attacking midfielders next summer.

Free agent Adrien Rabiot has been a common name in the rumor mill at Old Trafford. He remains a cost-effective option that Man United could pursue if he is still available by next year.

Bringing Eberechi Eze to Manchester United has consequences for Rashford

It is difficult not to think that Manchester United’s targeting of Eze is linked to Marcus Rashford’s future. After his best individual season at Man United in 2022/23, Rashford was painfully average throughout 2023/24. Many Man United fans remain unconvinced that Rashford will rediscover his best self this season, or ever again.

Rashford’s current contract expires in 2028. According to Transfermarkt, Rashford’s current market value is $66m. Should another underwhelming season ensue, United may feel the urge to cash in. Receiving a fee similar to Rashford’s market value would mean that Manchester United could immediately reinvest it into activating Eze’s release clause.

Maximizing the Englishman’s potential at Old Trafford

Eze is a versatile attacking player who is most effective on the left and through the middle as a 10. His particular effectiveness as a half-space player makes him especially dangerous against low blocks. The left half-space is primarily where he operated last season. He scored 11 goals and provided 4 assists in the Premier League last season.

Stylistically, Eze and Rashford are different in how they approach the game. Rashford at his best is a lethal inside forward, while Eze is more creative. Paradoxically, Eze has played closer to goal than Rashford this season. Erik ten Hag has deployed Rashford closer to the touchline as a traditional winger, while Eze has a free role at Crystal Palace under Oliver Glasner.

Should Eze join United, Old Trafford would be receiving a similar profile of player to Jadon Sancho and Michael Olise. Eze is another paragon of the current ‘wingfielder’ trend that is permeating European soccer. So this begs the question of whether Eze would be a shrewd signing.

For Eze to work out at Manchester United, he needs the same free role that he currently enjoys at Selhurst Park. The license to roam. Limiting him to holding width at the touchline and creating space for runners inside restricts what makes Eze effective.

Allowing Eze to roam mobilizes him in every aspect of play. In the middle 3rd, this means creating central overloads. In the final third, this means positional rotations between Eze and the other attacking players. Fluid attacking rotations between Eze, Bruno Fernandes, and the striker will be most conducive to creating consistent goalscoring opportunities.

If Manchester United is serious about securing Eze, then they must not put breaks on him.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.

Musiala’s current contract expires in June 2026, and Bayern Munich has been adamant that it wants him to stay. It is understood that Bayern Munich has been trying to tie Musiala down to a bigger contract which keeps him at the club for longer. Musiala, however, has been stalling contract talks as his future remains unclear.

Some have speculated that Musiala is simply increasing pressure on Bayern Munich to offer him an extremely lucrative deal. Others believe that Musiala’s time at the Allianz Arena may finally be concluding as he seeks a new challenge elsewhere.

Financial implications for Man City in targeting Jamal Musiala

As widely reported earlier this year, Bayern Munich will demand at least $130 million to let Musiala leave in the summer of 2025. Depending on how many clubs come to the table, this figure may increase. Bayern Munich may also look to use the big money transfers of midfielders like Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo as benchmarks.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, Musiala currently has a maximum market value of $133 million. One has to wonder how many European clubs would offer upwards of that amount. If Manchester City were to move for Musiala, they would almost certainly have to break their transfer record of $130 million for Jack Grealish.

Wage demands would also have to be accounted for. Musiala currently earns $106,000 a week, which pales in comparison to the wages of Bayern Munich’s biggest earners. Musiala will likely demand to be paid similarly to the highest earners in Europe’s top 5 leagues. If a club like Arsenal were to throw its hat in the ring, it must break the consistency of its wage structure to accommodate Musiala.

It is also important to note that Chelsea retains a 20% sell-on clause should Bayern Munich sell Musiala. This may provide further incentive for Bayern Munich to demand a fee over $130 million.

Which clubs are likely to battle for Musiala?

Manchester City retains a well-known interest in Musiala and likely views the German international as a potential successor for Kevin De Bruyne. Musiala is comfortable playing across the attacking line, so his versatility may also be alluring. With the arrival of exciting right-winger Savinho, Man City may be salivating at the prospect of rotation between Musiala and Phil Foden.

In England, Liverpool are another club that reportedly held a strong interest in Musiala during the summer. A move for Musiala never materialized as Liverpool focused on trying to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi. A potential move back to Chelsea is not impossible. However, a transfer back to Stamford Bridge would be tricky due to Chelsea’s tenuous financial situation.

Outside of England, Paris Saint-Germain held a strong interest in Musiala this past summer. However, the marquee midfield signing for the Ligue 1 champions was central midfielder Joao Neves in a $77 million deal. Barcelona also kept an eye on Musiala’s situation this past summer. Like Chelsea however, a potential deal seems majorly unrealistic considering Barcelona’s struggling financial situation.

As always, there also remains the possibility that Musiala could run down his contract and leave in 2026 for free.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.

Instead of 32 teams in the competition, there will now be 36. Every team is assigned eight opponents to play, with four games at home and four being away. Points procured from these games will determine a team’s position in the league table, and the top eight in the final league table after the final Matchday will automatically qualify for the Round of 16.

Teams finishing 9th-24th in the league table will play each other in playoff games to determine who progresses to the Round of 16. Teams who finish 25th-36th will be eliminated from the competition entirely. While this means more matches being added to an already intense schedule for the players, it ensures high-quality clashes every Matchday during this season’s Champions League.

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(The kick-off times provided are ET)

Here’s the full UEFA Champions League schedule.

Tuesday, September 17

12:45 PM ET – Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven; Paramount+

3 PM ET – AC Milan vs Liverpool; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Sporting Lisbon vs LOSC Lille; Paramount+

Wednesday, September 18

3 PM ET – Manchester City vs Inter Milan; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Paris Saint-Germain vs Girona; Paramount+

Thursday, September 19

12:45 PM ET – Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen; Paramount+

3 PM ET – AS Monaco vs Barcelona; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Atalanta vs Arsenal; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Atletico de Madrid vs RB Leipzig; Paramount+

Tuesday, October 1

3 PM ET – Arsenal FC vs Paris Saint-Germain; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan; Paramount+

3 PM ET – PSV Eindhoven vs Sporting Lisbon; Paramount+

Wednesday, October 2

3 PM ET – Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Liverpool vs Bologna; Paramount+

3 PM ET – LOSC Lille vs Real Madrid; Paramount+

3 PM ET – RB Leipzig vs Juventus; Paramount+

3 PM ET – SL Benfica vs Atletico de Madrid; Paramount+

Tuesday, October 22

3 PM ET – Paris Saint-Germain vs PSV Eindhoven; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund; Paramount+

Wednesday, October 23

3 PM ET – Atletico de Madrid vs LOSC Lille; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Barcelona vs Bayern Munich; Paramount+

3 PM ET – RB Leipzig vs Liverpool; Paramount+

Tuesday, November 5

3 PM ET – Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen; Paramount+

3 PM ET – LOSC Lille vs Juventus; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Real Madrid vs AC Milan; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Sporting Lisbon vs Manchester City; Paramount+

Wednesday, November 6

3 PM ET – Bayern Munich vs SL Benfica; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Inter Milan vs Arsenal; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Paris Saint-Germain vs Atletico de Madrid; Paramount+

Tuesday, November 26

3 PM ET – Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Inter Milan vs RB Leipzig; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Manchester City vs Feyenoord; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal; Paramount+

Wednesday, November 27

3 PM ET – Aston Villa vs Juventus; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Liverpool vs Real Madrid; Paramount+

Tuesday, December 10

12:45 PM ET – Girona vs Liverpool; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Atalanta vs Real Madrid; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Bayer Leverkusen vs Inter Milan; Paramount+

Wednesday, December 11

3 PM ET – Arsenal vs AS Monaco; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Juventus vs Manchester City; Paramount+

Tuesday, January 21

3 PM ET – Atletico de Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Liverpool vs LOSC Lille; Paramount+

3 PM ET – SL Benfica vs Barcelona; Paramount+

Wednesday, January 22

12:45 PM ET – RB Leipzig vs Sporting Lisbon; Paramount+

3 PM ET – AC Milan vs Girona; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Feyenoord vs Bayern Munich; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester City; Paramount+

Wednesday, January 29

3 PM ET – Barcelona vs Atalanta; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Inter Milan vs AS Monaco; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Girona vs Arsenal; Paramount+

3 PM ET – Juventus vs SL Benfica; Paramount+

3 PM ET – PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool; Paramount+

Champions League 2024/25 schedule: Dates for the playoffs, the knockouts, and the final

Knockout round playoffs: February 11/12 & 18/19, 2025; Paramount+

Round of 16: March 4/5 & 11/12, 2025; Paramount+

Quarter-finals: April 8/9 & 15/16, 2025; Paramount+

Semi-finals: April 29/30 & May 6/7, 2025; Paramount+

Final: May 31, 2025; Paramount+

The draw for the knockout round playoffs will take place on January 31, 2025. The draw for the Round of 16 will take place on February 21, 2025. The Champions League final will be hosted at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

Photo: IMAGO / PanoramiC.

The suspenseful last day of the transfer window went down to the final minutes on a day when Ivan Toney joined Al Ahli for $52 million, and goalkeeper Neto joined Arsenal on loan.

Sancho joins Chelsea

But the big story of the day was Sancho heading to Chelsea, while Sterling moved to Arsenal.

The agreement for Sancho’s move is an initial loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the season. The obligatory buy clause is believed to be around $32m. Manchester United was prepared to lower their asking price by the time deadline day arrived, which is what they have done.

Pending final confirmation as of writing, Sancho will be the sixteenth player Man United has transferred this summer. Sancho will be joining the club he grew up supporting and returning to the city he grew up in as well. Manchester United is almost certain to end their business for the summer here.

Irrespective of Man United boss Erik ten Hag proclaiming that he and Sancho had settled their differences, Sancho remained for sale all summer. Regardless of what happened with Sancho, Man United were already satisfied with their attacking options.

Sterling set to join Arsenal

Arsenal and Chelsea have reportedly reached an agreement for the loan of Sterling to the Emirates for the rest of the season. This comes off the back of Sterling being told by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca that he will not play a single minute at Stamford Bridge this season.

Chelsea had subsequently offered the England international to various clubs. It was originally believed that a possible deal could be struck between Chelsea and Manchester United for Sterling. A potential swap deal including various players was discussed, as well as a separate loan or permanent deal. Sterling’s $390,000-a-week wages proved to be an Achilles heel for any potential deal though.

Sterling had already given his green light for both Chelsea and Arsenal to facilitate a potential deal. Sterling reportedly saw the move as best for his ambitions, as well as the convenience of his family. Sterling will be the third signing Arsenal makes this summer.

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Osimhen set to stay at Napoli

Osimhen seems all but certain to remain at Napoli until at least January. The Nigerian international was unable to secure a move to Chelsea. This was due to Chelsea’s salary offer being deemed far too low. Osimhen was reportedly hoping to be paid similarly to how he is currently paid in Naples – around £200,000 a week. Chelsea intermediaries have since left Italy, pulling the plug on any further discussion.

Osimhen ostensibly rejecting Al Ahli’s sizeable offer does not necessarily mean that the possibility of him joining the Saudi Pro League is dead. The transfer window in Saudi Arabia closes on September 2. This leaves the door open for Osimhen to reconsider the offer from Al Ahli.

The other reason why Osimhen finds himself in this position is because no club was willing to pay his $148m release clause.

Photo: IMAGO / PA Images

Immediately upon opening the video, you can hear fans on the other side of the barricade hurling profanities at the Everton players. One particularly livid fan seemed to express how shameful it was that a specific player was on $105,000 a week and (in his view) failed to justify his salary.

Jordan Pickford was the first to emerge in the video and he did not look impressed at all, appearing to talk back to a fan while walking to the train. Unsurprisingly, Neal Maupay took a quick opportunity to say some words back to the fans. Maupay in particular seemed to increase their fury.

A few Everton players bravely attempted to defuse some of the tension by clapping and shaking hands with the fans. Others deemed it best to keep within themselves and ignore the verbal barrage. Amongst these players was the 21-year-old highly rated center-back Jarad Branthwaite. The England international was linked with a move to Manchester United this summer. Everton rejected multiple offers from the Red Devils.

Ultimately, it was a day that went from embarrassing to disastrous for Everton. The Toffees currently sit rock-bottom of the Premier League table with a goal difference of -7. It may only be game week 2, but the signs are already apparent that this is likely to be another strenuous season for Everton.

Maupay voiced his concerns regarding Everton abuse on X

It is common knowledge at this point that Maupay prides himself on being antagonistic. For many years he has maintained a reputation for being one of soccer’s most prolific ‘trolls’. On this occasion, however, Maupay used his platform to address his concerns regarding this incident.

Maupay asked X users to imagine how peculiar it would be if workers in other jobs faced abuse similarly. Maupay believes it is unfair that he and his teammates faced this type of criticism after the game, despite them “trying their best.”

No other Everton player has publicly commented on the incident.

Maupay’s tweet met with mixed responses

Some soccer fans find merit in Maupay’s tweet. Player welfare is not just physical, and these fans believe that Everton supporters should have remained supportive regardless of the result.

The majority of soccer fans, however, seem to agree that soccer players (in their view) should develop thicker skin. Many seem to have specifically taken issue with Maupay’s suggestion that there are few other jobs where abuse is rampant. Examples raised in response to Maupay’s hypothetical proposition have included traffic wardens, police officers, and even nurses.

Maupay’s antagonism has also been pointed out by many. The argument here is that Maupay’s response to this incident presents him as a hypocrite. The online trolling of Maupay is funny to many but simultaneously deemed tasteless and immature. Maupay’s trolling at actual soccer players does not aid his case.

Regardless, there will always be a fine line between banter and verbal abuse. Fans should support their team through the successes and the failures. Understandably, some losses are simply too shocking to tolerate. It remains unclear whether Everton will release a statement in connection to the incident or Maupay’s tweet.

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Bayern have their forward players to thank for being able to leave Wolfsburg with three points. Bayern controlled much of the first half and earned a well-worked opening goal from Jamal Musiala. Sacha Boey was able to use his athleticism at right-back to dominate the right channel and deliver a peach of a ball into Musiala’s path for a tap-in.

Even though Bayern earned an early lead, the forward players missed several chances created. Segre Gnabry in particular had two good chances in the first half which he squandered. Harry Kane whacked a shot into Kamil Grabara’s face from close range. The hard work for Grabara continued as he had to save a Joshua Kimmich header from close range too.

The Bundesliga debutant Michael Olise acquitted himself admirably in the first half, creating five chances. The sense seemed that Wolfsburg would retain a chance if they made it to halftime only a goal down. That sense turned out to be correct.

Wolfsburg were rewarded for their resilience against Bayern

A rapid start from Wolfsburg and a real lack of concentration from Bayern resulted in the concession of a penalty. Lovro Majer confidently slotted the penalty away and this bolstered Wolfburg’s presence in the game. The goal was the catalyst Wolfsburg needed to play with more conviction.

The increase in stadium noise seemed to be affecting Kim Min-Jae. Patrick Wimmer caught Min-Jae on the ball and was able to set up Majer for his brace. This was Wolfsburg’s second goal in eight minutes and it represented a very obvious momentum swing. Wolfsburg was using the crowd and Bayern at this moment in time was drowning.

Cooler heads prevailed and goals for Bayern followed

It became apparent very quickly that Bayern needed cooler heads to steer them back on course. Vincent Kompany subbing on Thomas Muller made perfect sense for this situation. The Muller inclusion immediately bore fruit as he thought he had scored a goal with his first touch. The Bayern equalizer turned out to be a Jakub Kamininski own goal in which the ball had crossed the line before Muller touched it.

Muller’s impact was felt regardless, not just through his experience and leadership but also his quality on the ball. Kompany made an informed decision to move Musiala deeper and situate Muller in the ’10’ position. Musiala’s imperious dribbling meant that Bayern could cut through the Wolfsburg midfield with more efficiency.

Muller’s positioning in the middle of the final third was instrumental in Bayern’s game-winning goal. Muller received the ball on the half-turn, simultaneously shrugging his marker to the side. He then quickly released the ball to Kane, who then set up Gnabry for a clinical finish into the far corner.

This game was a textbook example of how beneficial it can be to possess dangerous attacking spoils. Though Wolfsburg arguably deserved a point from this game, they did not have Bayern’s attacking quality. Kompany’s attackers proved their reliability today.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.

Contrarily, Mallorca refused to make the evening a walk in the park for Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s players were adept at moving the ball quickly in and around the penalty area. However, it seemed for the most part that the front six were playing a game of ‘pass the parcel.’ Very rarely did any of the front six take on the responsibility early to try to test Dominik Greif in his goal.

Real Madrid was, as expected, dominant in possession. However, at times Mallorca ripped that sense of comfort away from Los Blancos. Mallorca did this by forcing the game state to become transition-based. Real Madrid’s penchant for moving the ball in and around the box often resulted in many of their players not being able to track back with haste. This made it easier for Mallorca to counter-attack.

Mallorca capitalized on Real Madrid being timid in the final third

Much was made of the likelihood that the balance of an Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo front three would initially suffer some growing pains. The game last night encapsulated this struggle. The trio were interchanging positions throughout the game. Interchangeability between attacking players is by no means a bad thing inherently. However, it did seem at times that Real Madrid had three left-wingers on the pitch.

This made for some awkward viewing. The front three at times stepped on each other’s toes by permeating the same zones simultaneously. Usually, a front three is more effective when their movement in and around the box is harder to track. In the case of the Real Madrid front three, Mallorca defenders were more than happy to blockade them in a single zone in the box until they eventually gave up possession.

Real Madrid’s lack of end product was not all doom and gloom. Carlo Ancelotti will have received some good signs from how his attacking players were consistently able to win the small-sided games in the final third. The small-space ability of the front six in and around the box was a definite highlight. Ancelotti will likely have noted this for when Real Madrid plays low-block teams in the future.

Ancelotti will also have been impressed with the increased involvement of Real Madrid’s deeper players in the final third. Real Madrid’s midfield was able to situate itself higher up the pitch for prolonged periods. This was precisely due to Real Madrid’s box dominance. For future games, Real Madrid will have to improve on switching the game plan when flooding the box fails to work. For as comfortable as Real Madrid looked, it proved ineffective against a savvy Mallorca defense.

Real Madrid only came away with a point last night because Mallorca could nullify their box threat with phenomenal box defending. At times Mallorca had practically their whole eleven in their box when it was time to defend. Mallorca’s commitment to the cause meant that they always had an answer for Real Madrid’s penalty area threat.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.

This agreement brings the number of signings made by Manchester United this summer up to four. It also means Aaron Wan-Bissaka made way for Mazraoui as a wingback. The English defender is on his way to West Ham. It should go without saying that Ten Hag was instrumental in the acquisitions of De Ligt and Mazraoui.

Ten Hag’s contract extension may have included a provision in which he admittedly had less of a say over transfers. Yet, the arrivals of De Ligt and Mazraoui reinforce how much influence Ten Hag possesses over United’s recruitment.

Under Ten Hag’s leadership, Manchester United has now signed eleven players who were either born or played in the Netherlands. Players such as the pair from Bayern, Antony and Lisandro Martinez played under Ten Hag outside of England. The preconception that Ten Hag may be trying to make lightning strike twice in England appears to be becoming even more of a reality.

The deadline to ensure that players are available for games in the Premier League is usually the day before the game. In this case means that De Ligt and Mazraoui will be available to face Fulham on Friday. This is United’s first game of the 2024/25 season. Many are even expecting De Ligt and Mazraoui to start.

De Ligt and Mazraoui provide Manchester United with much-needed depth

It cannot be understated how important it was for United to get this double deal over the line. Heading into the new season United are still dealing with similar injury woes to last season.

Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro both got injured during United’s pre-season tour in America. Hojlund is not expected to return until September. Yoro is expected to be out until around November.

Manchester United’s left-back situation is still a mess. Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain sidelined with injuries that thwarted their 2023/24 seasons. Most recently, Erik ten Hag resorted to 17-year-old left-back Harry Amass playing with the first team during preseason training.

With Mazraoui coming in, Manchester United now has a similar profile to Diogo Dalot. The Moroccan international can also play as both right-back and left-back. De Ligt brings Manchester United’s center-back total back to a core of four. Jonny Evans, Martinez, Harry Maguire and De Ligt.

As stated, Yoro is injured for the foreseeable future. Victor Lindelof is reportedly likely to depart from United this summer. He has been gaining significant interest from clubs in Turkey.

Providing a pathway for younger players in the squad

De Ligt and Mazraoui will also alleviate the pressure on young promising talents like Amass and Yoro to start numerous games in the upcoming season for Manchester United. De Ligt and Maguire will likely be rotating at right-center-back whilst Martinez consumes minutes at left-center-back.

Dalot will monopolize minutes at right-back while Mazraoui covers at left-back amid Shaw and Malacia working toward becoming match fit. Amass and Yoro deputizing for experienced senior players will aid their development at the club as opposed to forcing them to learn on the job.

United will have to hope that the recurring injury problems they suffered last season do not return this season, and if it is the case that Manchester United can keep the injuries to a minimum, the defensive depth will be in a desirable place.

De Ligt and Mazraoui will raise the technical floor of the squad

It has become clear over the summer that Ten Hag has been coaching his team to become more possession-based. To sustain possession over longer periods, you usually need strong technicians in your team. De Ligt and Mazraoui would essentially be adding to the already substantial list of technicians that Manchester United currently possess.

Advantageously, De Ligt and Mazraoui are arriving at a time when Ten Hag is making this welcomed pivot to keep the ball more, as De Ligt and Mazraoui have valuable experience playing for a Ten Hag team that moved the ball from back-to-front with fluidity, dominance and purpose.

Fitting Erik ten Hag’s mold

De Ligt is quite similar to Maguire stylistically. Both are naturally progressive in how they pass the ball and how they carry the ball. Where De Ligt excels is his defensive prowess though. De Ligt embodies “old school” defending in how aggressive he can be with his touch-tight defending, his excellent timing of tackles and his aerial dominance in both boxes.

Mazraoui’s technical security is excellent. His passing volume is usually quite high in most games and he takes a lot of touches a game because he is highly adept at keeping and shielding the ball, and constantly finding angles to pass his way out of trouble – this makes him invaluable in possession, especially in first-phase buildup play.

He is one of the most progressive attacking full-backs in Europe so he will be able to help United move the ball up the pitch quicker and sustain pressure for longer in the final third. The only glaring issues with Mazraoui are his lack of athleticism and injury troubles.

Mazraoui missed 17 games last season through muscle injuries alone. Non-contact muscular injuries played a role in many of Manchester United’s absentees last season. United fans will be hoping that Mazraoui is quickly able to acclimatize himself with Ten Hag’s training methods once again. That can minimize the chance of injuries recurring in the upcoming season.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.