After eight months and 380 matches, the 2018-19 Premier League campaign is over. Here is a bite-size summary of the campaign through 10 games that feature all 20 sides.
– Ogden: Epic title race decided by millimetres
– What you might have missed on Premier League’s final day
Manchester United 2-1 Leicester City (gameweek 1)
The Premier League’s 27th year started with a thrilling, end-to-end contest and a fortunate Manchester United victory which set the tone for their campaign. Although United’s…
After the most extraordinary week in recent football memory, with Liverpool completing an unthinkable 4-0 turnaround against Barcelona and then Spurs shocking Ajax 3-2 in Amsterdam the following day, predictions for the Champions League final on June 1 seem futile at this point.
So here’s a preview suggesting why Liverpool and Tottenham will, and won’t, lift the trophy next month.
WHY LIVERPOOL WILL WIN
Ultimately, Liverpool are the better side. They sit 24 points ahead of Tottenham in the Premier…
Tottenham had two men sent off at Bournemouth as they suffered a 1-0 defeat that keeps their top four spot in the balance.
English Premier League: Nathan Ake (90′) Bournemouth 1-0 Tottenham
English Premier League: Juan Foyth (47′) Bournemouth 0-0 Tottenham
English Premier League: Son Heung-min (45′) Bournemouth 0-0 Tottenham
The strangest thing about nine-man Tottenham’s self-destruction in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth was that it occurred in entirely unthreatening surroundings.
This was a lunchtime kick-off on a pleasant day at the Premier League’s smallest ground, and Tottenham were up against a Bournemouth side with little to play for.
The home side were in poor form, spent the prematch period handing out end-of-season awards and named a debutant goalkeeper so unknown he didn’t even have a Wikipedia…
Once upon a time, when a club found its superstar player linked with a move to a bigger club, they used to repeat the same refrain: “We are not a selling club.”
It was always a particularly meaningless phrase; every club is a selling club at the right price, not least in this era of player power. It’s not even worth pretending anymore. When Barcelona are effectively forced to sell Neymar, and Real Madrid are effectively forced to sell Cristiano Ronaldo, even European football’s two big beasts are…
Messi delivered magic for Barcelona but Liverpool had no plan for Alba; Ajax present beats Ajax past
Barcelona take a commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool after a dominant performance at home.
Donny van der Beek scored the lone goal as Ajax topped Spurs 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The ESPN FC panel don’t have a bad word to say about Liverpool’s performance but are in awe of the way Lionel Messi almost single-handedly beat them back.
Steve Nicol, Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno talk Coutinho’s struggles at Barcelona as the former Liverpool man was subjected to jeers by his own fans on Wednesday.
Gab Marcotti was more impressed with Ajax’s maturity and ability to manage a 1-0 result away from home than with their attacking prowess.
The FC’s crew agree that an off-the-pace midfield was a bigger worry for Tottenham than missing key players in their loss to Ajax.
The Exploding Heads introduce UEFA’s newest product, Vlarsses, clear and obvious greatness at the low cost of your enjoyment.
The week’s two Champions League semifinal first legs were very different matches, but both offered plenty of tactical intrigue. Here’s a key tactical talking point from each.
Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool: Left-backs make inroads
On one hand, this home win was all about Lionel Messi. But in a tactical sense, Liverpool managed to deny him space effectively: He found himself in the right position for a fortunate rebound in front of an open goal, and then curled in yet another majestic free kick.
On…
Michail Antonio’s goal puts an end to Tottenham’s perfect run in their new stadium.
LONDON — As Tottenham slumped to their first defeat in their new ground at the hands of West Ham, you couldn’t help but think of the contrast between them and their Champions League opponents, Ajax.
Ahead of Tuesday’s fixture here at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Dutch FA has postponed an entire round of Eredivisie fixtures to allow Ajax the opportunity to rest ahead of the Champions League semifinal. They might not have spent the day with their feet up — more likely they’ve been working…
The ESPN FC panel predict who will finish 4th in the Premier League, with no one believing Manchester United can get it done.
Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United may prove to the decisive moment in the title race, as Pep Guardiola’s side overcame their final serious test.
They did it, however, without John Stones. For a game against a counter-attacking United side boasting little else other than speed upfront, Guardiola chose to field the somewhat immobile Vincent Kompany alongside Aymeric Laporte. On the bench, meanwhile, was Nicolas Otamendi. Stones didn’t even make the 18-man squad, with no suggestion…
Phil Foden’s goal was the difference versus Tottenham as Man City remain in control of their Premier League title destiny.
Phil Foden’s goal was the difference versus Tottenham as Man City remain in control of their Premier League title destiny.
Shaka Hislop wasn’t too impressed by Manchester City’s win over Tottenham but says they have proven they can hold off Liverpool in the title race.
Bernardo Silva sets his sights on the remaining Premier League fixtures as Manchester City stay on course for the title by beating Tottenham.
Premier League champions sometimes need goals from unlikely sources. Granted, they will usually have a striker trying to win a golden boot and a prolific attacking midfielder in the running for player of the year honours, but contributions can also come from less obvious sources, who choose the perfect moment to score their first goal in the English top flight.
There was Christopher Wreh for Arsenal in 1998, who netted for the first time in a Premier League game to secure a win against Wimbledon;…
In simple terms, it was the classic Plan B: a back-up striker coming off the bench to get on the end of a teammate’s cross and nod home in the closing stages.
Except for the fact that Liverpool had already wrapped up their 6-1 aggregate win in the Champions League quarterfinal tie against Porto by the time Roberto Firmino headed goalwards in the 77th minute. And that their substitute centre-forward isn’t the classic Plan B at all, but a slender, mobile centre-forward once considered a false No….
Champions League knockout ties are meant to be tight — instead, we were treated to 18 goals in the four quarterfinal matches this week, with almost non-stop action from Lionel Messi’s brilliant opener for Barcelona against Manchester United to Raheem Sterling’s disallowed goal against Tottenham in the final minute. Here are some key talking points from a wonderful week of European action.
Manchester City 4-3 Tottenham Hotspur (4-4 on aggregate): Llorente actually made Spurs worse…
At the end…