All posts by z3u9t.icu

Today is the day that Celtic could be crowned champions of the Scottish Premiership if they manage to avoid a defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice Park.

The Hoops only need a point to claim the title for the fourth year running, beating their city rivals to the crown once again, in the early kick-off this afternoon.

Brendan Rodgers is looking to seal his second title in as many seasons since his return to Parkhead, and could be ruthless with his team selection by dropping Adam Idah to the bench.

Why Adam Idah could be dropped

The Ireland international was given the nod from the start to play as the number nine against St. Johnstone at Hampden Park, with Daizen Maeda and James Forrest on the wings.

Idah got on the end of a perfect cross from Reo Hatate to bundle the ball in from close range in the 5-0 win over the Saints in the SFA Cup semi-final.

However, the former Norwich City attacker has failed to provide a goal or an assist in his last seven appearances in the Premiership, which shows that he has not been good enough at league level in recent weeks.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With this in mind, Rodgers could ruthlessly ditch the striker from the team, despite his goal against St. Johnstone, and that would open up space for Jota to come back into the side on the wing.

Why Celtic should unleash Jota

The Northern Irish head coach could move Maeda back into the number nine role and that would free up the Portuguese attacker to play on the left side of the front three.

Jota, who came off the bench to score the fifth goal against the Saints, re-joined the Scottish giants in the January transfer window when he signed from Rennes on a permanent deal.

Since his return to Parkhead, the 26-year-old wing wizard, who Michael Stewart claims “raises the bar” and is a “game-changer” for the club, has hit the ground running with a return of four goals, three ‘big chances’ created, and two assists in six starts in the league.

This shows that, unlike Idah, Jota has been in fine form in the Premiership of late, with his ability to score and create goals on a regular basis from a wide position.

Goals

0.67

Top 3.9%

Expected Goals

0.51

Top 3.9%

xG on target

0.72

Top 1%

Shots on target

1.51

Top 1%

Assists

0.34

Top 17.6%

Expected Assists

0.39

Top 7.8%

Chances created

2.01

Top 21.6%

As you can see in the table above, the former Al-Ittihad forward stacks up incredibly well against his positional peers in the Scottish top-flight, due to his impressive return of goals and assists.

These statistics show that Jota is an attacker who can make a big impact on a regular basis at the top end of the pitch, which is why Rodgers should bring him into the starting XI for this clash with Dundee United today.

Cost £4.3m, now worth less than Scales: Rodgers messed up with Celtic star

Rodgers messed up with this Celtic star who cost £4.3m but is now worth less than Liam Scales.

ByDan Emery Apr 23, 2025

He has the game-changing quality that Celtic could need to get the point that will seal the Premiership title, which would be the Portuguese star’s third in his Hoops career.

Nottingham Forest have now intensified their contacts to sign a Serie A “star” this summer, according to a new update.

Nottingham Forest transfer rumours with Champions League football on the cards

Nuno Espirito Santo has worked wonders in his first full season in charge at the City Ground as he prepares his Forest side for an FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City this weekend.

The trip to Wembley will be Forest’s first since their playoff final triumph over Huddersfield Town back in 2022, and the club have made great progress since then.

Toffolo 2.0: Nuno must revive "coveted" Nottingham Forest gem's career

Nuno could hit gold by reviving this Nottingham Forest star’s career at the club.

ByDan Emery Apr 23, 2025

With five Premier League fixtures remaining against Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, West Ham and Chelsea, the Reds are in a great position to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Should Forest finish in the top five, Evangelos Marinakis could splash the cash in the transfer market ahead of the 2025/26 season. A new forward appears to be at the top of the wishlist for Forest, with the likes of Wolves star Matheus Cunha and Brentford ace Bryan Mbuemo both linked in recent weeks.

Player

Fee

Elliot Anderson

£35m

Nikola Milenkovic

£12m

Ramon Sosa

£9.3m

Morato

£12.6m

David Carmo

£10m

Jota Silva

£5.9m

Marko Stamenic

£4.6m

Carlos Miguel

£3.4m

Eric da Silva Moreira

£1.25m

Tyler Bindon

£2m

Alex Moreno

Loan

The club could look to shop abroad as well as eyeing players with Premier League experience, with FC Nordsjælland defender Daniel Svensson and Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti also of interest. Now, a new update has emerged on another Juventus player who is on the City Ground radar.

Nottingham Forest advancing in contact to sign Douglas Luiz

According to reports from Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are making advances in their move to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer.

Linked with the Reds back in January, Forest have now intensified contacts with Luiz’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, who has close ties to Edu Gaspar. Forest could soon be about to bring Gaspar in as part of their recruitment team, and it looks as if they may make an offer for Luiz over the coming months.

The former Aston Villa “star”, as dubbed by Graeme Bailey, scored twice against Forest in the 2023/24 season and could be the subject of a loan offer with an option to buy, the report claims.

Currently on around £135,000-a-week in Turin as one of Juventus’ top earners, Luiz has made 23 appearances since moving to Italy but is yet to score or register an assist, starting just six games in all competitions.

He clearly had a better time of things in England with Villa, so a return to the Premier League and the chance of playing in Europe with Forest could appeal to Luiz, making this one to watch following the recent transfer update.

Ange Postecoglou declared in August that he always wins a trophy in his second season.

Well, despite the fact his team are 15th in the Premier League table, he’s still on course to deliver on his manifesto.

On Thursday night, Tottenham Hotspur reached the Europa League semi-finals, with Dominic Solanke’s spot-kick enough to oust Eintracht Frankfurt at Waldstadion.

Spurs will now face Bodø/Glimt in the semi-finals, they have become the first-ever Norwegian club to reach the last four of any UEFA competition, with the Lilywhites thereby firm favourites to reach the final in Bilbao.

If Tottenham are going to end their 17-year wait for silverware, aiming to capture the UEFA Cup for the first time since 1984, one player in particular will be key, given that he’s reminiscent of a Spurs star of yesteryear.

How good Mousa Dembélé was at Tottenham

When one thinks of Tottenham at their peak under Mauricio Pochettino, the players who immediately spring to mind might be Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Dele Alli, Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld or Jan Vertonghen.

However, no Spurs supporter will overlook or ever forget Mousa Dembélé’s importance to that side.

Back in the summer of 2012, the Belgian joined Tottenham from Fulham for a reported fee of £15m, going on to make 249 appearances for Spurs, before departing for Guangzhou City in the Chinese Super League in January 2019.

During his time at the club, Tottenham went from being a mid-table Premier League outfit to regular top four finishers and Champions League Finalists, and the pivotal role Dembélé played in this transformation cannot be forgotten.

Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic described him as the ‘lynchpin of Pochettino’s’ team, praising his ‘ball-carrying skills’ and ‘ability to evade pressure’.

Meantime, Bart Vlietstra of the Guardian believes that, in his prime, Dembélé was ‘the best midfielder in the world’, while his former teammate Kyle Walker would agree, stating that he was “probably the best player I have ever seen play football”.

How Postecoglou would love to have Dembélé at his peak patrolling and controlling his midfield, something Spurs have severely lacked throughout this season, but is one current Spurs star showcasing some of the same qualities?

The current Spurs star who could be replicating Dembélé

Earlier this season, it would’ve been inarguable Dejan Kuluševski was Tottenham’s most dangerous attacker, scoring in five successive matches just before Christmas, on target against Chelsea, Rangers, Southampton, Manchester United and Liverpool during this sequence.

However, more recently, the Swede has spent a few weeks on the sidelines due to a foot injury suffered against Manchester City in February, before making his return at Molineux last Sunday.

This is a major boost for Postecoglou, ahead of the aforementioned Europa League semi-final against Bodø/Glimt, and the table below illustrates why.

Son Heung-min

79

28

22

Brennan Johnson

78

21

18

Dejan Kuluševski

83

18

13

Richarlison

47

16

5

James Maddison

73

15

20

Dominic Solanke

38*

12

8

*joined in summer 2024

As the table outlines, since the start of last season, only Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson have been involved in more Spurs goals than Kuluševski.

However, his similarities to fellow left-footer Dembélé come stylistically.

Jay Harris and Anantaajith Raghuraman of the Athletic praise the 24-year-old’s ‘impressive running power’ as well as his ‘durability’ and ‘defensive work’ rate while, according to FBref.com, only nine players have recorded more progressive carries in the Premier League this season.

Ben McAleer of the Guardian adds that Kuluševski is ‘absolutely vital’ for this Tottenham team, asserting that he has been their ‘most consistent player’ of the Ange-era.

Following Tottenham’s 4-0 demolition of Manchester City in November, speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Gary Neville labelled Kuluševski as “brilliant” and a “serious player”, adding that he uses his “strength and running power” to “subtley beat players” with ease.

So, while there are stylistic similarities to Dembélé and Kuluševski, the biggest overlap between the duo could be the fact they go under-the-radar a bit as Spurs’ pivotal unsung heroes.

He's another Romero: Levy readying Spurs offer for £99k-p/w "monster"

The former PL ace would be a fine addition to Spurs’ squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 19, 2025

With how poorly this season has gone for Tottenham Hotspur, this summer is set to be a seismic one.

Regardless of whether Ange Postecoglou is still the manager, the squad needs a sizable overhaul, which means Daniel Levy and Co need to get ready to spend.

However, it’s not just incomings that could shape the squad, as reports linking Cristian Romero with an exit seem to be never-ending at present.

Fortunately, if the World Cup winner is sold, it would appear that the club have already identified someone who’d be a dream replacement.

Tottenham transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting players Spurs have been linked with in recent weeks, such as Jobe Bellingham.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Sunderland star, and younger brother of Jude Bellingham, is supposedly available for around £20m this summer, and with former professional Adrian Clarke claiming he possesses a “Dele Alli-style” in the way he plays, he could be a perfect addition to the club’s growing crop of promising youngsters.

However, the North Londoners will also need first-team quality, which would explain the resurfacing links to the £60m Eberechi Eze.

The Crystal Palace maestro has enjoyed another strong season south of the river this year and has a tally of six goals and 11 assists in 33 games.

With that said, if the stories about Romero’s potential exit are true, who’s the signing who could come in as an ideal replacement?

Well, that would be Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, as, according to a recent report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the North Londoners are one of several sides keen on the Spaniard.

In fact, alongside Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United, the Lilywhites have already made contact over the player.

However, on top of getting ahead of the pack, Levy and Co will need to stump up £50m to activate the 19-year-old’s release clause.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Huijsen’s immense ability and sky-high potential, one well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a perfect Romero replacement.

Why Huisjen would be an ideal Romero replacement

So, the first thing to say is that, in an ideal world, Spurs would be able to keep hold of Romero and sign Huisjen as well, but if the former is to leave, there are a few reasons why the latter would be a perfect replacement.

The first is that he’s already the ideal blend of youth and experience, as at 19 years old, there is a good eight years until he hits the peak age for centre-backs, per research from The Athletic, but at the same time, he already has a decent amount of first-team experience.

For example, this season alone has seen him make 29 appearances for the Cherries, of which 24 have been starts, and in those, he’s scored twice and provided an assist.

Furthermore, the “phenomenal” Amsterdam-born monster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already won two senior caps for Spain and even started in the second leg of the Nations League quarter-final against the Netherlands.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when you compare the teenager’s underlying numbers to Romero’s, he comes out on top in most metrics, including but not limited to actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, key passes, aerial duels won, shot-creating actions, interceptions, blocks and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.17

0.13

Non-Penalty G+As

0.14

0.07

Progressive Passes

4.42

4.01

Progressive Carries

1.49

0.85

Passing Accuracy

83.6%

89.0%

Key Passes

0.63

0.42

Shot-Creating Actions

1.68

1.19

Goal-Creating Actions

0.14

0.14

Tackles

1.49

2.25

Blocks

1.54

1.20

Interceptions

2.16

1.34

Clearances

6.88

3.38

Ball Recoveries

4.18

5.42

Aerial Duels Won

2.74

2.39

Ultimately, while Romero remains a superb defender, Huijseni is not far off him, so even if the Argentine isn’t sold this summer, Spurs should do all they can to sign the Spanish international.

4/10 Spurs star is now in real danger of becoming their next Dele

Spurs drew 1-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 11, 2025

Things might have gone awry this season, but the plan at Tottenham Hotspur is clear.

Daniel Levy and Co want to improve the team but have decided to build for the future and focus on young and up-and-coming talents in recent transfer windows to do so.

For example, last winter, the club signed Lucas Bergvall from Swedish side Djurgårdens for around £8.5m and then in the summer, they picked up Archie Gray from Leeds United for £30m and Wilson Odobert from Burnley for around £25m.

They will continue using this approach this summer, as recent reports have linked the club with an incredibly exciting young player who has been compared to Lamine Yamal.

Spurs looking at signing "future Ballon d'Or winner"

We may still be a couple of months away from the transfer window officially opening, but that has not stopped Spurs from being linked with several young and exciting talents.

Perhaps one of the most consistent links has been to Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, who has been valued at around £55m but could potentially be available for less when the Saints are inevitably relegated at the end of the season.

Another young Englishman who has been touted for a £38m move to N17 has been Sunderland’s 17-year-old sensation Chris Rigg, who has thrived this season, scoring four goals and providing one assist in 37 appearances, most of which have come in midfield.

Yet, at least so far, the most exciting link of the lot is to a 21-year-old winger who has been seriously impressing in France this year: Rayan Cherki.

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Spurs are one of several teams incredibly interested in the Lyon ace.

In fact, alongside Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Newcastle United, the Lilywhites have already made contact and asked ‘to be kept informed about’ the star’s situation.

However, while the level of competition is far from ideal, the good news is that, according to the story, there is an agreement between the club and the player that he’ll be allowed to leave for less than £25m this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Overall, it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Cherki’s immense ability and potential, it’s one well worth fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Yamal.

How Cherki Compares to Yamal

Now, before we get to some of the other reasons why Spurs should look to sign Cherki this summer, it’s worth examining this comparison to Yamal and where it comes from.

In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Spaniard is the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, passes into the penalty area, through balls, successful take-on percentage, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.75

0.77

Passes into the Penalty Area

3.55

3.03

Through Balls

1.08

1.09

Goal-Creating Actions

0.96

1.01

Successful Take-On %

48.8%

49.8%

Ball Recoveries

3.92

3.91

However, as brilliant as it is to be compared to a European Champion and one of the most exciting players in world football, it’s not the only reason the Lilywhites should be looking to sign the Lyon ace.

For example, he’s been having an incredible season of his own this year.

In just 35 appearances, totalling 2355 minutes, he’s scored eight goals and provided 18 assists.

That means the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.34 games, or every 90.57 minutes.

Ultimately, if Spurs are going to continue building a team full of young up-and-coming prospects, as it looks like they are, then there are not many better additions they could make this summer than Cherki.

Spurs were rinsed by Pochettino signing who was a "poor man's Soldado"

The promising striker failed to live up to expectations in North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

Quite how it has all come to this continues to be debated, but the fact of the matter is that Mohamed Salah could be nearing the end of his glorious spell at Liverpool.

It was just over six months ago that the Egyptian sat atop his throne, Premier League champion for the second time at Anfield and fresh from signing a bumper new deal to end months of speculation.

The main man under Jurgen Klopp, the ex-Chelsea winger appeared to go to an even higher level following Arne Slot’s arrival, ending 2024/25 with a ridiculous tally of 57 goals and assists in all competitions.

Like all good things, however, an end is now in sight, with the 33-year-old’s AFCON involvement, alongside the looming January window, sparking suggestions that he could have already turned out in Red for the final time.

It would not be a fitting way to bow out, yet rarely do even the brightest and best get the send-off nor the finale they deserve. Even the great Steven Gerrard had to fly the nest for MLS to see out his playing days.

Regardless of whether a departure does occur in January or over the summer, Salah appears to have made his long-term future untenable – now to find a suitable replacement…

Latest on Liverpool's search to replace Salah

Rumours are already swirling regarding Salah’s potential next move, with reports last week suggesting that Turkish giants Galatasaray are among the clubs to have made an offer to the ageing sensation.

The Reds are unlikely to receive anywhere close to the reported £200m bid that was lodged from Saudi Arabia two years ago, although there would surely be a hope to cash in for as much as possible, in order to reinvest those funds on a replacement.

There have been continued claims that Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has been earmarked as one of the more high-profile options to help fill the void, while TEAMtalk are reporting that FSG could also look to the Bundesliga to find their next Anfield star.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, as per the report, the Merseysiders are accelerating their interest in RB Leipzig teenager, Yan Diomande, having begun negotiations with the 19-year-old’s representatives.

While no bid has yet been placed for the £88m-rated wideman, the piece does note that Liverpool are engaged in almost ‘daily contact’ with his agent, ahead of making what would likely be a summer move.

That’s not to say that a January move is completely ruled out for the in-demand starlet – who is fielding interest from across Europe – with it yet to be seen whether the reigning Premier League champions will firm up their interest with a winter offer.

How Diomande compares to Semenyo & Salah

As stated above, a leading target to replace Salah is, of course, the aforementioned Semenyo, with the Ghanaian available for £65m due to the presence of a release clause in his Cherries contract.

Whether he would represent an alternative or a possible teammate for the 25-year-old remains to be seen, although Diomande is an equally as exciting talent who could reinvigorate Slot’s forward line.

Semenyo has been one of the Premier League’s leading figures this season with nine goals and assists to date, although Diomande has dazzled during his breakthrough year in the Bundesliga, chipping in with eight goal involvements himself for Leipzig.

That includes a stunning hat-trick during the weekend win over Eintracht Frankfurt, a performance that only served to reinforce just why the promising Ivorian is being watched so closely.

Fleet of foot and with pace to burn, the comparisons to Semenyo are also there to see, with The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor noting that Diomande is “physically similar” to the Bournemouth star, “but with all the same skill and touch”.

Games

13

13

Starts

9

12

Goals

6

4

Assists

2

2

Big chances missed

2

6

Big chances created

2

5

Key passes*

1.0

2.2

Pass accuracy*

82%

75%

Successful dribbles*

2.8

0.8

The respected Bundesliga insider, writing on X back in November, did hint that the teen is “not ready yet” for a Premier League move, although Liverpool would be wise to get ahead in the race for his signature, even if it means waiting to strike next summer.

That said, there’s no reason why he couldn’t come in and hit the ground running in January, if a deal were to be struck, with the youngster currently comparing favourably to his fellow wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

As per FBref, he ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, while also ranking in the top 2% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting just what an elite dribbler and ball-carrier he is.

Semenyo’s own quality in that regard was evident on the opening day, as he ran the length of Anfield unopposed, before coolly converting in that mad-cap 4-2 win for Slot’s side.

The prospect of potentially adding both the ex-Bristol City man and Diomande into the fold in 2026 would be a truly exciting one, with two Semenyo-esque figures perhaps what is needed to provide an upgrade on the flanks.

Revealed: The Salah decision Richard Hughes has made at Liverpool today

Mo Salah has been omitted form the Liverpool squad this week.

3 ByFFC Staff 4 days ago

Manchester City are now considering a move for a new forward who Pep Guardiola called “extraordinary”, and they have identified him as a priority target.

Man City eyeing new forward amid overreliance on Erling Haaland

Man City are the joint-highest scorers in the Premier League this season, having netted 24 times, but to say they are reliant on Erling Haaland would be an understatement, with the Norwegian scoring 14 of those, finding the back of the net every 74 minutes on average.

No other City player has scored more than once in the league, and Guardiola called on his other attacking players to step up after the 2-0 victory against Everton last month, saying: “He [Haaland] could have scored four or five at the end. He’s our key man,”

“At the same time, we cannot do good things with just Erling. Our wingers, attacking midfielders and the other players have to make a step up.”

However, Maxime Esteve technically still remains the Blues’ second-highest scorer in the league this term, having scored two own goals in Burnley’s 5-1 thrashing at the Etihad Stadium, so it is no surprise a new forward is now being targeted.

According to a report from Spain, Man City are now considering a move for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, amid concerns they are overreliant on Haaland, with the Ghanaian forward set to be available for a fee of £65m during the January transfer window.

Semenyo has now been identified as a priority target by City, given the fantastic start he has made to the Premier League season, although there could be competition for the 25-year-old’s signature from reigning champions Liverpool.

Talks could ‘accelerate soon’, with the Blues clearly keen on signing the versatile attacker, who is capable of playing on the wing, as a target man, or even as a second striker.

Man City preparing £158m+ bid for star who wants to work under Guardiola

The Citizens are keen to make new signings and could now look to acquire one of Europe’s most prominent attackers.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025 "Extraordinary" Semenyo could boost City's title chances

In fairness, Jeremy Doku has stepped up to the plate in recent times, most notably scoring and winning a penalty in the 3-0 victory against Liverpool last month.

However, none of City’s attackers have been anywhere near as consistent as Haaland, so it would make sense to bring in a new forward this January, and Guardiola has made it clear he is a big fan of the Bournemouth star.

The Ghana international made a flying start to the campaign, meaning he is currently the joint-fourth highest goalscorer in the Premier League.

Top scorers in the Premier League

Club

Goals

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

14

Igor Thiago

Brentford

9

Danny Welbeck

Brighton

7

Antoine Semenyo

AFC Bournemouth

6

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

6

With Haaland clearly in need of additional support in attack, Semenyo could be a fantastic signing for Man City, as they look to hunt down Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

The Premier League has had some of the greatest managers football has ever seen since it’s creation in 1992. From Sir Alex Ferguson to Arsene Wenger and now Pep Guardiola, the best coaches regularly end up in England’s top flight.

Nowadays, managers don’t have as much time to make an impact, making it more important than ever that they get results quickly, regardless of the style.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries

But who is the best and worst manager in the Premier League this season? Here is a ranked list of all 20 managers in the division right now.

Rank

Manager

Club

1

Pep Guardiola

Man City

2

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

3

Enzo Maresca

Chelsea

4

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

5

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

6

Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

7

Eddie Howe

Newcastle

8

Regis Le Bris

Sunderland

9

Ruben Amorim

Man United

10

Arne Slot

Liverpool

11

David Moyes

Everton

12

Fabian Hurzeler

Brighton

13

Thomas Frank

Tottenham

14

Marco Silva

Fulham

15

Sean Dyche

Nottingham Forest

16

Nuno Espirito Santo

West Ham

17

Keith Andrews

Brentford

18

Daniel Farke

Leeds

19

Scott Parker

Burnley

20

Rob Edwards

Wolves

21 Rob Edwards Wolves

New Wolves manager Rob Edwards faces a tough task to keep the Old Gold in the Premier League, and his only prior experience of managing in the top flight came with Luton Town.

Edwards failed to keep the Hatters in the division in 2024, losing 24 of his 38 games in charge that season.

20 Scott Parker Burnley

Scott Parker will be looking to buck the trend and keep his newly-promoted Burnley side in the Premier League.

The Clarets boss previously suffered two relegations when in charge of Fulham and averages less than a point per game in the top flight.

19 Daniel Farke Leeds

Another manager who has been relegated from the Premier League on two occasions is Leeds boss Daniel Farke.

He couldn’t keep Norwich City in the top flight, and like Parker, averages less than one point per game in the division.

18 Keith Andrews Brentford

Keith Andrews is in the early stages of his senior managerial career after taking over from Thomas Frank at Brentford.

The Irishman has made a relatively positive start, beating both Liverpool and Man Utd at the Gtech Community Stadium.

17 Nuno Espirito Santo West Ham

Nuno Espirito Santo has had some brilliant moments in the Premier League, taking both Wolves and Nottingham Forest into the Europa League.

However, the Portuguese boss has also had a failed stint at Tottenham and is now struggling to get the best out of his West Ham squad.

16 Sean Dyche Nottingham Forest

Back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, Sean Dyche has plenty of experience in the top flight following previous stints with Burnley and Everton.

He did a solid job at both, even taking the Clarets into the Europa League back in 2018. His football may not be the most attractive, but Dyche gets the job done more often than not and will be looking to do just that with Nottingham Forest.

15 Marco Silva Fulham

An experienced Premier League manager after stints with Hull City, Watford and Everton, Marco Silva has enjoyed the majority of his success in England with Fulham.

He’s managed more games at Craven Cottage than what he did with the three aforementioned clubs combined, helping make Fulham an established top flight side.

14 Thomas Frank Tottenham

After doing a brilliant job at Brentford where he took the Bees to the Premier League and comfortably kept them in the top flight, Thomas Frank took the leap to join Tottenham in 2025.

Results early on were positive for the Dane, who has continued his flexible and adaptable approach in north London, but the Lilywhites’ home form is major cause for concern.

13 Fabian Hurzeler Brighton

The youngest ever permanent manager in Premier League history, Brighton’s move for Fabian Hurzeler has paid off so far.

The German’s possession-based style and attacking philosophy has seen the Seagulls record some impressive wins at the Amex Stadium, and he could be the one to take the club back into European competition.

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Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill talked up Hearts’ title chances hours before agreeing to return to Parkhead, also insisting that Rangers are “no threat whatsoever”.

The 73-year-old will be back in the Celtic Park dugout along with Shaun Maloney for Wednesday’s visit of Falkirk, 20 years after exiting the club, following Brendan Rodgers’ dramatic and acrimonious departure.

O’Neill’s previous arrival kick-started a period of dominance which has seen Celtic win 18 of the past 25 championships, as well as 23 cup competitions.

But the former Republic of Ireland manager returns with Hearts threatening to disrupt the dynamics of Scottish football after going eight points clear with a 3-1 win against Celtic on Sunday.

The result sparked an end to a fractious last few months of Rodgers’ second reign, which saw tension over transfer policy made public before principal shareholder Dermot Desmond accused the former Liverpool manager of being “divisive” and “self-serving”.

Rangers "no threat whatsoever" in title race

When asked by talkSPORT on Monday if this was the season that there could be a “disruptor” in Scottish football, O’Neill said: “Without a doubt, this is it. Celtic are not as physically strong, can actually lose games, whereas before they looked invincible in matches.

“Rangers are no threat whatsoever, although the new manager (Danny Rohl), I think he can maybe do something in time. But they are so far adrift, it’s untrue.”

Rohl had recently commented on his aspirations at Ibrox, revealing he chose Rangers because he “looked for a club to win titles”.

“We are not happy, and it’s the reason why I’m here,” the German said on being appointed in Govan. “I’ve said in the past I was looking for an ambitious club, that’s looking for more.

“I looked for a club to win titles. This club has everything for all these goals and it’s amazing to be coach at this fantastic club. I know what it means and I think I will feel this in the next couple of days and weeks.

“My job is clear and I know what I want to do with this group of players.”

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The Glasgow stranglehold on the Scottish league has been in place since Aberdeen won a third title in six seasons in 1985, but O’Neill admitted “the time is now” at Tynecastle.

“This is the moment, this is the time now for Hearts. They have gone eight points clear, and that is a decent enough lead, really. And their confidence is growing, and it will grow from that victory as well.

“All things are happening for Hearts, it’s great, whereas just at this minute Celtic are in a wee bit of trouble.

“This is the best time for any side outside the Old Firm to go and win. There is a long way to go but there is momentum gathering at Tynecastle.”