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Leeds United were given a reality check on Saturday when they were hammered 5-0 by Arsenal at The Emirates in their first away game of the Premier League season.

The Whites beat Everton 1-0 at Elland Road on the opening day of the season, lifting the mood instantly, but were brought crashing back down to earth against the Gunners.

During the Sky Sports commentary of the clash with Arsenal, Gary Neville noted that the starting front three for Leeds needed everything to be “perfect” for them to make an impact, due to their lack of physicality.

That front three included Dan James, Joel Piroe, and Wilfried Gnonto, who were all key players in the Championship title-winning campaign last term. The Premier League is a different beast to the Championship, as Neville explained, and Daniel Farke needs more physicality in his frontline.

Leeds will be well aware that they will not be able to be in control in matches as much as they were in the second tier, which means that they will have to do a lot more scrapping and fighting to earn points at this level.

That is why the 2024/25 Championship top goalscorer, Piroe, may eventually find himself watching on from the sidelines more often than not.

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Buy Premium NowPremier League Experiences Expand Collapse Why Joel Piroe may lose his place as a starter

To his credit, Farke has tried to remain fairly faithful to the players who got the club to the Premier League in the first two matches, starting the Dutch striker in both games ahead of Lukas Nmecha.

Unfortunately, however, Piroe’s lack of physicality has already been very apparent. The striker has lost ten of his 11 duels in the top-flight so far, per Sofascore, which shows that oppostion centre-backs have found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical battles.

This is not a new concern over the former Swansea City marksman, though, as the left-footed centre-forward struggled with the physicality of the Championship at times in the 2024/25 campaign as well.

24/25 Championship

Joel Piroe per 90

Percentile rank vs STs

Dribble success rate

31.8%

Bottom 27%

Successful dribbles

0.41

Bottom 35%

Fouls won

0.44

Bottom 9%

Duels won

2.24

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

26.9%

Bottom 10%

Aerial duels won

0.90

Bottom 12%

Aerial duel success rate

21.4%

Bottom 17%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Piroe ranked very poorly among his positional peers in a host of physically-based metrics, which is why his start to the Premier League season has not been a surprise.

Leeds were a dominant team that did not need to scrap for second balls and constantly engage in duels in the Championship, which allowed the striker to simply focus on tucking away chances, which he did very well.

Piroe scored 19 goals for Leeds last season, per Sofascore, but his lack of physicality may prevent him from making a similar impact in the Premier League.

Leeds make contact to sign LaLiga star

That is why a fresh report linking the Championship champions with interest in a physical forward should come as very bad news to the current Whites striker.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to AS, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs to have made an approach to Getafe over a potential deal to sign Christantus Uche this summer.

The report claims that the Whites have made contact with the Spanish side to register their interest in the versatile attacker, but they have not formalised their interest with an offer as of yet.

It adds that Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Burnley have also made contact with Getafe in pursuit of a possible deal for the Nigeria international.

AS also reveals that Getafe are preparing to cash in on Uche to improve the club’s finances and have currently set an asking price of around £17m, but it remains to be seen whether or not any of the four mentioned clubs are prepared to pay that much for him.

Why this is bad news for Joel Piroe

As aforementioned, Piroe’s lack of physicality appears to be an issue for him, and the team, in the Premier League, and it could cost him his place in the starting XI.

The club’s reported interest in signing Uche is, perhaps, a sign that Farke recognises the need for more physicality at the top end of the pitch, because the Getafe star is an incredibly physical attacker.

In fact, the Nigerian star has played 31 times as a central or defensive midfielder in his career, per Transfermarkt, and U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that he could be developed into a “midfield monster”.

Whilst, due to his experience and potential to play in that role, Farke could utilise Uche in the middle of the park, the 22-year-old played as a striker for Jose Bordalas against Celta Vigo on the opening day of the LaLiga season.

Uche scored and grabbed an assist in a 2-0 win for Getafe away at Celta Vigo, and the clip above shows how the attacker used his mobility and strength to find the back of the net.

Uche (LaLiga)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

33

1

xG

3.73

1.01

Goals

4

1

Big chances created

7

1

Assists

6

1

Duels won per game

6.8

9.0

Aerial duel success rate

42%

75%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the £17m-rated forward also showcased his physicality in LaLiga last season, winning 6.8 duels per game on average, compared to Piroe’s 2.24 in the Championship.

Whilst, perhaps because of his outings in midfield as well as up front, Uche is not a prolific goalscorer who is likely to go and score 15 or 20 goals in the Premier League, the Getafe star could be the physical outlet that Leeds are currently lacking.

Having a ‘monster’ like Uche to hold the ball up, win flick-ons, and compete with Premier League centre-backs in duels could help the Whites in tight games where they will not be in complete control of the ball.

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This is why the club’s interest in the forward is bad news for Piroe, because the 22-year-old star is the profile of player who could send the Dutchman down to the bench.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Fortaleza quase venceu o Corinthians como visitante pela primeira vez, mas Yuri Alberto salvou o Alvinegro da terceira derrota consecutiva, quebrou o jejum de nove jogos sem marcar e sacramentou o empate por 1 a 1 entre as equipes, em duelo válido pela 4ª rodada do Brasileirão, na Neo Química Arena.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasTodos EsportesBotafogo x Corinthians: com promoção pelo Dia das Mães, ingressos estão à venda para a partida também para o público em geralTodos Esportes08/05/2023BrasileirãoCBF comunica alteração de horário no confronto entre Botafogo e CorinthiansBrasileirão08/05/2023CorinthiansCorinthians inicia venda de ingressos para Majestoso contra o São Paulo no BrasileirãoCorinthians08/05/2023

+ ATUAÇÕES: Yuri Alberto entra no segundo tempo e impede derrota do Corinthians para o Fortaleza

Com o empate, o Timão chega aos quatro pontos, deixa a zona de rebaixamento e ultrapassa Flamengo e Atlético-MG, alcançando a 15ª posição na tabela. Já o Leão do Pici permanece dentro do G4, em 4° lugar, com oito pontos.

A equipe de Vanderlei Luxemburgo volta a campo na quinta-feira (11), às 19h30, contra o líder Botafogo, no Nilton Santos. No mesmo dia, às 20h, os comandados de Vojvoda recebem o São Paulo.

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+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

TIMÃO PARA NA TRAVE NO PRIMEIRO TEMPO

Vanderlei Luxemburgo armou o Corinthians no 4-3-3, com Róger Guedes centralizado e Pedro e Adson pelas pontas. A equipe da casa iniciou a partida com marcação em bloco médio, sem pressionar a saída do Fortaleza. A equipe visitante controlava a posse de bola, mas encontrava dificuldades para furar a defesa corintiana.

As melhores chances no primeiro tempo foram do Timão. Roni e Fausto Vera assustaram Fernando Miguel com chutes de fora da área, mas a melhor oportunidade veio dos pés de Fagner. Nos acréscimos da etapa final, o lateral-direito recebeu de Fausto Vera e chutou forte no gol, e a bola carimbou a trave do Leão do Pici.

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GUEDES PERDE GOL INCRÍVEL

O Corinthians voltou com uma mudança após o intervalo: Guilherme Biro na vaga de Pedro. Em apenas quatro minutos, o garoto entortou Tinga e achou Róger Guedes na entrada da área. Livre, o camisa 10 chutou fraco, nas mãos de Fernando Miguel.

VAR EM AÇÃO

O Fortaleza não se intimidou, cresceu no segundo tempo com as alterações de Vojvoda e chegou a abrir o placar aos 24 minutos do segundo tempo. Caio Alexandre tabelou com Yago Pikachu e recebeu dentro da área. Ele cruzou rasteiro e Silvio Romero, com o gol escancarado, empurrou para as redes. Porém, o VAR checou e flagrou impedimento do centroavante no lance.

DE TANTO MARTELAR, FORTALEZA ABRE O PLACAR

O Leão do Pici aproveitou as fragilidades defensivas do Timão no segundo tempo, aumentou a pressão na equipe de Luxemburgo e abriu o placar aos 33 minutos do segundo tempo. Romarinho tabelou com Pacheco, que achou Silvio Romero na entrada da área. Ele toca de calcanhar para Caio Alexandre, que bateu de primeira, da entrada da área. A bola foi no cantinho e Cássio não conseguiu evitar o gol.

ACABOU O JEJUM DE YURI ALBERTO

A queda física abalou o plano tático de Vanderlei Luxemburgo, mas na raça o Corinthians conseguiu o empate, aos 43 minutos. O camisa 9 recebeu pelo centro e tocou para Róger Guedes. O camisa 10 cruzou na área, o goleiro Fernando Miguel trombou com Bruno Pacheco e a bola sobrou para Yuri Alberto, que mandou para as redes. Yuri Alberto vivia não marcava há nove jogos, seu maior jejum no Timão.

Nos acréscimos, Róger Guedes teve a chance da virada em chute colocado, mas Fernando Miguel conseguiu agarrar a bola.

+ Veja tabela e a situação do Timão no Brasileirão

CORINTHIANS 1 x 1 FORTALEZA – BRASILEIRÃO – 4ª RODADA

Local:Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP)

Data e hora:08/05/2023, às 20h (de Brasília)

Árbitro:Ramon Abatti Abel-SC (FIFA)

Assistentes:Guilherme Dias Camilo-MG (FIFA) e Rafael da Silva Alves-RS (FIFA)

VAR:Rafael Traci-SC

Público/renda: 36.512 / R$2.128.014,50

Cartões amarelos: Fausto Vera e Murillo (COR) / Bruno Pacheco (FOR)

Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols: Caio Alexandre (33’/2ºT) (0-1) e Yuri Alberto (43’/2ºT) (1-1)

CORINTHIANS- Cássio; Fagner, Gil Murillo e Fábio Santos (Bidu, 19/2ºT); Roni, Fausto Vera (Romero, 36/2ºT), Adson (Romero, 24/2ºT), Matheus Araújo (Yuri Alberto, 19/2ºT) e Pedro (Biro, após o intervalo); Róger Guedes.Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo

FORTALEZA- Fernando Miguel, Tinga, Brítez, Titi e Bruno Pacheco; Lucas Sasha (Vinícius Zanocelo, 17/2ºT), Hércules (Yago Pikachu, 17/2ºT), Caio Alexandre, Calebe (Pochettino, 38/2ºT)e Moisés (Romarinho, 37/1ºT); Thiago Galhardo (Silvio Romero, após o intervalo). Técnico: Juan Pablo Vojvoda

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCorinthiansFortaleza

Arsenal intend to remain active in the summer transfer window, even after their statement signing of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

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After a near-two-month-long saga, sporting director Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta welcomed the prolific centre-forward, with Arsenal finally agreeing an initial £55m deal which could be worth up to £64 million if add-ons are met.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£208m

Gyokeres was unveiled as a new Gunners player to a delighted Singapore crowd just before Arsenal’s 3-2 friendly win over Newcastle, and there is a possibility of him debuting against Tottenham on Thursday.

“We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyökeres to the club,” said Berta in an official statement.

“Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward. His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision.

“We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room. Welcome, Viktor!”

Gyokeres’ arrival perhaps comes as Arsenal’s most significant bit of transfer business in the last few years, with a proven goalscorer long viewed as the missing piece of Arteta’s potential title-winning jigsaw.

The 27-year-old scored an incredible 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, and their president Frederico Varandas seriously dug his heels in over letting Gyokeres leave the Portuguese champions.

Gyokeres’ agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, was even forced to waive his commission fee to help facilitate the transfer, and following weeks of talks, Arsenal at long last reached a full agreement last week (Fabrizio Romano).

After Gyokeres, Arsenal are believed to be targeting a number 10 to complement club captain Martin Odegaard, with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze firmly on Berta’s radar as a key option.

Arsenal offered Arda Güler and Raul Asencio in Real Madrid part-exchange deal

Now, according to reports from Spain, Arteta and co have been offered a different playmaker in Turkey international Arda Güler.

Indeed, it is now believed Real Madrid are proposing Guler and defender Raul Asencio, plus £78 million, in exchange for star Arsenal centre-back William Saliba.

In what is an audacious claim from Europe, Berta is said to be “seriously considering” this part-exchange bid from Real, even if Arsenal and Saliba are currently locked in talks over a contract extension.

Guler has struggled for consistent game time at the Bernabeu overall, but did manage six goals and 11 assists by the end of 2024/2025 whilst playing every game of Real’s Club World Cup campaign under Xabi Alonso.

However, while Guler has displayed flashes of real brilliance since bursting on to the scene at Fenerbahçe, even being dubbed the ‘Turkish Messi’, losing Saliba would be far too big of a price to pay, even if Asencio would also immediately come in his stead.

كشفت تقارير صحفية آخر تطورات التوتر الذي نشب بين ثنائي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة خلال الفترة الماضية وما الإجراء الذي اتخذه هانز فليك مدرب الفريق.

برشلونة بدأ الموسم بفوزين أمام ريال مايوركا وليفانتي وتعادل مع رايو فاليكانو في أول 3 جولات ببطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وانتشرت تكهنات في الفترة الأخيرة حول فتور العلاقة بين فيرمين لوبيز وجافي بسبب صديقة الأول، وزعمت تقارير أن الوضع وصل إلى حد المقاطعة بينهما.

جافي وفيرمين لوبيز تدرجا في ريال بيتيس قبل الانضمام إلى برشلونة والانتقال إلى لاماسيا، وكانت علاقتهما قوية للغاية.

إلا أن حادثتين وقعتا في أغسطس الماضي كانتا السبب في حدوث الكثير من القلق في غرف خلع الملابس، وفتح الباب أمام جميع أنواع الاحتمالات لحدوث مشاكل كبيرة على مدار الموسم، وذلك وفقًا لصحيفة “آس” الإسبانية.

اقرأ أيضًا | فيرمين لوبيز يكشف حقيقة خلافه مع “صديق عمره” في برشلونة

وقعت الأولى خلال الجولة الآسيوية وتحديدًا في كوريا عندما التقى جافي بصديقه فيرمين خلال حصة تدريبية، واصطدم الاثنان بشدة.

كان فيرمين لوبيز هو من انتهى به الأمر في وضع أسوأ، إذ احتاج إلى مساعدة للنهوض ومواصلة اللعب مرة أخرى خلال التدريبات.

بعد بضعة أيام في برشلونة، التقيا مجددًا خلال حصة تدريبية، في هذه المناسبة تبادلا بعض اللوم والكلمات القاسية واضطر زملاء الفريق إلى التدخل لمنع تفاقم الأمور.

بدأت هذه الحادثة الثانية تُقلق الطاقم الفني أكثر، لأنهم مُدركين أن علاقة سامة قد تتشكل بين اللاعبين وبالتالي قد تؤثر في النهاية على غرفة الملابس، لذلك تولى هانز فليك مسؤولية الأمور بنفسه وتحدث مع اللاعبين في محاولة للسيطرة على مشاعرهما.

وأفادت “آس” أنه يمكن تفسير وصول تياجو ألكانتارا أيضًا على أنه الرجل الذي تم اختياره لمنع سيطرة الأنانية على الفريق وتشكيل شخصية اللاعبين الشباب.

Sunderland are the early big spenders out of all the newly promoted teams heading up to the Premier League.

Leeds have secured three new buys in the form of Lukas Nmecha, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw, but the Whites’ promising business has been blown out of the water by the Black Cats’ lavish approach, as seen in Sunderland forking out a combined £50m to land both Enzo Le Fee and Habib Diarra.

Plenty more luxurious buys could soon be on the menu away from this club-record £30m deal, as Regis Le Bris eyes up Ligue 1 and beyond to improve his budding squad.

More transfers expected at Sunderland

Le Bris must know the French top division inside and out, having previously been at the helm of ex-employers Lorient in the division.

Transfer Focus

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

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He’s certainly clued up on those who he thinks could take the Premier League by storm, with Sunderland reportedly interested in the likes of Lyon’s electric attacker Georges Mikautadze and standout Toulouse centre-back Charlie Cresswell to immediately improve their first-team options, while they are also allegedly keeping close tabs on 20-year-old starlet Arthur Evom Ebong.

Yet, his next buy could see him venture out to Serie A to try and link up with Matteo Guendouzi.

Indeed, reports from Italy suggest that Lazio are scared about the prospect of keeping their star Frenchman around this summer, with Aston Villa, neighbours Newcastle United and Sunderland named as interested parties.

Guendouzi’s PL numbers for Arsenal by season

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

19/20

34

0

3

18/19

48

1

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Although it is reported that Sunderland may have to splash out a club-record £43m to land Guendouzi, it could be a worthwhile splurge to make, even as the Black Cats edge closer to adding Noah Sadiki to their plentiful midfield options.

His wealth of Premier League experience could potentially be invaluable to the Wearside underdogs as they climb back up to the top-flight, alongside the fact that the 26-year-old has turned into an even more formidable central midfield option in Italy.

Why Guendouzi would be a better signing than Sadiki

Of course, Sadiki could go on to be another youngster that Sunderland manage to get the very best out of, with the Congo international no doubt joining the Stadium of Light ranks dreaming of becoming the Black Cats’ next Jobe Bellingham-style project.

Last season, the 20-year-old undoubtedly impressed those out in Belgium, with the versatile Saint-Union Gilloise number 27 helping himself to two goals for his Europa League-competing outfit across the 2024/25 campaign, leading to Sunderland making their £17.75m move.

Yet, if it’s immediate success Sunderland are after – instead of waiting around for a youngster to learn the Premier League ropes – Guendouzi is their next best possible buy.

The 6-foot-1 battler is very much well-versed in what it takes to be a competent performer in some top leagues, having now made a mammoth 151 appearances in both Ligue 1 and Serie A, away from just his 57 top-flight outings in North London.

He will no doubt be chomping at the bit to return to England, too, considering he wasn’t always the star of the show at the Gunners. Still, even from just 23 Premier League starts during his final Arsenal season, he still showed off his presence as a “monster” – as he’s been glowing labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – winning 4.8 duels per game.

Guendouzi’s Serie A numbers for Lazio (24/25)

Stat (* = per game)

Guendouzi

Games played

37

Goals scored

1

Assists

3

Touches*

68.3

Accurate passes*

52.1 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

4.7

Stats by Sofascore

The 26-year-old has since refined other aspects of his varied game at the Stadio Olimpico, with the table above showing off his well-rounded characteristics as a far more confident and assured performer when averaging a mightily impressive 91% pass accuracy last season in the hustle and bustle of Serie A.

If there’s any manager that could get even more of Guendouzi, too, it’s Le Bris, with the popular Wearside boss once coaching the Frenchman during the early stages of his football education at Lorient.

Also hailed as possessing “something special” by journalist Aaron West in the past, it does feel as if the time is right for the ex-Gunners midfielder to return to England and be a star, whilst Sadiki waits for his moment in the spotlight down the line.

Related Shades of Cresswell: Sunderland now in advanced talks to sign £4m star

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With the 2024/25 season coming to a close, clubs have been fighting it out for the major trophies. The EFL Cup was wrapped up in February, with Newcastle United winning their first gong for 55 years, while the FA Cup went to Crystal Palace as they secured their first major trophy.

Both clubs overcame top opposition at Wembley to defy the odds on their way to silverware, with Liverpool and Manchester City on the wrong end of painful defeats under the arch.

Liverpool and Arsenal were the ones fighting it out for the Premier League crown, but it was the Reds who prevailed, in the process winning their 20th top-flight title.

And Tottenham Hotspur won the battle of the Premier League strugglers in the Europa League final, with their first major honour for nearly two decades coming at the expense of Manchester United, who will finish in the bottom region of the league table alongside the Lilywhites despite their progress in Europe.

Meanwhile, Chelsea lifted the Conference League and the first edition of the newly expanded Club World Cup.

Here, we take a look at the most trophies won by English clubs, with a detailed look at the top 11.

For this list, minor competitions like the Community Shield and the Intertoto Cup have not been taken into consideration, while ‘European cups’ does not include the UEFA Super Cup, though these are counted alongside honours such as the Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Rank

Team

League titles

Domestic cups

European cups

Others

Total

Liverpool

20

18

9

5

Man Utd

20

19

5

3

Arsenal

13

16

2

0

Chelsea

6

13

7

4

Man City

10

15

2

2

Aston Villa

7

12

1

1

Tottenham

2

12

4

0

Everton

9

5

1

0

Newcastle

4

7

1

0

Blackburn

3

7

0

0

Nottingham Forest

1

6

2

1

11 Nottingham Forest 10 trophies

Nottingham Forest enjoyed their finest season in decades, finishing seventh in the Premier League table and qualifying for Europe. They haven’t won a major trophy since the League Cup back in 1990 under the leadership of Brian Clough, the most successful manager in the club’s history.

He led the team to their first and only top-flight title in 1978, before claiming back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980. Add in four League Cups, and it is no wonder why so many loved Cloughie. Forest have also won two FA Cups and a European Super Cup, taking their total to 10 major trophies won.

Competition

Times won

Last won

First Division

1

1978

FA Cup

2

1959

League Cup

4

1990

European Cup

2

1980

European Super Cup

1

1979

Nottingham Forest and 8 other Premier League surprise packages

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1 ByRoss Kilvington Nov 5, 2024 10 Blackburn Rovers 10 trophies

Blackburn Rovers haven’t been in the top flight since 2012, but they rank joint-10th with Forest in terms of most successful English clubs.

All but two of their major trophies came before 1930, winning two league titles and six FA Cups. They ended an 81-year drought for a league title by winning the Premier League in 1995, while Graeme Souness won the League Cup during the 2001/02 season.

This remains the last time the club lifted silverware.

9 Newcastle United 11 trophies

Before winning the EFL Cup in 2025, Newcastle United had the longest drought of any club in England that has won at least one major trophy. Indeed, the last time Newcastle had lifted silverware before 2025, the Beatles were still together and the Vietnam War was ongoing as the Magpies won the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

The Toon have won four league titles in their history, along with claiming six FA Cup titles. The last of these came in 1927 and 1955 respectively.

Eddie Howe’s charges will now surely have their eyes on further success, particularly as they return to Europe and look to place themselves among Europe’s elite for the foreseeable future.

8 Everton 15 trophies

Everton have enjoyed brief periods of success during their history before going through long droughts.

Up until the 1940s, the Toffees had won five league titles and two FA Cups prior to enduring a quiet period. League titles in 1963 and 1970 sandwiched an FA Cup triumph in 1966.

Since then, only four more trophies have been won by the Goodison Park outfit, with the last one coming in 1995. They will have to wait until next year to end this drought.

7 Tottenham Hotspur 18 trophies

Much was made about Tottenham Hotspur’s trophy drought, which stretched back to 2008, as a club of their size should have claimed a couple of major honours since.

It took them 17 years to taste cup glory since Jonathan Woodgate’s winner saw them beat Chelsea in the EFL Cup final, with their 2025 Europa League final against Manchester United handing Ange Postecoglou the chance to break the club’s hoodoo – one that he took.

Brennan Johnson’s scrappy goal in Bilbao ended that long wait for major silverware, with Spurs lifting the Europa League trophy for a third time, with their latest triumph their fourth on the continent, having won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963.

Overall, Spurs have won 18 major trophies throughout their history, with their other 14 being domestic honours, including eight FA Cups. Almost bizarrely, they have not even been in an FA Cup final since 1991, yet have played in two European finals in the time that has followed.

Meanwhile, their league titles tally stands at two, with their last one coming in 1961. Only time will tell if their Europa League triumph proves to be a catalyst for more success in the future.

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ByRoss Kilvington May 22, 2025 6 Aston Villa 21 trophies

Aston Villa’s main period of success came during the late part of the 19th century and early years of the 20th century. The club won six league titles and six FA Cups during this period.

Arguably, their finest achievement has been winning the European Cup in 1982, defeating Bayern Munich in the final. This came after they had secured their seventh top-flight title the season before.

A total of 21 major trophies have been won by the Midlands side, but you’d have to go back to 1996 for the last time they lifted anything of note.

5 Manchester City 29 trophies

Manchester City have benefited from being taken over by wealthy owners as, before the takeover in 2008, City had won just nine major honours.

The last 17 years have seen the club claim eight league titles, three FA Cups, a Champions League title and six League Cup trophies.

Pep Guardiola turned City into arguably the finest team of the Premier League era, but the club’s struggles in 2024/25 were summed up by a second successive FA Cup final defeat – most recently to Crystal Palace – when victories would have seen them tie with Arsenal in the overall list.

4 Chelsea 30 trophies

Chelsea’s success during the first 20 years of the 21st century was undoubtedly down to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Between 2003 and 2022, the Blues won 20 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns.

It wasn’t until 1955 that the club won their first league title, while they had to wait until 1970 to win the FA Cup. Recently, Enzo Maresca led the club to a Conference League triumph and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup title in his first season.

3 Arsenal 31 trophies

While Spurs and Newcastle get flak for their respective trophy droughts, Arsenal have won just one FA Cup in the last eight years.

Overall, though, the Gunners have won a total of 31 major honours since their formation in 1886, including a record 14 FA Cup wins.

Furthermore, they have also won 13 league titles throughout their history, along with two European trophies – the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994.

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ByRoss Kilvington Oct 30, 2024 2 Manchester United 47 trophies

Manchester United rank second on this list, courtesy of winning a staggering 47 trophies in their history. Two managers won the bulk of these honours – Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Indeed, Busby won eight major trophies, culminating in the 1968 European Cup triumph, 10 years after the Munich air disaster. The Red Devils went through a slump until Ferguson managed to work his magic. By 2013, he had won 28 trophies throughout an iconic spell.

They have some work to do to reach number one, however…

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ByPatric Ridge May 30, 2025

Looking ahead to their first attempt to get back into the Premier League next season, Southampton are now reportedly in advanced talks to hire an impressive 32-year-old manager.

Southampton's search for a new manager

The Southampton job isn’t exactly one that every manager will be jumping towards this summer after the Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League. Having opened their season with Russell Martin in the dugout, the Saints were ready to take on the Premier League their way and opt out of simply sitting in a deep defensive block.

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As attractive as that approach looked, however, it did not result in much-needed points and those at St Mary’s soon switched their mindsets towards survival, sacking Martin in the process.

Their next decision was always going to be crucial, even if some were already convinced that relegation was looming. Following Martin’s tenure, it wouldn’t have been absurd to suggest that a pragmatic, experienced Premier League manager should have been the way forward, but Southampton took an alternative approach once again – this time hiring Ivan Juric in December.

Having enjoyed experience at AS Roma, Torino, Genoa and others in Italy, Juric stepped into the Premier League for the first time before enduring a nightmare spell. With one game remaining, the manager has already been sacked and Southampton have their place in history as the second-worst Premier League side in history, with one more point than the historic 2008 Derby County team.

Back at square one ahead of their return to the Championship, names such as Danny Rohl and even Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard have reportedly been among the candidates in the running for the job, but Southampton’s search has continued.

Whilst it could be neither of those young managers, the Saints have since reportedly turned towards an impressive 32-year-old who now looks the likeliest to commence a new era at St Mary’s.

Southampton in advanced talks to hire Will Still

According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Southampton have now approached Will Still and are in advanced talks to hire the 32-year-old manager, who just left Ligue 1 side RC Lens to be closer to his family.

The manager told reporters after his side defeated AS Monaco on the final day of the Ligue 1 season: “I will not be the coach of Lens next season. Today was my last match of the season at Bollaert. For multiple reasons, the main reason behind my decision is that I need to go back home. It is a logical choice for me to be closer to my wife, for her well-being.”

Back in England, Southampton are now reportedly confident that they will secure Still ahead of next season. The interest of the Saints should come as little surprise, either, given just how successful Still, who plays an attacking 4-3-3 system, has been in France at both Reims and Lens.

For Southampton, should they be successful in their pursuit of Still, they’ll be hiring another young coach to follow on from Martin’s previous spell in charge.

Celtic have made a habit of bringing back former players in recent times and could now do the same again once the summer window rolls around, according to pundit Paul Slane.

Celtic's summer transfer business is already underway

When discussing the Bhoys’ summer business, Kieran Tierney’s impending arrival at Parkhead on a free transfer is a topic worth delving into.

The Scotland international could potentially win a Champions League trophy at Arsenal before heading back to his boyhood club, representing quite the coup for Brendan Rodgers ahead of next season.

Greg Taylor could be Tierney’s direct competitor at Celtic if negotiations over a new deal for the former Kilmarnock man prove successful, potentially leaving Jeffrey Schlupp’s future up in the air amid his contract being set to expire at parent club Crystal Palace.

Intriguingly, Tierney isn’t the only player Rodgers has opted to bring back during his tenure. Portuguese icon Jota made a shock move from Rennes in January after only six months at the Ligue 1 outfit.

Since pitching up in Glasgow’s east end for a second time, the 26-year-old has registered five goals and two assists in 13 appearances across all competitions, reminding supporters of his supreme quality on the flank.

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Ultimately, talented stars who gain admiration from elsewhere will mostly move on from Celtic at some point. That is a fact of life for any Scottish Premiership club, but the fact that they have been able to re-capture their services later down the line is a testament to the Bhoys’ recruitment department.

Of course, you don’t want a strategy that becomes entirely contingent on heroes of the past, but Slane suspects that Celtic could repeat the trick this summer.

Celtic backed to re-sign Kyogo Furuhashi this summer

Speaking on Open Goal (59:40), former Celtic man Slane rejected a suggestion entertained by Tony Watt insinuating Heart of Midlothian striker Lawrence Shankland could be targeted to bolster the Bhoys’ forward line.

Instead, he believes his old side should look at potentially swooping for Kyogo Furuhashi after his move to Rennes in January, where he has yet to score inside six top-flight appearances.

Initially, Watt stated when asked on the possibility of Shankland coming to Celtic: “Celtic probably need another number nine now, don’t they? Because the boy Kenny’s not really going to sniff. Somebody that scored 25 goals, I don’t think it would be the worst.”

Replying to his opinion, Slane then added: “The reason I’ll say no is I would have a wee sniff at bringing Kyogo back. It will be the same as Tierney and Jota and you’ll get him for less than you sold him. It will be a great bit of business.”

Labelled “excellent” by Celtic boss Rodgers, Furuhashi scored 85 times in 165 matches for the Bhoys and established himself as a fan favourite among supporters while leading the line at Parkhead.

However, he sought a new challenge and most supporters would likely want a new name to come into the fold this summer, given the need for fresh additions with future sell-on value.

They do the basics just as well as they do the spectacular, and there’s no telling who comes to the fore on any particular day

Danyal Rasool19-Feb-20254:20

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Pictures are notorious for leaving out as much as they keep in, but this was a snapshot complete in every sense of the thousand words it could speak.Mohammad Rizwan’s elegant late cut flew over, above and past backward point. Almost. It wasn’t safe from the non-dominant hand of Glenn Phillips, who launched himself into the air and to his left at full stretch. It is sometimes uncharitably said that all you can do is hope they stick, but if that’s the case, the adhesive quality of Phillips’ hands must be worthy of patenting.It was perfect timing, too. This was the last ball of the first powerplay, one in which Pakistan were kept to 22 runs, their lowest powerplay score in almost six years. Fakhar Zaman, prevented from opening the batting because he had been off the field after picking up a niggle on the day’s second ball, was in next. This meant he would not face a single delivery with the fielding restrictions in play, when he can get the sort of start to propel Pakistan towards a chase of this magnitude.Related

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It distilled the difference between the two sides, Pakistan’s fielding ineptitude squared against New Zealand’s ruthless standard-setting, New Zealand’s greed to exploit every advantage, Pakistan’s tendency to squander them.And yet, it still may not have been the best bit of fielding New Zealand have displayed in Pakistan in the last few weeks. Eleven days ago, at the start of the triangular series in Pakistan, Michael Bracewell dived to his left to snare a reflex catch, left arm popping up in the air like a jack out of the box, as another bullet of a shot fizzed out in another New Zealand fielder’s hand.Tom Latham said on the eve of the game what pleased the side was the number of different matchwinners across the triangular series and how just about every player had contributed, and it made you reflexively think of Latham as well as Will Young, perhaps the only two batters in this side that didn’t quite apply to. Young took the challenge on, and perhaps brought about the earliest harbinger of the kind of day Pakistan would have when he drove Shaheen Afridi’s second ball through the covers. Afridi would end up wicketless for 68 while Fakhar pulled up injured in pursuit.It’s not difficult to imagine a world where Young didn’t play this game. Rachin Ravindra has been wrapped in cotton wool since a sickening blow to the head, but he trained yesterday, and New Zealand seriously considered playing him. Some 15 months ago, when New Zealand played a warm-up game against Pakistan ahead of the 2023 World Cup, Young was rested to give Ravindra a trial at the top of the order. It was perhaps just an abundance of caution which prevented the same happening in a game that mattered much more.Will Young came into the game on a lean patch, but did exactly what was needed of him when it mattered•ICC/Getty ImagesYoung was New Zealand’s least effective batter in the three matches prior, managing 38 runs across the triangular tournament. But in the game all of those were building towards, he possessed the clarity of thought of a man in a much richer vein of form.”Perhaps,” Young said when asked if there was extra pressure because of his recent form. “You try not to think about what’s happened. The next game’s the most important one. Your form tends to go up and down, but I was pretty keen to stick to what I know I can do well. [I knew I had to] win that straight battle, wait for them to miss the lines or the lengths and go from there. Nice to get some runs after a lean tri-series.”New Zealand, it would appear, simply do not tend to think in a way that places pressure on an individual, instead looking to communicate what needs doing at any moment. Young had begun enterprisingly with 44 off 43, but parked the aggression for a while, scoring just 32 of the next 43 as he negotiated the middle overs with Latham.Rizwan tried to go for the kill by bringing Afridi and Naseem Shah back, but New Zealand’s pair recognised that time was on their side. They played just six attacking shots across 30 deliveries in that spell, and still helped themselves to 26.2:31

Mumtaz: ‘Very disappointing to watch Babar’s lack of intent’

Desperate for wickets, Pakistan offered scoring opportunities, and Young was catching up with the rate once more. He brought his hundred up with a sweep off Abrar Ahmed – Pakistan’s most economical bowler – for his first international hundred overseas, and Latham, freed up by another Phillips onslaught, brought his up in a Haris Rauf over that brought New Zealand 18.”Tommy and I knew we were in a little bit of trouble three down,” Young said. “We didn’t want to look too far ahead thinking about par scores. We wanted to get to 30 and then 35 overs, but when I got out, I thought 280 was a good total.”It can, perhaps, be boring to talk about New Zealand in this way, but they have never thirsted after more sensationalist coverage. When their captain, Mitchell Santner, was asked last week what made him so prolific of late, he merely said the conditions had helped him. Today, Phillips was adamant that Bracewell’s catch in the tri-series was “a lot better than mine”.This is perhaps the point of this New Zealand side, though. They do the basics just as well as the spectacular, and there’s no telling who comes to the fore on any particular day.Kane Williamson shone in the first two games of that triangular series. When Ravindra was ruled out, Devon Conway chipped in. Will O’Rourke and Santner were lethal with the ball one day, Phillips destructive on a couple of other occasions. Players slotted in for injury absences with the stifling ruthlessness of a machine, in service of the team result they have produced so consistently of late.Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand have put the defending champions uncomfortably close to a group-stage exit•ICC/Getty ImagesThis was perhaps best illustrated in an otherwise unremarkable passage of play through the first half of Pakistan’s doomed chase. In Pakistan, where Rizwan specifically lamented the dependence on individual performances to obtain ODI wins, there was invariably criticism of Babar Azam’s innings, a timid 90-ball effort that produced 64 inconsequential runs. That may just be indicative of his current form, but New Zealand installed Bracewell and Phillips against him as soon as the first powerplay ended.While it would appear to fly in the face of current wisdom, where the ball turning away from a right-hand batter is almost an automatic choice, since 2022, Babar’s strike rate against the ball turning into him is just over 67, nearly 18 points lower than his overall strike rate. Santner, New Zealand’s best spinner, was content with being the fifth bowler introduced, as the team he led exploited this obscure advantage they had picked up on.At the last ICC event in 2023, New Zealand opened the tournament with a crushing win that began the process of knocking out the defending champions unceremoniously. A breakout star in Ravindra was the clear standout at the time. In Karachi, they have, once more, put the defending champions uncomfortably close to a group-stage exit. This time around, they provided an exhibition of the kind of team environment that nurtures those breakout stars, without being too fussed about who gets the individual credit.

Despite batting lower down the order, he provides huge value and consistency while playing a high-tempo game

Sidharth Monga07-May-2023For a long time in Punjab Kings’ innings against Mumbai Indians on May 3, it looked like it was not going to be possible to hit a six off the spinners. The canny Mumbai spinners, Piyush Chawla and Kumar Kartikeya, were not firing it in, they were keeping it away from the batter’ reach, and the slowish pitch was helping them out.Then Jitesh Sharma came out to bat at No. 4 in the 12th over. The fourth ball of spin he faces, Jitesh showed both the intent to take the risk and the skill to pull it off. He advanced at Kartikeya, creating momentum, and then went hard at it. The complexion of the game changed once he came out to bat: Kings scored 120 in the remaining 50 balls even though Mumbai went on to chase 215 down.Related

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Jitesh is early into his career, and there will be challenges as he continues being successful, but he is a rare Indian batter. Among Indians with 2000 T20 runs, only Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav – both top-order batters – are faster.Batting as he does lower down the order, Jitesh plays fewer deliveries than the superstars of T20 do. He doesn’t have the luxury of getting his eye in or assessing the pitch. Since the start of 2021, only two batters around the world – Tim David and Liam Livingstone – have been quicker than Jitesh in innings of under 30 balls.Nobody who has scored 750 runs in all of T20 cricket has been as quick as Jitesh when batting outside the top three. Andre Russell is a good 11 runs per 100 balls behind at No. 2.These are pretty cool numbers to have, but that’s not what make him unique. Hardik Pandya managed to do this for Mumbai for a season or two before becoming an anchor batter. Rahul Tewatia has slotted nicely into the late-order hitter role. Unlike others, Jitesh averages 37 while striking at 177 per 100 balls from No. 4 onwards. That’s what makes him rare: low number of balls per innings, high impact, remarkable consistency when playing a high-tempo game.ESPNcricinfo’s stats team put more refined numbers to Jitesh’s qualities. Since the start of 2021, Jitesh has begun his knock in the back half of the innings 27 times. Over the same period, 525 batters have started batting in the second half of the innings 15 times or more. None among those 525 strike as quickly as Jitesh’s 193.8. Rilee Rossouw comes close with 192.2, but he averages 19.9. Jitesh has been scoring 43.8 runs per dismissal in these innings. Only one among the 525 – Cam Fletcher of New Zealand – averages higher than Jitesh, but his strike-rate is 150.Jitesh Sharma is generally always on the move from the moment he walks out•BCCITo make sure this is not just too many not-outs inflating Jitesh’s average, ESPNcricinfo looked at the number of innings of 30 or above at a strike-rate of 150 and above. Only AB de Villiers (eight out of 26) and Adam Hose (five in 15) have managed such efforts more frequently than Jitesh, who has done that in eight out of his 27 knocks.These numbers match the visual evidence from his two seasons in the IPL. Nor does a glaring weakness stand out. No style of batting is an obvious match-up from the IPL ball-by-ball data. Legspin seems to be his favourite: he has struck at more than two a ball against 47 balls of legspin bowled at him in the IPL. The only place less than hot on his wagon wheel is the area between short third and point where he has struck at 130. His favourite areas are down the ground and through midwicket and covers, but when he does strike behind square, he takes full toll.It is early days yet and teams will come up with better plans to test him, but Jitesh might just be the T20 batter India have been looking for in the mold of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson. Unlike Pant, he has played just 17 first-class matches, and only three since 2016. Nor does he have a great record in List A cricket. But he is not likely to be confused about his tempo when the inevitable India call-up arrives.Here’s hoping Jitesh doesn’t start playing differently like many others once he starts playing for India. There is something in that team environment that turns hitters into anchors that he himself and the management will need to protect him against.