When Kevin Ratcliffe lifted the first division trophy in 1987, Everton seemed set to enter a period of dominance. This was the club’s second league title in three years, with a second-placed finish in 1986 behind Liverpool, separating the two title triumphs.   In total, between 1983 and 1987, Everton won two league titles, one…

Football is a relatively simple sport; it’s why it’s so revered around the world. After all, all you need to be able to play the beautiful game is an object to kick, a handful of other competitors, and some markings that vaguely hint at where the goals should be. Jumpers, if you will.   That…

After Manchester United were beaten by Wolves at Old Trafford in their last Premier League outing, Ralf Rangnick spoke to the media in which his opening words were: “I knew it would be a difficult job.”   The game marked the German’s first defeat as interim manager of United, but it was a defeat that…

Romelu Lukaku has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this past week. In an interview with Sky Italy, the Belgian found himself at the centre of a storm of controversy, as he revealed his displeasure at the style of play and tactical approach employed by manager Thomas Tuchel.   As punishment for…

Stories, subplots and the battle by UEFA associations to climb the coefficient rankings. All the aforementioned topics suddenly see frantic discussions across all media platforms in mid-December annually.    The timing of the draws for the knockout rounds of UEFA’s club competitions are always a highlight of the European footballing calendar. Speculation about ideal pathways…

Can post-takeover Newcastle avoid a relegation nightmare under manager Eddie Howe?   Newcastle’s 2021–22 Premier League campaign appeared to be in shambles; after 7 disappointing matches, Newcastle sat 19th in the table, accumulating only 3 points from draws without a single win.   With the October international break fast approaching, the club’s future in the…

When Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United on the 28th of November 2021, they were top of the league and still many experts’ favourites to win the title.    Although the result was underwhelming from a Chelsea perspective because they dominated the game and United were in turmoil at the…

After two unproductive seasons with his current employers, it now seems almost certain that Dele Alli will be leaving Spurs. The departure could come as early as January as Tottenham face the reality that he will not be the same player as the one that became an England regular.   It’s hard to pinpoint just…

The 16 teams that will play the European League 2021-22 round of 16 are already defined. Barcelona was eliminated from the Champions League, but managed to qualify for the Round of 16 of the Europa League. Currently leads the ranking of the most valuable of the tournament, followed by Dortmund and Napoli.   Of all…