Latest from FourFourTwo

Quiz! Can you name every team to have won one of English football's top four tiers?

Chris Nee — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:10:43 +0000

FourFourTwo has another bumper quiz for you and this one's for experts in English football history.

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Now formed of the Premier League and the EFL, the top four divisions of men's football in England have been the basis of the professional game for generations. In nearly 140 years of history, a massive 95 teams have won at least one of the top four divisions.

There are some forgotten names in here so we've given you 15 minutes to crack through the lot. Let us know your score below.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has an unmatched collection of football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. Let's see what you've got, starting with a very tricky career paths quiz that asks you to identify no fewer than 100 players just by the clubs they represented.

We also want to know whether you can tell us who wrote these football autobiographies based on their titles – you can't – and identify the top 100 goalscorers in the history of the Premier League.

If you're a passionate Three Lions historian you'll be able to show us that can name every member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad and there's a good chance you'll be the kind of brain who can also identify these team line-ups from the nationalities of the players.

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard. While you're at it, we recommend FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 64. There are clues on Champions League finals, Olympic medallists, and name-dropping rappers.

TNT Sports launches new 700-match campaign ahead of 2026/27 football season

joe.donnohue@futurenet.com (Joe Donnohue) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The campaign highlights the broadcaster's schedule that is set to feature more than 700 live matches across major domestic and European competitions.

Titled 'LEVELS', the campaign focuses on a 60-second advert narrated by actor Matt Smith.

The multi-platform promo showcases the breadth of TNT Sports' prominent broadcast talent such as Laura Woods, Ally McCoist, Steven Gerrard, and Karen Carney.

TNT Sports are raring to go for 2026/27

TNT Sports / HBO Max (Image credit: TNT Sports / HBO Max)

Active players including Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Manchester United’s Ella Toone and Matheus Cunha, and Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo also feature in the ad.

Created in collaboration with creative agency Brothers and Sisters, the campaign officially launches on Friday, August 7 across TV, cinema, radio, digital, and social media channels.

A TNT Sports Champions League microphone (Image credit: Getty Images)

The upcoming season showcases TNT Sports' extensive rights portfolio, spanning the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup, Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, and selected fixtures from Italy’s Serie A.

All coverage will be streamed on Warner Bros Discovery's new UK streaming platform, HBO Max.

TNT Sports’ live match broadcasting for the 2026/27 campaign begins on Wednesday, August 12.

The UEFA Super Cup fixture between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa will be broadcast live on the relevant channels.

Coverage continues on Sunday, August 16 with the FA Community Shield fixture between Premier League champions Arsenal and FA Cup winners Manchester City at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

How to watch Chelsea vs Juventus: Free streams and TV details as Xabi Alonso's men face Italian giants in Hong Kong

James Roberts — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Watch Chelsea vs Juventus for free as Xabi Alonso's men begin the Asian leg of their pre-season tour with a friendly against the Italian giants in Hong Kong. FourFourTwo brings you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Chelsea vs Juventus: key information

Date: Wednesday, 5 August
Kick-off time: 12:30pm BST / 7:30am ET / 9:30pm AEST
Free Stream: TVNZ+ (New Zealand) / CBS Sports Golazo Network (US)
Watch from anywhere: Get 75% off with NordVPN

Alonso has had a lively opening two games of his tenure as Blues manager, with a 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers followed by a last-gasp 2-1 defeat by 10-man Tottenham Hotspur.

Both of those friendlies took place in Sydney, but Chelsea's players and staff have since relocated to Asia where they will play the next three matches of pre-season. First up is this clash in Hong Kong with Italian giants Juventus, who kept clean sheets in each of their first three games of the summer.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Chelsea vs Juventus online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Chelsea vs Juventus for free?

Yes, TVNZ+ in New Zealand is broadcasting the match between Chelsea and Juventus for free.

CBS Sports Golazo Network will also show the game at no cost in the US.

You just need an account and you'll be able to watch without paying a penny.

Not in New Zealand or the US? Use NordVPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world.

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How to watch Chelsea vs Juventus in the UK

In the UK, you will need CFC+ to stream Chelsea vs Juventus.

CFC+ is Chelsea's in-house streaming platform and is showing every Blues pre-season game. A match pass costs £9.99, or you can pay £14.99 a year to unlock all of Chelsea's remaining summer friendlies, including Chelsea vs Juventus.

Abroad? Use NordVPN to access your usual stream.

How to watch Chelsea vs Juventus in the US

Chelsea vs Juventus is available to watch on Paramount+ and the free CBS Sports Golazo Network in the US.

Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 a month and also give you access to every single Champions League game, as well as select matches in the Carabao Cup and EFL, plus much more.

Outside of the US? Watch Chelsea vs Juventus on Paramount+ with NordVPN.

How to watch Chelsea vs Juventus in Australia

Paramount+ will be showing Chelsea vs Juventus in Australia.

Plans start at AU$7.99 per month or AU$70.99 per year.

Away from Australia? Get NordVPN to access your usual Paramount+ stream.

Chelsea vs Juventus: Preview

After starting the Xabi Alonso era Down Under, Chelsea continue their breathless pre-season tour with the first of three matches in Asia as they face Juventus in Hong Kong.

While it was only a friendly, the Blues never like to lose to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur so their last-gasp defeat in Sydney last Saturday will have stung more than it should at this time of year.

Alonso's men have the chance to put that right against Juventus in the 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium, where the travelling party will be joined by some notable reinforcements.

New signing Danny Welbeck and forgotten man Mykhailo Mudryk - who could play for the first time since November 2024 after his doping case was resolved - have arrived in Asia to link up with the squad, as have £40m winger Geovany Quenda and goalkeeper Mike Penders. All four players could feature against Juventus as Alonso continues to fine-tune his side ahead of the new season.

This fixture is a meeting of two teams who missed out on Champions League qualification last season, although Juventus did at least book their place in one European competition for 2026/27.

The Italian giants will play in the Europa League next term after finishing sixth in Serie A, which was only the second time since 2011 that they have ended the campaign outside the top four.

The Old Lady have shown their age in the past few seasons and fallen behind Europe's elite, although they did finish last term in relatively good form with only one defeat in their final 12 Serie A matches.

Luciano Spalletti's men arrive in Hong Kong having won two and drawn one of their first three pre-season friendlies, beating Nice and Standard Liege after drawing with Basel, all without conceding a goal.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Chelsea 2-1 Juventus

This should be an interesting test for Chelsea, even if Juventus aren't quite the draw they once were.

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Everton are falling into a familiar trap under David Moyes with an ominous feeling of Last Chance Saloon around the club

Richard Buxton — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Evertonians could be forgiven for sensing a potential déjà vu this summer.

As the one-year anniversary of Everton’s official move to Hill Dickinson Stadium rapidly approaches, there is an increasingly unnerving mood by the banks of the River Mersey.

Relocating to Bramley-Moore Dock was supposed to serve as a springboard for the Toffees’ renaissance; ending decades in the doldrums that were punctuated by a now 31-year drought since major silverware last winged its way towards a royal blue jersey. Instead, this grand old club is in danger of finding itself in the Last Chance Saloon.

Moyes Mark II

Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium (Image credit: Getty Images)

When David Moyes returned to Everton, some 19 months ago, the hope was that he could finish what was started in a credible 11-and-a-half-year spell. Securing Premier League safety, while also giving Goodison Park a more fitting send-off than had appeared likely during Sean Dyche’s reign, hinted at a sign of things to come.

The Scot’s first full season back at the helm was a mixed one, although a purple patch in the final months offered Everton hopes of an outside shot at European qualification. Briefly, they also had designs on sneaking into the fifth Champions League position. But a last-gasp Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool put the brakes on all continental dreams as they proceeded to take just two points from a potential 18 in the final six games, allowing several clubs of smaller stature and resources to leapfrog them.

Everton enjoyed a mixed first season at their new home (Image credit: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Plans for a stronger follow-up campaign are already on the back foot ahead of an opening Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace, who have reaped tangible success from leaning into bold ambitions rather than shying away from them. It’s hardly uncharted territory, especially given Moyes’s longstanding moniker of ‘Dithering Dave’, yet the dream of a promising new era could be over before it has even begun.

Just shy of a decade ago, Everton’s erstwhile owner Farhad Moshiri cautioned that they had only a limited window to disrupt the Premier League’s top six order and insisted to supporters that he did not want the club to become ‘a museum’ of English football. The British-Iranian billionaire succeeded in avoiding a house of memories but replaced it with a circus as dysfunction reigned on and off the pitch throughout his premiership.

Everton 2026-27 Season Preview

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Everton were noticeably improved last season, but there is still a way to go if the Merseyside club wish to be competitive

Moshiri’s scattergun approach to recruitment left the club lumbered with a highly imbalanced squad that increasingly resembled Frankenstein’s Monster with every new managerial appointment. Such was the chaotic nature of Everton’s transfer business that Dyche recently described his three full windows at the helm as ‘a s*** show’. It is difficult to escape the feeling that history may be about to repeat itself, with two of their opening three summer arrivals having already played for the club on loan last season in Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George, signed for a combined £36m.

The German midfielder’s summer return saw him tasked with plugging the right-back position in three pre-season friendlies as the search for Seamus Coleman’s long-term replacement is no nearer to fruition. An unedifying send-off for the club captain should have served as a belated wake-up call after failing to address the shortfall left by his persistent injury problems in the final years. Since his return, Moyes has put a new twist on an old classic with central defender Jake O’Brien filling the position in a move that mirrored his previous deployment of Joleon Lescott. Nathan Patterson, now the sole established right-back, has been persona non grata since being on the receiving end of a ‘playful slap’ from Dyche at a mid-season training camp over two years ago.

Iliman Ndiaye's Everton future is clouded in uncertainty (Image credit: Getty Images)

Everton’s issues, however, run deeper than defensive dearth as they face the task of replacing several other underfilled positions following Idrissa Gueye’s departure, four years after returning as a panacea to the holding midfield position he originally vacated in 2019. The Senegalese’s exit has been exacerbated by James Garner’s likely absence against Palace as he recovers from surgery on a groin issue diagnosed early in pre-season. Another alternative, Hayden Hackney, last season’s Championship Player of the Year, must contend with getting up to speed while adjusting to new surroundings.

Doubts over Iliman Ndiaye’s future have grown after recent speculation linking him with a move to Al-Hilal. The player who scored both the last-ever goal in a men’s game at Goodison and the first at Hill Dickinson Stadium has already made no secret of a desire to test himself in the Champions League, something which is currently out of Everton’s potential reach. Numerous unsuccessful attempts to tie Ndiaye down beyond his current summer 2029 contract expiry only serve to heighten fears that he will not be staying the course. A potential £70m fee would ordinarily arm Everton with considerable funds to rebuild, but in an increasingly inflated market, it would not stretch as far as the hierarchy, now headed up by The Friedkin Group, anticipate. It would also come at the cost of losing their most potent attacking source.

The Americans, who also own AS Roma, have been catching heat from sections of the fanbase for their lack of hands-on involvement and visibility. Nearly two years since taking the reins, head honcho Dan Friedkin is yet to grace an Everton match – home or away – with his presence; delegating assorted family members to fleetingly check on his investment. Some fans suspect their absentee overlord lacks an appetite to micromanage matters on the banks of the River Mersey in the same way he and son Ryan fixate on events in the seven hills of Rome. A ham-fisted declaration by CEO Angus Kinnear in his end-of-season programme notes of being ‘happily dissatisfied’ with the club’s current state of play did little to allay suspicions that the Friedkins are happy with maintaining the status quo of merely staying in the English top flight.

A reticence to address Moyes’s long-term future, with the former West Ham boss now in the final 12 months of the contract originally signed in January 2025, also suggests that the owners’ focus remains on keeping things ticking over. Noises around a potential extension, floated at the height of Everton’s late-season surge, have become highly subdued at a time when supporters are clamouring for a semblance of a long-term plan. As the only Premier League club without a director of football, the hunt for new faces is now dictated by a collegiate approach in which the 63-year-old is heavily involved despite a lack of certainty on whether he will be overseeing matters in the medium term.

Ending a vicious cycle of relegation dalliances was only half the battle for Everton. If they fall short on fixing basic issues this summer, the last real chance to restore one of English football’s sleeping giants to former glory risks falling by the wayside.

I expect Newcastle United will sign at least one of these players due to Matthias Jaissle effect

joe.donnohue@futurenet.com (Joe Donnohue) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Known for his high-pressing, Red Bull-educated style and sharp tactical focus, 38-year-old German coach Jaissle has developed a reputation as one of the most highly-rated young bosses in top-level football - but his appointment is still a risk.

Whenever a manager takes charge of a major project, they naturally look to familiar faces - players who already understand things such as pressing triggers, defensive demands, and dressing room culture.

Once his appointment is rubber-stamped, it would be reasonable to expect Jaissle to recommend such personnel to the Newcastle hierarchy.

Seven players Newcastle might sign under Matthias Jaissle

Jaissle is still technically head coach of Al Ahli Saudi FC - a club also majority owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Despite so far having had a summer in which they have been one of the Premier League's more active clubs in the market, Newcastle are still in need of targeted reinforcements throughout the side.

It is for that reason, the 'Jaissle effect' could be important during the final month of the summer window. Here are seven players who worked under Jaissle and fit Newcastle's squad requirements.

Nicolas Seiwald (Defensive Midfield)

Nicolas Seiwald (C) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 91 (6 goals, 14 assists)

No outfield player featured more frequently for Jaissle during his trophy-laden tenure at Red Bull Salzburg than Austrian midfielder Nicolas Seiwald.

Functioning as the engine of Jaissle’s midfield diamond, Seiwald reigstered 91 appearances under the German, offering press-resistance and defensive coverage. Newcastle's midfield lacks depth in the holding role, making Seiwald a candidate to rejoin his former boss.

Gabri Veiga (Attacking Midfield)

Gabri Veiga (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 66 (12 goals, 10 assists)

After making the switch from LaLiga to Al-Ahli, Spanish playmaker Gabri Veiga began working under Jaissle.

Across 66 matches together in Saudi Arabia, Veiga contributed 12 goals and 10 assists before joining FC Porto last summer. With Newcastle seeking a goal-scoring midfielder capable of unlocking low blocks, Jaissle could provide 24-year-old Veiga with the platform for a top-five league reboot.

Oumar Solet (Centre-Back)

Oumar Solet (R) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 66 (2 goals, 4 assists)

Jaissle’s aggressive, high-line defence at Red Bull Salzburg relied heavily on recovery speed and composure of his central defenders, of which Oumar Solet was one.

Featuring 66 times under Jaissle, Solet knows how to play in his backline that routinely dominated domestically and competed admirably in the Champions League. With Newcastle needing long-term athleticism and ball-playing quality at centre-back, Solet fits the tactical profile.

Amar Dedic (Right-Back)

Amar Dedic (R) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 52 (4 goals, 6 assists)

Bosnian full-back Amar Dedic enjoyed his breakout under Jaissle at Salzburg, making 52 appearances and contributing direct to 10 goals from right-back.

His ability to invert into midfield or overlap down the right aligns with Jaissle’s tactical flexibility. Given Newcastle's need to refresh their options at full-back after Kieran Trippier's exit and Tino Livramento's persistent injuries, Dedic could be an option given he already knows the manager's demands.

Mohamed Camara (Defensive Midfield)

Mohamed Camara (L) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 43 (1 goal, 5 assists)

Before earning a move to AS Monaco, Malian midfield enforcer Mohamed Camara was the defensive anchor of Jaissle’s 2021/22 domestic double-winning Salzburg side.

Playing 43 games under the soon-to-be-named Newcastle coach, Camara demonstrated excellent ball-winning capabilities as well as decent ability in possession. His tenacity in duel-heavy games would instantly bolster Newcastle's stability in the middle of the park, which is in need of some experience and steel.

Enzo Millot (Attacking Midfield)

Enzo Millot (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 40 (9 goals, 7 assists)

French midfielder Enzo Millot worked closely with Jaissle at Al-Ahli, making 40 appearances and registering 16 direct goal contributions.

Millot’s tactical nous, exhibited whilst still in Ligue 1, and pressing energy make him a coach's dream in a high-intensity transitional system. Newcastle's squad would benefit from his quality between the lines.

Karim Konate (Centre-Forward)

Karim Konate (Image credit: Getty Images)

Appearances under Jaissle: 10 (5 goals, 2 assists)

Ivorian striker Karim Konate made his initial top-flight breakthrough under Jaissle at Salzburg, netting 5 goals and laying on 2 assists in just 10 appearances.

Despite that limited sample size before the manager's departure, Konate showed good goalscoring efficiency that foreshadowed his more recent rise as a top striking talent in a mid-tier European league.

Matthias Jaissle (Image credit: Getty Images)

While bringing in Jaissle’s trusted former players makes sense on paper, fans would be wise to temper expectations of an instant transformation.

Moving on from almost five years of stability under Eddie Howe marks a significant structural shift, leaving a dressing room very much in a state of flux and notably lacking in natural on-pitch leadership. That will be a responsibility that Jaissle himself must bear while adapting to the demands of English football.

Rebuilding a squad in transition is rarely as simple as importing a cluster of familiar faces. While players like Seiwald, Veiga, or Solet know Jaissle’s style, few will arrive with an immediate grasp of the unique weight, culture, and expectations that come with representing Newcastle or a Premier League club.

Recruiting players who know the manager's playbook can certainly help with tactical implementation, but assembling a reshaped squad under a head coach who is still figuring out the club for himself is a delicate process.

Signing Jaissle's former players may well prove the evolutionary route Newcastle take in 2026/27 and beyond, but it is by no means a guaranteed blueprint for instant success.

Quickfire Quiz 174: Can you answer 10 questions in 90 seconds?

Chris Nee — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:00:00 +0000

It's time for the latest FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz! Can you answer 10 football trivia questions in just 90 seconds?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

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QUICKFIRE QUIZ Play more Quickfire Quizzes

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. First up, we have this colossal challenge to name 100 players from the clubs where they've played football in our latest career path quiz.

Our Big World Cup 2026 quiz will test your detailed knowledge of the latest major summer football tournament. Let's find out how much you can remember about the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

We also want to know whether you can name all of these footballer autobiographies from their titles alone and every Premier League player nominated for the Ballon d'Or since 2000.

If you know your numbers, you'll have no problem naming the top 100 goalscorers in the history of the Premier League.

Last but not least, we want you to guess these team line-ups based on the nationalities of their players alone. Make no mistake; this is expert-level stuff.

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and don't forget to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Liverpool ready to walk away from Bradley Barcola deal and put pressure on PSG transfer

Steven Chicken — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Liverpool are looking at alternatives to Bradley Barcola after their initial conversations with PSG over a transfer came to nothing.

The Reds are keen to add a winger to their side after Mohamed Salah's departure earlier this summer, with new arrival Victor Munoz still unproven at the very elite level.

To that end, Liverpool have made a €100m (£85.6m) overture to PSG, only to be told they will need to pay nearly twice that much if they want to get their hands on the France international.

High Bar

PSG are said to want around £145m for Bradley Barcola (Image credit: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

However, Liverpool's opening bid is still a lot of money even for a financial powerhouse like PSG, particularly for a player who has been in and out of the side over the years.

Barcola was part of the PSG side that won back-to-back Champions League titles this year and last, but did not start in either final with Luis Enrique instead plumping to start Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the 5-0 win over Inter in 2025 and the penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in May.

Yankuba Minteh is claimed to be among Liverpool's fallback options (Image credit: Getty Images)

Now the Reds are looking to test Les Parisiens' resolve by quietly letting it be known that they considering their options elsewhere.

The Guardian reported last week that Liverpool were intent on making Barcola their 'statement signing of the summer'.

But subsequent reports have suggested that PSG have indicated they want a deal in the region of £140m-£145m if they are to allow Barcola to depart.

Caught Offside claim that Liverpool have numerous potential options in mind already, among which are Brighton's Yankuba Minteh and Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo.

Bournemouth's Rayan is also touted as a possibility. The 20-year-old Brazil international moved to the Vitality Stadium to play under Iraola in January and made an immediate impression with five goals and two assists in his 15 Premier League appearances.

Rayan has already made a splash at Bournemouth (Image credit: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

The hitch there is that Rayan cost Bournemouth £24.7m in January, and they now already believe he is worth several times that figure.

Rayan is said to have an £85m release clause in his contract, but it has been suggested that it does not activate until next year, handing Bournemouth an advantage in negotiations for the time being.

While it would obviously be sensible for Liverpool to look at other options if they feel a move for Barcola may not be possible, it is just as plausible that their apparent willingness to move on from the Frenchman could be a way to entice PSG to return to the table and find an acceptable compromise.

'English player allowed to play in England' - Aston Villa players poke fun at FIFA as club save millions with legal ruling

Steven Chicken — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:55:02 +0000

Aston Villa have had to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be allowed to register a foreign player... despite him being an England youth international born in England.

FIFA did not allow Aston Villa to register 17-year-old Brian Madjo to their squad when they signed him from French side Metz in January for a £10m fee.

That's because although he was born in Enfield, he was largely raised in Luxembourg and came through the academy ranks in the country before moving to France to finish his football education.

Are you Madjo

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's a strange thing to say about the world governing body at the moment, but FIFA's block was entirely built around sensible rules around child protection.

FIFA Article 19 forbids the international transfers of players aged under 18 other than in limited circumstances, including moves between EU member states - and of course, the UK is no longer an EU member. Madjo, having made three friendly appearances for Luxembourg before switching to England, did not help Villa when they initially pleaded their case to FIFA.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

However, though they have not yet published their reasoning, CAS seems to have decided that while Madjo's case did not fit neatly into any of FIFA's exceptions, the circumstances were compelling enough to decide in Villa's favour and allow him to be registered to Unai Emery's squad for the season ahead.

A club statement said: "Aston Villa can confirm that the club’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the registration of Brian Madjo has been upheld.

"17-year-old Madjo signed for the club from Metz in January. Born in Enfield, London and a UK citizen, he left England at a young age and was raised in Luxembourg but has been unable to play due to FIFA‘s rules on the international transfer of minors.

"The striker has scored four goals in pre-season so far, including two in the opening friendly fixture against Walsall.

"The court’s decision today means that Brian will be registered as an Aston Villa player and eligible to play in official competition matches for the forthcoming season."

Brian Madjo's teammates poked fun at the situation (Image credit: Instagram)

Madjo's teammates found the funny side on social media, with John McGinn replying: "English player allowed to play in England #freemadjo", much to Matty Cash's evident mirth.

Madjo has been playing for Villa in pre-season, with the ban only applying to official competitive games.

Being able to register the hot prospect will come as welcome news to the club, who would otherwise have been unable to use Madjo in senior games until he turns 18 in January.

They can now count Madjo among their number when plotting out their squad depth for the season ahead.

Liverpool as we knew them under Jurgen Klopp have seemingly vanished, but can Andoni Iraola restore the culture that was eroded after the German's departure? Liverpool 2026-27 season preview

Matt Ladson — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:28:24 +0000

A new era is underway at Anfield again. After Arne Slot's two-year reign was ended following a miserable campaign with 19 defeats in all competitions, Andoni Iraola has been charged with reinstalling the attacking identity demanded by Reds fans.

Iraola's Bournemouth certainly displayed that quality. The Basque manager delivered an aggressive, progressive style, utilising quick, direct wingers, a high defensive line and pressing in attack.

Did somebody say “Jurgen Klopp”? Kopites are hoping for Klopp-like football, having grown frustrated by Slot's slow build-up and passive play. Iraola's message to Liverpool fans upon arrival was upbeat, capturing the imagination: “I can only say I want to become one of you; to earn the right to belong.” That's been enough to restore optimism after a difficult year.

It's the dawn of a new era at Liverpool, and Andoni Iraola must restore a lost hope

It's a new era at Liverpool. (Image credit: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

However, they will be a different proposition with the departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate – a key trio not just on the pitch, but around the club.

New leaders need to step up, because nine players from the title-winning squad of a little over a year ago have already left.

The loss of Mohamed Salah could be catastrophic. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Nobody expects a title challenge in Iraola's maiden season, but a return to more attractive football and clear signs of an identity will be needed, and fast.

The lack of a trophy on his managerial CV, or experience coaching in European competition, are both concerns.

The Coach

Andoni Iraola is only the 22nd Liverpool manager in 134 years, which shows that it was no easy decision to part ways with Slot so soon. But Iraola offers the exciting football that fans missed, while his Basque roots mean he can understand the city's outsider mentality.

Andoni Iraola is the man to lead Liverpool forward. (Image credit: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Key Player

Virgil van Dijk is 35 now, yet he played every league minute in 2025-26, then went to the World Cup. With Giovanni Leoni (19) and inexperienced new signing Jeremy Jacquet (21) alongside him, and Ibrahima Konate gone, the Dutchman's experience will be vital.

Virgil van Dijk is the team's key player. (Image credit: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 5th

FA CUP: Quarter-final

LEAGUE CUP: Fourth Round

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Quarter-final

Liverpool's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Hugo Ekitike was Liverpool's top goalscorer last year, with 17 strikes in all competitions.

That figure is a stark drop-off from the 30-40 goal campaigns produced by Salah from 2017-2024.

Ekitike is sidelined with injury until likely 2027, and whoever the Reds' top scorer is this year will surely have to produce a haul that exceeds that of the Frenchman in 2025-26.

Hugo Ekitike might not touch grass until 2027. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

There are many: using the squad better, getting the most of Florian Wirtz in a settled role, fewer ready excuses such as an inability to defend long throws and set pieces.

Arguably, the biggest lesson Iraola can take from Slot's reign is using the power of Anfield. Liverpool made slow starts too often under the Dutchman, reflected in their conceding first in 14 league games last season.

They lacked attacking impetus, which sapped the energy of the crowd, and the two couldn't thrive off each other. “For me,” says Iraola, “football is about emotions – about passion.” Those inside Anfield would agree.

Florian Wirtz must come good this year. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Be involved in a 5-4 thriller. Think Klopp's first campaign, when the German's glasses were lost in the celebrations at Norwich. Iraola's first year could be as entertaining.

Will the Reds go back to the high-scoring, thriller games under early Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool? (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Shut up shop defending set pieces. Liverpool (20) and Bournemouth (18) had the worst record for goals against from dead-ball situations in the Premier League last season.

Liverpool's defensive woes will continue this season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: JACK LUSBY @LusbyJack

Last season was deeply overshadowed by an unbelievable tragedy. Diogo Jota's death had a lasting impact on not only his team-mates, but the coach and his staff.

The big talking point is the decision to sack Arne Slot. Even with the serious mitigating factors, it was necessary – his decline had begun with the side's shocking display in the 2025 Carabao Cup Final.

Farewell, Arne. (Image credit: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

This season will be different because Andoni Iraola has breathed new life into the support.

I won't be happy unless proper, attacking football returns to Anfield. You'd be surprised how many struggled to sit through Liverpool games last year.

Our key player will be Virgil van Dijk. World class. Look out for 19-year-old centre-back Giovanni Leoni. After nine months out, it's easy to forget his immense talent. He tore his ACL on debut and was still man of the match.

Fans think our owners are OK. FSG get plenty wrong but they usually rectify it eventually.

The departing player I'm saddest about is Andy Robertson or Mo Salah. Both should still be at the club – and would be, had things changed sooner.

Salah should have never left Liverpool, nor Andy Robertson. (Image credit: Getty Images)

A social media account to follow is the academy (@LFCAcademyX). There's a wealth of talent coming through or being signed.

Our biggest grudge match will be against Arsenal. They're the most unlikeable champions in a long, long time. Those games will be attacking football vs anti-football.

We'll finish 3rd.

Fixtures

AUGUST

23 Newcastle (A)

29 Nott'm Forest (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Ipswich (A)

12 Fulham (H)

19 Bournemouth (A)

OCTOBER

10 Man City (H)

17 Brentford (A)

24 Brighton (H)

31 Arsenal (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Crystal Palace (A)

21 Man United (H)

28 Everton (A)

DECEMBER

2 Sunderland (H)

5 Chelsea (A)

12 Leeds (H)

19 Tottenham (H)

26 Hull City (A)

30 Aston Villa (A)

JANUARY

2 Coventry (H)

6 Sunderland (A)

16 Crystal Palace (H)

23 Man United (A)

30 Everton (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Arsenal (A)

10 Coventry (A)

20 Hull City (H)

27 Tottenham (A)

MARCH

3 Aston Villa (H)

13 Ipswich (H)

20 Fulham (A)

APRIL

10 Newcastle (H)

17 Nott'm Forest (A)

24 Leeds (A)

MAY

1 Chelsea (H)

8 Man City (A)

15 Brentford (H)

23 Brighton (A)

30 Bournemouth (H)

Title Odds

Liverpool to win the Premier League title odds: 11/2

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Liverpool to finish 3rd.

Life without Salah could benefit the collective, if handled correctly. Iraola's methods suit most of the Reds' squad, fitness depending, although bungeeing back to the title is likely too much to ask.

Liverpool's attacking depth is sorely lacking, but they will finish 3rd through sheer grit. (Image credit: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Andoni Iraola must change habit of a lifetime to succeed at Liverpool

Steven Chicken — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Across his spells at Larnaca, Mirandes, Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth, streakiness has always been a hallmark of Andoni Iraola’s sides – but most of them will tell Liverpool fans that if he gets off to a bad start, he can still prove to be well worth the wait.

In Cyprus, Iraola had Larnaca in fine form in the Europa League qualifying rounds and started the league campaign well, only to hit a run of just one win in nine games in all competitions that cost him his job.

At Mirandes in the Spanish second tier, it was the other way around: Iraola’s side won just one of their first ten games, but then lost just five of their next 33 games.

Streaky clean

Andoni Iraola will lead Liverpool into the 2026/27 season (Image credit: Getty Images)

That included going on an impressive run to the semi-finals of Copa del Rey, claiming three top-flight scalps from Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Villarreal along the way – but the return to action after the covid-enforced stoppage to the season saw Mirandes finish the season with a run of two wins in nine games and fall out of play-off contention.

Iraola stayed in the Spanish equivalent of the Championship the following season, this time with Rayo Vallecano, and the streakiness continued: three wins from the first four was followed by just two wins in the next eight before they rallied and achieved promotion via the play-offs.

Andoni Iraola took second-tier Rayo Vallecano to a cup semi-final and promotion (Image credit: Getty Images)

His most extreme start of all came at Bournemouth in 2023. With Iraola installed as Gary O’Neil’s successor, the Cherries didn’t win any of their first nine Premier League games under Iraola, with a 3-0 defeat to a troubled Everton side who had scarcely started the season a particular lowlight.

Much of the criticism was aimed not at Iraola, but at Bournemouth, who were heavily criticised for having made the change in the first place. The Telegraph tipped them for the drop, accusing the club’s decision to replace O’Neil as an act of ‘self-mutilation’ after he had led them away from relegation the previous season.

And who inflicted the defeat in that ninth league game of Iraola’s tenure? O’Neil’s Wolves, of course. The pressure was now on.

But tellingly, the Bournemouth board kept the faith – and despite their awful results, Iraola’s style was already starting to draw a ‘well, actually’ reaction from analysts.

They pointed out that Bournemouth had been handed the toughest opening fixtures of any side in the division – they also faced Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Brighton and Arsenal in the run – and yet ranked in the top half on their pressing stats and were consistently getting touches in the opposition box. The implication was that this was a side still adapting to a difficult but potentially rewarding style of play.

Andoni Iraola's appointment at Bournemouth came under a cloud (Image credit: Getty Images)

Bournemouth fans were generally still on board, too, citing the trickiness of that run, a spate of injuries, late arrivals in the transfer market, and some genuinely excellent passage of play at Anfield and against Tottenham as reasons to stay behind Iraola.

That faith proved to be well-placed. Bournemouth won eight of their next ten Premier League games, with Manchester City the only side to beat them. Not only that, but Bournemouth claimed those wins in style, scoring three against Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest, Fulham and away to Manchester United.

Then came a seven-game winless run, followed by a run of four wins in five games that essentially confirmed a mid-table finish was on the cards.

That first season set a pattern for Iraola’s Bournemouth, who continued to veer back and forth between long unbeaten runs and much more underwhelming periods.

Just consider last season: second in the table after losing just one of their first nine – and they deserved to get something out of that opening-day defeat to Liverpool, in truth.

Andoni Iraola had a frustrating start at Bournemouth (Image credit: Getty Images)

Bournemouth didn’t win at all in November or December, and lost star man Antoine Semenyo to City in the January transfer window – only to finish the season with an 18-game unbeaten streak that included just slightly too many draws for them to pip Liverpool to Champions League qualification.

Those who watched Bournemouth closely will tell you they often played scintillating stuff.

The Cherries were, for this writer, the most entertaining side in the division for much of the past two seasons, and those poor spells very much felt like the inevitable result of Iraola playing an ultra-intense modern gegenpressing style without having the squad depth required to sustain it at its best over an entire season.

Liverpool should be able to provide that, but whether they actually will or not is another question.

It is clear that the squad needs work, particularly in defence; and for as much as the players who served under Jurgen Klopp are likely to embrace Iraola’s similar style, Liverpool still look from the outside like a club going through a belated transitional period.

The expectation on Iraola will be much higher than it was on the Dorset coast, and yet more winless runs like the ones they suffered through under Arne Slot last season would not go down at all well.

There is real potential for Iraola to end up being made into the fall guy for several years of weird transfer business at Liverpool – but if his prior track record is anything to go by, a bit of patience could go a long way.

Leeds United survived the drop last season, and now work is being done to cement the Whites as a Premier League outfit: Leeds 2026-27 season preview

joe.donnohue@futurenet.com (Joe Donnohue) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:37:50 +0000

Leeds are in a good place. That isn't something you could have written in many FourFourTwo Season Previews over the course of this century.

Elland Road's redevelopment is at the shovels-in-ground stage. The team consolidated their place in the top flight. And, this summer, the club tied 25-year-old captain and talisman Ethan Ampadu to a new, long-term contract.

As with every recently promoted side in the modern Premier League era, the objective is the same in season two: stay up. In a ruthless division, second-season syndrome can kill teams who start to have ideas above their station.

Will Leeds suffer second-season syndrome, or secure continued Premier League football once more?

Leeds cannot get too carried away, but an improved performance will be needed to survive the drop this season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The last time Leeds were in this build on the success of their first season back in the big time, which set in motion a slide back into the Championship. It can't be allowed to happen again. Minority partners then, 49ers Enterprises are now in full control, with deep pockets that are deepened further still by commercial partnerships with the likes of Red Bull.

Transfer market savvy remains key, however. Noah Okafor, Anton Stach and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, in particular, were all resounding successes in last summer's squad reshape, with an emphasis placed on physicality. In order to maintain the momentum built in the second half of 2025-26, Leeds will need to execute their squad-building goals efficiently once again.

Leeds returned to the Premier League in 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Coach

Plenty feared that Daniel Farke couldn't keep a team in the Premier League, having twice failed to do so with Norwich, but – helped by a fuller budget and a defiant Elland Road – he proved his doubters wrong. He has now challenged the club to match his ambition to push on.

Daniel Farke is the man at the helm. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

The most important cog in the Leeds machine is 63-cap Wales international Ethan Ampadu. Leading by example and ready to fly into a tackle at any time, he is just what Leeds fans want in a captain, not least for his cone-headed promotion party antics. He's one of them.

Ethan Ampadu is this team's key player. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 14th

FA CUP: Semi-final

LEAGUE CUP: Second Round

Leeds 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Dominic Calvert-Lewin bagged a respectable 15 goals in all competitions for the Whites last season.

At one stage, the (very narrow) possibility of him breaking Jamie Vardy's consecutive games-with-a-goal streak was even being discussed.

DCL can be a menace, on his day. (Image credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

If it's not working, change it up. With Leeds losing 2-0 at half-time at Manchester City in November, Farke shifted to a back three – a system he hadn't used in his first two seasons at the club.

They got back to 2-2 before conceding in injury time but, more importantly, this heralded a tactical setup that made Leeds harder to beat.

Across the 30 matches in all competitions that followed Farke's epiphany, Leeds lost only six times. They pulled away from relegation, and the manager's willingness to change tack won over doubters. Keeping key players fit was vital as other teams' form forced Leeds to finish strongly. And so they did.

When they travelled to West Ham on the final day, clear of relegation, Farke's charges were unbeaten in eight. His pragmatism had paid off.

Farke's willingness to change things up must continue. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Have the best-smelling manager in the Premier League.

This man surely smells great, right?

Least Likely To...

Shoot from range: Calvert-Lewin, who took 13 of his 14 goals from between the posts, inside the box.

DCL isn't a long distance shooter. (Image credit: Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: JOE MEWIS @joemewis

Last season was defined by the half-time switch at Manchester City, when Daniel Farke was staring down the barrel. A superb second half of the season was his reward for leaving behind what had been a rigid tactical approach.

This season will be different because the top half is our goal now.

New boy Harry Wilson could be a huge addition in the push for top half. (Image credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Our key player will be Ethan Ampadu, for his tenacity and leadership.

The active player I'd love to have back is Raphinha, now that James Milner has finally called it a day.

The opposition player I'd love here is James Trafford. One of England's best goalkeepers has been wasted sat on the bench at Man City.

Look out for additional scrutiny on the academy pipeline. For the first time, Leeds didn't award Young Player of the Year due to a lack of candidates. The hierarchy were vindicated in signing experienced players, but reigniting the historically superb youth setup, producing players ready for the first team, needs to happen.

The one change I'd make at our club would be our dire modern-day record at Wembley. Even a goal would be nice.

Joe wishes his club had a better Wembley record - could that change this season? (Image credit: PA Images)

The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is the Emirates. Arsenal were the only side to truly have our number last season.

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is at an all-time high. A win at Old Trafford and first FA Cup semi-final in a generation were the icing on the cake of a stress-free climax.

We'll finish 11th.

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Nott'm Forest (A)

29 Brentford (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Brighton (A)

12 Newcastle (H)

19 Crystal Palace (H)

OCTOBER

10 Arsenal (A)

17 Man United (H)

24 Sunderland (A)

31 Bournemouth (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Tottenham (H)

21 Chelsea (A)

28 Coventry (H)

DECEMBER

2 Man City (A)

5 Ipswich (H)

12 Liverpool (A)

19 Fulham (H)

26 Aston Villa (A)

30 Hull City (A)

JANUARY

2 Everton (H)

6 Man City (H)

16 Tottenham (A)

23 Chelsea (H)

30 Coventry (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Bournemouth (H)

10 Everton (A)

20 Aston Villa (H)

27 Fulham (A)

MARCH

3 Hull City (H)

13 Brighton (H)

20 Newcastle (A)

APRIL

10 Nott'm Forest (H)

17 Brentford (A)

24 Liverpool (H)

MAY

1 Ipswich (A)

8 Arsenal (H)

15 Man United (A)

23 Sunderland (H)

30 Crystal Palace (A)

Title Odds

Leeds United to win the Premier League title odds: 500/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Leeds to finish 14th.

Leeds' top-seven form following Farke's tactical switch-up hints that they can look up rather than down. New boy Harry Wilson could add goals – they've also needed to address the goalkeeping situation.

This man will help keep them up. (Image credit: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Hull City's return to the Premier League was borderline miraculous, but a far more absurd feat will be the requirement to stay up - Hull City 2026-27 season preview

Gabriel Sutton — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Hull City's 2025-26 campaign saw one of the most impressive promotions in Championship history – but it was also one of the most fortuitous.

Finishing sixth and winning the play-offs was an unbelievable accomplishment. Hull had needed to climb out of the relegation zone on the final day of the previous campaign, then had to work under a summer embargo that restricted them to loans and free transfers.

They found an attacking gem in each market, in Joe Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie respectively. Existing squad members found a new level. The Tigers became a dangerous team under boss Sergej Jakirovic – new to the club and new to English football – and won games through their ability to ruthlessly cut open opponents in isolated moments. But there's no escaping that they had some luck on their way up.

Hull City's return to the Premier League borders on the miraculous, but an even greater feat will be required to stay up - Hull City 2026-27 season preview

Hull City's promotion was borderline miraculous. (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

To win promotion despite conceding the joint-fourth-most goals in the division is one thing, to do it with easily the second-worst underlying defensive numbers is unheard of. As such, the existing template doesn't look sufficient for Premier League survival.

So, while fans are hugely excited about returning to the big time, they are also realistic about the challenges ahead. Hull can pay fees to sign players now, but they'll need to add wisely. Still, everybody said that about Sunderland, and they survived. Jakirovic has proved a fast learner – could another shock be in store?

The Coach

Sergej Jakirovic almost always delivers, from handling weighty expectations at Dinamo Zagreb to saving Kayserispor from a perilous situation. The Premier League is a different beast, but the Bosnian did adapt and adopt a less risky setup during last season to upset the odds.

Sergej Jakirovi is a miracle maker. (Image credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Key Player (and Top Scorer)

Hull played a dangerous game of waiting on Las Palmas to be relegated in 2024-25, hoping it would enable them to sign Oli McBurnie.

They did, and the 30-year-old became Hull's focal point. His 19 goals in all competitions were the most from any Hull City player last season, and included the play-off final winner.

The Scot's hold-up play will be pivotal as his side adapt to the physicality of the English top-flight.

Oliver McBurnie is the main man. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

CHAMPIONSHIP: 6th

FA CUP: Fourth Round

LEAGUE CUP: First Round

PLAY-OFF: Winners

Hull City's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Lessons From Last Year

While several players contributed significantly in attack, defensively Ivor Pandur, John Egan and Regan Slater kept everything together. Pandur made the most saves in the Championship, although he's since joined Rangers.

Egan and Slater will remain key, having held down the defence and midfield almost single-handedly at the times when Charlie Hughes and Matt Crooks weren't available.

Hull City have much room to improve. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

“F**k them up, get into them!” – Hull averaged the most tackles per game in the Championship (17.8), with 14 players making more than two per 90 minute. Sharing their ground with rugby side Hull FC, their aggressive style could work in their favour on a rugged terrain.

Hull City have always been known as a passionate, physical side. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Fret the stats. Hull looked ropey in many metrics last year and were lectured by nerds like us on their performances' unsustainability, only to prove them totally wrong. Nobody gives them a chance this season – that resultant siege mentality can be their superpower.

Hull City have a grit that the statistics don't reflect. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: RICKY SKELTON @hullcitylive

Last season was a huge surprise. We were under transfer restrictions, had a manager new to English football and had avoided relegation on final day in the previous season, but we put together a team on frees and loans who had a huge amount of heart and no little quality.

Our key player will be Oli McBurnie. From the moment he walked in last summer, he raised standards and performed superbly. He epitomises the squad's spirit and it's crucial we don't lose that.

Oli McBurnie has prior experience at the Premier League level, and will be key for Hull City this season.

This season will be different because we've not had to deal with the killjoy that is VAR before.

The opposition player who grinds my gears is Gabriel Magalhaes, the big baby. He can give it but not take it.

The opposition player I'd love here is Rio Ngumoha. This kid is incredible. He's only 17, so if Liverpool want him to get a season of Premier League football under his belt, Hull City have looked after some of their great prospects in recent years.

Our biggest grudge match will be against Leeds. It will be our first top-flight meeting – in our previous five seasons in the Premier League, Leeds were normally in League One or something.

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is that Sergej Jakirovic is a legend. He arrived last summer with no experience in England, nor any leading European league, and has proven to be extremely competent, both tactically and with his man-management.

We'll finish 17th.

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Man United (H)

29 Coventry (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Aston Villa (H)

12 Chelsea (A)

19 Newcastle (A)

OCTOBER

10 Everton (H)

17 Fulham (A)

24 Brentford (H)

31 Ipswich (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Arsenal (A)

21 Brighton (H)

28 Crystal Palace (A)

DECEMBER

2 Nott'm Forest (H)

5 Bournemouth (A)

12 Tottenham (H)

19 Man City (A)

26 Liverpool (H)

30 Leeds (H)

JANUARY

2 Sunderland (A)

6 Nott'm Forest (A)

16 Arsenal (H)

23 Ipswich (A)

30 Crystal Palace (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Brighton (A)

10 Sunderland (H)

20 Liverpool (A)

27 Man City (H)

MARCH

3 Leeds (A)

13 Aston Villa (A)

20 Chelsea (H)

APRIL

10 Man United (A)

17 Coventry (H)

24 Tottenham (A)

MAY

1 Bournemouth (H)

8 Everton (A)

15 Fulham (H)

23 Brentford (A)

30 Newcastle (H)

Title Odds

Hull City to win the Premier League title odds: 500/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Hull City to finish 20th.

The squad is weak for the level and owner Acun Ilicali is ambitious but not mega-rich by Premier League standards. Even if last season's poor performance data is noisy, improving enough will be difficult.

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Ipswich Town have returned to the Premier League as fast as they fell from it in 2025, but will they be better prepared for survival this time around? Ipswich Town 2026-27 season preview

Gabriel Sutton — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Compared with their promotion in 2024, Ipswich return to the Premier League stronger in some ways, but weaker in others.

Pound-for-pound, the Tractor Boys should be a closer match for this level. They've got a stronger squad on paper, as well as the banked revenue that increases their spending capacity. However, in terms of cohesion and synergy, Ipswich are less of a sure bet.

Town come up off the back of a lower base performance level in the Championship than they did two years ago, with fewer established partnerships across the park. Most importantly, they no longer have one of the most exciting young British managers around, in Kieran McKenna.

Ipswich return to the Premier League as quickly as they fell from it; this time, can they survive the drop?

The Ipswich Town team bus approaches during a victory parade in Ipswich. (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

The 40-year-old is taking a break from football to spend time with his family, and leaves a legacy that puts him just one rung below Sirs Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson in the pantheon of great Ipswich managers.

Gary O'Neil comes in fresh from a decent short-term job at Strasbourg, having previously delivered Premier League survival with Bournemouth and Wolves.

Gary O'Neil has a sizeable task ahead of him. (Image credit: Alamy)

Much of Ipswich's rise has been attributed to McKenna's work, with the improved structure at the club given secondary praise. Is that structure strong enough to ensure this bright era can outlast a great manager?

Can 2026-27 be a continuation of a pre-existing era, rather than the start of a new one? We're about to find out.

The Coach

A promotion winner as a player with rivals Norwich in 2015, Gary O'Neil follows Marcelino Nunez in switching farms. He has shown much promise in his coaching career to date, but hopes Portman Road might be the first place at which he can build something of substance.

Gary O'Neil knows how to secure Premier League survival. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

Dara O'Shea was ever-present and instrumental in Ipswich's reliability in 2025-26. A smart defender, he grew as a leader and, at 27, will be desperate to put Premier League survival on his CV following relegation with three different clubs. Fourth time's the charm, Dara…

Dara O'Shea is the team's key player. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

CHAMPIONSHIP: 2nd

FA CUP: Fourth Round

LEAGUE CUP: First Round

Ipswich's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Jack Clarke bagged 16 in all competitions for his side last season, but will that translate into Premier League goalscoring proficiency?

Jack Clarke has been around.

Lessons From Last Year

Systems are more important than individuals. Ipswich had supremely gifted footballers, but collectively didn't play quite as well as they did with a squad built in League One.

Take Sindre Walle Egeli. Though he outscored Erling Haaland at youth level in Norway, he is yet to shine since Ipswich bought him at 19 for a Championship-record fee.

Because Jaden Philogene or Jack Clarke claim the creative freedom on the left, the right-sider must offer positional discipline and industry. Kasey McAteer and Wes Burns fit the bill better than Egeli.

The individualism of Philogene or Clarke also meant the No.10 had to drop into midfield. Marcelino Nunez does that brilliantly.

And so, Town's vast array of second strikers couldn't show their own qualities. O'Neil must decide who gets free rein, and who is providing balance.

Ipswich have much room for improvement. (Image credit: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Get Ed Sheeran singing The A Team in the dressing room if they survive.

No half-time shows though, Ed. (Image credit: PA)

Least Likely To...

Get Ed Sheeran singing Bad Habits in the dressing room if they don't.

Seriously, no half-time shows, please. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: PHILIP HAM @twtduk

Last season was slow at first, with some ups and downs to follow, but ultimately fantastic.

This season will be different because Town should be better set up for survival now, with new infrastructure, additions to the recruitment team and a squad that's more attuned to this level.

Last time out was no good for Ipswich Town. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Our key player will be Azor Matusiwa, our midfield linchpin.

The active player I'd love to have back is Tyrone Mings, to bring experience to the squad.

The best thing about matchdays at our ground is the fanzone on the practice pitch behind the West Stand – a great place for fans to warm up before the game.

The one change I'd make at our club would be a new Cobbold Stand, as the current structure is over 50 years old. That's the next big project.

The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is St James' Park. Newcastle is a long way from Ipswich and we've not won there since 1984.

Philip wants Mings back.

A social media account to follow is Call Me Ted (@callmeteditfc), who commissioned posters for all of our Premier League games the last time we were here, and continue to produce interesting football-based art.

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is underwhelmed. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the fans' preferred option. While following McKenna is an almost impossible job, O'Neil needs a good start to allay concerns.

We'll finish... who knows? We'd be happy with 17th.

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Sunderland (H)

29 Man United (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Liverpool (H)

12 Crystal Palace (A)

19 Everton (A)

OCTOBER

10 Fulham (H)

17 Man City (A)

24 Nott'm Forest (H)

31 Hull City (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Bournemouth (H)

21 Tottenham (A)

28 Aston Villa (H)

DECEMBER

2 Coventry (A)

5 Leeds (A)

12 Newcastle (H)

19 Brighton (A)

26 Brentford (H)

30 Chelsea (H)

JANUARY

2 Arsenal (A)

6 Coventry (H)

16 Bournemouth (A)

23 Hull City (H)

30 Aston Villa (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Tottenham (H)

10 Arsenal (H)

20 Chelsea (A)

27 Brighton (H)

MARCH

3 Brentford (A)

13 Liverpool (A)

20 Crystal Palace (H)

APRIL

10 Sunderland (A)

17 Man United (H)

24 Newcastle (A)

MAY

1 Leeds (H)

8 Fulham (A)

15 Man City (H)

23 Nott'm Forest (A)

30 Everton (H)

Title Odds

Ipswich Town to win the Premier League title odds: 500/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Ipswich Town to finish 19th.

O'Neil could be an upgrade, but it's a big gear change from McKenna's quiet consistency to his outspoken interviews and streaky teams. The big question is if Town's very solid second-tier defence can step up.

O'Neil won't be able to keep the club up. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Why Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid return is doomed to fail

Richard Buxton — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Real Madrid clearly do not subscribe to football’s adage about never going back.

Second honeymoons are a common occurrence for Real Madrid, with 13 of the 52 managers appointed as either interim or permanent hires in the club’s 116-year history afforded returns, some multiple times. Nearly half of that figure, including the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, did so across the previous three decades alone.

Such romanticism is particularly on brand for a club nicknamed ‘La Casa Blanca’ with a familiar face back in the Bernabeu’s dugout considered more of a hallmark than a habit.

A third 'do-over' for the Special One

Jose Mourinho (Image credit: Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho is the latest beneficiary of a homecoming in the Spanish capital, 13 years after his original spell ended in acrimony. Attempting to finish what he started is a recurring pattern in the Portuguese’s coaching career, with Madrid becoming the third club he has managed more than once after do-over spells with Benfica and Chelsea.

Still, it was a move which raised eyebrows, just months since clashing with his former employers over the alleged racist abuse of Vinicius Junior by Gianluca Prestianni in the second leg of February’s tempestuous Champions League knockout round play-off tie.

Vinicius Junior and Jose Mourinho (Image credit: Octavio Passos - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Even before that controversy, little love had been lost during Mourinho’s near decade-and-a-half away. His Bernabeu afterlife became a source of derision as much as intrigue. In 2018, fresh from Manchester United’s Champions League exit to Sevilla, Madrid-based daily sports newspaper MARCA likened him to ‘a washed-up rock star, one of those guys who goes around holiday hotels for pensioners, playing old hits on an organ with the base and percussion playing on a tape recorder’. As similes go, there have been fewer more damning for the now sexagenarian ‘Special One’.

Los Blancos witnessed the beginning of his villain arc and, arguably, its most volatile state in a three-year period where just one LaLiga title and a Copa del Rey constituted major silverware. Unlike the redux periods of Ancelotti and Zidane, president Florentino Perez staked a successful re-election campaign on lightning not striking twice with the two-time European champion’s second coming as he is again tasked with halting Barcelona’s latest period of domestic dominance.

But the signs already appear ominous. The Catalans cantered to last season’s title with an eight-point cushion which would have reached double figures had Hansi Flick’s side not taken their foot off the gas in two of the final three games after seeing off their arch-rivals in the latest El Clasico meeting. Confidence remains high that they can secure further bragging rights against Madrid with the teams all-square on 106 victories apiece in their regular contests while Barca could soon equal, and even overtake, their foes’ previously unparalleled haul of 105 major honours after moving to within two with their 29th title success.

Mourinho, meanwhile, inherits a squad devoid of confidence and discipline as evidenced by the unedifying end of Xabi Alonso’s brief tenure and a stumble to the finish line with his interim replacement Alvaro Arbeloa. The advancement of Father Time also has done little to dim his abrasive tendencies which reared an ugly head in his first spell. High-profile fallouts with Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos pockmarked the end of that tenure as he openly lampooned Perez’s vision for a team of ‘Zidanes y Pavones’, mixing stars such as Zidane with homegrown talents like Paco Pavon. In one fractious press conference, he savaged youngster Pedro Leon – one of Pavon’s successors as inferior to both ‘Zizou’ and Diego Maradona.

Florentino Perez staked his re-election campaign on Mourinho's return (Image credit: Getty Images)

Hindsight suggests that Mourinho would have done well to endear himself to a more impressionable crop of players instead of an already powerful dressing room clique. A cursory glance at Madrid’s early summer business follows a similar theme to that dynamic with Bernardo Silva, newly minted World Cup winner Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konate among the strong personalities that Mourinho will need to bring on side at their Valdebebas training base. There is also the small matter of ingratiating himself with Vinicius after suggesting he had provoked the racist abuse he routinely suffers, even if the imminent arrival of Yan Diomande has seemingly put the writing on the wall for the Brazilian’s long-term future.

‘Words aren’t enough, because this feels like a mission. This isn’t about me or whether I win, more or less. I’m here to help everybody become better.’
Jose Mourinho

He is, at least, hoping a break from some old habits will avoid past mistakes. Mourinho has already turned down a formal media unveiling, which previously guaranteed a box-office entrance and soundbites aplenty. Shunning the flashbulbs has seen him instead working diligently on the training pitches with the club’s less established players while their household teammates were toiling at the World Cup earlier this summer.

The only utterances that Madridistas have heard from their new manager came in the form of a bite-sized social media clip on the club’s official channels during which he insisted ‘Words aren’t enough, because this feels like a mission. This isn’t about me or whether I win, more or less. I’m here to help everybody become better.’

Mourinho knows that Madrid will be his last big job in elite-level management, having only attracted offers from Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica after his last spell in the Premier League ended in all-too-familiar fashion five years ago. Failure is not an option but he is likely to have little choice with the deck already stacked against him.

Newcastle United close in on first outfield signing of the Matthias Jaissle era

Steven Chicken — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:22:49 +0000

Newcastle United are looking to provide Matthias Jaissle with the signing of a player he has long admired.

Jaissle is expected to be confirm as Eddie Howe's successor at St James' Park following the latter's resignation last week.

Fans are in something of a funk following the departure of several key players over the past 12 months, with Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali all leaving for whopping fees.

We Don’t Talk About Bruno

Matthias Jaissle is expected to be announced as Newcastle United manager (Image credit: Getty Images)

Captain Bruno Guimaraes remains the subject of speculation amid reports that Newcastle have rejected Arsenal's first offer for his services.

Newcastle are now in need of new recruits not only to help fill those holes in the squad, but to try and get Jaissle off to the best possible start once his move from Saudi side Al-Ahli officially goes through.

Anis Hadj Moussa has been repeatedly linked with Premier League moves (Image credit: Getty Images)

Reports suggest that Newcastle are already working on signing a player Jaissle has had his eye on for some time: Feyenoord's Anis Hadj Moussa.

The Algerian international, who usually plays off the right wing, has been a first-team regular for the Dutch giants since making the move from Belgian side Petro Eisden two years ago.

Jaissle is said to have tried to sign the forward for Al-Ahli in the past, but was rebuffed.

Hadj Moussa has been linked with a fleet of English clubs over the past couple of years, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all reported to be interested in him.

That sounds to FourFourTwo like somebody has a busy agent, in all honesty - but Dutch journalist Dennis Kranenburg has claimed that Newcastle want to bring him in as Anthony Gordon's replacement.

Robin van Persie enjoyed working with Anis Hadj Moussa before his dismissal (Image credit: Getty Images)

Hadj Moussa's output for Feyenoord over the past two seasons has been decent but not outstanding, with the winger claiming 25 goals and 12 assists in 83 appearances in all competitions.

However, his performances have generally been strong in a Feyenoord side who have been badly struggling by their own standards. He put in a star turn against Manchester City in the Champions League in 2024/25, and at 24, he may still have further potential to unlock.

He was involved for Algeria at this summer's World Cup, starting their opening game against Argentina before being dropped to the bench for the rest of the tournament.

Aleksander Ceferin installed as favourite for next FIFA president with Gianni Infantino under fire

Steven Chicken — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:42:22 +0000

Nobody has yet come out as an official contender for Gianni Infantino's job as FIFA president.

But there are a few obvious potential candidates for the job with Infantino under mounting pressure ahead of March's FIFA elections... if he even makes it that far.

Infantino has been formally opposed by several of its member FAs, with a clutch of nations - including England and Wales - already on record saying they will oppose his re-election. So who are the early potential runners and riders?

Runners and riders

Gianni Infantino is under fire as FIFA president

But Infantino has also received expressions of support, suggesting that the race for the job of running the global game could wind up being closer than it initially appeared.

A two-horse race would require at least 50% of the votes, while if there were three candidates or more, they would need either a two-thirds majority or else the lowest-voted candidate would be eliminated and the votes re-cast.

Aleksander Ceferin has been installed as the favourite for Gianni Infantino's job

With each member holding one vote regardless of profile, a successful candidate would need to show they can represent the interests of poorer and smaller nations who are much more reliant on FIFA funding.

Infantino's own success has been built around doing exactly that, but there is a general sense that another European candidate to replace the Swiss would face a bit of an uphill battle.

But UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has nonetheless been installed as the 6/5 favourite by bookmakers.

He is followed by PSG's Qatari owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who has previously distanced himself from the idea of a FIFA run. Infantino's opponent from the last election, Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, is at 4/1 alongside CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.

Or if you fancy throwing your money into a black hole, you could always go for disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter at 50/1.

For some reason, odds have not been provided on Infantino himself. Candidates have until November 18 to put themselves forward for the March election.

Next FIFA president odds

As provided by CSB:

Aleksander Ceferin - 6/5
Nasser Al-Khelaifi - 2/1
Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Victor Montagliani - 4/1
Dariusz Mioduski - 6/1
Arsene Wenger, Mattias Grafstrom - 8/1
Patrice Motsepe - 12/1
Lise Klaveness - 18/1
Gabriele Gravina, Hans-Joachim Watzke, Mark Bullingham - 25/1
Carlos Puyol, Fabio Cannavaro, Gareth Southgate, Pep Guardiola - 33/1
Sepp Blatter - 50/1

Manchester United bordered on challenging under Michael Carrick, but can the now permanent manager prevent the Red Devils from their usual backslide in his first complete season? Manchester United 2026-27 season preview

Andy Mitten — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Manchester United's third-place finish in 2025-26 was a surprise and a relief. Returning to the Champions League is important not just for financial reasons but for the fans, who can now attend more games than last season's paltry 40, many of them shifted to a Monday night for TV.

The four major summer signings (Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Senne Lammens and Benjamin Sesko) all worked out, which is exceedingly rare. After good first seasons, can they have the great campaigns needed for Manchester United to challenge for the title?

That may be too far, but United do at least need to finish in the Champions League places again while also showing up in Europe.

Can Michael Carrick continue to make strides in seeing the Red Devils become title contenders again?

Manchester United seem to be on the up. (Image credit: Getty)

More smart recruitment in 2026 would help, with money freed up by the exit of top earner Casemiro, although the Brazilian was also one of United's best players last season. Ruben Amorim's win rate was appalling and the Portuguese talked himself out of a job, but he did help to clean up the dressing room for Michael Carrick to inherit at his expense come January.

United are now looking more like a team, with a healthy mix of emerging talents and experience. While not yet a vintage side, and no longer paying out top wages following years of profligacy, they beat all of their big domestic rivals in 2025-26. The mood is positive, optimism is increasing, but it can always turn quickly.

The Coach

Michael Carrick exceeded expectations in taking United from seventh to third with a points-per-game record that was even higher than that of Arsenal. Calm, collected and controversy-free, he has a quiet intelligence about him, as well as very able assistants.

Michael Carrick is the man at the helm. (Image credit: Manchester United via Getty Imag)

Key Player

Bruno Fernandes was United's best player by a distance once again last term. The feted assist king also knits the dressing room together as club captain, while performing to the highest level. He turns 32 in September – will he be around when and if United are great again?

Bruno Fernandes is the main man. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 3rd

FA CUP: Third Round

LEAGUE CUP: Second Round

Manchester United 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko each bagged 12 goals for Manchester United in all competitions last season.

Manchester United have a fresh attacking trio. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Turn up for every game – not just the big ones. United beat all of the top teams but were unable to win home or away against West Ham, and also drew with each of the other two relegated teams (while needing a stoppage-time penalty to beat Burnley at Old Trafford).

Against top-half sides, United picked up the most points in the league – more than they did against teams in the bottom half. While the Red Devils won nine of those 20 easier games, Arsenal won 18. That's the difference.

This team must be more consistent. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Sell out Old Trafford every single game. United still boast England's highest average attendances, despite not being in the title race since 2013. Around 15,000 fans allowed to apply for 3,000 away tickets every other week do so. It's not always easy supporting a big club. All right, put the violins away.

Old Trafford sees the highest average attendance in the league. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Stay the course in a title race. After playing only two cup games last term, throwing Europe into the mix threatens any league consistency.

This team won't challenge Arsenal and Manchester City. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: SCOTT PATTERSON @R_o_M

Last season was all right before Ruben Amorim got sacked, then pretty great after he left, but we were playing catch-up by then.

This season will be different because Michael Carrick understands the club, and has experience in his coaching staff.

This fanbase love Michael Carrick. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Our key player will be Bruno Fernandes, as always. It's strange that his importance to United had largely been ignored up to now, given he has created the most chances in Europe every season since we signed him.

Look out for Shea Lacey. The teenager hit the bar late on in our draw with Burnley, then got sent off for petulance in the next game, which cost him his place in the squad for derby day. If not for that, we might have seen more of him last season.

Fans think our owners are parasites. Between the Glazers funnelling money out of the club and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's political views, it's hard to imagine more unpopular owners.

A social media account to follow is @NQATPod.

The opposition player who grinds my gears is Declan Rice and all of his performative nonsense.

Scott doesn't like Declan Rice. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is very positive. Carrick made football fun again, after Amorim kept telling us we had to suffer! Having the league's best form for half a season was justification for giving him the job permanently. But he's still under pressure, as is every Manchester United manager.

If he left, he should be replaced by Luis Enrique.

We'll finish 3rd.

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Hull City (A)

29 Ipswich (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Everton (A)

12 Man City (H)

19 Fulham (A)

OCTOBER

10 Tottenham (H)

17 Leeds (A)

24 Bournemouth (H)

31 Chelsea (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Aston Villa (H)

21 Liverpool (A)

28 Brentford (H)

DECEMBER

2 Newcastle (A)

5 Coventry (H)

12 Crystal Palace (A)

19 Arsenal (A)

26 Nott'm Forest (H)

30 Sunderland (H)

JANUARY

2 Brighton (A)

6 Newcastle (H)

16 Aston Villa (A)

23 Liverpool (H)

30 Brentford (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Chelsea (H)

10 Brighton (H)

20 Nott'm Forest (A)

27 Arsenal (H)

MARCH

3 Sunderland (A)

13 Everton (H)

20 Man City (A)

APRIL

10 Hull City (H)

17 Ipswich (A)

24 Crystal Palace (H)

MAY

1 Coventry (A)

8 Bournemouth (A)

15 Leeds (H)

23 Tottenham (A)

30 Fulham (H)

Title Odds

Manchester United to win the Premier League title odds: 13/2

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Manchester United to finish 4th.

United should retain their regained Champions League status, even without Casemiro's eight headed league goals last term. Carrick has to ensure his brilliant start doesn't fade, as it did with Middlesbrough.

Carrick will secure Champions League football. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Four more nations come out in support of Gianni Infantino in addition to Qatar and Morocco

Steven Chicken — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:24:57 +0000

A clutch of African and Asian federations have come out in support of Gianni Infantino as football's civil war rumbles on.

FIFA is made up of 211 members, with each member - regardless of the country's size or football might - receiving one vote.

That means that Spain, Brazil, England and Argentina have as much as a say in FIFA elections as Vanuatu, Guam, Bahamas or Aruba - and thus winning the hearts and minds (or at least, the wallets) of those nations is just as important to a successful candidacy as going for the big boys.

Gianni Infantino receives backing in face of calls for resignation

Gianni Infantino is praying he can hold onto his job

As such, it is not trivial that some nations might prefer Infantino to stay on as president even as the louder European FAs are in the process of hammering him.

FIFA are due for their next presidential election in March, and the pressure is mounting on Infantino to step down before we even get there after numerous countries expressed their opposition to his reign continuing.

Gianni Infantino still has supporters

Three confederations spoke out against Infantino last week when his plans to bring private investors into the World Cup were revealed, with AFC (Asia) and CONCACAF (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) voicing their opposition while UEFA (Europe) went so far as to call a boycott if plans proceeded.

High-profile figures within FIFA itself even went on record to distance themselves from Infantino, who finally climbed down from the plans on Saturday.

That has given way to calls for Infantino to leave the post, with a group of nations including England, Wales, Denmark and Sweden formally opposing Infantino's re-election.

But reports suggest that 15 nations remain in support of Infantino, with influential AFC nations Qatar and the UAE among them.

As it stands, only seven of those 15 nations have gone on record to support Infantino, with Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, Egypt and Morocco also expressing their backing.

The general theme of those statements in support of Infantino has praised Infantino for being willing to fold (eventually) and saying there are other elements of his proposal for the game worthy of consideration.

FIFA funding is vital for the development of the game in many smaller and poorer nations, and Infantino has made a lot of hay over the years by providing increasing amounts of money to them.

The Asian contingent's support is particularly noteworthy, given their confederation had come out against the proposed World Cup scheme, as it suggests an election race could end up being closer than simply adding up the total number of votes held across UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF to reach the magic 50% mark.

As it stands, a contender to replace Infantino has not yet formally emerged.

Manchester City have failed to win the title in back-to-back seasons, can Enzo Maresca succeed where Pep Guardiola was starting to falter? Manchester City 2026-27 season preview

Ed McCambridge — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Over to you, Enzo. For the first time in a decade, Manchester City kick off a season without Pep Guardiola in charge.

The Catalan delivered 20 trophies in 10 years – a preposterous return – but will be remembered as much for the sumptuous football that his teams consistently produced. Large boots to fill indeed.

Thankfully for City, Enzo Maresca is a snug fit, following two spells working on Pep's coaching staff.

Can Enzo Maresca bring this side back to top-flight glory?

Enzo Maresca has a hell of a job on his hands. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Italian was even credited with suggesting some of City's most influential tactical tweaks while he was Guardiola's assistant, such as John Stones' move into midfield in 2022-23's treble-winning season.

More importantly, Maresca has first-hand experience of lifting silverware with a Premier League giant. In a generally successful 18-month stint managing Chelsea, he won the 2025 UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, despite myriad off-field issues.

Manchester City are no strangers to winning. (Image credit: Getty Images)

At City he inherits a far more stable squad, loaded not just with elite talent but potential: Nico O'Reilly, Abdukodir Khusanov and Rayan Cherki are 21 or 22, while £116m arrival Elliot Anderson is 23. The experience of Bernardo Silva and Stones is gone, though.

It's testament to the standards Guardiola set that last term's domestic cup double felt like an underwhelming goodbye, with the league surrendered to Arsenal. Maresca's task is to return City to the summit of English football.

The Coach

Back in 1998, Enzo Maresca joined West Bromwich Albion as a teenage midfielder who had “no grasp of the English language”. Decades later, he has won trophies as a manager with Leicester and Chelsea. But following Guardiola's long reign is a very different challenge.

Enzo Maresca is the new man in town. (Image credit: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Key Player

Erling Haaland has 162 goals in just 198 Manchester City appearances, and may be the most feared centre-forward in world football these days. The Norwegian is a force of nature, combining elite finishing with no shortage of aggression, strength, pace and personality.

Erling Haaland is the main man. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 2nd

FA CUP: Winners

LEAGUE CUP: Winners

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Last 16

Manchester City 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Erling Haaland bagged 38 goals in all competitions last year, and won the Premier League Golden Boot.

Since he joined the league, only the recently departed Mohamed Salah has taken a Golden Boot off of the Norwegian.

Haaland is looking to claim his fourth Golden Boot this year. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

As the cliche goes, Premier League titles aren't won before Christmas, but they can be lost. Four defeats in City's first 12 games – including to Spurs for the 10th time under Guardiola (how?) – allowed Arsenal to open up an insurmountable lead.

Pep's pupils came alive in the spring, going unbeaten in 15 up to the final day, but it wasn't enough.

Slow starts and stellar recoveries were a theme of Guardiola's latter years at the Etihad. But without the wizardry of Kevin De Bruyne, who seemed to enjoy springtime more than anyone, they fell short. A strong start would help Maresca.

Arsenal finally pipped the Cityzens to the title. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Try to avoid their team-mates' holiday slideshows: Phil Foden and Gianluigi Donnarumma. The duo were rare City players who didn't go to the World Cup – the club had more representatives than any other, with a total of 17.

Will the Cityzens see a return to form from Phil Foden this year? (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Discover the verdict of the 115 charges of alleged FFP breaches, despite the independent hearing concluding in December 2024.

Pep Guardiola's tenure was somewhat stained by off the pitch, and in the courtroom, drama. (Image credit: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: LLOYD SCRAGG @lloyd_scragg

Last season was more than respectable, in the end. Winning two trophies and taking the title race to the final week wouldn't have been foreseeable in late January. And at least Arsenal winning it before the final day allowed us to give Pep, John Stones and Bernardo Silva a send-off.

This season will be different because we'll never have it as good again – but, with a new squad, we're much better placed for the succession than Manchester United were after Alex Ferguson.

Manchester City fans don't want to see their club become like Manchester United post-Fergie. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Our key player will be Rodri. We're not the same team without him.

The active player I'd love to have back is Morgan Rogers.

The one change I'd make at our club would be to introduce new season tickets – not flexi-tickets – for fans on the waiting list, and to get rid of the draconian 10-match ‘personal attendance' rule for season ticket holders. Sadly, many Blues lost their STs last season due to difficult personal circumstances.

Look out for 18-year-old Ryan McAidoo, a tricky winger with a low centre of gravity. He scored on debut in the FA Cup and can make a claim on the pre-season tour, with so many players missing it.

The pantomime villain will be Howard Webb, if he can't get a hold of the Premier League's fixation on set pieces. Most fans are on the same page: the prominence of the ‘meat wall' in the opposition box, and the timewasting that ensues, is tragic.

We'll finish 2nd.

Rodri is enjoying a stellar career, and he will be vital for Manchester City again this year. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Fixtures

AUGUST

23 Bournemouth (H)

29 Crystal Palace (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Coventry (H)

12 Man United (A)

19 Sunderland (H)

OCTOBER

10 Liverpool (A)

17 Ipswich (H)

24 Aston Villa (A)

31 Brighton (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Nott'm Forest (A)

21 Fulham (H)

28 Arsenal (A)

DECEMBER

2 Leeds (H)

5 Brentford (A)

12 Chelsea (H)

19 Hull City (H)

26 Newcastle (A)

30 Everton (A)

JANUARY

2 Tottenham (H)

6 Leeds (A)

16 Nott'm Forest (H)

23 Brighton (A)

30 Arsenal (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Fulham (A)

10 Tottenham (A)

20 Newcastle (H)

27 Hull City (A)

MARCH

3 Everton (H)

13 Coventry (A)

20 Man United (H)

APRIL

10 Bournemouth (A)

17 Crystal Palace (H)

24 Chelsea (A)

MAY

1 Brentford (H)

8 Liverpool (H)

15 Ipswich (A)

23 Aston Villa (H)

30 Sunderland (A)

Title Odds

Manchester City to win the Premier League title odds: 3/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Manchester City to finish 2nd.

Fears over the reality of a post-Pep landscape are offset by a squad with next to no holes in it. Some tactical funkiness might make for a sluggish start before a rampant recovery – a fitting tribute.

Manchester City will finish 2nd. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Quiz! Can you locate these famous football statues?

Chris Nee — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The latest football quiz from FourFourTwo is one for fans who like to get out and about to explore the landmarks of the beautiful game.

PLAY ALL QUIZZES

(Image credit: Future)

PLAY NOW You can play all FourFourTwo quizzes right HERE

Football clubs are nothing without their histories and communities. The two come together whenever a statue or a bust is placed lovingly at a stadium, a fitting tribute to the players and managers that changed everything. We've picked out 10 famous football statues and we simply want to know where they are.

You've got 3 minutes to find them all. Let us know your score below.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has a huge collection of football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. Let's try some of them on for size. If you're more into literature than sculpture, you can tell us who wrote these football autobiographies.

We also want to know whether you can name every member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad and the top 100 goalscorers in the history of the Premier League.

We also have a very tricky career paths quiz that asks you to identify a whopping 100 players by the clubs they played for, and a challenge to identify these team line-ups from the nationalities of the players alone.

If puzzles are more your speed, test yourself with FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 64. There are clues on Champions League finals, Olympic medallists, and name-dropping rappers. Remember to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Quickfire Quiz 173: Can you answer 10 questions in 90 seconds?

Chris Nee — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Can you answer 10 football trivia questions in just 90 seconds? Here's your chance to prove it. It's the latest FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

PLAY MORE

(Image credit: Future)

QUICKFIRE QUIZ Play more Quickfire Quizzes

FourFourTwo has lots more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. Here are just a few of them that we know you're going to love. First up, how much can you remember about the latest summer tournament? Find out by trying our Big World Cup 2026 quiz.

We also want to know whether you can name all 13 players who have won both the World Cup and the Ballon d'Or.

If you're an expert in the modern era of England's top division, you'll be able to name the top 100 goalscorers in the history of the Premier League and every Premier League player nominated for the Ballon d'Or since 2000.

We've set a seriously tricky challenge for our latest career path quiz: We want you to name no fewer than 100 players from the clubs where they've played football professionally.

Finally, we've picked out a bunch of club line-ups and we want you to guess them based on the nationalities of their players alone. It's tougher than you might think!

If that's not enough for you, we have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Palermo FC make ambitious UEFA Euro 2032 bid in conjunction with stadium redevelopment

joe.donnohue@futurenet.com (Joe Donnohue) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

At the heart of Palermo's submission to the FIGC is a full redevelopment plan for the historic Stadio Renzo Barbera.

Designed in partnership with world-renowned sports architecture practice Populous and consultancy firm Turner & Townsend, the project aims to transform the stadium into a modern, sustainable urban landmark.

The vision extends beyond matchday infrastructure, intending to create a year-round community hub for social interaction, entertainment, work, and economic growth while keeping supporter experience central to the design.

Palermo bid to host UEFA Euro 2032

Palermo welcomed Manchester City for a friendly at the beginning of the 2025/26 season (Image credit: Palermo FC)

Palermo were initially viewed as an underdog compared to other candidate cities across Italy, but the club has quickly assembled one of the most credible proposals on the table.

This progress has been fuelled by collaboration between Palermo FC, the Municipality of Palermo, the Sicilian Regional Government, and owner City Football Group (CFG).

Palermo walk out onto the pitch at Stadio Renzo Barbera (Image credit: Palermo FC/Tullio Puglia)

For CFG, the bid represents another step in its long-term investment strategy for the club and region, following the recent opening of Palermo's new state-of-the-art training centre.

The submission has already gathered praise from national footballing authorities and UEFA representatives for its clear vision, sustainability commitments, and delivery pace.

With Italy and Turkey co-hosting the tournament in 2032, the FIGC must narrow its host list down to five Italian cities. If chosen, a modernised Renzo Barbera will bring elite international football back to Sicily for the first time since the 1990 World Cup.

In addition to Palermo, the other 12 Italian cities putting forward bids to host Euro 2032 matches are: Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Florence, Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Genoa, Lecce, Salerno and Verona.

Out of these 13 candidate cities, the FIGC will put forward five to host matches at the tournament in six years' time.

Fulham are a side edging closer to domestic success and European qualification, but can new boss Alvaro Arbeloa get them over the line? Fulham 2026-27 season preview

James Andrew — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Last term's Premier League table shows Fulham in the bottom half. Yet with one more goal against an already-relegated Wolves in their penultimate match, the Cottagers would have qualified for the Europa League in seventh, so you'd think they are in a good position to push on.

Instead, Marco Silva has left for Benfica.

Alvaro Arbeloa agreed to replace him in late June, subject to a work permit, after a debut managerial spell in which his side defeated Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League. There is the question, however, of whether coaching Real Madrid Castilla, and then their first team for just four months, can prepare him for a season of struggle in England.

Is this the season that the Cottagers achieve European football, or even cup success? Fulham 2026-27 season preview

Fulham feel as though they're on the brink of a major trophy victory. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Yes: struggle. Potentially. Fulham can't let Silva's years of mid-table security make them complacent, because Arbeloa inherits a squad that needs work. Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez scored or assisted 57 per cent of Fulham's goals last term; both have left the club. Josh King, 19, and Oscar Bobb, 23, look primed for big seasons, at least. Any new manager comes with risks, of course, as Fulham know from previous hires.

And being less busy than the nine English teams in Europe – where Fulham want to be – will help Arbeloa. He could target a cup run, for fans of a club who've visited Wembley only for play-off finals in the past 50 years. But beware: the water may be rising on the banks of the Thames.

The Coach

Alvaro Arbeloa is a gamble, but an exciting one. Having cut his coaching teeth with Real Madrid's Under-14s, U19s and Castilla before a short stint with the senior team, he prefers a possession-based game with high pressing, intensity and the desire to dominate matches.

Alvaro Arbeloa is the man at the helm. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

Ryan Sessegnon has shown glimpses since his return to Fulham in 2024, but – at 26 – he has the potential for much more. He can play further forward and have more of an impact if Antonee Robinson's fitness allows the American to play regularly at left-back.

Ryan Sessegnon is Fulham's key player. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 11th

FA CUP: Fifth Round

LEAGUE CUP: Quarter-finals

Fulham's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Harry Wilson bagged 11 goals in all competitions for Fulham last season, and is one of the Premier League's cleanest ball-strikers.

The Welshman was even spoken of as being in contention for PFA Players' Player of the Year, heading into the season's later stages.

Unfortunately, both him and veteran bagsman Jimenez left the club this summer.

Harry Wilson is electric. (Image credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Turn up on the road. Only four teams won more home games than Fulham (11), but only Leeds, Burnley and Wolves recorded fewer away wins than their four.

We get it: Craven Cottage is nice, especially under the lights. But just two extra points would have taken Fulham into the Europa League with fond memories of 2009-10's epic run to the final, so making life harder for hosts must be a priority.

Fulham must be better away from home this year. (Image credit: Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Lose his shorts during the game: Calvin Bassey. Fulham's all-white kit exposed how low the defender wears his shorts – at times, there were fears he might lose them completely. Adidas sent him some footwear with the note, “Eyes on the boots, not the glutes.” Cheeky.

Keep your shorts on this season, Calvin Bassey!

Least Likely To...

Score a goal: Sander Berge. The Norwegian midfielder's last goal came at Craven Cottage in 2023 – when he was playing for Burnley. Although 15 shots last season was a dozen more than in 2024-25, he rarely threatens even from set pieces, despite being 6ft 4in.

Sander Berge has not yet made his mark at Fulham. (Image credit: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: JACK STROUDLEY @J_Strudders

Last season was a feeling of what could have been, despite being poor for large parts of the season.

The big talking point is Arbeloa coming in. Did he struggle at Real Madrid due to it being a poisoned chalice, or will this be an appointment to forget?

Is Arbeloa up to the task? (Image credit: Getty Images)

I won't be happy unless we qualify for Europe or have a trip to Wembley. Things feel a bit stagnant.

Our key player will be Oscar Bobb. He joined us in January and I think this is the season he kicks on for us on the right wing.

Look out for Kevin. The big-money signing found his feet late last season.

The opposition player I'd love here is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, for some creativity in midfield.

The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is the Etihad. Fulham haven't won any of the last 26 meetings against Manchester City, losing the last 20, and it's beyond boring now.

Will this be Oscar Bobb's breakout season? (Image credit: Getty Images)

A social media account to follow is @jackellyffc, a brilliant independent Fulham journalist.

The departing player I'm saddest about is Harry Wilson, a magnificent servant to the club, who has left us on a free transfer to Leeds right at the peak of his powers.

Fans think our owner is sleepwalking. The Khans' inability to plan long-term is making fans restless.

The best thing about matchdays at our ground is the country's best walk to a football stadium: through Bishops Park to the Cottage.

We'll finish 10th… with a day out at Wembley.

Fixtures

AUGUST

24 Chelsea (H)

29 Sunderland (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Crystal Palace (H)

12 Liverpool (A)

19 Man United (H)

OCTOBER

10 Ipswich (A)

17 Hull City (H)

24 Coventry (A)

31 Aston Villa (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Newcastle (H)

21 Man City (A)

28 Bournemouth (H)

DECEMBER

2 Tottenham (A)

5 Everton (A)

12 Brentford (H)

19 Leeds (A)

26 Brighton (H)

30 Arsenal (H)

JANUARY

2 Nott'm Forest (A)

6 Tottenham (H)

16 Newcastle (A)

23 Aston Villa (H)

30 Bournemouth (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Man City (H)

10 Nott'm Forest (H)

20 Arsenal (A)

27 Leeds (H)

MARCH

3 Brighton (A)

13 Crystal Palace (A)

20 Liverpool (H)

APRIL

10 Chelsea (A)

17 Sunderland (H)

24 Brentford (A)

MAY

1 Everton (H)

8 Ipswich (H)

15 Hull City (A)

23 Coventry (H)

30 Man United (A)

Title Odds

Fulham to win the Premier League title odds: 500/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Fulham to finish 15th.

There's a chance Marco Silva's fine work will be appreciated only now, because Fulham's squad requires upgrades in midfield and attack. A hard pre-internationals schedule won't help his replacement, either.

Fulham will regress, and Marco Silva's work will be even more appreciated. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Bespoke, not boutique: How New Balance is breaking sportswear's oligopoly

joe.donnohue@futurenet.com (Joe Donnohue) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:08:27 +0000

This summer, FourFourTwo spent time at the Boston headquarters of American footwear and sporting apparel giant New Balance.

When you think of New Balance, your mind likely conjures an image of stylish trainers - a sight becoming increasingly ubiquitous across the United Kingdom. But as FFT discovered, the brand is about so much more than snazzy footwear.

The company is at the forefront of sports product design, manufacturing all manner of apparel, footwear, equipment, and accessories alongside an ever-growing list of elite club partnerships. This season, New Balance manufactures kits for a host of top European sides, including, but not limited to, FC Porto, Lille OSC, Bayer Leverkusen, and Atalanta.

Bespoke, not boutique: The New Balance way

A detail view of a New Balance logo (Image credit: Getty Images)

Upon visiting New Balance HQ in Boston, Massachusetts, FFT was given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the company's state-of-the-art facilities.

The New Balance campus houses official training facilities for both the Boston Bruins (NHL) and the Boston Celtics (NBA), as well as the TRACK - a multi-purpose athletic and events complex of which the brand is understandably proud.

High-Fashion Performance

The facility features a 200-metre, hydraulically banked indoor track engineered for high-speed track-and-field competitions. It is backed by a massive athlete warm-up area that can be rolled away and replaced with a series of small-sided 3G football pitches - because, of course, it can.

Accommodating nearly 5,000 spectators, the venue sits below the New Balance Sports Research Lab, where high-tech innovation and rigorous product testing take place daily. And that is only scratching the surface.

Turning back to fashion for a moment, you may have noticed new Stone Island x New Balance gear doing the rounds this summer. Blending ’90s football culture with textile innovation and Boston’s high-performance sports science, the drop is part of an ongoing collaboration described as "incredibly complementary" by Rob Sheldon, New Balance's director of global football product.

"We bring innovation, the shoe-making technology and knowhow, specificity around the athletes and the athlete needs," Sheldon tells FFT. "[Stone Island] bring this wealth of expertise around materialisation, around colour and dye application.

"Equally, the cultural currency that is inherent within Stone Island means we just had this really complementary element where we can lean on the strengths of both brands and go 'this is something where we can offer a very unique perspective.'"

The TRACK at new balance in Boston, MA (Image credit: Getty Images)

The New Balance x Stone Island collaboration pieces do not come cheap, but for good reason: they are exceptionally high quality. What brand wouldn't want its best-in-class products perceived as such? And with marquee athletes Bukayo Saka and Endrick fronting the campaign, exclusivity is guaranteed.

Endrick's family was reportedly so overwhelmed by the lengths to which New Balance went in welcoming him to the brand that they burst into tears during a presentation showcasing their boy. Endrick's mother subsequently handed out sweets to those in attendance.

The New Balance x Stone Island capsule features the new Furon Elite v9 speed boot, worn by Endrick and Saka at the 2026 World Cup. FFT had the pleasure of testing out the boots - complete with heat-reactive artwork that changes colour based on body heat and temperature shifts as you sprint - an innovation years in the making.

New Balance Furon Elite V9 x Stone Island (Image credit: New Balance)

"If you take the Furon v9, we began that cycle back in 2022. So, that's really where we're identifying the aspects of the Furon v8 that the athlete really responded well to.

"Things that you're going to retain, you try to augment, we develop it in terms of what are the aspects or attributes that we're trying to characterise for the Furon v9 [through] a lens of player performance. What is going to enhance and yield the best outcome from a player?

"We then bring Stone Island through that process - it's that same consideration at the centre: this absolutely has to answer the needs of the athletes," Sheldon adds.

Inside The Lab

We were also given the elite athlete treatment inside the Sports Research Lab, touring all the bells and whistles a state-of-the-art facility could possibly offer. If we are being completely honest, much of the advanced science went over our heads - our school science lessons were usually spent doodling starting XIs in the back of an exercise book.

Rest assured, even for a self-proclaimed Luddite, it was deeply impressive. The facility features a machine nicknamed "The Beast," which can simulate the force of an NFL defensive lineman. To put that into context: the average NFL defensive lineman stands 6'3" tall and weighs 140 kilograms. "The Beast" feels entirely appropriate.

Additionally, there is a 3D body scanner that takes 150 measurements in an instant, alongside an environmental chamber housing "Andy" - a mannequin that actually sweats to test how the human body responds to specific fabrics.

Andy the Mannequin at New Balance's Sports Research Lab (Image credit: Getty Images)

All this technology just to kit out an East London DJ two-stepping behind the decks in a pair of New Balance trainers might feel like overkill, but that is precisely the point: New Balance wants the everyday consumer to enjoy the exact same quality experience as an elite athlete.

"Making something fit for purpose, and that insight-driven creation, but quality and craftsmanship is something that's been central to the to the brand ethos since its inception.

"We want to continue to augment that and make sure that, irrespective of whether you're buying a lifestyle product, a running shoe, everybody knows that New Balance stands for for craft and quality," Michael Mills, senior category manager at New Balance, tells FFT.

New Balance already have a strong cohort of footballers signed to the brand (Image credit: New Balance)

Challenging Legacy Giants

New Balance is a bespoke sporting apparel brand, but by no means a boutique one. Compared to its competitors, the brand maintains a more selective group of club kit partnerships, allowing it to offer a tailored service with the genuine personal touch Endrick's family experienced.

"There's a deep appreciation [for New Balance], and we get a great degree of new consumers, but equally existing consumers coming back to the brand as well, and that's incremental in a space that is mature.

"It's generational brands that we're amongst as well. So, being able to get to a place where we're very recognised on the field of play in all forms of the game across the globe really speaks to the progress that we've made over the last 10 years."

The company's Warrior subsidiary established an initial beachhead in English football through a landmark kit deal with Liverpool in 2012, before signing fellow Premier League side Stoke City two years later.

The brand was subsequently catapulted into the wider footballing consciousness during Liverpool's late-2010s, early-2020s domestic and European triumphs, with those iconic kits sporting the highly recognisable "NB" logo. On the player front, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Raheem Sterling, and Harvey Elliott have all joined the New Balance stable in recent years.

Brick by brick, club by club, boot by boot, New Balance is chipping away at the dominance of legacy sportswear giants. If not already, they will soon be making their competitors sweat - just like Andy the mannequin.

Everton were noticeably improved last season, but there is still a way to go if the Merseyside club wish to be competitive - Everton 2026-27 season preview

Joe Strange — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Stability or ambition? That's the question being asked of the Friedkin Group, Everton's owners, after a once-promising season ended in a second consecutive 13th-placed finish.

David Moyes can ensure that recent relegation battles remain a thing of the past. The jury is out, however, on whether he's able to turn back the clock and make the Toffees European regulars again.

Everton were just three points off a Champions League spot after they hammered Chelsea 3-0 on March 21. They then conspired to pick up three points from their last seven fixtures, as injury-time goals cost them in three straight games.

Is this the season that Everton will, finally, become a competitive club once more? Everton 2026-27 season preview

Everton have been in relegation contention more often than trophy contention in recent years. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The capitulation raised questions over Moyes' future at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Success-starved fans are desperate for European fixtures befitting of their new £750 million home, after years of looking down rather than up.

Some 17 English clubs have qualified for Europe more recently than Everton, with Burnley, Wolves, Sunderland and Leicester among them. Yet, after inheriting a mess from Farhad Moshiri, the Friedkins seem content to be “happily dissatisfied” – as club CEO Angus Kinnear wrote in his end-of-season programme notes – for a bit longer, as they try to put Everton on a stable footing off the pitch.

So, it's Moyes who is charged with returning the Toffees to continental competition. He will need at least a Conference League spot to keep fans onside.

Everton have departed from Goodison Park, but a new chapter could be written at the Hill Dickinson. (Image credit: Paul Thomas/Getty Images)

The Coach

The criticisms of David Moyes are valid – using players out of position, dithering over subs, not trusting youth nor even his own signings – but a tad harsh, given where Everton were. He will want to prove his doubters wrong, but must buy better, starting with two top full-backs.

David Moyes is back with the Toffees. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

Jarrad Branthwaite managed just 10 league appearances in 2025-26 and his absence was sorely felt. Everton are far more solid with their talented but injury-prone defender, whose ability on the ball also makes a huge difference in build-up. Can the 24-year-old stay fit?

Jarrad Branthwaite is Everton's key player. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 13th

FA CUP: Third Round

LEAGUE CUP: Third Round

Everton's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Beto bagged 10 goals in all competitions for the Toffees last season, and can be a considerable threat on his day.

The Everton bagsman also struck against Liverpool, albeit in a 2-1 derby day loss at the Hill Dickinson.

Beto can be a serious threat on his day. (Image credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Leaving Goodison was never going to be easy, despite a mediocre record there in recent years, but just six wins at the new stadium was nowhere near good enough.

While Everton's away record was one of the league's best for much of 2025-26, Moyes and his players often looked lost at home. He must develop a style that works in front of an expectant crowd.

Everton miss Goodison Park, but they have to adapt to their new stadium this year. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Rage against the machine. Everton were the only club not to have a single VAR decision go their way last season: no goals given, zero opposition goals ruled out, and three sure penalties turned down.

Everton were not the beneficiaries of even a single VAR decision last season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Avoid more PSR-related problems (even while Manchester City's own 115 charges continue to go unanswered). Following two harsh Premier League points deductions in 2023-24, Everton are now fighting an order to pay Burnley a whopping £35m to compensate for the Toffees avoiding relegation at their expense in 2021-22 while breaking PSR. Whatever next?

Everton have suffered many off-the-pitch issues in recent years. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: ELLIOTT BRETLAND @EllBretland

Last season was a year of relative progress until a horrendous April and May, which led many to wonder: actually, is this stagnation? CEO Angus Kinnear declaring the club could be “happily dissatisfied” with the campaign was a concern.

This season will be different because Jarrad Branthwaite will be available, I hope. He is flawless and improves everyone around him.

This man will be back. (Image credit: Alamy)

Our key player will be Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – a technician with drive.

Look out for 18-year-old Braiden Graham, who is exciting fans by scoring for fun in the reserves.

A social media account to follow is a celebration of Evertonian culture: @mintisculture focuses on how a world of being a Blue, from the terrace gear to matchday rituals, shapes our lives.

The best thing about matchdays at our ground is the South Stand, one of the loudest terraces in football – if the team give us something to shout about…

I won't be happy unless Everton take the cups seriously. It's been more than 30 years since we won one. Jordan Pickford doesn't need a rest.

Everton must take the cups more seriously this year. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The active player I'd love to have back is Richarlison. He's always committed to the cause.

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is mixed. Some have yearned for the ‘stability' Moyes brings. Others appreciate his steadying of the ship but aren't convinced that he can sail us to success.

We'll finish 8th.

Richarlison is missed by many Toffees fans.

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Crystal Palace (H)

29 Bournemouth (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Man United (H)

12 Tottenham (A)

19 Ipswich (H)

OCTOBER

10 Hull City (A)

17 Chelsea (H)

24 Arsenal (A)

31 Newcastle (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Coventry (H)

21 Brentford (A)

28 Liverpool (H)

DECEMBER

2 Aston Villa (A)

5 Fulham (H)

12 Brighton (A)

19 Nott'm Forest (A)

26 Sunderland (H)

30 Man City (H)

JANUARY

2 Leeds (A)

6 Aston Villa (H)

16 Coventry (A)

23 Brentford (H)

30 Liverpool (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Newcastle (H)

10 Leeds (H)

20 Sunderland (A)

27 Nott'm Forest (H)

MARCH

3 Man City (A)

13 Man United (A)

20 Tottenham (H)

APRIL

10 Crystal Palace (A)

17 Bournemouth (H)

24 Brighton (H)

MAY

1 Fulham (A)

8 Hull City (H)

15 Chelsea (A)

23 Arsenal (H)

30 Ipswich (A)

Title Odds

Everton to win the Premier League title odds: 300/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Everton to finish 12th.

Fans' fears were confirmed in June by Moyes declaring, “I don't know if a club like Everton now can make big strides.” Is this Nil satis nisi optimum – ‘nothing but the best is good enough' – or mere existence?

Everton will continue to improve this season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Crystal Palace have raised their own standards with major trophy wins in back-to-back seasons, so how will the Eagles fare this time without the man who guided them there? Crystal Palace 2026-27 season preview

Greg Lea — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Is it time to wake up yet? Winning three cups in 12 months was beyond the wildest dreams of even the most optimistic Crystal Palace fan, but the Eagles have developed a taste for trophies and their appetite isn't satiated yet – despite Oliver Glasner's exit.

The mastermind behind those FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League triumphs has left the club after a glorious two and a half years.

His replacement, Pierre Sage, has a lot to live up to. Collecting yet more silverware won't be easy, but fans want the club to throw everything at the Europa League. English sides have won the past two editions of Europe's secondary competition. Why not Crystal Palace this time?

Can Crystal Palace live up to their recent major trophy-winning standards? 2026-27 season preview

Crystal Palace celebrated with the UEFA Conference League Trophy last season. (Photo by Thomas Eisenhuth - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) (Image credit: UEFA via Getty Images)

Ideally, that wouldn't come at the expense of a top-half Premier League finish, which Palace have achieved just twice since their 2013 promotion.

If so, Sage will need more depth and rotation options across the pitch. They sat fifth in December before their workload caught up with them.

They also won the FA Cup the year prior. (Image credit: The FA via Getty Images)

Quantity has a quality of its own. Recruitment is the key. Palace have unearthed numerous gems in recent years, turning Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton from Championship prospects into established internationals.

But the jury is out on Brennan Johnson and Jorgen Strand Larsen, signed for a combined £78m in January. A club with Palace's budget can't afford to be wasteful.

The Coach

Palace swiftly turned to Pierre Sage after Andoni Iraola chose Liverpool (strange).

In 2025-26, he led Lens to second in Ligue 1 and Coupe de France glory with a Glasner-like 3-4-3. PSG's Luis Enrique said, “It's the first time since I've been here that a side has given us so much trouble.”

Pierre Sage is the man to lead the Eagles forward. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player (and Top Scorer)

Ismaila Sarr's 21 goals in all competitions made him the first Palace player to hit 20 at the highest level since Andy Johnson in 2004-05.

At age 28, Sarr is at the peak of his powers: intelligent, versatile and deadly, with a knack for finding space in dangerous positions.

Ismaila Sarr is often a nightmare to play against. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Winners (1-0 vs Rayo Vallecano)

PREMIER LEAGUE: 15th

FA Cup: Third Round (2-1 loss vs Macclesfield)

League Cup: Quarter-finals (1-1, 8-7 Penalties loss vs Arsenal)

Crystal Palace 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Lessons From Last Year

Take your chances. Only Burnley and Wolves scored fewer than Palace's 41 goals in 2025-26. Yet the Eagles ranked ninth for shots inside the box and eighth for xG, above top-eight finishers Brighton, Sunderland and Aston Villa.

Palace underperformed their expected goals more than any other team. An improved record at Selhurst Park would be welcome, too.

With only four wins there, Palace picked up fewer points at home than they did on the road. Sage must make Selhurst Park a fortress again.

Selhurt Park must become a fortress again. (Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Double-check their emails. After being kicked out of last season's Europa League for missing a vital UEFA memo about multi-club ownership, Palace will have their eyes peeled on their inbox.

Crystal Palace have turned Gmail notifications on this season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Meet a deadline. The Eagles announced plans for an enlarged Main Stand in 2017 and targeted completion within three years, but spades have only just entered the ground. Palace are in danger of making HS2 look like a rush job.

Crystal Palace are improving their stadium well behind deadline. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: JACK PIERCE @FYPFanzine

Last season was all about the Conference League. Our league form took a back seat as focus turned to winning another trophy. It has become a habit.

The big talking point is how we'll move on from the most successful manager in our history. Glasner changed the club culture completely. But Sage brought success to Lens last season, too.

Oliver Glasner is gone, but the culture he introduced will remain. (Image credit: Getty Images)

I won't be happy unless I see Palace at San Siro. Is it more surprising Crystal Palace are in the Europa League, or that Milan are?

Our key player will be Jorgen Strand Larsen, if Sage can get a tune out of him. Our record signing has shown glimpses since he arrived in January.

Look out for our French central defender Jaydee Canvot. The teenager had a superb first campaign and will go to the highest stage in years to come.

The opposition player who grinds my gears is Jordan Henderson, for the incessant whining and for nicking Adam Wharton's seat on the flight to the World Cup. It's a scandal.

The opposition player I'd love here is Hayden Hackney. The best player in the Championship last season could and should have followed the road trodden by Eze, Olise and Wharton.

Crystal Palace's former player list is becoming more and more iconic by the season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The best thing about matchdays at our ground is seeing how many away fans love the Wilfried Zaha mural.

We'll finish away from danger, but I'm concerned that we'll struggle to find the right balance between our Premier League and European form again.

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Everton (A)

29 Man City (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Fulham (A)

12 Ipswich (H)

19 Leeds (A)

OCTOBER

10 Nott'm Forest (H)

17 Brighton (A)

24 Newcastle (H)

31 Tottenham (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Liverpool (H)

21 Coventry (A)

28 Hull City (H)

DECEMBER

2 Chelsea (A)

5 Aston Villa (A)

12 Man United (H)

19 Sunderland (A)

26 Arsenal (H)

30 Bournemouth (H)

JANUARY

2 Brentford (A)

6 Chelsea (H)

16 Liverpool (A)

23 Tottenham (H)

30 Hull City (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Coventry (H)

10 Brentford (H)

20 Bournemouth (A)

27 Sunderland (H)

MARCH

3 Arsenal (A)

13 Fulham (H)

20 Ipswich (A)

APRIL

10 Everton (H)

17 Man City (A)

24 Man United (A)

MAY

1 Aston Villa (H)

8 Nott'm Forest (A)

15 Brighton (H)

23 Newcastle (A)

30 Leeds (H)

Title Odds

Crystal Palace to win the Premier League title odds: 300/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Crystal Palace to finish 13th.

It's no guarantee that Sage can repeat Lens' tremendous 2025-26 season in England. Palace do have a fine squad and continue to sign well, however, with the possible exception of January 2026.

Crystal Palace will finish 13th. (Image credit: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Coventry City fought valiantly to make it back to the Premier League, but will surviving the drop prove to be an even greater task? - Coventry City 2026-27 season preview

Chris Nee — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Championship title winners with room to spare, Coventry City are back in the Premier League after a quarter of a century away.

Frank Lampard's leadership attracted the spotlight, as the former England midfielder steered his team through an immediate response to defeat in the 2024-25 play-offs.

While his first full season at the helm wasn't always plain sailing, the good ship Cov was never in choppy waters for long. Coventry are a club on a high, with a full stadium that feels like home – because it finally is.

Coventry City are back, but will they survive the drop? Coventry 2026-27 season preview

Coventry City have a long, arduous season ahead. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Even so, they will have to be a different outfit this season. The team that took them into the top flight didn't have the depth of quality needed to keep them there.

Loath as many City fans would be to acknowledge it, Sunderland showed the way to a world beyond a relegation battle, but there's no debate over Lampard's first target in 2026-27.

Coventry enjoyed their celebrations last season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

That isn't the same as a dearth of long-term ambition. It's been a long 25 years for the supporters, who experienced exile (when Coventry had to play their home games in Northampton and Birmingham) and were watching the club in League Two less than a decade ago.

A lot of credit goes to Lampard's predecessor, Mark Robins, for a revival that's been a long road for those who walked it. The Sky Blues have work to do. But after everything they've been through, they'll attack it with the grit and humour that rebuilt a city.

The Coach

Replacing Robins with Frank Lampard in November 2024 stunned Cov fans and outsiders alike, but chairman Doug King never wavered. By knuckling down and ultimately winning promotion, Lampard has forged an unlikely but formidable bond with the Sky Blues support.

Frank Lampard is the man at the helm. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

At 25, Jack Rudoni has the star quality and age profile to grow into the Premier League, even if he wasn't at the forefront of last term's team effort, which had several top performers. The Lampard-esque attacking midfielder has the ability, focus and drive to shine at this level.

Jack Rudoni will be vital for Coventry this season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

CHAMPIONSHIP: Winners

FA CUP: Third Round

LEAGUE CUP: Second Round

Coventry's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Haji Wright bagged 18 in all competitions for Coventry City last season, en-route to their Championship victory.

Will Haji Wright's talent translate into Premier League goals? (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Remember that form is temporary, class is permanent. Coventry were dominant champions in the end but wobbled in the middle of the season.

Just as they dropped off the top of the Championship table, though, they hauled themselves up and clear again.

That resilient inner confidence could be the difference between getting a handle on the Premier League and struggling to get to grips with it.

Coventry need to play with confidence this season. (Image credit: Unknown)

Most Likely To...

Have their manager linked with every vacant position. This will be Lampard's fourth spell managing in the Premier League, but the way he confidently took the Sky Blues into it has made clubs take note. Don't be surprised if he decides to stay put this time.

Frank Lampard will be linked with every vacant managerial position after leading Coventry back to the top-flight of English football. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Lose their identity. Over a number of years, Coventry fought their way into the Premier League with the help of a steely unity, on and off the pitch. The day they give that up is the day there isn't a blast of The Enemy's We'll Live and Die in These Towns before a home match.

This team and its fans will not lose their identity. (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

View From The Stands

Words by: LAURENCE KILPATRICK @Thelonelyseason

Last season was pretty weird. The way we took apart the league up until November was mesmeric. Without overhauling the squad, Frank Lampard finished the work Mark Robins started, but with an insouciant swagger.

This season will be different because every crumb of non-defeat must be savoured. Will the fans who abruptly rediscovered their interest in the club still show up when we've got eight points in January and Sean Dyche is in charge?

When survival is in doubt, bring in Dychey. (Image credit: PA Images)

Our key player will be Jack Rudoni. He's worked his way up the leagues and could now be the difference between 18th and 17th. Glamorous.

The active player I'd love to have back is Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer. He's a throwback of a maverick, who piles on the pounds until the real business returns. I would welcome him back with open arms, if they could reach that far around him.

Fans think our owner is at the end of his redemption arc.

Our biggest grudge match will be against Aston Villa. We haven't played them since they sent us down in 2001. We hate them; they probably don't remember us.

The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is one of the silly tiny ones, like Ipswich or Bournemouth, where it's impossible to get a ticket.

The Vitality Stadium isn't popular among travelling fans. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is that he's a great PR man – and, crucially, not a stubborn ideologue.

We'll finish 7th. If a pub side like Sunderland can…

Fixtures

AUGUST

21 Arsenal (A)

29 Hull City (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Man City (A)

12 Brighton (H)

19 Nott'm Forest (A)

OCTOBER

10 Newcastle (H)

17 Tottenham (A)

24 Fulham (H)

31 Sunderland (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Everton (A)

21 Crystal Palace (H)

28 Leeds (A)

DECEMBER

2 Ipswich (H)

5 Man United (A)

12 Aston Villa (H)

19 Bournemouth (A)

26 Chelsea (H)

30 Brentford (H)

JANUARY

2 Liverpool (A)

6 Ipswich (A)

16 Everton (H)

23 Sunderland (A)

30 Leeds (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Crystal Palace (A)

10 Liverpool (H)

20 Brentford (A)

27 Bournemouth (H)

MARCH

3 Chelsea (A)

13 Man City (H)

20 Brighton (A)

APRIL

10 Arsenal (H)

17 Hull City (A)

24 Aston Villa (A)

MAY

1 Man United (H)

8 Newcastle (A)

15 Tottenham (H)

23 Fulham (A)

30 Nott'm Forest (H)

Title Odds

Coventry City to win the Premier League title odds: 500/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Coventry City to finish 16th.

Tactically flexible and able to score in myriad ways, from set pieces to five players hitting double figures last term, Cov are well equipped to stay up – or better, if they can sign or replace loan ace Carl Rushworth.

Coventry will survive the drop. (Image credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Why Arsenal's move for Vinicius Jr is closer than anyone realises - and why it's still a huge risk

Mark White — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:06:14 +0000

Arsenal are no strangers to seismic transfer targets. They're not even strangers to the idea of landing a huge players from Real Madrid.

Mesut Ozil proved that when he became the Gunners' record signing from Los Blancos in 2013 for a whopping £42.5 million: but he was of an age when Arsenal were regularly linked with Karim Benzema and Sami Khedira. The Gunners were credited with more than a passing interest in Kylian Mbappe when he exploded onto the scene; Luis Suarez's release clause was even triggered.

To see Vinicius Jr at the Emirates Stadium would be groundbreaking. To see him linked with the move is not, if you consider the last 15 years. But to see Mikel Arteta's side so deep into a saga with such a huge talent? That's very telling.

Arsenal control their own narratives now: they wouldn't have let the Vinicius Jr saga get out unless they have confidence

Vinicius Jr with a Thierry Henry-esque celebration (Image credit: Alex Pantling - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger had a few cliches, and chief among them was the hindsight that Arsenal could well have signed just about every elite talent under the sun.

Cristiano Ronaldo was on the radar before Manchester United gazumped them; Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a trial; Lionel Messi was among the Barcelona throng that Wenger scouted when he eventually signed Cesc Fabregas. It used to grate on Gooners that the club missed out on quite so many superstars – and that their manager was so keen to admit it.

Arsene Wenger used to openly admit players Arsenal were close to signing (Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

But while Arsenal very famously failed to land the likes of Eden Hazard, N'Golo Kante, Gonzalo Higuain and others, things are different these days. Manager Mikel Arteta had a few setbacks in trying to sign the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Lisandro Martinez – but since the Gunners returned to the Champions League, they haven't been involved in these big-name transfer sagas unless things are genuinely close.

Arsenal's name rarely appears in bidding wars these days. They were nowhere to be seen when Jude Bellingham was leaving Borussia Dortmund, when Alexander Isak moved to Liverpool or when Bernardo Silva went to Real Madrid this summer – despite noted interest over the years in all three players.

Instead, the players Arsenal tend to be heavily linked with have only been when a lot of groundwork has been laid. Mykhailo Mudryk was said to be “singularly focused” on Arsenal before pivoting Chelsea. Moises Caicedo posted a farewell to Brighton fans on social media, after Arsenal bids. An agreement with Benjamin Sesko, meanwhile, was no issue: Arsenal only moved onto Viktor Gyokeres when it became clear RB Leipzig wouldn't budge enough in their valuation. It was a similar story for both Jeremy Monga and Morgan Rogers this summer.

Let's be clear: Arsenal haven't suddenly started landing every player they set their eyes on, with those aforementioned five as proof. What it does prove, however, is that Arteta only wants those who want Arsenal.

This isn't a situation like Raphinha in 2022, where Arsenal will submit a bid to Real Madrid for Vinicius Jr and hope for the best. They're not getting strung along here. Even if Vini decides to remain at Real, his entourage have given strong indication to Arsenal that he is considering their move – otherwise, it simply wouldn't have gotten this far.

Is Vinicius Jr really unsellable from Real Madrid's perspective?

Would Jose Mourinho happily let Vinicius Jr go? (Image credit: Octavio Passos - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Vinicius Jr is one of the best players on Earth right now. The perspective from fans is that Real Madrid are not in the business of letting players like that leave.

Except, they are – and they have been for a while now. Real were happy to let Cristiano Ronaldo join Juventus for a monster transfer fee, in one of the most shocking transfers of any player over 30 in the last decade. They signed off on Ozil to Arsenal. They let Angel Di Maria leave for Manchester United.

They received an offer too good to refuse when United came in for Casemiro. The same has to be said of Raphael Varane. Karim Benzema may have stayed another year or two – Sergio Ramos, too – if not for interest elsewhere. President Florentino Perez knows that sentimentality is a defect found on the losing side.

Granted, Vinicius Jr is still in his prime – perhaps even approaching it – and Real are on the back foot for a few reasons. They risk losing the Brazilian for free next summer if they hang onto him without him committing to a new contract. They aren't used to players in their prime considering jumping ship to the Premier League. Regardless of their usual stance, there will be reluctance in letting go of a player who has scored two Champions League final goals after two trophyless seasons.

Jose Mourinho will likely want to keep hold of his no.7 – but there is almost certainly a recognition from the 15-time European champions that having two passengers in a high press (the other being Kylian Mbappe) has held Real back in the last couple of seasons. The Bernabeu is home to two world-class left-sided attackers – and if you're going to let go of one of them, it won't be Mbappe.

Vinicius Jr to Arsenal is a gamble – because it risks everything Arteta's built

Arsenal are the best team without the ball on Earth – thanks to Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal won the Premier League without a killer in attack. They reached the Champions League final conceding a mere handful of goals in open play. They're by no means the best team in Europe overall – but they are the best by a mile defensively.

And that extends beyond the partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba. It's more than just having Declan Rice screening the backline and having full-backs who are natural defenders: Arteta demands donkey work from the attackers.

Arsenal don't have an Erling Haaland. Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz instead are hard runners who will press, keep up the intensity and look to run themselves into the ground for the cause. Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke, similarly, are hardly prolific – but they put in the work ethic. Even Martin Odegaard is a far cry from a luxury no.10, with his importance to Arteta not measured by his chance creation but how he leads the team out of possession.

As much as Arsenal are in desperate need of a superstar left-winger to give them balance, create something from nothing and to give them a spark against a Paris Saint-Germain, it comes with a risk. This is a well-oiled machine that attacks and defends as one, with plenty of chances coming from turnovers in the final third and a humility among the group meaning that goals are shared and big injuries to key players don't result in too much of a drop-off from the overall performance.

Vinicius Jr threatens that. He is not a typical Arteta player off the ball. Arsenal would have to adapt to his game as he would to his new club: that's something that everyone knows, though to what extent, none of us are sure. It is a calculated gamble to bring in a star of Vini's quality – but Arteta would be looking to succeed where a similar coach in Xabi Alonso failed to.

Yet Arteta has worked superstars into his team before. People sometimes overlook that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave him hard work out of possession, before the pair's fallout. Even Ebere Eze and Gyokeres have had to come on leaps and bounds in their work off the ball.

Don't be surprised if this deal is close. Don't be surprised if Vinicius has bought into Arsenal – both as a move, and tactically. This is a different kind of Arsenal to the one that signed Mesut Ozil all those years ago, after all.

How to watch Celtic vs Dundee FC for FREE: Live stream details and TV channels for Scottish Premiership

Jacob Jones — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Watch Celtic vs Dundee FC for free from anywhere in the world as Martin O'Neill's side begin their Scottish Premiership 2026/27 campaign against the Dee. Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the live stream details and TV channels wherever you are in the world.

Celtic vs Dundee FC: key information

Kick-Off Time: 7:30 pm BST / 2:30 pm ET / 4:30 am AEST
Free Stream: CBS Sports Golazo Network (US)
TV Channels: Sky Sports (UK) / Paramount+ (US) / beIN Sports (AUS)
Watch from anywhere: Get 75% off NordVPN

Celtic clinched the title on the final day of last season with a 3-1 victory over Hearts, securing a fifth consecutive league title.

O'Neill will be aiming to guide them to a sixth straight title in 2026/27, with their campaign beginning against a Dundee side that finished mid-table last year.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Celtic vs Dundee FC online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Celtic vs Dundee FC for free?

Yes, Celtic vs Dundee FC is free to watch in the US with CBS Sports Golazo Network showing the game at no cost.

You don't even require a subscription or account — just click the link above and stream.

Abroad for the game? Use NordVPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world.

Celtic vs Dundee FC: Team News

Celtic: Sinisalo, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, Nygren, Yang, Hogh, Duran.

Substitutes: Doohan, McCowan, Tounekti, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Donovan.

Dundee: Goodman, Wright, Astley, O Bevan, Odutayo, Hamilton, Finnigan, Reilly, J Bevan, Westley, Murray.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Halliday, Robertson, Hay, A Forrest, Besir, Oosenbrugh, Crombie, Bland.

Watch Celtic vs Dundee FC from anywhere

Away from home for this SPFL opener? That doesn't mean you have to miss out on watching Celtic vs Dundee FC. All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

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Watch Celtic vs Dundee FC in the UK

Celtic vs Dundee FC will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. It's a 7:30pm kick-off and will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

Watch Celtic vs Dundee FC on Sky Sports

You can either get a traditional satellite TV set-up, or a more modern streaming package without the need for a dish. You can add it to an existing Sky package for £22/month with Now Sports offering a cord-cutting option.View Deal

Watch Celtic vs Dundee FC in the US

As alluded to previously, CBS Sports Golazo Network will be streaming Celtic vs Dundee FC for free. You can also watch it on Paramount+.

Watch Celtic vs Dundee FC on Paramount+

Prices start at $8.99/month for Paramount+ with 2026/27 coverage including the Scottish Premiership, Champions League, Europa League and Carabao Cup.View Deal

How to watch Celtic vs Dundee FC in Australia

In Australia, you can watch Celtic vs Dundee FC on beIN Sports.

This game will go out on the beIN Sports 3 channel.

Watch the Scottish Premiership on beIN Sports

Scottish Premiership games are shown on beIN Sports Connect in Australia. Prices start at AU$15.99/month after a 7-day free trial for new users.View Deal

Celtic vs Dundee FC: Scottish Premiership 2026/27 preview

Celtic begin their 2026/27 season against Dundee FC and will be delighted with the outcome of the opening weekend.

Bitter rivals Rangers could only manage a draw against Dundee United, with Thelo Aasgaard cancelling out Lachlan Rose's opener, while 2025/26 title challengers Hearts suffered an agonising late defeat to Aberdeen.

In all honesty, the Bhoys are once again huge favourites to win the title. Despite their inconsistencies last season, they still secured a fifth consecutive league crown and will be aiming to make it six come May.

New signings Kasper Høgh from Bodø/Glimt and Camilo Duran have arrived to bolster the frontline, while Daizen Maeda (Ipswich) and Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor) have departed.

Dundee's aim this season will be to secure a place in the Championship Group, but opening away to the Hoops is about as difficult as it gets. To make matters worse, the Dark Blues haven't won at Celtic Park since 2001 and haven't even picked up a point there since 2018 – a daunting task for Steven Pressley's men.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Celtic 5-0 Dundee FC

Celtic will get into their groove from the first whistle.

Can Xabi Alonso turn the Premier League's greatest financial underachievers into champions? Chelsea 2026-2027 season preview

Lewis Watson — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Xabi Alonso is BlueCo's fifth permanent appointment but, perhaps crucially, their first ‘manager'.

This apparent shift in philosophy from the ownership has injected some much-needed positivity into the fanbase after a dire, ill-disciplined season in which Chelsea lost as many league games as they won.

A year with no European fixtures could be a blessing in disguise. Alonso might need those longer midweek sessions at Cobham if he is to successfully impart the 3-4-3 formation with which he romped to glory at Bayer Leverkusen.

Can Xabi Alonso turn this expensive bunch into winners? Chelsea 2026-27 season preview

What will Stanford Bridge bear witness to next season? (Image credit: Getty Images)

With a number of managerial changes across the league and nine Premier League teams busy fighting on the continent, Chelsea will target Champions League qualification as a minimum.

And whisper it… but if Alonso is given access to the BlueCo piggy bank (a new goalkeeper has been a must, as has been a centre-back), then who is to say he can't make an unexpected title tilt?

Watching Chelsea last season was hilarious. (Image credit: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Chelsea's early signings – three teenagers, Emmanuel Emegha from partner club Strasbourg and Atalanta's Marco Palestra – didn't address a shortage of experience. However, the omissions of Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer from their country's World Cup squads gave Alonso two fit, hungry forwards with a significant point to prove.

So, expect many a WhatsApp group created by Alonso as he tries to steal a march on his busy rivals.

The Coach

Xabi Alonso was revolutionary at Leverkusen, and then thrown under the bus by Real Madrid after just 233 days in charge. It could go either way at Chelsea. His high-energy gegenpress may be a shock to players who were outrun by every other Premier League team last term.

Xabi Alonso is the man in charge. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

Not since Diego Costa have the Blues had a potent line-leader. Joao Pedro has entered the chat.

The Brazilian bagged 20 goals in his debut season while offering good hold-up play, and was deservedly named Player of the Season. He'll be a vital cog in Alonso's machine.

Joao Pedro was brilliant last season. (Image credit: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 10th

FA CUP: Runners-up

LEAGUE CUP: Semi-final

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Last 16

Chelsea's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Joao Pedro bagged 20 goals in all competitions for the Blues last season.

Those exploits ranked him highly in the Premier League top scorers chart, even outperforming Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike.

Joao Pedro bagged 20 last season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Eleven players are better than 10. OK, it isn't the most revolutionary idea, but if Chelsea are to improve on 2025-26 – which is a low bar – then the more players they can keep on the pitch, the better.

Dismissals for Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana, at home to Brighton and Burnley respectively, effectively cost Chelsea five points last season.

And, taken as a whole, a club-record 11 red cards in all competitions was toe-curling.

Some Chelsea players are prone to seeing red. (Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Fudge their way to a trophy. It's a Chelsea thing. Even at their worst, the Blues are capable of purple patches that take them to finals, so don't be surprised to see Alonso posing with a fluorescent can of Carabao in mid-March.

Can Alonso lift silverware with the Blues? (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Get a sponsor on the front of their shirts. Gone are the halcyon days of Coors, Autoglass and Samsung. Sponsorless Chelsea shirts have become a refreshing normality over the last few seasons – no doubt giving their marketing team and accountant sleepless nights.

Chelsea's sponsor-less shirts are a good look. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: CHAS EARLY & MOUCH MICHAELS @ChelseaPodcast

Last season was difficult for me to describe without swearing, so let's go with ‘hilariously awful'.

This season will be different because with any luck, we won't hire a massively underqualified manager mid-season.

Cole Palmer is overdue a return to form. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The big talking point is if the club will prevent the sporting directors from screwing things up again.

Our key player will be Cole Palmer once more. No World Cup – though bad news for him – gives him a proper rest and a pre-season to get fully fit.

The active player I'd love to have back is Conor Gallagher.

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is delight at his appointment. Time will tell if he's allowed to do things his way or not.

If he left, he should be replaced by head coach at Como, Cesc Fabregas.

Cesc Fabregas would be next up, should Alonso fail. (Image credit: Alamy)

A social media account to follow is the excellent @Louis_Beneventi.

Look out for 20-year-old defender Jorrel Hato, who impressed after a shaky start. I think he'll kick on.

The departing player I'm saddest about is Marc Cucurella. We'll all miss his special blend of ability and s**thousery.

I won't be happy unless we sell Liam Delap.

The pantomime villain will be Mikel Arteta. Yes, He's a talented manager, but also easy to hate for his pitchside antics and whining in interviews. His defenders get away with murder at corners, too.

We'll finish 5th, if Alonso is given the players he needs and allowed to do his job. Not playing in Europe should help.

Xabi Alonso is an easy man to have faith in. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Fixtures

AUGUST

24 Fulham (A)

29 Brighton (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Arsenal (A)

12 Hull City (H)

19 Brentford (A)

OCTOBER

10 Bournemouth (H)

17 Everton (A)

24 Tottenham (H)

31 Man United (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Sunderland (A)

21 Leeds (H)

28 Nott'm Forest (A)

DECEMBER

2 Crystal Palace (H)

5 Liverpool (H) 1

2 Man City (A)

19 Aston Villa (H)

26 Coventry (A)

30 Ipswich (A)

JANUARY

2 Newcastle (H)

6 Crystal Palace (A)

16 Sunderland (H)

23 Leeds (A)

30 Nott'm Forest (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Man United (A)

10 Newcastle (A)

20 Ipswich (H)

27 Aston Villa (A)

MARCH

3 Coventry (H)

13 Arsenal (H)

20 Hull City (A)

APRIL

10 Fulham (H)

17 Brighton (A)

24 Man City (H)

MAY

1 Liverpool (A)

8 Tottenham (A)

15 Everton (H)

23 Bournemouth (A)

30 Brentford (H)

Title Odds

Chelsea to win the 2026/27 Premier League title odds: 11/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Chelsea to finish 5th.

No European fixtures is bad news for club finances but perfect for Alonso, who'll have time to coach the methods that worked miracles in Germany. Questions in defence and in goal could hold him back.

Chelsea will be better next season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Manchester United report: Ismaila Sarr to leave Crystal Palace within 'next few hours', in Red Devils blow

Mark White — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Manchester United target and Crystal Palace attacker Ismaila Sarr looks to be leaving the Premier League.

In two years at Selhurst Park, the Senegalese forward has made a huge impact, helping the club to their first three pieces of silverware in the FA Cup, Community Shield and Europa League.

Now, it's being reported by Tuttomercatoweb that the star is “very close” to leaving Crystal Palace – and it looks as if Manchester United could be left disappointed, too.

Manchester United to miss out on Ismaila Sarr, following Crystal Palace exit

Michael Carrick wanted Ismaila Sarr, according to reports (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to the report, Fenerbahce are advancing to sign Sarr within the “next few hours”, as they look to reach an agreement with Palace.

According to Foot Mercato, United enquired about Sarr earlier on in the transfer window, with FourFourTwo understanding that the interest has failed to materialise into a formal bid.

Ismaila Sarr was a target for Manchester United (Image credit: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)

Foot Mercato even quoted Senegalese social media account Joueurs SN, which relayed a quote in July from Sarr in July that “there's only one” dream club of his, adding that the winger said, “I love Manchester United with all my heart, and I'm a huge fan” in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

While that would certainly explain how often he's scored against Liverpool in his career, a more sober quote was relayed by APS in Senegal, with Sarr saying, “I have a three-year contract with Crystal Palace; it’s up to them to decide” on his future.

Sarr has been a big hit since moving to back to the Premier League, replacing Michael Olise for the Eagles.

Palace are yet to spend any money this summer, but new manager Pierre Sage may well have to make big moves after losing Marc Guehi in January – and with the long-term futures of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Adam Wharton still far from certain.

United, meanwhile, are still expected to land an attacker before deadline – with FourFourTwo even referencing Sarr as the dream option for Carrick recently.

Manchester United have been quiet in the transfer window so far (Image credit: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Sarr appears to be the back-up option following the collapse of Rafael Leao's move to Turkiye.

The Milan forward rejected a move to Fener, who made a formal offer to bring the Portuguese to the Super Lig.

Sarr is valued at €45 million by Transfermarkt. United travel to Hull City on August 22 to kick off their Premier League campaign.

Brighton staggered to the Conference League qualification finish line last season, but will they enjoy the fruits of their labour? Brighton 2026-27 season preview

Tom Wiggins — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Brighton have European fixtures on their schedule for only the second time in their history – so why does it feel anticlimactic?

The Seagulls will be considered among the favourites to win the 2026-27 UEFA Conference League, such is the mammoth financial advantage enjoyed by Premier League sides in that competition. Some fans are already making plans for the final in Istanbul next June, despite not knowing until August 3's draw who their team will face in the qualifying play-off.

The truth, though, is that Fabian Hurzeler's side stumbled over the line. Losing their final two games left them needing other results to decide whether they would be in the Europa League, the Conference League, or neither.

Will the Seagulls see Conference League glory? Brighton 2026-27 season preview

Brighton cut it close last season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Still, for Albion's size, four Premier League top-half finishes in five years is impressive. Brighton know from 2023-24 how extra Thursday night games can impact domestic form.

Results last season often suffered as well when first-choice players in key roles weren't available. It exposed a lack of squad depth, especially in wide attacking areas.

Whether Brighton can cope will hinge on recruitment, particularly with three old heads – Solly March, Adam Webster and James Milner – moving on. Right-back Costinha will be ready to go, as will central defensive duo Luka Vuskovic and Pascal Struijk, but young AIK wing ace Zadok Yohanna is straight out of the Tony Bloom playbook.

The Coach

Fabian Hurzeler's comments about Arsenal's style of play may not have impressed Mikel Arteta, but they went down well with the Brighton faithful, who had struggled to bond with the 33-year-old coach up until then. He looks increasingly at home in the Premier League.

Fabian Hurzeler is the man at the helm. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

The average age of Brighton's squad will fall significantly this summer, so leadership in the dressing room matters. Pascal Gross, 35, had no pace to lose in the first place but he still has excellent technical ability and tactical nous in midfield – vital in a long and gruelling season.

Pascal Gross is a born leader. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 8th

FA CUP: Fourth Round

LEAGUE CUP: Fourth Round

Brighton 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Danny Welbeck was the Seagulls' most prolific scorer last season, bagging 14 in all competitions.

The striker may not be present in Brighton for this campaign, however, with a move to Chelsea on the cards.

Danny Welbeck bagged 14 in all competitions last season. (Image credit: Alamy)

Lessons From Last Year

Don't panic! On Valentine's Day, having been knocked out of the FA Cup and on a run of one win in 13 league games, the Seagulls resembled relegation candidates.

A small but vocal contingent of fans wanted Hurzeler sacked. But Bloom stuck by his man, and seven wins from their next 10 gave Brighton a chance of Champions League qualification on the final day.

In the end, they had to settle for the Conference League, but the owner's level-headed loyalty was rewarded.

As rivals Crystal Palace showed that even teams who fare poorly in the Premier League can win Europe's third-tier competition, Albion fans will expect this second trip to the continent to be more than just a holiday romance.

Don't panic, Brighton fans! (Image credit: Unknown)

Most Likely To...

Attract golfers. Nike's shirt for the club's 125th anniversary will be worn for just one fixture, but it'll look right at home on the greens.

Will Brighton unlock a new market of fans next season? (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Bring in Sean Dyche as director of football and label data-based scouting as “woke nonsense”.

Classic Dychey. (Image credit: Unknown)

View From The Stands

Words by: OWEN WILKINSON @Wilka1983

Last season was a real rollercoaster, with a huge mid-season slump that turned dreams of Europe into nightmares of trips to Swansea, Cardiff and Lincoln. The turnaround after that was miraculous.

This season will be different because the Conference League will place more demands on the squad. But our young players are also another year more experienced.

Conference League football will be demanding. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Our key player will be Danny Welbeck, for his leadership and work rate as well as his goal threat.

Look out for 19-year-old frontman Charalampos ‘Babis' Kostoulas, who's had little spells of game time to help him adapt. An overhead kick against Bournemouth hinted at what a talent he may be.

The opposition player I'd love here is Igor Thiago, who might enjoy a bit of European football. He'd fit our system well.

I won't be happy unless we stop the rot against Palace. Our performances in those games haven't been good enough since Fabian Hurzeler arrived.

The fans' opinion of the gaffer is not as good as you'd imagine, despite two 8th-place finishes. Roberto De Zerbi was a tough act to follow. But it felt like the tide changed when our form picked up.

Will Welbeck still be in Brighton come the season's opening round? (Image credit: Getty Images)

The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is Selhurst Park, a ramshackle shed that provides dreadful views and prehistoric facilities.

Our biggest grudge match will be against Chelsea. No doubt they'll be restocking from us.

We'll finish 8th again.

Owen Wilkinson doesn't like Selhurt Park. (Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Fixtures

AUGUST

23 Aston Villa (H)

29 Chelsea (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Leeds (H)

12 Coventry (A)

19 Arsenal (H)

OCTOBER

10 Sunderland (A)

17 Crystal Palace (H)

24 Liverpool (A)

31 Man City (A)

NOVEMBER

7 Brentford (H)

21 Hull City (A)

28 Newcastle (H)

DECEMBER

2 Bournemouth (A)

5 Nott'm Forest (A)

12 Everton (H)

19 Ipswich (H)

26 Fulham (A)

30 Tottenham (A)

JANUARY

2 Man United (H)

6 Bournemouth (H)

16 Brentford (A)

23 Man City (H)

30 Newcastle (A)

FEBRUARY

6 Hull City (H)

10 Man United (A)

20 Tottenham (H)

27 Ipswich (A)

MARCH

3 Fulham (H)

13 Leeds (A)

20 Coventry (H)

APRIL

10 Aston Villa (A)

17 Chelsea (H)

24 Everton (A)

MAY

1 Nott'm Forest (H)

8 Sunderland (H)

15 Crystal Palace (A)

23 Liverpool (H)

30 Arsenal (A)

Title Odds

Brighton to win the 2026/27 Premier League title odds: 175/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Brighton to finish 9th.

Much could depend on how new Croatian club-record buy Vuskovic (coming in from Spurs for £46m, but still only 19) steps in for fellow central defender Jan Paul van Hecke (sold to Spurs for £52m).

How will the team fare without Jan Paul van Hecke? (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Every Premier League transfer of Summer 2026

Mark White — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Premier League transfers are starting to ramp up ahead of the 2026/27 season beginning.

We had a slow start due to the World Cup, but with kick-off for a new campaign starting on August 21, a new Premier League season is just around the corner.

So who's signed who? Here's your complete list of every transfer so far, with fees courtesy of Transfermarkt.

Arsenal

Champions Arsenal confirmed their first arrival early in the window, as they made Piero Hincapie permanent, following a successful loan spell last term. Porto, meanwhile, have triggered the clause to make Jakub Kiwior a permanent buy, too.

Cult hero Leandro Trossard leaves the Gunners after three-and-a-half years, replaced in attack by Greek attacker Christos Tzolis.

Aston Villa

The big news here comes in the exit pile: Aston Villa have smashed their all-time record sale of Jack Grealish with Morgan Rogers' exit.

Joao Gomes will bolster the midfield along with club-record buy Johan Manzambi. Donyell Malen and Enzo Barrenechea leave for solid fees, too.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth made it through the World Cup without losing one of Alex Scott or Junior Kroupi – and have strengthened in defence and attack to sign Antonio Silva and Alvaro Rodriguez.

Alex Jimenez's loan obligation was triggered, only for the full-back to be sent to Fiorentina.

Brentford

Brentford have broken their transfer record for the highly-rated Mamadou Sangare, while bidding farewell to Jordan Henderson in midfield, who Sangare will likely replace.

Former Bournemouth forwards Jaidon Anthony and Callum Wilson add depth in forward areas after their respective relegations last term.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Chelsea's annual ransack of Brighton & Hove Albion talent is a surprising one: Danny Welbeck has left the club to become the first man to have played for the trio of the Blues, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Jan Paul van Hecke has left for Tottenham Hotspur, with Luka Vuskovic a highly-rated replacement.

Chelsea

Chelsea have brought in Premier League experience in the form of Danny Welbeck, Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix, while continuing their policy of bringing in the best in class in young talent.

Valentin Barco is a World Cup runner-up, Marco Palestra is competition for Reece James and Geovany Quenda a long-awaited buy from Sporting.

Coventry City

Coventry City are biding their time with their rebuild – but have supplemented a Championship-winning squad with Loum Tchaouna and Frank Onyeka, who have both played in the top flight previously.

Crystal Palace

Oscar Mingueza replaces Maxence Lacroix, at Crystal Palace, who have made it to August without spending a penny.

Everton

Loan moves for Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George have been triggered into permanent deals at Everton.

Hayden Hackney is the standout summer buy.

Fulham

New Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has lost his two top scorers from last season in Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson, without collecting a fee for either.

Jonah Kusi-Asare's loan move has been made permanent.

Hull City

Hull City are moving slowly following promotion: Jack Butland joining from Rangers with Ivor Pandur moving the other way remains the most noteworthy business.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town have been active in strengthening up front, as Chuba Akpom and Daizen Maeda both join the Tractor Boys for under £10m.

Arijanet Muric has left for Italy, Conor Chaplin has moved to Leicester City and Ashley Young has retired.

Leeds United

Leeds United have signed Harry Wilson on a free transfer, in a major coup, considering how wanted he was by so many clubs.

Tarik Muharemovic joins, too, for a big fee, while Jack Harrison finally leaves, returning to Major Leave Soccer.

Liverpool

It's been a slow window for Liverpool, with Jeremy Jacquet replacing Ibrahima Konate at the back, while Victor Munoz may be the Mohamed Salah replacement in attack.

Long-serving Andrew Robertson joins Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer.

Manchester City

It's all change at Manchester City, who break their transfer record for Elliot Anderson and pip Arsenal to teen sensation Jeremy Monga.

Defensive stalwarts Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and John Stones all depart, as does Bernardo Silva, on a free to Real Madrid.

Manchester United

Manchester United collect a respectable fee for Rasmus Hojlund, but have released Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho – making a loss of almost £150m.

Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in midfield, however, is smart business, as Michael Carrick gets depth and quality for good prices.

Newcastle United

The great Toon exodus kicked off before the World Cup, with Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier all saying goodbye to Tyneside – before Eddie Howe followed.

The departures have been offset by Newcastle United signing exciting young talent in Bazoumana Toure, Sean Steur and Lukas Hornicek, however.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest's biggest deal prior to August was a sale, with Elliot Anderson leaving for an English record.

Stefan Ortega, Jota Silva and Gustavo Sa have all gone to affiliate club, Olympiacos.

Sunderland

Sunderland fought to keep Granit Xhaka for another year – and moved early to bring in more experience with the free transfer of Thomas Meunier.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed an expensive rebuild, moving fast to smash their transfer record for Sandro Tonali, adding Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke to their squad, too.

Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson have joined on free transfers.

Brentford were on the verge of European football last time out, but can it get even better for Bees fans? - Brentford 2026-27 season preview

Will Gore — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 11:30:00 +0000

This time last year, the Bees were every loudmouthed pundit's favourite for the drop.

The narrative was set. Brentford would struggle after Thomas Frank left and Keith ‘Set-Piece Coach' Andrews replaced him. Captain Christian Norgaard had been sold, then followed out of the door by the free-scoring combo of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.

Yet it turned out once again that the club's hierarchy, led by owner Matthew Benham, knew better than Roy Keane, Martin O'Neill and so many experts on social media. Andrews didn't simply steady the ship, he steered it agonisingly close to Europe. His task now is to turn Brentford's dream of a first ever continental campaign into reality.

Can the Bees secure European football this time around in the Premier League? Brentford 2026-27 season preview

Igor Thiago was incredible last season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

For this to happen, the Irishman must find ways to get his team's attack flowing more regularly. Coaxing more from the widemen Kevin Schade and Dango Ouattara would certainly help to lift some of the goalscoring load from Igor Thiago's broad shoulders.

Another top priority for Andrews will be to inspire Mikkel Damsgaard, his best player back to top form. While Brentford are unlikely to ever get ahead of themselves, last season showed, again, that they are more than capable of mixing it with the best of the Premier League's middle tier.

Safety from relegation will always be their first target, but the Bees have every reason to go into 2026-27 looking up rather than down.

The Coach

After so much upheaval, Keith Andrews lost eight of his first 15 games – then led Brentford to a joint-best Premier League finish, missing the Conference League on goal difference and the Europa League by a single point. His tactical nous is still developing, but what a start.

Keith Andrews is the man at the helm. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Key Player

Who else but Igor Thiago? In the old days at Griffin Park, the only way to get a Brazilian in TW8 would have involved strips of hot wax – this summer they had a striker in the Selecao's World Cup squad, after he was second in the Premier League goal charts. He'll be vital again.

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Igor Thiago of Brentford celebrates after scoring his second goal during the Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester United at Brentford Community Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 9th

FA CUP: Fifth Round

LEAGUE CUP: Quarter-final

Brentford's 2025-26 record. (Image credit: Unknown)

Top Scorer

Igor Thiago bagged an astonishing 25 goals in all competitions for the Bees last season.

His exploits almost won him the Golden Boot, had it not been for the existence of a certain Norwegian bagsman.

Igor Thiago was electric to watch in 2025-26. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Find extra strength in depth from somewhere. Brentford ran out of steam a little in the second half of last season, conceding too often, letting leads slip and dropping points at home to beatable teams such as Wolves and Everton. The club can't maintain a huge playing squad, but extra quality off the bench would be very welcome.

Brentford have room to improve. (Image credit: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Most Likely To...

Provoke scenes of unbridled joy when he scores: Josh Dasilva. After a horrendous time with injuries, the 27-year-old midfielder finally returned to action in May for his first appearance in 15 months. If he can somehow stay fit, get consistent minutes and score one or two of his trademark worldies, there won't be a more popular man in west London.

Josh Dasilva is a fan favourite. (Image credit: PA)

Least Likely To...

Shop in Brentford again: Newcastle United. Despite his heroics at the World Cup, the Magpies must have buyer's remorse after spending £55m on Yoane Wissa (or should that be Missa?), all for one league goal. File under ‘Good Sale'.

Yoane Wissa has been underwhelming for the Magpies. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: BILLY THE BEE GRANT @Beesotted

Last season was a huge surprise. After we lost Thomas Frank and most of his backroom staff, as well as Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard and Yoane Wissa – after he went on strike – it could have all gone horribly wrong. But Keith Andrews stepped up from set-piece coach, and we ended up a final-day header away from a European tour.

This season will be different because unlike the chaos of last summer, we'll have earlier signings and a full pre-season.

Will this season be even better for the Bees? (Image credit: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Our key player will be Igor Thiago. He's a good example of why football is the greatest sport: hard work and humility turned a complete unknown into Brazil World Cup starter in less than a year.

The active player I'd love to have back is Ivan Toney. That won't please some fans, because his stay here ended messily, but he's a born winner.

The pantomime villain will be Jordan Pickford. No away end has ever enjoyed 90 quiet minutes from the bloke.

The best thing about matchdays at our ground is you can walk to the Thames in a matter of minutes and riverside pubs are everywhere, most of them welcoming away fans too. The whole area creates a proper football atmosphere before and after games.

A social media account to follow is Queen Bees, a growing supporters' group providing a safe, welcoming environment for women and girls who follow the club. We'll finish 7th.

Billy the Bee Grant isn't a fan of Jordan Pickford. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Fixtures

AUGUST

22 Tottenham (H)

29 Leeds (A)

SEPTEMBER

5 Sunderland (H)

12 Bournemouth (A)

19 Chelsea (H)

OCTOBER

10 Aston Villa (A)

17 Liverpool (H)

24 Hull City (A)

31 Nott'm Forest (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Brighton (A)

21 Everton (H)

28 Man United (A)

DECEMBER

2 Arsenal (H)

5 Man City (H)

12 Fulham (A)

19 Newcastle (H)

26 Ipswich (A)

30 Coventry (A)

JANUARY

2 Crystal Palace (H)

6 Arsenal (A)

16 Brighton (H)

23 Everton (A)

30 Man United (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Nott'm Forest (A)

10 Crystal Palace (A)

20 Coventry (H)

27 Newcastle (A)

MARCH

3 Ipswich (H)

13 Sunderland (A)

20 Bournemouth (H)

APRIL

10 Tottenham (A)

17 Leeds (H)

24 Fulham (H)

MAY

1 Man City (A)

8 Aston Villa (H)

15 Liverpool (A)

23 Hull City (H)

30 Chelsea (A)

Title Odds

Brentford to win the Premier League title odds: 300/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Brentford to finish 10th.

As two points separated 7th from 11th last term, it won't take much for a team to rise… nor to fall. A lot rests on Thiago: the Bees work to feed him, as implied by his having the division's highest xG per shot.

Brentford will finish 10th, FFT believe. (Image credit: Getty Images)

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Why Eddie Howe is in an elite club with Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp... and Kevin Keegan

Mark White — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Last week, Eddie Howe called time on his Newcastle United tenure – a luxury that not many managers get these days.

Even the best among them face the sack: since Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the top of the game with a Premier League title, five championship-winning bosses have been sacked, including Claudio Ranieri (who achieved the impossible by winning the league) and Arne Slot (who was employed by a club that famously gives a long leash to their managers).

Even the likes of Sir Bobby Robson, Jose Mourinho and Marcelo Bielsa have been utterly adored in English football by fans of Newcastle United, Chelsea and Leeds United respectively, with each of them forced out of their roles.

The elite club of managers to have NEVER been sacked

Pep Guardiola left at the top (Image credit: Getty Images)

When you're the best, you often get to leave on your terms – and there's no finer example than Pep Guardiola, who stepped aside from Manchester City of his own accord earlier this summer.

Of course, the Catalan did the same thing at Bayern Munich to take the City job, and was a rare case of a Barcelona manager choosing to leave himself, after four years of winning everything in the game at Camp Nou.

Jurgen Klopp left four jobs in a row (Image credit: Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, has technically left his last four jobs: recently swapping his advisory role at Red Bull for the German national team, just a couple of years on from amicably splitting from Anfield.

Despite a tricky final season at Borussia Dortmund, he had enough credit in the bank to choose to go himself, while in 2008, a 40-year-old Klopp resigned from Mainz 05, after failing to secure promotion.

Howe's career shows something similar, with his Newcastle departure mirroring his Bournemouth exit of 2020, after the Cherries failed to secure survival on the final day of the season in lockdown.

Remarkably though, Howe has never been sacked: in 2012, he explained the “personal reasons” that had led him to resign at Burnley and return to Dean Court, less than two years after the Clarets had agreed compensation to hire Howe at Turf Moor.

It's fitting to remember the recently passed Kevin Keegan, too, while talking about those never sacked.

Kevin Keegan was never sacked (Image credit: Getty Images)

In 1997, Keegan took the bold step of stating he had taken Newcastle as far as he possibly could, before taking the Fulham job later that year.

Keegan would be in charge in West London for two years, eventually stepping aside when the England job became available in 1999 – but despite the disaster of Euro 2000, he actually quit himself, infamously resigning in the tunnel months later, following a 1-0 loss to Germany.

He would retire from management in 2005 at Man City, and in 2008, he resigned from a second stint at St. James' Park over disagreements with his employers. Truly, an anomaly in the modern game.

Can you think of any other elite managers who were never sacked? Let us know in the comments…

Bournemouth have waved goodbye to Andoni Iraola, but will they continue to build upon the fine work he laid down? - Bournemouth 2026-27 season preview

Tom Prentki — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:51:38 +0000

Bournemouth face a challenge that few would have imagined a decade ago: balancing the demands of the Premier League with a first European campaign. It's another landmark in their remarkable rise, but sustaining this progress will be even harder.

That's especially true as Andoni Iraola has left, marking the end of the club's most successful chapter yet. Bournemouth, however, are accustomed to managing change.

The appointment of Marco Rose reflects a club that plans ahead, and there is confidence that the foundations built in recent years can withstand another transition.

Bournemouth prepare for their busiest season yet, without the guidance of the man who took them there - 2026-27 season preview

Bournemouth have a tough season ahead. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The biggest question concerns depth. Thursday-night football will place fresh demands on a squad that has already lost key players, making recruitment and rotation crucial decisions.

Bournemouth's first-choice XI has shown that it can compete with anyone; how this squad manages to cope with the additional workload could define their campaign.

Andoni Iraola has moved on to manage Liverpool. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ambitions continue to grow on and off the pitch, including plans to expand the Vitality Stadium and increase capacity beyond its current 12,000.

Bournemouth are still one of the Premier League's smallest clubs by most traditional measures, yet the mood around Dorset is one of optimism.

The target is no longer to merely establish themselves in the top flight, but to prove they belong among its most progressive clubs.

The Coach

Iraola is a tough act to follow, but Marco Rose arrives with Champions League pedigree from Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, plus a reputation for developing elite young talent. He's a good tactical fit, too. Can he preserve the Cherries' upward trajectory?

Marco Rose is the man in charge. (Image credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Key Player

Alex Scott, 22, has long been viewed as a future England international, and interest from elsewhere has been growing in recent months. If he stays and Rose can unlock his potential in the final third, the midfielder will have all of the tools to be Bournemouth's driving force.

Alex Scott is a joy to watch. (Image credit: AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 6th

FA CUP: Third Round

LEAGUE CUP: Second Round

Top Scorer

Eli Junior Kroupi bagged 13 goals in all competitions for Bournemouth last season.

The Cherries will be without their star bagsman for three to four months, after suffering a foot injury in pre-season.

Kroupi was electric last season. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lessons From Last Year

Fast finishes can't always erase slow starts. Once Iraola's pressing game clicked, Bournemouth could trouble anyone, but their early inconsistency left them chasing – though that was hardly surprising, given the turnover of players last summer.

If the Cherries can begin 2026-27 with the same intensity and clarity shown in the spring, European qualification becomes a more realistic target. Rose's early appointment should help.

Bournemouth's 2025-26 season. (Image credit: Unknown)

Most Likely To...

Turn your corner into their counter. Bournemouth are one of the most aggressive transition teams in the league, able to transform a routine interception into a clear chance in seconds. That won't change under Rose, who has spent most of his coaching career in the high-press, high-energy Red Bull setup – first in Salzburg, later at Leipzig.

Bournemouth are a counter-attacking juggernaut. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Panic when someone leaves for a bigger club. Losing key figures has become part of life for the Cherries, and they have set the benchmark in succession planning.

Iraola may be gone, but Bournemouth aren't panicking. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: SAM DAVIS - @afcbpodcast

Last season was bizarre but brilliant – a pulsating start, a dreadful run, then half a season unbeaten.

The big talking point is our managerial switch. Andoni Iraola deciding to leave is a big loss, but his replacement, Marco Rose, has good pedigree.

Marco Rose has big shoes to fill.

Our key player will be Alex Scott. The Guernsey Grealish has it all.

The active player I'd love to have back is Antoine Semenyo – although we haven't actually lost a league game since he left for Man City in January.

Look out for James Hill. For a £1m signing from Fleetwood Town, the boy has bags of potential.

The departing player I'm saddest about is Marcos Senesi. He was superb.

Fans think our owner is delivering in every single department: new training ground, ongoing stadium redevelopment, and now Europe within four years after promising it in five.

Life is good for Bournemouth fans. (Image credit: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

The one change I'd make at our club would be a tangible matchday ticket. You can't stick a QR code in your scrapbook.

A social media account to follow is Alexander Smith (@AlexSmithEcho). I've never seen a sports writer work so hard.

The pantomime villain will be Richard Keys. Not so long ago, he said, “There is no ‘next level' for Bournemouth – this is it.” We'll reminisce on that soundbite over a beer in some European square.

We'll finish 13th, as we manage Europe. Playing more, increasingly intense games, against better opponents, the squad will be tested more than ever.

Fixtures

AUGUST

23 Man City (A)

29 Everton (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Newcastle (A)

12 Brentford (H)

19 Liverpool (H)

OCTOBER

10 Chelsea (A)

17 Sunderland (H)

24 Man United (A)

31 Leeds (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Ipswich (A)

21 Nott'm Forest (H)

28 Fulham (A)

DECEMBER

2 Brighton (H)

5 Hull City (H)

12 Arsenal (A)

19 Coventry (H)

26 Tottenham (A)

30 Crystal Palace (A)

JANUARY

2 Aston Villa (H)

6 Brighton (A)

16 Ipswich (H)

23 Nott'm Forest (A)

30 Fulham (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Leeds (A)

10 Aston Villa (A)

20 Crystal Palace (H)

27 Coventry (A)

MARCH

3 Tottenham (H)

13 Newcastle (H)

20 Brentford (A)

APRIL

10 Man City (H)

17 Everton (A)

24 Arsenal (H)

MAY

1 Hull City (A)

8 Man United (H)

15 Sunderland (A)

23 Chelsea (H)

30 Liverpool (A)

Title Odds

Bournemouth to win the 2026/27 Premier League title odds: 300/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Bournemouth to finish 11th.

For two years, Bournemouth have performed like a top-six side while losing great players. Can they do it after losing a great manager? Rose should slot in well, but the Europa League will limit his training time.

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

Unai Emery's Europa League champions are the most likely non-Big 6 side to disturb the Premier League title race - Aston Villa 2026-27 season preview

Mat Kendrick — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:47:04 +0000

Rule 1: Unai Emery is always right. Rule 2: If Unai Emery is wrong, see Rule 1.

It's a football fan's prerogative to have trust issues when things go awry. So, when Aston Villa failed to win any of their first five league games last term, some asked if the wheels had fallen off Emery's bandwagon.

The answer was a resounding no, in the form of the Europa League trophy garnished with a top-four finish.

Unai Emery's men are a trophy-winning unit, so, can they replicate that success this season? Aston Villa 2026-27 season preview

The standard has been set for Aston Villa. (Image credit: UEFA via Getty Images)

Unai Emery is always right. It's both a blessing and a curse. He has lifted Villa to their highest heights since they were European champions in 1982.

The curse: he is so central to the club that, for supporters, contemplating life without the Basque gaffer one day feels like mourning the family pet while it's still alive and kicking.

Unai Emery is always right. (Image credit: Alamy)

The key is convincing Emery that he can achieve everything he wants at Villa Park. That elusive silverware – a tangible reward for Villa's transformation under him – was a start.

Securing European football for a fourth successive year is another major factor in his continued contentment in B6.

What next? A domestic trophy? A Premier League title tilt? A crack at winning the Champions League?

His genius has consistently moved Villa closer to the elite, despite the bigger boys' financial advantages.

With Emery, fans dare to dream that anything is possible. And, at Villa, Emery seems to believe that anything is possible. See Rule 1.

The Coach

If Villa's redeveloped North Stand were to include a Mount Rushmore of managers, Unai Emery would take his rightful place alongside '80s icons Ron Saunders and Tony Barton. In the past four decades, he's the only gaffer to deliver a trophy and a Champions League place.

Unai Emery worked his usual Europa League magic with Aston Villa last season. (Image credit: UEFA via Getty Images)

Key Player

Signed from Hibs for around £2.7m eight years ago, John McGinn has truly established himself as Villa's Captain Marvel (though the fans prefer to call him BraveArse). The generously bottomed Scot is a club icon, from his upside-down goggles celebration to trophy lifts.

John McGinn is a Villa legend. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Last Season's Results

PREMIER LEAGUE: 4th

FA CUP: Fourth Round

LEAGUE CUP: Third Round

EUROPA LEAGUE: Winners

Top Scorer

Ollie Watkins bagged 21 goals in all competitions for Aston Villa last season, matching Viktor Gyokeres' total for a Premier League-winning Arsenal side.

The England international scored five of those in the Europa League, en-route to his side's competition victory.

He ended his season with back-to-back braces against Liverpool and Manchester City, in his final two domestic games of the campaign.

When Ollie Watkins is on it, he's electric. (Image credit: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)

Lesson From Last Year

The 4-0 evisceration of Nottingham Forest in the second leg of the Europa League semi-finals was the most ferocious atmosphere that Villa Park has produced in a generation.

Villa must strive to repeat that vibe routinely, and not just on the big nights.

Groans about increased ticket prices are completely justified. But with the North Stand closed for its long-overdue makeover, capacity temporarily drops from 43,000 to 37,000, which puts extra onus on those fans lucky enough to get inside to really bring the noise.

Aston Villa's 2025-26 season. (Image credit: Unknown)

Most Likely To...

Award a penalty to Villa: traffic wardens. There's more chance of the players' car park being ticketed by overly officious hi-vis-wearing jobsworths than a Premier League referee giving Emery's team a spot-kick.

The last one was scored by Marcus Rashford at the Etihad, which shows how long ago it was.

Emery is often frustrated with penalties not being awarded for his team. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Least Likely To...

Get a statue: Harvey Elliott. And that's despite the loanee staying very still for almost all of 2025-26.

Harvey Elliot is back with Liverpool, now. (Image credit: Getty Images)

View From The Stands

Words by: PHILIP GENNOY

Last season was a huge success for Unai Emery and his squad. Finishing fourth, qualifying for the Champions League and lifting the Europa League was incredible, given the ongoing PSR compliance issues behind the scenes.

This season will be different because we'll play it with three stands! We're knocking down the North Stand to take the capacity over 50,000 for 2027-28 and the Euros.

Aston Villa lift the Europa League trophy. (Image credit: Ozan KOSE / AFP via Getty Images)

The big talking point is who Emery must sacrifice to comply with PSR.

Our key player will be Youri Tielemans.

The active played I'd love to have back is Jacob Ramsey. As one of our own, he is missed.

The best thing about matchdays at our ground is Villa Park being one of the few iconic, historic English stadiums that remain today.

The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is the Vitality Stadium. It shouldn't be a Premier League ground! Bournemouth – and the rest of us – deserve better.

The Vitality Stadium is the worst stadium in the Premier League, says Philip Gennoy. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The opposition player I'd love here is Gabriel, a world-class centre-back.

Our biggest grudge match will be against Coventry, possibly, as our only local rivals left in the division now. We haven't faced them in the Premier League for 25 years.

A social media account to follow is the podcast @MyOldManSaid, which continues to objectively call out big issues at Villa.

We'll finish in the top six – ideally in the top four – with good runs in Europe and both domestic cups.

Fixtures

AUGUST

23 Brighton (A)

29 Arsenal (H)

SEPTEMBER

5 Hull City (A)

12 Nott'm Forest (H)

19 Tottenham (A)

OCTOBER

10 Brentford (H)

17 Newcastle (A)

24 Man City (H)

31 Fulham (H)

NOVEMBER

7 Man United (A)

21 Sunderland (H)

28 Ipswich (A)

DECEMBER

2 Everton (H)

5 Crystal Palace (H)

12 Coventry (A)

19 Chelsea (A)

26 Leeds (H)

30 Liverpool (H)

JANUARY

2 Bournemouth (A)

6 Everton (A)

16 Man United (H)

23 Fulham (A)

30 Ipswich (H)

FEBRUARY

6 Sunderland (A)

10 Bournemouth (H)

20 Leeds (A)

27 Chelsea (H)

MARCH

3 Liverpool (A)

13 Hull City (H)

20 Nott'm Forest (A)

APRIL

10 Brighton (H)

17 Arsenal (A)

24 Coventry (H)

MAY

1 Crystal Palace (A)

8 Brentford (A)

15 Newcastle (H)

23 Man City (A)

30 Tottenham (H)

Title Odds

Aston Villa to win the 2026/27 Premier League title odds: 33/1

FFT Verdict

FourFourTwo verdict: Aston Villa to finish 6th.

Even with Morgan Rogers' heroics, can Emery juggle the Champions League with securing qualification again, while refreshing the squad on a PSR budget with fewer fans at Villa Park? If anyone can…

This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.

These World Cup 2026 trends MUST continue this season to make Premier League fun again

James Roberts — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:33:51 +0000

There were certain elements of this summer’s World Cup that many of us were glad to see the back of.

Hydration breaks, half-time shows and Argentina’s hatchet men certainly didn’t improve the spectacle, unless you like commercial breaks, the Superbowl and borderline GBH.

But cut through the nonsense and World Cup 2026 was a thrilling tournament on the pitch - and a welcome antidote to a Premier League season that many fans found a tough watch. So, what can England’s top flight learn from the Greatest Show on Earth? Here are five World Cup trends we would like to see in 2026/27 to make the Premier League fun again.

Time’s up for time-wasting

FIFA chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina (Image credit: Getty Images)

We all know how expensive it is to watch football these days, but last season’s Premier League offered arguably the worst value for money in the competition’s history.

In March, Opta revealed that the average ball-in-play time was just 55 minutes and 31 seconds per match, or 55.3 per cent, the second-lowest proportion since they started collecting such data in 2006. Meanwhile, the average delay before each restart reached a new high of 29.2 seconds, although the time spent waiting for VAR decisions played a part in this.

That changed at the World Cup, though, after FIFA - led by chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina - implemented several measures to combat time-wasting, including a five-second countdown if a player is taking too long over a goal kick or a throw-in, a maximum of 10 seconds for substituted players to leave the pitch, and forcing players to stay off the field for at least one minute (up from 30 seconds) after receiving treatment.

It contributed to an average ball-in-play time of 59 minutes and 35 seconds, giving those fans who had paid the eye-wateringly high ticket prices a little more bang for their buck.

Many of these measures are set to be implemented in the Premier League and EFL, so if they are enforced properly, it will create a better product.

Keeping keepers in check

Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (Image credit: Getty Images)

We’ve all been there. Your team is pushing for an equaliser and during a break in play the opposition goalkeeper drops to the floor, before signalling to the bench that he needs treatment.

While the physio gets to work, players from both teams head to the technical area to take on tactical instructions. When play resumes, with the goalkeeper miraculously back on his feet, the trailing team’s momentum has gone and a couple more minutes have been eaten up.

These tactical time-outs seemed to become more common last season, with Leeds United manager Daniel Farke even publicly accusing Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" last November.

Football’s lawmakers went some way to tackle this during the World Cup, telling referees to stop players going to the technical area when a goalkeeper is receiving treatment. Now, English football has gone even further.

As part of a trial introduced for the new season, an outfield player must leave the pitch for a minimum of one minute when a goalkeeper needs treatment, reducing the advantage to those who use the tactic. It’s a small rule, but it could make a big difference.

Stamp out the set-piece scrum

Premier League champions Arsenal were masters of the set-piece last season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Arguably the defining trend of the 2025/26 Premier League season was the number of goals from set-pieces.

Champions Arsenal were the masters of this particular art, scoring 25 times from set-pieces (excluding penalties) and setting a new record for goals from corners in a single season (19).

It became a common sight to see almost all 22 players crammed into the penalty area when a corner was taken, with bodies falling like skittles as they jostled for position.

This was another area that FIFA looked to crack down on at the World Cup, with referees told to get tough on grappling, pushing and goalkeeper blocking. As a result, penalty areas were noticeably less crowded when corners were taken.

On an anecdotal level, it still appears that attacking teams are penalised more harshly than defenders (Erling Haaland may well have got away with pushing Elliot Anderson in Norway’s quarter-final defeat by England if he was in his own box) but the problem will only go away if referees continue to punish it.

If you don’t shoot…

Enzo Fernandez celebrates his long-range strike for Argentina against England (Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the many enjoyable aspects of the World Cup was the return of the good old-fashioned screamer.

In total, 43 of the 308 goals at the tournament were scored from outside the box. That equates to 16 per cent, double the rate of Qatar 2022.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor and Newcastle United forward Anthony Elanga were among those to score from long range during the tournament, so don’t be surprised if they try their luck a few times in the early weeks of the season.

The number of goals scored from outside the box in the Premier League has long been on the decline, down from 22.3 per cent in 2006/07 to just over 13 per cent last term, although that was a slight increase on the previous campaign. Let's hope this is the start of an upturn in screamers.

Good old 4-4-2

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti was one of several managers to play 4-4-2 (Image credit: Getty Images)

It would be wrong to conclude a FourFourTwo article without a nod to the formation that gave this publication its name.

4-4-2 was widely-used in the 1990s and early 2000s, but in the past two decades it has fallen out of fashion.

However, the formation is steadily becoming popular again, a trend that continued at the World Cup - and that’s good news.

Brazil and Morocco were among several teams to set up in a 4-4-2 out of possession, sitting in a mid-block rather than defending deep or pressing high. This resulted in bigger gaps in between the lines, leaving more space for attacking teams to exploit and games that were more open than many in last season's Premier League.

That was one reason for the increase in goals at this World Cup, with the average of 2.96 per game the highest figure since Mexico 1970 (2.97).

We all love a bit of nostalgia so that alone is enough to pine for 4-4-2, but if it makes games more exciting, we’re all for it.

How much does Gianni Infantino earn?

Mark White — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:31:00 +0000

Gianni Infantino may well be coming to the end of his time as FIFA president.

The Swiss Icarus has seen his plans to privatise the World Cup shot down by the rest of the world, with UEFA's 55 member states uniting against him, and votes of ‘no confidence’ about to trickle in from FIFA's members.

The 56-year-old was planning to set himself up with a $30 million salary post-FIFA, according to The Times – which is substantially more than he currently pockets.

How much is Gianni Infantino worth?

Infantino has very rich mates (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to FIFA, Infantino's base salary is around £2.39m (Fr.2.6m), with a variable salary of approximately £2m (Fr.2.2m) – and is permitted £22,1000 (Fr.24,000) in flat-rate allowances.

While figures of the FIFA president's net worth fluctuate as much as his moral compass, it's estimated that Infantino is worth at least £10m – though that could be as much as £25m.

Is Infantino leaving FIFA? (Image credit: Alamy)

Infantino has been in his role for a decade now, following on from a career in UEFA's upper echelons.

The son of Italian immigrants, the Inter Milan supporter studied law at the University of Fribourg, and became Secretary General of the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) at the University of Neuchatel in the late 1990s.

In August 2000, Infantino was appointed as the Director of UEFA's Legal Affairs and Club Licensing Division, before stepping up to Secretary General of UEFA in October 2009, two years after landing the deputy job, where he was responsible for expanding the European Championship to 24 teams.

Shortly after his election as FIFA president in 2016 – following FIFA's corruption case of 12 months prior that had led to Sepp Blatter's downfall – Infantino was named in documents released as part of the Panama Papers leak.

Documents revealed that Infantino, while serving as UEFA’s senior legal official, co-signed a TV-rights deal with a firm later tied to the US FIFA corruption probe – a link UEFA had previously denied – with Infantino expressing “dismay” over the reports, insisting he never dealt directly with any of the indicted parties.

Gianni Infantino (L) sat alongside Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Infantino remains a highly contentious figure, with his image routinely booed at the 2026 World Cup.

Among his controversies, the FIFA president has been criticised for cosying up with US president Donald Trump, even inventing the nonsensical ‘FIFA Peace Prize’ award to give to his confidant, after Trump was snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize.

FIFA’s revenue has more than doubled under Infantino's leadership, with governing body expecting to bring in $14bn during the 2027–2030 cycle, allocating approximately 20 per cent ($2.7bn) back to national member associations through its FIFA Forward initiative.

Quiz! Can you name the authors of these footballer autobiographies?

Chris Nee — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:31:39 +0000

It's time for another football quiz from FourFourTwo and this one's for lovers of football literature.

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PLAY NOW You can play all FourFourTwo quizzes right HERE

We all love to thumb through the autobiography of a former footballer every now and again, and some of the titles are more imaginative than you might think. So, we've picked out 12 footballer autobiographies credited to ex-players who didn't settle for 'My Story' and given you 3 minutes to identify who wrote each one.

Let us know your score below. We're expecting maximums. Don't let us down!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has a vast warehouse full of football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. First up, we want you to name every member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad and the top 100 goalscorers in the history of the Premier League.

If you're in the mood for a picture quiz, we've got a delightful dip into history that should be right up your street. We want you to name 20 of the biggest stars of World Cup 1994, the first time the competition was played in the United States. There are some kits and hairstyles you're bound to enjoy.

We also want you to name every Premier League player to have been nominated for the Ballon d'Or since 2000 and identify these team line-ups from the nationalities of the players alone.

If you're more of a puzzler, we can recommend FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 64. There are clues on Champions League finals, Olympic medallists, and name-dropping rappers. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Quickfire Quiz 171: Can you answer 10 questions in 90 seconds?

Chris Nee — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:15:10 +0000

You've got a mere 90 seconds to answer these 10 football trivia questions. It's a brand new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

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QUICKFIRE QUIZ Play more Quickfire Quizzes

FourFourTwo has a whole load more football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. Let's start by asking you to name England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad and the top 100 goalscorers in the history of the Premier League.

We also want to know whether you can name every Premier League player nominated for the Ballon d'Or since 2000. If you're a keen flag enthusiast, you'll be a dab hand at this quiz asking you to guess these teams from the nationalities of their players.

The career path is a mainstay of football trivia and we've gone big for our latest career path quiz, which challenges you to name a whopping 100 players from the clubs where they've played first team football.

Only 13 players have won both the World Cup and the Ballon d'Or. Can you name them all in just three minutes?

Finally, can you name every Champions League hat-trick scorer since 1992 and the players with most goals and assists in the history of the rebranded competition?

If you still want more, we have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for any relaxed Sunday morning, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits too!

How to watch Leeds United vs Liverpool: Live stream details as Premier League duo round off US tour in Chicago

James Roberts — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Watch Leeds United vs Liverpool today as the Premier League duo breeze into the 'Windy City' of Chicago for the third and final game of their respective US tours, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Leeds United vs Liverpool: key information

Date: Sunday, August 2
Kick-off time: 9:00pm BST / 4:00pm ET / 6:00am AEST (Mon)
TV & Streaming: All Red Video (14-day free trial), LUTV (worldwide except US) / ESPN (USA)
Watch from anywhere: Get 75% off with NordVPN

Andoni Iraola continues to fine-tune his squad ahead of his first season as Reds manager, having already guided Liverpool through friendlies against Sunderland and Wrexham in Nashville and New York respectively.

Leeds also faced the Black Cats and the Red Dragons in the first two games of their summer trip and this clash at Soldier Field will provide a useful barometer of each team's condition ahead of the new Premier League campaign, which is just three weeks away.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Leeds United vs Liverpool online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Leeds United vs Liverpool for free?

Although Leeds United vs Liverpool is not technically available to watch for free, new users on All Red Video - Liverpool's official streaming platform - get a 14-day free trial, enabling them to stream this pre-season friendly at no cost. Please note that this game will not be available on All Red Video in the US.

Fans in Australia can also stream the game on beIN SPORTS Connect, which includes a 7-day free trial.

Abroad for Leeds United vs Liverpool? Use NordVPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Leeds United vs Liverpool from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Leeds United vs Liverpool. The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

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How to watch Leeds United vs Liverpool in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Leeds United vs Liverpool through both clubs' in-house streaming platforms.

As mentioned above, the game can be streamed on All Red Video. The monthly plan includes a 14-day free trial for new users and then costs £4.99 per month. You can also buy a season subscription to All Red Full for £42.99, but this does not include the free trial.

Fans can also watch the pre-season friendly if they buy a LUTV match pass for £5 through Leeds' official website. Like All Red Video, the game is not available to watch on LUTV in the US.

In the US for Leeds United vs Liverpool? Use NordVPN to access your usual streams.

Watch Leeds United vs Liverpool in the US

Viewers in the United States can stream Leeds United vs Liverpool on the ESPN Deportes channel and via ESPN Select.

ESPN Select will stream a range of competitions live this season, including the FA Cup, La Liga and Bundesliga, and they'll also have coverage of this pre-season friendly between Leeds United and Liverpool. With plans starting from just $12.99 per month, it's an ideal time to sign up and get ready for the 2026/27 campaign.

How to watch Leeds United vs Liverpool in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Leeds United vs Liverpool live through Stan Sport and beIN SPORTS Connect.

Stan Sport subscriptions start at AU$32, which includes the base plan ($12) with the sport add-on ($20).

Subscriptions to beIN SPORTS cost AU$14.99 per month or AU$149.99 per year, with both options including a 7-day free trial.

Travelling outside Australia? Use a VPN to login to your Stan Sport or beIN SPORTS Connect account.

Leeds United vs Liverpool: Preview

After a 3-2 defeat by Championship side Wrexham and clash with Premier League rivals Sunderland, Leeds United will aim to finish their US tour with a bang against Liverpool in Chicago.

The Whites head into the new campaign aiming to consolidate their position in the top flight after last season's 14th-place finish, and they have bolstered their squad with the signings of out-of-contract Fulham playmaker Harry Wilson and Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic.

Supporters got their first chance to see Wilson in Leeds colours when he came on as a second-half substitute against Wrexham and the Welshman could feature against the club he joined at Under 9 level.

Daniel Farke's side have just three pre-season friendlies left after this game, with home fixtures against German sides RB Leipzig and Augsburg scheduled for the next two weekends, either side of an historic meeting with Manchester United at Dublin's iconic Croke Park stadium.

This US tour has not been completely smooth for new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, with defender Joe Gomez forced off with a muscle injury just eight minutes into the 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Nashville last weekend.

The Reds otherwise came through that match unscathed as they made a winning start under the former Bournemouth boss, who was already short of options at centre back. They then followed that up with a 1-0 win over Wrexham, with Rio Ngumoha netting the winner in the second half.

The good news is that Jeremy Jacquet could make his debut at the heart of the defence following his £60m move from French club Rennes, with the 21-year-old eased into action having not played since February following a season-ending shoulder injury. Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch could also feature for the first time under Iraola after joining the tour late following the World Cup.

After this clash, Liverpool will fly home before facing Monaco and Como at Anfield on the next two Sundays, as they make their final preparations for their Premier League opener at Newcastle United on Sunday, August 23.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Leeds United 1-2 Liverpool

This should be a closely-fought contest as both teams build up their pre-season minutes, so it could go either way.

“I hope Leeds can entrench themselves in the top flight and one day return to the Champions League, where they belong” Lucas Radebe on seeing his former side on the rise again

Joe Mewis — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

As Leeds United gear up for their second season back in the Premier League, last year's 14th-place finish has left supporters daring to dream that the club are on the path to re-establishing themselves as a Premier League force.

And it's not just the fans who are harbouring these ambitions, with the club's legendary former captain Lucas Radebe also hoping that his old side can soon return to their former glories.

The South African skippered the side in the Champions League at the start of the millennium and believes the club belong in Europe's biggest club competition.

Radebe on his hopes for Leeds

Leeds returned to the Premier League with a 14th-place finish last season (Image credit: Getty Images)

"It’s going to be challenging for Leeds during the 2026-27 season in terms of competing and staying in the league," Radebe tells FourFourTwo when asked about the upcoming campaign.

"But hopefully in the future the club can entrench itself and someday qualify for the Champions League, and get back to where it belongs," he adds as his thoughts turn to those big European nights at Elland Road.

Farke is gearing up for his fourth season in charge of Leeds (Image credit: Getty Images)

"Throughout the years that I was there, we competed in the Champions League and had hopes of winning the Premier League. Hopefully we will bring those glory days back to the club.

Boss Daniel Farke is gearing up for his fourth season in charge of the Whites and Radebe believes manager and club are a perfect fit.

"The current manager, Daniel Farke, is a great person and fantastic boss. He isn’t a typical big-club manager, but is somebody well-suited to Leeds, whose fans are passionate about their football and want to see their team competing in the Premier League for the long haul once again."

Radebe was still a Leeds player when he retired in 2005, but remains a regular visitor to Elland Road and was officially named as a club ambassador last year and has been invited to speak at the club's academy to impart his wisdom to Leeds' young hopefuls.

"I sometimes pinch myself just to wake up and realise that it’s really me who receives such a great welcome," he continues.

Radebe is now a club ambassador (Image credit: Getty Images)

"From nowhere, I became a household name in such a great club and beautiful city. It was an honour and privilege to return and be involved in a way that I could impart my experience and share my history with the academy youngsters – it had been a long time since I was at the club.

"There is obviously a change of personnel and everything is different now. But to have been reintroduced at Leeds with the current players, staff and academy was absolutely amazing. I felt the value they see in me being able to contribute positively to the club. Then heading to the Radebe Suite and seeing the passion of the Leeds fans – to the point they tattoo their bodies with my face – it’s another level. I didn’t set out to be a legend, but to play football and showcase my talent, and doing that at Leeds was a dream come true.

"I also know about the Radebeer, which has been brewed in my honour, although I don’t actually drink alcohol myself!"

"Rafa Benitez decided he wanted a different keeper and I had to leave through the back door. That’s the only regret, that I wasn’t able to leave Newcastle organically” Tim Krul opens up on his Newcastle United exit

Joe Mewis — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Over the course of more than a decade, Tim Krul became one of the most popular players at Newcastle United, as he rose through the ranks at St James’ Park.

The Dutch goalkeeper turned out more than 180 times for the Magpies, producing countless memorable moments for the club, before his spell at Tyneside came to a premature end following an injury while on international duty.

As the 38-year-old looks back at his career, he has just one lingering regret - not being able to have said his goodbyes to the Newcastle faithful on his terms.

Krul on his Newcastle exit

Krul became a fans' favourite at St James' Park

By 2015, Krul had been established as the Newcastle No.1 for five years, but would suffer a serious knee injury while on international duty with the Netherlands.

“I came for a cross and Virgil van Dijk gave me a little nudge when we went for the same ball,” he recalls to FourFourTwo. “I was off-balance and tore my ACL.

Krul made 15 appearances for the Netherlands (Image credit: Laurens Lindhout/Soccrates/Getty Images)

“I’m a believer that things happen for a reason. It changed me as a person. It was a difficult time because it was a long project, especially with new managers coming in.

“It took more than 14 months to get rid of the pain in my knee. It was mentally very tough.”

During this period, Krul had to combine the physical recovery with a mental battle, as he faced up to the prospect that the injury could even end his career.

“There are always doubts,” he admits. “That’s why I had to go back to Holland, on loan with AZ Alkmaar, to get that feeling back.”

This spell saw him reach the Dutch Cup final, and although his side lost 2-0 to Vitesse Arnhem, it was key in his recovery.

“I had to play. It was a difficult time, but I had a good experience in Holland. I’d always wanted to tick that off and got to play a cup final with AZ.”

Krul had to leave the club on loan following his knee injury (Image credit: PA)

The 15-time Netherlands international was then ready to return to St James’, only to discover the club had moved in a different direction.

“Rafa Benitez, the Newcastle manager by that stage, decided he wanted a different keeper and I had to leave through the back door,” Krul continues.

“That’s the only regret, that I was never able to leave organically. I had to force a deal to go to Brighton to save my career, because it wasn’t going to happen under Rafa.”

“Spurs wanted me to join their academy but my mum said no. I was fuming and cried non-stop that night” Michail Antonio on his path to senior football

Joe Mewis — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Michail Antonio's journey to the top of English football was anything but straightforward.

The former West Ham forward had to endure rejections, injuries and missed opportunities that threatened to derail his career before it really got going.

One of these first setbacks came at the age of just 14, when a young Antonio was offered a place at a Premier League academy.

Antonio on his early Spurs setback

A 14-year-old Antonio was offered a place at Spurs' academy (Image credit: Getty Images)

That opportunity came at Tottenham, only for his mother to turn down the chance.

"Yeah, I was playing for my school team and my teacher, Mr Watson, kind of worked with Spurs," Antonio tells FourFourTwo. "He got them to come and watch me and another player, we were both quite good.

Antonio would go on to join West Ham in 2015 (Image credit: West Ham United FC via Getty Ima)

"They scouted us and I was buzzing, thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to go to Spurs’ academy, this is the start of me becoming a professional.’"

However, when an excited teenage Antonio rushed home to tell his mum, he was handed a reality check.

"I went home to tell my mum – she wasn’t really into football and was like, “Oh, where is it?” I said North London, and she asked, “So when are you going to be going there?”

"I was like, “Every day after school.” She said, “What time will you be getting back?” I said, “Around 11 or 12.”

For Antonio's mother, this was unacceptable, and she would leave little room for negotiation.

Antonio has been capped 24 times by Jamaica (Image credit: Unknown)

"She said, “No, no chance. Your education comes first, there’s no way that we’re putting your education at risk for football, which isn’t a guarantee.”

Any protests were quickly shot down.

"She was like, “Go upstairs to your bed, you ain’t going nowhere, mate.” I was fuming! I was crying that night non-stop, I thought she’d taken my dream away from me…"

Michail Antonio’s autobiography 'Humans Not Robots', published by HarperCollins, is available now

"When we heard Andres Escobar had been killed, everyone kept silent for the whole morning" How the Colombia star's murder was felt back home

Sjef van Hoof — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

June 22, 1994. A total of 93,689 fans were watching Colombia take on World Cup hosts the USA in their second group game of the tournament, packed inside the enormous Rose Bowl in LA. Unbeaten in a qualifying campaign that culminated in a stunning 5-0 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires, Colombia had their fans dreaming of becoming world champions, but a 3-1 defeat to Romania had already badly dented hopes of reaching the second phase. The pressure was on.

Colombia began well enough, Carlos Valderrama dictating play as Faustino Asprilla and Freddy Rincon searched for the goals to get them back in contention. Then, with 35 minutes gone, the USA's John Harkes crossed towards striker Ernie Stewart. Attempting to cut out the danger, 26-year-old centre-half Andres Escobar only managed to direct the ball past the stunned Oscar Cordoba for a demoralising own goal.

Early in the second half, Stewart added another, and although Adolfo Valencia bagged a consolation in the last minute, the Americans won 2-1. Four days later, Colombia overcame Switzerland 2-0, but it was too little, too late. Their World Cup hopes were over.

Escobar was just 27 years old when he was murdered (Image credit: Unknown)

AN ILL-FATED HOT DOG

Escobar's funeral took place in Medellin (Image credit: Sipa/Shutterstock)

Fearful of a hostile reception at home, many of the players stayed in the USA for a holiday, but though his family tried to convince him to take some time out in Las Vegas or at Disneyland, Escobar insisted on joining manager Francisco Maturana and his assistant Hernan Dario Gomez on the flight back to Bogota, so that he could face the Colombian public.

Things got worse during a press conference at the capital's El Dorado airport. As the media took their places like vultures around a fresh carcass, Gomez leant across and whispered to Maturana: “Look around this room, soon I will take some of these sons of bitches.” What Gomez hadn't realised was that his microphone was already on. The entire Colombian press heard his comments, and in the following day's papers they got their revenge, mercilessly lambasting the coach and his team.

Seven days after the lowest moment of his footballing career, Escobar arrived in Medellin, trying his best to look to the future. He wanted to set a date for his marriage to fiancee Pamela, and then there was the small matter of signing a contract with Italian giants Milan, who'd been impressed by his stylish displays for Colombia and Atletico Nacional.

“When we heard Andres had been killed, everyone kept silent for the whole morning”

On the evening of Friday, July 1, he dropped in at his friend Juan Galeano's house and convinced him to go out for the night. Pamela wanted to rest, so Escobar and Galeano met at the Palmitas restaurant before moving to the Padua disco, where they drank the popular Colombian firewater aguardiente with two other friends, Eduardo Rojo and his wife.

The night passed quietly until, around midnight, a group of men began to ridicule Escobar. “You scored a beautiful own goal,” shouted one, and the others began to chant: “Own goal, own goal!” Another asked: “How much did they pay you to score?” Escobar reacted half-heartedly to the provocations thrown his way.

At 1.30am, Rojo and his wife left the disco, but Escobar and Galeano stayed, eventually paying their bill at around 3am. Although they'd been drinking, each went to look for his car, so they could drive downtown to get a hot dog.

On the way to his grey Honda Civic on the far side of the car park, Escobar bumped into the same group that had provoked him earlier, among them the notorious Gallon brothers, known to local police as Medellin mafiosi.

Escobar's funeral attracted thousands of mourners (Image credit: Sipa/Shutterstock)

Again the shouting went on and on: “Own goal, own goal, own goal!” This time Escobar reacted, swearing at his tormentors and refusing to move his car to enable the brothers to reach their Toyota Land Cruiser.

Some members of the group tried to calm him down – “It's OK, you're a good guy, let's go home now” – but Escobar refused to leave. Finally, he reached his car and got into the driver's seat.

Humberto Munoz was sentenced to decades in prison for the murder (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Having lost their opener, Escobar's own goal against the USA left Colombia in a perilous spot; his death was a shock to the football world; Humberto Munoz Castro was sentenced to decades in prison; crowds line the streets for the funeral approached.

“Perhaps you don't know who you're dealing with,” he said. His brother, Juan Santiago, was quick to offer his thoughts. “Do not look for trouble with my brother, dumbo, son of a bitch,” he said. The row awakened the brothers' bodyguard, Humberto Munoz Castro. Believing his bosses were in trouble,

Fans at the World Cup match between Netherlands and Ireland (Image credit: Alamy Live News.)

Castro got out of the Land Cruiser and approached the car. He bent his head to the side window, yelled, pulled out his gun and shot Escobar six times at point-blank range. One of the bullets penetrated the footballer's heart. In the immediate aftermath, two theories were investigated by police.

First, that the shooting was attributed to gamblers incensed that Escobar's own goal had cost them huge sums of money backing Colombia.

Second, that it was merely one of the many ‘daily incidents' in crime-ridden Medellin (that same night, another 36 murders took place in the city). The first theory spread like wildfire across the world, but the second seemed the most likely. There was no serious evidence to suggest a hit. In 1994, there were an estimated 3,000 sicarios in the country – men who'd kill on request, in the way others deliver pizzas.

“After his death, I quit professional football for five years. I couldn't take the hypocrisy”

For the Gallon brothers, it would have been easy to hire a sicario to complete the job on a stolen motorbike and to avoid any connection to the incident. Nevertheless, as Escobar's body was taken to the Coliseo Ivan de Bedout indoor arena for thousands to pay their respects, the players and coaches of the Colombian national team were given round-the-clock protection by the police.

They were also banned from attending Escobar's funeral for fear of any further outbreaks of violence directed towards them. A crowd of more than 120,000 people accompanied Escobar's coffin to the Campos de Paz cemetery. A year later, Castro was sentenced to 43 years and three months in prison for manslaughter. The Gallon brothers were both jailed for 15 months for incitement.

From his cell in Itagui prison, Castro still maintained that he didn't know who he was shooting.

Children in the city play street football (Image credit: Unknown)

“THE BEST DEFENDER WE'VE HAD”

Nearly a decade later, FFT were in Colombia, when a chant went around Atanasio Girardot stadium during the city's derby between Independiente Medellin and Atletico Nacional.

“Andres Escobar, you went away but keep alive in my heart,” they sang. Between the tropical music rhythms and harsh football yells, the chanting of Escobar's name sounded something like a church mass. Away to the left, in the stand behind the goal, a banner was unfurled, reading: “Andres Escobar is still alive.”

Around the stadium, Escobar's face was just as ubiquitous as it was in 1994, when he was still pulling on the Atletico Nacional shirt. His eyes stared out from the photos printed on green Nacional kits, while street vendors sold badges, CDs and sunhats with his portrait on. Nacional fan Elisa Tamayo wore a badge of Escobar on her green top every time she went to a match. She was only seven years old when he died. “I was having breakfast with my parents and my little sister when we heard on the radio that Andres had been killed,” she told FFT. “Everyone kept silent for the whole morning. Then, in the evening, my father agreed that I could join him to pay tribute to Escobar at the Coliseo Ivan de Bedout. The mourning crowds made a deep impression on me. I still get goosepimples when we chant his name before matches.”

It was in Medellin, the city where he was born, that Escobar made his name. Between 1987 and 1994 – except for a short stay with Swiss side Young Boys – he patrolled at the heart of Nacional's defence, one of the key players in a side still remembered as the most successful in Colombian history. In 1989, Nacional won the Copa Libertadores, becoming the first club from the northern Andes countries (Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador) to become champions of South America. By the fateful summer of 1994, Escobar, together with Asprilla and Valderrama, was the backbone of the national team.

As a player, Escobar's nickname was ‘Calidad (Quality) Escobar' because of his fairness and sportsmanship. “Andres was a very intelligent player with a good overview of the pitch,” explained Victor Marulanda, once Escobar's defensive partner at Nacional. “He showed that a Colombian player can be intelligent instead of a dumbo. “For us, he was irreplaceable. For five years, we played without a number two because nobody wanted to play in his shirt. It was not until Ivan Cordoba was playing exceptionally well that we asked him to wear it.”

Escobar father shares a photo of his son (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Years after his death, the club and the city council erected a sculpture of Escobar near the stadium. A few hours after Nacional's 2-1 win against Independiente, the club's new assistant coach led a training session for those who didn't play.

The assistant was Santiago Escobar, the older brother of Andres. He promised to speak to FFT after training, but as soon as the session finished, he skipped the usual shower, jumped in his car and drove away. Lina Gomez, who lived in Calasanz in southern Medellin, where the Escobars grew up, understood why he wanted to avoid conversations about his brother. “The family had to face many difficulties after what happened,” she explained to us.

“Even at the cemetery, Andres could not find rest. His grave became a place of pilgrimage for Nacional fans. That's why they took his relics to the parish church in Calasanz. He has a small block in a wall in the crypt.” Gomez had got to know the Escobars during games in the schoolyard. “Andres was shy and was usually taken in tow by Santiago, who was the first to play for Atletico Nacional,” she said.

“But Andres followed him a few years later. We were so proud of them in Calasanz. When he made it to the first team, I started to attend all of Nacional's home matches. I just couldn't believe the news that he had been shot. It only started to become reality when I saw the funeral procession pass through our neighbourhood, and then I became very angry. “The bad guys in Medellin screw up everything for the good people. Why a dedicated, intelligent player like Andres? If Rene Higuita got shot tomorrow, it wouldn't surprise me, he mixes with the wrong people. But Andres Escobar? Ever since his death, I haven't gone back to the stadium again. I'm not interested in going any more.”

She showed us a pile of newspaper cuttings. On top was an article headlined ‘Nacional, futbol y Gloria', from a special edition of the newspaper El Colombiano covering Nacional's Copa Libertadores victory. As she placed the other articles onto the kitchen table, they formed a collage of sadness. “Antioquia bursts out crying,” one read, referencing the region around Medellin. “Unforgivable,” said another. “I can't throw them away, but it will be good if you take them,” she said. “They are of more use to you now.”

“He was the best defender that we ever had,” local Edison Gallego told us. “But they just got him.” “You must be a journalist,” smiled waiter Oscar Salcedo, when we visited the El India restaurant, situated next to the car park where Escobar was shot. “Journalists come from everywhere to visit this place – Japan, the USA, Africa. After the shooting, I put a small memory stone in the car park to give people a place to put flowers. But when they built a petrol station, it was taken away.”

Andres Escobar's grave at Campo De Paz (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

After Escobar was killed, Gonzalo Medina, a professor at the University of Antioquia, had finished a book about football in Medellin.

Swiftly, some said cynically, he changed the title to Una Gambeta a la Muerte (A Challenge of the Death) and dedicated it to Escobar. Medina had a theory as to why Escobar's killing had such a huge impact on the people of Medellin.

“Escobar was an Antioquian, and a descendant of Spanish immigrants – we Antioquians consider ourselves to be the pioneers of the Colombian nation,” he explained. “The Antioquian is a hard-working entrepreneur and a good Catholic, who wants to achieve something and help his family's future.

“Andres Escobar was an example of those traditional Antioquian values and virtues. The other famous Escobar, the drugs boss Pablo, symbolised the other Antioquia – people aiming at ruthless self-enrichment and the use of violence to achieve their goals.

“Antioquians are a people of enormous contrasts. Nowhere else across South America will you find as many Catholic priests per inhabitant, but nowhere will you find as many witches either. The killing of Andres showed us more than ever that the Antioquia we love so much consists of two worlds that live with their backs to each other. But the bad world oppresses the good and we were forced to face that.”

BROTHERLY LOVE

“How did you get this number?” asked a surprised Santiago Escobar when FFT called. “OK,” he relented, “come to our hotel on Saturday and we'll have time for a brief chat.” Two weeks later, we spoke with him at last. “After the death of Andres, I left professional football for more than five years,” he told us. “I couldn't bear the hypocrisy of it any more, I was angry and disappointed. I just played football with kids. That was my therapy. With my family, I established a football school for children from poor areas in Medellin.

"I named it after Andres and companies from Medellin supported it. But after a little while, the interest of the sponsors faded and we handed the school over to the parish of Santa Domingo. “As the years went by, friends and family kept pushing me to get involved in football again, so in 1999 I became the assistant coach at a Second Division team, and that was where I finally lost my antipathy towards the professional game. Andres was a victim of football, but it was his passion as well. The same applies to me. Now I'm back, I hope to become coach of Atletico Nacional.”

During the 20 years that followed our chat, Santiago would achieve that ambition, having two spells in charge of the team where Andres made his name – guiding them to a pair of Apertura titles in the Colombian league – and also managed 13 more clubs across South America, including Independiente Medellin. When we spoke a decade after his younger brother's murder, it still hung over Santiago like a dark cloud, but time had provided a silver lining.

“Andres' death still makes me sad, but I'm proud too,” he said. “Proud, because there are people here in Medellin who didn't know him when he was alive, but who are still shouting his name in the stadiums and being inspired by the example that he set as a sportsman. Every year on the anniversary of his death, our family get condolences from the whole world. It's strange – it makes me sad and happy at the same time.”

This feature first appeared in the August 2004 issue of FourFourTwo magazine

Pre-Match Poser no.38: Can you answer this elite-level football quiz question?

Mark White — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Pre-Match Poser time, everyone.

Which club follows next in the pattern? Everton, Arsenal, Arsenal, Leeds United…

We'll reveal the answer this time next week in the next edition of The Pre-Match Poser – stay tuned for that – but for now, here's the answer to last week's conundrum…

Q. Kevin Keegan, Bobby Robson and Sven-Goran Eriksson have done it; Gareth Southgate, Steve McLaren and Sam Allardyce have not. Thomas Tuchel hasn’t done it (but has benefitted from it). Fabio Capello did it twice. What is it?

A. We’re actually not talking about their stints as England manager: we’re talking about all-time transfers. Keegan was manager of Newcastle United when the Toon smashed the world transfer record for Alan Shearer, Robson was Barcelona boss when Ronaldo broke that record a year later, and Sven was leading Lazio when Hernan Crespo became the most expensive player ever three years after that. Southgate, McLaren and Allardyce didn’t come close to breaking transfer records – but Tuchel did manage Neymar (the current holder) at Paris Saint-Germain. Capello was manager at Milan when both Jean-Pierre Papin and Gianluigi Lentini broke the record.

More football quizzes we know you'll love

It was a tough one last week, right? Don't worry, though: we've got plenty of quizzes to keep you sharp over the next seven days as you mull over your Keegans and Capellos, this time powered by Kwizly,

We’re launching straight into opposite ends of the international spectrum: the pinnacle of individual perfection and the long, gruelling road of continental qualifying. First, we want you to trace footballing royalty by naming every Ballon d'Or winner to have won the World Cup, honouring the rare pantheon of players who conquered both individual and collective summits. Once you’ve audited the golden elite, flip the script to test your macro-level knowledge by naming every FIFA nation to never appear at the World Cup, a rigorous exam of global footballing geography that separates genuine scholars from casual tournament fans.

If your expertise leans toward visual recognition and group-stage drama, we have a formidable double-header waiting in the tunnel. Put your spatial memory to work by trying to name every World Cup nation's flag, before diving into the history books to name every nation to have reached a World Cup... and failed to make it out the group stage.

Fancy another one? Course you do. FourFourTwo’s Weekend Crossword 63 this week features playmakers, places and Euro '28, as we hone in on hosts and future tournament folklore. To ensure you stay sharp for every matchday, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To complete your transfer to the elite tier, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest questions, climb global leaderboards, and join the debate directly in the comments.

“I fell in love with Aston Villa watching clips of English football on TV in the early ’80s – I promised my son I’d get a Villa tattoo when they won promotion in 2019” Gianluca Pagliuca explains his love for Aston Villa

Joe Mewis — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Gianluca Pagliuca is synonymous with Italian football, with the former Sampdoria and Inter goalkeeper most famous for his exploits with Italy during the 1994 World Cup.

But despite spending his whole career playing in his homeland, there is a special place in the Bologna-born stopper’s heart for one English club.

During his career, Pagliuca came close to joining Aston Villa and more than four decades on, the Villans hold a special place in his heart.

Pagliuca on his love for Aston Villa

Pagliuca was in goal for Italy in the 1994 World Cup final (Image credit: Getty Images)

The 59-year-old first fell for the West Midlanders as a youngster, long before the club were in for him and long before the English top flight became the all-conquering global success now known as the Premier League.

“I fell in love with Aston Villa watching clips of English football on TV in the early ’80s,” Pagliuca tells FourFourTwo.

Pagliuca won 39 Italy caps between 1991 and 1998 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“I remember those claret-and-blue colours and their title race with Ipswich in 1981.”

It would be 18 years later in 1999 that Villa, then under the stewardship of manager John Gregory, came calling.

“After my time at Inter, before I agreed to join Bologna, I got a call from Villa,” he recalls. “Back then, the Premier League wasn’t what it is today – Serie A was the world’s top league.”

What seemed like a logical decision at the time, given the respective strength of each league at the time, is now a source of regret for the 39-time Italy international.

“If I were playing now, or could go back in time, I’d seize that kind of opportunity immediately – especially in England, which has always fascinated me, but also abroad in general.”

Pagliuca remains a huge Villa fan to this day (Image credit: Getty Images)

Although that move to Villa Park never materialised, Pagliuca’s affection for the club has only grown stronger over the years, culminating in a permanent reminder of what they mean to him.

“In 2019, before Villa won the play-off final against Derby, I promised my son that, if they got promoted to the Premier League, I’d tattoo their crest on my right arm,” he admits.

“And I did! Even today, I still check their results automatically – it’s a habit I care about.”

“I’ve known Joe Cole since the age of 10 – he’d rip players apart even then. I was in awe of him” Ashley Cole on his respect for his friend and ex-England team-mate

Joe Mewis — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

After lining up alongside each other 126 times for club and country, Joe Cole and Ashley Cole shared plenty of career highlights, whether that was winning trophies with Chelsea or as part of England’s so-called ‘Golden Generation’ in the mid-2000s.

But the pair’s connection goes further back than this, with Ashley distinctly remembering the first time he saw Joe in action, long before either was anywhere near their Premier League breakthroughs.

And what the young Ashley saw left him in awe.

Joe and Ashley Cole alongside Carlton Cole

Asked by FourFourTwo why the pair get on so well, Ashley is quick to make a joke.

“Do we get on?” he asked before both former players broke out into laughter. “I’ve known Joey since the age of 10.

Cole joined Chelsea in 2003, three years before Ashley arrived at Stamford Bridge (Image credit: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

“My brother played for a local team that played down that way and I got the opportunity to watch Joe literally rip players at that age!”

Indeed, Joe’s talent was clear from an early age, with the young playermaker’s reputation spreading across the youth football circuit in London long before he was snapped up by West Ham United and became one of the country’s best young players.

“So I knew his name then,” Ashley continues. “Then you came and played in a game for Arsenal, right? And again, I was in awe of him.”

Ashley is less than a year older than Joe and the pair would often cross paths as they progressed through the youth ranks of Arsenal and the Hammers respectively.

This led to a friendship that remains to this day, as the pair both reached the top of the game, culminating in their lining up alongside each other for England at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, plus the 2004 European Championship.

Joe Cole and Ashley Cole now have a podcast together (Image credit: Could It Be Magic?)

“We played against each other in youth teams,” Ashley continues. I’ve gone through a lot of my life with Joe being around.

“We had the opportunity to play in the same team, to represent our country together – we had to have a good relationship to play well on the left-hand side, me at left-back, Joey on the left wing.

“We just got on, we’re easy-going guys.”

Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts

“Losing the League Cup final with Bolton frustrated me. We went in with the feeling that just getting there was already enough” Youri Djorkaeff on his 2004 League Cup regret

Joe Mewis — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

While Youri Djorkaeff would only spend two years at Bolton Wanderers, he counts his spell in Lancashire as one of the most memorable of his illustrious career.

The French World Cup winner was an integral part of the Sam Allardyce side that defied expectations and bucked stereotypes to be one of the Premier League’s most entertaining sides of that era.

But as the 58-year-old reflects on his playing career two decades on, he still harbours one major regret from his time with the Trotters.

Djorkaeff on his Bolton spell

Djorkaeff joined the Trotters in 2002 (Image credit: Alamy)

Djorkaeff arrived at Bolton in February 2002, joining from German side Kaiserslautern, with his home debut sticking in his mind.

“Maybe my first home game against Blackburn,” Djorkaeff tells FourFourTwo when asked to name his most memorable game at the club. “By half-time I didn’t know how my legs or my head were still holding up. Madness!”

Djorkaeff had previously won the World Cup with France (Image credit: Alamy)

Rod Wallace and Matt Jansen would trade goals in the 1-1 draw at the Reebok Stadium, with Rovers striker Andrew Cole seeing red after just 19 minutes. The rough and tumble of this Lancashire derby would end up being an ideal introduction to the physicality of the Premier League for Djorkaeff.

“I took several rough challenges while the referee kept on playing advantage” he continues. “My whole body ached. Gudni Bergsson, the captain, told me, “Don’t worry, it’s normal. Say nothing, don’t make a fuss.”

“I asked, “But if they kick me, can I kick back?” He said yes, but quietly. The second half was just bam-bam-bam. After that, I never had any more problems.”

The high point of Djorkaef’s two-and-a-half-year spell at Bolton was when the team reached the final of the League Cup in 2004, when they faced Steve McClaren’s Middlesbrough.

“It was unexpected for Bolton to reach the Carling Cup final,” Djorkaeff recalls. “In one of the earlier rounds, we beat Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield – incredible.”

Middlesbrough saw off Bolton 2-1 in the final (Image credit: Getty Images)

But his memory of their run to the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is soured by the 2-1 defeat.

“That’s why it still frustrates me that we lost the final against Middlesbrough, even after all this time. I was angry because we were so close. I remember telling the team that we still had one more step to take, but we went in with the feeling that just getting there was already enough.

“Still, I keep the positives – nobody expected us to reach a final and play in Europe within just three years. Bolton is a special club – a part of Djorkaeff stayed there.”