Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman is leading their transfer pursuit of a £20 million+ “special” talent, according to a new report.
The South Londoners made a very slow start to this Premier League season, but they will hope a win against Tottenham Hotspur followed by a 2-2 draw with Wolves can springboard their campaign under Oliver Glasner.
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As Palace have turned a corner in results, they have now suffered several injury blows that they will hope doesn’t affect them on the pitch. Glasner confirmed last week that they had lost Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, and Jefferson Lerma to injuries. He stated that all three are going to be out until after the November international break, but the injury crisis doesn’t stop there, as now striker Eddie Nketiah has suffered an injury blow.
It has been reported that Nketiah has picked up a hamstring injury and is a major doubt for their game against Fulham on Saturday. The report adds that it is unclear how long the forward is going to be out for, with him not training so far this week. This is another bitter blow to Glasner, as he is now missing two of his attacking players, Eze and Nketiah, and Palace haven’t been a free-scoring side at all this season.
The Palace boss will hope that at the very least these players are back and available after the international break. But as the injuries mount up, the Eagles now have their eye on reinforcing with a young talent who could be a welcome arrival come January.
Freedman leading transfer pursuit of Chris Rigg
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are plotting a move for Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg. The 17-year-old is a product of the Black Cats academy and has become a key part of the first team since breaking through in the 2023/24 Championship season.
Rigg, who has been dubbed a “special” talent by Sunderland fan and presenter Dougie Critchley, has scored three goals in 13 Championship games this season, as he’s been an important player under Regis Le Bris.
Palace have watched Rigg live in action a few times this season, and he has left the Palace hierarchy impressed, so much so that sporting director Freedman is “convinced” he will prove good enough in the Premier League. A move in January has not been ruled out, in a repeat of the move for Adam Wharton from Blackburn Rovers last winter.
Chris Rigg’s Sunderland stats
Apps
39
Minutes played
1,981
Goals
6
Assists
0
Rigg signed a new contract at the Stadium of Light in the summer, with that deal running until 2027, so they will look to resist any offers in January. However, Palace could make an offer of £20 million plus, according to this report, and that could tempt the Black Cats into selling, despite his importance to the team.
AC Milan have a plan in place that will bring to end to the speculation suggesting that Christian Pulisic is a transfer target for Liverpool.
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American starring for Serie A giants
Return to Premier League speculated on
Contract extension readied at San Siro
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The USMNT star has continued to catch the eye in Italy this season, registering 10 goals and 11 assists. There has been talk of the former Chelsea forward being lured back to the Premier League by a big-money offer.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Milan, though, have been piecing together contract extension plans for some time. Pulisic is currently tied to a deal at San Siro through to 2027. According to , fresh terms will prolong that agreement by a further two years.
DID YOU KNOW?
Pulisic’s salary will be brought in line with top earners such as Rafael Leao, as he enjoys a wage rise to €5 million (£4m/$5m) a year. Milan are confident that their talismanic United States international will put pen to paper, with positive discussions being held..
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WHAT NEXT FOR CHRISTIAN PULISIC?
The Serie A giants are aware of the Liverpool links, but believe that said gossip can quickly be brought to a close. Pulisic has expressed his happiness at life in Italy, which was showcased in his recent documentary series, and the 26-year-old has no need to consider another move any time soon.
Mark Arthur has become the second senior official at Yorkshire to pay the price for the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, as it was confirmed he has vacated his role as chief executive with immediate effect.Arthur, who is due to give testimony at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee hearing next Monday, joins chairman Roger Hutton in vacating his position as the full consequences of the club’s botched investigation into Rafiq’s allegations of institutional racism became clear.”Today the board at Yorkshire County Cricket Club has accepted the resignation of Mark Arthur as CEO,” Lord Kamlesh Patel, the new chairman, said in a press release. “We thank him for his tenure.Related
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“This is an important moment for the club which is ready to move forward with new leadership, which will be vital in driving the change we urgently need.”We know there is still much work to be done and more difficult decisions to be made. We need to rebuild the trust of the fans, the cricketing world and the public”.Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Patel had hinted that Arthur’s position had become untenable after a torrid week for Yorkshire, adding that he would make “the right decisions in the coming days”.Arthur’s departure comes after loss of a raft of key club sponsors including Emerald, Nike and Yorkshire Tea; an ECB suspension from hosting major matches, including next year’s Test against New Zealand; and a wave of allegations of racist behaviour from past and present players, including Gary Ballance, Michael Vaughan, and the current coach Andrew Gale.It was also confirmed that Yorkshire had settled their long-running employment tribunal with Rafiq, who was awarded a six-figure sum and offered an unreserved apology from Patel, both for the treatment he had received in his time at the club, and for their previous attempts to impose a gagging order in return for a settlement.Arthur, who took over as chief executive in 2013 after 13 years at Nottingham Forest, oversaw a period of on-field success for Yorkshire, which peaked with back-to-back County Championships in 2014 and 2015, and also signed off the successful rebuilding of the Football Stand End of the ground in a £45 million redevelopment that was completed in 2019.He oversaw a number of community projects within the county, including the redevelopment of Bradford Park Avenue cricket ground, and six years of progress with the club’s South Asian engagement programme.However, he has been a repeated target of Rafiq’s frustration given Yorkshire’s inaction in the racism case. On Monday, Rafiq repeated his call for Arthur to step down, along with the director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, whose position – along with that of Gale as head coach – also appears untenable.”I’ve had eight fantastic years at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, working alongside an outstanding group of people, and together achieving many highlights,” Arthur said. “I would like to thank the members for their support over this period and wish the club all the very best in the years to come.”The news comes as it was confirmed that Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, and Barry O’Brien, the interim chair, have been added to the list of witnesses at next week’s DCMS hearing.Harrison, who is currently in the UAE for the ICC’s first in-person chief executives’ meeting since the pandemic, spent the early part of the week in Pakistan, where he met with the PCB chairman, Ramiz Raja, to reaffirm England’s commitment to next year’s multi-format tour of the country.
Eden Hazard joined Chelsea in 2012 after the Blues lifted their first Champions League title. The Belgian signed from Lille for a fee of around £32m, one that would later look like an absolute bargain with what he was about to achieve at the club.
The superstar winger went on to make 352 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring 110 goals, providing 85 assists, and totalling 26,967 minutes played for the club. In this time, Hazard won two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles, one FA Cup, and one League Cup, among a plethora of individual awards such as Footballer of the Year.
Hazard was known for his elegance on the ball, skipping past his men, making something happen out of nowhere, and providing those magical moments in a game that got everyone out of their seats, and this is something Chelsea have been lacking since losing their prized possession.
Since the Belgian departed Chelsea back in 2018, joining Real Madrid for a fee of around £88.5m plus add-ons, the Blues have been trying to replace their star man, with countless attacking signings, and they just might have done that now, with a signing they made on deadline day in 2023.
Cole Palmer's record at Chelsea
Chelsea signed Cole Palmer from Manchester City for around £40m plus £2.5m add-ons, signing a seven-year deal with the Blues, with an option for a further year.
Ahead of joining, Palmer had made a combined 58 appearances for City’s academy, scoring 42 goals and providing 19 assists. He had also made 41 appearances for City’s first team, totalling 1,483 minutes, scoring six goals and providing two assists.
Since joining Chelsea, the 22-year-old has been in astonishing form, making 54 appearances, scoring 31 goals and providing 20 assists. He has also earned himself nine England caps now, scoring two goals, with one of those being in the Euro 2024 Final, coming from the bench to equalise against Spain before losing the game 2-1.
Palmer’s impressive first campaign for Chelsea earned him multiple individual awards, including England Player of the Year, becoming the first Chelsea player to win the award since Ashley Cole in 2010 after scoring 25 goals and providing 15 assists in 45 appearances.
Goals
0.65
0.71
Assists
0.36
0.60
xG
0.63
0.67
xAG
0.38
0.58
Progressive Carries
4.02
3.64
Progressive Passes
6.77
7.12
Shots Total
3.50
3.21
Goals/Shot
0.12
0.19
Key Passes
2.47
3.48
Shot-Creating Actions
5.57
5.91
Successful Take-Ons
1.79
1.06
It seemed like it would be impossible for the Englishman to keep going at the rate he was, but he has taken it even further, as you can see from his metrics so far this season compared to last.
His output per 90 minutes has risen, his progressive carries are slightly down, but his progressive passes are slightly up, and he is producing more for his teammates, with 3.48 key passes and 5.91 shot-creating actions per 90.
Cole Palmer
Playing in a central zone now, more often as the number ten, Palmer is able to drift, link play, and help with build-up. Allowing his full skillset to shine, whilst not hampering the elite output he was giving the side last season under manager Mauricio Pochetinno.
The 22-year-old has finally filled the boots Hazard left back in 2018, but with their impressive youth-led transfer strategy, they could even have another Hazard replacement, with this “elite talent” as called by scout Jacek Kulig. He could even be more exciting than Palmer…
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Chelsea's next Hazard
Chelsea managed to sign Estevao Willian from Palmeiras for an initial fee of around £29m, fighting off the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City and PSG who were all in the fight to sign the Brazilian superstar. The young winger has made 38 appearances for the Brazilian outfit’s senior team, scoring 11 goals, and providing eight assists. Considering he’s still only 17 years of age, he looks like a real future star.
The left-footed right-winger has already made a name for himself, debuting for the Brazil senior national team in September, becoming the second-youngest player in history to debut for Brazil since 2000, behind only Real Madrid superstar Endrick.
Chelsea may have done it again here, and the Brazilian can easily co-exist with Palmer, as Estevao plays on the right, whereas Palmer has now found himself in a more comfortable number ten position under Enzo Maresca.
Neymar has even named Estevao a “genius” after comparisons to him for his spell-binding Hazard-like dribbling ability.
Chelsea now have the prospect of lining up with Palmer alongside Estevao in the future, and forming one of the most devastating duos in world football to help guide the Blues back to the pinnacle of the game, winning the most prestigious awards possible.
Goals
0.49
0.71
Assists
0.34
0.60
xG
0.35
0.67
xAG
0.29
0.58
Progressive Carries
4.93
3.64
Progressive Passes
3.45
7.12
Shots Total
3.50
3.21
Key Passes
1.63
3.48
Shot-Creating Actions
5.37
5.91
Successful Take-Ons
3.20
1.06
Estevao is five years younger than Palmer, and is already close in many metrics, even bettering him in some. Of course, this has external factors such as the quality of opposition, but the fact the 17-year-old Brazilian can achieve these metrics at such a young age is impressive in itself.
With an ability to beat players at his own will – much like Hazard – completing 3.20 successful take-ons per 90, completing 4.93 progressive carries per 90, and then delivering the desired quality at the end of these actions with 1.63 key passes and 5.37 shot-creating actions per 90, these two superstar talents are sure to get the best out of one another at Chelsea.
All of that is without even mentioning Kendry Paez, who was signed from Independiente del Valle in 2023, for around £17.27m, but we will leave that for another day.
Chelsea wasted £113m on Tuchel flop who earned more than Palmer & Madueke
This Chelsea flop earned more than Palmer and Madueke combined
Sri Lanka Cricket doctors have suggested the injury is more serious than initially thought
Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Dec-2021The quadriceps strain Angelo Mathews sustained during the ongoing Test match against West Indies has put his participation in the Lanka Premier League in doubt.Mathews himself hoped that he would miss only the first few days of the tournament, or between three and four matches. But Sri Lanka Cricket doctors have suggested that the strain could be more serious, and that Mathews could end up potentially missing the whole tournament. The LPL is set to start on Sunday, and runs until December 23.”One MRI scan has been conducted, but the results are not clear,” SLC’s chief medical officer Dr. Daminda Attanayake told ESPNcricinfo. “We’ll need to conduct another MRI around December 4, and we’ll have a clearer picture.”The results of that second test will also be shared with consulting physicians based overseas, Attanayake said.Related
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Mathews had sustained the injury while running a single on the first day of the ongoing Test in Galle. He had retired hurt immediately after, but returned to the crease after the fall of the eighth wicket, and dealt largely in boundaries, refusing to take runs. He did not take the field for Sri Lanka in the first innings, but did come out to bat at No. 9 in the second innings.Mathews has a long history of leg injuries, with problems to his hamstrings, quads, and calves causing him to miss months of cricket at a time, since 2015.He is slated to be part of the Colombo Stars franchise at the LPL – possibly as captain, though that has not been officially confirmed yet either.
O volante Casemiro também se manifestou sobre assuntos ligados à vacinação contra Covid-19 em entrevista coletiva nesta terça-feira (25). Perguntado sobre o fato da Seleção Brasileira disputar sem público a partida com o Equador, na quinta-feira (27) válida pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo, o meio-campista afirmou.
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– Uma das coisas mais bonitas do futebol é o público. É claro que é muito bacana. Mas, independentemente de futebol, de qualquer coisa, saúde em primeiro lugar. Eu escuto especialistas de suas áreas, pessoas que trabalharam, que estudaram para isso, e escuto isso, que a vacina é importante, que o vírus não foi embora, segue aí e é importante falar, se cuidar disse o meio-campista.
O jogador de 29 anos falou sobre a vacinação da Covid-19.
-Claro que existem pessoas que pegaram Covid-19 e não tem determinação. Um pegou em casa, outro não. Mas o que prezo é pela saúde em primeiro lugar, independentemente de derrota ou vitória.
Em seguida, o meio-campista falou sobre a situação lateral Renan Lodi. Após anunciar a lista de convocados, o técnico Tite revelou que o jogador perdeu a chance de ser convocado por não ter completado o seu ciclo vacinal.
– Se o Renan Lodi não tomou, não sei porque, inclusive eu vi nas notícias que ele tomou a primeira dose, não deu tempo de tomar a segunda. Escuto especialistas e médicos, cada um tem sua opinião, mas o meu é saúde em primeiro lugar – destacou.
A Seleção Brasileira realiza um treino nesta terça-feira. Já classificada para as Eliminatórias, a equipe comandada por Tite encara o Equador na quinta-feira, às 18h (de Brasília), em Quito.
انتقد تيبو كورتوا حارس مرمى ريال مدريد، رابطة الليجا، بعد خوض المباراة أمام فياريال في بطولة الدوري الإسباني.
وتغلب ريال مدريد على فياريال بهدفين مقابل هدف، في إطار مباريات الجولة الثامنة والعشرين للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.
وقال كورتوا في تصريحات لقناة ريال مدريد: “البداية لم تكن الأفضل ولكن هذا شيء طبيعي لأننا حصلنا على راحة قليلة والعضلات كانت متعبة قليلاً، تفاعلنا بشكل جيد بعد الهدف، تعادلنا وسجلنا بسرعة، ثم دافعنا بشكل جيد في الشوط الثاني”.
وأضاف: “الالتزام والعمل الجماعي للجميع من أجل الفوز كان مهمًا لأن فياريال يحتل المركز الخامس، ويلعب بشكل جيد ودائمًا ما يكون ملعبه صعبًا”.
وأردف: “نلعب عندما نحتاج إلى اللعب ولا نريد البحث عن أعذار، أنا سعيد بأنني أستطيع التحدث الآن دون أن أقول إننا تعادلنا أو خسرنا بسبب قلة الراحة”.
وأوضح: “لكن ليس من الطبيعي بعد لعب 120 دقيقة يوم الأربعاء مع ركلات الترجيح، مع إجهاد كبير، أن نلعب في هذا التوقيت، أفهم أن رابطة الليجا لا تحب تحديد الأوقات حتى يلعب الثلاثة الكبار في نفس اليوم”.
اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي: ريال مدريد لن يلعب مباراة أخرى في الدوري الإسباني إذا تكرر ما حدث أمام فياريال
وأشار: “لكن أحيانًا هذا ما يحدث، وفي الدوري الإنجليزي، الفرق التي تلعب في دوري الأبطال تلعب كلها يوم السبت”.
وأكمل: “أعتقد أنه كان هناك نقص في الاحترام تجاه فريقنا واللاعبين، لأنه كان من الممكن أن نخرج بأي إصابة، الإجهاد البدني كبير جدًا، كان من الممكن تحديد المباراة يوم الأحد قبل مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد وبرشلونة”.
واسترسل كورتوا: “أعتقد أنه لا توجد مشكلة في ذلك، حتى يمكن الحديث عن سوبر الأحد كما نفعل في بلجيكا أو في إنجلترا، حيث يوجد سوبر الأحد، بالنسبة للتلفزيون، هذا جيد أيضًا ولكن أحيانًا تلعب مصالح أخرى دورها وهذا ليس سهلاً”.
وعن أفضل تصدي له أمام فياريال، علّق: “أعتقد أن التصدي قبل الهدف كان الأفضل ولكن إذا سجلوا هدفًا بعد 20 ثانية، فهذا لا يفيد كثيرًا، أيوزي (لاعب فياريال) نظر إلي وقال لي أنت لست طبيعيًا”.
وأكمل: “أيضًا التصدي أمام بيبي كان مهمًا قبل الاستراحة لكي لا نذهب بالتعادل، كان عملًا جيدًا من الجميع وأنا سعيد بالنقاط الثلاث”.
وعن زميله كيليان مبابي، أتم: “إنه لاعب عظيم، مذهل، هو موجود عندما نحتاجه، أمام أتلتيكو كانت المباريات أصعب قليلاً لأنهم كانوا يدافعون بشكل قوي ولم يتركوا الكثير من المساحة، أمام فياريال كان موجودًا ليحرز الهدفين”.
India’s campaign is now at risk of coming to an earlier close than expected
Alagappan Muthu31-Oct-2021
Ish Sodhi is mobbed by his team-mates after getting the wicket of Virat Kohli•AFP/Getty Images
India’s chances of making the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup is in territory after their comprehensive defeat at the hands of New Zealand on Sunday.Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner take responsibility for this stunning of events – geddit? – their eight overs costing a mere 32 runs while also securing the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.Watch cricket live on ESPN+
Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the USA. Match highlights of India vs New Zealand is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).
With Pakistan all but assured of one semi-final spot and New Zealand joining Afghanistan for the other one, India’s campaign is now at risk of coming to an earlier close than expected.The plan that backfiredIndia used to play T20s like ODIs, focusing on singles and twos and believing that boundaries are just bonuses. A consequence of time spent in the middle. Then they were beaten by a six-happy West Indies in the 2016 World Cup and had to wake up.This format demands an experiment or three. A change or five. So they invested in a different kind of player. The kind who could hit sixes from ball one. Like Ishan Kishan. He opened the batting here ahead of the established Rohit Sharma and fell in the third over. #BestLaidPlansEarly wickets are crucial against this Indian team. A lot of their limited-overs success is built on having one of the top three going deep into an innings. New Zealand did well to deny that luxury as Tim Southee and Trent Boult took out the openers within the powerplay and set the stage for the headline act.The spin strangleIndia went 71 balls between the sixth and the 17th overs without hitting a single boundary. Such was the control that Santner and Sodhi had over this game.The trick was in the lengths they bowled. Both spinners were careful not to stray so full that a batter could plant his front foot down and launch them out of the park. They were equally cautious about never giving them the room to free the arms as well.Hitting that in-between spot repeatedly – while also targeting the stumps – enabled Santner and Sodhi to put so much pressure on India that they eventually crumbled to their second-lowest total in T20I history. 110 for 7.The adaptation malfunctionDubai is a tough place to set a total. Conditions are at their hardest at the start of the game before dew comes in during the second innings and helps the ball come onto the bat. Both teams were well aware of this vagary but only one of them could properly adapt to it.Related
Tired, timid India fluff their lines again to leave World Cup hopes on the line
Take Kohli’s wicket, for example. India were 48 for 3 in the 11th over and he’d made only 9 off 16 balls. Dire. Yes, but he needed to forget about all that and just bat the 20 overs. He needed to be like the lead in that meme that goes “this is fine” while the whole building burns. But he panicked.Instead of playing for the back end of the innings, when it becomes noticeably easier to score runs, he succumbed to the pressure and played a low-percentage shot. Sodhi had bowled that ball – a tossed up legbreak that dipped at the last second – looking for that shot and had the Indian captain caught at long-on.With New Zealand’s bowlers having done the lion’s share of the work, their batters were able to go out and chase the target down with zero pressure on them. Daryl Mitchell then made things even easier, top-scoring with 49 off 35 balls, as his team raced to the finish line with eight wickets and 33 balls to spare.
The Premier League appears to be wide open this season. Although Liverpool and Manchester City are leading the way, Arsenal are still in with a chance of winning the title, while the likes of Aston Villa and Chelsea are fighting for a top-four spot.
The usual top-six suspects have been broken up this year by a surprise package – Nottingham Forest, who went into third place ahead of the Gunners after winning five of their opening ten games.
Can Nuno Espírito Santo’s men keep this up, or will they fall by the wayside over the coming months? Whatever happens, they have been one of the best teams of the season so far.
With this in mind, we have taken a trip down memory lane to examine the best of the top flight’s surprise packages, ranging from 5000-1 title winners to a newly promoted team qualifying for Europe.
We’ve ranked these based on the shock element and scale of their achievements.
9 Nottingham Forest 2024/25 Tricky Trees in Champions League places after terrific start
Since Nottingham Forest returned to the top flight following a 23-year absence back in 2022, they have narrowly avoided relegation each time.
Steve Cooper was sacked last December, with Espirito Santo replacing him. It turned out to be an inspired move.
The Portuguese manager is demonstrating all of his tactical nous so far this term, with Forest’s impressive 1-0 win over Liverpool and East Midlands derby victory over Leicester City the highlights of their campaign so far.
They have lost just once – to Fulham in September – and the recent 3-0 victory over West Ham saw the club at their very best.
The question is whether Santo will be able to maintain this fast start over the coming weeks. Time will tell, but if they can remain in the top six by Christmas, the club could yet secure European football for next season.
8 Sunderland 1999/00 Phillips goals fire Premier League new boys to 7th-place finish
Sunderland secured promotion to the 1999/00 Premier League by winning the Division One title the previous season, finishing 18 points ahead of second place.
A 4-0 defeat to Chelsea on the opening day looked ominous for the club before picking up four points from their next three games.
The Black Cats secured a 2-1 win over Newcastle in their fifth game, and it proved to be a catalyst, not suffering another loss until the end of November.
An 11-game winless spell between December and March looked like it could derail any thoughts they had of claiming a top-half finish. But thanks to Kevin Phillips’ 30 goals, they finished in an unlikely seventh place.
7 West Ham United 2020/21 Behind-closed-doors campaign ends with Hammers in Europe
emile-smith-rowe-jesse-lingard-west-ham-opinion
West Ham United avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth in the 2019/20 campaign, firing Manuel Pellegrini midway through as they limped to safety, only absolutely confirming the top-flight status in the penultimate game.
Despite David Moyes keeping them up, expectations were low heading into 2020/21. Shrewd recruitment by the Scot saw the Irons suffer just five defeats between the start of the campaign and the end of January as the club seemed to thrive while crowds were absent from games.
While the likes of Jesse Lingard and Tomas Soucek stood out, the collective efforts of the team saw them secure a stunning sixth-place finish in the top flight, securing Europa League qualification in the process.
Moyes’ side won 19 games and finished on 65 points – both West Ham records in the Premier League. He would lead the club to a seventh-place finish the following season, before leading the team to the 2023 Conference League title.
6 Everton 2004/05 Toffees soar from 17th to 4th in superb campaign
Everton escaped relegation by just six points in 2003/04 and the onus was on Moyes to prevent this from happening again.
2004/05 was the polar opposite. Despite losing Wayne Rooney to Manchester United in August, the Toffees were the surprise package of the season, winning 18 matches and keeping in touch with Chelsea and Arsenal during the first half of the campaign – peaking at second after a win in the Merseyside derby.
Results dipped between February and May as the Goodison Park side won only five of their final 16 games, including a dismal 7-0 drubbing by Arsenal in the penultimate match.
Thanks to Tim Cahill, Everton secured a fourth-place finish in the league, edging out Liverpool in the process, all despite having a negative goal difference.
5 Wolves 2018/19 Nuno's Old Gold impress in first top-flight season
Former Wolves boss Nuno Santo.
Under the guidance of Espirito Santo, Wolves were dominant in winning the Championship title in 2017/18. Although the supporters would have envisioned the club remaining in the top flight, no one was prepared for what came next.
The Old Gold won 16 games that season, winning 57 points in the process as they finished seventh. This was their highest top-flight finish since 1980.
Due to Manchester City winning the domestic treble, Wolves qualified for the Europa League for the 2019/20 campaign. Not only did they reach the quarter-finals of the competition, but they also finished seventh again. They haven’t had it as good since.
4 Nottingham Forest 1994/95 Promoted Forest surge into Europe
Brian Clough’s final season in charge of Forest saw them slip out of the top flight for the first time in over 15 years. Under former defender Frank Clark, the club returned straight back to the Premier League after a second-place finish in Division One.
Maintaining their place in the top flight was their ambition, but Clark had other ideas. The team didn’t sit outside the top six all season, eventually winning 22 of their 42 matches to finish third, 12 points behind eventual champions Blackburn Rovers.
This position saw them qualify for the UEFA Cup, their first European adventure in over a decade, although Stan Collymore was sold at the end of the campaign having netted 22 league goals for the team.
As of 2023/24, this is the highest a newly promoted side has finished in the Premier League. Can the current crop of Forest stars replicate this?
3 Newcastle United 2011/12 Ba and Cisse inspire Pardew's Magpies into Europe
Newcastle United were in the Championship as recently as 2009/10, finishing in a credible 12th position under Alan Pardew a year later, despite having to sell star striker Andy Carroll midway through that campaign for a club-record £35m fee to Liverpool.
Summer arrivals included Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba, who scored 20 goals combined throughout the campaign. The Toon went through the opening 11 games unbeaten before losing four of their next six games until January.
The signing of Papiss Cisse in the winter window proved instrumental as he netted a staggering 13 goals to lift the club to fifth place in the table, above Chelsea, who won that season’s Champions League title.
European qualification was secured in the process and Newcastle went into the final day still in the Champions League race, but 5th was the highest Pardew would climb with the Magpies.
2 Ipswich Town 2000/01 Burley's Tractor Boys end promotion campaign in UEFA Cup
Ipswich Town reached the play-offs in Division One for a fourth time in a row during 1999/00, before finally securing a return to the top flight after defeating Barnsley in the final.
Avoiding relegation was the aim for George Burley, but the 2000/01 season gave the top flight one of the best surprise packages in its history as the Tractor Boys finished 5th.
Winning 20 games, Burley even had his team challenging for third position, but defeat to Charlton towards the end of the season ended that dream. Even still, the East Anglian side only finished four points adrift of second-placed Arsenal.
In the end, they qualified for the UEFA Cup, which was to be their first foray into continental competition since 1982. Burley won the Manager of the Year award for his accomplishments that term. The bubble burst the following season, however, as they finished 18th.
1 Leicester City 2015/16 Ranieri's Foxes secure fairytale title win against all the odds
Surely the greatest surprise package of any English top-flight season. Leicester City stormed their way to a famous title win during the 2015/16 campaign as everything clicked together for the club.
Former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri was appointed in the summer of 2015 with the club looking to maintain their place in the top flight after an incredible survival in their first year back up.
Fast-forward ten months, and the Italian had somehow led the club to the Premier League title. Smart recruitment combined with Ranieri getting the best out of the players at his disposal meant the Foxes suffered defeat just twice between August and January.
In the end, the 5000–1 outsiders for the title lost just three times in the Premier League, defeating the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur on their way to glory.
Jamie Vardy broke the record for consecutive goals scored in the Premier League with 11, while Riyad Mahrez became the first African player to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
Arguably one of the finest title wins in English top-flight history, this may not be repeated for quite a few years, as Leicester took advantage of Man City, Arsenal and champions Chelsea all slipping up. Was it ever in any doubt?
West Ham have started the season poorly, sitting 12th in the Premier League after seven games, winning twice, drawing twice, and losing three times.
Julen Lopetegui’s side have averaged 45.4% possession so far this season, the sixth worst in the division, hardly living up to the hopes that he would make them a better outfit.
The Hammers have only scored ten goals this season in their first seven games; the ninth most in the league, scoring four of these in their most recent win against Ipswich.
West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen
West Ham beat the Tractor Boys 4-1, with goals from Jarrod Bowen, Mohamed Kudus, Michail Antonio and Lucas Paqueta, and will face Tottenham next in the Premier League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Bowen, who looked back to his best last time out, will be vital to their chances.
Jarrod Bowen at West Ham
Bowen was signed by West Ham back in 2020 from Hull City, joining for a fee of £20m plus.
At the time, Moyes stated “I think he could be a big success”, and he was absolutely right. Bowen has made 211 appearances for the Hammers since joining, scoring 63 goals, providing 41 assists, and totalling 16,520 minutes played.
West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen
The 27-year-old had his best season in a West Ham shirt last campaign, scoring 20 goals and providing 10 assists in 44 appearances (3,842 minutes).
Bowen (23/24) vs Bowen (24/25 so far) comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)
23/24
24/25
Goals
0.47
0.34
Assists
0.23
0.23
xG
0.35
0.15
xAG
0.16
0.33
Progressive Carries
2.73
3.88
Progressive Passes
1.59
3.88
Shots Total
2.61
2.73
Goals/Shot
0.18
0.13
Key Passes
0.98
2.24
Shot-Creating Actions
2.78
4.78
Successful Take-Ons
1.11
1.49
Stats taken from FBref
Bowen produced a better output last season, scoring 0.13 more goals per 90, generating 0.20 xG more per 90, and scoring 0.05 more goals per shot.
However, his progression numbers for the side, as well as his creation numbers have actually improved, providing the same amount of assists per 90 (0.23) but having a higher xAG, and more key passes played per 90.
West Ham will be extremely thankful for how Bowen has turned out and produced for them over the years, but they will also be thinking of potential replacements further down the line, and one name that could be just that for them, is already at the club. Meet the young Sean Moore…
West Ham's next Jarrod Bowen
West Ham academy star Moore has already been paid the ultimate compliment having been likened to a “young George Best” by former Cliftonville chairman Jim Boyce, with the 19-year-old winger now starring for the U21s, following a move from the Northern Irish side in 2023.
Moore made 42 appearances for Cliftonville FC, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 2,318 minutes played as a teenager.
Since then, the young forward has now made 30 appearances for the Hammers U21 side, scoring seven goals, providing three assists, and totalling 1,571 minutes played.
In The Pipeline
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Moore was picked up due to his high quality in tight spaces, his ability to carry the ball forward, and his quality to cut inside and find the back of the net, something Bowen does regularly for the Hammers.
With three goals in five games at Premier League 2 level this term he is clearly in form and it would not be a surprise if he eventually gets a senior team gig at some stage in 2024/25.
Indeed, the young Irish winger could eventually be in line to take over from Bowen, and could even find his minutes fast-tracked if Lopetegui’s side continue to struggle, as the Spaniard looks for answers, with the 19-year-old being a solid option going forwards.
Left for £1.2m: West Ham have already sold the perfect Antonio replacement
The Hammers may regret moving on one rising star on the cheap…