Category: Premier League

Premier League CEO says league fixtures in U.S. ‘not part of our current plans’

The Premier League isn’t ready to settle on a plan for fixtures in the U.S., unlike La Liga

The Premier League may yet end up playing competitive games in the United States, but its leadership dismissed the idea that such a move is already in the works.

Speaking at a press conference in London after a meeting of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues, Premier League CEO Richard Masters said that the English top flight hasn’t formulated a plan to play an official fixture anywhere other than in the United Kingdom.

“It’s not part of our current plans, it really isn’t,” Masters said on Friday.

The topic is an active one, especially after event promoter Relevent Sports brought a lawsuit pushing to hold official league matches from abroad in the United States.

FIFA’s recent agreement with Relevent to remove the world governing body from the suit has brought a new degree of uncertainty to the situation.

“No one quite knows exactly what is happening,” acknowledged Masters. “But, the door looks ajar potentially in America, at any rate, for matches abroad.”

Association of European Professional Football Leagues director Jacco Swart refused to rule the idea out, but like Masters insisted that the concept wasn’t one where the leagues have a firm plan in place.

“I’m not saying never but currently it’s not a point on our agenda,” said Swart.

La Liga ready to bring league matches to U.S.

While the Premier League may not quite be ready to make the leap, La Liga — whose attempt to hold a match between Barcelona and Girona in Miami back in 2019 is where the Relevent suit began — intends to make it happen as soon as the 2025-26 season.

“I think it could be in the 2025-26 season, but La Liga will play official matches abroad,” Tebas told Spanish newspaper Expansion on Wednesday.

“An official match in the U.S. will strengthen our position in the North American market, which is the second market for La Liga after Spain.”

While La Liga was stymied in its first attempt to bring fixtures to the U.S., the Spanish Super Cup has been held in Saudi Arabia in four of the last five years.

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Arne Slot confirms desire to be next Liverpool head coach

The Dutch manager made it clear that he wants a move to Merseyside

Arne Slot has confirmed his desire to take over as Liverpool head coach.

Multiple reports have indicated that Liverpool has made the Feyenoord head coach its top choice to replace Jürgen Klopp when he departs at the end of the season.

Now the Dutchman himself has weighed in, and he was unequivocal that he is looking to move to Merseyside.

“The clubs are negotiating. I am waiting to see what will come out of it,” Slot told ESPN on Thursday ahead of Feyenoord’s game against Go Ahead Eagles.

“It will be no secret that I would like to go to Liverpool. Now I am waiting for the clubs to reach an agreement. I am confident that will happen.”

Liverpool would need to negotiate a fee with Feyenoord should the club wish to hire Slot, who has a release clause in his contract that does not go into effect until next year.

On Wednesday, The Athletic reported that Feyenoord had rejected an opening bid from Liverpool worth €9 million.

Slot has put himself on the radar of several top clubs in Europe with his success as a manager in the Netherlands, first with Cambuur, then AZ and finally with Feyenoord.

The 45-year-old led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title last season and currently has the club in second place, and is renowned for his positive attacking style.

He has rejected approaches from Leeds and Tottenham over the past year, but now appears to have settled on another English side for his next career move.

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Aston Villa USA tour 2024: Schedule, tickets, stadiums and more

The Villains will be back in the U.S. for a second straight year

Aston Villa is heading back to the United States this summer.

After playing three matches in the U.S. as part of the Premier League Summer Series in 2023, the Villains will return in 2024.

Unai Emery’s side will again play three matches this year, but its opponents will be far different than the three fellow Premier League sides it faced last year.

Villa will take on MLS champions Columbus Crew, German power RB Leipzig, and will close its tour against Liga MX giant Club América.

Here are Aston Villa’s fixtures for its 2024 summer tour of the United States, along with information on purchasing tickets.

Aston Villa USA tour 2024

July 27: Aston Villa vs. Columbus Crew — Lower.com Field, Columbus, OH. TICKETS.

July 31: Aston Villa vs. RB Leipzig — Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ.

August 3: Aston Villa vs. Club América — Soldier Field, Chicago, IL.

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Two Premier League players arrested over rape allegations

The two players, both 19, have been reportedly suspended by their team

Two Premier League players have been arrested in connection with an alleged rape, per multiple reports.

The Sun first reported the news, saying that the alleged incident had taken place on Friday.

The BBC and The Guardian have since confirmed the story.

A police spokesman said: “Officers have arrested two men following a report of a rape. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and aiding and abetting a rape. A second 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape.

“Both men have since been released on police bail.”

On Wednesday, The Sun reported that both players, who are teammates, had been suspended by their team.

One of the players was reportedly arrested in front of his club’s home stadium, which has led to speculation over the identity of the player and the club.

Some speculation had focused on Wolves as the club in question, which prompted the team to release a statement saying that the allegations were not made against anybody at the West Midlands club.

“Whilst we would not typically comment on ongoing police matters, in order to protect the welfare of our young players, we feel it is necessary to confirm that the allegations do not relate to anyone at Wolves,” the statement said.

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Adams will miss fifth straight Bournemouth match with back injury

It’s becoming an increasingly lost season for the USMNT captain

Tyler Adams can’t catch a break this season.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has ruled out the American midfielder for a fifth consecutive game as he continues battling back spasms.

Adams will be absent on Wednesday when Bournemouth takes on Wolves, in what is becoming an increasingly lost season for the U.S. men’s national team star.

Iraola was asked on Tuesday whether Adams or Marcus Tavernier would recover from their injuries in time to face Wolves.

“We don’t lose anyone, we don’t recover anyone, so it’s going to be the same players available,” the coach replied at his pre-match press conference.

Adams remains stuck on three appearances for Bournemouth this season, having missed the opening of the season recovering from hamstring surgery back in March 2023 with Leeds.

The 25-year-old suffered an immediate setback after making his Cherries debut in September, and was forced to go back under the knife for a second surgery. Adams would return in March, making two Bournemouth appearances along with two appearances for the USMNT in the Nations League.

Iraola expanded on Adams’ current situation during a press conference ahead of last weekend’s game against Aston Villa.

“Not a bad injury and feeling pain in his muscle, but after so much time out we have to be careful with these decisions,” the coach said. “The medical department are dealing with it. I hope he will be back early but definitely not for Villa.”

After Wednesday’s game against Wolves, Bournemouth has just four matches remaining in the season.

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Bournemouth coach Iraola rules Adams out for another game

It will be the fourth straight match Adams has missed with a back injury

Tyler Adams looks set to miss a fourth consecutive match due to back spasms, according to Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola.

Adams has been held out of three straight matches due to back trouble, and Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa appears to be too soon for the U.S. men’s national team midfielder.

Iraola gave updates on several injured Cherries players at his pre-match press conference on Friday, but did not specifically mention Adams among that group.

The coach was then asked about the remainder of his injured players, to which he replied: “Some are getting closer but I don’t expect them for the Villa game, no.”

The back injury is turning into an increasingly frustrating setback for Adams, who only returned from nearly a year out last month.

Adams was sidelined after a hamstring surgery in March 2023, and had to have a second operation after suffering a setback upon his return in September.

The 25-year-old’s start against Everton on March 30 marked his first time playing a full match in over a year.

Overall, Adams has made just three appearances for Bournemouth this season. He made an emphatic return to the USMNT in the Nations League last month, scoring a memorable long-range strike against Mexico in the final.

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Richards: Crystal Palace boss Glasner sees me as center back

The USMNT defender is happy to be back in his natural position after a spell at defensive midfield

Chris Richards is back playing his natural position, and he looks set to stay there for the foreseeable future.

Richards has played center back his entire career, but started in defensive midfield for a stretch of Premier League matches earlier in the season.

But under new Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner, the U.S. international has returned to his natural position, starting four straight games at center back under the Austrian before suffering an injury last month.

Speaking to Palace’s website, Richards said he was happy to return to center back after being shifted around earlier in the season under Roy Hodgson.

“Centre of defense, preferably,” Richards said of his ideal position. “It was a lot of learning this year, playing right back, center back, center mid.

“[It was] a lot of positions that I’m not quite used to, but again, like I said, I’ll do whatever to be on the pitch and help us win. I think it’s been good to play in different positions because you learn a lot.

“We played against [Glasner’s] teams in Germany, so I think he remembers what my best position was.

“But coming in, we did have a small conversation, and he just kind of said that for the future he sees me playing center back. All the games I played for him have been at center back.”

Richards provides injury update

The USMNT defender has now missed three straight games with what he revealed to be a knee injury.

Speaking before last weekend’s match at Liverpool, the 24-year-old said he was targeting this Sunday’s game against West Ham for a potential return.

“I think frustrating would be a good word for it,” Richards said.

“I feel like I worked hard over the last two seasons that I’ve been here and I think I was finally reaping the benefit of that. It’s always nice playing games.

“I have a knee injury. Hopefully, what we’re aiming for is West Ham. I’m just kind of taking it day by day, hoping that it continues to heal and that’s what I’m aiming for, at least, is the West Ham game.”

Prior to his injury, Richards had gone the distance in 16 consecutive Premier League matches.

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Lalas: Nottingham Forest decided long ago it can’t count on Reyna

The USMNT star made his first start for Forest over the weekend

Gio Reyna may have finally made a start for Nottingham Forest, but that doesn’t mean the club believes it can count on him.

That is the opinion of Alexi Lalas, who spoke about the U.S. men’s national team midfielder’s dire club situation on the latest episode of his State of the Union podcast.

Reyna finally made his first Premier League start over the weekend, notching an assist from a corner kick as Forest drew Wolves 2-2 in a vital match.

It took the American nearly three months of his loan from Borussia Dortmund to get his first start, having played a total of just 90 minutes for Forest prior to Saturday’s match.

Though Reyna has finally made a breakthrough, Forest now has just five matches remaining this season. As a disappointing loan stint gets set to conclude, Lalas didn’t mince words about the USMNT star’s situation.

“You don’t need me to tell you that Gio starting, and Gio playing after what has been an absolutely abysmal time in terms of this loan to Forest is a good thing. Yes it’s a good thing. Does it change who Gio is as a player? No. Does it change how Forest in general look at him going forward? No,” Lalas said.

“I think they have gotten plenty of looks at what Gio is. And I think they have made the determination long ago that this is not somebody for the long haul. Not somebody they want to count on.”

Forest will face Everton on Sunday in a crucial relegation six-pointer. Reyna’s side enters the match one point and one place above the drop zone, with Everton just one point and one place above Forest.

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Chelsea won 6-0 and still embarrassed itself

Chelsea showed how it has fallen so far even while securing its largest win of the season

It’s been another tough season for Chelsea, but Monday’s 6-0 win over Everton was a cathartic moment of celebration for the former Premier League powerhouse.

Well, at least it should have been.

While Cole Palmer stole the headlines with a four-goal display, his final goal was also a major talking point — and not in a good way for Chelsea.

Already up 4-0, Chelsea won a second-half penalty kick. Palmer, the team’s usual penalty taker, went to grab the ball but was engulfed in an intra-team squabble involving Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke.

Madueke grabbed the ball initially before it was forcefully removed by captain Conor Gallagher and given to Palmer. For some reason, Jackson decided to use that moment to try and snag the ball himself before he was shoved away by Palmer.

Not a great look!

Palmer would convert to make it 5-0, with Madueke forcing Jackson to go over and celebrate with the team following the goal.

With the made penalty, Palmer moved to a perfect nine-for-nine from the spot this season.

Naturally, head coach Mauricio Pochettino was furious after the game.

“The players and staff know that Cole Palmer is the penalty taker,” Pochettino said. “I am so, so upset about the situation. Discipline is the most important thing in our team.

“We all agree they [Jackson and Madueke] were wrong. They are not experienced players. They are young. It was very good the reaction by Conor Gallagher [to defuse things].”

“We can’t show that type of behavior,” he continued. “It’s like we are in a school, and our job is to show them they were wrong so they can learn. There will be no punishment, but this can’t happen again. If Palmer is on the pitch, he is the penalty taker.”

Even with the win, Chelsea only moved up to ninth place in the Premier League table. Once a formidable European force, Chelsea managed to demonstrate how it has fallen so far even while securing its largest win of the season.

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Premier League 2023-24 top scorers: Tracking the Golden Boot race

Can anybody stop Erling Haaland from winning again?

The 2023-24 Premier League Golden Boot may be Erling Haaland’s to lose.

The Manchester City striker set a single-season Premier League goals record last season with 36, clinching the prize in his first English top-flight season.

The Norwegian’s closest challenger was Harry Kane with 30 goals, but the England striker has now moved to Bayern Munich. Ivan Toney was in third place with 20 goals, but the Brentford star is suspended for the first half of the season due to gambling.

Can anybody step up to challenge Haaland’s dominance this season? We are tracking all of the Premier League’s top scorers for the 2023-24 season right here.

All stats updated as of April 15