What a week it has been in the English Premier League! A change at the top of the table, a superstar wins the Ballon D'or, a top club sacks its manager and seems set to appoint his replacement and on top of that, we've seen some surprising results in the Carabao Cup in midweek too!
Let's now take a look at some of the major news stories in the EPL this week.
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Last Weekend's big news came thick and fast…
The recent match between Arsenal and Liverpool in the English Premier League ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw. This game was significant as it tested the title credentials of both teams.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams showing their strengths and weaknesses. Arsenal and Liverpool fans were on the edge of their seats as the teams battled it out on the field.
However, by the end of the game, goals from Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino for Arsenal were cancelled out by strikes from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah for Liverpool and the points were shared.
The result, combined with Manchester City's narrow 1-0 win over Southampton, saw City take over at the top of the table, a point ahead of Liverpool and now five ahead of Arsenal and Aston Villa in third and fourth respectively.
However, the game was not without its controversies.
Referee Anthony Taylor made several decisions that left Arsenal supporters infuriated. Taylor, a senior PGMOL referee, did not award Arsenal a penalty and stopped play early before Gabriel Jesus scored a potential winner.
The referee blew his whistle after Jakub Kiwior was deemed to have fouled Dominik Szoboszlai, nullifying Jesus' goal.
The use of VAR could not review the challenge by Kiwior as play had already been halted, leading to divided opinions among fans and pundits alike.
Additionally Arsenal fans were also upset when Taylor did not give a foul on Gabriel Martinelli in the first half.
However, Liverpool fans pointed out that prior to Jesus scoring, Kai Havertz appeared to shove Trent Alexander-Arnold into the Liverpool goal, which would have nullified Gabriel Jesus' strike anyway.
The Reds fans also pointed out that they could have had a penalty in the game too.
The Arsenal vs Liverpool match was not the only game affected by controversial VAR decisions. In the match between Manchester United and West Ham, a late penalty was awarded to West Ham after a VAR review, leading to Manchester United's defeat.
This decision was controversial as it involved minimal contact between Matthijs de Ligt and Danny Ings.
The fallout from this match was significant, as it contributed to the sacking of Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. The use of VAR has been a hot topic in the Premier League, with many questioning its effectiveness and the consistency of its application.
Just a short time after it was announced Erik Ten Hag had been sacked, Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon began talks about Ruben Amorim becoming Manchester United's new manager.
The Portuguese manager led Sporting to their first league success in 19 years and he is highly coveted around Europe. He was also linked strongly with the Liverpool job this summer before it was awarded to Arne Slot.
For the time being, Ruud Van Nistelrooy took charge of the team in an interim position, with his first game being in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
This week saw the fourth round of games in the Carabao Cup, with each fixture being played to a conclusion and penalties used to decide the winner if required.
The eight games were played over Tuesday and Wednesday this week and produced the following results.
There were plenty of surprises with Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea all being eliminated at this stage of the tournament thanks to wins for Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.
After the sacking of Erik Ten Hag, Ruud Van Nistelrooy oversaw Manchester United's best performance in a while as they defeated Leicester City 5-2 to earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Liverpool and Arsenal progressed with away wins over Brighton and Preston.
Only one tie went to penalties and it was Brentford who progressed thanks to beating Sheffield Wednesday 5-4 on spot kicks after a 1-1 draw.
And finally, Southampton won a home game for the first time this season, defeating Stoke City 3-2.
The draw for the Quarter Finals was made on Wednesday night after the final matches in the Round of 16 had been played.
The ties will be played on or around the 17th December 2024.
The 2024 Men's Ballon d'Or was awarded to Rodrigo Hernández, Manchester City's Spanish midfielder, marking a historic moment for Spanish football and his club.
Rodri is the first Manchester City player to win this prestigious award. The last English Premier League player to win the Ballon d'Or was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 with Manchester United.
Ronaldo's achievements that year included winning the EPL title, UEFA Champions League trophy, and FA Community Shield. Other EPL-based Ballon d'Or winners include Michael Owen, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, and Stanley Matthews.
However, it wasn't all good news from the ceremony. Real Madrid announced that they would not be attending the ceremony en-masse as rumours persisted that Rodri would win the top prize, not Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr.
The petulant Spaniards refused to send anybody to the event after learning that Vinicius Jr. would not win and they claimed that they were ‘disrespected' at the news.
It was later revealed that Real had arranged a five-hour show on their own TV channel to celebrate Vinicius Jr's ‘win', and that the Brazilian winger had bought his team-mates Rolex's to thank them for helping him win the award.
It is believed the decision was instigated by Real Madrid supremo Florentino Perez who was furious at the perceived snub to his club and player.
The full list of award winners on the night were as follows:
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News, Jose Mourinho, the manager of Fenerbahce, discussed his potential return to the Premier League. Mourinho expressed frustration with UEFA following a red card incident during a Europa League match against Manchester United.
Despite his achievements, Mourinho insists on being treated like any other coach and seeks honest treatment rather than special treatment.
While interested in returning to the Premier League, Mourinho ruled out managing teams involved in relegation battles. He is committed to staying at Fenerbahce for the next two years and enjoys living in Istanbul.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insists that the club hierarchy never mentioned a Premier League top-four finish as a target. Chelsea's transfer strategy involves acquiring numerous young talents with potential future value but faces challenges managing squad depth effectively.
The club's focus on long-term success is evident in their approach to building a team capable of competing at the highest level. However, managing a large squad with many young players can be challenging, and Chelsea will need to find the right balance to achieve their goals.
The English Premier League continues to be a dynamic and exciting competition, with each match bringing new challenges and opportunities for teams and players. The use of data analytics, the impact of VAR, and the strategic decisions made by clubs all contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of the league.
As teams strive for success, the Premier League remains a thrilling spectacle for fans around the world. With ongoing debates about refereeing decisions and the influence of technology on the game, the Premier League is sure to provide plenty of drama and excitement in the coming weeks and months.
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