Let's check out some of the English Premier League midweek news stories that have emerged over the last three days or so, beginning with a surprising defeat for Manchester City in the Champions League.
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In a surprising turn of events, Sporting Lisbon defeated Manchester City 4-1 in a Champions League match. This victory marked an emotional farewell for Sporting's manager, Ruben Amorim, before his move to Manchester United.
Sporting's tactical play was impressive, with high-intensity pressing and risk-taking that paid off. Viktor Gyökeres scored a hat-trick, and Maximiliano Araujo added to the scoreline, showcasing Sporting's attacking efficiency.
This match highlighted the vulnerabilities in City's defense, which have been a recurring issue over the last fortnight.
Manchester City's Struggles Continue
Manchester City has now lost three consecutive matches, with defensive errors proving costly in their shock 4-1 loss away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.
Erling Haaland missed a penalty, summing up City's off-night, despite the team creating numerous chances and taking an early lead through Phil Foden's goal.
City's performance was hindered by injuries to key players, such as Rodri, and a lack of creativity, leading to a deserved defeat.
It follows on from a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup last week and a 2-1 defeat away to Bournemouth in the Premier League at the weekend.
This form has seen City drop from the top spot in the Premier League, go out the Carabao Cup and drop down the rankings in the Champions League table, as well as adding to their recent struggles.
The team's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, usually one of the great strengths, has been a significant factor in their recent downturn.
Frank Lampard, a former England and Chelsea legend, is being considered for a potential Premier League managerial position. Jeff Stelling, a former Sky Sports presenter, suggested Lampard as a candidate for the West Ham managerial role if Julen Lopetegui is dismissed.
Despite his underwhelming managerial record, Lampard's history with West Ham makes him a potential candidate for the role. His return to management could bring a fresh perspective to the struggling team.
Lampard enjoyed a relatively successful spell as Derby manager before taking over at Chelsea. He also managed Everton and had an interim role at Chelsea once again before they appointed Mauricio Pochettino.
Several Premier League clubs are considering seeking compensation from Manchester City if the club is found guilty of 115 alleged rule breaches.
These unnamed clubs could claim for loss of income from missing out on league titles or European competitions over several seasons should City be found guilty of some or all of the alleged breaches.
Manchester City denies any wrongdoing and claims to have “irrefutable evidence” to clear them.
The outcome of the hearing is expected later this month, with any appeal process possibly completed before the end of the season.
This legal battle could have significant financial implications for the club and also for the Premier League, if City are cleared of any wrongdoing.
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Liverpool is considering potential left-back targets to succeed Andy Robertson due to his slow start to the season under new manager Arne Slot.
Scottish captain Robertson has struggled to reclaim his starting position, with Kostas Tsimikas chosen over him in a recent Premier League match.
The club is planning for the future and has identified several targets, including Fulham's Antonee Robinson and Wolves' Rayan Ait-Nouri.
The likeable Scot is a very popular figure at Anfield and with the futures of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah also unsure, the Reds faithful are unlikely to want to see another key member of their squad in recent years depart.
Nottingham Forest is currently third in the Premier League table after 10 games, having secured a win at Anfield and suffering only one defeat. This strong start has surprised many, as Forest has matched the performances of City and Liverpool.
The league has a mid-90s vibe, suggesting that keeping faith in Forest during tough years might have been justified. Their current form is a testament to the team's resilience and strategic planning.
The Premier League has now reached just over the quarter point of the season, with ten games gone and 28 still left to play.
Let's now look back at these opening ten weeks with a Stat Attack on the key Premier League facts and figures of the season so far.
Outlined below is our pick for the EPL team of the season from Week 1 to Week 10 of the campaign.
Manager – Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Formation – 4-2-3-1
Substitutes
Edu, the sporting director at Arsenal, has left the club to take up a new role under Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
The Greek Billionaire owns a number of clubs in various leagues around the world and Edu will take up a lucrative position as a sporting director to all the different clubs Marinakis owns.
Edu's departure is another blow to Arsenal who have struggled for form early this season and who have fallen off the pace being set by the top two in the Premier League.
The English Premier League continues to deliver exciting matches and unexpected results. With teams like Manchester United and Chelsea battling to a draw, and Manchester City facing challenges both on and off the field, the league remains unpredictable.
As the season progresses, fans can look forward to more thrilling encounters and potential shifts in the title race. The dynamic nature of the league ensures that every match is crucial, and the outcomes can have far-reaching implications for the teams involved.
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