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Throughout the history of the Premier League, there have been an array of teams that stake a claim for the title as the best ever. Of course, there’s Arsene Wenger’s ‘invincibles’, Jose Mourinho’s double-winning side and Fergie’s treble winners to contest with, but are Manchester City now rivalling these teams?

Tomorrow’s Champions League quarter-final at Tottenham’s new stadium represents a huge opportunity for Pep Guardiola’s side to catapult themselves into new territory. Yes, they’ve won the league and have twice been crowned Carabao Cup champions, but the Champions League is a different prize altogether. When appointed, domestic domination will have been on Guardiola’s list, but it’s becoming European elite that will undoubtedly be the primary focus.

In Tottenham, followed by either Ajax or Juventus, Guardiola will sense a real opportunity to reach the final of the competition and create history for the club.

Having already won the Carabao Cup, reached the final of the FA Cup and with the Premier League in their hands, City are on the verge of something very, very special.

It’s difficult to argue against ‘The Invincibles’ of 2003-04. Enduring an entire season without defeat places them in a sparsely populated category, with only 16 teams in history achieving this feat – none doing so in a league as competitive as the Premier League.

Manchester United’s 1998-99 side that won the treble also represent a strong claim. Winning the league and both domestic and European titles, United’s squad was simply unrivalled. Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole – the list goes on and on. Importantly, it was led by Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the best managers the Premier League has ever seen.

However, the quadruple, although still a long way away, would have to set City apart. Bear in mind, of all City have achieved this season, their talisman Kevin De Bruyne has made only 14 Premier League appearances, scoring twice and yet to register an assist. This is opposed to last season where he scored eight and assisted 16 in 37 games. His return to fitness and form is a worry for anyone in their way as the season draws to an end.

Last season City totalled 100 points, the highest ever in the history of the Premier League. Following that with the quadruple would be something English fans have never seen the likes of before.

Don’t blink, as you may be watching history in the making.

Have your say – Are City the best team ever to play in the Premier League? Comment below…

With the UEFA Euros 2020 looming and the qualifying matches in full swing, it’s time to cast our eye to how some of the teams might do in the competition. In the last competition, England made it reasonably far but couldn’t quite get past the last hurdle into the semi-finals.

Here, we are going to look at how England might do in the 2020 competition and make some predictions on how far they’ll get. Keep reading if you’d like to find out more.

How Did They Do In 2016?

Before we look at how England might fare in the 2020 competition, it is interesting to look back at how they performed in 2016. England managed to make it to the Round Of 16 phase of the competition and in their final match came up against Iceland. In the end, they lost 1-2 to Iceland which knocked them out of the competition and ruined any hope that they had of winning the title. Will they be able to make it even further in 2020?

Performance So Far

Online betting sites are already suggesting that the odds are in England’s favour to win their group as they have put on a good performance so far. They have played two matches and have managed to win both of these as of current; with 10 goals scored and only 1 conceded, they are currently sitting at the top of their group with 6 points. Of course, there are still many more matches to be played and they have only come up against two of the teams out of their group.

When you look at the performance of other teams in Group A, you can see that Bulgaria has two points, Kosovo and Montenegro have 1 and the Czech Republic have no points. Of course, if England does manage to make it past the group stages, they could find themselves coming up against top teams like Spain or France further down the line.

Their Group

The initial group stages have already begun for the qualifying rounds of the Euros 2020 and so the groups have been announced. England are in Group A along with Bulgaria, Kosovo, Montenegro and the Czech Republic. Many fans would suggest that this is a good group for England to be in due to these teams not having a great reputation for making it very far in these sort of competitions.

Our Verdict

The Euros 2020 might have started already but the actual playoff games are still a long way off. For this reason, it is hard to predict how England might fare once they get past the initial qualifying stages. If you were to take their World Cup 2018 performance into account, then you could say that this squad has the potential to make it quite far in this upcoming competition.

For now, we would predict that England will top their group and enter the next stage of the competition with a positive attitude in 2020.

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Marco Silva has turned to Morgan Schneiderlin for a handful of fixtures against the top-six this season and that theme continued on Sunday.

The France international was selected to start alongside Idrissa Gueye at the heart of midfield and he impressed with his tenacity against his former club.

Paul Pogba was made to look distinctly average by the solid duo and both players received plenty of acclaim from their supporters in the aftermath of proceedings.

But Schneiderlin’s performance did not completely convince the entirety of the fan base. It was a showing which divided opinion as some fans suggested that his positive showing should merely be used as a tool to enhance his value in the market.

On the other hand, others simply lauded his individual display and suggested that this was another in a growing list of positive showings this season.

Evidently, there is a growing debate over the extent of his quality and whether he is good enough to remain at the club this summer – one which Silva and Brands are likely to be having between themselves behind the scenes.

Here’s what the fans have had to say about the combative midfielder…

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It took years for unhappy Arsenal fans to dislodge Arsene Wenger from his throne but less than a full season later, some are calling for cutthroat revolution once again.

The Gunners suffered a third consecutive Premier League loss on Sunday, this time at the hands of Leicester City, having conceded three goals in each of them.

The controversial sending off of Ainsley Maitland-Niles no doubt played a part in the 3-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium, but that hasn’t been enough to quell the emotions of disillusioned Arsenal fans.

Indeed, #EmeryOut has been doing the rounds on Twitter and it appears, even after less than one full season and even though Arsenal could end it by winning the Europa League, there is a strong section of Gunners followers who already want manager Unai Emery to be sacked.

Here’s a quick look at what Arsenal supporters have been saying on Twitter following the defeat to the Foxes…

Eric Dier has proved in the last few months that he’s simply not good enough to lead Spurs’ midfield to silverware. As a result, Daniel Levy should cash in on him in the summer and spend the money on a replacement.

The 25-year-old was dubbed the ‘new John Terry’ when Spurs signed him from Sporting Lisbon in 2014. The transfer cost £5m, according to Transfermarkt, so they’ve got their money’s worth out of him, but now it’s time for the club to move forward.

His performance against West Ham on Saturday was embarrassing, but Football Insider are claiming Manchester United are plotting a summer move for the Englishman. That should be music to Daniel Levy’s ears, and he should bite their hand off when they approach him.

He’s rated at £40m on Transfermarkt, so Mauricio Pochettino could bring in a really high fee considering he’s pretty expendable. That’ll mean the money can be spent on bringing in a younger, more energetic player, perhaps from abroad to keep the price down.

It’d be annoying to see one of their stars going to a fierce rival, but if they’re willing to sell him then he shouldn’t really make much of a difference when it comes to winning trophies. Man United seem way off winning anything anyway, so they might not even be considered a rival!

What a glorious thought for Spurs fans, right?

Dier has made 18 appearances for Spurs this season, so he’s not been one of their key men. Harry Winks and certainly Moussa Sissoko (yes, really) are the players Spurs should be keeping for next season at least. Indeed, a new first choice is needed and the Dier money can fund that.

Spurs fans, who would you spend the Eric Dier money on, if he’s sold. Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Last week West Brom confirmed that Michael Appleton, a former player and coach at the club in the past, would be added to James Shan’s backroom staff.

The caretaker manager has been in need of expertise to bolster his ideas going into the play-offs and Appleton has become the second name to walk through the doors, alongside Steven Reid. This week, the former finally got to work.

However, with the 43-year-old having been a manager himself, West Brom could find themselves in a repeat scenario from when Graeme Jones was assistant to Darren Moore. It’s something that might have a devastating effect in their bid for promotion.

On the chalkboard

Appleton claimed this week, per quotes from The Express & Star that his appointment would only work if he stayed in the shadows. He said: “For me, it can only work if I take a back seat and be a shoulder to lean on. The reality is, he’s in charge and he’s the manager. I very much know my role within that.”

It’s absolutely crucial that he follows up on his words. The level of expertise he’ll be able to offer will be significant but it’s important that ideas don’t clash. It either has the potential to be a match made in heaven, or it could be disastrous.

Someone in the back seat is exactly what West Brom need if they’re to improve both on the training ground and on the pitch. Promotion is very much on the table, but things could easily turn out how they did under Jones.

The Express & Star reported in March there had been concerns about him having too much of a say on tactics when he was assistant, whilst they also claimed that Jones wanted the managerial reins himself.

It’s unknown whether Appleton has similar desires, but it would be a difficult role for him to turn down should Albion look to appoint him as permanent manager in the summer. Therefore, West Brom must be careful.

Was Darren Moore’s sacking unfair? The Pl>ymaker FC squad name which Championship bosses should have gone instead in the video below…

After the dismissal of Moore there was a toxic atmosphere surrounding the club. Their promotion chances had taken a hit and performances on the pitch were suffering.

But with Shan and Appleton, the Baggies hierarchy will be hoping they’ve made the right appointments to get the most out of the playing staff in the closing weeks.

With one game of the Premier League season left to play, it’s soon time for one of the most exciting periods of the footballing calendar, the summer transfer window.

And this year’s edition of the transfer bonanza is expected to be a big one, with teams all over the country expected to overhaul their squads and make those signings that will take them to the next level, and for West Ham, this summer is a big one.

Manuel Pellegrini has a clear goal of wanting to get the Hammers into contention for the top-six, and he’s done well in his first season in east London, but it is clear that the Chilean manager needs more if he is to take West Ham further in the league, and reports are indicating the club are looking down a division for talent.

According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are interested in Blackburn Rovers star Bradley Dack, who has built a reputation for himself in the lower divisions as one of the best goal-scoring midfielders in the country with 15 goals in the Championship this season alone.

The 25-year-old would add goals to West Ham given his impressive record in the Championship and League One, but if the Hammers are to sign one player from the lower English divisions this summer, Dack isn’t the answer.

Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish is a name that has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, with the 23-year-old continuing to star for the historic Birmingham-based club since their relegation from the top-flight, and West Ham should be making the playmaker a top target this summer.

The Hammers have been linked with Grealish in the past via the Mirror, and the Villa star is more than ready for a return to the Premier League after impressing with his boyhood club for some time.

Signing Grealish would be a big sign of intent from the Hammers and would add much-needed creativity to the side that has been sorely missed with Manuel Lanzini disappointing this season.

West Ham fans, would Grealish be a better signing than Dack? Let us know!

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The transfer rumour mill is now in full swing and the latest player to take the interest of Wolves is West Brom’s Salomon Rondon.

According to The Daily Mail, the club have already made contact with the Baggies over a possible move.

The powerful striker was in good form on loan at Newcastle this term and as a result, Wolves fans are delighted at the idea of signing him.

One supporter suggested that he’d represent better value than Adama Traore who was signed for £18m last summer. Rondon, on the other hand, has a £16.5m release clause, per the report in The Daily Mail.

Three other fans looked at how he could fit into the club’s system, hinting that he’d be good against opposition who chose to play more defensive.

The Venezuelan, who has been capped 72 times, has just had his best goal scoring season in English football to date, finding the net on 11 occasions.

However, with his loan spell at the Magpies now coming to an end, he’ll return to West Brom.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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After West Brom failed to gain promotion to the Premier League, the managerial circus at the club is now back in full swing.

Darren Moore was sacked in March with Jimmy Shan then being given the reins until the end of the season. However, it now looks like the Midlands side are planning to make a move for former Brighton boss Chris Hughton, per The Telegraph.

Hughton has a solid record in the Championship but it appears as though some supporters aren’t pleased by the potential appointment.

One fan called for Albion to learn from past mistakes, labelling him as another Tony Pulis. A further member of the Hawthorns faithful hinted it would be an error of judgement.

The 60-year-old was given the boot by Brighton only this week but it doesn’t look like he’ll be out of management for too long.

In the past, Hughton has achieved promotion to the Premier League with both Newcastle and the Seagulls so there would be reasons to be hopeful for Albion fans despite their disapproval.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

With the transfer window now open for business, Arsenal finds themselves actively looking for the player that has to live up to the task of replacing one of the club’s most important figures, Aaron Ramsey.

The Welshman’s departure to Juventus this summer will leave a massive void in the Gunners XI that needs serious addressing this summer, and it is a problem Unai Emery will need to sort out quickly if he is to keep the fans happy, and an intriguing name has recently popped up.

According to Closs Continental via Sport Witness, Arsenal are interested in River Plate midfielder Exequiel Palacios, who was highly tipped to move to Real Madrid but a move never materialised, and the news should excited Gooners everywhere.

The 20-year-old midfielder is one of the most highly rated players in South America after playing a pivotal role in the Argentine’s Copa Libertadores win over fierce rivals Boca Juniors, and his skill set is close enough to Ramsey’s to make Palacios a potentially brilliant replacement.

Valued at £18 million on Transfermarkt, the Argentina international is a versatile player, mainly operating in the centre of midfield but having the South American ruggedness to tackle and win the ball back whilst also have the flair of a playmaker to bomb forward and create chances and score goal.

Real Madrid wanted Palacios for a reason, and now with news that the 20-year-old is leaving his boyhood club, Arsenal need to act before it is too late to secure a player who has what it takes to replace an icon of the club.

Arsenal fans, would you take Palacios as a summer signing? Let us know!