Football365

Liverpool lost when it no longer mattered as, in a way, did Southampton. Meanwhile, Fulham, Villa, Wolves and very grudgingly Spurs take their places in the winners’ circle.

Winners

Aston Villa

Could have been forgiven for taking their eye slightly off the boil ahead of a Champions League quarter-final trip to Paris but, whatever strife they’ve had trying to balance domestic and continental action after European games, there was no evidence of that before the biggest one of the lot.

A 15-minute blitz took Villa into a commanding two-goal lead that Forest could not claw back despite a much-improved second-half showing after they’d abandoned a disastrous back-five experiment that left an entire defence lost and confused and entirely unsure who was marking who, if indeed anyone was marking anyone at all. Man United can relate, at least.

A fine Saturday for Villa became an even better weekend, with Chelsea and Man City each picking up only a single point to keep Unai Emery’s team in with a very real chance of another crack at the Big Cup even in the unlikely event they don’t win it this season.

The January transfer window was an obvious difference-maker for Villa, and only Liverpool have more Premier League points since it closed, confusingly, in February.

It’s a climax to the season alive with possibility on three fronts for an in-form Villa. But they really might live to rue that terrible goal difference.

Fulham

There’s plenty of debate currently about whether the Premier League this season has been good or bad. We are firmly in the ‘bad’ camp, not because we’re here to have a pop at anyone but because on a fundamental level when you know for sure who’s going to win the league and which three teams are getting relegated with about a third of the season left to play as we did this campaign, that is Not Good.

What we will accept is the argument that in the round there has been perhaps a levelling rather than drop in quality. Some big teams have got hilariously worse, while the Premier League’s ‘middle class’, pockets bulging from TV riches, have been able to pounce on the folly of those bigger teams and close all the gaps.

So while we have a runaway leader and cast-adrift bottom three, there has perhaps never been a smaller quality gap between second and 17th. The combined gaps between first and second and 17th and 18th now stand at 23 points. The points-span covering absolutely everyone who isn’t going to win the league or go down is only 30.

And absolutely nobody better sums up this idea of a 16-team mid-table than Fulham, who are a very good team indeed to sit roughly in the middle of this season’s Middle 16 but have got themselves there in the oddest of fashions.

What Fulham have essentially achieved is to render the opposition meaningless. It makes almost no statistically significant difference who Fulham are playing, or indeed where they are playing them.

This is a team that has taken four points off Liverpool but only three off Ipswich and Southampton combined. They have lost 4-1 at home Wolves, yet won at Chelsea and Newcastle.

They had bits of this egalitarian approach in place last season, where they took four points from Arsenal but one from Burnley.

But they’ve perfected it this year. Most pleasingly, their 48 Premier League points are split down the middle between those won against teams in the top half and those in the bottom half. They’ve got 26 home points and 22 away.

Their longest winning run in the league this year is two games, as is their longest losing streak. They did at one point draw three games in a row, yet even then they merely proved the general thrust of what we’re saying here because those three draws came against Arsenal, Liverpool and… Southampton.

Wolves

The relegation battle briefly flickered back into life when Ipswich were still leading Wolves 1-0 deep into the second half.

There was a very real prospect of a 12-point gap being cut in half in just four days, and that would inevitably have set arseholes twitching even if in all likelihood Wolves would still have been fine.

Two late goals later, and the relegation battle is once again deceased. Bereft of life, it rests in peace.

But having now surely secured survival, the big question now is where Wolves go from here? They have a smattering of really quite wonderful players for a team in 17th and a manager who is starting to get a tune out of them relatively consistently.

Nobody has more points than Wolves’ 13 across the last six games. They always did look the odd one out when there was a clear bottom four; in the short term they could yet spend the rest of this season proving themselves still the odd one out among their new table neighbours Spurs, West Ham, Everton and Man United. It’s a distracted Spurs at home next for a team that can now play with absolute freedom.

But our minds start to wander to next season and what kind of Nottingham Forest-style freakery we might get from a midlands-based team, reinvigorated by the mid-season arrival of a Portuguese manager and surviving a pretty serious flirt with relegation.

Tottenham

Avoided the embarrassment of the Spursiest hat-trick ever as Southampton failed to add their names to Ipswich and Leicester among the litany of teams to have won at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

Spurs were far from convincing in a 3-1 win over the now-relegated Saints, and did nothing to suggest they are a team about to pull a season-saving Europa League triumph out of their arses, yet beggars cannot be choosers and for this version of Spurs a win is a win is a win.

But this is a broken team under a broken manager, whose complaints against VAR remain as valid as ever but have assumed the distinct position of crutch, something crowd-pleasing to focus on instead of the fact that the injury crisis has ended with no tangible improvement in Spurs’ performances or results, and perhaps worse still the growing signs that even the misguided purity of Angeball has been fatally compromised.

Still, at least when he’s making pointed hand gestures about VAR he isn’t attempting to gaslight an entire fanbase.

Spurs sent Southampton down on Sunday, but there remains an alarmingly real prospect for someone to do likewise to Spurs next season unless something changes.

A glance at Spurs’ recent results and seven remaining fixtures gives a non-zero chance that this was their final win of the season. We fully expect that sometime around the October international break we’ll be saying things like ‘Spurs haven’t beaten a current Premier League team since February’.

Here endeth the gloomiest ever entry in the ‘winners’ section.

Brennan Johnson

We remain quite sure he’s nothing more than a Temu Raheem Sterling, but he’s played himself right into contention for Tottenham’s season-defining games over the next couple of Thursdays after scoring his 10th and 11th league goals of the season.

It’s more Premier League goals than Luis Diaz or Raul Jimenez or Evanilson or Kai Havertz or Nicolas Jackson or Bruno Fernandes or Jarrod Bowen or Cody Gakpo or Phil Foden or indeed any other Spurs player has managed this season.

It’s not nothing.

Ange Postecoglou

Prompting the same club to sack two managers in the same season, you’ll never sing that.

Crystal Palace

Secured a rare Premier League double over A23 rivals Brighton to put the midweek blip against Southampton behind them and, as well as moving within seven points of their first ever 50-point Premier League season, have now positioned themselves such that a win over Newcastle in their game in hand next week could lift them right into European contention.

Newcastle

Not normal to find yourselves in the winners’ enclosure on a weekend where you don’t even have a game, but these are not normal times for the Carabao Cup winners.

A lovely bunch of weekend results in which the only team now above Newcastle to win was Aston Villa, who beat another team above them anyway, sets the Magpies up beautifully to add Champions League qualification to that long-craved silverware.

If Eddie Howe’s side can take care of business in their three games over the next 10 days against Leicester (straightforward), Man United (ditto) and Palace (admittedly less straightforward) they will be sniffing a shot at third place, never mind merely scrambling their way to fifth.

Losers

Southampton

A long-certain relegation now rubber-stamped in record time with an awkward-looking road back, and the final nail hammered home by a half-baked and half-arsed Spurs team that only very briefly appeared in any real danger of Spursing themselves in this one.

The relegation isn’t even the worst thing. That’s been coming for months, now. Spurs’ current navel-gazing uncertain miserabilism meant this was one of Southampton’s more plausible routes past 11 points. It now seems like it’s all eyes on Leicester next month.

MORE PREMIER LEAGUE WEEKEND REACTION FROM F365

👉 Robbie Savage’s Winners & Losers: Saints can take my record; Fulham for Europe?

👉 Hopeless Liverpool trio in Premier League worst XI with Palace, Brighton bad boys and Foden

Aaron Ramsdale

Three relegations with three different clubs in six years.

Ipswich

Fitting really that Ipswich’s own relegation was effectively confirmed in a home game that promised much but in the end delivered only more disappointment.

It’s not just that Ipswich have managed only seven home points all season – although it is also definitely that – but the fact those points haven’t even come in the most decisive fixtures.

Beating Chelsea is lovely and very good, well done for that, but it’s an absurd win to have as your only one at home all season.

Ipswich have now emerged with a solitary point from their three six-pointer home games against the teams who have spent most of this season in their orbit while also being thrashed by Tottenham and well beaten by Everton back when things felt decidedly bleaker in the blue half of Liverpool.

Liverpool

Look, if you’re going to look completely knackered and newly short on ideas about what to do about that, then do so when you’re 11 points clear with seven games to play of a pursuer who absolutely cannot be trusted to pounce even if you do completely collapse in a shattered heap.

Nothing is f*cked. It’s going to be okay. Liverpool are still going to win the league. But there’s also no doubt that the season is ending in a weird fashion for them.

In the space of four games around the international break, Liverpool have seen two clear routes to silverware end and now suffered a first Premier League defeat in a game they’ve led since the 2022/23 season.

Given that formidable record under both Klopp and Slot of pressing home any advantage, the sight of Fulham turning a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead across 14 error-strewn first-half minutes has to be cause for longer-term alarm.

The futures of the Contract Three are a big factor in why these Liverpool foundations suddenly feel so fragile, but not the only one as the sense grows that even with a new manager this season has represented the last hurrah of something brilliant rather than the exciting start of a new cycle.

The Contract Three

Trent Alexander-Arnold is injured, Virgil van Dijk is making wholly uncharacteristic errors surely born of utter exhaustion, while Mo Salah has stopped producing anything much at all after months and months of goal-and-assist numbers never before seen in the Premier League.

Van Dijk looks alarmingly attackable at the moment, with Fulham really doing nothing more this weekend than finishing what Beto had started in midweek.

Salah won only one of his eight duels against Fulham, while two of the (still ludicrously low) six Premier League games in which he’s contributed neither a goal nor an assist have now happened in the last five days.

Nottingham Forest

Seems churlish and is churlish to criticise pretty much anything Forest have done this season, but if they were to end up missing out on Champions League qualification at the end of this season they may look back with particular rue on the decision to start with a back five at Villa Park.

They were the better side by miles in the second half at Villa, but missed a string of chances and, with only Jota Silva’s goal to show for their efforts, have missed an opportunity not only to cement their own top-five standing but put a significant dent in Villa’s chances.

The draws elsewhere for Chelsea and Man City mitigate the impact to a pretty significant extent, but also only exacerbate the feeling of a squandered chance against a Villa side who were always going to have to hedge their bets to some extent between Saturday’s game and the upcoming trip to Paris.

A narrow defeat at a team as good as Villa shouldn’t be the one that defines any season, but the largely self-inflicted nature of it at such a pivotal time of the season leaves a definite sting.

Manchester

The drabbest, most sorrowful of derbies between a United side in genuine danger of finishing below even Spurs and a City one now likely to find themselves outside even the expanded Champions League spots by the morning.

We’ve already managed to put together far more words than is sensible or necessary on a game of such utter drudgery, and you will get no fresh ones here. You can’t make us.

Brighton

The international break can be a burden for all, but there’s nearly always a team for whom it comes as a complete season-wrecking momentum killer. This year, that team appears to be Brighton.

Before the international break they were enjoying a seven-game unbeaten run that included FA Cup successes against both Chelsea and Newcastle and a march towards Champions League contention in the league.

Since the international break they have scored one goal in 300 minutes of football, gone out of the FA Cup and lost back-to-back league games against Villa and Palace to drop back into the mid-table pack.

The good news is that at least it’s Leicester up next.

Bournemouth

Now find themselves inside the bottom three on the form table. Takes something special to do that this season of all seasons, but especially when that two-points-from-six-games collapse comes on the back of a run of eight wins and four draws in the previous 13.

Chelsea

On December 8, Chelsea beat Spurs 4-3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In eight Premier League away games combined since that nonsense they’ve cobbled together exactly the same number of points and scored fewer goals.

The fact they are still seemingly heading for the Champions League despite themselves is a black mark against every single team currently below them in the table.

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur have joined Aston Villa in the race to sign England international Noni Madueke from Chelsea.

The 23-year-old progressed through the ranks at Spurs but left to join Eredivisie outfit PSV Eindhoven as a teenager.

Madueke returned to England during the 2023 January transfer window, joining Premier League giants Chelsea for a fee in the region of £28.5m.

The England international has 17 goals and seven assists in his 76 Chelsea appearances in all competitions but is linked with an exit ahead of the summer transfer window.

Last week, a report from GiveMeSport claimed Aston Villa are ‘leading the race’ to sign £30m-rated Madueke with Chelsea ‘beginning to give indications that they will entertain offers when the transfer window reopens in the summer’.

READ: Fulham fly four places up Premier League prize money table after shock Liverpool win

There is said to be ‘increasing confidence that Chelsea are prepared to cash in if a strong bid that allows them to make a marginal profit is tabled’ with Aston Villa ahead of Newcastle United.

Now, a report from Football Insider claims Spurs are also in the running to land Madueke as they are ‘plotting a surprise move’.

Chelsea are reportedly prepared to sanction his exit with head coach Enzo Maresca having ‘doubts’ about the winger for one reason.

‘Spurs are among a number of clubs across Europe keeping a close eye on his situation at Stamford Bridge.’

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Tottenham: Romano issues Postecoglou update amid ‘dangerous situation’ with ‘expectation’ revealed

👉 Where every Premier League club’s best player could go this summer

👉 Reassigning the ten best players set to be relegated to Premier League vultures

‘This comes as Enzo Maresca has doubts about where the winger fits into his system and is prepared to sanction his exit at the end of the season.

‘Sources say Spurs are now interested in bringing him back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and could make a move to sign him this summer.’

Former Premier League scout Mick Brown claims Spurs could also make a move for Crystal Palace standout Eberechi Eze this summer.

“We talk about Bruno Fernandes at Man United, Marcus Rashford at Villa, Alexander Isak at Newcastle, and at Palace that player is Eze,” Brown said.

“If they can get the ball into him often enough, he can do something nobody else in that side can.

“It’s because of that they’re determined to keep him at the club, he’s a difference maker and they’d miss him if he left the club this summer.

“They want to keep him and I don’t expect he’s the type of player to force through a move unless Palace’s asking price is met.

“Tottenham have been interested for a long time and he’s their type of player.

“If Eze has the opportunity to move to a team like Tottenham, I think he would be open to that, and it’s not slight on Palace and what they’ve done.

“So that move wouldn’t surprise me, but it will only be on Palace’s terms and they want to keep him.”

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has issued an update on Ange Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham Hotspur as he is in a “dangerous situation”.

Under Postecoglou, Spurs are enduring a miserable season as they have lost 16 Premier League games and sit 16th in the table after 30 matches.

Injuries have impacted Tottenham this term, but their performances in most matches have been far from good enough as they have massively underdelivered after narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification last season.

Postecoglou is among the favourites to be the next Premier League manager sacked, with Tottenham’s Europa League run the only saving grace in a dire season.

Spurs face Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-finals and Romano believes the “whole sense of the project could change” if they win this competition.

“It’s not over yet, but it’s a dangerous situation, the one of Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. I know Spurs fans are not happy with the current situation. It’s really poor in terms of points. 34 in 30 games in Premier League,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

READ: Even Postecoglou fans want ‘Ange Out’ as Spurs belief evaporates; Liverpool deserve more respect…

“In the Europa League, it’s a different story. Now, there is an important clash with Eintracht [Frankfurt]. So the Europa League is saving the season at the moment for Tottenham and Postecoglou.

“If Tottenham win the Europa League, this could change the whole sense of the project. Next year, they would be in the Champions League finally, so it would be really important.”

However, Romano insists Spurs are “expected” to “replace Postecoglou” if they do not win the Europa League and he’s ruled out one potential replacement.

“Otherwise, the expectation is that there is a very concrete and strong chance for Tottenham to replace Postecoglou at the end of the season,” Romano added.

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton prediction, expected line-ups, how to watch and stats

👉 Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou ‘one step’ closer to exit after his ’embarrassing’ act vs Chelsea

👉 Tottenham insiders make Postecoglou sack U-turn as ‘mood shifts’ amid ‘deepest crisis’

“Tottenham started exploring the managers’ market. Tottenham are informed on the situation of Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth with a release clause in his contract.

“Tottenham know everything about that and nd he’s a candidate. Iraola is doing fantastic at Bournemouth, and for sure, he’s highly rated internally at Tottenham. So it’s one of the possibilities.

“Another coach appreciated is Marco Silva, who has spent years at Fulham doing very well, sometimes not with crazy investments, but with a good squad, and he was able to make them perform in an excellent way.

“There are links with Simone Inzaghi, but I can guarantee that Inzaghi is completely focused on Inter and he’s not having any concrete conversation with Tottenham at this point. But in general, the Tottenham job is something interesting to follow.”

Even the most ardent Ange Postecoglou supporters now want Tottenham to sack the Australian as Spurs have ‘broken him too.’ Plus, Liverpool need more respect, Tarkowskigate, PGMOL, official ticket scalping and more…

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com…

Finally, Ange Out

*Sigh*, I dreaded writing this,

I was very-pro Ange.

I, like so many others, bravely fought back against the torrent of abuse and ridicule over the past few months because I genuinely wanted something to get excited about again at Spurs.

Spurs have been the sad little brother of the big EPL clubs for half a decade. In the heady days of ‘Arry, we were a maverick up-start wrecking ball, crashing into the ‘Big 6’ and bringing the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric to the world’s attention. Under Poch, we went from plucky upstarts, to true contenders (yes, save your cackling, true contenders) who were finishing in the Top 3 and getting to the final of the Champions League! We had some of the best players in the world in Harry Kane, Son, Lloris, Vertonghen. Incredible.

In the 5 years following, we pissed it all away. We sold out our identity, brought in mercenary ‘winners’ to manage us, accepted dire, negative football and lost anyway.

And then Ange came in.

Ange stuck up two fingers at ‘Spursiness’ and being also-rans. He wanted to come to Spurs and do what he’s done everywhere else: Win. And not just win, but win playing exciting, attacking football that the players and fans alike could love.

At times, it was glorious. 10 games unbeaten to begin. Massive wins over United, City, Villa. Cups runs. Brilliant.

But while the highs have been high, they’ve been brief. And the lows? They’ve rarely been so low.

I only partially blame Ange. I think he could’ve worked out somewhere else. If he turned up at Brighton, or Palace, or hell, even Liverpool, I think he could’ve been a revelation.

But Spurs has broken him too.

Why am I Ange out now? It’s not because of one (more) loss at Chelsea. It’s because the fire has gone out.

The early bad losses under Ange were palatable, because even when we lost, you could see the players still believing in the system. They were bought in on a plan. As Charlie Eccleshire from the Athletic said: Under Ange, Spurs might die on their feet, but they won’t live on their knees.

But now? The belief is gone. Gone from Ange, the players and certainly the fans. There is no more Angeball, the vision and the mission has evaporated.

It’s a sad, sad finish to a sad season for Spurs, but unfortunately, you become used to it.

I just really don’t know where Spurs go next. It will be hard to light this fire again.

Andy, Spurs, Eire

Football365 is not alone in the sporting press in having pushed the narrative of Spurs as pretty likely Europa League winners. There are some weakish teams in that quarterfinal round, but at no point in the last five months would I have considered them likely to beat Manchester United, much less Eintracht Frankfurt, Athletic Club (Bilbao), Olympique Lyon or Lazio. I was obviously wrong in February, but that was a particularly futile league performance from Manchester United, and Spurs weren’t much better in breaking United down again after scoring.

I just never could see it. Did anybody ever really consider Spurs likely Europa League winners? Big Ange is surely doomed.

Chris C, Toon Army DC (Sorry, mate.)

READ: Where every Premier League club’s best player could go this summer

Put some respect on their name…

There’s been a lot of talk about Liverpool’s title this season not meaning as much due to the performances of other teams in the league. I believe this does a great disservice to the team, especially considering its their first season under Arne Slot.

Liverpool have lost just one game out of 30 played and have amassed 73 points in those games. To put this into perspective, I looked at every historical Premier League table, specifically at the point that the league leaders had played 30 games (it was that or work) and here’s the list of teams that have done better than Liverpool at this stage of the season:

Peak Jurgen Klopp, unbelievable consistency—it’s hard to imagine a team doing this again.

Pep’s dominant City side.

Ferguson’s United only exceeded this total twice in his entire tenure.

Peak José Mourinho at Chelsea.

The f*cking Invincibles.

In addition, there are three other seasons where teams like Arsenal (2022/2023), Manchester City (2021/2022), and Manchester United (2010/2011) have matched 73 points after 30 games. That’s it.

What I think makes this season even more impressive is the quality of the opposition Liverpool is facing. The teams in the current top ten are all well-run clubs with top-quality players. So instead of criticizing the lack of teams challenging Liverpool this season, we should recognize how impressive it is that they’ve maintained such consistency in a league with so much quality. The competition has been tough, but Liverpool has managed to win consistently, losing just once, something no other team has been able to manage.

Arne Slot and this Liverpool team deserve immense praise for their performance this season—no excuses, no asterisks.

Neil, Galway

On Tarkowskigate

Greetings!

So, we’ve had everyone from footballing royalty to slugabeds, serfs, proles and no-marks like myself and some non-plussed Everton fans wondering what all the fuss is about. But, the one person I’d really like to hear from is the one person who voice has been silenced. Mr. Paul Reginald Tierney.

Foul, I hear you cry!

I can only imagine the frantic scenes at Stockley Park after the full-time whistle. I can only imagine because no audio has been released by PGMOL:

PT: Boss, I’ve got to go on air and comprehensively explain my thought processes, decision-making and actions this evening. Get me a slot Boss. Get me Slot Boss. For the love of football!!!

Boss: Are you nuts Paul??? You’ll ruin this thing for everyone!!! No more all expenses paid nights in the Luxuro-suite at the Staines Travelodge Paul, that all goes away. That, the chilled non-alcoholic Coors Light waiting for you, £34 per mile petrol and the daily £350 dinner allowance gone! Is that really what you want? Is that really what you want Paul???

PT. I just gotta Boss, I just gotta. I’m Paul Tierney. I’M PAUL TIERNEY (deliberate CAPS LOCK). That name means something in this ‘burg.

Boss: No Paul, I won’t let you do it. Now dry those eyes mister and give me a (consensual and platonic) hug.

Now, James, gave a nice apology and I’m sure on some levels, he meant it but to then to have a bit of a whinge about Everton being unlucky is back to stock Bitters on-message. Oh well, I can’t blame Lugnut for that – that’s the friendly derby for you.

Things will not change until PGMOL and individual referees are held to account and seen to be held to account for their work. Full explanations and not just, the auld ‘on-pitch referee dealt with the matter and no further action was required’ spiel.

I haven’t seen a blatant straight red as bad, not given since Harry Kane went flying in two-footed, at speed, out of control, studs up, not getting remotely anywhere near the ball tackle on Andy Robbo’s legs (incidentally, the ref later sent Robbo off for giving Kane the very least of what he deserved back that afternoon). The ref that day gave Kane a yellow. He stayed on the pitch, scored and we dropped two points, losing the League by a point to some team from Manchester. Who was the ref that day? Who was it, who was it…. oh, a familiar protagonist I’m sure.

Got it. Mr Tierney. Born in Greater Manchester, supporter of < insert your own theory and some muffled noise that sounds like a gagged hostage trying to talk here >, registered with the Lancashire Football League (oh Paul, do you remember when Liverpool was in Lancashire? No, of course you don’t. You were born in 1980 and the boundary change pre-dates you by nigh on a decade). Never change Paul, stay true to your roots and your generous salary. Never change PGMOL, explain and Monday-morning quarterback your own decisions, once the jeopardy for the guilty ones has passed.

Good God Y’all

Sebbo (All kinds of Everything)

READ: Reassigning the ten best players set to be relegated to Premier League vultures

Worst Conspiracy Ever

Sorry to burst the tin foil hat wearers bubble. But if there is a conspiracy to deny Liverpool the title via VAR and PGMOL then it has to be the single worst conspiracy ever. The hours sat in dingy pubs and the sheer number of cash stuffed manilla envelopes not to mention the pints of wine are all wasted as this orchestrated campaign to deny Liverpool a title has left them (checks just to be sure) 12 points clear.

There is a famous saying often called Hanlon’s razor. “Never attribute to malice that which can easily be explained by incompetence.”

If we conducted a scientific survey of all the fans of premier league clubs I am pretty sure that we will waste a lot of money determining that the vast majority of fans think their club is hard done by when it comes to referee’s and VAR.

Any system run by humans will have errors. This is part of what makes football great pure dumb luck.

It is also easier to blame a few guys who are not on the payroll of your club. None of us really want to examine too closely the millions that the club spent on a striker who cant score or a defender who looks like Bambi on ice.

Add to all that the fact that certain clubs have more fans and more fans equals more nutters and that is why sometimes the mailbox is unreadable. Still it got my click.

Simon (Woking)

The PGMOL are pretty shit…but…

Yes PGMOL are pretty shit but…I do have some sympathy. Not that much ‘cos, y’know, they’re pretty shit. I’m trying to see things from their point of view so here goes.

What’s become pretty obvious from the mailbox is recent times is that there’s a vocal section of fans out there who think that if you don’t love their team as much as you do you’re biased against them. The PGMOL does not love your team as much as you do.

Even the most level-headed fan gets wound up at the lack of accountability, the circling of the wagons, the Howard Webb-ing of it all where the old boy network explains and excuses the inexplicable and unexcusable.

But…imagine working in a supermarket where every customer screamed ‘wanker’ at you if you took too long giving them their change. Or working in a bar where every customer felt entitled to fling drunken abuse at you when you refused to serve them their 14th pint. You’d expect your boss to have your back. Or you’d leave. Or you’d have a nervous breakdown within three years.

I’ve worked in clubs and venues most of my adult life and one of the golden rules is if the doorman refuses someone entry or kicks someone out you don’t overrule him. When a mans job is to exude authority if you undermine that authority you’re screwed.

Having said that yes the PGMOL are pretty shit.

Conor Malone, Donegal.

Official ticket scalping

I was quite interested to read about the city fans protest in their previous game. Not entering until the 9th minute to protest the fact the club has basically signed agreements with 9 ticket scalping companies.

The problem with this is you lost before you ever entered the stadium. Sometimes we want to eat our cake and have it too as fans. We want to protest the problems while actively paying for it continue because we dont want to miss the game.

Look throughout history and anytime anyone has taken a stand against authority they are almost universally never the people that benefit from it. The benefit comes after their personal sacrifice and suffering. And as fans that’s what we need to go as well.

It’s no good buying tickets then not using them, that’s as dumb as setting fire to your running shoes to protest nike – they already got your money, what you do with the product after is irrelevant.

As fans we need to stop buying tickets. Don’t renew season tickets, don’t buy matchday tickets. But if you wanted to go a step further then you could (wink wink) also find a “foreign stream” to watch as well.

We know that clubs and the FA utterly hate this because they spend more time pressuring the government to chase pirate streams than they do preventing cheating. Those two actions destroy the model they use, and that will make them pay attention.

You can argue that pirating in general is a response to non consumer friendly practices. Because just about everyone would rather pay normally so long as it feels fair. Nobody is asking for 1p tickets, were asking for tickets which are reasonable. They managed this in Germany, shit even in Brasil watching football is still a working class activity and they’re a pretty poor people. But the 6th biggest economy and the richest league in the world can’t manage it?

Instead of cracking down on ticket scalpers city have decided to join them in what has to be one of the most anti consumer policies I’ve ever seen.

But as consumers the only recourse you have is to suffer for a while and don’t go to the game. Don’t buy the shirts. You can’t protest AND buy the products.

On a side note, it’s kind of surprising that for years now we’ve seen city fans defending their owners attempts at circumventing rules or bending rules and now they’re surprised their owners are doing the same to them? It’s what happens when you support shady behaviour, eventually it gets used against you.

Just ask Americans.

Lee

READ: Sky Sports and TNT insulting our intelligence with ‘say what you see’ punditry of Ferdinand, Redknapp

An inane question answered

Just read Paul K’s email and has anyone ever called Arsenal v Fulham the famous London Derby? Sure, they share a city, but let’s be honest—this is the politest “rivalry” around. Given the number of ex-Arsenal players in Fulham’s squad, it’s practically a family reunion.

If you want a real London derby, watch Arsenal vs. Spurs at either ground—pure chaos, blood and thunder, and one of the highest-scoring fixtures in Premier League history. Now that’s a derby.

And let’s be real, there wasn’t much at stake here. Arsenal already waved the white flag in the title race, and Fulham have all but locked in a top-half finish.You basically answered your own self manufactured question by stating if the fixture can even be considered a derby just because its two teams playing in the same city.

Also, the Premier League just lost one of its all-time greats with KDB’s departure. What a magician—dropping outrageous passes like it was routine. Hope he goes to a club that’ll finally let him talk.

ShyRonnie (Smiter of those needing smoting)

ALL fans

A commentary on the rampant generalisation of contributors to the mailbox…how is your opinion of (enter club) fanbase the actual position of ALL fans of (enter club), sometimes reduced to a ‘large swathe’ of (enter club) fan base to show some learned credibility to your , often hyperbolic, diatribe.

Flavours of the month are, of course, Arsenal and Liverpool and how ALL fans of either are this…or large swathes of both are that. arsenal has 99.2 mln fans and Liverpool have 131.6 mln globally …according to jobs in football.com. Have ALL these fans, or indeed a large swathe expressed their paranoid, delusional, etc etc to …Rob,LFC, NYC for example? (Nothing personal Rob…just happened to read your thoughts on ALL, or at least a large swathe of Arsenal fans).

My mates all support Liverpool, United, Arsenal etc…and the pub chats are often more balanced and not quite so binary, even when there is mega bantz…it’s quite bizzare….and maybe ALL mailbox contributor’s should stop with the pearl clutching to cram down on other clubs simply coz ‘Barry from Islington’ or ‘Dave from the Wirral’ cry’s cos he team didn’t win a peno !

A pundit claims that Ange Postecoglou is “one step” closer to leaving Tottenham Hotspur and he “should go” even if they win the Europa League.

Postecoglou is under immense pressure at Spurs and is among the favourites to be the next Premier League manager sacked.

The former Celtic boss enjoyed a decent first season at Tottenham in 2023/24 as he overhauled their style of play and came close to qualifying for the Champions League.

However, Spurs have massively declined this season and suffered their 16th Premier League defeat of the campaign against Chelsea on Thursday night. This result leaves them 14th in the table.

Postecoglou’s support has evaporated in recent months. Spurs fans jeered his substitutions, while the head coach cupped his ear while looking at the crowd when Pape Sarr scored a disallowed goal.

Former Premier League forward Stan Collymore has hit out at Postecoglou following this act.

“The main takeaway from last night’s match between Chelsea and Tottenham was Ange Postecoglou cupping his ears in the direction of his own supporters after the Pape Sarr goal that was eventually ruled out by VAR,” Collymore told Caught Offside.

READ: Postecoglou sacked off as Mailbox ignores Spurs to laugh at Everton complaints about Liverpool decisions

“In doing that, he has probably taken one more step towards the exit door. By doing something like th

at, he is making himself increasingly unpopular.

“There is no sign that this is the Ange Postecoglou team that creates lots of chances, scores lots of goals, and takes lots of risks.

“It feels like it is almost the exact opposite of what he had doing at the start of his tenure at Tottenham. This is now a team that lacks confidence, and has no dynamism or verve.

“I was one of the people that said that his style of play was not sustainable in the Premier League, and that has proven to be the case.

“And I really believe that he is sleepwalking his way towards the sack, and I think he should go even if he were to lead Tottenham to the Europa League, which would be a good parting gift. For me, it is clear that the club needs to go in a different direction next season.”

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Tottenham insiders make Postecoglou sack U-turn as ‘mood shifts’ amid ‘deepest crisis’

👉 Postecoglou closer to exit after dismal Spurs gift Chelsea ‘catalyst’ with £5m Sancho call tempting

👉 Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton prediction, expected line-ups, how to watch and stats

Collymore has also encouraged former boss Mauricio Pochettino to avoid a return to Spurs.

“There have been rumours of Mauricio Pochettino possibly making a return to Tottenham, having seemingly held talks with Daniel Levy. But if I was him, I would not go anywhere near his former club, as I think very little has changed from when he left in 2019.

“I was at the Champions League final that year when Liverpool defeated them, and I remember very clearly how frustrated he was with the club after that.

“If he came back, he was not be given the tools to do the job that he wanted, so it would make little sense for him to be willing to go back there.”

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to put on a show when they host strugglers Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday.

We didn’t bother verifying if the Saints have the worst home record in Premier League history, mainly because it’s Friday afternoon, and we want to go home soon.

However, this sorry bunch have claimed five points at St Mary’s, which is far fewer than record-breaking Derby, who at least picked up eight of their 11 points on home soil.

Spurs are one of many sides to have thumped them on their patch and there’s little reason to believe this game will be any different.

Ivan Juric’s side has benefited from playing away so they should be able to make a much better fist of contributing to the scoreline, but it could still be lopsided.

Ange Postecoglou was as spikey as ever on Thursday night. As well as ‘falling out of love with the game’, the Spurs boss looks ready to throttle the next idiot with a microphone who asks him a stupid question.

It’s a good thing we don’t have a media pass for this match, then.

Tottenham vs Southampton prediction:

Tottenham stuffed five past the Saints in the reverse fixture, and while it’s outlandish to suggest they will do it again, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Man United have all stuck three or more past them in their previous five away matches.

One thing it does feel like they’ve done better on the road is to stick the ball in the net. That’s just recency bias, as they’ve scored 11 at home and 11 away, but they’ve scored six in five, while scoring four in eight at home.

It’s still nowhere near enough to win games, given the rate they’re conceding.

Talking of shambolic defences, Ange’s side has allowed 22 goals in 10 home matches. The fact that they always give you chances makes us think they’ll get on the scoresheet.

Tottenham team news

Tottenham are as healthy as they’ve been all season, which means that bomb scare Vicario will continue between the posts, protected by Christian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Djed Spence has been preferred to Pedro Porro in recent times, so expect him to line up on the right to allow Destiny Udogie to continue at left-back.

James Maddison enjoyed himself with a pair of goals when the sides last met. He’ll retain his place in midfield alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall.

As predicted, Wilson Odobert got the nod in the attack against Chelsea. He struggled to shine so Brennan Johnson could take back his place.

Dominic Solanke will be supplied by Son Heung-Min as he cuts in from the left-hand side.

Tottenham expected line-up

Vicario – Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie – Maddison, Bentancur, Bergvall – Johnson, Solanke, Son Heung-Min

Southampton team news

Injuries and poor performances have prevented Juric from fielding a settled defence this season, but Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis did enough during the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace to earn another start.

Will Smallbone and Flynn Downes have been ruled out due to injury and suspension, respectively, meaning Lesley Ugochukwu and Joel Aribo will be unleashed in midfield.

Mateus Fernandes has battled Tyler Dibling for a starting berth this campaign and often won.

The Argentinian will join Kamaldeen Sulemana in supporting the attack, though it remains to be seen who will spearhead it.

Juric talked up the performances of Cameron Archer in training this week, so it seems he may be the man to replace Paul Onuachu if the big man is still nursing a knock.

Southampton expected line-up

Ramsdale – Bednarek, Stephens, Harwood-Bellis – Walker-Peters, Downes, Ugochukwu, Manning – Fernandes, Archer, Sulemana

Tottenham vs Southampton: How to watch and listen

Unfortunately, Tottenham vs Southampton isn’t being broadcast in the UK, but it is available around Europe through ViaPlay. Supporters will be able to find radio coverage on THFC Radio or Radio Solent.

Tottenham vs Southampton stats:

– This fixture has averaged 4.75 goals since Spurs beat Southampton 3-2 in the FA Cup in 2020.

– Both teams have scored the last nine times Tottenham hosted Southampton.

– At least one team scored three or more goals in each of the last four meetings.

– Tottenham have scored at least one goal in 15 consecutive meetings with Southampton.

– Tottenham are conceding an average of 2.2 goals per Premier League home match.

– Southampton’s only win in 18 Premier League away matches was a 2-1 victory against fellow promoted side Ipswich Town.

Tottenham vs Southampton referee stats:

Contrary to Ange’s beliefs, AI will not be refereeing this game. Instead, Michael Salisbury will be the man with the whistle.

Salisbury is a soft touch when compared to other Premier League referees, as he’s producing just three yellow cards per fixture on average.

That sounded a bit mean; he might just be good at his job.

Despite setting the bar high for yellow cards, Salisbury has given five players their marching orders in 20 matches.

He’s yet to take charge of either side in this season’s Premier League, though he was at the whistle when Southampton lost out to Ipswich in the 96th minute last season.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou could now face the sack before the end of the season after insiders were previously certain that wouldn’t happen, according to reports.

Spurs have been in awful form this season with Postecoglou’s side still 14th in the Premier League table after they lost 1-0 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.

That has piled more pressure on Postecoglou, whose side have only won ten of their 30 Premier League matches this season, with Tottenham now only having potential Europa League glory as a route back into Europe next term.

There have been rumours at various points of the season that Tottenham could sack Postecoglou but it was understood that the board had sympathy with the Australian over their injury crisis.

However, with some of his better players coming back, GiveMeSport now claim that Tottenham insiders have performed a ‘Postecoglou sack U-turn’ after the Australian’s tenure was plunged into its ‘deepest crisis yet’.

The report adds:

‘The mood around Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham is shifting. Those close to the club, who had been unwavering in their belief that he would see out the season, are now slightly hesitant. In the aftermath of yet another loss, there were quiet murmurings of doubt where before there had only been certainty.’

READ: Mediawatch: Spurs plunged into civil war as Vicario decides to ‘SHUSH’ fans after Postecoglou clash

Postecoglou showed his frustration in a particularly spiky interview with Sky Sports reporter Patrick Davison after appearing to cup his ears to fans after Pape Matar Sarr had equalised for Tottenham at Chelsea.

The goal was eventually disallowed after a long VAR review with Postecoglou also going on a long rant about how the technology is ruining football.

On his gesture towards the Tottenham away support, GiveMeSport continues: ‘There was already a disconnect between the manager and fanbase – and chairman Daniel Levy has to seriously consider this moment.’

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365…

👉 Tim Sherwood singles out Chelsea ‘diamond’ for praise during narrow Tottenham win

👉 Tottenham star ‘snubbed’ by Postecoglou during Chelsea loss seen angrily punching tunnel

👉 Man City FFP, Liverpool bottle it, Ange sack, Man Utd glory: Five ways to save this season

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara doesn’t think Son Heung-min is up to being a starter or captain any more.

O’Hara told talkSPORT: “Nothing. He has done nothing. I’ve been saying it for a while. What I’ve said about him is he’s a squad player. For one, he isn’t a captain. He has never been a captain, ever. He’s just not.

“He’s a player who leads by example and he has done that in the past. But, he isn’t good enough no more. He can’t beat a player, he has got no sharpness, he doesn’t go past people, he doesn’t make a difference.”

O’Hara added: “You see Cole Palmer tonight, he wants to get on it, he wants to make things happen, he’ll take risks with the ball. Son – I’ve been saying it, and I got a load of stick for South Korean fans. That’s the problem, we’ll keep him onside because he brings people through the door. But, let me tell you, he isn’t the player for us. He isn’t the player he was.”

Former managing director of football at Tottenham, Fabio Paratici, could be a ‘key factor’ in Man City boss Pep Guardiola moving to AC Milan, according to reports.

Paratici stepped down from his role at Spurs in April 2023 after losing his appeal against a 30-month Italian Football Federation (FIGC) ban on certain football related activities, which FIFA ruled to extend worldwide.

The Italian, who had been in his role at Tottenham since the summer of 2021, was handed a two-and-a-half-year suspension from working in Italy in January 2023 by the FIGC Court of Appeal for his involvement in allegations of false accounting at his old club Juventus, who were given a 15-point deduction.

A report in November 2023 claimed that Paratici still ‘remains heavily involved at the club despite resigning in April’ and that he is continuing to ‘pull all the strings’ in terms of Tottenham recruitment.

However, there have been claims in the last few days that Milan are now attempting to hire him as the Serie A club’s new sporting director ahead of a summer recruitment drive.

Milan are having a poor season with Sergio Conceicao’s side currently ninth in the Serie A table and now Spanish website Fichajes insists that the Italian giants are ‘planning a change of direction on its coaching staff for next season and is evaluating high-calibre options’.

It is claimed that Paratici, ‘who is tipped to become the new sporting director, has among his favorites an attacking coach with international experience’.

The report adds:

‘While the priority seems to be an Italian coach, with Roberto De Zerbi at the top of the list of candidates, an unexpected name has emerged that could change everything: Pep Guardiola.

‘Although it remains a rumor at first and his signing is complicated, the possibility of the Spaniard leaving Manchester City has put Milan’s leadership on alert. The close relationship between Paratici and Guardiola could be a key factor if the option becomes more viable in the future.

‘Within Manchester City, the manager’s situation remains unclear. Guardiola recently renewed his contract and remains focused on achieving this season’s goals, but the English club faces challenges both in planning for next season and in its continued presence in the Champions League.’

MORE MAN CITY COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Man City accuse Premier League ‘of distorting the competition in favour of Arsenal’

👉 Big Weekend: Man Utd v Man City, Nottingham Forest, Kiwior, Slot, Postecoglou misery-enders

👉 Champions League race: Isak > Shearer, Monchi genius, Grealish at No.10 and Bournemouth f*** it

Man City, who are currently fifth in the Premier League table, have been struggling this season in all competitions with Guardiola’s only chance of silverware coming in the FA Cup.

Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit insists Guardiola looks “broken” this season and puts it down to “what happened outside the pitch”.

Petit said recently: “Something has been broken with him. I don’t want to talk about his private matters, but I think what happened outside the pitch, maybe had a big impact on him. Maybe the players saw that.

“I’m not there at the Manchester City training ground, but when you look at this team, they are not the same team from the last few years.

“We’re talking about guys that just won the Premier League, and we’re talking about a team and a manager that’s supposed to play at the highest standards domestically and in Europe, but we haven’t seen it.

“The way they’ve fallen apart at the same time has been shocking to watch. They’ve lost so many games.”

Guglielmo Vicario might have SHUSHED a handful of Spurs fans for no apparent reason, but crucially we cannot be sure so shouldn’t be making the accusation.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the SHUSH

The big story from Thursday evening’s confirmation of a delightfully early St Totteringham’s Day was no doubt Ange Postecoglou’s attempts to gaslight an entire fanbase and just generally people with functioning eyes.

He cupped his ear to the Spurs supporters who had booed him moments before because he was happy and wanted to hear them make more noise, your honour. It really is incredible how things are interpreted nowadays, especially when there are precisely zero other available interpretations of something.

So there is absolutely currency in pretending that rifts at Spurs run deeper than that irrevocable one between manager and fans. Which is how we get this from The Sun website:

‘Tottenham keeper Vicario appears to SHUSH fuming Spurs fans then smacks tunnel after Chelsea defeat’

It is a mightily loaded headline in the circumstances and they absolutely know that. Hell, they’re nakedly depending on either the fury of Spurs fans or the schadenfreude of everyone else for clicks there.

But it’s immediately problematic: he either SHUSHED the fans or he didn’t. This is not really a scenario in which cakes can be both had and eaten here.

The explanation in the story makes it no clearer. Digital Sports Reporter Kealan Hughes writes that Vicario ‘walked over to the away end and made a gesture, spinning his wrists around his head before appearing to make a shushing action.’ And who among us can honestly say they haven’t ever made a gesture, spinning our wrists around our head before appearing to make a shushing action?

It’s nonsense for a number of reasons. For starters, not a single Spurs fan reacts to this supposed act of disrespect; those left in the stands just continue to clap as Vicario allegedly comes over specifically to SHUSH them.

Also, the camera is filming Vicario from the back and thus the slightly grainy footage only shows him raising his hand in the vague vicinity of his face. And of course he cannot possibly have been SCRATCHING an itch or anything. It can only have been a SHUSH.

Just look at this remarkably incriminating evidence attached to the story:

That is admittedly quite damning. Just look at that handful of ‘fuming Spurs fans’ he has decided to goad for no apparent reason.

It is quite strange that the only other outlet covering this story is TribalFootball. It’s not even a thing on the social media hellscape of manufactured controversies formerly known as Twitter. Why is everyone choosing to ignore this apart from the incredibly brave souls at The Sun website? Stop asking questions. SHUSH.

More tea, Vicar?

Actually, tell a lie: the Daily Star website brings us this latest development:

‘Tottenham star spotted shushing Chelsea fans after tensions boiled over in clash’

That really does clear up any and all confusion. Cheers.

Ange management

This line in that Sun website story is also slightly absurd:

‘Postecoglou was also accused of cupping his ear towards the away end after Pape Sarr found the net – only for his goal to be ruled out.’

The reluctance to say with absolute certainty that Vicario SHUSHED the fans is understandable. But saying Postecoglou was ‘also accused of cupping his ears towards the away end’ is like saying he has been accused of being a surly 59-year-old Australian.

Brawl of shame

Something about that game at Stamford Bridge obviously planted a mischievous seed in the collective minds at The Sun website because…

‘Chelsea and Tottenham descends into chaos as Romero sparks mass brawl after shoving Colwill to ground’

The players ‘came to blows in a feisty brawl’ and ‘referee Craig Pawson was left helpless given the sheer number of players involved’, you see?

An alternative view might be that there was a small amount of pushing or shoving and a whole lot more separating, while a ‘helpless’ Pawson watched from the outside instead of getting stuck in.

And what punishment was meted out after these two sets of players ‘came to blows’? One yellow card apiece. It doesn’t exactly scream ‘Battle of the Bridge’, does it?

You with the sad eyes

One player who might want to SHUSH a certain section of the fans is Trent Alexander-Arnold, but as he is currently injured the Liverpool defender has been reduced to ‘show true colours’ duty by the Daily Mirror website.

‘Trent Alexander-Arnold shows true colours with Liverpool reaction despite fan anger’ is a headline which leaves plenty to the imagination as to what he might have done. Maybe Mediawatch missed him holding up a Real Madrid shirt to the Kop in this sordid true colour reveal. Or did he spin his wrists around his head before appearing to make a shushing action?

The suspense is killing us…

‘The 26-year-old stood by the tunnel so he could congratulate every one of his team-mates as they came off, with a special reception reserved for Jones, who got some words of encouragement.’

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has been told the Europa League match against Eintracht Frankfurt is “all or nothing” after another Premier League defeat.

Spurs‘ 1-0 loss away at Chelsea was the club’s 16th league defeat of the season, leaving them 14th and heading for their worst finish since 1994.

With qualification to Europe via the league a near impossibility, former player and now Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said Tottenham’s Europa League tie against Eintracht Frankfurt has become the most important game of their season.

“The Frankfurt game is all or nothing,” Redknapp told Sky. “I’ve never seen a club where it’s joy or despair in every aspect because he [Postecoglou] will be proven right. Everything he said early on in the season.

“He is all in on that Europa League and right now the players look like that as well. Ange said they did okay but the players weren’t at it.

“Considering they had everyone back. It’s as poor as I’d seen them play all season.”

Tottenham have reached the quarter finals of the UEFA competition but are not favourites to win it with Manchester United, Lyon, Athletic Club and Rangers all still in.

The North London club host Frankfurt next week and Redknapp believes if they were not still in the competition, Postecoglou would have already been sacked.

“If they weren’t in Europe, I don’t think he’d still be the manager. It’s been that poor and he knows the price on the ticket.

“You don’t lose 16 games at a club like Tottenham. He’s got to win the cup, if they do – they are creating history. If you don’t, you will be history. That’s why it is all or nothing for Ange Postecoglou.”

The Australian manager clashed with a Sky Sports reporter after being questioned on a gesture that seemed to show him cupping his ear to the away support.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ON F365

👉 Van Nistelrooy still clear favourite, but might this season’s Sack Race already be run?

👉 Postecoglou closer to exit after dismal Spurs gift Chelsea ‘catalyst’ with £5m Sancho call tempting

👉 Tim Sherwood singles out Chelsea ‘diamond’ for praise during narrow Tottenham win

The 59-year-old claimed it had been misinterpreted and that he was asking to hear the fans cheer.

“It’s incredible how things get interpreted. We just scored, I just wanted to hear them cheer,” he said.

“We’ve been through a tough time and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited.

“I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was [going] our way.

“It doesn’t bother me. It’s not the first time they’ve booed my substitutions or my decisions. That’s fine, they’re allowed to do that, but we just scored a goal, we just scored an equaliser.”