Michael Keane’s arrival took Ronald Koeman’s summer spree beyond the £80m mark and the Goodison faithful will be hoping their manager’s decisiveness filters through to the team once the season startsThere is no doubt which Premier League club have made the quickest start in the race to do business in the summer transfer window. One might not go as far as Robbie Fowler, who believes Everton’s resolve and targeted investment are making the rest of the league look stupid, though there is plenty to admire in the way Ronald Koeman and his club backers go about their business.Everton have made five major signings before most clubs are properly back from their holidays, although Henry Onyekuru will be going straight out to...
The 2016-17 season still had its drama – moments of brilliance and booming narrative arcs to be resolved – but it was less title race than well-ordered title jogFarewell, then, to the year that almost was. This was a Premier League season that sparked with a controlled excitement, never quite caught fire but still dished up another digestible slice of high-end product.Things kept on almost happening. Leicester City almost completed the most dramatic title-plus-relegation act of all time. But then it was all sort of OK. Marco Silva almost pulled off a minor managerial miracle – but somehow not quite. To great fanfare Tottenham Hotspur pulled to within one victory of being quite close to creeping up on Chelsea’s shoulder at...
Focus of anger moves from Arsène Wenger to club’s American owner after downgrade to Europa League that followed final-day defeat of EvertonThe sun burned, Champions League hopes evaporated and all of a sudden the lightning rod for Arsenal supporters’ disillusionment moved away from the man in the dugout and out towards the Atlantic. The chant started in the North Bank and suddenly spread, growing in urgency as it coursed round the stadium: “Stan Kroenke – get out of our club.”The news that broke last week about Alisher Usmanov’s $1.3bn bid for the majority shareholding held by Arsenal’s American investor has broadened the conversation about the club’s status and ambitions. While the disaffected have generally pointed their fingers at Arsène Wenger...
John Terry will say goodbye to Chelsea with the title, José Mourinho will pick his weakest team yet and Manchester City should tread carefully at WatfordThe best team in the league face the worst team in the league in a match that will be played in a carefree atmosphere by everyone except John Terry, whose 717th and final Chelsea appearance will end with him – together with Gary Cahill – lifting the Premier League trophy, followed by a teary-eyed farewell speech to the fans. Sunday is the end of an era for Terry, his club and their opponents Sunderland, relegated at last after 10 successive top-flight seasons. Terry’s beer-glass-emptying, disabled-bay-filling, rival-abusing, full-kit-wearing past means he gets little love from rival...
Chelsea and Spurs face challenges of a differing kind despite their success, Paul Clement justified his appointment and Marco Silva is likely to leave HullThe Dozen: the weekend’s best Premier League photos Related: Rainbows and tears on Tottenham's last day at White Hart Lane | David Hytner Related: The Dozen: the weekend’s best Premier League photos Continue reading...