Seat in the stands with Amanda Staveley gave manager-in-waiting the chance to take stock of his new chargesIt was hardly the grandest of entrances but Eddie Howe probably preferred that. Just as Newcastle’s players were attempting to win a first Premier League match of the season at the 11th time of asking, the man tasked with reviving their fortunes emerged from an executive box at Brighton’s Amex Stadium and stepped into the unknown.Clasping an overcoat in one hand and with the other shoved nervously in his pocket as he descended the stairs behind Amanda Staveley, Newcastle’s director and minority stakeholder, the 43-year-old quickly took his seat in the front row next to former assistant Jason Tindall, who is expected to...
Solskjær pulls off a tactical trick, Potter gives Brighton fans a treat and De Bruyne endures a rare horror showOle Gunnar Solskjær deserves credit for Manchester United’s win over Tottenham. The switch to a back three worked and a front two with a combined age of 70 proved far too good for Spurs, whose defenders were thoroughly outclassed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a banger and Cavani was impressive on his second start of the season, offering intelligent movement and producing a cool finish after being set up by his strike partner. The question now is whether this is sustainable. Is the 3-4-2-1 system the way forward for Solskjær or an emergency solution? Will...
Nuno seems scared of his Spurs bench, Manchester United players must stand up and Joshua King haunts Goodison ParkSubstitutions have been permitted in English league football since 1965, but maybe nobody told Nuno Espírito Santo. The Tottenham manager has been curiously reluctant to use his well-stocked bench in recent weeks, and even as his side sleepwalked to defeat at West Ham, he waited until the 84th minute to make changes. Even if the likes of Dele Alli and Steven Bergwijn have hardly sparkled of late, a worrying gulf is opening between the first XI and the rest. Meanwhile, Nuno’s continuing stubbornness – “The game was under control,” he explained curtly – is hardly likely to endear him to the fanbase....
Palace supporters get their point across while Toon fans show black humour as they come to terms with their new ownersIt’s about 2.20pm outside Selhurst Park, on the corner of Holmesdale Road. A man is shaking a bucket on behalf of the Palace for Life foundation. “Any loose change for cancer research?” he asks the crowds. “Every penny helps.”A Newcastle fan walks past. He’s wearing a jacket with those blacked‑out goggles on the hood and over his shoulder he says: “Do you want some Saudi money?” The man smiles. “Yes,” he says, “We’ll take Saudi money. Even if it’s covered in blood”. Continue reading...
A welcoming party for an affiliate of thuggish autocracy, a medical emergency and a defeat made for a surreal afternoonOn a cool, still afternoon Tottenham Hotspur moved up to fifth in the table with a 3-2 win against Newcastle United. Harry Kane broke his Premier League goal drought. Jonjo Shelvey was sent off. Before the game the new Newcastle chairman, Yasir al-Rumayyan of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, received an ecstatic reception from supporters following the £300m purchase of the club from the previous owner Mike Ashley. Outside the stadium, a van circled St James’ Park bearing the words “Jamal Khashoggi: Murdered 2.10.18”. Shortly before half-time the game was stopped so medical staff could administer emergency treatment to a fan...