Newcastle have to be favourites for 4th at this stage. They have a pretty easy run-in and with no cups to focus on, should be fine. All their hardest games (us, United and and Arsenal) are at home, whereas we still need to go to their place and Anfield before the end of the season.
It might have been different had the officials done their jobs properly, once again a farcical decision has a major influence on the outcome of a game. The game is corrupt on this evidence.
Elite GIF from an elite show. One of the best I’ve ever seen and the second half to season 5 can’t come soon enough!
I thought the wolves player dived tbh. Would not have been impressed if we conceded a penalty like that
In the words of Beetlejuice : You bunch of losers! How dare you interrupt a professional while he's working?
Was not planning to discuss this yet, but ... As far as the "season compass" goes, April could be the worst fixture list Spurs have had since that fateful 4 weeks in Apr-May 2010. All the following are "six pointers " : Brighton (H) , Man Utd (H) , Poool (A) , Toon (A) . 8 pts on the "like for like" up for grabs in those games.
From the current issue of Private Eye (No.1593, for future reference) The government has announced its long-delayed plan for a football regulator, with a remit to include more stringent directors' and owners' tests to protect clubs and fans. But will an appointee arrive in time to offer a view for the biggest football bidding contest ever: the acquisition of Manchester United? As predicted in Eye 1590, a Qatari investor has emerged as a major contender. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemical company Ineos is the other bidder, while American hedge fund company Elliott Management has offered to help finance offers for the club. Little is known about the Qatari bidder, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, apart from his role in the Qatar Islamic bank (QIB), which he was put in charge of aged 23. Now Sheikh Jassim is in his early 40s although his new PR representatives, Hanover Communications, couldn't confirm his exact age or how he made his fortune when recently asked by a sports journalist. Hanover, run by John Major's former press secretary Charles Lewington, lost a client in exchange for gaining the Qatari bank chairman; the Premier League decided it would no longer use Hanover's PR services so there could be no perceived conflict of interest over any purchase of United. Sheikh Jassim might be something of a mystery bidder but his father is a familiar figure in the UK: Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, known as HBJ, is the former Qatari prime minister who handed over £2.6m in cash to King Charles in suitcases and Fortnum and Mason carrier bags (which the king passed on to royal charities). HBJ also headed up Qatari's sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which has invested more than £20bn in the UK via purchases including The Shard and Harrods. As it happens, QIA also own superclub Paris Saint-Germain. Under UEFA rules, two teams with the same owners cannot compete in UEFA competitions, which should prevent ownership of both the French club and United. How fortunate, then. that it is QIB and Sheikh Jassim fronting the bid rather than the state fund, QIA. The fact that QIA is the largest stakeholder in QIB is immaterial, according to the sheikh's new representatives at Hanover. If precedent is anything to go by, UEFA's competitions regulator will rule the Qatari ownership of both clubs acceptable provided they maintain the appearance of separate ownership. UEFA allowed G Fuel Vienna and Monster Energy Dusseldorf to compete in the Champions League even though both clubs are funded by the Red Bull drinks company. The pair agreed to no longer share executives and promised not to collaborate together. So that's all right then!
All the talk will be of Haaland, but everyone with an ounce of football brain knows that the Grealish assist was money well spent.
People will look at the score and say the dodgy penalty doesn't matter. But it was the first goal, it was important. And really dodgy - basically headed against a defender as he was jumping, arms in an "unnatural" position. But firstly he couldn't get out of the way and secondly what's unnatural about his arms when jumping? Are they suggesting that you have to do this bizarre hands behind your back thing - *even when jumping*??? So using your arms when you jump isn't natural but pogo-ing around the penalty area is? Anyway main point is that this started off with a very bad penalty decision (plus I think there was another one where the Citeh keeper came out, collided with the attacker and the attacker was booked).
