You can watch the midweek Premier League action on some Tv/broadcasting channels: Amazon, Bein Sports, Dstv as well among others. The English Premier League match week 21 has been quite eventful. Lot’s of great matches were served to fans worldwide. Manchester City fired one goal past Sheffield United. With this result, they maintain the top spot. Manchester United shared spoils with Arsenal. They have maintained the second position for the second game week running. A win against West Ham has pushed Liverpool back to the top 3. This has happened at the expense of a Leicester City loss. A slight slip changes the outlook of the EPL table. This makes the EPL even more enjoyable. As the title race continues taking shape, more matches are set to be played this coming week. The big question is, where can you catch the matches live? Worry not, for the solution lies here.
WhereToCatchTheEPLMidweek Action
Tuesday The 2nd Of February
Sheffield United vs. West Brom 1800Hrs(GMT), 2100Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Variety 2
Bein Sports HD 2
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Arsenal 1800Hrs(GMT), 2100Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League
Supersport Football
Bein Sports HD 1
Man United vs. Southampton 2015Hrs(GMT), 2315Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Grandstand
Supersport Premier League
Bein Sports HD 1
Newcastle vs. Crystal Palace 2015Hrs(GMT), 2315Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Variety 2
Bein Sports HD 2
Wednesday The 3rd of February
Burnley vs. Man City 1800Hrs(GMT), 2100Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Grandstand
Supersport Premier League
Bein Sports HD 1
Fulham vs. Leicester City 1800Hrs(GMT), 2100Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League
Bein Sports HD 2
Leeds United vs. Everton 1930Hrs(GMT), 2200Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Football
Supersport Football Plus
Aston Villa vs. West Ham 2015Hrs(GMT), 2315Hrs(EAT)
Tottenham Hotspurs vs. Chelsea 2000Hrs(GMT), 2300Hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League
Supersport Grandstand
Bein 4K
Match of the week
This is the undisputed match of the week. A London derby is always one to look forward to. Who does not look forward to a derby match? What makes it even more remarkable is the fact that Jose Mourinho is facing his former employer. A cracker surely awaits. Man United versus Southampton is another match to look forward to. Both clubs have been promising this season. Will Arsenal soldier towards the top 4 with a win against Wolverhampton Wanderers? An exciting match week awaits.
The EPL table is bound to change as soon as match week one completes. While some clubs push for the title, others will be fighting for a top-four finish. Hopefully, you will enjoy this one, won’t you? Always here to ensure you know where you can watch Premier league matches every week.
Marcus Alonso once sidelined, had a prolific performance today against Burnley as he helped Chelsea win the match. The Spanish fullback had been sidelined from the Chelsea lineup since September for every Premier League match. Was there anything between Lampard and Marcus Alonso?
Frank Lampard occasionally fielded a back four, and once a while a back 3, with two fullbacks, Reece James and Chilwell. When Chelsea played a back four, Alonso would end up not featuring also. His teammates, on the other hand, Azpilicueta, Reece James and Chilwell were preferred to him. It was rumoured that he had a fallout with the then manager Frank Lampard. Of course, Lampard denied such claims on the press.
A clean slate
Alonso alongside Pulisic celebrating Alonso’s goal vs Burnley. Phot credit: Chelsea FC
Under Thomas Tuchel, former PSG manager, Marcus Alonso has made his first Premier League appearance since last year. Thomas Tuchel in a previous press briefing, stated every player had to fight for his position. It is now clear that Chilwell, Emerson Palmieri, and the thirty-year-old will have to fight for the Left Back/ Left Wing Back (LB/LWB) role.
Thomas Tuchel fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation vs Burnley’s usual 4-4-2 formation. This gave the Spanish fullback a chance to start for Chelsea considering Chilwell had begun in the previous league match for Chelsea.
Chelsea started the game with an early goal from Cesar Azpilicueta. The Blues added another in the dying embers of the game. This time, it was an Alonso goal. He controlled the ball with his chest, flicking it with his knee then firing straight over Nick Pope’s head with his strong foot. The goalkeeper was helpless in this situation. That made it a 2:0 win for the Blues. Quite a notable perfomance by Alonso ensuring Chelsea defeated Burnley. Following this win, Chelsea is now 7th in the Premier League standings. Everton and Aston Villa are following closely with a game in hand.
Considering how Chelsea is playing, if Tuchel continually fields a back three formation, the Chelsea fullbacks are bound to get more goals or and assists. Moreso, considering that the first goal was assisted by Hudson Odoi, who was playing at the Right Wing Back (RWB) position.
Chelsea and Burnley players lining up for a set piece. Chelsea won 2:0. Photo credit: Chelsea FC
Prolific fullbacks
With multiple players to choose from for the Left back /Left Wing back position, let’s see whether Tuchel will keep preferring Alonso over Chilwell and Emerson Palmieri. Who would you pick in the starting line up, Chilwell or Alonso?
When an Irish priest, owner of the Irish club Limerick, appointed the 36-year-old Allardyce as a coach, everyone saw that one day he would be a great expert. After 20 years of successful career, we can agree that the priest was right from the beginning.
The priest believed that his friend could build a serious career as manager. Reverend Father Joe Young has always been crazy about Sam Allardyce. From the moment they met, the charismatic coach gained many friends and admirers of his management style. One of them was Alex Ferguson. The Scotsman loved Big Sam very much. After that successful start Sam could choose where to continue, but the most reasonable option was a manager in the Premier League. But as charismatic as he is and as fun as he is not everyone likes Big Sam. Mourinho once called Allardyce’s football “19th century football” because he did not play attractively and only worked with bottom-of-the-table clubs forced to defend. But Big Sam is old school manager and gentleman. He is also a favorite among journalists. He is not as pragmatic as Roy Hodgson and has built better communication with the press. Big Sam is charismatic and consistent in his choice of players.
Sam Allardyce is a Premier League survival specialist. Let me paint you a picture. Imagine, if you will, that the Premier League season is at its mid-point. After playing 19 matches, your team finds itself in the drop zone. With a leaky defense, an idealess midfield, and a toothless forward line, wins are hard to come by. Due to some luck and a controversial refereeing decision, the team has managed one win and currently sits 19th in the standings. The prospect of being relegated to the championship is significant. All is not lost, however, as you are not that far off from the safety positions. A reversal in fortune, and you might avoid relegation. As the club’s sporting director, you have fired the coach responsible for the abysmal performances. You now need a new manager to steady the ship to safety. Who do you call? The name that comes to most people’s minds is Sam Allardyce.
Sam Allardyce signed a three-year contract to coach the Three Lions (Englands National team). He coached them for only one match vs. Slovakia, recording a 100% win rate as national team coach. Photo Credits: Three Lions Then
Background
He currently does not have a job, one could also say that he is simply enjoying his retirement, but he certainly represents one of the biggest and most famous managerial names on the Island. Born in Dudley, not far from Wolverhampton and Birmingham, Allardyce introduced himself to football primarily as a player, and he started his career right in his hometown. You have only one attempt to guess what position he played – defender of course. He progressed quickly and made his debut in senior football back in 1971, defending the colors of Bolton Wanderers, the club where he made the most appearances and left the biggest mark.
He made five hundred and seventy-eight (578) appearances as a footballer. As expected, position-wise, he played as a defender scoring more than thirty-two goals. Considering Big Sam played during an era when defenders largely sat at the back, the number of goals he scored is quite remarkable. “Big Sam” recorded almost two hundred appearances for the Wanderers, to which he returned only 14 years later. But that second mandate was short-lived, and it was soon followed by the end of his playing career. It was 1992 when Allardyce hung up his football boots. During his rather turbulent and rich career, he played for clubs like Sunderland, Millwall, Coventry, West Bromwich, but he even had one episode in Tampa, Florida, where he played only 11 games.
Sam Allardyce played for several teams this includes:
Dudley Town
Bolton Wanderers
Sunderland
Millwall
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Coventry City
Huddersfield Town
Bolton Wanderers
Preston North End
West Bromwich Albion
Limerick
Preston North End
Teams Managed
Blackpool
Notts County
Bolton Wanders
Newcastle United
Blackburn Rovers
West Ham United
Sunderland
England national team
Crystal Palace
Everton
West Bromwich Albion
His first independent and contracted job was Blackpool. Then there are Notts County, Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Everton and West Bromwich. Quite a long list, isn’t it? As for the style of football that his teams mostly cultivated, I believe that everyone knows that it was, to put it mildly, not very attractive. Admittedly, it has always been considered that he brings results and secure points, and “Big Sam” often played the role of savior in certain clubs, considering that he would be able to “bring them back from the dead” and save the season. Several times he was the champion of the lower ranks of the competition with his teams, and it is worth mentioning that in 2016 he was the selector of the England national team, but he held that position for only two months. Big Sam finally got the job of a lifetime. No one ever doubted his desire to lead the national team. Allardyce himself wrote in his autobiography: “I think I should be one of the candidates when this issue comes up again”. He wrote that in 2006 when Sven Goran-Eriksson left. When word spread that Big Sam could be manager, Allardyce told his wife: “I have to accept. It’s more than a club, there will be the best players I’ve ever worked with.”
He himself contributed and earned his reputation and everyone has the right to like someone or not, but his work and results cannot be disputed. Well, you don’t just get to the position of coach of England.
He will be remembered as the manager with shortest mandate in the history of England. It lasted only 67 days. He couldn’t do it any longer. Nor did he dare, after the corruption scandal that forced him to leave office. It was not an easy decision, although it was the only correct one, after learning that Sam Allardyce agreed to talk with the supposed managers (in fact, they were not agents, but journalists from the Telegraph) and advised them. how to avoid the “third party rule”, for which he should have received, like, 400,000 euros. It was all recorded, then leaked to the public, and then Big Sam had no escape. After only one match on the England bench and a victory in Slovakia, in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, with Adam Lalana’s stoppage time goal.
“After that I couldn’t watch the national team. I watched the next match with Malta for only 15 to 20 minutes. I couldn’t go any further. I had to turn off the TV or switch to another channel,” Allardyce lamented in an extensive interview with the English news, the first since he was sacked as commander-in-chief. “It was played at Wembley and I didn’t even get the chance to lead the national team in that stadium. It should have been. It would be a big moment in my career. My stomach hurt because of that feeling.”
Sam Allardyce was supposed to be a long-term solution on the England bench when he signed in 2016. However, his episode lasted only 67 days and after he became involved in transfer “cheats”, the English FA (FA) suspended cooperation. Allardyce has been out of work for some time, but that hasn’t stopped him from occasionally making public announcements, and his latest statement has been met with derision. “With this English team, I would win the World Cup, without any problem. In midfield I would put Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden would also be there. We will celebrate the world title with this team!” said Allardyce.
He was last employed in 2020-2021 season, but the attempt to save WBA from relegation was futile and unsuccessful.
There is a first time for everything. Thus, the cult British strategist, Sam Allardyce, was for the first time with his team out of the Premier League, after West Bromwich Albion lost to Arsenal, and mathematically there was no chance of survival in the English elite. After the match with the Londoners, the popular “Big Sam” noted that he cannot describe in words how disappointed he is because his team will compete in the Championship. “I am disappointed. I can’t put into words how sad I am. It’s painful. I wanted us to stay in the league, above all for the sake of the players, for the sake of the club, but we failed. At the moment it is too early to say whether I will be in charge of the WBA next season as well,” said Allardyce.
Despite his vast coaching experience, Allardyce has never won the Premier League or any major European trophy. He is an expert, not in winning but in losing. He is the man you’d need to save a sinking ship, but not one you’d need for the long term.
Sam Allardyce’s tactics are so simple; they’re brilliant. He may not be the most beloved manager in England, but his team always has a fighting chance to avoid relegation and make it into next season’s Premier League competition. Sam has been dubbed ‘the savior of sinking ships’ because he can turn around any team with poor stats at crunch time when matches are running out fast; this is why some fans gave him the nickname “Big Sam.”
Sam has been dubbed ‘the savior of sinking ships’ because he can turn around any team with poor stats at crunch time when matches are running out fast; this is why some fans gave him the nickname “Big Sam.”
West Brom manager Sam Allardyce on a phone call. (Image Credits: Getty Images)
Sam Allardyce, also referred to as Big Sam by the English football media and fans alike, has never been relegated from the Premier League. This is across 15 seasons managing in the top tier of English football. Sam Allardyce’s most notable survival stories are Crystal Palace’s 2015/16 season and Sunderland’s 2016/17 season.
Sam Allardyce celebrating after helping Sunderland secure survival with a 3-0 win over Everton. (Image Credits: Owen Humphreys / PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Sam Allardyce: The Premier League survival blueprint.
In his own words, Sam Allardyce’s key to surviving the premier league relegation battle is keeping clean sheets
It only takes one goal to win a game. Clean sheets give you the platform to be successful in a season. You can’t always score two or three goals
Sam Allardyce
So how does he set up his teams to keep clean sheets? Allardyce instructs his teams not to lose possession in their half. Another tactic of importance to him is always to play the first pass forward. This is because sideways or backward passes allow the opposition to get back into their half and reorganize their defense. Big Sam also notes that it is crucial to prioritize set pieces. They are essential when trying to score the sole goal his teams usually need to win or grab a draw. The team’s tactics to defend against set pieces are also vital to keeping clean sheets.
Sam Allardyce shouting instructions to his players. Photo by Chris Booth
If you are to survive in the premier league in Sam Allardyce’s world, don’t lose possession in your half. Play the first pass forward, preferably a long ball to a striker with his back to the goal. Win the ball with fast-paced players when the striker knocks down the long ball. Prioritize set plays, both offensive and defensive.
I bet you would love to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in the English Premier League. This and other hair-rising EPL matches will be on your screens this weekend. The Premier League table is steadily taking shape. The competition is becoming stiffer every day. A slight slip could see any club go down in terms of league positions. The top EPL clubs will be fighting to keep their title hopes alive.
Where Can You Catch The Action?
Saturday the 30th of January
Everton vs. Newcastle 1230hrs(GMT), 1530hrs (EAT)
Sky Sports
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 1
Crystal Palace vs Wolverhampton Wanderers 1500hrs (GMT), 1800hrs (EAT)
Bein Sports HD 8
Manchester City vs Sheffield United 1500hrs(GMT), 1800hrs(EAT)
A win here would ensure the Cityzens remain atop of the league, regardless of Manchester United’s match results.
Bein Sports HD 2
Sky Sports
Supersport Premier League 203
West Brom vs Fulham 1500hrs (GMT), 1800hrs (EAT)
Bein Sports HD 9
Arsenal vs. Man United 1730hrs(GMT), 2030hrs(EAT)
The match that most people are looking forward to watch is the Arsenal vs Manchester United match. The crunch clash will be played at the Emirates. Arsenal has been the better side in the four most recent meetings. Will Manchester United tame the high flying gunners? Will they be able to get back on top in the league standings? Will they be able to squeeze a goal past the second-best defensive team after Pep’s Manchester City? The second best scoring side in the Premier League this season will go head to head with the second-best defensive side.
Where to catch the action?
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 1,2
Sky Sports
Arsenal and Manchester United go head to head this weekend at the Emirates. For this and other matches tune in to Supersport. Photo Credit: DSTV
Southampton vs. Aston Villa 2000hrs(GMT), 2300hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 2
Sky Sports
Sunday the 31st of January
Chelsea vs. Burnley 1200hrs(GMT), 1500hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 1,2
Leicester vs. Leeds 1400hrs(GMT), 1700hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 2
Sky Sports
West Ham vs. Liverpool 1630hrs(GMT), 1930hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 1,2
Sky Sports
Brighton and Hove Albion vs Tottenham Hotspurs 1915hrs(GMT), 2215hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein Sports HD 2
Sky Sports
The matches will be shown live on the above-listed channels. The weekend promises to bring around a host of exciting fixtures. Every team will be out to get results. Some clubs will need the three points for the title chase while others will be fighting to survive relegation. All in all, we will all be anticipating yet another excellent premier league weekend, won’t we? Let’s enjoy this one.
UEFA Champions League vs Premier League: which one would you pick? European football competitions happen to be the most lucrative around the world. The clubs with the most fans generally ply their trade in Europe. Amongst them all, two competitions stand out, the English Premier League and the UEFA champions league. The two happen to have a massive fan-base around the world. This is how they compare in some aspects. UEFA was established in 1954 in Switzerland. Its main aim was for Europe to have an independent football governing body. The premier league, on the other hand, was established in 1992. This came after an agreement between division one clubs to break away from Football League. The Premier League offered better television rights deals.
Moreover, it happens to have more fans than the UEFA Champions League. This is shown by statistics, especially on merchandise sales. In 2020 alone, three premier league clubs made it to the top 10 most selling jerseys list. Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal sold more jerseys than Real Madrid. Real happen to be the most successful club in Champions League history. This shows that the EPL is more popular than the Champions League.
Why Did the Two Competitions Start?
UEFA Champions League
Today’s Champions League, formerly the Champions Cup, was born from the idea of the sports editor of the French L’Equipe, Gabriel Ano, who proposed the creation of a competition that would decide which is the best club in Europe. The idea arose in response to the claims of some British newspapers that Wolverhampton is the best club in the world because he beat Honved from Hungary with a score of 3:2 at home in 1954.
The first official match of the Champions Cup was played on September 4, 1955, when Sporting Lisbon and Partizan Belgrade met. In 1966, Belgrade’s “Black and White”also played the final against Real Madrid at Brussels Heysel, but after a 1:0 lead, they were defeated 2:1.
The first Champions League season
After 1991, the cup system was abolished, and it was replaced by a group competition system, which brought with it an expansion of the number of participants. Some of the biggest changes took place after the 1997/98 season, when it was decided that in addition to the champions of one country, the teams that took one of the first four places in the best leagues, depending on the coefficient, would participate in the Champions League. This move significantly contributed to the increase in the quality of the League itself, and on the other hand, made the path to the strongest competition very difficult for teams from less developed European countries.
Sporting Lisbon and Partizan Belgrade played the inaugural game of UEFA European Cup. Photo Credits: FootyFair
In the first season of the competition, 16 teams participated, some champions of their countries, some clubs that were at that time highly respected by UEFA. Later, the number of participants was limited only to the winning clubs of the domestic leagues. This qualification system was current until 1997. From the 1997/98 season, the rules were changed to give the tournament more tension (and additional sponsor money). Clubs from the strongest European leagues that were not national champions could qualify as runners-up, and later as third- and fourth-placers in their league.
Recent changes to the Champions League as from 2024/2025
From the 2024/2025 season, the biggest European football competition – the Champions League will be played in a significantly different format. The main changes will be that there will no longer be entries based on national coefficients, as well as that there will be more participants. For example, in the Champions League we will have thirty-six (36) instead of the previous thirty-two (32) clubs.
UEFA started these negotiations in Madrid on Monday, and continued them on Tuesday and then officially announced that there will be a different appearance, first of all, of its biggest competition. A place higher in the Champions League will be given to the fifth country in the UEFA ranking, which has been France for years, but Portugal has come close to the results in recent years. The second one will arrive through the “championship road” qualification, where instead of the previous four (4), in the future five teams (5) will trace their way to the elite. The two new places will be given to the strongest leagues in Europe, that is, two clubs that, according to the coefficients from the previous season only (so not from the total five-year sum), and which did not secure placement through the domestic framework, would play in the Champions League.
Real Madrid with the trophy after winning the first final. Real Madrid is the most successful side in the cups history Photo Credits: UEFA
Champions League Hall of fame
The first title in the newly formed Champions League was won by Olympique Marseille in 1993 after the victory against Milan in the final, while Nottingham Forest is the only team that has won the title of European champion more times than titles in the domestic championship. The English club is the only team that was relegated to the second division in its country in the season that followed after winning the Champions Cup.
The most convincing victory in the history of this competition was achieved by Juventus on December 10, 2003 against Olympiakos with a score of 7:0. In the Champions Cup, the biggest victory was achieved by Dinamo Bucharest against the Crusaders in the 1973/74 season with a score of 11:0. The biggest victory by total score was achieved by Benfica against Dudelange in 1965/66 with a total score of 18:0. Moreover, the most goals in one game, and there were 14, was seen in the 1969/70 season in the match between Feyenoord and Reykjavík 12:2.
Olympique de Marseille’s players celebrate winning the Champions League in May 1993. Photo Credits: Getty Images
UEFA Champions League anthem
The Champions League anthem, which is sung before the start of each match, is based on the theme of George Frideric Handel and his coronation anthem “Zadok the Priest”, performed by the St. Martin’s Choir and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from London.
How are UEFA fixtures played and decided
The competition starts with four qualifying rounds. In each round, two games are played, one at home and one away. Since the 2009/10 season, starting from the third round of qualifications, the clubs are divided into two parts, one for the national champions and one for the clubs that qualified by finishing 2-4 in the national championship places. This was done in order to make it easier for the national champions to reach the group competition.
Clubs that are defeated in the third round of the Champions League qualification and playoffs continue their competition in the Europa League. After the qualifying rounds, 32 clubs are divided into eight groups of four teams each. A mini-league is played in which each club plays each of the three opponents at home and away. In the end, the two first-placed teams advance to the round of 16 of the Champions League, while the third-placed team continues the competition in the Europa League.
Sixteen clubs continue to play in the finals, starting with the round of 16, the winners enter the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finally the two best teams meet in the final. On 24 June 2021, UEFA approved a proposal to abolish the away goals rule in all UEFA club competitions from the 2021–22 season. The final is played in a predetermined stadium (not necessarily neutral) and only one match is played.
Premier League
Despite the considerable success of the clubs during the seventies and early eighties, in the late eighties English football was at its lowest point. Stadiums were dilapidated, spectators suffered poor conditions, hooliganism was at its peak, and English clubs were kicked out of European competitions for five years due to the Heysel tragedy in 1985. The First Division, which had been the top tier of English football since 1888, was far behind leagues such as Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga in terms of attendance and revenue, and as a result some of England’s best players left for those leagues. However, at the turn of the 1990s, the downward trend began to reverse; The English national team achieved success at the 1990 World Cup when they reached the semi-finals. UEFA lifted the ban on English clubs (resulting in the 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup) and the Taylor Report into stadium safety was delivered in January of that year.
Why the Premier League is so rich?
Money from TV rights became much more important: the Football League received £6.3 million over two years. When the contract was renewed in 1988, the price rose to £44 million over four years. The negotiations of 1988 showed the first signs of a turnaround in the English league; ten clubs threatened to leave the league and create their own “super league”, but were still convinced to stay. As stadiums improved and profits began to rise, the country’s biggest clubs once again began to consider leaving the Football League to take advantage of the growing cash flow. At the end of the 1991 season, a proposal was made to establish a new league that would bring in much more money in all spheres of football.
The break away from Football League to the present day Premier League
The Founder Members Agreement was signed on July 17, 1991 by all Premier League clubs and set the basic principles for the creation of the FA Premier League. The newly created top tier competition would have commercial independence from the Football Association (FA), allowing them to make their own TV rights and sponsorship deals. The strongest argument for the creation of a new league was that with additional income, English clubs would be able to compete with the biggest teams from Europe.
Preston North End, unbeaten in 22 games (1888). Photo Credits: The Guardian
The general manager of LWT (London Weekend Television), Greg Dyke, met with the representatives of the “big five” clubs in 1990, which opened the way for the separation from the then football league. Dyke believed that it was more profitable for LWT if only the matches of the bigger clubs in the country were broadcast on national television and he wanted to see if the clubs would be interested in a bigger share of the money from the TV rights. The five clubs decided it was a good idea to go ahead with it; however, the league would have no credibility without the support of the Football Association and as a result Arsenal’s David Dein halted negotiations to see if the FA would accept the idea. The FA was not on good terms with the Football League at the time and saw this as a way to weaken its position.
Clubs from the First Division left the Football League en masse in 1992 and on 27 May 1992 the Premier League was created as a limited liability company with an office at the Football Association headquarters. This marked a break with the 104-year-old Football League which until then contained four divisions; after that the Premier League contained only one division and the Football League three. There were no changes in the format of the competition: the same number of teams competed in the top tier, and entry and relegation from the Premier League remained the same (three teams were relegated and three entered).
The inaugural Premier League season (1992/93)
The first season of the Premier League was 1992/93 and was initially composed of 22 clubs. Bryan Dean scored the first goal in the Premier League for Sheffield United’s 2:1 win over Manchester United.
The first 22 clubs participating in the Premier League were:
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Blackburn Rovers
Chelsea
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
Southampton
Wimbledon
Everton
Ispwich Town
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur
Middlesbrough
Norwich City
Nottingham Forest
Oldham Athletic
Queens Park Rangers
Sheffield United
Sheffield Wednesday
Luton Town, Notts County and West Ham were the three teams relegated from the First Division in the 1991/92 season before the formation of the Premier League.
Ownership and Structure of the Premier League
At the insistence of FIFA to reduce the number of matches that teams play, the number of clubs was reduced to twenty in 1995, when four teams were eliminated and only two entered. The Premier League operates as a corporation and is owned by 20 member clubs. Each club is a shareholder, with one vote on matters such as changes to rules and contracts. Clubs elect a president, executive director and board of directors to oversee the day-to-day affairs of the league. The football association is not directly involved in the everyday affairs of the Premier League, but it has the right of veto as a special shareholder during the election of the president and executive director, as well as when new rules are introduced.
Arsenal celebrating their notable invincibles Premier League victory in the 2003-2004 season. Arsenal is the only team that won the EPL without a single loss (26W 12D 0L). Photo Credits: Getty Images
20 clubs compete in the league, and at the end of the season, the three last-placed clubs are relegated to the Championship. The season lasts from August to May next year, and 38 rounds are played. The first 4 teams qualify for the UEFA Champions league group stage, the 5th qualifies to the Europa league and the 6th and 7th placed teams can play qualifications for Europa league or Europa Conference league depending on cup winners.
The Fan Base
Billions of fans watch the two competitions worldwide. However, the English Premier League has a more significant fan base than the UEFA Champions League. This can be attributed to the fact that the EPL is broadcasted almost every other weekend. English teams are also known as the football teams with the most fans around the world.
The Premier League is the most brilliant product of international football – perfectly marketed and sold around the world. Manchester United plays friendly matches in the USA in front of 100,000 spectators, while Arsenal promotes tourism in Rwanda on the sleeves of their jerseys. Four Premier League clubs have advertisements with Chinese characters on their shirts.
The champions league, on the other hand, is known to take extended breaks over time. The consistency in the English Premier League makes it more lucrative than the Champions League.
Alex Ferguson posing with the Champions League trophy and the Premier League trophy. Champions League vs Premier League: Ferguson chose both. Photo Credits: The Mirror
Ticket Sales
The UCL tickets are more expensive and highly bought than EPL ones. This is because Champions League matches are fewer than EPL ones. The fans, therefore, scramble for the few available tickets for limited games.
Sponsorship
Sponsors keep on changing on a seasonal basis. For the 2020/21 UCL seasons, eight sponsors are noted.
These Champions League sponsors are;
Nissan
Gazprom
Playstation
Heineken
Lays
Santander
MasterCard
Expedia
The Premier League, on the other hand, has eight sponsors too.These are;
EA Sports
Budweiser
Barclays
Coca-Cola
Nike
Hublot
Avery Dennison
Panini
It is worth noting that both competitions have shown their prowess by attracting decent sponsorship deals.
There is a football which, figuratively speaking, is worth fifty nine (59) million euros. For the past few years, Premier League marketers have been selling sports equipment manufacturers the rights to the “official ball” for English league matches. For some time now, that contract has belonged to Nike. In September of last year (2021), that company offered 59 million euros (yes, that’s the correct figure!) to buy the rights for Manchester, Liverpool, Chelsea and others to use the Nike ball until 2025.
Financial Gains
The UEFA Champions League pays better than the English Premier League. As for the prize money, the winner of UCL gets close to an average of 100 million euros after completing the event successfully. The EPL winner, on the other hand, can get an average of 170 million euros. With these stats, the Champions league pays much better per game. This is because a maximum of 15 games is played in the UCL season by a team. In the EPL, 38 matches must be played.
Clubs participating in the Champions League and UEFA competitions will earn a total of more than one billion and 2 hundred million euros this season (2022/2023) from marketing and selling the rights to televise matches in that competition. The profit from this year’s Champions League will be around 30 percent higher than in the previous season.
English professional clubs derive their strength from the piles of money at their disposal. The Premier League earns 6.9 billion euros from television rights in three years. In comparison, the Bundesliga receives 4.6 billion for a period of four years. Even smaller clubs like Bournemouth, managed to invest 90 million euros in their team this season, three times more than some teams from top 5 in the Bundesliga.
Claudio Ranieri celebrating Premier League victory with Leicester City. Photo Credits : Zapsports
Most players prefer a Champions League medal. This is because it’s more competitive and ranks highest in European club competitions. Players like Buffon have been struggling to win the trophy, even though he has a good number of league trophies. Most managers prefer a league trophy since it appeals more to the fan base. Most legendary managers have been rated by the league titles won. Former Leicester City man Claudio Ranieri is idolized more in England than Roberto Di Matteo. The former won an EPL trophy with Leicester while the latter won a Champions League trophy with Chelsea.
The best 11 players who never won the UEFA Champions League
Many greats in the most popular sport have won the Champions League, but there are also legends who never enjoyed the European Cup. There are top-class footballers, but unfortunately they never enjoyed the ‘cup with ears’. “Sky Sports” made a “dream team” of football players who do not have the trophy in the elite European club competition in their collection.
In goal, the best, but also the worst goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, who lost his third career final. Before him, three “giants”, Lilian Thuram, Lothar Matheus and Fabio Cannavaro. The midfield also consists of three great masters. Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira and his former Arsenal teammate Cesc Fabregas, who now plays for Chelsea. They are accompanied by another former football player who played in the Premier League, Michael Ballack. The offensive line could not have been better. Francesco Totti, Dennis Bergkamp, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and “il phenomeno” Ronaldo complete the squad.
Verdict
As for my take on Champions League vs Premier League, here is my opinion. The champions league pays better per match. It also seems to have the upper hand over the EPL in many aspects. However, the English Premier League remains a fan favorite around the world: today Liverpool is on top of the table, tomorrow they are fourth, all in a span of a week or two. Don’t you love this? In this debate, the Champions League will always come second.
The Champions League has teams from all continents with many different and higher quality teams that compete against one another. This makes the matches much more exciting with many top players playing against one another. In fact, some might even consider the Champions League to be on the same level of prestige as the World Cup!
As we enter week 20 in the EPL, I suppose you wonder where to watch the Premier League matches this week. Worry no more. This week encapsulates a set of exciting fixtures. One notable one is the match between Liverpool and Totenham. The last time Totenham won against Liverpool was back in 2017, will they be able to beat the Reds? Guess, we will have tp find out. This match will decide who goes to fourth place of the two clubs.
Where to catch the action
Manchester City is set to visit West Brom in the Premier League. Photo Credit Premier League
26th January 2021
Newcastle vs. Leeds 1800 hrs(GMT), 2100 hrs (EAT)
Supersport Premier League – 203
Bein Sports HD2
Crystal Palace vs. Westham United 1800 hrs(GMT), 2100 hrs (EAT)
Supersport Grandstand – 201 (Goal rush)
Bein Sports HD5
Southampton vs. Arsenal 2015 hrs(GMT), 2315 hrs(EAT)
Bein Sports – HD5
Supersport Grandstand 201 (Goal Rush)
Southampton vs. Arsenal 2015 hrs(GMT), 2315 hrs(EAT)
Bein Sports – HD5
Supersport Grandstand 201 (Goal Rush)
West Brom vs. Manchester City 2015 hrs(GMT), 2315 hrs(EAT)
Manchester United vs. Sheffield 2015 hrs(GMT), 2315 hrs(EAT)
Supersport Premier League 203
Everton vs. Leicester 2015 hrs(GMT), 2315 hrs(EAT)
Supersport Grandstand 201 (Goal Rush)
Bein Sports HD3
28th January 2021
Harry Kane taking a spot kick in a previous match against Brighton. Photo Credit Premier League
Totenham vs. Liverpool 2000 hrs(GMT), 2300 hrs(EAT)
Supersport Grandstand 201
Supersport Premier League 203
Bein 4K
Bein Sports HD1
Bein Sports HD2
The matches will be showing live on the listed channels. Enjoy! Moreover, do not hesitate to pass by and check where to watch Premier League matches this coming week or weekend.
The English Premier League title race is shaping up with a host of fixtures set to be played this week. Manchester United top the English Premier League table. Manchester City comes second and Leicester City third. Liverpool has slumped to 4th position after the recent draw with Manchester United. The point difference between position one and four is 6 points currently. This week’s results will, therefore play a big role in changing the table.
The other notable clubs are Tottenham Hotspurs, Chelsea and Arsenal. However, they sit in positions 5, 8 and 10, respectively. They form a part of the traditional big six clubs of England. With more efforts, they could also mount a title challenge.
Premier League table standings. Photo credits: Premier League
This Week’s Fixtures
Arsenal opened the week with a crucial match against Newcastle United, where they won by three goals to nil. Emile Smithe Rowe has proofed to be a good midfield option for the Gunners. Aubameyang scored a brace, with Saka netting in the other goal. Emile Smithe Rowe and Saka have been crucial to Arsenal’s return to form.
Leicester City played host to the Blues. Everyone looked forward to this fixture, owing to its importance on the Premier League top 6 table standings. Fortunately or unfortunately, Chelsea lost two goals to nil to the host and consequentially dropped to position eight. Relegation-threatened Westbrom lost two goals to one as they visited Moyes’ Westham United. West Brom have recorded three losses in the last 5 EPL games, winning one and drawing the other
A race between two rivals, Manchester
Manchester was buzzing with chants from fans. On one end you could hear, “Glory Glory Man United” chants, on the other, you could overhear names like De’ Bruyne, Pep and the likes. Both teams were playing on the same day. The results would determine the amount of Twitter activity we would experience. Well, both teams won, Manchester United won 2 – 1 vs Fulham. A goal from ‘El-Matador’ and a great strike from Labile Pogba did the trick. De Gea conceded a goal, thanks to an early Lookman goal.
Manchester City, on the other hand, got two past a prolific goalkeeper-cum-Arsenal reject, Emiliano Martinez. Emiliano made seven saves in this match, seven saves! That is quite a performance. He conceded one open play goal and a late penalty by Gundogan. Bernado Silva was responsible for the open play goal. The results leave Manchester City second in the Premier League, with a game in hand.
Bernado Silva celebrating with Pep Guardiola after he scored vs Aston Villa. Photo Credit: Manchester City
Upcoming Fixtures
Liverpool is set to play Burnley tonight. Whatever, the results, they remain fourth. Aston Villa has several games in hand. They play Newcastle tomorrow; if they win they will be level with Chelsea and Southampton at 29 points, the goal difference will be the distinguishing factor.
The fixtures this week were exciting all along. How long will Manchester United remain on top?
Attack wins you games; defense wins you titles, a pro ‘sit back’ phrase rightly coined by the Premier League’s most successful manager, Sir Alex Fergusson. The evolution of football has seen this statement gain prominence, with its pragmatic implementation becoming commonplace among managers.
The coaches
Tacticians like Jose Mourinho have gone ahead to showcase its vitality by winning important games and trophies. His famous semi-final triumph against Barca in 2010 with Inter was hugely constructed around this idea. Not only that, in Chelsea’s 2004/05 Premier League title win, Jose’s center back pairing Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry only conceded 15 goals between them the entire season. Such an outstanding statistic is a reflection of the efficacy of this tactic and its promise to deliver results.
Sir Alex Ferguson who stated, Attack wins you games; defence wins you titles. Image Credits; Getty Images
For other managers, Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce being part of this category, the utilization of this tactic is often a last-ditch move to avoid relegation. Sitting on the cusp of relegation, with fierce opponents like Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Man United up ahead, it would be quixotic to go into such games expecting to dominate territory. Not forgetting the fact that the board and the fans are all looking up to you, as the coach, to miraculously save this sinking ship, prioritizing ostentatious football at the expense of staying on top would be considered wanton insularity. That is why these managers opt for rudimentary football in delivering the most crucial prize at that moment.
Anti-relegation suitability
It is a common theme in football that whenever Big Sam is called upon, the team in question is hanging in the balance. Allardyce has experience in these situations, or at least that is the perception. When he took charge of a struggling Sunderland in 2016, the hurdle seemed insurmountable, competing against able adversaries Newcastle (led by Champions League winner Rafael Benitez) and Norwich to escape the drop zone. Astonishingly, Sunderland emerged victorious securing top-flight football in what seemed a tight competition between the three.
The guiding principle for Sam Allardyce in helping Sunderland stay top was establishing a robust defensive foundation. His January window reinforcements hugely centered on bringing in defensive-minded players, with Jan Kirchoff and Lamine Kone possessing the physicality to solidify the defense. This then allowed Jermain Defoe and Fabio Borini to capitalize on their defensive solidity to hit teams on the counter. A basic strategy, it seemed, but it did the trick for Allardyce and his men.
With teams like Burnley, under the stewardship of Sean Dyche, their ‘boring’ style of play seems to suit their financial capabilities. They ostensibly lack the financial autonomy to compete with the big boys, and it makes perfect sense why Sean Dyche has, on numerous occasions, resorted to their low-block organization. They lack the finances to purchase quality players that can execute the proverbial high-octane football. Dyche deploys a 4-4-2 formation, which is the quintessence arrangement of most “sit-back-and-defend” variants. He then relies on big strikers who can collect clearances, hold up play, and release the overlapping attackers on the break.
These strikers must also possess high fitness as up-front pressing is hugely reliant on the lone pair. The rest of the team maintains compactness in a low block, getting ready to ward off any crosses or attacks thrown at them. In-depth detail regarding Burnley’s arrangement is to be provided in a later segment explicating how this strategy has worked out for the Clarets in successive seasons.
West Bromwich Albion parking the bus against Liverpool. Image Credits: Sportsbible
As this style of play was extensively employed during the early years of the game’s development, most who used it were oblivious to its application. At the time of the Premier League’s formation in 1992, a simplistic, one-dimensional, and predictable play was the highlight of the game. Charles Hughes, the Football Association’s director of Coaching at the time, clumsily advocated for statistics that involved quickly launching the ball downfield.The idea was to create as many chances as possible and score as many goals as possible.
His method was vastly pilloried for creating brain-dead players that possessed no flair in their play. When the Premier League (modern football) was instituted, attention was brought to technicality and tactical acuity in preparing players for matches. From this point, the beautiful game emerged and football became more enthralling and intriguing.
Coining of the phrase, ‘park the bus’
In 2004, however, after a goalless draw between Chelsea and Tottenham, Jose Mourinho conceived a new phrase while chiding his opponents, who he criticized for blinkeredness. “As we say in Portugal, they brought the bus, and they left the bus in front of the goal,” Mourinho told reporters. “I would have been frustrated if I had been a supporter who paid £50 to watch this game because Spurs came to defend.” This polemic against Spurs’ style of play gave rise to the famous phrase “park the bus.”
The phrase ended up being the mainstay of the sit-back-and-defend strategy and is today outrightly associated with managers who utilize a conservative game plan. Parking the bus emphasizes close-knit defending when out of possession while de-emphasizing risk-taking in possession. This means very few players commit forward during an attack to avoid exposing the defense if they lose the ball.
Despite Mourinho’s reproachment in how Spurs went about their game, it is his teams that have been strongly linked with this style of play. His two stints as manager at Chelsea saw him repeatedly utilize this system, and it helped him clinch important titles. He used the same style with Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Tottenham. In all these times, his teams were considered masters in implementing this game plan. In the 2004-05 campaign with Chelsea, for example, Mourinho won the league losing only one game and earning an unprecedented number of clean sheets (15) in the Premier League. And even today, Mourinho still finds pride in being associated with this system of play.
In spite of being touted as a results-driven style of play, it hasn’t faired on without its share of criticisms. Questions continue to be asked whether this mode of play is slowly killing the spirit of football. Looking back at the significant transformation the game has undergone over decades, from the old First Division to the Premier League in England, does this lack of sophistication regress footballing progress? Are fans content with paying so much money to watch their team compete in goalless draws?
Does playing well matter?
Jurgen Klopp has described this system as “anti-football,” having debilitating impacts on the foundations of this wonderful sport. It is the belief that this system is retrogressive and undermines the concept of football today. The progress that we have witnessed in the evolution of this game will mean nothing when managers continue to play such lackluster football. Winning matches should be a priority, but not always at the compromise of scintillating football. As former Bayern Munich manager Kovac once stated, “football is a sport that is results-oriented, but the best combination is to win and play well.”
The English FA cup is finally back. The lower tier clubs are done with the lower knockout stages. The round of 32 is active with all the premier league clubs in the competition. Last season, Arsenal convincingly won the competition after beating Chelsea in the finals. This achievement cemented their position at the top of the England FA cup leaderboard. They have won 14 of the cups. Manchester United are the closest rivals with 12 FA cups. With most clubs eyeing the coveted trophy, the competition is stiffer this season.
Emile Smithe Rowe celebrating his winning goal vs Newcastle. Arsenal won 2:0. Photo credits : Arsenal
Bigwigs Who Have Qualified
Despite the competition being open to every English club, only a few get mentioned as the favorites. In England, 6 top clubs are always at the forefront of every competition. Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool are the routine top 6 clubs. These are the top six favorites to clinch the trophy. This is due to their experience in the competition and general quality as clubs. Arsenal has qualified for the next round by beating Newcastle 2 goals to nil. Liverpool is also in the next round having put 4 past Aston Villa.
Scot McTominay celebrating his early goal vs Watford in the FA round 32. Manchester United won 1:0. Photo Credit : Manchester United
Moreover, Manchester United are also through to the next round. They won 1:0 vs Watford, thanks to a Scott McTominay early goal. Chelsea take on Morecambe while Tottenham face Marine FC. Manchester City will be visited by Birmingham City.
Furthermore, the competition is tougher this season given the quality of other clubs. The likes of Everton, Southampton, Wolves, Leicester City and West Ham are capable of challenging for the trophy. The clubs have decent squads that have impressed in the EPL this season. This is a big reason to worry for the big boys. More effort will be needed to dispatch off these clubs. The big boys must put their best feet forward if at all they want to win the trophy. Otherwise, they might be in for a rude shock from the impressive mid table clubs.
Todd Cantwell wrestling for the ball vs Coventry player in the FA Cup. Photo Credit : Norwich
Rashford celebrating a past goal with Pogba and Wan Bissaka vs Wolves. Photo Credits: Manchester United Twitter
Marcus Rashford and Sadio Mane are two fine EPL footballers to do some comparison on. Both of them have played most of their games as left wingers. Rashford is 23 years old while Mane is 28 years old. Rashford has risen through the Man United youth ranks to where he is today. Mane on the other hand has had to switch clubs overtime. He started his professional career at Metz before joining Salzburg. He was spotted by Southampton scouts thereby making a move to the saints. After two seasons, Liverpool signed him up in 2016. Since then, the left winger has been delivering fine performances for the club. The two players have been a subject of debates in recent times. Football fans have been trying to find who is the better player. Here is how they compare.
Statistics Comparison
Sadio Mane is the better of the two when it comes to premier league goals. He has scored more goals having played more games too. His career has flourished more as a Liverpool player. He has 89 EPL goals in 205 appearances for the club. Rashford has scored 46 EPL goals in 117 appearances since Sadio Mane joined Liverpool. Mane has 17 champions league goals in 40 appearances for the club. Rashford on the other hand has scored 11 champions league goals in 24 appearances for the club. Mane has a slightly better minutes per goal ratio than Rashford. This can be attributed to Mane having had more experience in the two competitions than Marcus Rashford.
Squawka comparison of Rashford and Mane in UEFA 20/21. Photo credits: SquawkaRashford – Mane comparison for Premier League 19/20 season. Photo credits: Squawka
Recent Performances
Marcus Rashford has been a better player in recent times. Since the start of the 2019/20 season, he has proven to be a little bit better than Mane. He has a better consistency than Mane. Rashford seldom goes 4 games without a goal. Mane on the other hand has recently gone 8 games without recording a goal. Rashford finished the 2020 charts as the best left winger. This season, Rashford has already recorded 7 EPL goals and 4 assists in 16 games. Mane has recorded 6 goals and 2 assists in 15 games. In the champions league, Rashford has 6 goals in 6 appearances while Mane has 1 goal and 2 assists in 6 appearances. This means that Rashford is coming good and will eventually push Mane behind him in the left winger charts.
Rashford Mane comparison in Premier League 20/21 season. Photo credits: Squawka
Both players are decent outside the football pitch. Marcus Rashford has been running a campaign to feed vulnerable children in the United Kingdom. Sadio Mane has been building social amenities to improve the lives of fellow countrymen.
Sadio Mane vs WestBrom in a past match featuring for Liverpool, Premier League 20/21. Photo Credits: Liverpool Twitter
The Senegalese winger and English striker both have a good record on and off the pitch. Both are instrunmental to their teams. You now know what the numbers say about the comparison of Sadio Mane and Rashford.
