Josh Windass (Wrexham)
August 2025
Josh Windass scored from the penalty spot in Wrexham’s 2-1 win at Southampton, marking their first Championship goal since 1982. The club, promoted three times in a row, looked comfortable in their second-tier return. Kieffer Moore won a first-half penalty, which Windass converted in the 22nd minute. Phil Parkinson’s side impressed despite expectations of a struggle in the higher division.
Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal)
September 2025
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta defended Viktor Gyökeres after the striker endured another ineffective display in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, registering no shots and struggling to influence play despite his £64m summer arrival. Gyökeres touched the ball just 24 times and lost possession repeatedly, with Gabriel Martinelli rescuing Arsenal late. Arteta insisted his team must create conditions to maximize Gyökeres’ strengths rather than place all blame on him, stressing patience and tactical adaptation moving forward.
Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
November 2025
Manchester United’s run ended in a 2-2 draw at Forest. Casemiro (Manchester United) headed the opener before Forest flipped it through Gibbs-White and Nicolò Savona (Nottingham Forest). Diallo’s late volley salvaged a point, with Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) hitting the post and a stoppage-time chance cleared off the line. United started sharp but lost control after halftime, conceding twice in three minutes. Amorim’s side relied on individual moments rather than patterns; expensive forwards offered little penetration. Diallo’s technique rescued them, yet defensive transitions and set-piece focus remain issues. United miss the chance to climb second, taking only one point.
Liverpool
November 2025
Liverpool’s season hit a new low with a 4-1 home defeat to PSV, marking nine losses in their last 12 games and dragging them down to 13th in the Champions League standings. Goals from Ivan Perisic, Guus Til and a Couhaib Driouech brace exposed a fragile, disjointed defence. Slot’s rotated side never settled, and the night worsened when in-form summer signing Hugo Ekitike limped off just after the hour, forcing the underperforming Alexander Isak into another goalless appearance. The Sweden striker’s ongoing drought and the team’s collapsing form will intensify scrutiny on Slot’s selections and ability to halt the slide.
Marc Cucurella
January 2026
Chelsea fans turned on Marc Cucurella after he was sent off at Fulham for denying a clear goalscoring chance, adding to Chelsea’s already high red-card total this season. Cucurella hauled back Harry Wilson after a long ball sent him through. VAR upheld the DOGSO red card, ruling the holding offence did not continue into the box. Fulham failed to score from the free-kick, and a later Wilson goal was offside.
Ousmane Dembélé
January 2026
PSG thrashed Marseille 5-0 in Le Classique to go top of Ligue 1, with Dembélé scoring twice including an outside-of-the-foot strike being touted online as a possible Puskas contender. PSG built a dominant win with an own goal credited to Facundo Medina plus goals from Kvaratskhelia and Lee, while Dembélé’s second came after driving in from the right and finishing with a creative outside-foot shot. Post-match he said PSG are “back” and aiming to win everything in the run-in.
Milan
March 2026
Milan missed a major chance to revive their title challenge after losing 1-0 to Lazio, leaving them further adrift of Inter. The defeat was described as deeply disappointing and has increased pressure on the Rossoneri to protect their Champions League place instead. Gustav Isaksen scored in the 26th minute to decide the match, while Milan failed to build on recent wins over Cremonese and Inter. Post-match analysis focused on the team’s flat display, with concern growing that Milan are now closer to the chasing pack than the title race.
Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham)
Ahead of Thursday’s clash with Chelsea (2 May 2025)
Postecoglou could become the first Spurs manager to lose his first four league games against Chelsea.
Tottenham have failed to beat Chelsea in all of Postecoglou’s previous league encounters. A fourth loss would deepen the pressure on the Aussie coach, whose side has faltered in key moments this season.
