Darren Fletcher
January 2026
United lost to Brighton and Fletcher indicated he may not stay in charge, with the club expected to appoint another caretaker for the rest of the season. After two winless games as interim, Fletcher said “someone is going to come in and lead them,” while United’s season narrows to the league after cup exits.
Antoine Semenyo
January 2026
Semenyo delivered a goal and an assist in City’s 10-1 win, earning strong reviews for adapting quickly to Guardiola’s system. He assisted Lewis with a cross and then scored himself, capping a rapid week that included a final Bournemouth appearance. With Guardiola serving a touchline ban, Lijnders highlighted Semenyo’s pressing, direct running, and ability to slot into City’s style.
Micky van de Ven
January 2026
Spurs lost 2-1 to Villa and tempers flared late; van de Ven backed teammates’ reaction but warned the team cannot only show fight when trailing. Spurs went 2-0 down before half-time, improved after the break and scored through Wilson Odobert, then tensions rose after Villa celebrations. Van de Ven said Spurs must bring second-half intensity from kickoff to fix inconsistency.
Jorrel Hato
January 2026
Chelsea won 5-1 at Charlton, with Hato scoring his first Chelsea goal and saying Rosenior’s style suits the squad after a short prep window. Hato struck just before half-time, then Chelsea pulled away after the break with goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, and Enzo Fernandez, following multiple tactical meetings to absorb Rosenior’s ideas.
Marc Guehi
January 2026
Palace, last season’s FA Cup winners, were dumped out 2-1 by sixth-tier Macclesfield, then Guehi approached angry travelling fans while Glasner said he had no explanation. Macclesfield led through Paul Dawson’s header, doubled it via Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, and survived a late scare after Yeremy Pino’s 90th-minute free-kick. Palace’s half-time triple change failed to complete the comeback.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
January 2026
Guardiola said Donnarumma’s short passing and composure are better than his reputation, while conceding he cannot match Ederson’s long passing. Guardiola highlighted first touch, decision-making, and tempo in short build-up as key strengths, framing Ederson’s range as an outlier few keepers can replicate.
Mikel Arteta
January 2026
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to finally win the Premier League after several near-misses, with the club top of the table and four points clear of Manchester City. Arsenal are also in strong positions across cups and Europe. Arsenal have combined elite defensive numbers with depth through injuries, including a 4-1 win over Aston Villa without Declan Rice. Arteta’s test is turning a mid-season lead into the trophy, after multiple past seasons ended with Arsenal losing ground late.
Leeds United
January 2026
Leeds’ last win over Manchester United came in the FA Cup third round in 2010, when they won 1-0 at Old Trafford. The result remains a standout upset given Leeds were two divisions below United at the time. Jermaine Beckford scored the only goal as Leeds held off a strong United side featuring multiple senior starters. The win ended with Leeds advancing despite the gap in league status and squad depth.
John Terry
January 2026
Richard Keys has urged Chelsea to appoint John Terry as their next manager following Enzo Maresca’s dismissal. Terry has not managed a senior club, but Keys argues his connection to the club and standing with supporters makes him a fit. The argument is built on Chelsea seeking a reset after a sharp league drop-off despite still competing in multiple cups. Keys framed the suggestion as reflecting fan sentiment, even though Terry’s recent work has been outside first-team management.
Pep Guardiola
December 2025
Pep Guardiola says he would much prefer Manchester City to be comfortably top rather than chasing Arsenal, but insists they remain well placed across competitions, close in the league, strong in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, and about to launch their FA Cup campaign. Aiming to avoid a second straight season without a league title, Guardiola urged players not to overindulge at Christmas and highlighted the difficult Forest trip, while also paying tribute to club legend John Robertson, emphasising respect for opponents even amid City’s relentless push for trophies.
