Manchester City, the dominant force in English football for over a decade, finds itself once again under the Premier League's microscope. This time, however, the allegations are not about intricate financial dealings or sponsorship controversies, but something seemingly more mundane: breaches of kick-off timing regulations. Recent reports confirm that City has been hit with a substantial fine of £1.08 million for delaying kick-offs and re-starts on nine separate occasions during the 2024/25 season. While a million-pound fine might seem like a drop in the ocean for a club of City's financial might, these sanctions underscore a deeper tension within the Premier League – a battle between sporting integrity, commercial interests, and the relentless demands of a global broadcasting behemoth. This isn't merely a trivial matter of punctuality. It speaks to the meticulous choreography of modern football, where every second is accounted for, and every deviation from the schedule has...
Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United has been given the number nine shirt for the 2024–25 season. The Dane will be spearheading Erik ten Hag's line this year. There have been some very talented forwards who have played for Manchester United, but the players who have worn the number nine shirt are a bit of a mixed bag.
We've chosen to rank the top five Manchester United number nines from the Premier League era as Hojlund takes over the jersey.
5.Romelu Lukaku
4.Louis Saha
"The best player I played against was Louis Saha at Fulham when I was at Wolves," Lescott stated on William Hill's Stripped Podcast. "He made me realize what I needed to do better as a professional and footballer. I'd never played against someone who outperformed me in all aspects at once. Someone could have been faster or stronger than me, but I would outperform them in other ways. After the game, I remember returning to the locker room and thinking, 'I might have to retire'. It was a good thing, though, because I understood I needed to go to the next level. It taught me that you can be humbled very quickly, and I needed to better."
Saha scored 42 goals in 124 games for Manchester United, including two Premier League titles.
3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
A brace in the League Cup final against Southampton was a highlight before Ibrahimovic's season was cut short by a catastrophic knee injury. When he returned, after re-signing for the club on a short-term contract, the aforementioned Lukaku had taken over as the team's focal point. Ibrahimovic went on to join the LA Galaxy, where he scored 52 goals in 56 MLS appearances.
2. Dimitar Berbatov
His laid-back demeanor was not always appreciated, and after winning the Premier League's Golden Boot that season, he was unexpectedly left out of the squad for the 2011 Champions League final.
Comments
Post a Comment