Midweek Premier League Matchday 21 did not just serve up routine fixtures; it delivered a festival of battles that cut right across the title race, top‑four chase, and relegation fight. Across England, 90‑minute wars of attrition unfolded under the floodlights, with emotions, tactics, and momentum all colliding in one brutally compressed round. Below is a long‑form, original blog‑style breakdown of the biggest battles of Matchday 21, written so you can publish it as a stand‑alone piece. A Midweek Built for Drama Matchday 21 of the 2025–26 Premier League season dropped between 6 and 8 January, a period when squads are stretched and every point feels heavier than usual. It was a midweek that asked harsh questions of rotations, mental strength, and tactical adaptability. The card was loaded: A relegation six‑pointer at the London Stadium between West Ham and Nottingham Forest. A high‑stakes Bournemouth v Tottenham clash with implications for Europe and survival. A looming headline title...
Erik ten Hag has been fired by Manchester United following the club's worst start to a Premier League season and just four months after receiving a contract extension at Old Trafford.
United have won just three of their first nine league games of the season, including Sunday's late 2-1 defeat at West Ham, and Ten Hag has failed to convince United's new owners.The decision was announced on Monday, and former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ten Hag's assistant, would take interim command with immediate effect.
"We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future," according to a club statement.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited."
The Dutchman was under enormous pressure last season as United dropped to a Premier League record-low eighth place, but he completed the season by defeating Manchester City to win the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium.
Although United continued to look for alternatives in the summer, Ten Hag obtained a one-year contract extension and support during the transfer window.
However, results and performances have not improved, and United's defeat at West Ham left them 14th in the table, following humiliating home defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur this season.
Ten Hag led United to the Carabao Cup and third place in his first season in charge. Despite winning the FA Cup final, Ten Hag was fired after two and a half years in command.
Van Nistelrooy joined Ten Hag's coaching staff at the beginning of the season, and his first game in charge will be Wednesday night's Carabao Cup fixture at home against Leicester City.
United's new-look football operations department, which supported Ten Hag in the summer, concluded that performances would not improve under the Dutch coach.
Ten Hag's side has scored just eight goals in nine league matches this season, the third fewest in the Premier League, and United has only won one of their last eight games in all competitions.
United's decision to fire Ten Hag was regarded as unanimous, with chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe all agreeing.
United's football operations staff spoke with Thomas Tuchel throughout the summer, but the German was chosen England manager until the 2026 World Cup earlier this month.
United's Ineos shareholders, led by Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford, are said to be fans of former England manager Gareth Southgate, and there is also interest in Sporting manager Ruben Amorim.
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