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Diogo Jota: The adopted Scouser and Liverpool legend
By Sam McGuire
Football
Thu July 03, 2025 · 3d ago
Diogo Jota may have been born in Porto but he was the very definition of Scouse.

The 28-year-old was an underdog who, quite simply, would never give up.

His path to becoming a Premier League champion wasn’t straightforward or easy. He fought his way to the top.

He was regularly knocked down but never knocked out. The city of Liverpool knows what that is like. There was a resilience to him that meant he was destined to be a success.

Diogo Jota
Diogo Jota's passing has shocked the football world
Having caught the eye as a youngster for Paços de Ferreira, he was snapped up by Atletico Madrid.

However, before even making an appearance for the LaLiga side, he was loaned to Porto. It was a successful stint in his homeland but a permanent move was not on the cards.

To the surprise of, well, everyone, he joined Championship side Wolves, initially on loan. In his first season with the club, he scored 17 league goals and played his part in firing them to promotion.

A permanent move was agreed and he was a key part of their seventh place finish in the English top-flight with nine goals. He followed that up with seven goals during the 2019/20 campaign.

Liverpool had been in the market for a striker. Links to Timo Werner were rife. Jonathan David was believed to be a target too, as was Ismaila Sarr. The Premier League Champions shocked the masses by signing one-time Everton transfer target Jota.

At a glance, it was a steep fee. The Reds paid £41million for a player who netted just seven goals the season prior. Werner, meanwhile, moved to Chelsea for £47million.

At the time, the feeling was that the Blues had secured the better deal. The Germany forward had 34 goals in his final season with RB Leipzig.

Diogo Jota scores
Diogo Jota thrived as a Liverpool player
Jota thrived though. Being written off seemed to spur him on. He wasn’t just there to make up the numbers. The versatile forward finally gave Jurgen Klopp another Fab Four ™️ in attack.

Overlooked by Atletico, he dropped down into England’s second tier to move forward. Out of sorts at Wolves, he backed himself to compete with Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah at Liverpool.

That was the mentality of Jota.

He was the perfect fit for the Reds.

The No20 followed up a goal on his debut against Arsenal by scoring winners against Sheffield United, West Ham United and Wolves during his first campaign with the club.

He also netted the equaliser at Old Trafford late on in the season as Liverpool, in the midst of an injury crisis never seen by the club, to secure a Champions League place.

Jota made a habit out of scoring big goals.

During the 2021/22 campaign, a season in which Liverpool were just two positive results away from a historic treble, the forward chipped in with memorable moments. He kicked off the season with the opening goal against Norwich.


He then scored against Manchester United, Arsenal, Everton, Manchester City and Spurs that season in the Premier League, all while helping the Reds win a domestic cup double.

The one-time Porto man finished with 15 Premier League goals that term, showcasing his ability to be the penalty box poacher many didn’t have him pegged as.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Jota as a Liverpool player. He had injuries. A lot of them.

In fact, he was rarely 100% fit, as Klopp once explained: “Diogo gets in each game knocks like crazy. If I go through the list of medical reports I got over the years since Diogo is here, he’s in each and every one of them. Not as injured, just as – ‘has a bruise, has a knock, has that’ – after each game. He really gets it [during the games].”

Injuries really did impact him. Just as he was getting going, he’d have a stint on the sidelines. Without them, he was one of the most impactful centre-forwards in the Premier League.

Prior to last season, he had 41 goals in 97 appearances for Liverpool in the English top flight.

Again, though, these setbacks allowed his mentality to shine. He once went 372 days without a goal for the Reds. After breaking his duck against Leeds, he went on to score five in his next four appearances, including a last minute winner against Spurs in that iconic 4-3 game.

That was Jota, though.

Injuries, important goals and proving people wrong.

Tributes have been made to Diogo Jota
Tributes have been made to Diogo Jota
This pattern carried over into last season as he played his part in Liverpool winning the Premier League title. He netted the first goal of the Arne Slot era in the win over Ipswich.

Jota scored winners against Crystal Palace and Everton. He assisted both goals in a win over Wolves and equalised in games versus Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

So many big moments across just 1,400 minutes.

He wasn’t on the pitch as often as any Liverpool fan would’ve liked, but he made it count when he was.

Jota could’ve signed for the Premier League champions and accepted his place as a squad player. He could’ve seen the Reds spend big money on Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez and accepted he’d be a rotation option because of his injuries.

But his attitude and mentality didn’t allow him to. He didn’t accept anything other than giving his all and doing his best.

And that is why he was adored by Liverpool fans.

An adopted Scouser. A Liverpool legend. He’s better than Figo, don’t you know?

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Next Leicester manager odds: Chris Wilder a big mover; Gary O'Neil new favourite
By Tom Carnduff
Football
Mon July 07, 2025 · 1d ago

It's been all change at the top of the next Leicester manager market with Gary O'Neil the new favourite for the position.

The Sky Bet Championship club announced the departure of Ruud van Nistelrooy in late June following their relegation from the Premier League.

The Foxes opted to replace Steve Cooper with Van Nistelrooy in November but he was unable to keep them up, overseeing 19 losses in 27 matches at the helm.

Leicester's run of failing to scoring in nine successive home league matches also established a top-flight record.


“I would like to personally thank the Leicester City players, coaches, academy and all the staff I have worked with for their professionalism and dedication during my time at the club and to thank the fans for their support, and take this opportunity to wish the club well for the future," Van Nistelrooy said in a statement published on the club's website.

Former Wolves boss O'Neil became the favourite for the job on Monday morning amid reports that he was one of those being interviewed for the position.

O'Neil replaced former Burnley and Everton boss Sean Dyche, although he is still in at 2/1 with his name said to be among those considered.

Next permanent Leicester manager odds (via Sky Bet)


O'Neil was sacked by Wolves in December with the club sat 19th in the Premier League.

Dyche has been out of work since leaving the Toffees in January. He guided them to 26 wins in 84 games in charge.

After announcing the news, Leicester clarified that "preparation for the EFL Championship season will continue with the planned start of pre-season on Monday 30 June.

"First Team coaching staff will oversee the delivery of those plans until a new manager is appointed."

Chris Wilder
Chris Wilder tasted defeat in the play-off final in May
Chris Wilder has seen his odds cut into just 2/1 from 22/1 for the position.

He guided Sheffield United to the play-off final in May, although a last-gasp strike saw Sunderland secure their place in the Premier League.

It was a season of some off-field uncertainty for the Blades with a takeover finally arriving mid-season. Despite this, Wilder still landed 90 points with two deducted before a ball was kicked.

Despite this, they opted for a change with former Hull and Reading boss Ruben Selles now at the helm.

Danny Rohl
Danny Röhl has impressed during his time at Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Röhl previously shortened into 5/4 second-favourite to be the next manager of Leicester, with a slight drift out to 13/8.

Röhl has established himself as a popular contender for vacant positions following a spell at Hillsborough which has delivered results despite off-pitch uncertainty.

He boasts a 38% win ratio after taking on the position - his first in senior management - in October 2023.

The Foxes won the Sky Bet Championship under now-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca during the 2023/24 campaign, although the bookmakers have priced them as 12/1 outsiders for a repeat this time around.

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Tottenham acting like contenders with summer transfer activity
By Ryan Baldi
Football
Thu July 17, 2025 · 3d ago
In a transfer window that’s already veered into the chaotic, Tottenham Hotspur are doing something that’s not only rare in the Premier League’s silly season – it’s borderline admirable: they’re being smart.

While the headlines have been dominated by Liverpool’s post-Klopp rebuild, Arsenal’s refusal to rest on runners-up status, Chelsea’s ongoing obsession with buying more attackers than they can fit on the team bus and Manchester United’s best impression of a toddler trying to build IKEA furniture without the manual, Spurs are quietly making themselves European contenders again.

And somehow, almost no one is talking about it.

Mohammed Kudus has joined for £55 million. West Ham may have been reluctant sellers, but for that fee, Tottenham have bought not just a player with end product but one with frightening upside.

Kudus bagged 19 goals and 13 assists across all competitions in his two seasons as a Hammer, despite being used everywhere from right wing to attacking midfield to an auxiliary striker.

He brings unpredictability, creativity and a more dynamic dribbling skillset than Tottenham previously possessed.

He also fits perfectly into the system Thomas Frank seems to be building. Kudus is Premier League-proven but still far from reaching his ceiling. And in Frank, he has a coach with a proven track record of turning promising attacking talents into stars.

Just ask Ivan Toney, who scored 20 league goals under Frank in 2022/23. Or Bryan Mbeumo, who had 20 goals and seven assists in the Premier League last season, numbers that made him a target not just for Spurs but also for Manchester United this summer.

And they’re not done yet.

The second major pursuit – and one that’s caused actual legal paperwork to fly across desks – is for Morgan Gibbs-White. A £60 million bid has gone in, matching what is believed to be a release clause in the player’s contract.

Only, Forest aren’t happy.

Morgan Gibbs-White
Tottenham's chase of Morgan Gibbs-White has hit the headlines
The Midlands club are reportedly launching a legal dispute against both Spurs and the player, alleging that the existence and details of the release clause were improperly disclosed, violating Premier League rules around confidentiality.

Spurs, for their part, have denied any wrongdoing, insisting they acted in accordance with the regulations.

Whatever the outcome of the legal wrangling, the consensus among those close to the deal is that Tottenham will get their man. It might cost them a few million more than they expected – possibly closer to £65 million – but there’s little indication Forest will be able to hold onto him if the player wants the move and the clause, in some form, stands.

And why wouldn’t Gibbs-White want the move?

He was Forest’s creative heartbeat last season, scoring seven goals registering eight Premier League assists, more than any Spurs player except Son Heung-min.

Add in his positional intelligence and relentless work rate and he fits the Thomas Frank blueprint like a glove.

Frank’s appointment isn’t a name hire. It’s a strategy hire. And everything Spurs are doing in the market reflects that.

Thomas Frank
"Thomas Frank appointment isn’t a name hire. It’s a strategy hire"
Where past Tottenham windows have felt scattergun, this one already has a through-line: Premier League-hardened players, with technical quality and their prime years ahead of them.

Kudus. Gibbs-White. A pursuit of Mbeumo. And, reportedly, interest in Harvey Elliott, a player Football Insider reports Spurs are in talks to sign.

Elliott, still just 22, has 92 top-flight appearances and a Premier League winner’s medal to his name. He’s exactly the sort of player who could explode under Frank.

There’s also reported interest in Koni De Winter, the former Juventus centre-back who impressed at Genoa last season. According to iNews, Spurs have already made contact and the 23-year-old Belgian would represent another high-upside, low-risk addition to a defence that could use youthful depth.

There is even talk of a highly ambitious bid for Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton, according to GIVEMESPORT.

An interesting wrinkle in all of this is how Spurs are financing their summer splurge. Because unlike years past, there’s no major outgoing sale funding these moves.

There’s no Harry Kane saga this year as all Tottenham’s current stars appear set to stay put. Spurs, reportedly, are operating with confidence due to an incoming naming rights deal for their stadium – long overdue and apparently now close to completion.

Harry Kane won the Bundesliga title as well as the top scorer gong
Harry Kane won the Bundesliga title with Bayern after leaving Spurs
The details of that deal remain under wraps, but the club’s posture has changed.

This is not Daniel Levy tightening the purse strings and praying for top four via vibes and VAR decisions. This is Spurs spending like they mean it, targeting key upgrades without a teardown.

Compare this to Manchester United, who Spurs beat in the 2025 Europa League final. Both clubs craved a triumph in Europe’s secondary competition to mitigate against dreadful domestic campaigns and to leap back into the Champions League.

United are still chasing their tail in the transfer market, deadlocked now for more than a month and a half in their attempt to sign Mbeumo. Matheus Cunha is their only addition to date and a deadwood cast of Jadon Sancho, Antony, Marcus Rashford and others are still on the books.

Spurs, meanwhile, are making moves. Quietly. Efficiently. They want to be ready for their 2025-26 Champions League return and to do more than just make up the numbers.

While the noise centres on the usual suspects, Tottenham are executing a focused, Premier League-specific strategy under a manager who understands the league, the players and the margins that separate fourth from seventh.

In a summer of super-clubs burning money or burning bridges, Spurs are doing something both unusual and strangely reassuring: they’re acting like contenders.

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Hugo Ekitike: Why did Liverpool settle on Eintracht Frankfurt forward?
By Sam McGuire
Football
Tue July 22, 2025 · 4h ago
Liverpool have their new centre-forward then. At least one of them, anyway.

Hugo Ekitike is set to put pen to paper on a six-year deal with the Premier League champions once he’s been given the all clear following his medical. The Reds have agreed to pay Eintracht Frankfurt an initial £69million for the highly-sought after striker.

Ekitke was wanted by the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle but opted to move to Anfield after a zoom call with Arne Slot in March.

Things moved quickly.

Just last week, the champions were being linked with moves for Benjamin Sesko and Jean-Phillipe Mateta, as well as Ekitike and Alexander Isak.

The big decision for those in charge of recruitment on Merseyside was whether they would opt for a guarantee, someone with Premier League experience and a history of goals to truly maximise the next two years of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, or whether they’d decide to put their trust in a project forward.

They eventually settled on a compromise in the form of Ekitike.

Despite being just 23 he’s had quite the career already. He was on the books of Reims but spent some time on loan in Denmark with Vejle BK. He returned to France and caught the eye during his one full season in Ligue 1, scoring 10 goals in 24 appearances as a 19-year-old.

Courted by a host of big clubs, with Newcastle favouring him over Isak at the time, he eventually moved to Paris Saint Germain for a fee believed to be in the region of €35million.

It didn’t work out for him in the French capital though and Eintracht Frankfurt, as they so often do, swooped in to sign the undervalued striker. He impressed on loan and then moved to Germany on a permanent basis for a fee of €16million.

Hugo Ekitike shot placement map
During his sole season in the Bundesliga, he scored 15 goals, chipped in with eight assists and had the second highest (21.7) expected goals (xG) haul in the league - only Serhou Guirassy had a higher total (22.9).

Ekitike is young but he’s a lot more rounded than most. There’s a reason that his FBref similar players list contains the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Omar Marmoush, Vinicius Junior, Isak and Harry Kane.

Liverpool opted for him over other candidates because of his ability right now and his potential in the future.

The France Under-21 international epitomises exactly what Slot wants from his centre-forward.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg against Spurs, the Dutch tactician was asked about the type of attacker he likes to have in his team, and whether he wants more of a 'facilitator' rather than a goalscorer.


“I will be happy if that player becomes both.‘Facilitator’, nice word, I didn’t know that one yet, and scoring goals himself – that is, again, what we want to achieve in the end. But I also saw the penalty (at Bournemouth) from Cody [Gakpo] where Lucho [Luis Diaz] played a part without even touching the ball.

“He dragged the centre-back out which led to Cody being in a one-vs-one and he made a deep run and got tripped. In the end you want attackers and midfielders to score, we’ve spoken about our attacking midfielder as well. We need to get goals from many positions, including them and including centre-backs that can score from set-pieces also.

“So, that’s what I just said, we are trying to work on the training ground and with the feedback we give them after the game to make team better and better and better and in the end, the No. 9 should be a facilitator, like a winger, but a winger and a No. 9 should also score goals.”

Slot wants his No9 to be able to do a bit of everything. And Ekitke does a bit of everything.

Last season, for example, he had a total of 117 shots in the Germany top flight with a per 90 average of 4.02. For context, only two players in the Premier League last term had an average of over four. One of them left in January (Jhon Duran) while the other racked up just 1,100 minutes (Julio Enciso), so his numbers were skewed by the limited sample size.

Despite the volume of efforts, he wasn’t someone who just spammed shots from stupid distances. Just 24% of his attempts were from outside of the box and he had an xG per shot average of 0.2.

Hugo Ekitike shot map
To paint more of a picture of how impressive this is, Salah, the best player in the Premier League last term and the top scorer, had an xG per shot average of 0.21. Erling Haaland had an xG per shot average of 0.22 and Alexander Isak had an average of 0.23.

Ekitike is right-footed but did take 15% of his shots last term with his left, as well as playing 26% of his key passes on his weaker side. Interestingly, his xG per shot on his left side was 0.22.

So, he’s a goal threat. Liverpool want a goal threat. People will focus on his underperformance in the final third. But does it really matter? The Eintracht Frankfurt man’s underperformance really is irrelevant as Liverpool, with nerds in charge, don’t pay for output, they pay for the threat.

Ekitike is a genuine goal threat.

You pay for that. And you pay big money for that. Dr. Ian Graham said as much in his book.

“A scout or a coach would say, ‘Why do we like this forward?’ His analytics team would respond, ‘He takes loads of really good shots.’ The scout or coach would counter, ‘Yeah, but does he drive inside enough? Does he bring his teammates into play enough?’ ‘But we're playing them up front,’ Graham said. ‘He takes loads of good quality shots.

“There is literally nothing else to say. All other arguments, they're second-order effects compared to this. But people love to mystify and bring more and more factors into play. A use of the data is just to say: This is the important thing and we might be wrong about it — we sometimes are wrong — but you have to come up with some really good arguments against this one really important thing.’”

“He takes loads of good quality shots. There is literally nothing else to say.”

Arne Slot
Arne Slot has seen a summer of high-level incomings at Liverpool
That is the argument for Ekitike. He takes loads of good shots.

The Reds need a goal threat. But they need more than that.

And Ekitike is more than that.

He’s deceptively good in possession. He carries the ball and he’s efficient with his progressive passes. He’s also a creator too, with an expected assists (xA) average of 0.19 and 3.55 shot-creating actions per 90. Ekitike receives the ball in dangerous areas and does well with the ball in these situations. That is it, in a nutshell.

He’s not just a goalscorer. He’s not just a No9 who shoots.

He’s not overly direct but he carries the ball a lot. He retains the ball well and he’s heavily involved for a centre-forward. Exactly what you want from a striker who is going to be in a possession-dominant side. He’s not going to have to scale massively to fit in with the Premier League champions.

He’s a goalscorer, a goal threat, a carrier and a creator, of sorts. He’s that facilitator that Slot was talking about.

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Marcus Rashford's make or break move to Barcelona allows no room for error
By Ryan Baldi
Football
Wed July 23, 2025 · 1d ago
After some of the most turbulent seasons of his career, Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Barcelona will – for better or worse – define the next chapter of his professional life.

Departing Manchester United after a fractured relationship with new manager Ruben Amorim, Rashford now arrives in Catalonia with one goal: to rebuild.

In the glittering 2022/23 campaign Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions – a breakthrough that elevated him into the elite tier of Premier League forwards.

But since then, his trajectory has followed a worrying dip. During the 2023/24 season he barely reached double figures. And by the first half of 2024/25 the situation had deteriorated to the point where he was exiled from Manchester United’s matchday squads by Amorim.


Amorim’s decision to sideline him was stark. Although Rashford opened Amorim’s tenure with United by scoring the very first goal of the new regime, the relationship between player and manager soon dissolved.

In December 2024, the Portuguese coach publicly warned that he would rather pick his goalkeeping coach than a player who didn’t “give the maximum every day” and insisted Rashford needed to “change” to be considered for selection.

Amorim stressed the stance was not personal but about meeting standards and set clear expectations of professional behaviour and application in training.

That standoff effectively ended Rashford’s involvement for the rest of the season. When Rashford later expressed that he was “ready for a new challenge”, it was interpreted as the boyhood United fan and once-vaunted academy product signalling his readiness to depart Old Trafford.

A loan move to Aston Villa followed in January. Under Unai Emery, Rashford briefly rediscovered his spark.

In 17 appearances he scored four goals and provided six assists. He made his debut in February and netted a brace in an FA Cup win over Preston in late March, followed by his first league goal days later in a 3‑0 victory over Brighton at the Amex.

Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford spent the second-half of the season on loan at Aston Villa
Despite the encouraging form, though, Villa chose not to trigger their £40 million purchase option, reportedly deterred by Rashford’s wages and inconsistent impact.

Now, summer 2025 brings the move Rashford long dreamed of all along: Barcelona, his stated preferred club after Manchester United. The loan deal includes a purchase option set at around €35 million (£30 million), firmly below the value previously demanded by United.

Crucially, Rashford has agreed to take a pay cut. Reports suggest a 15% reduction to a weekly salary in the region of £350,000, allowing Barça to register him under La Liga’s strict financial controls.

Barcelona will shoulder his entire salary during the loan, and a penalty clause reportedly means that if they decline the buy option, they still owe €5 million to United.

Barcelona only signed Rashford after pursuing alternatives including Nico Williams and Luis Diaz, moves that ultimately did not materialise. Rashford was reportedly considered Plan C, yet his willingness to join, combined with his versatility and apparent fit for Hansi Flick’s system, elevated him to a genuine option for the club.

And there is tactical logic to the move. Under Flick, Barcelona deploy a fluid 4‑2‑3‑1 system featuring rotating wingers and high pressing, built around the prodigious youth of Lamine Yamal on the right and the established form of Raphinha on the left.

Robert Lewandowski remains the central striker, but as age and workload accumulate, a versatile alternative is valuable.

Raphinha
Raphinha is one of Barcelona's talented options in attack
Rashford’s pace, direct dribbling and ability to cut inside offer precisely the kind of complementary dimension Barca need – whether deployed as a left winger, with Raphinha shifting inside to the No.10 role, or as backup No. 9 stepping in for Lewandowski when rest is required or injuries strike.

Yet the nature of the deal also underscores the doubts around Rashford.

It is a low‑risk move for Barcelona: a loan with a modest purchase option and the player’s pay cut all signal that this is not a statement signing but a cautious bet on potential redemption.

Rashford’s reduced wages and the deal’s financial structure reflect his diminished market status and the need to prove himself once again.

There is further urgency, too.

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Rashford, now aged 27, faces a pivotal period to push his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans.

Thomas Tuchel
It's a pivotal season if Rashford is to get into Thomas Tuchel's plans
Performing well under La Liga’s global spotlight could rebuild his international prospects as much as his club reputation.

For Rashford, his desired Barcelona switch appears to represent a make-or-break stage.

If he can recapture the form of 22/23, offering consistent, incisive performances across the season and integrating into Flick’s high-intensity system, Barcelona may decide to trigger that £30 million purchase clause.

That would not just revive his club career but potentially reassert him as a key player for England heading into Qatar 2026.

However, failure to deliver will confirm Manchester United’s decision – and that of Aston Villa at the end of last season – to move on. Barcelona will walk away with little lost in terms of their financial stake in Rashford’s rejuvenation.

So Rashford arrives at Barca with everything on the line: his legacy, his international future, his top-level career. This loan deal is his lifeline, but also Barca’s safety net.

If he can rise to Flick’s tactical demands and rekindle the spark that once made him one of the Premier League’s most feared and valued forwards, there is every reason to believe in a revived trajectory.

But if he falters again, there’s little margin for error. Fail to deliver and it will be difficult to imagine another elite side banking on a Rashford revival.

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Arsenal sign Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres for reported £63m fee
By Sporting Life
Football
Sat July 26, 2025 · 15h ago
Arsenal have confirmed the capture of Sweden international Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon.

A deal for the striker had long been expected but was held back by disputes over add-ons as Gyokeres faced disciplinary action in Portugal for failing to report for pre-season training.

Despite interest from other clubs including Manchester United, Gyokeres held out for a move to Arsenal, who turned their attentions to him once a deal for Benjamin Sesko broke down.

The club announced the deal on Saturday afternoon after finally agreeing terms with the Portuguese champions.

Viktor Gyokeres shot map
"Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

"He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.

"We're excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal."

Gyokeres, who scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, will wear the number 14 shirt made famous by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, and is set to immediately join his new teammates on their tour of Asia.

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EFL season preview: League One and League Two predictions
By This Week's Acca
Football
Thu July 31, 2025 · 1d ago
The 2025/26 Sky Bet EFL campaign gets under way this weekend, with League One and League Two kicking us off. Our team have previewed the season and given their verdicts, predicting the title winner and top scorer in each division while also picking out a dark horse and player to watch.


Tom, Joe, Jake and Jimmy were joined by Sky Bet EFL expert Gab Sutton to preview the third and fourth tiers, which is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube.

Each division has been covered in greater depth through team-by-team verdicts, as well as outright columns all of which can be found below:

This Season's Acca - 100/1!
League One: 1-24 predictions
League Two: 1-24 predictions
Tom's outright tips
Jimmy's outright Punt
League One predictions and verdicts
league one verdicts
When it came to League One, there was plenty of common ground and disagreement over teams' prospects for 25/26.

The former was especially the case where STOCKPORT are particularly well-fancied having just missed out on promotion in their first season at the level.

Stockport 2024/25
Dave Challinor's side are in fact the cornerstone of our pre-season proposition, with This Week's Acca's season-long outright, Tom's outright tips and Jimmy's Punt all including pro-Stockport angles.

No pressure on the Hatters then...

LINCOLN were also advised as a dark horse by three of the panel.

Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala
Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala
Michael Skubala's side possibly warranted higher than their mid-table finish last season. Ultimately they could not quite build on a fantastic opening half season under the former Leeds United youth team coach after losing key loan players at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

While they finished 11th last term, underlying data placed them seventh in the xG performance-based table, and with a young team there is plenty of room for development. The question marks mainly centre on losing their two standout defenders in Sean Roughan and Paudie O'Connor, but Sonny Bradley is a smart signing to help soften those blows.

A play-off push feels like a good possibility, and at 12/1 TO BE PROMOTED - 17th in the third-tier betting - they are firmly in the 'dark horse' category.

League Two predictions and verdicts
league two verdicts
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the topsy-turvy nature of the fourth tier last season, there was less agreement when it came to League Two - all five panellists selected different dark horses and different top scorers.

The closest we came to common ground was with the TITLE WINNER as Joe and Jake both went for heavy bookies' favourites MK DONS while Gab and Jimmy preferred to side with CHESTERFIELD who although they sit second in the betting, are available at double (7/1) the price of Milton Keynes (3/1).

Aaron Collins has swapped Bolton for MK Dons
Aaron Collins has swapped Bolton for MK Dons
MK have spent big this summer under new boss Paul Warne, with a raft of signings including tempting AARON COLLINS to drop down from a League One promotion push with Bolton.

Collins was identified as the player to watch in League Two by both Tom and Joe, with Tom also picking him as TOP GOALSCORER with the Welshman now favourite to take that accolade come May.

When does the EFL season start?
Matt Bloomfield
Matt Bloomfield will be expected to take Luton straight back up
EFL football returns on Friday night when Luton start life after successive relegations by hosting newly-promoted Wimbledon in League One.

Fellow recently relegated side Cardiff are next up on Sky Sports in what is their first match at third-tier level in 22 years when they take on Peterborough at Saturday lunchtime.

Saturdays are truly back at 3pm when 21 matches kick off simultaneously across League One and League Two, with our fingers crossed that history can repeat itself from 2023/24 and the opening This Week's Acca of the campaign can deliver a winner.

Stockport and Bolton then round off opening weekend in what should be an entertaining affair in front of the TV cameras at 12pm on Sunday.

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Newcastle: Benjamin Sesko, Alexander Isak and Eddie Howe's summer of struggle
By Ryan Baldi
Football
Sat August 02, 2025 · 2d ago
Fresh from a historic season in 2024-25, when Newcastle United finally ended their lengthy trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League, optimism had never been higher on Tyneside.

Under Eddie Howe, the Magpies had transformed from near-misses to cup winners, punctuating their breakthrough with qualification for Europe’s elite competition. In that light, Newcastle’s bold decision to splurge £55 million on Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga was hailed as a statement of intent. Howe’s squad looked ready to build on their momentum with genuine ambition.

Yet in the space of a few weeks, that initial optimism has sharply curdled into concern. Despite the marquee signing of Elanga, Newcastle have since seen their summer unravel in spectacular fashion.

They have missed out on virtually all of their top targets: goalkeeper James Trafford ultimately rejoined Manchester City; Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both signed for Manchester United; Joao Pedro opted to join Chelsea; and Hugo Ekitike – once heavily linked to the Magpies – departed for Liverpool.

Newcastle’s only subsequent acquisition beyond Elanga is a loan deal for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from relegated Southampton – a move widely viewed as underwhelming given the lofty expectations at the start of the window.

Alexander Isak
Those developments leave Newcastle on the brink of an entirely new crisis. Their star striker and talisman Alexander Isak is reportedly pushing for a move to Liverpool. Reports suggest Isak has declined to renew terms at St. James’ Park and is pressing for the transfer, with Liverpool prepared to smash the British transfer record for his signature.

Should Isak depart, Newcastle would lose their focal point up front – an additional blow after already missing out on several high-profile targets.

To rescue what threatened to be a disastrous summer, Newcastle must now recalibrate quickly. Two leading striker targets remain on their radar: RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

Brentford reportedly face pressure from Wissa to sanction a move, but given the forward’s age (he’ll turn 29 in early September) and Brentford’s substantial £50 million asking price, such a move is no sure-fire homerun.

By contrast, landing Sesko – valued at around €80 million – would represent a serious coup. The 22‑year‑old Slovenian striker is one of Europe’s most highly rated young talents. With Manchester United also in the mix, Newcastle are in a straight shoot‑out for his signature. If Newcastle succeed, Sesko would arrive with a rawness that recalls Isak when the Swede joined from Real Sociedad, but with an equally eye-catching reputation and potential.

Benjamin Sesko
For a club seeking a morale boost and a clear replacement for Isak, this would be the ideal outcome – a marquee new arrival for which Newcastle would at last be able to claim a victory in a transfer battle with a rival club.

Assuming an Isak sale materialises, Newcastle would need to reinvest wisely. One sensible deployment of transfer funds would be to reinforce their defence by targeting Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini, who is believed to command a fee of around £50 million.

Scalvini has established himself as one of Serie A’s best defensive prospects, combining physical presence with technical composure. He would provide real solidity at the heart of Newcastle’s backline. Such an addition would complement their front-line ambitions by ensuring the defence remains robust amid Champions League demands.

If Newcastle manage to complete both signings – Sesko up front and Scalvini in defence – they would transform a window that looked doomed into one that potentially leaves them stronger than before.

A strikeforce led by the powerful 6ft 5ins Sesko, backed by young contributions throughout midfield and secured by a reconstructed backline, could position Newcastle to compete across all fronts. Even if the window edges toward its close, those two decisive moves would salvage positivity and preserve momentum.

Still, the club must navigate carefully. Wissa, though keen to leave Brentford, represents too great a risk if priced at £50 million. Should that deal fail to materialise, Newcastle must remain patient rather than stretch limited resources on a short-term gamble. Their more promising option lies in keeping their pursuit of Sesko alive and pursuing Scalvini once the Isak windfall becomes available.

Aaron Ramsdale
Ramsdale’s loan curtly illustrates Newcastle’s cautious fallback strategy. While Ramsdale is a capable Premier League goalkeeper with experience at Arsenal and Southampton, the move is one that has not captured the imagination of Magpies fans.

Against the backdrop of losing out on elite targets, fans and pundits alike expect more than stop-gaps. A decisive double transfer – such as Sesko and Scalvini – would illustrate renewed ambition and smart planning. It would be exactly the kind of injection needed to steady the ship.

Newcastle’s summer started with promise following their historic Carabao Cup triumph and Champions League qualification. Their £55 million signing of Elanga was initially welcomed as ambition. Yet the subsequent cascade of rejections, failures to tie up key targets and now the potential loss of Isak have left fans uneasy.

Despite this, there remains a genuine route to recovery. Done properly, Newcastle could still enter the new season stronger than they left the previous campaign and salvage what threatened to be a disastrous transfer window.

[miri-01]

Never has the gap to the top looked so big for the Premier League's middle class
By Alex Keble
Football
Wed August 13, 2025 · 9h ago
It’s been another outrageous summer window at the top of English football defined by the Premier League’s overwhelming domination of the European market.

Over a billion pounds has already been spent and a lot of it on the best up-and-comers in Europe: Hugo Ekitike, Rayan Cherki, Florian Wirtz, Martin Zubimendi, the list goes on.

Everyone wants to be in the Premier League these days.

But the secondary lesson of the summer is far more significant. The Premier League moves in cycles, not so much exact repetitions as helixes, as variations on a theme, and in the 21st century the spiralling tends towards reinforcing the status of those lucky few who encased themselves in the elite before financial regulations shut the door behind them.


As recently as May it looked as though the fifth Champions League spot had created the possibility of a more even Premier League. Aston Villa and Newcastle were ready to step up, Tottenham and Manchester United were down, and the notion of a ‘Big Six’ was history.

To an extent that still holds in August, even if Man Utd’s remarkable ability to lure away players destined for St James Park, using historic reputation alone, tells us something of the long roots of privilege.

But any thoughts Villa or Newcastle could begin to reel in those above them have been laughed off. This is the summer in which the big clubs really flexed their muscle – and reinstated an enormous gap between the haves and have nots.

Every single middle-class club has suffered.

Villa have no PSR headroom and thus are forced to stand still. Newcastle have been pipped to no fewer than eight signings, by Man Utd for Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko but also by Chelsea (Joao Pedro, Liam Delap) and Tottenham (Mohammed Kudus).

Nottingham Forest have lost Anthony Elanga and shocked the world by managing to keep Morgan Gibbs-White when Spurs were ready to pounce. Bournemouth have had almost their entire defence ripped out, losing Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi.

Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze is the subject of interest this summer
Brighton have sold Pedro. Crystal Palace could soon lose Eberechi Eze. Brentford have lost Thomas Frank, Mbeumo, and Christian Noorgaad, with Yoan Wissa soon to follow.

Never has the gap to Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City – three enormous spenders this summer – looked so big, and considering Chelsea refuse to slow down there is a very real possibility we are about to witness the return to the 2000s and its Big Four, when four English super-clubs sewed up the Champions League spots year in year out.

The potential for a fifth Champions League spot, plus Villa and Forest (or Palace) standing a decent chance of back door entry to the UCL via the Europa League, thankfully adds more upward mobility than we saw in the first decade of the century, but it’s hardly an optimistic state of play so soon after a brilliantly competitive 2024/25.

What’s happening is the inevitable consequence of PSR and Uefa’s Fair Play Regulations, which unhelpfully ask teams to jump through slightly different hoops, focusing more on wages as a percentage of turnover.

Eddie Howe hold Carabao Cup
Eddie Howe's Newcastle will be hoping for a fifth Champions League spot
Ever since these rules and regulations first came in opponents have warned it will simply entrench already existing power imbalance. This summer has been one of the starkest examples yet, the consolidation at the top bringing to mind what happened in the summer of 2016 after Leicester won the title.

It was a watershed moment for the big clubs who, drifting for years, resolved never to let something like that happen again. They spent big, brought in the best coaches in Europe (Antonio Conte, Pep Guardiola), and killed the revolution dead.

What’s happening in 2025/26 is a little less dramatic, but barely any less depressing.

The only potential disruption to this future is the charges hovering over Man City, which they strenuously deny. Should they be found guilty there would likely be another Champions League spot up for grabs, at least temporarily, while the likes of Chelsea might be left wondering about their own unique methods under BlueCo.

But if Man City are cleared of charges, then PSR might just fall apart completely, paving the way for Villa’s and Newcastle’s owners in particular to pour money into the game.

But that isn’t exactly a healthy situation either, and for now it remains a fantasy. Certainly for the time being, 2025/26 will be defined by a return to the old ways - and by an already closed shop nailing the doors shut.

[miri-01]

Jake Osgathorpe's Premier League tips and Super 6 predictions: 25/26 Matchday 1
By Jake Osgathorpe
Football
Thu August 14, 2025 · 17h ago
Jake's Predictions 24/25: P/L +75.06pts | ROI 13.3% | Staked 562.50pts | Returned 637.56pts

Football betting tips: Premier League
Friday - Liverpool vs Bournemouth 20:00

1pt Alex Scott to be carded at 9/4 (Sky Bet)

Saturday - Aston Villa vs Newcastle 12:30

1.5pt Joelinton to be carded at 2/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)

Saturday 15:00

2pts Under 2.5 goals in Sunderland vs West Ham at 10/11 (General)

Saturday 17:30 and Sunday's games to follow...
pp football offer -
It's been a longer summer than usual without top quality football, but we are thankfully back in action this weekend.

The Premier League returns with the usual amount of intrigue and anticipation after a big summer spending spree from clubs up and down the division.

We will hopefully see a much closer title race this time around after Liverpool cantered to victory, while we can also hope for one of the newly-promoted sides actually making a fist of things. I mean, it'd be great if one of them even got to 30 points...

Jake's outright tips
Premier League: 1-20 predictions
This Week's Acca Premier League preview
Last season this column finished in healthy profit, and the dream would be to follow it up with another season in the green, and we will certainly try our best.

The opening weeks of the season are generally low-stake from me with so much uncertainty around players and teams so I've only a handful of selections for opening weekend.


League One and League Two Weekend Acca! | Saturday, August 16: EFL preview podcast
Liverpool vs Bournemouth
Kick-off: Friday, 20:00 BST
TV channel: Sky Sports Premier League
Live odds, form and stats
The season starts at Anfield, where the champions host a depleted Bournemouth. Liverpool are short favourites to win the game, and understandably so given the Cherries have lost four of their back five from last season.

On top of that, Andoni Iraola's side are without Lewis Cook, Enes Unal, Ryan Christie, Luis Sinisterra and Justin Kluivert through injury. They are light on numbers, but will continue to play in their front-foot, high-pressing style, making a lot of fouls in the process.

If anything they will be even more aggressive in a bid to slow their hosts down and protect a weakened defence, so I'll chance a player card to open the campaign, with ALEX SCOTT the bet TO BE CARDED at 9/4.

Alex Scott loves to get stuck in
Alex Scott loves to get stuck in
The Englishman was cautioned three times in limited minutes last season, an average of 0.36 cards per 90, and followed that into the summer's U21 Euros, being carded twice (0.51 per 90).

He's young, can be overzealous, and should start from the off given Bournemouth's selection issues. Averaging 2.04 fouls per 90 last term, he could have his name taken, especially as he'll be tasked with tracking Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and new boy Florian Wirtz.

Our good friend Anthony Taylor is the man with the whistle which at first was a tad off-putting for a card bet, but the way in which he finished the season at the Club World Cup was emphatic, flashing seven, five and four - with the latter featuring two reds.

Score prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth (Sky Bet odds: 17/2)

Aston Villa vs Newcastle
Kick-off: Saturday, 12:30 BST
TV channel: TNT Sports 1
Live odds, form and stats
Goal difference was the margin by which Newcastle qualified for the Champions League over Aston Villa, but given the off-field issues at St James' with the Alexander Isak situation, and the continuity at Villa, you'd have to lean towards the latter in a season-long match bet.

In terms of this game, a home win nearly made the staking plan at 13/10 (Ladbrokes) given how much of a fortress Villa Park has been under Unai Emery in the league (W32 D12 L7). They finished last term on a 21-game unbeaten run in all competitions at Villa Park too, winning 15 of those.

But I've instead opted for JOELINTON TO BE CARDED as the best bet. The Brazilian was carded 10 times in 29 league appearances last season (0.37 per 90) and six times in 20 the season prior (0.42 per 90), so is a bit of a magnet for yellows.

Newcastle's Joelinton
Newcastle's Joelinton is a card magnet
He was booked in both matches against Aston Villa last season, seemingly being caught out by the match-up against the top flight's best card (2.82 per game) and foul drawers (13.1).

The pleasing thing for this bet is that Joelinton started very fast in the card collection race, picking up four yellows in his first six games, before cooling off and controlling himself to avoid a early one-game suspension, picking up just one in the following 10.

He could start the campaign in reckless manner again, and with Craig Pawson on the whistle, his 2/1 price to be carded looks a cracker.

Score prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 Newcastle (Sky Bet odds: 11/1)

Brighton vs Fulham
Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 BST
Live odds, form and stats
Brighton and Fulham are teams I struggled to get a handle on last season. The Seagulls struggled to put teams away when playing at the Amex, winning just eight of 19 last season, while the Cottagers had a solid record against last season's top eight, posting a W7 D2 L7 record.

It's a no bet here.

Score prediction: Brighton 2-1 Fulham (Sky Bet odds: 7/1)

Sunderland vs West Ham
Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 BST
Live odds, form and stats
Sunderland make their return to the top flight with a winnable looking game against West Ham, but I think UNDER 2.5 GOALS is the bet at near even money.

The Black Cats will be wanting to keep things tight in this first game, and will fancy their chances of stifling a very ordinary Hammers attack.

xGF per game - west ham
11 of Graham Potter's first 16 league games as boss went under 2.5, which is no surprise given they averaged 1.06 xGF and 1.45 xGA per game, with that attacking figure only better than the three relegated sides.

Jarrod Bowen is their talisman, but other than him, it's hard to see where the chances and goals are coming from given Mohammed Kudus' departure and Callum Wilson's questionable injury record.

Defensively they will be tough to break down though and Sunderland's attacking options fail to inspire, so one goal could decide this.

Score prediction: Sunderland 1-1 West Ham (Sky Bet odds: 11/2)

Tottenham vs Burnley
Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 BST
Live odds, form and stats
Tottenham were back to being Spursy in midweek, leading 2-0 against PSG and in total control only to concede two very late goals and lose the UEFA Super Cup on penalties. The performance was good for the most part, but you have to see that game out.

They return to these shores to host newly promoted Burnley in a game that should be straightforward, as a win price of 2/5 suggests.

Thomas Frank's Brentford side were flat-track bullies against the newly promoted sides over the last few seasons, winning 10 of 12 matches and scoring a whopping 35 goals in the process, so if he carries that over to his new job then the Clarets could be in for a hiding.

But it's a watching brief for me, as we don't know how Spurs will shape up after their midweek exploits, and whether they'll have the guile to open up a very deep Burnley block, though both teams to score 'no' nearly made the plan (10/11).