Flores guided newly promoted Watford to mid-table in the Premier League, while also taking them to the FA Cup Semi-Finals, but even that was not enough to keep him in a job.

Coincidence? Potentially. But are you willing to take a chance on these boots knowing six top, healthy players are all going to spend a serious amount of time on the sidelines as a result? Two advantages of National League football are the refreshing absence of VAR, and touchline punditry that trumps the Carragher touch-screen. Added to which, today’s visitors, despite their lofty position, arrive without any Anfield-style hubris. The reverse fixture finished 2-1 to Chester in November, and a similar performance, if not result, would satisfy most; many supporters have accepted relegation, focussing instead on simple enjoyment. As recently as March, Karanka missed Boro’s game at Charlton as rumours circulated he was set to leave the Riverside but, ten games later, the side clinched a return to the Premier League after seven years in the Championship. It is questionable if the owners had ever heard the names of the towns let alone the meaning of their football clubs, before they made their investments. Their treatment of managers, the whole manner of their administration, is of course an absolute disgrace but the biggest scandal of all is that such people are allowed to take over so much of the English game. I’ll openly admit that I am one of those people who is obsessed with technological innovation. Bearing this in mind, when I started to read about the combination of technology and football, my mind really started working overtime. For a lot of years, football has been a pretty basic sport for me – form a system, motivate the players and watch the show go on. Perhaps I’d been playing too much Football Manager, but when I delved into all of the analysis that managers performed these days I was surprised to say the least.

In concluding the academic article, I pointed out that no Liverpool players have failed tests. I am not alleging any wrongdoing on their part. Nor am I intimating that they’re all on the juice. I’ve simply studied the support systems, those involved and what’s needed to achieve what they have achieved.

With the thin material comes the increased risk of foot injuries. Metatarsals aren’t protected like they used to be. Putting hearts under such pressure season after season, at the pace of the Premier League, is a tragedy waiting to happen. Privately players and coaches I’ve interviewed say that it’s not just muscle or bone injuries that have been increasing. Getting someone to go fully on the record is almost impossible as the omerta around football is as bad as that as in cycling or tennis. Whataboutery Alisson’s remarkable save in August against Miguel Almiron’s powerful volley earned him the well-deserved Premier League Save of the Month award. This momentous stop secured Liverpool’s victory over Newcastle at St. James’ Park. The Brazilian goalkeeper will continue to rescue valuable points for Liverpool as the season unfolds. 7. Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford Avenue manager Mark Bower, (in his second spell here), doubles as director of Shipley estate agents Hamilton Bower and played 241 games in Bradford City’s defence. From 2016 to 2019, he kept Avenue up and achieved two play-off finishes, before a brief hiatus at Spennymoor. His successor, ex-City winger Gary Thompson, lasted just two games (both 5-0 defeats), and after Marcus Law’s thankless interim stint, Bower returned last September, telling the Bradford Telegraph and Argus; The increasing popularity of football in Canada is a positive sign for the sport and its future. With more people playing and following the sport, football has the potential to become one of the most viewed sports in the country. The growth of football in Canada is an indication of growing interest in the sport and its potential to become a major part of Canadian culture.

At the other end of the pitch, a deal has almost been concluded for World Cup winner and French international Raphael Verane. The 28-year-old has been a mainstay in Real Madrid’s defence for ten years and has four Champions League titles from his time at the Santiago Bernabeu. But don’t despair because Bryan Mbeumo has risen to the occasion brilliantly in Toney’s absence. The talented Frenchman has already netted four goals, and his most memorable moment came when he scored a crucial late equaliser against Bournemouth. Mbeumo’s incredible skill was on full display as he left Milos Kerkez in his wake with a stunning turn before finishing the play with exceptional finesse. It’s clear that Mbeumo is much more than just a temporary replacement for Toney. The whole of Chelsea’s squad must take collective responsibility for the clubs failings, but it is Mourinho who the board decided to root out, not the individuals who so badly let him down.

Initially, Guardiola brought Rodri in as a successor to Fernandinho, but now he stands as a significant upgrade over the Brazilian. The former Atletico Madrid player exhibits flawless skills in every aspect of his game, and City can count themselves fortunate to have him in their ranks. 3. Julian Alvarez – Manchester City We started so far behind everyone else this season that if we can stay up, it would be the biggest achievement for me so far. Whereas, Rooney was once the chosen one, he’s now the square peg. He is seemingly too famous to omit from the starting eleven, but no longer trusted to be the team’s focal point. Rooney’s only escape from this football purgatory will be a starring performance against Uruguay. If he cannot do this, it could be the last World Cup stand for the last of the street footballers. Moving over to Spain, rival teams Barcelona and Real Madrid have faced many disputes over the years. This all came to a head when Luis Figo made the brave move from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000. As was to be expected, supporters weren’t best impressed and Figo received a hostile response from the football industry. When he returned to Barcelona, donning the Madrid whites in 2001, fans took their frustrations out on Figo by throwing lighters, oranges and bottles at him. Sol Campbell – Tottenham Hotspur to ArsenalEven at the lower half and relegation threatened sides, they can go to big teams in other European leagues and offer higher wages to bring in the best players. Even Jose Mourinho, undoubtedly one of the greatest managers of his generation, was let go by Chelsea after a poor start to season, just a few months after delivering Chelsea their first league title in four seasons. More worrying than that was a recent report published by the Daily Mail highlighting six Premier League players suffering from serious injuries in a space of six weeks earlier this season – with each player wearing a pair of Nike football boots. The English Premier League is played at a pace only matched by sugar-crazed toddlers. The fittest teams who have the best benches and best injury prevention invariably win. However there is the extra part as explained to me by one source working with an Premier League club, Prozone has also been responsible for proving a certainly Sir Alex Ferguson wrong. Fergie hit the headlines after stating that Alan Wiley was not fit enough to referee at the top level, only for software stats to reveal that the ref actually covered more ground than all but seven players on the field!