It’s been another ridiculously busy week of football, although I must admit I’ve only got myself to blame for the lack of sleep.
I’ve become completely addicted to the second series of The City Is Ours on BBC iPlayer. I loved the first season, and somehow the second has managed to get its hooks into me even more. Every evening starts with the promise of watching one episode, and ends with me wondering why it’s suddenly gone midnight.
Late nights, early mornings and absolutely no self-discipline. Brilliant television though!
Meanwhile, Harry Kane has been collecting a Ballon d’Or and signing a lucrative new Bayern Munich contract until 2029. Quite a week for the England captain, and I suspect Alan Shearer has been celebrating almost as enthusiastically.
Kane’s 213 Premier League goals leave him 47 behind Shearer’s record of 260, but he’ll be nearly 36 when that Bayern deal expires. I always thought Kane would eventually break the record. Now I’m not so sure.
Of course, there’s still Erling Haaland lurking in the background, although Manchester City’s ongoing financial saga could yet complicate matters. I wonder whether Shearer has been keeping an especially close eye on that particular story.
Anyway, enough about my sleeping habits and Alan Shearer’s peace of mind.
This week, I’m looking at Newcastle’s increasingly worrying situation under Matthias Jaissle, the extraordinary financial mess at Manchester United, and another full set of Premier League predictions before the international break.
Let’s get into it.
Newcastle’s £300m Gamble Is Looking Increasingly Like a Disaster
I have to admit, I’m struggling to understand quite what Newcastle United thought was going to happen this season.
When you sell Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, lose Eddie Howe and then spend around £300 million on eight young players, you’re taking an enormous gamble. And right now, it looks like one that’s going spectacularly wrong.
Newcastle sit 13th in the Premier League, just four points above the relegation places, having lost four of their last five matches in all competitions. Monday’s miserable 1-0 home defeat to Everton appears to have pushed supporter patience towards breaking point.
I can understand why.
This is a club that finally ended its long wait for domestic silverware in 2025, qualified for the Champions League and appeared to be building something genuinely exciting. Yet barely 18 months later, the optimism has evaporated.
And poor Matthias Jaissle has inherited one hell of a mess.
I’m not suggesting the German is blameless. His much-discussed brand of vertical football has been remarkably difficult to identify, while Newcastle’s performances have been painfully uninspiring. Five shots on target across three Premier League matches is dreadful, particularly for a club with Newcastle’s ambitions.
Defensively, it’s arguably even worse. They’ve conceded 154 shots this season and haven’t kept a home league clean sheet in 14 matches.
Those numbers should alarm everybody at St James’ Park.
But here’s my problem with blaming Jaissle entirely. What exactly was he supposed to do with a squad stripped of so much proven quality and Premier League experience?
Newcastle’s recruitment strategy feels like an expensive experiment conducted at precisely the wrong moment. Young players need time, leadership and stability. Instead, they’ve arrived at a club undergoing a complete footballing overhaul, with expectations that remain understandably enormous.
The hierarchy insist they’re backing Jaissle, and I think that’s the correct approach for now. They reportedly paid around £8.3 million to secure his services, having considered approximately 178 candidates. Sacking him after three months would raise some uncomfortable questions about the judgement of those making the appointments.
But patience has limits.
Newcastle supporters have every right to demand better than this, especially after everything they’ve been promised since the Saudi-backed takeover.
For me, the biggest concern isn’t simply their league position. It’s the apparent absence of a clear identity, direction or belief.
And unless something changes quickly, Newcastle’s supposed new era could become an extraordinarily expensive lesson in how to dismantle a successful football team.
Manchester United’s £779m Debt Is a Scandal That Refuses to Go Away
know Liverpool supporters aren’t supposed to feel much sympathy for Manchester United, and believe me, watching their struggles over the past decade has provided more than a little entertainment.
But when you look at the financial state of one of English football’s biggest institutions, it’s difficult not to feel angry about what the Glazer family have done.
United are carrying approximately £779 million in debt. Last season alone, they paid £36.8 million in net interest, with another £7.2 million disappearing on debt-related costs.
Think about that for a moment.
More than £40 million leaving a football club in a single year, largely because of the financial consequences of a takeover completed in 2005. Money that could have strengthened the squad, improved facilities or helped rebuild Old Trafford.
And 21 years later, they’re still paying for it.
As a Liverpool supporter, I remember the Hicks and Gillett nightmare all too well. We came frighteningly close to discovering just how badly leveraged ownership could damage a football club. United have been living with the consequences for more than two decades.
Of course, the Glazers cannot be blamed for every dreadful transfer or questionable managerial appointment. United’s net transfer spending in the 12 seasons following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement reached an astonishing £1.76 billion.
That’s an almost incomprehensible amount of money to spend while achieving so little relative to the club’s expectations.
But who appointed the executives responsible? Who oversaw the strategy? Ultimately, ownership has to accept responsibility.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has attempted to tackle the problem through aggressive cost-cutting, with staff numbers falling by 29 per cent over two years. Yet seven consecutive loss-making seasons tell their own story, and the club still owes more than £300 million in transfer payments.
Meanwhile, rivals have caught up commercially, leaving United without the enormous financial advantage they once enjoyed.
Michael Carrick might be the man attracting scrutiny after a difficult start to the season, but changing managers won’t make £779 million of debt disappear.
What frustrates me most is that Manchester United should be a financial powerhouse capable of funding their own ambitions. Their global support, history and commercial appeal ought to make them the envy of European football.
Instead, they’re servicing debt, cutting costs and trying to recover ground lost through years of appalling decisions.
I enjoy seeing United lose football matches as much as the next Liverpool supporter.
But no football club deserves owners who have spent two decades extracting value from an institution that generations of supporters helped build.
Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 10
One final round of Premier League football before the international break, and judging by some of the performances we’ve witnessed recently, there are a few managers who might welcome a fortnight away from the spotlight.
Arsenal are setting the pace, Manchester City are trying to recover from another setback, and Liverpool remain frustratingly difficult to work out. Meanwhile, the pressure is mounting at Newcastle, Manchester United and several other clubs.
Here are my predictions for all ten fixtures.
Everton vs Coventry City
Everton’s victory at Newcastle was exactly the sort of result David Moyes loves. Organised, disciplined and thoroughly frustrating for the opposition.
Coventry have shown enough this season to suggest they belong in the Premier League, and Frank Lampard’s return to Goodison Park adds an interesting subplot. But Everton should have too much experience and physicality at home.
Thierno Barry has developed a useful habit of scoring important goals, and I fancy him to make another contribution. A comfortable enough afternoon for Everton.
Prediction: Everton 2-0 Coventry City
Leeds United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Leeds haven’t won in five league matches, and their defeat at Bournemouth was another reminder of how unforgiving this division can be.
Tottenham, meanwhile, appear to be finding their feet under Roberto De Zerbi. Three consecutive victories have restored some confidence, and there’s a growing sense that his ideas are beginning to translate into results.
Elland Road is never an easy place to visit, particularly with the home crowd desperate for a reaction. I expect Leeds to make things uncomfortable, but Spurs should have enough attacking quality to edge it.
Prediction: Leeds United 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal vs Hull City
Arsenal’s victory at Anfield was hugely significant. Winning at Liverpool is difficult enough, but doing so with the defensive authority Mikel Arteta’s side displayed sends a message to the rest of the Premier League.
Hull started the season brightly, although seven matches without a victory suggest reality has begun to bite.
I can’t see Arsenal allowing this one to become complicated. They’ll dominate possession, control the tempo and probably spend much of the afternoon camped around Hull’s penalty area.
It might not be particularly spectacular, but Arsenal are becoming extremely good at getting the job done.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Hull City
Fulham vs Newcastle United
Having already discussed Newcastle’s problems at length, I won’t labour the point. Suffice to say, Matthias Jaissle could desperately do with a convincing performance.
Fulham have improved recently under Alvaro Arbeloa, taking seven points from their last three matches, although I’m still not entirely convinced by them either.
This has all the ingredients of a nervous, scrappy encounter between two teams searching for consistency.
Newcastle might actually benefit from playing away from an increasingly restless St James’ Park, but I don’t trust them defensively enough to predict a victory.
Prediction: Fulham 1-1 Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City
Manchester City losing at home to Brighton last weekend was another unexpected twist in the title race.
Enzo Maresca will demand an immediate response, and unfortunately for Nottingham Forest, I suspect they’re about to receive one.
Forest are 19th, have scored only four league goals and are struggling badly under Oliver Glasner. That’s hardly the ideal preparation for facing a City side with a point to prove.
I expect Manchester City to come flying out of the traps, with Erling Haaland particularly dangerous against a defence short of confidence.
This could get ugly.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-4 Manchester City
Brighton vs Brentford
I’ve been impressed with Brighton this season. Beating Manchester City was another statement of their progress, and Fabio Hürzeler deserves considerable credit for the football they’re producing.
Brentford are having an excellent campaign themselves, sitting sixth and proving remarkably difficult to beat. Keith Andrews has done a fine job, although their inability to win away from home remains an obvious weakness.
I expect an entertaining game with chances at both ends. Brighton’s attacking quality and home advantage should eventually make the difference.
Prediction: Brighton 3-1 Brentford
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool
Where do you even begin with Liverpool at the moment?
Defeat to Arsenal was disappointing enough, but Wednesday’s shambles against Fenerbahçe was another reminder of just how fragile Andoni Iraola’s side remain.
Defensively, we’re a mess at times. Going forward, we’ve assembled an extraordinarily expensive collection of attacking talent that still seems to struggle with the basic concept of creating clear chances.
Fortunately, Crystal Palace are having problems of their own. Pierre Sage is under pressure, Palace sit in the relegation places and they haven’t scored in their last three Premier League matches.
Surely Liverpool have enough quality to win this?
I suspect we’ll make unnecessarily hard work of it, probably concede a goal we have absolutely no business conceding, and leave everybody feeling more relieved than impressed.
At this stage, I’ll happily take the three points.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Ipswich Town vs Bournemouth
Bournemouth have quietly become one of the Premier League’s most interesting teams under Marco Rose.
Seven victories in their last seven matches across all competitions, with 19 goals scored and only one conceded, represents outstanding form.
Ipswich deserve credit for adapting well to life back in the top flight, particularly at Portman Road, where they’ve already recorded two victories.
But Bournemouth have momentum, confidence and an attacking threat that should cause Ipswich problems.
I expect a competitive afternoon, with the visitors finding a way through.
Prediction: Ipswich Town 1-2 Bournemouth
Sunderland vs Chelsea
It’s been a miserable start for Sunderland, who find themselves bottom of the Premier League and desperately searching for something to lift the mood.
Chelsea arrive having beaten Manchester United, and Xabi Alonso will be encouraged by the improvement his side showed during the second half of that match.
Sunderland did the double over Chelsea last season, so there’s certainly no reason for complacency. However, the home side’s confidence looks fragile, and Chelsea should be fresher after a week without European football.
I expect a professional away performance and three more points for the Londoners.
Prediction: Sunderland 0-2 Chelsea
Manchester United vs Aston Villa
If there’s one thing Manchester United have perfected in recent years, it’s making absolutely certain nobody knows what to expect from them.
Their dramatic Champions League comeback against Roma offered Michael Carrick some much-needed breathing space, but the broader picture remains deeply concerning.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, are unbeaten in five Premier League matches and appear to be gathering momentum under Unai Emery.
United’s historical record against Villa at Old Trafford is excellent, although I’m not convinced history counts for much when your current team is this unpredictable.
I can see Villa causing United plenty of problems, particularly through Nicolas Jackson and Johan Manzambi. Equally, United have enough individual quality to produce moments of inspiration.
Goals, defensive mistakes and probably a fair amount of chaos.
Sounds like Manchester United to me.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-2 Aston Villa
One Last Thing...
I must admit, I’m rather looking forward to the international break. The football has been relentless lately, and a weekend without Premier League drama might actually do us all some good.
Mind you, I wouldn’t complain if we finally heard something substantial about Manchester City’s ongoing financial case. I’m still half hoping their appeal has failed and some meaningful sanctions are heading their way. We’ve waited long enough.
And finally, Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football after 23 years, 234 appearances and an extraordinary 146 goals for Portugal.
Those numbers deserve enormous respect. His longevity and achievements are remarkable.
But I’ve never particularly warmed to Ronaldo. For me, he’s the ultimate narcissist, a player whose obsession with himself has increasingly overshadowed his brilliance. And frankly, I think he’s been well past his sell-by date for some time.
Still, football will be a little different without him representing Portugal.
Enjoy the weekend’s football, and by this time next week, hopefully season 2 of The City is Ours is the can.