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Survival Scrap: Everton, Leicester, Leeds Fight To Avoid Relegation

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Sunday’s final day of the Premier League season will be dominated by the intense battle for survival as Everton, Leicester, and Leeds find themselves in a nerve-wracking fight to avoid relegation.

 

The financial stakes are high for the two clubs that will join Southampton, who have already been relegated.

 

According to sports business experts Deloitte, a season of Premier League football is estimated to be worth as much as £170 million ($210 million).

 

For Everton, in particular, the potential consequences are dire as they are already in search of external investment to ensure the completion of their new stadium, therefore, the financial blow of relegation is something the Toffees cannot afford to endure.

 

Everton holds a significant advantage as they have full control over their fate, with a victory in their home match against Bournemouth will secure their continued presence in the top flight for an impressive 70-year period.

 

However, Sean Dyche’s men have won just once in 10 games and will be without talismanic striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to offer Leicester and Leeds hope.

 

Dyche said on Friday “We want the players to focus on the game. It’s not as easy as it sounds but that’s the idea: focus on what’s going on the pitch and don’t worry about all the noise.

 

“Don’t worry about all the rumours, don’t worry about anything that’s going on off the pitch.” he added.

 

In the event that Everton, currently in the fourth-bottom position, fails to secure a victory, third-bottom Leicester still has a chance to survive by defeating West Ham in their home match. Leicester’s superior goal difference would be the deciding factor in their favor.

 

The Foxes have experienced an incredible journey, particularly seven years ago when they celebrated a highly improbable title triumph.

 

This marked the beginning of a glorious era for the club, with consecutive fifth-place finishes in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. Just two years ago, under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, they achieved another milestone by winning the FA Cup for the first time.

 

Many have expressed confidence in the squad, which boasts the talents of players like James Maddison, Youri Tielemans, and Harvey Barnes, believing that they are too talented to face relegation.

 

But the fairytale has turned into a nightmare this season as Rodgers bemoaned a lack of investment to refresh the squad before he was sacked in April.

 

Dean Smith has been unable to mastermind a turnaround in fortunes with just one win in his seven games in charge.

 

Smith said “We have to win the game and not look at the Everton result until after the game. We have to do our job and see where it takes us.”

 

Second bottom Leeds need a miracle to avoid the end of their three-season stay in the top-flight.

 

Leeds, currently in the second-bottom position, faces a daunting challenge to prolong their three-season tenure in the top-flight.

 

To secure another remarkable escape, Leeds boss Sam Allardyce will need his team to secure a victory over Tottenham at Elland Road, but that alone will not be sufficient. They also require Everton to lose their match and for Leicester to fail to secure a victory.

 

If Everton manages to secure even a draw, Leeds will face the additional hurdle of surpassing them on goal difference.

 

In such a scenario, Leeds would need to defeat Tottenham by a margin of three goals to outperform Everton in terms of goal difference. It would indeed require a miraculous turn of events for Leeds to avoid relegation.

 

“I just hope that we’re talking on a very positive nature on Monday morning and I have a hangover!” Allardyce said on the possibility he could remain at the club beyond his caretaker role till the end of the season.

 

Tottenham’s result could have a bearing on the only other issue yet to be resolved – qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League.

 

Aston Villa are in pole position and will secure a return to Europe for the first time in 13 years with victory over Brighton.

 

Tottenham has the opportunity to secure seventh place in the league if they achieve a better result than Aston Villa.

 

However, if both teams fail to win their respective matches, there is a chance for Brentford to create history by qualifying for European competition for the first time.

 

A surprising victory over champions Manchester City in west London would pave the way for Brentford’s European qualification.

 

Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle have already guaranteed their spots in the next season’s Champions League, alongside Manchester City. Liverpool and Brighton, on the other hand, will secure places in the Europa League.

 

Here are the fixtures for the upcoming Sunday matches in the English Premier League, all scheduled for 15:30 GMT:

 

  • Arsenal vs Wolves
  • Aston Villa vs Brighton
  • Brentford vs Manchester City
  • Chelsea vs Newcastle
  • Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
  • Everton vs Bournemouth
  • Leeds vs Tottenham
  • Leicester vs West Ham
  • Manchester United vs Fulham
  • Southampton vs Liverpool

Sports

Belgium Appoints Rudi Garcia As National Team Coach

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The Belgian Football Federation has named Frenchman Rudi Garcia as the new head coach of the national team, following the sacking of Domenico Tedesco after a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.

In a statement released on Friday, the federation confirmed the appointment of the Underworld former Napoli, Lyon, and Roma manager, who will be formally introduced to the press later in the day.

READ MORE: Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach

Garcia’s task will be to rejuvenate the Red Devils after their early exit from the European Championship and underwhelming performances in the Nations League.

Belgium recently parted ways with Tedesco, who had been in charge since February 2023.

The Italian-German coach was brought in to rebuild the squad following the departure of the country’s celebrated “golden generation” under Roberto Martinez but failed to deliver the expected results.

The team now faces a critical relegation play-off against Ukraine in March, before beginning their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a trip to North Macedonia in June.

Garcia brings a wealth of experience, having coached top European clubs such as Marseille and Lyon.

He also made his mark at Lille between 2008 and 2013, leading the French side to a Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double in 2011.

However, his most recent role at Napoli in 2023 ended in disappointment after just five months.

 

 

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Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach

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Borussia Dortmund have sacked head coach Nuri Sahin after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Bologna in Tuesday’s Champions League match, marking the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

The decision follows a string of poor performances that have left the club in 10th place in the Bundesliga, 20 points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.

Sporting CEO Lars Ricken expressed that the club had “lost faith” in Sahin, explaining that the decision was painful but necessary.

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“We have unfortunately lost faith that we will achieve our sporting goals,” Ricken said. “We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much, we hoped for a long collaboration, but after the game in Bologna, this was unavoidable.”

Sahin, who had been promoted to head coach in the summer following his role as assistant to Edin Terzic during Dortmund’s surprise Champions League final run last season, acknowledged the disappointment.

“Unfortunately, I was not able to live up to Dortmund’s sporting ambitions at this point in time. I wish this special club all the best.”

The defeat against Bologna caps a difficult season for the club under Sahin’s stewardship.

Despite their strong showing in last season’s Champions League, where they lost to Real Madrid in the final, Dortmund have struggled in the Bundesliga and were eliminated from the German Cup by Wolfsburg.

Their away form, in particular, has been disastrous, with only four wins and nine losses in 15 matches away from the Westfalenstadion.

Dortmund’s leadership, which has historically favored former players in managerial roles, now faces the task of finding a suitable replacement for Sahin.

German media reports suggest potential successors could include Erik Ten Hag, the former Manchester United boss who has been spotted attending Dortmund games recently, or Roger Schmidt, formerly of Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen.

In the interim, U19 coach Mike Tullberg has been appointed to take charge of the first team, starting with Saturday’s home match against Werder Bremen.

The sacking of Sahin is the latest chapter in a turbulent managerial history for Dortmund since the departure of Jurgen Klopp in 2015, with the club having cycled through eight different head coaches in that time. Only Lucien Favre managed to stay longer than two years.

Sahin’s tenure as manager was a significant moment for Dortmund, as he was one of the club’s own, having come through the ranks and played over 270 games for the team, including being part of the squad that won the 2011 Bundesliga title.

However, his time at the helm of the senior team has proven to be short-lived as Dortmund now seek a new direction.

 

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Man City Sign Brazilian Teenager, Vitor Reis For £29.6M

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Manchester City have completed the signing of 19-year-old defender Vitor Reis from Brazilian club Palmeiras, the Premier League champions announced on Tuesday.

The Brazilian youth international joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of £29.6 million ($36.2 million).

Reis, a right-footed centre-back, expressed his enthusiasm about joining the English giants. “I’m excited to join Manchester City, one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Reis.

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“Everyone has seen the amazing achievements in recent seasons, and I want to make my mark as we seek more trophies. Working with Pep Guardiola is something every young player wants to do, and I know he can help me to develop into the best player I can be.”

City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, highlighted the qualities that attracted the club to Reis.

He said, “Vitor Reis is one of the most promising young defenders in the world, and we’re delighted to have been able to bring him here. He is excellent on the ball and outstanding in the air — he has all the attributes needed to be one of the best.”

The signing of Reis is City’s second addition of the January transfer window, following the arrival of Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov.

Reports indicate that the club is also pursuing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush before the window closes.

Manchester City, currently fifth in the Premier League table, have faced challenges this season due to a series of defensive injuries.

However, the team showcased their attacking strength with a dominant 6-0 victory over Ipswich on Sunday.

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