Tag: Premier League

Scott Parker has left his position as head coach of Burnley by mutual consent following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, it was announced on Thursday.

Burnley said in a statement that Parker and the board had “mutually agreed that his time at Turf Moor would conclude” following one season back in the English top division.

Parker led the Clarets to promotion last year, but this season has been a struggle, with just four league wins in total.

Burnley’s fate was confirmed on April 22 after a 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City, two days after Wolves were relegated.

Parker, who has previously managed Fulham, Bournemouth and Belgian side Club Brugge, signed a three-year contract in July 2024, succeeding Vincent Kompany.

He oversaw a remarkable 2024/25 season in the Championship, which included a 31-match unbeaten run and 30 clean sheets, taking them back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

But Burnley have conceded 68 goals in 34 league matches in the current campaign, the most of any side, and were knocked out of the FA Cup and League Cup by third-tier teams.

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“The club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Scott for his professionalism, dedication and contribution,” Burnley said in a statement.

“He leaves with the respect and gratitude of everyone connected with Burnley Football Club.”

Former England midfielder Parker, 45, said in a statement on the club’s website that it had been an “immense privilege” to lead Burnley.

“I have enjoyed every moment of our journey together, but feel that now is the right time for both parties to move in a different direction,” he said.

“I reflect back with great pride on what we achieved during my time at the club, especially our unforgettable promotion season in 2024/25, and it was a true honour to lead this team into the Premier League.”

The club said Parker’s assistant, Mike Jackson, would take charge of the club’s four remaining Premier League fixtures, beginning with Friday’s match at Leeds United.

It said the process of appointing a new permanent head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season had begun.

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Arne Slot warned on Friday that “margins are small” in the Premier League as Liverpool aim to strengthen their push for a place in next season’s Champions League.

The Reds are fifth in the table after two straight league wins, five points clear of Brighton, who have played a game more.

The top five teams in the Premier League gain automatic entry into next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool face a tough task on Saturday against Crystal Palace, whom they have failed to beat in three meetings so far this season.

Slot was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he was planning for next season after a disappointing title defence but was keen to shift the focus back onto the current campaign.

“Of course there are conversations going on about next season but my complete focus is, and still should be, on this season, because margins are small,” said the Liverpool boss.

“One or two results can make a big difference, as we saw, because I think two weeks ago we weren’t five points clear of the number six, and two results later we are, so it can also go both ways.

“So my full focus is on Palace, which is needed because, as you know, we’ve played them three times already this season and we’re unable to beat them once.”

Liverpool lost to Oliver Glasner’s side on penalties in the season-opening Community Shield before defeats in the Premier League and the League Cup.

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The Reds have picked up vital wins against Fulham and Everton this month but have also suffered demoralising defeats against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Manchester City in the FA Cup.

“In the last eight games we picked up 16 points, and it doesn’t always feel like that, because in between we have to play PSG, Man City,” said Slot. “But our recent league form is acceptable.”

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker has not played since mid-March due to injury, but Slot said he was close to a return and could be ready to face Palace.

Number two goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is sidelined with an injury he picked up last week against Everton, meaning that Freddie Woodman would deputise for Palace if Alisson were not fit.

Slot brushed aside speculation linking Alisson with a move away from Anfield at the end of the season.

“We don’t react to rumours in this room,” said the Dutchman.

“We only react when facts need to be told, and that’s not the situation at the moment.

“But the main focus for Ali is, I think, very clear — that’s getting back into goal as soon as possible for the club he loves to play for, and then he wants to be in goal for the country he loves to play for, and that’s Brazil.”

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Manchester City edged ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League as a 1-0 victory at Turf Moor condemned Burnley to relegation on Wednesday.

The defeat confirmed the Clarets’ third Premier League relegation in five seasons, consigning them to the Championship alongside Wolves next season.

Erling Haaland scored the only goal as Pep Guardiola’s men ended the day top of the table for the first time since August, but the City boss was frustrated at his side’s inability to win by a greater margin.

City go ahead of the Gunners only on goals scored, with five games left for both the title contenders. However, City have on paper the tougher run-in as they aim to snatch a seventh league title in nine years.

Fresh from beating Arsenal 2-1 in what was billed as a title decider on Sunday, the visitors roared out of the blocks.

A stunning save by Martin Dubravka turned Rayan Cherki’s shot onto the woodwork.

Haaland was then set free by Jeremy Doku and coolly chipped over the advancing Dubravka with just five minutes on the clock.

Manchester City continued to pepper Dubravka with efforts from distance, but Guardiola grew visibly angry as they let the tempo drop in their pursuit of more goals.

Burnley could even have been level by half-time as Zian Flemming dragged a glorious chance wide.

Haaland hit the post after the break, but City’s failure to rack up a more convincing scoreline leaves the title race tantalisingly poised.

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At the other end of the table, Burnley have to rebuild once more in the second tier.

A return of just 20 points from 34 games has left Scott Parker’s men 13 adrift of safety with only four games remaining.

It is the fifth consecutive season that Burnley have either been relegated or promoted as they oscillate between the riches of the Premier League and the Championship.

Three wins from their opening nine games offered hope that they could join Sunderland and Leeds in bucking the trend of promoted sides being immediately relegated back to the second tier. However, just one win in their 25 matches has sealed their fate.

Parker has become a Championship specialist, also winning promotion in the past with Fulham and Bournemouth. But the former Tottenham and Chelsea midfielder has consistently struggled at all three clubs to make an impact in the Premier League.

Bournemouth’s challenge to qualify for Europe for the first time was dented by Sean Longstaff’s 97th-minute equaliser for Leeds in a 2-2 draw. Junior Kroupi’s opener for Bournemouth was quickly cancelled out by a James Hill own goal.

Rayan’s strike had the Cherries on course for the top six until Longstaff’s volleyed leveller.

A point edges Bournemouth above Chelsea, who sacked Liam Rosenior on Wednesday, into seventh. Leeds are now nine points clear of the relegation zone.

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Liam Rosenior has been sacked as Chelsea manager following a run of five successive Premier League defeats, the club announced on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old had only been in charge for just over three months after being lured away from French side Strasbourg which is affiliated to Chelsea’s American owners.

Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton on Tuesday proved the last straw. It is the first time Chelsea have lost five consecutive league games without scoring since 1912, a run which has left them seven points adrift of the Champions League places.

“Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Liam Rosenior,” read a club statement.

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“Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following his appointment midway through the season.

“This has not been a decision the Club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season.”

Calum McFarlane will be in charge in a caretaker capacity, the club added, with his first match an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United on Sunday.

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Former Premier League champions Leicester were relegated to the third tier for only the second time in their history after a 2-2 draw against Hull on Tuesday.

Gary Rowett’s side needed a victory at the King Power Stadium to keep alive their slender hopes of avoiding relegation.

But the Foxes were denied by Oli McBurnie’s second-half equaliser, which condemned them to League One just 10 years after they were crowned English champions in a fairytale triumph.

Liam Millar put Hull ahead in the 18th minute before Leicester equalised through James Justin’s 52nd-minute penalty.

Luke Thomas put Leicester ahead two minutes later, but McBurnie extinguished their dreams of a great escape with his 63rd-minute leveller.

Second-bottom Leicester are seven points from safety with just two games left. Leicester will play in the third tier for the first time since 2008-09 following an astonishing decline over the last five years.

“We have to learn. I think the club have to accept this is the horrible part of the journey of a football club,” Rowett said.

“This club won the Premier League not too many moons ago. That was an incredible high at the time for the fans, for everyone associated with the club.

“I think everyone saw that as an amazing achievement. I think we can be equally as disappointed with how poor this moment is.”

It is a third relegation in four seasons for Leicester, who dropped out of the Premier League in 2023 and 2025.

After Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante and company defied 5,000-1 odds by winning the Premier League in 2016, Leicester reached the Champions League quarter-finals the next season and won the FA Cup in 2021.

But Leicester’s golden era is a distant memory as they face the unpalatable prospect of playing the likes of Bromley, Mansfield and Wycombe next season.

“The bigger picture is you don’t get relegated over three or four games, you get relegated over a season,” Rowett said.

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“The club has to rise again, but it has to learn its lessons because it’s certainly been a season of an awful lot of regret.”

Crashing out of the Premier League in limp fashion three years ago should have been a wake-up call for Leicester’s Thai owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and much-maligned sporting director Jon Rudkin.

But Leicester’s hierarchy were painfully slow to address numerous flaws on the pitch, while the club’s ruinous finances have cost them a six-point deduction this season for breaching spending rules.

Vardy’s departure at the end of last season severed the last tie with the title-winning squad.

Marti Cifuentes, hired to lead a promotion push, struggled to rebuild an unbalanced and inexperienced squad before his sacking in January.

Interim boss Andy King was unable to turn the tide, and relegation fears began to mount after Leicester blew a 3-0 half-time lead in a dismal 4-3 defeat against Southampton.

By the time Rowett was hired in February, the Foxes were two points from safety, and the former Leicester defender has mustered only one win from his 12 matches since.

Boardroom blunders have been the defining influence on Leicester’s plummet towards League One.

Claudio Ranieri, architect of their title-winning campaign, was sacked just months after lifting the trophy, with Craig Shakespeare and then Claude Puel proving inadequate replacements.

Brendan Rodgers, who masterminded the club’s FA Cup triumph and two fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League, was dismissed as relegation beckoned in 2023.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Coventry clinched the Championship title with a 5-1 rout of Portsmouth.

Frank Lampard’s side had sealed promotion back to the top flight after a 25-year absence with a draw at Blackburn on Friday.

Millwall climbed to second place with a 3-1 win at Stoke, while fourth-placed Southampton’s bid for automatic promotion was dented by a 2-2 draw against Bristol City.

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Ten years after authoring the ultimate sporting fairytale, former Premier League champions Leicester are on the brink of a humiliating relegation to the third tier.

If Gary Rowett’s side fail to beat Hull on Tuesday, they will be condemned to League One for only the second time in their history.

Languishing eight points from safety with only three games left, the Foxes appear destined to plunge into the third tier for the first time since 2008-09 following an astonishing decline over the last five years.

It would be a third relegation in four seasons for Leicester, who dropped out of the Premier League in 2023 and 2025.

After Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante, and company defied 5,000-1 odds by winning the Premier League in 2016, Leicester reached the Champions League quarter-finals the next season and won the FA Cup in 2021.

But Leicester’s golden era is a distant memory as they face the unpalatable prospect of playing the likes of Bromley, Mansfield and Wycombe next season.

Crashing out of the Premier League limply three years ago should have been a wake-up call for Leicester’s Thai owner, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and much-maligned sporting director Jon Rudkin.

However, Leicester’s hierarchy was painfully slow to address numerous flaws on the pitch, while the club’s ruinous finances have cost them a six-point deduction this season for breaching spending rules.

Vardy’s departure at the end of last season severed the last tie with the title-winning squad.

Marti Cifuentes, hired to lead a promotion push, struggled to rebuild an unbalanced and inexperienced squad before his sacking in January.

Interim boss Andy King was unable to turn the tide, and relegation fears began to mount after Leicester blew a 3-0 half-time lead in a dismal 4-3 defeat against Southampton.

By the time Rowett was hired in February, the Foxes were two points from safety, and the former Leicester defender has mustered only one win from his 11 matches since.

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But it is his players that have taken the brunt of the blame, with fans chanting “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” and engaging in an altercation with midfielder Harry Winks after last weekend’s loss at Portsmouth.

“A lack of fight is something that’s been labelled at the team over the course of a season. I don’t know whether that’s fair, but I think we’ve shown a lack of quality,” Rowett acknowledged.

Boardroom blunders have been the defining influence on Leicester’s plummet towards League One.

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has struggled to fill the shoes of his father, Vichai, who was killed in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium in 2018.

Claudio Ranieri, architect of their title-winning campaign, was sacked just months after lifting the trophy, with Craig Shakespeare and then Claude Puel proving inadequate replacements.

Brendan Rodgers, who masterminded the club’s FA Cup triumph and two fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League, was dismissed as relegation beckoned in 2023.

Even when Enzo Maresca led Leicester to promotion in 2024, he immediately departed for Chelsea, necessitating the unpopular and unsuccessful appointment of Steve Cooper, who previously managed rivals Nottingham Forest.

Rudkin’s recruitment has been no better, with expensive flops Patson Daka, Oliver Skipp, Jannik Vestergaard and Harry Souttar adding to a wage bill that topped £200 million ($270 million) in 2023 and reportedly contained no clauses to reduce salaries upon relegation.

Foreshadowing Leicester’s descent, Aiyawatt said in January: “In almost 16 years, we have won five trophies, we’ve had two relegations, three times in Europe. It’s like a movie. It’s like a super drama on Netflix.

“We grew bigger and bigger, and we forgot what we were before. We thought we are here and that is the most dangerous position to be in.”

On the precipice of relegation, Leicester will hope for another against-the-odds miracle, but the bleak reality of their situation is impossible to ignore.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, commonly referred to as Wolves, were relegated from the Premier League on Monday after West Ham’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace sealed their fate.

The Midlands club are now 16 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham with just five games to go and are mathematically certain to drop down to the Championship.

Bottom of the table Wolves, managed by Rob Edwards since November, have endured a miserable campaign, winning just three league matches from their 33 games to date.

Despite notable recent wins against Aston Villa and Liverpool, Wolves have looked like relegation certainties for months, and their eight-year stay in the Premier League is coming to an end.

Vitor Pereira, now in charge of Nottingham Forest, started the season in charge of the Molineux club, but the Portuguese coach was sacked in early November after a terrible start to the campaign.

Former Middlesbrough boss Edwards was brought in, but he had an almost impossible task and has been unable to work a miracle.

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Second-bottom Burnley look certain to join Wolves in the second tier next season. They will be relegated if they lose against title-chasing Manchester City on Wednesday.

Tottenham came agonisingly close to climbing out of the relegation zone on Saturday but conceded a last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Brighton.

The north Londoners have not won a Premier League match since December, with new boss Roberto De Zerbi winless in his first two games.

Nottingham Forest and Leeds are also in the relegation battle, but both won at the weekend to pull well clear of the drop zone.

Frank Lampard‘s Coventry, currently top of the Championship, on Friday sealed their return to the Premier League next season after a 25-year absence.

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Manchester City are breathing down Arsenal’s necks after Erling Haaland’s strike beat the Gunners 2-1 on Sunday to land a potentially decisive blow in the Premier League title race.

Pep Guardiola’s men are close to within three points of the leaders and have a game in hand with momentum firmly in their favour as Arsenal’s quest for a first league title in 22 years unravels.

Defeat to City in the League Cup final last month has sparked a run of one win in six games in all competitions for Mikel Arteta’s men, including four consecutive defeats in domestic competitions.

Victory over relegation-bound Burnley on Wednesday will take City top for the first time this year.

After finishing second for the past three seasons, Arsenal are at risk of seeing another huge chance to end their long wait to be champions of England slip away. But they will also rue their luck after twice hitting the post, either side of Haaland’s winner in the second half.

After Rayan Cherki’s stunning solo effort opened the scoring, City gifted the visitors a route back into the game when Kai Havertz charged down Gianluigi Donnarumma’s attempted clearance to equalise.

But the difference in quality up front proved the difference.

Haaland pounced to sweep in his 34th goal of the season, 25 minutes from time, before Havertz headed over a glorious chance deep into stoppage time.

Guardiola’s men looked to prey on Arsenal’s anxiety in a blistering start.

Cherki’s deflected shot then came back off the post, and City’s claims for a penalty against Gabriel Magalhaes for handball were ignored.

The visitors were just starting to gain a foothold when a moment of magic from Cherki prised open the Gunners’ notoriously mean defence.

The French international danced through challenges from Gabriel and Declan Rice before coolly slotting in the bottom corner.

However, Arsenal were handed an immediate lifeline thanks to Donnarumma’s disaster. The giant Italian was the scourge of Arteta’s men when playing for Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League semi-finals.

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But he handed them a gift as he dallied and allowed Havertz to charge down his attempted clearance into the top corner.

The nature of the equaliser knocked City off their stride and it took until Guardiola’s half-time team talk for the hosts to regain control.

Haaland should have scored when he hit the post after Arsenal failed to clear a corner. But then came two moments which will haunt Arsenal if they fail to end their long wait to win the title.

Donnarumma redeemed himself with a massive save when one-on-one with Havertz before Martin Odegaard’s follow-up effort was hooked off the line by Matheus Nunes.

Moments later, Eberechi Eze hit the inside of the post and saw the ball roll agonisingly along the line rather than into Donnarumma’s net.

City pounced on their moment of fortune to retake the lead.

Haaland outmuscled Gabriel to meet Nico O’Reilly’s cross and hooked past David Raya.

Arsenal were denied by the woodwork once more when Gabriel’s header deflected off O’Reilly onto the post, and Havertz failed to turn in the rebound.

Gabriel was then lucky to stay on the field after an attempted headbutt on Haaland, which received only a yellow card.

But they had the chance to level when Havertz connected sweetly with Leandro Trossard’s cross, but could not keep his head down.

Arteta fell to the ground in disbelief but now has the job of trying to raise his players for their final five games of the campaign.

Arsenal have on paper the kinder run-in, but appear to have run out of steam when it matters once more.

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Virgil van Dijk scored a last-gasp winner against Everton on Sunday as Liverpool strengthened their push for a Champions League spot next season ahead of a Premier League summit meeting between Manchester City and Arsenal.

On a pivotal day in the English top division, fourth-placed Aston Villa squandered a two-goal lead against Sunderland but scored in stoppage time to win 4-3.

At the other end of the table, Morgan Gibbs-White netted a hat-trick as struggling Nottingham Forest came from behind against Burnley to win 4-1 and heap the pressure on troubled Tottenham.

Just a few weeks ago, the battle for the top five, which guarantees entry into the Champions League, looked as though it might be tight.

But fifth-placed Liverpool’s 2-1 victory in their first match at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium takes them seven points clear of stumbling Chelsea, in sixth spot.

Captain Van Dijk was the hero for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, heading Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner past a helpless Jordan Pickford in the 100th minute.

“Today was massive in the situation that we are, in hunt for the Champions League spots,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.

“That is definitely not Liverpool-worthy, in my opinion, but it is the reality, and it was important we got the win. I’m glad we did.

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“We’ve got five more games left (some) against teams that are also fighting for the Champions League spots. Every game is a big one.”

Mohamed Salah had opened the scoring for last season’s champions, slotting home in the first half following a superbly weighted pass from Cody Gakpo.

The goal came just two minutes after Iliman Ndiaye’s effort at the other end was canceled by VAR, with Jake O’Brien ruled offside.

Salah, departing at the end of the season, has equaled Steven Gerrard’s nine goals to become the joint top-scoring player in the Premier League fixture between the two Merseyside teams.

The goal took the wind out of the sails of David Moyes’ team, but they were level through Beto within 10 minutes of the restart.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, on the left of Everton’s attack, fired across goal for Beto to attack, and he poked home ahead of an onrushing Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was immediately stretchered off, replaced by Freddie Woodman.

The game looked destined to end as a draw but the officials signalled 11 added minutes but Van Dijk had the last laugh.

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Frank Lampard has silenced his critics by leading Coventry into the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, masterminding a promotion-winning campaign that rehabilitated the former Chelsea star’s managerial reputation.

Lampard’s Championship leaders clinched promotion on Friday with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Sky Blues boss, his players and 7,500 Coventry fans at Ewood Park.

It was a cathartic scene for Lampard and his club after both endured painful spells in the wilderness.

Redemption was an emotional moment for Lampard, who wiped away tears of joy after the final whistle.

“Everything I’ve ever done in my career has been a point to prove to be honest. It’s been in me since I was a young player. You are always fighting against something,” he said in answer to his detractors.

For Coventry, the end of their 34-year stay in the Premier League in 2001 triggered a miserable decline.

The 1987 FA Cup winners crashed into the fourth tier in 2017 and were homeless for three seasons during a legal battle over their stadium.

They are finally back among English football’s elite thanks to Lampard, for whom being “sent to Coventry” has proved far more enjoyable than the quirky British expression meaning “ignoring someone” might suggest.

The 47-year-old’s appointment in November 2024 was a gamble by Coventry, given his chequered managerial career to that point.

It was not a popular move with Coventry fans, but Sky Blues owner Doug King was convinced Lampard had the experience and character required to succeed at a club in need of a fresh outlook after the sacking of long-serving boss Mark Robins.

“Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this league to be successful,” King said.

King’s hunch has paid rich dividends, with Coventry’s promotion banking an estimated £200 million ($275 million) in increased revenue.

The road to Premier League riches was paved with potholes for Coventry, and Lampard has had a rocky ride of his own to get back to the big time.

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Frank Lampard knew nothing but success during a glittering playing career with Chelsea, winning 11 major trophies and scoring a club-record 211 goals.

His managerial career has been more humbling until now. Lampard suffered a Championship play-off final defeat with Derby in his first season as a boss in 2019.

The prodigal son returned to Chelsea that summer, earning plaudits for the development of youngsters Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount amid a transfer embargo.

Chelsea finished fourth in Lampard’s debut season at Stamford Bridge, but he was sacked in 2021 after failing to win a trophy.

He returned to management with Everton and saved them from relegation in 2022, but that wasn’t enough to avoid the sack after less than 12 months in charge.

Back at Chelsea on an interim basis in 2023, Lampard lost eight of his 11 games. Reviving his reputation was far from assured at Coventry, who were just two points above the relegation zone when he arrived at the CBS Arena.

Crucially, the lessons of his managerial mentors resonated more with Lampard as he sought ways to improve.

“Working under Jose Mourinho was an incredible experience. He was very hands-on and emotional, strong tactically and in managing the group. Carlo Ancelotti was very calm and relaxed,” he told Sky Sports recently.

“I am probably somewhere in the middle. I also remember things I did not enjoy and try to learn from them. I aim to stay authentic.”

Less emotional and more willing to delegate than in his early days as manager, Lampard inspired a rapid turnaround that carried Coventry to the play-off semi-finals last term.

Determined to make amends for that near-miss, Coventry were the class act of the Championship this season.

It was a vindication of Lampard’s decision to gamble his career with Coventry.

“We came into a bit of an unknown when we arrived in a people carrier 15 months ago,” he said. “We’ve fallen in love and this is right up there with what I have achieved. I’m very proud to be the manager.”

READ: Coventry clinch promotion to end 25-year Premier League exile