THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY

flight. Even so, Rangnick has an almighty job on his hands at Old Tra ord, where a hugely talented squad has failed to live up to its potential this season. His CV clearly shows why the United board have turned to him, as the club has done in the past when seeking guidance and advice on things such as their academy and structure. However, the Reds are in a completely di erent stratosphere to clubs like Ho enheim and Leipzig. Turning this dysfunctional giant into a slick, well-oiled trophy-winning machine will be no mean feat, but one that would represent Rangnick’s crowning glory if he succeeds. And just how he attempts to achieve his goals promises to be fascinating. The German twice recommended himself for the manager’s position at Leipzig, and has admitted he could do the same when the time comes for United to appoint a permanent boss in the summer. His potential candidacy will depend a lot on performances between now and then though. There was an instant vision of how Rangnick wants his United team to play in his first game in charge. The Red Devils started like a freight train against Crystal Palace, producing an energetic first-half display packed with pressing and turnovers in the final third. However, energy levels unsurprisingly faltered in the second period, before a lacklustre performance in his second Premier League game away to Norwich City, which United were fortunate to win thanks to a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. Ronaldo’s presence in the team and lack of pressing was a huge talking point after Rangnick’s appointment was confirmed. Yet the problems at Manchester United run far deeper than a 36-year-old who is by far the club’s best player, and even who the manager is. The fact that Rangnick has seemingly been given the keys to the kingdom just a matter of months after the United board showed their faith in and commitment to Solskjaer by rewarding the Norwegian with a new three-year contract speaks volumes for the complete lack of planning and chaotic manner in which the club’s decision-makers operate. Of course, there was never supposed to be a mid-season change, but Solskjaer’s position became untenable by the end and his departure inevitable. It appears the board were among the last ones to realise that.

ABOVE: Rangnick is well known for his excellent work at RB Leipzig

BELOW: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did a lot of good work at Manchester United

The Premier League has always been a league prioritizing youth, so here are the 5 best Under-21 players so far this season:

BILLY GILMOUR Billy Gilmour’s talent is well documented at this point. He played a minor role in Chelsea’s Champions League title last season and contributed greatly to the Scottish national team’s success in securing a play-o place in World Cup qualification. But his now-secure gametime at Norwich after the sacking of Daniel Farke where he has begun to flourish again. Gilmour remains one of the best midfield prospects to grace the league in years, and a bountiful career is already beginning to take shape.

TINO LIVRAMENTO Southampton’s defensive issues have been somewhat historical. But up steps Tino Livramento, a former Chelsea-academy player who typically plays in a productive right-back style similar to that of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Livramento is an incredibly reliable player and has featured in every one of Southampton’s Premier League so far this season. Southampton have a really great prospect on their hands.

BRYAN GIL Bryan Gil’s transfer to Tottenham in the summer was likely one of the better things to come out of the long summer that the Spurs had to endure. Gil’s quality is shown in a Tottenham side who even after the appointment of Antonio Conte still remain a little incompetent. His brief cameos illustrate the mature investment in youth that Tottenham are beginning to make.

MICHAEL OLISE Michael Olise is probably the most experienced player on this list, even if he is just 19 years old. Olise came through Reading before his move to Crystal Palace in the summer and notched up just under 70 Championship appearances. Experiences like these are incredibly valuable to young players, but Olise has comfortably dealt with the step up in quality to the Premier League and remains a consistent performer for Patrick Viera’s side.

FRANCISCO TRINCÃO Wolverhampton’s Portuguese love a air continues, and their acquisition of Francisco Trincão on loan with the option to make it permanent from Barcelona is a very prosperous signing for Wolves. Trincão played 28 times for Barcelona last season and has excellent experience at a high-level from a young age. He is one of the brightest young wingers in the league, and likely through time he will blossom into a more established name.

It’s been 35 years since Manchester United got a managerial appointment right, although there was no need for any for 27 years. Even so, the current board has displayed an astonishing level of incompetence in the eight years since Ferguson retired. Finally, though, there appears to be something of a coherent strategy filtering down from the top of the club. Structural changes have belatedly been made, while bringing in a highly-regarded builder of clubs could point the Reds firmly in the right direction. If he doesn’t stay on as manager, Rangnick has a two-year consultancy period in his contract to influence proceedings. With Ed Woodward leaving his role as executive vice-chairman in the coming months, it could be the case that the flailing former banker, who is believed to have played a key role in bringing Rangnick to United, may finally have made a decision worthy of his lofty position at the club. Much of the vitriol that is often aimed at Woodward by a large section of the United support is down to his role in the Glazers’ leveraged takeover in 2005, but his ineptitude e ectively as chief executive certainly contributes to this. After claiming to have resigned out of principle in the wake of the failed European Super League conspiracy, it remains to be seen whether Woodward’s final act can at last earn him a morsel of gratitude from United supporters. If it does, the entire Manchester United board should count themselves incredibly lucky.

ABOVE: The outgoing Ed Woodward has been viewed with disdain by the majority of Manchester United fans

ABOVE (SMALL): The Manchester United players will need to endure some sta turnaround

BELOW: Josh Cavallo became the first player in Australia’s top flight to come out as gay in 2021

TOP RIGHT: Manchester United are in the title race again

BOTTOM RIGHT: Coach David Moyes is making progress at West Ham United

1. The Premier League title race looks like it could involve three teams this season. If Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City can all maintain their form and stay in contention, a three-way battle to be crowned champions could prove thrilling. 2. West Ham United supporters have been through a lot over recent years. Finally, they’re seeing real progress under David Moyes, who’s worked wonders at the London Stadium. The Scottish manager has restored his reputation after his Manchester United nightmare and will hope to keep his side in the race for the top four for as long as possible. 3. With Covid-19 causing postponements and the Qatar World Cup coming in the middle of the 2022-23 season, there’s a real chance of unparalleled fixture congestion over the coming 12-18 months. For the sake of player welfare and in the interests of protecting against long-term damage, players must be a orded enough rest – both by the schedule and their managers. 4. Brentford looked like a Premier League side for several years while failing to get out of the Championship. The Bees finally reached the Promised Land this season and around the halfway stage were closer to the European places than the relegation zone. They’ve been a breath of fresh air and long may it continue. 5. While it may seem a little ridiculous that anyone should have to declare their sexuality in 2022, a current Premier League player comic out as gay would be monumental. Adelaide United’s Josh Cavallo became the first man to do so in Australia’s A-League in 2021, but the English top flight still awaits this moment.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY – PREMIER LEAGUE, WRITTEN BY STEPHEN DONOVAN BRIGHT FUTURE

What a rise it has been for Emile Smith Rowe. In the space of a year, the Arsenal playmaker has gone from someone who may not have had a future at the club into one of the very first names on manager Mikel Arteta’s team sheet following a run of remarkably consistent performances and an increasing number of goal involvements in 2021-22. It’s perhaps easy to forget that the 21-yearold’s breakthrough came in a moment of crisis. As they prepared to face Chelsea on Boxing Day 2019, Arsenal had only taken five points from their previous 10 Premier League games and were languishing in the bottom half with Arteta’s job seemingly hanging by a thread. The Spaniard’s answer was to hand Smith Rowe his first league start, and he was truly instrumental in a convincing 3-1 victory. Since then, he’s never looked back. The promise was always there, during appearances in cup competitions and loan spells with Red Bull Leipzig and Championship side Huddersfield Town as a teenager, but few could have imagined him becoming one of the Gunners’ most valuable assets in such a short space of time. Aston Villa made o ers to sign him last summer and had no chance of success, for they underestimated how central he was to Arteta’s plans. This season, his influence has grown and that is reflected by the numbers. A goal and a glorious assist in the North London derby against Tottenham in September capped a man of the match display, before he netted in three consecutive games two months later. Also catching the eye with his technique and range of passing, such excellent form earned him a deserved England call-up for the November internationals, scoring in his second cap. He’ll surely be key to Arsenal’s hopes for the foreseeable future.

Mikel Arteta has taken away the captain's armband from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, accusing the Gabon international of covid regulation breaches. Aubameyang had returned late from abroad and missed the pre-match training session ahead of the West Ham match.

Edouard Mendy revealed the very first game his family ever saw him play live for Chelsea was their heroic Champions League final win. The stopper signed for Chelsea in September 2020 from Rennes, during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, and has been one of the Blues' best players since.

Manchester United could be serious contenders for the Champions League trophy this year under new boss Ralf Rangnick, according to former Man United striker Louis Saha. Saha believes that the club can follow in the footsteps to Chelsea, who won the title last season with Thomas Tuchel.

There are high hopes again at Tottenham after the arrival of Antonio Conte, but one burning question that’ll need answering in the months to come is whether he is the man to help Dele Alli rediscover his form. At one stage the most exciting attacking midfielder in the Premier League, Alli has now been totally out of sorts for over two years in a mystifying fall from grace. It feels like a long time ago since Alli was rightly being hailed as one of the finest young talents in Europe for his outstanding return of goals and assists, forging a particularly destructive partnership with Harry Kane. He was aggressive and dynamic, always giving opponents something to think about and using his creativity to try – and so often execute – things that other players wouldn’t. However, even before former manager and mentor Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham in November 2019, the signs were there that he’d lost his form. A bright start under successor Jose Mourinho soon faded and appearances became increasingly rare as the Portuguese grew frustrated at Alli’s inability to influence games and even called him out publicly on one or two occasions. He was given another chance to impress under Nuno Espirito Santo at the beginning of this season but again failed to spark, so you wonder what is next for a player who was once so vital for club and country. He has work to do to prove himself to the exceptional Coach that is Conte, the latest man tasked with trying to conjure the best out of him. There’s surely little doubt that the talent hasn’t left Alli, and that he’s capable of performing at the highest level once again, but it’s now down to him to adopt the right mentality and avoid his career becoming a wasted opportunity.

FAR LEFT (OPPOSITE PAGE): Emile Smith Rowe celebrates

RIGHT (OPPOSITE PAGE): Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the English Premier League match between Arsenal London and Aston Villa

RIGHT: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur, in action during the UEFA Conference League soccer match between Vitesse and Tottenham Hotspur

FAR RIGHT: Tottenham's manager Antonio Conte reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City

Premier League has banned TV cameras in dressing rooms in an attempt to curb the resurging covid cases across the division. Several clubs have reported hikes in positive Covid tests throughout their squad, causing some matches to be postponed.

Teddy Sheringham says he would rather pick Harry Kane than Cristiano Ronaldo if he were putting together a dream team. The Tottenham legend reckons Kane is more of a team player than the Manchester United talisman.