Category: Football

There is a feel-good factor around St. James’ Park, the home of Newcastle United. Rewind 12 months ago, and The Magpies were in the relegation zone, fighting for Premier League survival. A year is a long time in football (just ask any Everton manager), and Newcastle find themselves challenging for a Champions League place (or possibly the title) plus a potential Carabao Cup Final.

The turnaround is quite remarkable, Newcastle’s accession up the Premier League ladder has taken everyone by surprise, perhaps even their super wealthy Saudi Arabian owners, who bought the club from Mike Ashley in November 2022.

Eddie Howe takes the reign

Under manager Eddie Howe, who took charge shortly after the takeover, Newcastle have spent wisely rather than lavishly in the transfer window. In came the likes of Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Matt Targett in the first window post-takeover – quality players with Premier League experience, but hardly Kylian Mbappe, who was trending all over Twitter shortly after the Saudi acquisition was confirmed.

Bruno Guimarães was added before the close of the January 2022 window from Lyon, and was instrumental in the second half of the season, as Newcastle comfortably secured their status in the Premier League, finishing 11th.

After failing to win any of their first 14 games under Steve Bruce, Newcastle won 12 of their last 18 games in the 21/22 season with Eddie Howe, and they have carried this momentum into the 22/23 season.

More talent arrived through the doors at St James’ Park in the summer transfer window, including striker Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, centre back Sven Botman from Lille and goalkeeper Nick Pope from Burnley.

However, it wasn’t a new signing who caught the eye in Newcastle’s pre World Cup run, but a diminutive Paraguayan forward, who was written off by many as a flop just a season or two ago – Miguel Almirón.

His form in the 22/23 season has drawn many comparisons with Lionel Messi, and the former Atlanta United player is practically a one man shortlist for goal of the season.

Other players like Joelinton and Fabian Schär have also emerged from the shadows and revitalised their Newcastle careers under Eddie Howe.

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Can Newcastle see domestic success this season?

At the time of writing, Newcastle are on the brink of a Carabao Cup final, as they bid to win their first major trophy for over 50 years.

When the Saudi’s took over last year, it wasn’t to lead Newcastle to Carabao Cup glory, they have bigger fish to fry, namely the Premier League and Champions League. However, judging by the atmosphere the Toon Army has created in recent weeks, the fans see the Carabao Cup as a major trophy worth winning, one that will end half a decade of hurt and usher in a new era of Newcastle success.

Years of frustration for the Toon

For the majority of Newcastle’s Premier League days, they have been considered a sleeping giant. A one club city with a 50,000 seater stadium, iconic strip and devoted fanbase. Every once in a while the team has flirted with immortality but has always fallen at the final hurdle, most notably under Kevin Keegan in 1996, when they blew a 12-point lead in the title race to eventual champions Manchester United.

More recent near-misses came under Sir Kenny Dalglish and Rudd Gullit, who lost back-to-back FA Cup finals in 1998 and 1999, respectively.

In the noughties Sir Bobby Robson led The Magpies to the second group stage of the Champions League in 02/03 and the semi finals of the Uefa Cup in 03/04.

Bad signings, poor ownership and a managerial merry-go-round meant many Newcastle fans had to revert from supporters to protestors, utilising their famous passion for the club in a different way.

Newcastle have exceeded expectations in 2022/23

These days, however, the Newcastle fanbase is united, after so many years of frustration, mass-walkouts and a general media-circus around St James’ Park, the stadium is now home to arguably the best atmosphere in the country. It’s as though all the tension and build over the last two decades has finally been unleashed, manifesting itself as uncomplicated, wholehearted support for the Newcastle players and managers.

Newcastle currently sit 3rd place and in a Champions League spot. It’s a position most football fans believed Newcastle would eventually reach, but not so soon after the takeover with relatively modest investment compared to other top 4 rivals.

Clearly the team is thriving off the St James’ Park atmosphere, which will soon surely play host to European giants in the Champions League or Europa League next season.

There is no ceiling for this great club and the volume its supporters generate. If you think things are good right now, just wait until you hear St James’ Park on a Tuesday night under the lights, as the players in Newcastle’s iconic black and white strip, stroll out onto the pitch to the sound of the Champions League anthem.

The turn around at Arsenal this season has been, to put it simply, astonishing. The Gunners are believing again, as they sit 8 points clear at the top of the Premier League after victory away at North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

If you were to tell Arsenal fans a few years ago that they would comfortably be league leaders in 2023, many would have laughed in your face. As a matter of fact, some fans cried for Arteta to be replaced at this stage last season. But here we are into the New Year and they are still flying high. With only one defeat in the league this season, Mikel Arteta’s men are taking the league by storm as we approach the halfway mark.

However, with the two Manchester clubs and Newcastle in hot pursuit, football fans across the globe are asking the question, will Arsenal hang on?

As mentioned earlier, some Arsenal fans will agree that over the past 10 years, they have been the laughing stock of the so called ‘big six’, what with their constant runs of poor form and consistently having to settle for Europa League football, much different to the Arsenal we saw back in the late 90s and early 2000s winning the premier league 3 times in 6 years. Not to mention the incredible feat of going a full Premier League season unbeaten, the only team to have done so in the Premier League era. They became known as ‘The Invincibles’.

This invincible season has seemed so far away in the last decade with the relatively frequent managerial changes after Arsene Wenger left and the lack of league success, having not appeared in the Champions League since the 2016/17 season. This is a stark contrast from the years prior where Arsenal last missed qualification for Europe’s most prestigious competition in the 1995/96 Premier League Season, an impressive stat beginning and ending within Wenger’s reign. Since then it has been doom and gloom for the North London club with many fans projecting their disappointment.

However, this season they seem to be turning their fortunes around. The Gunners are believing again and they owe much of that to former player turned manager, Mikel Arteta. Arsenal are Arteta’s first experience of being head coach, however, he has learnt from the best when he was Pep Guardiola’s right hand man from 2016-2019 at Manchester City. With only one defeat this season and unbeaten in their last 13 they sit 8 points clear at the top of the table, looking very unlikely to slip up.

Nevertheless, they are yet to play Guardiola’s City side this season and I’m sure they’ll not be planning on giving up without a fight. With a team of their quality, you can never write them off. One thing is for sure, it will be a thrilling title race that could go right down to the wire.

Don’t forget Arsenal are not out of the FA Cup either. A comfortable 3-0 win away at Oxford United in the 3rd round has resulted in a tough fourth round draw away at Manchester City. It will certainly not be an easy tie, in fact probably the hardest they could have asked for, however, Arsenal’s impressive FA Cup form over the years, may make them the favourites for this one. They have been FA Cup winners 4 times in the last 10 years with the most recent title in 2020. If they were to travel to the North West and win, they will certainly fancy their chances of adding another FA Cup trophy to their long list.

In fact the only cup that Arsenal are no longer competing for is the League Cup after being knocked out by a strong Brighton side. Despite this, they are still going strong in the Europa League and are set to play in the round of 16 in March. After topping their group, Arsenal will certainly be keen to avenge their defeat from neighbours Chelsea back in the 2019 final by winning the competition this year. They will definitely need to improve on their dismal display from Baku four years ago when they were thumped 4-1 by the West London side if they are to stand any chance of progressing through the knockout stages. With that said, the way Arsenal are playing in the league, it is hard to not see them as favourites.

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Although a lot of credit has been given to Arteta for the tactics he has instilled in his side, there is a lot of credit due for his deals in the transfer market. Many of the signings made by Arteta, such as Ben White, were questioned when they weren’t performing immediately. However, players such as White, Odegaard and Gabriel have all proved key players and have been vital to their success this season. Not to mention, the incredible young talent on show at the moment, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli crafted into some of the most talked about names in world football. But who will Arsenal sign next?

There have been a lot of questions raised about whether or not Arsenal have enough squad depth to challenge for the title. After being snubbed by Chelsea for 89 million pound Shakhtar Donetsk winger, Mykhaylo Mudryk, they must regroup and rethink who they target this January. Another option for Arteta may be former Leeds star Raphinha. The winger has made 22 appearances for Spanish giants Barcelona scoring 5 and assisting 3 times in all competitions. He was previously on Arsenal’s radar in July 2022 before his move from Leeds but their bid was rejected. Despite this, there are no new faces at the Emirates in 2023 just yet.

So with three trophies up for grabs, will Arsenal win all three of them? Or will they focus on winning their first league title in almost 20 years? Injuries may be the downfall of Arsenal this season with a lack of squad depth perhaps being their only weakness, unless they plan to be busy in January. As good as they have been, there is still a long way to go. It’s safe to say it is going to be an exciting end to the season whether you’re an Arsenal fan or not.

Want to watch Arsenal continue on their quest for trophies? Enquire with engage for VIP Hospitality opportunities across the whole season, including fantastic views, complimentary food and drink and meeting Arsenal legends.

In an intense and high-class encounter, England crashed out of the World Cup against France, 2-1 in the Quarter-Finals on Saturday, having beaten a dangerous Senegal side 3-0 in the previous round. Captain Harry Kane’s second penalty miss ultimately cost the plucky English side who went toe-to-toe with France and may have progressed if the luck was on their side in Qatar.

England topped Group B after securing comfortable victories against Wales and Iran, alongside a 0-0 draw against USA ensuring 7 points in the group stage. It is clear that this England team are head and shoulders above where they were when they were embarrassed by Iceland back at Euro 2016.

However, as we watch the scenes unfold in Qatar, you can’t help but think: how will England look in 2026?

Will Gareth still be in charge?

It is no secret that there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the England team in the buildup to the Qatar World Cup, particularly criticism directed at head coach, Gareth Southgate, following no wins in six games including a 4-0 home drubbing to Hungary. Many questions around the future of Southgate’s role as England manager were raised.

Fans had differing opinions on when he should be sacked, some saying he should go before the trip to
Qatar, some saying he should be sacked if he doesn’t win and some even claiming he should be sent on his way no matter the result in the Middle East.

Regardless of who is in charge, another question raised by England fans is which players will be making the trip to North America in 2026?

Is this a new ‘Golden Generation’?

The excitement surrounding this England team in the last 4 years has been refreshing to say the least, what with the lack of hope and a run of disappointing results in major tournaments before 2018. Not to mention the solidarity that the success of the team deemed the ‘Golden Generation’ has brought the nation.

To see Wembley in full voice singing to Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ after a 2-0 victory against the Germans, was pretty special. The term ‘Golden Generation’ has been thrown about regularly in the last few years to describe this England team. However, it is difficult to say which players will still be regulars in 2026.

There is no doubt that the team will be very different with the likes of Jordan Henderson, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier all aged 32, expected to retire from international football within the next four years.

Instead we look ahead to the players that will be in their prime and those making North America their debut tournament. I’ve picked out five players who I think will be vital for England’s success across the pond.

Phil Foden

The 22 year old Mancunian has been a key player in Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League over the last few seasons. With 8 goals and 3 assists in all competitions this season for the Manchester club, he has been excellent and made himself very hard for Pep Guardiola to drop.

Many criticised Southgate for Foden’s absence against the USA in Qatar, however, he proved himself with a goal in the victory against Wales and two assists against Senegal on Sunday evening.

Bukayo Saka

The Arsenal man’s performance against Iran in the first group game sent out a message of intent to the rest of the world after the agony of the Euro final where he missed the deciding penalty, not to mention the subsequent abuse he received.

The way the 21 year old has conducted himself after this disappointment is something to be applauded alongside his performances. With three goals already in this year’s tournament, Saka will be pivotal if
England are to be successful in North America.

Jude Bellingham

This young man has all of world football talking. At just 19 years of age he has 9 goals and 3 assists in all competitions for German giants Borussia Dortmund this season and is at the top of many European Clubs’ wish list.

Bellingham also scored England’s first goal of the tournament and assisted the opening goal against Senegal; he will most certainly be one of the first name’s on the team sheet in 2026.

Declan Rice

Declan Rice is someone who sometimes does not get enough credit in this England team. His work rate is second to none, he is sharp when you need him to burst forward or back and has the ability to make strong defensive tackles.

He can be described as the backbone in this England midfield and will be a very important player come 2026 giving the likelihood that Jordan Henderson is unlikely to be around.

Ben White

Another Arsenal man who has been an asset in their excellent league form this season. With 4 clean sheets and only conceding 10 goals in 14 appearances, White has been a rock in the Arsenal back line so far this season.

Although he hasn’t had a chance to prove himself fully under Southgate just yet due to his enforced absence, his time will come in 2026 with much of the England defensive contingent ageing.

That’s five of the current England team that are out in Qatar at the moment. However, what about the players who will be coming through? Here are three players who may break into the England team in the next 4 years.

Fikayo Tomori

The former Chelsea man, currently at AC Milan was unlucky to miss out on mselection for Qatar having played previously under Southgate in the Nations League. He has proved a key player in the AC Milan side this season with 5 clean sheets and 18 goals conceded in 20 appearances (all competitions) for the Serie A team.

As mentioned, with the England defensive contingent ageing, he could certainly prove a fitting replacement for the likes of Maguire and Stones alongside Ben White in 2026.

Liam Delap

Currently on loan at Stoke City from Manchester City, the son of Rory Delap, Liam is yet to make an impact in the Championship having only scored one goal. However, at only 19 years old he has already proved himself as a striker at youth level breaking the Premier League 2 scoring record with 24 goals in 20 games in the 2020/21 season.

Delap has also made a mark in front of Pep Guardiola scoring in a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on his first team debut in the Carabao Cup back in 2020. Delap will certainly be on the England team radar in 2026, having already scored once for the under 20 team this season.

Charlie Patino

Also 19 years of age, Patino is currently on loan at Blackpool from Arsenal. He has 2 goals and 2 assists in all competitions for The Tangerines so far this season in 15 league appearances. He has also made an impact in the Arsenal first team coming off the bench to score on his debut in a 5-1 win over Sunderland last season in the Carabao Cup. Similarly to Delap, Patino has also scored for England’s under 20 team this season so it is likely he will be a regular in the first team in the years to come.

So it is no doubt that the future of the England team is bright as the current crop of players continue to set a high standard to be exceeded by the younger players coming through. It still remains to be seen how much further England will progress in Qatar, whether Southgate will still be in charge in North America or even whether any of the players mentioned will still stand in good stead to be picked in 2026.

But one thing that is clear is the fact that there is a huge showcase of talent coming through academies across England and we should all be excited.

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England v Ukraine – Euro 2024 Qualifiers

Join us at Wembley in our ICON facility for England v Ukraine, the team’s first home match after the World Cup in Qatar.

ICON Package Inclusions

• Early admission to the glass fronted pitch viewing facility inside Wembley Stadium
• Premium match seats outside the Suite
• Complimentary bar of beers, wines and soft drinks served 3 hours pre-match & 1 hour post-match
• Superb 3 course grazing meal with selected wine
• Guest appearances by football legends
• Half time drinks & food
• Accommodation arrangements available

Dress code: Smart casual, no ripped denim, sportswear or sports trainers.