Fulham
Haaland Urges Collective Focus After Chaotic 5-4 Win That Narrowed Title Gap
Haaland urged City to focus on themselves after a chaotic 5-4 victory that he called not good enough
Erling Haaland made clear that Manchester City must look inward after a chaotic midweek victory that reduced the gap to Arsenal to two points. The forward, who described his own performance as “not good enough,” was unimpressed by a finish made nervy when Samu Chukwueze’s second running volley in the space of four minutes made it 5–4 with a quarter of an hour remaining.
The result took City to within two points of Arsenal at the Premier League summit before the leaders host Brentford on Wednesday. Upon receiving the Player of the Match award, Haaland was asked about the wider significance for the title race. “Of course, it’s important,” he told Sky Sports . “Arsenal came here and they won as well. So, we know how difficult it is to come here and Fulham is a great team.
“But again, we shouldn’t think too much about Arsenal,” Haaland warned. “We should focus on ourselves, try to improve and avoid things like this happen today, because it’s not good enough and we all know this and we need to improve as a team. That’s what our focus should be.”
Pep Guardiola struck a more upbeat tone after the near collapse. “It only happens in this league,” he giddily told Match of the Day. “We played a fantastic game… Listen, there was some really positive things in what we have done. To come here, to score five goals, and the way we played in that first half.
“In the end it was a question of character, resilience and defence. They did what they had to do.”
The match also provided another milestone for Haaland. After shattering Alan Shearer’s record in the race to a century, it was put to Haaland whether he could eventually surpass the former England captain’s all-time ranking of 260 Premier League goals. “I know about it,” the 25-year-old shrugged, “but I don’t think too much about it.”
If his scoring run continues at close to a goal per game, it would take a little more than four further seasons to reach that mark. City have tied him to a contract that doesn’t expire until 2034. For now, the former Borussia Dortmund frontman was chiefly concerned with the chances he missed against Fulham and with the collective improvements his manager and team demand.
Analytics & Stats
One priority signing each Premier League club should target before the window closes
A club-by-club look at the main transfer priority every Premier League side still needs to address.
With less than a month left in the transfer window, Premier League clubs are still expected to be busy. Incomings and outgoings remain likely across the division, and every side still appears to have at least one clear gap to fill before the deadline.
Arsenal may be attracting attention with their pursuit of Vinícius Júnior, but their bigger need is in central midfield. Declan Rice carried too much of the load last season, while Martín Zubimendi faded after the break and Myles Lewis-Skelly is not yet fully trusted there. Another box-to-box midfielder would help enormously.
Aston Villa could soon be short at left back if Lucas Digne leaves, which would leave Ian Maatsen as the only senior option. Bournemouth need more depth in wide areas, Brentford still require a more natural left back, and Brighton & Hove Albion must replace the goals lost with Danny Welbeck’s move to Chelsea.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have done plenty of work already but still have not addressed the goalkeeper position. Robert Sánchez improved in 2025-26, yet the club still look in need of a top-class solution.
Elsewhere, Coventry City are close to signing Carl Rushworth permanently and would then turn to left back. Crystal Palace need centre-back reinforcements after losing Marc Guéhi and Maxence Lacroix, while Everton must add a defensive midfielder after Idrissa Gana Gueye’s departure.
Fulham will look for winger depth after strengthening up front, Hull City want more options in attack, and Ipswich Town are still waiting for a central midfielder. Leeds United may also need another striker to cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury record.
Liverpool’s most pressing issue is out wide, Manchester City need a right back, Manchester United still want a more destructive midfielder, and Newcastle are alarmingly short at left back. Nottingham Forest must replace Elliot Anderson in midfield, Sunderland need more balance on the left side, and Tottenham Hotspur have already moved aggressively to rebuild after last season’s collapse.
Arsenal
Premier League’s longest-serving managers and the rapid reset shaping 2026/27
A summer reset has left the Premier League with a long list of new managers and just one clear outlier.
The Premier League remains a ruthless place for managers, and the 2026/27 season begins with that reality clearer than ever. A summer of upheaval has left dugouts across the division occupied by a fresh wave of appointments, while one club is still waiting to name a new head coach.
At the top of the list, Mikel Arteta stands alone as the league’s longest-serving manager. Appointed by Arsenal on Dec. 22, 2019, he has outlasted every other current rival and remains comfortably ahead of the pack. Behind him comes Unai Emery, who has been in charge of Aston Villa since Nov. 1, 2022, followed by Daniel Farke, who took over Leeds United on July 4, 2023.
Further down the rankings, the turnover becomes even more obvious. Régis Le Bris and Fabian Hürzeler both arrived in July 2024, while Frank Lampard, David Moyes, Sergej Jakirović, Keith Andrews and Michael Carrick all joined their clubs during 2024 and 2025. The list then tightens further still, with a cluster of appointments made only months before the new campaign.
There are notable cases throughout. Roberto De Zerbi, hired by Tottenham Hotspur on March 31, 2026, sits just outside the top 10. Michael Carrick is inside it after first being named interim Manchester United boss in January and then permanently hired in May. At the other extreme, Álvaro Arbeloa is the latest arrival, taking charge of Fulham on July 7 after an unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid boss.
A number of other clubs have also changed course recently, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. Over half the division has turned to new managers in 2026 if Newcastle United are included, with the club still yet to appoint Eddie Howe’s successor.
For now, Arteta remains the benchmark for staying power in a league that rarely gives managers much time.
Analytics & Stats
Real Madrid weigh up their decision after Fulham move for Gonzalo García and César Palacios
Real Madrid’s Fulham deal for Gonzalo García and César Palacios may solve one problem but create another.
Real Madrid have reportedly sanctioned the sale of back-up striker Gonzalo García and Castilla talent César Palacios to Fulham in a combined deal worth $57.4 million (€50 million).
According to The Athletic, Gonzalo is valued at $46.1 million (€40 million), while Palacios accounts for $11.5 million (€10 million). Both agreements also contain a 30% sell-on clause.
The pair are said to be “keen” on linking up with their former manager in the Premier League, and they would arrive as Fulham’s first two additions of the summer. Swedish forward Jonah Kusi-Asare has also made a permanent move after his loan spell from Bayern Munich last season.
Interest in Gonzalo had been building across Europe since his breakthrough at the Club World Cup last summer, but Real Madrid were reluctant to let go of the No. 9, a player who drew comparisons with club legend Raúl.
Even so, his role became increasingly limited. Alonso and Arbeloa both restricted his minutes last season, and he started only nine La Liga matches. When Kylian Mbappé was injured later in 2025-26, Gonzalo was not even the first choice to step in, with Brahim Díaz instead used up top alongside Vinícius Júnior.
Despite the reduced opportunities, the Castilla product still finished with eight goals, including six in La Liga. His movement, finishing and work rate stood out whenever he featured, though those chances were rare, especially without Endrick involved.
Endrick is now back at the Bernabéu and wearing the No. 9 after a productive loan at Lyon. He registered eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances for the French side and is expected to provide cover for Mbappé next season under José Mourinho.
From Real Madrid’s perspective, moving on from Gonzalo while Fulham were prepared to pay $46.1 million is understandable, particularly with reports of Yan Diomande potentially arriving for a club-record $153.8 million (€135 million).
Still, the long view may look different. Real Madrid’s attack often lacked a natural centre-forward last season, and in 2026 they scored more than twice in only eight of 31 matches. The side missed a striker capable of attacking crosses and making decisive box runs, leaving the frontline heavily tilted toward Vinícius Jr on the left and Mbappé in central spaces.
Garnacho’s social post after Aston Villa debut raises eyebrows over Chelsea exit
One priority signing each Premier League club should target before the window closes
