Chelsea
Why Xabi Alonso Could Suit Chelsea Better Than Other Shortlisted Options
Xabi Alonso is “open” to discussions as Chelsea weigh successors after managerial turbulence. Brief.
Chelsea are once again searching for a permanent manager after a turbulent spell that followed the brief Liam Rosenior experiment. Rosenior arrived from Strasbourg under the BlueCo umbrella, but a perceived lack of elite experience and an inability to galvanise the dressing room left the appointment looking like a gamble that failed. The club also lost Enzo Maresca at the start of January after the Italian openly clashed with senior management.
The Athletic has reported Chelsea are “exploring a deal” for Xabi Alonso, who is currently out of work after his stint at Real Madrid. No final decision has been taken and the soccer department’s five-person leadership team will review options before recommending a candidate to the owners. The Spaniard is described as “open” to discussing the role.
Alonso arrives with strong recent credentials from Bayer Leverkusen, where he delivered the club’s first national championship and an undefeated domestic double. That record helped him emerge as a clear choice at the Bernabéu last summer because of his history as a player there and his coaching results in Germany. The criticism of his Real Madrid tenure centred on the mismatch between club and coach — Real needed a ‘manager’ to unite a squad of global stars, while Alonso is seen more as a ‘coach’ who focuses on tactical detail, and was said to have been trying to coach players who didn’t want to be. The fallout at Madrid has been amplified by reports of a rotten culture and infighting.
Many of Alonso’s strengths match Chelsea’s present needs. He has a reputation for improving young players: Florian Wirtz flourished under him, while Jeremie Frimpong, Piero Hincapié, Victor Boniface, Odilon Kossounou and Josip Stanišić were cited as beneficiaries, and veterans such as Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich also elevated their performances. Chelsea’s squad of developing talents could suit a coach with that profile. His 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 ideas from Germany would exploit Chelsea’s centre-back depth and attacking fullbacks, with inside forwards like Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho fitting the system. Alonso also brings Premier League experience as a former Liverpool player and a record of major honours at club and international level.
Other names linked to the vacancy include Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner and Filipe Luís. Each has differing profiles: Iraola has built success at smaller clubs, Silva has long experience in England with mixed trophy returns, and Glasner has won domestic cups but reportedly has grievances with his current hierarchy. The club’s decision will rest with the leadership team and the owners once a recommendation is submitted.
Aston Villa
Matchday 8: A Weekend of Rain, Errors and Narrow Margins Across the Premier League
Stormy conditions, missed chances and decisive errors shaped a Matchday 8 full of fine margins.
There was little sunshine to be found on Matchday 8, as Storm Boelo lashed English grounds with rain and wind. For all the bad weather, only one fixture finished goalless, and the round still produced a sharp series of swings in tone, quality and consequence.
Manchester United’s latest setback stood out for all the wrong reasons. Without Bruno Fernandes, they looked short of attacking life again, while Bournemouth made the most of what they created in a 3-0 win. Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur earned a notable victory at Stamford Bridge after Mike Penders handed them the opening goal, with Cole Palmer adding to Chelsea’s problems by picking up two unnecessary yellow cards.
Several matches were defined more by frustration than fluency. Fulham struggled to trouble Coventry, managing just two shots on target, while Crystal Palace surrendered control against Newcastle after leading the shot count at the break. Everton were pushed back by Arsenal and rarely threatened after falling behind early. Ipswich and Nottingham Forest finished level after a match in which neither side found much rhythm, even if the visitors were able to make more of the contest than their hosts.
Brentford’s draw away to newly promoted opposition drew a blunt response from Keith Andrews and Michael Kayode, who both said, “We have to be better.” Sunderland also shared the points in a contest shaped by the conditions, with Régis Le Bris pleased enough to say, “We were Sunderland today.” At the Stadium of Light, the wind played a major role in a game where both teams completed only 73% of their passes.
There were also decisive moments at Anfield and Villa Park. Liverpool saw Brighton’s recent momentum halted as early goals changed the shape of the match, while Villa took control through Nicolas Jackson’s sharp finishing and a commanding display from Zion Suzuki, who produced six saves and 12 line-breaking passes. In another tight contest, Hull and their opponents could not be separated, and Sergej Jakirović called it “a fair result.”
The weekend’s final judgement was not about one storyline alone, but about a league round where weather, missed chances and single moments repeatedly decided the outcome.
Chelsea
Palmer Avoids Premier League Ban as Chelsea Suspension Falls in Carabao Cup
Palmer serves his ban in the Carabao Cup, so Chelsea avoid a Premier League absence for him.
Cole Palmer will not miss a Premier League match after his red-card suspension was absorbed by Chelsea’s midweek Carabao Cup tie with Liverpool. The one-game ban will be served in that fixture, leaving him available for league duty despite the dismissal.
The midfielder’s night turned late in the contest after stand-in goalkeeper Mike Penders helped the visitors in front with a costly own goal in the 77th minute. Soon afterwards, Palmer picked up a second yellow card, having already been booked for running into Mateus Fernandes. On another occasion, that incident might have brought a red card immediately, but the greater problem came when he stood on Conor Gallagher’s ankle.
The scheduling and the FA handbook have combined to spare Palmer from a Premier League absence, although he will miss Chelsea’s next match, which is the trip to Anfield. That means he will not be available for the fourth round Carabao Cup tie on Wednesday night.
Chelsea’s record at Anfield remains a poor one. They have not won there in front of fans since 2018, when Eden Hazard inspired a side managed by Maurizio Sarri to a Carabao Cup third round victory. This time, however, their No. 10 will be watching from the sidelines.
Palmer addressed the fallout on social media the next morning. “Not good enough by me,” he wrote on Instagram. “Live n learn. Apologies. On to the next.”
The manager was more restrained in his assessment and chose not to publicly escalate the issue. “I need to check the action to talk with Cole, but it is one to learn for the future for sure,” he said after the match.
He added: “I think that Cole, when he is focused on the game, when he is enjoying, and today after the 1–0, it is a moment to keep calm, a moment to keep mature and for everyone.”
Arsenal
Villa’s Win Over City Triggers Another Opta Refresh
Villa beat City, Arsenal stay close, and Opta updates the title, Europe and relegation outlooks.
Aston Villa have delivered the Premier League’s first defeat of Manchester City this season, and they are also the first side to take points from them. Unai Emery’s team earned that landmark result at Villa Park, where City were below their best and paid for it. Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guéhi were both singled out for especially poor showings, Nicolas Jackson struck on loan to make the difference, and Zion Suzuki contributed six saves across the 90 minutes.
City remain top of the current Premier League standings, but the performance offered the first domestic indication that they are not untouchable. Arsenal followed by matching them on points after beating Everton, leaving the title race level at the summit and Arsenal second only on goal difference.
That Arsenal victory came with Bukayo Saka unavailable and possibly out until Christmas. The Gunners were short of natural creativity, but they compensated by rediscovering the set-piece strength that served them so well last season.
With those results, and two others on Saturday, Opta’s supercomputer updated its predictions again.
The title model now has Arsenal first with 79.55 predicted points and a 53.82% chance of finishing champions. Manchester City are second on 76.11 points and 34.39%. Brighton remain the only other side above 5%, while Liverpool are at 3.29% and Chelsea at 1.42%.
The Champions League outlook keeps Arsenal and City well clear, with both above 90% to qualify. Brighton stand at 58.37%, Liverpool at 46.70%, Chelsea at 31.28% and Aston Villa at 21.66%. Brentford, Leeds and Everton are further back, and Manchester United’s five-match winless run has left them below 6%.
At the lower end, Tottenham have made a notable move in the right direction. Two wins in a row have cut their relegation chance to 14%, and the model now projects them to finish 13th. That is not especially strong, but it is a considerable improvement on consecutive 17th-place finishes in the last two seasons.
