Premier League look weaker than they think with latest Man City U-turn.
Premier League look weaker than they think with latest Man City U-turn.
Manchester City will not have the pleasure of welcoming Premier League chief executive Richard Masters to the Etihad
Richard Masters, Chief Executive of the Premier League poses for a photograph with the Premier League trophy prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium on May 22, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Richard Masters chose to be at Manchester City the last time the Premier League title was decided on the final day
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In 2022, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters was at the Etihad.
Liverpool could have won the title on the final day but, with Manchester City holding the advantage, knowing that victory over Aston Villa would guarantee them the title, it made sense that Masters would be in Manchester. In 2023, after the Premier League had charged City with 115 breaches of their competition rules, Masters was at the Etihad to help crown City champions again.
It made for an uncomfortable scene, but when an enormous brand and business lays down such complex and serious charges against one of its biggest assets it is always going to be awkward. It would have been more awkward if Masters hadn’t turned up.
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Which brings us to this year, where City are in exactly the same position as they were in 2022 but with Arsenal and Masters will be at the Emirates rather than the Etihad. There could be a good reason for him doing that – maybe he has a dinner reservation in London that evening, maybe he prefers the Arsenal food, maybe he wants to celebrate how well the Gunners have done, regardless of whether they win the league – but no explanation has been given for why the most important person representing the Premier League isn’t on site for what’s expected to be the climax of their flagship competition.
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Nobody inside the Etihad will care whether Masters is there or not, but it is still odd – especially since nothing appears to have changed since last year when he turned up for the trophy presentation.
Is there something Masters knows that nobody else is aware of?
Because there is no explanation for the weirdness, speculation and aspersions against City that have already flooded into the vacuum where clarity should have been. Everyone with 115 bedsheets was giddily jumping to the conclusion that Masters didn’t want to be associated with City because of the charges, either not bothering to research that he has been there before or conveniently omitting it.
Given everything that has unfolded in public since the charges were brought, the Premier League would surely know the speculation would follow from such an unexplained decision. If the most serious charges do not end up being proven in the eyes of the hearing, Masters swerving the Etihad on the final day is already certain to be now brought up by those who are convinced of City’s guilt without knowing the evidence.
That may make the Premier League feel better as an organisation bringing a case, yet it doesn’t reflect well on it as a brand and a business. Opening the floodgates for City’s name to be sullied, and in turn casting doubt over the integrity of the league, only makes the Premier League look weaker.
The same goes for Masters: the chance for him to make a stand was last year just after the charges had been brought, when he instead lapped up City’s hospitality.
And the absence of an explanation for his decision this year allows for unnecessary speculation to fester – rather like the Premier League charges against the champions.
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Pep Guardiola’s men are looking to move a step closer to another Premier League title, and the FA Cup, despite having missed out on another Treble.
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‘Guardiola said I could be the world’s best – now I’m being told to go to Crystal Palace’
A player Pep Guardiola recently said is right at the top of world football has been told to leave his Premier League club for Crystal Palace
By KASRA MORADI
07:15, Sat, May 18, 2024 | UPDATED: 08:00, Sat, May 18, 2024
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Raheem Sterling’s season at Chelsea has not gone to plan (Image: Getty)
Raheem Sterling – who Pep Guardiola once claimed could become the world’s best – has been urged to join Crystal Palace in order to “kick-start” his career. The forward, 29, has endured a dismal second season at Chelsea to match his disappointing maiden campaign in west London.
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Sterling saw his game time drastically decrease over the course of the season under Mauricio Pochettino. With the Blues’ reported struggles with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), there have been suggestions that Sterling, currently their highest earner, could be sold to alleviate some of those financial pressures.
The winger is understood to be keen to remain at Stamford Bridge and fight for his place at Chelsea, whose late-season string of results has seen them climb up to sixth place. Yet former Chelsea striker and pundit Chris Sutton believes the England international is more likely to leave in the summer.
Despite his contract running up to 2027, Sutton thinks Sterling will benefit from playing for a side further down the table, such as Crystal Palace. Sutton said on the ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ podcast: “He will probably end up at Crystal Palace or somewhere like that, I suspect.
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Chris Sutton believes Raheem Sterling could end up at Crystal Palace this summer (Image: Getty)
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“I thought his goal was excellent at the weekend, we aren’t party to what goes on at the Chelsea training ground and clearly Pochettino feels there has been a dip in form. We know what a talented player he is. But he does look like a player who needs a player to kick-start his career.”
Sterling scored just six league goals in his first season with Chelsea after his £47.5million move in July 2022. He has managed to notch seven goals this campaign, with his latest being an equaliser in the late 3-2 comeback win at Nottingham Forest. The veteran has been somewhat unlucky to have the latter end of his career coincide with a squad rebuild at Chelsea where they are clearly not at their peak. Still, being urged to sign for 12th-place Palace is a stark contrast to what Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola predicted he would become – one of the best players in the world.
HBAgency
HBAgency
Guardiola, who is expected to win his fourth league title in a row on Sunday, was speaking in 2018 when Sterling was still just 23. Incredibly, it came after a Manchester Derby defeat where Sterling missed two clear-cut one-on-ones as City suffered a 3-2 loss.
Manchester City v Burnley – Premier League
Pep Guardiola once said Sterling can be the best player in the world (Image: Getty)
Guardiola said: “The moment he can (improve) his average chances to score a goal, he will become one of the best players in the world. He missed two clear, clear chances against United. He missed today. The moment he will improve that, he will be a top, top player because he’s so fast, a dynamic player, has character one against one. He is an excellent guy.
“He unlocks everything but when you think about it he did much, much better than last season and that was important. The problem will be next season to compete with what he has done. That is why he has to work harder but if he is able to learn, he is going to win important Premier Leagues and help his confidence.”
Sterling did go on to have a stellar career at City, playing a crucial role in winning four Premier League titles between 2018 and 2022. The forward left the reigning English champions with an impressive 131 goals in 339 appearances but has struggled in recent years since leaving Manchester.
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‘PR disaster’ – Verdict given on 115 Man City FFP charges ahead of start date
Several pundits believe Manchester City’s impending Premier League FFP case casts a shadow over their achievements ahead of this weekend’s title showdown.
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