Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino does not deserve uncertainty over future – Premier League hits and misses
Plus: Man Utd’s mystery under Erik ten Hag rumbles on; Europa League qualification a success for Tottenham; Jurgen Klopp shows his football is still thriving; Arsenal are here to stay under Mikel Arteta; Phil Foden stars again for Man City – as he has all year
When it was pointed to Mauricio Pochettino that he had led Chelsea to five successive wins to end the season, the manager quickly pointed out it was actually “five and a half”.
Pochettino knows that Chelsea’s late display of consistency began at half-time against Aston Villa in April, when they recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2. Five wins in a row followed, propelling Chelsea into sixth and ensuring a return to European football.
- Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth – Report and highlights
- How the teams lined up | Match stats
But following the final-day win over Bournemouth, Pochettino also suggested he is unsure whether he has done enough to return for the second season of his contract.
Questions were rightly asked over Pochettino’s future at points of what has been a turbulent season. The manager even admitted this week he could have been sacked after the defeat to Wolves in February.
But since the start of 2024, Chelsea rank fourth in the Premier League, with Pochettino finally turning this bunch of talented young players into an effective unit.
So, just like that, Jurgen Klopp is no longer a Premier League manager. The league will miss him just as much as the Liverpool fans will.
Not many people in the world have the confidence and authority that Klopp possesses – something which was on full show when he took the microphone to speak to his people at full-time.
They hung on his every word. Laughed at all his jokes. And sang his name when asked to do so. It’s no wonder that players play for him and have complete buy-in to his style of football, which was on full show in his swansong at Anfield. Playing against 10 men aided their cause but they gave Wolves a pummelling when assessing the underlying numbers, posting 36 shots to an expected goals tally of 5.24 – the second highest xG figure a team has registered this season. The most was of course the extraordinary 7.11 Klopp’s Liverpool created in the win over Newcastle.
Klopp’s football is still thriving. This Liverpool squad is still packed full of potential. So, why is he leaving again? It feels premature – surely Liverpool are going to be worse off without him. His boots are unfillable.
Lewis Jones
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