Stories By Harry De Cosemo

• Sport

  Toffees must ensure Richarlison sticks with them next season

  For so long, it looked like Everton were floundering and in search of purpose, but without any major concerns over the consequences of what gradually became an alarming season. When Frank Lampard took over from Rafael Benitez in January, the Toffees were outside the bottom three; a few quick results would mend the damage, it was assumed, and the arrivals of Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek had the look of the sort of catalyst they needed.

• Sport

  De Jong fits Ten Hag bill

  The curtain came down on Manchester United’s season this week, in a typically confusing manner which perfectly encapsulates the poisonous lack of forethought which has plagued the club for years. Ralf Rangnick, the interim manager, announced he would not be taking up his consultancy role with the club and is leaving the club two years earlier than planned.

• Sport

  Tide finally turning on Tyneside

  For years at Newcastle United, it felt like Groundhog Day. So desperate were the club and fans to escape the laborious purgatory that was the Mike Ashley era at St James’ Park, but with each passing season, there was a reset with no great ambition to change anything.

• Sport

  Monaco midfielder could represent Liverpool’s next generation

  There are so many things to admire about the current set up at Liverpool. Tactically and technically, Jurgen Klopp has created one of the most ruthless and entertaining teams to watch and face in Europe, and it is no surprise that they are just 90 minutes away from a seventh Champions League crown.

• Sport

  Newcastle’s Etihad drubbing not reflective of Magpies’ progress

  Moments after Newcastle’s 5-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Eddie Howe said something very interesting. It was probably the most relevant and profound thing he could have said in the circumstances, as the shockwaves of such a hefty defeat began to reverberate.

• Sport

  Carlo crafting ironclad legendary status at Real Madrid

  Something about Carlo Ancelotti’s return to Real Madrid last summer jarred quite heavily. It wasn’t that he left Everton behind, a swift look at the Premier League table shows the precarious situation he may well have walked into had he stayed, but the fact that it didn’t end well before.

• Sport

  Lingard must play cards right in choosing next club

  There are two sides to every story, and in that of Jesse Lingard and Manchester United’s slow erosion of trust and love, neither comes out looking particularly good. Only official confirmation of their permanent split in the summer is required; it is an open secret that he will leave Old Trafford, something he really should have done a long time ago.

• Sport

  Can Unai Emery silence the doubters?

  English football never really warmed to Unai Emery. When he arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2018, he faced an incredibly difficult task; it wasn’t just about replacing Arsene Wenger, the man who had the club dancing to his beat for 22 years, but managing expectations of what as always going to be a thorough rebuild.

• Sport

  Inter vs Roma: There’ll be no sense of a reunion for Mourinho

  Jose Mourinho left Inter as tears filled his eyes. In the early part of his career, emotion and connection were seen as crucial to his way of working; he had a way of tapping into his players’ minds and convincing them of his methods, preferring the siege mentality which helped him win big trophies, often as the underdog.

• Sport

  Haaland potential limitless under Pep

  Transfer sagas so often run for years, but the biggest one of last summer is not likely to rear its head again. There was a fleeting sense about Harry Kane’s drawn-out and ultimately failed move to Manchester City, and perhaps that is why he was so desperate to make it a reality.

• Sport

  High time English football gave Pep more praise

  Perhaps it is a tired cliché, but they say great art is never truly appreciated until it is gone. In the case of Pep Guardiola’s coaching style, it is hard to see it ever receiving universal acclaim, particularly from a UK audience.

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