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Premier League flops of the season featuring Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea stars

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While Liverpool and Mohamed Salah claimed the spotlight at the summit of the Premier League, the season painted a much grimmer picture for others in the division.

The three sides promoted last year all dropped back down to the Championship, with Southampton’s performances at one stage appearing close to eclipsing Derby County’s infamous 11-point season.

For Manchester United, a historically disastrous campaign ended with a 16th-place finish and disappointment in a European final, leaving the club at a crossroads.

On a player level, several individuals had seasons to forget. One of them was Arijanet Muric at Ipswich Town.

The goalkeeper struggled with form and consistency, committing five errors directly leading to goals in just 18 appearances—matching Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez for the most such mistakes in the league.

His season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury after losing his starting spot earlier in the campaign.

Vladimir Coufal’s time at West Ham came to an end after a season that highlighted a decline in the full-back’s performances. With just 11 league starts, the veteran was clearly no longer the reliable figure fans had grown used to.

Meanwhile, his teammate Konstantinos Mavropanos endured a difficult season in central defense, with frequent criticism of his form. The Greek defender started only two of West Ham’s final seven matches and may face more competition for his place as the club reshapes its squad under new management.

Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin was brought in to provide depth at center-back, but he failed to impress when given the opportunity. After stepping in during injuries to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, Dragusin looked vulnerable and error-prone.

A serious ACL injury cut his campaign short and leaves questions about his role going forward.

At Arsenal, Oleksandr Zinchenko found himself increasingly out of favor. Having made just four Premier League starts—compared to 20 the year before—the Ukrainian looks set for a summer exit, especially with the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly pushing him down the pecking order.

Kalvin Phillips hoped a move to Ipswich would offer a fresh start after a disastrous loan spell at West Ham. Instead, his season was marked by further setbacks, including frequent injuries and erratic form.

The midfielder started just 14 games and was unable to help Ipswich avoid the drop. With a return to Manchester City on the horizon, another transfer looks likely.

Oliver Skipp was a £20 million signing for Leicester City, but the former Tottenham midfielder struggled to find rhythm in his new environment.

Across two managers—Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy—Skipp managed only nine league starts and failed to establish himself in the Foxes’ midfield.

Manchester City’s Phil Foden entered the season fresh from winning Player of the Year but experienced a dramatic drop-off.

Scoring just seven league goals compared to 19 the season prior, Foden also found himself relegated to the bench, starting only once in City’s last ten matches across all competitions.

At Chelsea, Christopher Nkunku’s second season was little better than his injury-hit first. While he recorded 14 goals across all competitions, only three came in the Premier League.

With limited game time and reduced impact under Enzo Maresca, Nkunku’s future at Stamford Bridge appears uncertain, especially as Chelsea eyes another striker to challenge Nicolas Jackson.

Raheem Sterling spent the season on loan at Arsenal but made little impression. Despite injuries to several key attackers, Sterling was rarely used and found the net just once—a goal that came in a September win over Bolton in the League Cup.

His return to Chelsea seems inevitable, though his long-term future remains unclear.

Finally, Rasmus Hojlund endured a frustrating campaign at Manchester United. The young striker’s goal tally dropped from 10 in his debut season to just four this year.

A 21-game goalless stretch underlined his struggles, and with potential new arrivals like Matheus Cunha and possibly Liam Delap, Hojlund’s role in the squad could diminish significantly.

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.

In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.

The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.

Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.

Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

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Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

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Man City place Arsenal 'bottles' for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.

The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.

With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.

A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.

Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.

Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.

After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.

Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.

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