He infused technical sophistication in EPL football, but ‘financial doping’ might just erode Pep Guardiola’s success at Man City

He infused technical sophistication in EPL football, but ‘financial doping’ might just erode Pep Guardiola’s success at Man City

And although this is another question entirely, City fans are entitled to question why spending regulations suddenly became a preoccupation for England’s and Europe’s dominant clubs in the late 2000s. It doesn’t affect the rights or wrongs of their case, but it does serve as a reminder that the principles of Financial Fair Play were not exactly carved on tablets of stone. If Barcelona can’t sign Messi and PSG can, what does that tell us after 10 years of FFP?

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Man City on cusp of 4th straight EPL crown but the imminent glory is overcast by 115 grave financial sins

Man City on cusp of 4th straight EPL crown but the imminent glory is overcast by 115 grave financial sins

One year on, why have Man City’s charges not been dealt with? All of this is damaging for the Premier League brand. How could it not be when its dominant club of this era has had these allegations hanging over them for so long? Whether your view is sympathetic or hostile to City, what does this situation say about the Premier League and – a hot topic these days – its ability to regulate its clubs and its competition?

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Arsenal vs Man City: How apprentice Arteta became master Guardiola’s rival, then ‘conspired’ against EPL’s ‘Big Six’

Arsenal vs Man City: How apprentice Arteta became master Guardiola’s rival, then ‘conspired’ against EPL’s ‘Big Six’

When a team is unable to inflict direct damage on their rivals, it severely limits their chances of winning the league. By going unbeaten in the ‘Big Six’ mini-league, taking four points from six against City in the process, Arsenal broadened the margin for error ever so slightly.

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Rigidly controlled gun ownership in UK gives rise to ‘knife-enabled’ attacks, stoke public anxiety

Rigidly controlled gun ownership in UK gives rise to ‘knife-enabled’ attacks, stoke public anxiety

“Knife-enabled” crime – in which knives were used to commit crimes or someone was caught illegally possessing one — rose seven per cent in England and Wales last year,” the government said last month, noting some localities were not included. In London, such crimes jumped 20 per cent. The other two UK countries, Scotland and Northern Ireland, keep their own statistics.

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A football revolution is underway in Europe headlined by Sporting Lisbon’s manager Ruben Amorim

A football revolution is underway in Europe headlined by Sporting Lisbon’s manager Ruben Amorim

Amorim’s rotational setup will often ensure that Sporting can progress without disruption, as shown by their ‘Press resistance’ metric (98 out of 99), which highlights the volume of touches per opposition tackle in the first two-thirds of the pitch.

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Man City boss Guardiola has seen it all, done it all, won it all – is there anything more to fight for in Premier League?

Man City boss Guardiola has seen it all, done it all, won it all – is there anything more to fight for in Premier League?

In terms of Guardiola’s legacy, there are more risks from staying on. If Arsenal continue to be City’s main challenger next year and pips them to the title, there would be a certain dissatisfaction in Guardiola being beaten by his former assistant. On the other hand, if Guardiola were to resign, City were to fall away and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were to triumph, that would actually reflect well on his legacy.

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Heritage sells, which is why most English Premier League clubs won’t leave ‘ancestral’ grounds

Heritage sells, which is why most English Premier League clubs won’t leave ‘ancestral’ grounds

In the 20 years since Arsenal began demolishing existing premises on the Ashburton Grove site, there has been an escalation in the prices of core materials. According to figures from the Building Costs Information Service (BCIS), one cubic metre of ready-mix concrete in 2004 cost on average £63. By 2014, it was £98, while today it is £136, a 40 per cent increase in 10 years.

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Rwanda readies hostel that once housed genocide survivors to host migrants from Britain

Rwanda readies hostel that once housed genocide survivors to host migrants from Britain

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged the deportation flights would begin in July but has refused to provide details or say about how many people would be deported.

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New law: UK Parliament finally gives PM Sunak nod to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda

New law: UK Parliament finally gives PM Sunak nod to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda

The government plans to deport to Rwanda some of those who enter the United Kingdom illegally as a deterrent to migrants who risk their lives in leaky, inflatable boats in hopes that they will be able to claim asylum once they reach Britain.

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PM Rishi Sunak’s plan to deport migrants to Rwanda hits a hurdle in British Parliament

PM Rishi Sunak’s plan to deport migrants to Rwanda hits a hurdle in British Parliament

The Rwanda plan is key to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ’s pledge to “stop the boats” bringing unauthorised migrants to the UK across the English Channel, and Sunak has repeatedly said the first flights will take off in the spring.

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