Pep Guardiola is committing to Manchester City as it looks like he will sign a one year extension to his contract. One has to wonder if he knows something that we do not? Like for example that Manchester City will avoid relegation even if they are found guilty of over 100 charges brought towards them. It is highly expected that the club will learn their fate by next summer and in the past Guardiola has hinted that he would be fine to manage in a lower league, but would an elite manager like himself really be fine with that? Words are only words and the reality of lower league football would be an altogether new ball game for Guardiola. However if City are relegated then Guardiola has more or less committed to the club. The timing is good for a squad who have been suffering of late and have fallen 5 points behind league leaders Liverpool having lost their last 4 games in all competitions. One would think that this news will be a boost to the players as Guardiola tries to get the champions back on track.
Julen Lopetegui could be the next manager to be sacked in the Premier League as his job with West Ham hangs from a thread. Lopetegui came in this summer for the departing David Moyes but the club who welcomed that decision believing that Lopetegui would make them more exciting have taken backwards steps. Lopetegui has a 30.7% win rate with the Hammers so far. Moyes finished his second term with West Ham with a 44.5% win rate but perhaps it is telling that in his first term with the club his win rate was 29% and in the same vicinity as Lopetegui's. It is thought that the Spaniard has just two games to save his job however next up is Newcastle on Monday evening. That game against the Magpies is away from home and Eddie Howe's side have found form and would normally be the favourites to win that match. Could a big win spell the end of Lopetegui? We would think so and the next seven days are going to be very revealing for him, can he pull off what would be a minor miracle and still be West Ham manager come December? For now the odds seem against him.
Premier League: Next manager to be sacked: Julen Lopetegui at 2.75, Russell Martin 3.00, Gary O'Neil 11.00, Oliver Glasner 11.00, Ange Postecoglou 17.00
Racism and xenophobia have no place in life and no place in football but one has to wonder if Rodrigo Bentancur's seven game ban imposed on him by the FA is too strict? Bentancur had suggested that all South Koreans look alike when talking about his team mate Heung Min-Son whilst on international duty. Bentancur was wrong and was rightfully punished by the FA. Before his ban he talked to Son and according to Son he broke down in tears and Son has admitted to loving his team mate. All is good between the players. One has to wonder then that everyone can make mistakes. Granted Bentancur's was a very bad one but after approaching Son and the two obviously being on good terms with one another perhaps the FA could have been a little more lenient. Seven games is a lot to miss for a club who have struggled at times this season. Tottenham are going to appeal the decision. At the same time it should be noted in the FA's favour that they hold a zero tolerance attitude to racism and xenophobia and that can only be a good thing moving forward.
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