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Brendan Rodgers won plaudits on Merseyside for guiding Liverpool to within touching distance of the Premier League title in the 2013/14 season, but while his departure would eventually be met with criticism, it could have very easily been a case of him being banned from the city for life.

The reason for that, of course, is because he tried to replace Jordan Henderson with Clint Dempsey. It’s an almost unfathomable twist in that very true story that six years on, Jordan Henderson is now a Premier League and Champions League winning captain, and the 2019/20 FWA Footballer of the Year.

Swathes of football fanatics who are more geared towards blinding skill and 90+ ratings on FIFA have cringed at the thought of anyone other than Kevin De Bruyne securing an individual English football award this season. The Belgian is capable of threading eye-of-the-needle passes, finding the postage stamp with 30-yard screamers or gliding past defenders with freakish regularity, while Henderson may do so once in a blue moon.

But that’s not the point. You don’t need to be grabbing 20 assists a season as a midfielder or dominating a game almost single-handedly to be fulfilling your role. It is so much more than simply that.

Which is why Henderson is worthy of his award.

Taking statistics out of the equation, the Liverpool captain has been outstanding this season. At a historic football club where the previous captain was the heart, soul and mind of the team, Henderson has come in and matched those qualities.

He doesn’t score belters every other game, nor does he assist at a rate anywhere near the Belgian, but he encapsulates everything great that Steven Gerrard once brought to Anfield. He embodies the ethos of the club, stays true to its values and wears his heart on his sleeve. Just as Gerrard did.

If you can’t see what Henderson brings to Liverpool then you’ll never understand why he’s been so widely heralded.

He is the heart, soul and mind of the 11 players who take to the pitch.

The influence and quality of a player can be included in any thinking processes for an award such as this one – Ryan Giggs claimed the 2008/09 PFA Player of the Year despite starting just 15 league games – you needn’t grab the headlines each week.

Moreover, you don’t lead your side to European glory and banish the demons of a 30-year wait for a top flight title by simply cheering them on from the sidelines. You get your hands dirty, grab your teammates by the scruff of the neck and make them put their blood, sweat and tears into every minute of every game. Just like you’re doing.

He may not be the glamorous pick for this award – far from it – but it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve it.

When the team sheets were released for Juventus’ meeting with Lazio, Paulo Dybala’s name was missing for the second match in a row.

Ultimately, his Argentine compatriot Gonzalo Higuaín pulled out of the starting lineup with an injury during the warm up as Dybala took his place. Yet, in a game where defeat would have gone some way to reopening the title race, Maurizio Sarri had – initially – not turned to the lethal 26-year-old.

After the match, the Bianconeri coach batted away this potentially controversial decision with the claim that Dybala was suffering from ‘back pain’ the day before. Despite the last-minute call up (and fitness concerns), Dybala put in another dazzling display as Juve saw out a 2-1 win to put them on the brink of a ninth-consecutive Scudetto.

His place in the starting XI against Lazio may have been uncertain, but Dybala’s spot in the Juventus squad seemed all but gone 12 months ago.

Dybala understated events when he admitted that ‘it wasn’t an easy summer’ last year. Having been put up for sale – and with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur circling – Dybala explained: “Hearing your name linked to every team and every place, where you don’t want to go, isn’t a nice thing.”

The Old Lady’s number ten was one phone call away from arriving on English soil but he maintains that he never sought a future outside of Turin, insisting: “I wanted to stay, I wanted to play here and continue my career at Juve.”

After a season in which the former Palermo man has hit double figures for goals and assists across all competitions – averaging a goal contribution every 103 minutes – Juve’s inability to ship out the Argentina international may come across as a sizeable stroke of good luck.

However, hindsight is 20/20, and Dybala was coming off the back of his worst domestic campaign – mustering five goals and four assists – since his first season in Europe as an 18-year-old with relegated Palermo.

There have been no lingering disappointments this term and – unlike his teammate Aaron Ramsey – Dybala has managed to improve upon the impressive displays he turned out prior to lockdown, on the other side of the hiatus.

As Juventus rattled in 13 goals from their first four games of Serie A’s restart, Dybala netted a quartet of (mostly spectacular) strikes himself. Starting each match as the central figure of a 4-3-3, Dybala would drop into midfield and drift wide – often to the right hand side to cut onto his stronger left foot.

While Dybala would flit about the pitch, proving infuriatingly difficult to mark, Cristiano Ronaldo would be sucked inside, filling the central position vacated by his South American teammate.

As Serie A was poised for its return, Sarri admitted that it’s difficult for Ronaldo and Dybala to ‘coexist’ in his team. Against Lazio, Dybala did his best to disprove this assessment as ‘La Joya’ laid on no fewer than seven chances for his colleagues that night, six of which found Cristiano Ronaldo, including the assist for his second goal.

Not for the first time, Dybala had proven instrumental in grinding out a result from a high stakes clash. This season, Dybala has found the scoresheet in narrow wins against Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Inter (twice) and Milan.

When facing the Rossoneri in November, Dybala actually came on for Ronaldo, stabbing in the only goal of a tense 1-0 win. For the reverse fixture post-lockdown, Dybala was once again left out of the starting lineup – though due to suspension rather than a tactical tweak. His absence, along with Matthijs de Ligt, proved pivotal, as Juve stumbled to a 4-2 defeat at San Siro – once again emphasising his importance to the side.

After being cast aside 12 months ago, Dybala has returned from the brink to produce a superb individual campaign which has been justly rewarded with talks of a contract renewal. At just 26 years of age, Dybala could be at the heart of Juventus’ attack for years to come if he can be tied down to a long-term deal.

Otherwise, the next time he is made to feel less than appreciated, he may not fight off his ever-growing list of suitors so readily.

Jurgen Klopp has told Liverpool fans to be ready for a celebration once coronavirus restrictions are eased, after the club lifted the Premier League title on Wednesday.

The Reds rounded off their home campaign at Anfield with a 5-3 victory over Chelsea, with their title win confirmed since June.

The manager told Sky Sports, as quoted by the Mirror: “What can I say? If you don’t see that we do it for you I can’t help you, really.

“Five years ago I asked you to change from doubters to believers. I said the minute before the press conference, I had no idea when they asked it that they would ask it.

“But you did it. You made us happen, really. Thank you very much. We all together should celebrate. At home, safe, drink what you want.

“But you have to prepare for a party. I don’t know when this bull**** virus will be gone, but then we will have a party, all together. Make sure you are ready then. Thank you very much.”

Regarding the game, in which Naby Keita, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Georginio Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all scored, he added: “It’s a great moment. It’s all about consistency. We had to earn that, it’s all about staying greedy.

“I can say in a pre-match meeting whatever I want – ‘you want to win you have to work hard, Chelsea are too good’. I’m surprised myself, how can you put in a shift like that when you’re thinking ‘I want to be fine afterwards’.

“I was angry during the game and it was my plan not to be angry. I had a fight with Frank Lampard and stuff like this. You don’t plan for this.”

For more from Jude Summerfield, follow him on Twitter!

Stefano Pioli has signed a new two-year contract at AC Milan, bringing to an end speculation linking Ralf Rangnick with the managerial role.

The 54-year-old had looked certain to depart San Siro earlier in the year, with inconsistent form dogging I Rossoneri for much of the 2019/20 Serie A campaign.

But since Italian football resumed after a three-month break enforced by the global coronavirus pandemic, Pioli’s Milan have fired themselves back into a Europa League qualification spot – picking up 23 points from a possible 27, with their run including seven wins and two draws.

As a result, alleged plans to hire Rangnick as Pioli’s replacement have been shelved – with a statement on Milan’s official website confirming he’s put pen-to-paper on a contract running until 2022.

“I am happy and proud of the trust I have received from Milan. I want to thank everyone, including our fans, who we miss very much at the stadium, but with whom we are always close and supportive. As I said many times, the our future is today,” Pioli said.

“We have to stay focused and determined, to be united, to be a real team. We are at the beginning of an extraordinary path. If we continue to work in this way, we will grow further and be more and more competitive.”

Milan’s CEO, Ivan Gazidis – formerly of Arsenal – added: “Stefano has shown that he is able to offer that vision of football that we think and want for our club, an exciting, modern and passionate football.

“This is not a decision based on recent victories, but on the way Stefano has built team spirit and unity of purpose, the way he has improved the performance of individual players and the collective, the way he has made his our vision, and how it transfers its personality and the values ​​of our club”.

The final word went to Milan legend – and current sporting director – Paolo Maldini, who backed Pioli to lead Milan forward into a successful future.

“Stefano became our coach in a very difficult moment. We have always claimed that it would take some time to see the results of his work and we had the confirmation that the quality and professionalism always pay. Stefano is the right man to lead the team we want: a successful team, young and hungry for victories”.

Milan have three games left to play this season, coming up against title-chasing Atalanta, Sampdoria and Cagliari.

We’re often told that the Championship is the most unpredictable league in the world, but this season it has surpassed itself.

Every one of the teams in England’s second tier has played 45 games, with Wednesday’s round of fixtures bringing down the curtain on another frantic campaign. Usually by this stage of the season there’s only a handful of teams nervously waiting to find out which league they’ll be playing in next season, but this year absolutely everything is up for grabs.

While the automatic promotion and play-off races are going right down to the wire, the entertainment they’re providing doesn’t even come close to the Royal Rumble that’s currently taking place towards the bottom of the table.

Unbelievably, no one has been mathematically relegated yet, with ten clubs in danger of dropping down to League One.

To add further confusion into the mix, the three relegated sides won’t even be confirmed by Wednesday night, with Wigan Athletic, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday facing points deductions (after the Latics went into administration and the Rams and the Owls were charged with financial misconduct).

So, if that’s left you absolutely bamboozled by what on earth is going on at the bottom of the Championship – never fear. He’s 90min’s rundown of the clubs facing relegation and the task ahead of them if they’re to retain their status as a second-flight club.

Who would have thought it? Wayne Rooney’s Derby County (rolls eyes).

Incredibly, Derby find themselves in mid-table and yet still facing the threat of relegation.

The club have been far from squeaky clean in recent years, with rumours of owner Mel Morris buying Pride Park Stadium off the club to balance the books, and claims a betting site had a hand in the deal to bring Rooney to the club.

Derby travel to Birmingham on Wednesday, though in truth the result of the game is likely to matter little. Phillip Cocu’s side’s fate will be decided by the EFL.

They face a potential 21-point deduction for the breach of financial regulations. With the Rams currently 12 points above the drop zone, if they do receive the full penalty they’ll be in League One next year.

The Latics were in real trouble before the three-month break, though an incredible burst of form which has seen them take 27 points from a possible 36 has seen them rocket up to 13th in the table.

However, after the club went into administration in July, they now look set to receive a 12-point deduction, though they’re still awaiting confirmation of the penalty.

Despite the deduction seeming inevitable, Wigan are still in with a chance of survival. Paul Cook’s side will be two points adrift of safety if they are docked 12 points, and they host Fulham on Wednesday knowing they’ll need all three points if they want to avoid awaiting the outcome of Derby and Sheffield Wednesday’s trials.

Sheffield Wednesday find themselves in the same position as Derby – their result at home to Middlesbrough on the final day is likely to matter little.

They currently find themselves eight points above the relegation zone, however, they too have the threat of a 21-point deduction for Financial Fair Play breaches hanging over them.

The outcome of their trial is unlikely to be confirmed before Wednesday, meaning they face an anxious wait to find out whether they’ll be playing in the Championship next season.

The Terriers are the safest of the ten teams who could still drop into League One.

After their fantastic win over promotion-chasing West Brom, the club are almost certain to be a Championship club next year…though they rather strangely sacked manager Danny Cowley just days after the win.

Huddersfield currently sit three points above 21st-placed Luton Town, though with a substantially better goal difference (14 goals to be precise), it would take something extraordinary for them to be dragged into the bottom three. A point from their trip to Millwall would confirm survival.

After Jonathan Woodgate appeared to be doing his best to drag his hometown club into the third tier for the first time since 1987, Neil Warnock has come in and steadied the ship.

Though Boro’s home form continues to be a problem, vital points on the road have steered them away from the bottom three, picking up three away wins from four since Warnock’s arrival.

Boro travel to Hillsborough to face old boss Garry Monk’s Owls side on the final day. They sit two points above 22nd, and with a significantly superior goal difference, a point should be enough to see them safe.

It’s often said that a team comes from nowhere to grab a place in the play-offs – Birmingham are doing the opposite at the wrong end of the table.

Pep Clotet’s men have failed to pick up a win from any of their last 14 games in all competitions – a run which has seen them plummet from mid-table and they now sit perilously above the drop.

A point at home to Derby wouldn’t be enough to see them mathematically safe, though their goal difference means realistically it would be sufficient.

Lee Bowyer did brilliantly in getting Charlton promoted from League One last season, though after just one season away they could be set for a swift return.

On paper they couldn’t face a tougher assignment on the final day, with a trip to Elland Road to face newly-crowned champions Leeds United. However, with the title in the bag, could Charlton be facing the Whites at the perfect time?

Points deductions aside, only Luton can catch Charlton in the bottom three, so if they can match or better the Hatters’ result they’ll be safe.

Having looked dead and buried earlier in the season, Luton have somehow managed to give themselves a fighting chance ahead of the final day.

Nathan Jones’ side host Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday, knowing if they can better Charlton’s result they will be a Championship side next season.

However, they’ll need to improve on their recent home form if they are to stay up. Having looked solid at Kenilworth Road earlier in the campaign, they’ve failed to win any of their last five games at home.

The appointment of Gerhard Struber was a bold one, and in fairness it hasn’t really paid off.

Barnsley have languished around the drop zone for the majority of the season, though they could still avoid the drop with a win. Anything less than three points would see them relying on the points deductions of others.

The Tykes face the unenviable task of a trip to Brentford on Wednesday, but if they can pull off an upset and grab the win, they’ll stay up if Luton and Charlton both lose.

Alright, so no club is mathematically relegated, but Hull aren’t far off.

Realistically the Tigers need to win away at Cardiff City if they’re to stand any chance of surviving, and even then they’ll be depending on teams above them getting beat as well as at least one of Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan receiving a deduction.

Nobody likes to see a team relegated, but getting beat 8-0 by Wigan and creating that ‘Mauled by the Tigers’ song is as a good a reason as any for a team deserving the drop.

Inter dropped more points in the Serie A title race as Romelu Lukaku’s late penalty rescued them a point at Roma in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

After Gianluca Mancini missed a big chance for the hosts, Nerazzurri defender Stefan de Vrij nodded his team in front from an Alexis Sánchez corner. Yet to the Dutchman’s dismay, he would end up deflecting Leonardo Spinazzola’s shot into his own net, levelling the score at 1-1 just before half time.

Lautaro Martínez would see his goal ruled out for offside, before the Giallorossi turned the game around when Henrikh Mkhitaryan smashed in from close-range to make it 2-1. Inter manager Antonio Conte made a number of changes as a result, with Christian Eriksen and Romelu Lukaku thrown on to rescue the game.

The Belgian would duly deliver, converting a late penalty after Victor Moses was fouled by Spinazzola to make it 2-2. The Nerazzurri will see it as an opportunity missed, and now will be reliant on Juventus losing against Lazio if they are to have any hopes of winning the Scudetto.

Key Talking Point

Roma came into this game in great form, having picked up three consecutive league wins and would have been confident of racking up another three points to solidify their Europa League qualification for next season.

They initially struggled in the first half, with lone striker Džeko struggling for service and help from his teammates. Inter’s defence was never truly tested, with the hosts’ unable to create clear chances. Not to mention they also looked vulnerable at the back, with the speed of their opponents cutting open their defence at various moments. Fortunately for Roma, Spinazzola’s goal kept them on level terms heading into half time.

But after the break, they looked a different side going forward. Mkhitaryan was able to push further forward, making his team a bigger threat in attack, and his advanced positioning was chiefly why he was able to score his team’s second. While they faded in the later stages, it’s clear that Paulo Fonseca should prioritise getting his players forward to help the Bosnian striker in the future.

Starting XI: López (6); Mancini (6), Ibañez (6), Kolarov (6); Peres (6), Diawara (6), Veretout (6), Spinazzola (7); Pellegrini (7), Mkhitaryan (7*); Džeko (7).

Substitutes: Cristante (6), Smalling (6), Pérez (N/A).

As the game went on, Mkhitaryan was able to impose himself on the game, and played a key part for Roma’s attack.

The on-loan Arsenal midfielder supported Džeko in attack and constantly looked a threat with the ball, helping to create many chances for his team.

Key Talking Point

With Christian Eriksen surprisingly dropped to the bench, Marcelo Brozović was pushed further forward by Conte in the number ten role, behind the duo of Sánchez and Martínez.

Yet the Croatian was ineffective in the advanced role, and was unable to impose himself. Often drifting all over the pitch in search of the ball, he couldn’t create many chances and left his team lacking a central creative figure to support the front two. It was certainly something to note as Inter saw their first-half dominance fade towards the end of the first half, when their opponents equalised just before the break.

Mkhitaryan’s goal was the wake-up call the Nerazzurri needed to make the necessary changes, with Eriksen introduced midway through the half, moving Brozović into a deeper role. He looked more comfortable, with more time on the ball to initiate offensive moves in his own half.

With the Dane able to impact the game late on, Conte’s substitutions could be seen as the key to turning the match around for the visitors.

Starting XI: Handanović (6); Škriniar (6), De Vrij (7), Bastoni (6); Candreva (7), Barella (6), Gagliardini (7), Young (6); Brozović (6); Sánchez (7*), Martínez (6).

Substitutes: Biraghi (6), Moses (6), Lukaku (7), Eriksen (7), D’Ambrosio (N/A).

One of the most in-form players around at the moment, Sánchez produced another terrific display in Inter’s attack.

The Chilean was dynamic in his movement and always looked to take his opponents on throughout the game. His reward for his efforts was another assist, as it was his corner that was nodded in by De Vrij.

Looking Ahead

Roma next travel to already-relegated SPAL on Wednesday night, while Inter next host Fiorentina at the same time.

It’s been a long time since this Arsenal fanbase has had any genuine hope. The Unai Emery revolution was built on sand, and upon Mikel Arteta’s arrival in the winter, there was very little to smile about for the Gunners.

So why do we all keep tuning in to watch our team disappoint us week in, week out, even when we are 99.9% sure we will have nothing to smile about over the following 90 minutes? Because of hope.

Hope is what makes football so compelling, what gives supporters the strength to traipse to the stadium every week, and what inspires inferior players to believe they can pull off the biggest upset in the sport’s gargantuan history.

And for once, Arsenal fans have a bit of hope.

Arriving from Manchester City in December, there were plenty of people immediately questioning Arteta’s appointment, given his lack of experience as a head coach. But lest we forget, the Spaniard has had some of the best schooling that money can buy.

And watching him gesticulate frantically on the touchline, and barking instructions in several different languages from his technical area for the entire 90 minutes, it became deeply apparent that he has been ready for this role for quite some time.

After setting Arsenal up extremely defensively in their 2-1 victory over Liverpool, many expected the same from Arteta’s side against Manchester City. But the coach is clearly as pedantic over his tactics as his former boss, Pep Guardiola, and he adapted his game plan in relation to his opponents’ weaknesses.

And that’s not bad going, considering the Citizens have very few chinks in their armour at all. Arsenal packed the midfield when out of possession, forcing Man City to play the ball wide and cross into the box, a plan which Guardiola’s side often turns to in moments of desperation.

The Gunners also exploited their frailties issues in wide areas, and they were able to draw first blood through a deep, in-swinging ball which reached the feet of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Ruthless, and pulled off to perfection.

And of course, when Man City are behind, they take more risks. Arteta’s side were ready, pressing high up the pitch, with David Luiz stepping into the midfield to try and win first balls with the aggression that has made him a top-tier Premier League defender for so many years.

Man City had few answers for Arsenal’s impressive set up, and the north Londoners constantly laid traps for the Citizens, which their opponents naively stumbled into time and time again.

The second half played out exactly as the Gunners would have hoped. They dug deep, relied on resolute defending and last-ditch tackles, and then sucker-punched Man City with a ruthless counter-attack and finish. Something that would have been simply impossible under Emery, but now is becoming routine for this new-look Arsenal.

It was gritty. It was spirited. It was very un-Arsenal. It was nothing short of a masterclass from Arteta.

It’s heartening to see how far a limited and underachieving squad can be dragged with some rigorous training and good organisation, and Arteta’s abilities to squeeze every drop out of his players can only be a cause for optimism for the Gunners.

Suddenly, a team which needed completely overhauling now may only require five or six changes, or even less. And that’s good news, given the worrying noises surrounding Arsenal’s potential lack of investment over the summer, and the underwhelming renewal of several players’ contracts.

But with Arteta at the helm, Arsenal now have a manager who should be worth more to the fans than any superstar on the pitch. The upper echelons of the Premier League may still be a way off, but the fallen giants are building towards something special – and they have an FA Cup final thrown in for good measure.

Most of all, however, there is hope – and that’s more than the Gunners have had for a long, long time.

Just 11 years after making his senior debut, André Schürrle has brought an end to his career. The German forward announced his retirement on Friday, hanging up his boots at the tender age of 29.

The premature decision is a sad one for a player who achieved some of the greatest feats in the game across the top leagues in Europe. While injuries – among other factors – have forced him into retirement, Schürrle has had a career full of highlights for club and country. Highlights like these.

Schürrle was an experienced player for Germany on the international stage by this point, about halfway through his international career. Despite having scored just once for his country in nearly a year and a half (against Ireland the previous weekend), Schürrle scored a stunning hat-trick in an emphatic 5-3 win in Stockholm.

It was his first treble for his country, and helped them wrap up qualification for the tournament in style. His second and final Germany hat-trick would come two years later, when he hit three in a 7-0 thrashing of Gibraltar in EURO 2016 qualifying.

Schürrle joined Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013 and, five months after his first international hat-trick, he recorded his first treble in the Premier League. The Blues made the short trip across to Fulham in March 2014, travelling to Craven Cottage for the west London derby.

In a blistering second-half performance, Schürrle completed his hat-trick inside 16 devastating minutes. It gave José Mourinho’s side a 3-1 victory over their local rivals, the forward becoming the third German to score a Premier League hat-trick.

One of Chelsea’s greatest Premier League victories was the 6-0 demolition of Arsenal – and Schürrle was instrumental. The German assisted Samuel Eto’o’s opening goal, before scoring himself two minutes later to put the Blues in cruise control.

Chelsea added another four goals at Stamford Bridge, in one of their finest derby displays in the modern era. Schürrle had an outstanding game and earned his deserved recognition, being named man of the match.

Having been involved in one of the Blues’ most memorable wins, Schürrle played a part in one of the most famous World Cup games of all time just four months later when Germany reached final at the expense of hosts Brazil in Belo Horizonte.

Die Mannschaft were 5-0 up by the time Schürrle came off the bench, and he came on to add insult to injury. He scored twice in 10 minutes to wrap up the incredible scoreline, scoring a superb double to seal the historic 7-1 win in Brazil.

The greatest moment of Schürrle’s entire career came on 13 July 2014, in the World Cup final against Argentina. While he did not start at the Maracanã, the German came off the bench after half an hour for the injured Christoph Kramer, eventually playing a full 90 minutes.

It was a tense final in Rio de Janeiro, which went into extra time with neither side breaking the deadlock inside 90 minutes. With just seven minute left before a penalty shootout, Schürrle burst down the wing and crossed the ball into the box for Mario Götze to poke home and secure Germany’s first World Cup in 24 years.

Schürrle recorded seven assists in total for Die Mannschaft, but that was by far his most important one. Germany celebrated their fourth World Cup and historic first as a reunified team.

From Rio de Janeiro to, erm, Lancashire, Schürrle was back in domestic action just a month later. Chelsea went to Burnley on the opening day of the season, kicking off the campaign as overwhelming title favourites under Mourinho.

After early goals made it 1-1, Cesc Fàbregas’ stunning through ball was finished emphatically by Schürrle to put the Blues ahead. They went on to win 3-1 after Branislav Ivanović wrapped up the win to start a memorable campaign.

Schürrle left Chelsea in February 2015, leaving for his native Germany in the form of Wolfsburg. Chelsea went on to win the Premier League for the fourth time (their fifth league title) and, despite leaving three months earlier, the German received recognition for the part he played.

He had made 14 appearances, scoring three goals in the Blues’ title charge, exceeding the five games needed to collect a medal. It was a deserved achievement for Schürrle, but he did not even realise he would be acknowledged.

Speaking to the BBC back in 2015, he said: “I didn’t know that I’d get a medal when I didn’t play most of the second half of the season. Jose Mourinho sent me a text to say that I’d get a medal and he asked me to come to the last game. That was very nice for me. I’m really happy for the boys.”

Schürrle returned to west London and the Premier League in 2018, joining Fulham on loan from Borussia Dortmund. His seventh and final goal for the Cottagers came at Turf Moor, with another stunning strike against sorry Burnley.

He plucked the ball out of the sky with grace, before smashing his shot into the top corner. While Fulham went on to lose 2-1, the German won the goal of the month award for January 2019 thanks to his beautiful strike.

Schürrle brings an end to an illustrious career with countless memories, whether they are Premier League beauties or reaching the pinnacle of the beautiful game. It marks the end of an era, but André Schürrle’s career will be one looked back on fondly.

Brighton held on to see out a 1-1 draw away to Southampton on Thursday evening, all but mathematically securing Premier League survival for Graham Potter’s side with just two games to play.

Neal Maupay opened the scoring after 17 minutes with a clever reverse finish, collecting Glenn Murray’s flick on from a throw-in as the visitors enjoyed the better opportunities of an end-to-end first half.

On the cusp of the second-half drinks break, a reinvigorated Southampton capitalised on their domination following the restart with a crisp finish from Danny Ings, who slotted in after running onto a perfectly-weighted Nathan Redmond pass.

Brighton weathered a late onslaught from the Saints to earn what may prove to be the draw which keeps them in the top flight for another season.

Key Talking Point

After getting back to Southampton at 2AM following their dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester United, Ralph Hasenhüttl made five changes, including two to his defence which seemed to unsettle his side. Jannik Vestergaard was one of the incoming players and was utterly bewildered to find Murray nip in front of him from a throw-in to tee up Maupay for the opener.

The imposing Dane’s lack of awareness and stray passing throughout the opening 45 minutes was symptomatic of a first half devoid of the usual zip to Southampton’s game.

Hasenhüttl made some much-needed alterations at half-time, moving Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – who looked awkward at right-back – into midfield as the natural fullback Kyle Walker-Peters replaced Oriol Romeu. The Tottenham loanee immediately injected some urgency into the Saints’ game as the team’s overall performance improved.

Ings’ strike was preceded by a flurry of Saints efforts on goal as Brighton slipped ever deeper into their own half. Even Vestergaard, whose first-half display was probably best forgotten, forced a wonder stop from Mathew Ryan after a vicious 25-yard drive.

However, they got into their stride too late, as Brighton ultimately deserved a share of the spoils after a resilient second half.

Starting XI: McCarthy (6); Højbjerg (6), Vestergaard (4), Bednarek (6), Vokins (7); Smallbone (6), Romeu (5), Ward-Prowse (6), Redmond (5); Obafemi (6), Ings (8*).

Substitutes: Walker-Peters (8), Adams (5), Armstrong (5).

Southampton’s star man turned up once again to earn Southampton a point they scarcely deserved going into the break. Prior to his equalising strike, the nippy forward cannoned a curling right-footed effort off the upright as the home side visibly improved after the interval.

Yet in this high-pressing, hard-working Southampton side, Ings’ work-rate off the ball will be as appreciated as his ludicrously clinical finishing.

Key Talking Point

Both sides had chances in a helter-skelter opening quarter of an hour, but Brighton were able to largely bypass Southampton’s intense press, going in at half-time having enjoyed the better chances.

However, Potter’s side slumped in the second half, conceding territory and possession to their hosts. As the game wore on, it seemed only the lunging limbs of Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster at the back stood between Southampton and their second.

Second-half substitute Yves Bissouma – in a rare foray into Southampton’s box for Brighton – had the chance to restore the Seagulls’ lead against the run of play, only to drill a golden chance wide.

Starting XI: Ryan (7); Dunk (8), Webster (8), Burn (6); Lamptey (7), Propper (6), Stephens (6), March (7); Trossard (6); Maupay (6), Murray (7).

Subs: Mooy (5), Bissouma (5), Montoya (6), Mac Allister (5), Groß (5).

Brighton’s captain and defensive stalwart had yet another superb performance, thriving in the second half as the Southampton attacks mounted up.

Dunk seemed to be at the feet of every Southampton player ready to pull the trigger. As the Saints began to assert themselves in the second half, the 28-year-old made a crucial block on the line to deny the second-half substitute Che Adams.

Southampton complete their tightly-packed run of three games in six days with another south coast fixture as they face Bournemouth on Sunday before hosting Sheffield United the following week.

Brighton conclude the season with a visit from Newcastle United before Graham Potter’s side travel to Burnley on the final day.

Two minutes. That’s all the time it took for Leicester City’s stuttering season to stop stuttering and burst into flames.

With 65 minutes on the clock and Leicester 1-0 up in a crucial encounter against relegation threatened Bournemouth, the vastly experienced Kasper Schmeichel blasted a goal kick straight into Wilfred Ndidi’s boney arse.

Why you ask? Well, that’s a question that I’ve been asking myself for the past few days. I’m still no closer to an answer. Perhaps the Dane thought it would be funny. It wasn’t funny mate, I promise you that.

Schmeichel’s actions set off a chain of increasingly excruciating events which all involved footballers’ arses to various extents.

First, Junior Stanislas converted the penalty that Ndidi gave away immediately after his arse-shaped conundrum.

Next, Caglar Soyuncu ruled himself out for season, unleashing his frustration after the Cherries took a 2-1 lead by kicking Callum Wilson very hard in the arse and getting sent off for his trouble.

Third, Jonny Evans deflected the ball into his own net to put the game beyond all doubt. Surprisingly though, the ball did not cannon in off his arse.

Lastly, Ryan Bennett fell on his arse trying to prevent Solanke adding his second Premier League goal EVER with a few minutes left to play.

This second half, arse-related nonsense was made even harder to take by the the fact that Leicester had dominated the opening 45 minutes, restricting the Cherries to just one shot on target.

The visitors should have been ahead by more than one at the break with Ayoze Perez, Kelechi Iheanacho and scorer Jamie Vardy all spurning chances to increase their lead.

Brendan Rodgers has received the lion share of the criticism following this disastrous result – and quite right too. The Northern Irishman’s decision to remove Iheanacho at half time for an extra midfielder was bizarre. It left the middle of the park congested, stunting the Foxes’ press and their chance creation.

Rodgers’ refusal to admit his error was similarly strange. Instead, he doubled down, criticising Iheanacho despite his good performance. The Nigerian has been the side’s best attacking performer of late and assisted Vardy’s goal against Bournemouth.

These tactical and media missteps have become increasingly common, feeding annoyingly well into the narrative that Rodgers is a ‘bottler’. Although the term is easily one of the most overused pejorative terms in the footballing vernacular, there might be some truth in it on this occasion.

The second half meltdown that Leicester experienced between 8pm and 8:49pm on the Dorset coast was the archetypal bottle job and evidence that contrary to what they admit publicly, the players are feeling the pressure of a season mixing it with the big boys.

However, in spite of a resurgent Manchester United and Wolves, in spite of Manchester City’s European ban being lifted and in spite of an injury list that is enough to make even the most optimistic fan’s stomach turn, the Champions League dream is somehow not yet dead. It even remains in the Foxes’ hands.

Win the next three games and Leicester City Football Club will be globe(Europe)trotting across Europe next season.

First up is fellow upstarts Sheffield United on Thursday night. It’s the biggest game of their season to date and contests against Tottenham and Manchester United are certain to be equally important if they managed to fluke a win over the impressive Blades.

Since the Foxes’ last foray in Europe four years ago, a lot has changed at the King Power Stadium. A young, exciting group of charges have emerged with members of the Premier League winning squad being moved on. It is ironic then, that in order to get across the line they will be relying on the same core group of players that got them into the Champions League last time out.

The four poster boys of Leicester new breed, Ricardo Pereira, James Madison, Ben Chilwell and Soyuncu are all sidelined, opening the door for sparsely used club stalwarts Marc Albrighton, Christian Fuchs and Wes Morgan.

And then there’s Jamie Vardy – pretty much the only Foxes player who looks like scoring – and Kasper Schmeichel, who apparently gave a rousing post-match speech after his mishap against the Cherries. This is exactly the sort of leadership needed at this critical juncture.

If Leicester are to somehow secure their place in next season’s Champions League they will have to rely on these increasingly marginalised but senior figures to get them over the line. Who knows, maybe they’ll do it. They’ve overcome far greater odds than this during their Foxes’ career.