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Everyone loves a plucky underdog don’t they.

The small-time hero taking on the top dogs and giving them a bloodied nose. In football, these fairy tales usually come in the form of the FA Cup.

In recent times you think of Wigan Athletic, Portsmouth and maybe even Hull City ,who so nearly defeated Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal to extend their heartbreak. But most underdog stories eventually end in disappointment and despair. Relegation and financial woe is the translation into the football world.

Chris Wilder, however, is different. There is no luck involved. No aligning of the stars. No sequence of opposition mistakes or a star player to rely upon through a seven-game cup run.

The Sheffield United boss could finally be the English manager that many believed his predecessor’s to be.

Following United’s 3-0 victory over Chelsea at the weekend – where Wilder’s side totally outclassed and outmaneuvered Lampard’s men – the Blades have now gone 61 games since they last lost a match they were winning at half-time.

53 of those games have resulted in a victory for the Steel City side in a run that stretches back to the summer of 2016.

Remember, there is no luck involved here. Wilder’s personal record extends to his time at Northampton Town and takes the total number of games up to 83. Yes, 83.

Such resilience, self-belief and determination are evident throughout his teams and are a symptom of what makes the Yorkshireman so successful.

Speaking to The Athletic, former Sheffield United defender Richard Stearman pointed towards Wilder’s unbreakable mentality being key to his triumphs.

“He never wants to take a backwards step,” Stearman noted. “He wants to try and win games. Whether that costs him points, he won’t change that mindset. He is very aggressive in the pursuit of points. He makes sure the players know that.”

However, Wilder is not reckless in his pursuit of glory. He marries his resilient, never say die nature with alluring pragmatism. Having predominantly used a 3-4-1-2 formation throughout United’s promotion-winning campaign last season, Wilder changed to a 3-5-2 when playing against Premier League opposition.

He recognised that the luxury of playing a ‘number 10’ just behind two strikers was a pleasure he could ill afford to indulge in against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The extra man in midfield has allowed his side to control possession better, a necessity when you have someone with the passing range that Oliver Norwood possesses at your disposal.

Just as he does the little things right, Wilder expects his players to as well.

January signing Sander Berge believes his new manager has got the fundamentals finalised like a traditional English gaffer.

“I have mostly had Dutch or German managers and the team is more 18-year-olds. Here, this is more the English way of doing things.” The former Genk midfielder told The Athletic. “This team is more built on passion and enthusiasm and we’re so good at all the basics, like defending, set pieces and keeping our structure.”

But to label Wilder as simply an old school coach with old school tactics, who focuses on the basics would be doing him a grave disservice. He has fused together the typical grit, strength of character and hard work that his British precursors have founded their success off with more European flair, invention and style. The best of both.

This is a manager who beat Pep Guardiola to the LMA Manager of the Year award last season for his tactical innovation.

Wilder’s unique system of overlapping centre-backs has made Chris Basham and Jack O’Connell household names and has earned the top division’s newcomers a host of admiring onlookers.

The former Alfreton Town manager’s journey from non-league football to a potential place in Europe is refreshing in an era of instant success and multi-million-pound signings.

If Wilder’s band of mainly British men can carry him across the continent, then he’ll be sure to have the silent support of the nation. No matter who their allegiance belongs to.

Whether the Sheffield United boss can achieve the longevity that sets apart the great from the good is set to be seen, but you’d be a brave individual to bet against it. Chris Wilder is a manager who’s surely destined for the top.

Manchester United missed the opportunity to move into the Champions League places as they conceded a 95th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday evening.

In a breathless opening half, Anthony Martial pounced on James Ward-Prowse’s error and raced through, but was denied by a smart Alex McCarthy save. While Ward-Prowse wasn’t punished for his lapse of concentration, moments later Paul Pogba was. The United midfielder was dispossessed by Danny Ings, who fed Nathan Redmond, and his cross was volleyed home by Stuart Armstrong.

Pogba soon made amends, as his pinpoint cross found Martial in the Southampton box. The French international teed up Marcus Rashford, who fired into the bottom corner. Martial got in on the act himself just two minutes later, giving United the lead with a superb solo effort and grabbing his 50th Premier League goal in the process.

The Saints came at United in the second half, and their pressure was eventually rewarded as Michael Obafemi headed home from Ward-Prowse’s corner to earn a last-gasp draw and possibly dent the hosts hopes of Champions League football next season.

Key Talking Point

It’s now 18 unbeaten in all competitions for United, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side really should have made it six wins on the trot. Once they got into their groove going forward and learnt to play over the Southampton press, the Red Devils had looked near impossible to stop.

The front four of Martial, Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood have such an infectious swagger about them. Their creativity, imagination and movement makes them such a joy to watch and a nightmare to play against. The sheer speed at which they counter attacked was frightening.

However, the Red Devils invited Southampton onto them in the final 15 minutes, and they failed to hang on at the death as the three points slipped through their fingers.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: De Gea (6), Wan-Bissaka (7), Lindelof (6), Maguire (6), Shaw (6), Pogba (6), Matic (6), Greenwood (6), Fernandes (8), Rashford (8), Martial (8*)

Subs: Fred (5), Williams (5), James(5), McTominay (5)

The game served up a blistering opening 25 minutes, and Martial was at the heart of everything. The forward should have opened the scoring when he raced through after dispossessing Ward-Prowse, but didn’t allow himself to simmer and stew on the miss.

Instead, he turned provider for Rashford to equalise with an excellent piece of centre forward play. Martial expertly controlled Pogba’s fizzing delivery, holding off three Southampton defenders before feeding Rashford.

The France international gave United the lead with a spectacular solo goal, menacingly driving inside and sending a curling effort into the top corner. The Red Devil’s front four are building quite the reputation for themselves, and Martial was the pick of the bunch on Monday evening.

Key Talking Point

in-form Southampton started brightly and were well deserving of their early lead. United struggled to cope with their energetic high press during the opening exchanges, and this paid dividends as Ings robbed Pogba in the build up to the Saints’ opener.

It was a good performance from the Saints – they created positive openings, enjoyed long spells of possession in the United half and ensured an uncomfortable evening for the Red Devils – but they were never quite as effective and dangerous as they had been in the opening 20 minutes.

But Southampton maintained steady pressure in the second half, and it eventually took its toll with a late equaliser.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: McCarthy (6), Walker-Peters (5), Stephens (6), Bednarek (6), Bertrand (7*), Armstrong (7), Ward-Prowse (6), Romeu (5), Redmond (6), Adams (5), Ings (7)

Subs: Long (5), Smallbone (5), Obafemi (6)

Ryan Bertrand

The Southampton left back was given the unenviable task of marking the in form Greenwood. The teenager has proved too much for the majority of sides to handle since the Premier League restarted.

However, he endured one of his quieter nights on Monday, largely thanks to the performance of Bertrand. He stayed tight and didn’t give Greenwood an inch. A mature, resilient display from Bertrand.

Both sides are back in action on Thursday evening. Manchester United travel to Crystal Palace, while Southampton welcome fellow south coast side Brighton to St Mary’s.

On Saturday afternoon, it looked as if the relegation battle was winding down.

Norwich’s drop back into the Championship was confirmed, Watford had picked up a huge win over Newcastle that put them a big step closer to safety, and with Aston Villa and Bournemouth facing tough Sunday fixtures, it really should have been the weekend we were given a clear indication of who was staying up, and who wasn’t.

Should have – but football being the bloody brilliant sport that it is, ‘should’ doesn’t often apply.

The door was closed on Saturday, but someone forgot to lock it – and on Sunday, two teams came charging straight back in and left it open wide behind them.

A remarkable day of relegation action kicked itself out of first gear when Villa took on Palace; a game that was pencilled in as Palace’s return to winning ways and another nail in struggling Villa’s coffin. Dean Smith’s side weren’t for lying down though, and delivered a gritty, gutsy performance that out-Hodgsoned Roy Hodgson.

They had the sort of cutting edge they’d lacked all season to this point; two fine finishes from Trezeguet, one just before the break and one 15 minutes later, dismissed a strangely spineless Palace team who appeared to have downed tools with nothing to play for.

A defeat would certainly have consigned Villa to the worst-case scenario but, while four points from safety is hardly an enviable position with nine left to play for, the Villans will now be fighting tooth and nail to get themselves within a win of West Ham ahead of their final day showdown in two weeks’ time.

As much as Villa’s situation was looking desperate prior to Trezeguet’s heroics, Bournemouth’s looked utterly beyond repair – and that was before they turned in a completely woeful first half against Leicester in Sunday’s late game that left them staring right down the barrel.

Jamie Vardy’s goal separated the teams – a god-awful tackle-finish made possible only by Lloyd Kelly’s comical backheel ‘clearance’ – but the Foxes’ failure to put the game to bed came back to bite them in the wildest fashion imaginable.

The capitulation from Brendan Rodgers’ side was like a scene from Keystone Cops. Kasper Schmeichel hoofed the ball off the backside of Wilfred Ndidi, who in turn conceded a penalty; Caglar Soyuncu saw red for taking a swipe at Callum Wilson in the goalmouth; Dominic Solanke – who had never previously scored a league goal for Bournemouth – slalomed through the entire Leicester defence to fire in his second of the evening.

The net result of a game Leicester dominated for 66 minutes? Bournemouth 4, Leicester 1.

It was the sort of twist of fate so bizarre and unpredictable that, if you believed in that type of thing, you would say was written in the stars.

It was supposed to be the Sunday that wrote Villa and Bournemouth off for good, yet as we enter the three final rounds of fixtures, neither have admitted defeat yet. The Cherries are within a win of Watford and West Ham, and Villa are just a point further back. The entire thing has the potential to turn on its head starting on Wednesday when Bournemouth travel to Manchester City.

Both Bournemouth and Villa desperately need another break or two to go their way. As things stand, it’s still difficult to see either, let alone both, pulling off an escape; but no more difficult than it would have been to predict either, let alone both, picking up priceless victories on the relegation battle’s Super Sunday.

The Premier League. The promised land.

You spend a lifetime dreaming of seeing your heroes go toe-to-toe with football’s elite, stepping out on centre court at Old Trafford or Anfield, and beaming with pride as Gary Lineker sings their praises on Match of the Day.

And then the season starts. Week after week, you sit through humiliation upon humiliation, Your previously worshipped manager gets the sack, and you fall asleep before you even get to watch your team get pummelled in the final game on MOTD.

Probably for the best to miss it, at any rate. It’s safe to say, that for some clubs, the Premier League just ain’t what it’s all cracked up to be. And to make matters even worse, for some brave little souls who find themselves in the top flight for an incredibly brief season, their stay is remembered for all the wrong reasons.

So, in honour of Norwich City’s now-confirmed relegation back to the second tier, 90min takes a look at some of the worst teams to have graced the Premier League over the years.

Harry Redknapp. Mark Hughes. Julio Cesar. Jose Bosingwa. Esteban Granero. Bobby Zamora. How did this not work?!

Resembling a social experiment that had got seriously out of hand, QPR’s band of rejects and over-the-hill stars in search of a final pay day, got what was coming to them.

25 points, minus 30 goal difference, and a big old wage bill of which they’re still suffering the consequences to this day. Spend responsibly, kids.

When David Moyes announced that the Black Cats were in a relegation battle within the first five games of the 2016/17 season, it dawned on us all that they’d used up the last of their nine lives.

And so it came to pass, as Sunderland finished stone-dead last, crawled to 24 points, and ended with the campaign a 5-1 drubbing at Chelsea on the final day.

Since that moment, things have only got worse, too.

Now, 26 points might be a shade higher than some of the other flops in this list, but statistics can be misleading. When presented with the ultimatum of ‘go hard or go home,’ Fulham opted for the former, spending over £100m on a plethora of players they didn’t really need.

With the heart of the team well and truly ripped out, the Cottagers paid the ultimate price, suffering a bitter relegation. To make matters worse, this gutless group of misfits then picked up three wins in their final five matches, only infuriating supporters more for their previous failings.

A mess from head to toe.

The new kids on the block. There was so much hope and promise surrounding this Norwich side upon their promotion, and after beating champions Manchester City early on in the campaign, they seemed ready to go the distance.

But it’s been a nightmare year for Daniel Farke and co., and despite the exciting attacking qualities of Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell, the Canaries have looked terribly toothless up top.

There was the odd moment to cherish for Norwich supporters, but overall, it’s been a dismal season.

Sunderland’s second appearance on this list, and a well-deserved encore at that. When a team has three managers in one season, it almost always ends with relegation heartbreak.

Peter Reid, Howard Wilkinson and Mick McCarthy were the unfortunate trio to guide the Black Cats to the drop in 2002 and 2003, and they finished an incredible 25 points off safety.

Give them another 18 months, and they might have stayed up…

David Wagner performed an absolute miracle keeping this Huddersfield Town side afloat in their debut Premier League campaign, but the 2018/19 season was a bridge too far.

A team bereft of goals, creativity, attacking intent nor any morsel of enjoyment was exposed in cruel fashion over those 12 months, as Wagner and his subsequent replacement Jan Siewert amassed a total of 16 points, shipping 76 goals in the process.

A sad end to a genuinely pleasant little cameo.

Mathematically, Aston Villa’s hefty total of 17 points is superior to that of Huddersfield, who secured third place in this prestigious list. But some context is always needed. This Villa side was absolutely pathetic.

If we had to sum up their season in one news headline, ‘Joleon Lescott apologises after tweeting picture of sports car following thrashing by Liverpool’, tells you all you need to know about this rotten team.

They will be back though, for better or for worse.

No prizes for those who guessed this one, then. That’s right, the worst team to have ever graced the Premier League was the 2007/08 edition of Derby County.

Relegated in March with six games and 18 points still to fight for, the Rams waved goodbye to the top flight with only 11 points to their name, a goal difference of minus 69, and a solitary win over the 38 matches.

We won’t mention the 6-0 hammering at the hands of Aston Villa, either. Derby have not dared make the climb back to the top flight since this harrowing experience – and they’ll probably think twice before doing so, too.

James Ward-Prowse missed a penalty as Everton and Southampton played out a drab 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Thursday; a result that leaves both sides marooned in mid-table.

Saints started the game superbly, having a goal ruled out for offside and missing a penalty inside the opening half an hour. They finally went in front in the 31st minute through Danny Ings, who showed quick feet to score his 19th Premier League goal of the season.

Their lead did not last long however, with Richarlison latching onto Lucas Digne’s long ball and firing home just before halftime.

The second half was an altogether less eventful affair with Che Adams’ early strike – which stung the palms of Jordan Pickford – the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.

Key Talking Point

Carlo Ancelotti would have been desperate for a response from his players after their pitiful showing against Tottenham last time out but the Toffees’ start was surprisingly pedestrian. They struggled to progress the ball through midfield, leaving Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin isolated upfront.

Their fortunes changed when they started pursuing more direct passing and trying to get their pacy front line in behind the sluggish Saints defence.

This was how they created their first goal with Lucas Digne spraying an incredible 40-yard pass into the Brazilian’s path. These searching balls were repeated throughout proceedings.

The point does little to help the Toffees and the lack of creativity in midfield will worry Ancelotti. If only someone like… oh, I don’t know, James Rodriguez was available?

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Pickford (7); Coleman (6), Mina (5), Keane (6), Digne (6); Iwobi (5), Davies (6), Gomes (6), Gordon (6); Calvert-Lewin (6), Richarlison (8*)

Substitutes: Bernard (6), Kean (6), Sidibe (6), Sigurdsson (5)

STAR MAN – Richarlison

Providing an important outlet ball for his side all evening, Richarlison seriously impressed at Goodison Park.

The Brazilian took his goal superbly and made the most out of his meagre service from midfield.

Key Talking Point

Each passing game makes it harder and harder to believe that this is the same Southampton team that lost 9-0 against Leicester earlier this season.

Saints were irresistible going forward in the opening 45 minutes with Ings and Che Adams feeding off each other expertly. However, at the break they were somehow not ahead, with a James Ward-Prowse’s penalty and several other gilt edge chances being spurned.

Southampton were made to rue their missed chances when their attacking vigour petered out in the second half. The performances was still a fairly encouraging one though which will have whet their supporters’ appetites for next season nicely.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: McCarthy (6); Walker-Peters (6), Stephens (7), Bednarek (6), Bertrand (6); Armstrong (7), Ward-Prowse (5), Romeu (6), Redmond (5); Ings (8*), Adams (7)

Substitutes: Hojbjerg (5), Long (6)

STAR MAN – Danny Ings

Another game, another Danny Ings goal. The striker’s form this season has been as enjoyable as it has been unexpected and with 19 goals now registered, he may yet secure the Golden Boot.

It will look nice alongsider his Saints’ Player of the Year award that he also looks destined to win.

Everton now turn their attentions to a trip to Wolves on Sunday while Southampton are next in action against Manchester United on Monday.

Liverpool had to battle their way to victory against a brave Brighton, but their quality showed as they emerged 3-1 winners during their Premier League meeting on Wednesday evening.

Mohamed Salah grabbed the opener just five minutes in, Davy Propper failing to control Mat Ryan’s pass out from goal and Naby Keita pouncing to tee up his teammate for a composed finish. The second came less than two minutes later, with Jordan Henderson bending a fine effort beyond Ryan after being teed up by Salah.

Brighton grew into the game after their slow start, with Leandro Trossard superbly latching on to Tariq Lamptey’s cross on the half-volley to offer the hosts hope heading into the second half. Despite pressing for an equaliser, Brighton were knocked back 14 minutes from time when Salah headed home from Andrew Robertson’s corner.

No further goals followed, leaving Liverpool within three wins of breaking the Premier League record for points earned in a single season.

Key Talking Point

Whatever criticisms have been directed Brighton’s way this season haven’t come without justification. They play too open in big games that leaves them hopelessly exposed, and due to this they often end up on the wrong side of hefty scorelines.

But unlike Norwich, who follow a similar suit, there is that touch more quality within their side which means they can hurt any side in the league when everything clicks together. Having fallen behind to two early – and avoidable – goals on Wednesday, they stuck to their style and game plan, causing Liverpool a fair few problems.

Graham Potter’s approach is something his players have bought into, and while we’ve seen it end badly more often than not this season, their dedication to playing expansive, attacking football must be commended.

Starting XI: Ryan (6); Lamptey (7*), Webster (6), Dunk (6), Burn (6); Propper (5), Stephens (7), Gross (7), Mac Allister (6), Trossard (7); Maupay (6).

Substitutes: Connolly (6), Bissouma (5), Mooy (7).

Starting his fifth Premier League match in a row, youngster Tariq Lamptey once again impressed, this time against a formidable Liverpool front line.

He never stopped running from his right-back slot, and in an era of exciting English talent, Gareth Southgate has another player to add to the list of potential England internationals.

Key Talking Point

There may been a few concerns about how Brighton caused Liverpool problems on Wednesday night, but sometimes, you have to praise the opposition instead of pick flaws in your own displays.

Was it great? No, but there wasn’t any major cause for concern. Liverpool grabbed the early goals their pressure warranted, and were happy to allow Brighton to have the ball from thereon in. Whenever they turned over possession they sprung forward in waves of counter attacks, so, in many ways, it’s what you call a fine away performance.

Needing ‘just’ three wins from their next four matches to rewrite Premier League history, the way Jurgen Klopp has managed his squad has put them in a strong position to do so.

Starting XI: Alisson (7); Alexander-Arnold (7), Gomez (6), Van Dijk (7), Williams (7); Henderson (8), Wijnaldum (6), Keita (7); Salah (9*), Firmino (7), Oxlade-Chamberlain (5).

Substitutes: Fabinho (6), Mane (7), Robertson (7), Milner (6), Minamino (N/A).

Grabbing two goals and an assist normally does the trick to earn the man-of-the-match award. So, not wanting to break any trends, Mohamed Salah gets the nod.

He gave Dan Burn a torrid afternoon with his intelligent running and relentless pressing, with the goals being just rewards for another fine display

Looking Ahead

Brighton welcome last season’s Premier League champions to the south coast next, while Liverpool have a home visit of Burnley to contend with next on their schedule.

Remember the heady days of 2005? Jose Mourinho was new and shiny, Arsenal scored 87 league goals in a season, Bolton finished level on points (58) with Liverpool and Manchester City missed out on Europe on the last day.

David James remembers it well – especially that last part, playing a central and completely unexpected role in it when he was moved out from between the sticks (Nicky Weaver took over) and stuck up front.

The FA Cup winning goalkeeper remembers every moment well, blowing out his cheeks and chuckling when 90min bring it up. “Oh, strewth.”

“If I say it was strange…I didn’t know anything about it until the game, and even then it was only a rumour from the kit man at half time. Was I uncomfortable? Well, I was knackered. As fit as I was, running around on a football pitch just knackered me out. My touch was poor, I think I fouled every Middlesbrough player but Mark Schwarzer, I won every header, and we drew the game.

“We were distraught, Robbie Fowler had the penalty…if he’d scored, who knows. Pearcy could’ve done the same thing in Europe, put me up front.”

That injury-time Robbie Fowler penalty, saved by Schwarzer, would have put City in Europe for just the second time in 25 years. By the time they did make it back into the UEFA Cup for the 2008/09 season, James was long gone – playing in the same competition for Portsmouth.

“The sad thing is,” he chuckles, “when it came to shooting drills I fancied myself to score against anyone. I just never got the chance in the game, in training you don’t have the eagerness of the opposition to stop you progressing up the pitch, let alone scoring.

“I took a good lesson from that to not think I could go up front…but having said that, since I retired – or rather, since the game retired me – I’ve played in a lot of charity matches and I always play outfield.”

A number of modern goalkeepers have been touted as more than acceptable outfield playmakers, Manuel Neuer and Ederson in particular, but James warns that being able to play impressive passes with a little space around you is entirely different from receiving the ball under pressure with a defender on your back.

“That’s probably why I fouled so many Middlesbrough players, because my touch wasn’t quite there and the defender was right on me.”

He did have another suggestion for ball-playing goalkeepers though, explaining: “Interestingly, I was looking at the stats for Willian’s free kicks because they were talking about it after the Chelsea game, and he falls basically into the average range.

“You’d think that someone like Ederson would be as good as most free-kick takers in the Premier League with the power he’s got, why doesn’t Pep allow him to take free kicks, or at least try it? Far be it from me to suggest that Pep should do something that I’m thinking about…but if I was Ederson, I’d be practicing my free kicks.”

James was talking to 90min this week in a break from using his COVID-19 lockdown to paint, having taken time to contribute to the #PinYourThanks initiative alongside stars including Keira Knightly, Ringo Starr, Anoushka Shankar and Dame Sarah Storey to create pin badge designs thanking NHS workers for their efforts before, during and after the global pandemic.

All of the money from the sales of the pin badges goes to a group of NHS charities, and James said of his own involvement: “My sister’s a nurse, I have another sister who works in the NHS, I’ve got another sister who used to, my mum used to work in the NHS and my dad used to drive an ambulance.

“A lot of my family’s connected to the NHS, and I understand how difficult the job is – especially the nursing. The pressure that was already on the people working in the NHS was compounded, and with #PinYourThanks giving a chance to raise money for the NHS charities together, I think that’s a great thing.

“That’s the thing here, the NHS are heroes. There’s no question about it. They were heroes before the pandemic, they’ll be heroes after it. This is something that I think is needed, people have been doing their thing and it’s a chance to recognise their efforts.”

Despite the men in the dugout boasting a full five Champions League titles between them, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham versus Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton offered very little to get excited about.

Fortunately, a spicy, little subplot unfolded as everyone’s favourite ball of smiling enthusiasm Son Heung-Min and 33-year-old captain of his national team Hugo Lloris almost went full 2005 Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer.

On the cusp of half time, Son half-heartedly tracked back after losing possession, Richarlison got a shot away and Lloris was absolutely furious.

The goalkeeper tore over to Son at halftime, had a right old shout at him, and the pair had to be pulled apart by peacemakers Giovanni Lo Celso, Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko.

Gary Lineker was one of many fans surprised to see two of the more senior players in the Spurs squad losing their temper.

Good heavens indeed, Gary. Many fans were pleased the pair had shown a bit of fight and spirit, after watching their team put in a first half performance devoid of anything of the sort.

The Everton result became secondary as debate sparked about who would come out on top between the pair.

But most fans were just rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of watching the fight unfold all over again in a few months time on Amazon Prime’s Tottenham documentary.

With the title ever closer to being wrapped up, Juventus look to continue their run of Serie A dominance as they head to Milan on Tuesday night.

The Bianconeri are brimming with confidence following their destruction of rivals Torino in Saturday’s Derby della Mole, extending their lead to seven points atop Serie A.

Milan, meanwhile, handed Maurizio Sarri’s side a massive title boost, comfortably defeating second-placed Lazio by three goals to nil on Saturday night. The Rossoneri are enjoying their own good spell of form as they aim to solidify Europa League football next season.

When is Kick Off? Tuesday 7 July
What Time is Kick Off? 20:45 (BST)
Where is it Played? San Siro
TV Channel/Live Stream? Premier Sports 1

Midfielder Samu Castillejo is doubtful ahead of Tuesday night’s clash having picked up a muscle injury in Saturday night’s win at Lazio. Hakan Calhanoglu was also replaced late in the game having received a knock, it is unlikely whether he will feature.

Defenders Mateo Musacchio and Leonardo Duarte are both out with long term injuries and will not feature.

The visitors will still be without a recognised left back with Alex Sandro and Mattea De Sciglio out of action. Blaise Matuidi and Danilo have been deployed as makeshift alternatives in recent matches.

Centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Merih Demiral are still recovering from long-term injuries and are unlikely to feature. Veteran midfielder Sami Khedira will also miss Tuesday night’s match with a thigh injury. Matthijs de Ligt and Paulo Dybala are suspended and will not feature.

Milan: Donnarumma; Conti, Kjaer, Romagnoli, Hernandez; Bennacer, Kessie; Saelemaekers, Bonaventura, Rebic; Ibrahimovic.

Juventus: Buffon; Cuadrado, Rugani, Bonucci, Danilo; Rabiot, Pjanic, Bentancur; Bernardeschi, Higuain, Ronaldo

Milan are unbeaten since their return to Serie A action. Having endured a minor blip, being held to a 2-2 draw at Spal on Wednesday, the Rossoneri bounced back superbly in their upset win at Lazio on Saturday night.

Stefano Pioli’s side are on an upward trajectory as they hunt down fifth placed Roma, a win on Tuesday could see them leapfrog their Europa League rivals.

Juventus are showing no signs of letting up in their ruthless pursuit of a ninth consecutive Serie A title. The Bianconeri have scored 11 goals in their last three league outings, much to the credit of Ronaldo and Dybala’s inspired run of form.

For all the scrutiny it has come under for failing to clinch cup silverware, Sarriball seems to be working a treat in the league.

Here’s how the two sides have fared in their last five outings.

Milan

Lazio 0-3 Milan (4/7)
Spal 2-2 Milan (1/7)
Milan 2-0 Roma (28/6)
Lecce 1-4 Milan (22/6)
Juventus 0-0 Milan (12/6)

Juventus

Juventus 4-1 Torino (4/7)
Genoa 1-3 Juventus (30/6)
Juventus 4-0 Lecce (26/6)
Bologna 0-2 Juventus (22/6)
Napoli 1-0 Juventus (17/6)

Milan’s conquering of Lazio in Rome came as a surprise, but highlights the vast improvement the club has made since the restart.

In the absence of Dybala and de Ligt, Juventus are without two vital players whose performances have been hugely responsible for their run of dominance.

Historically, this fixture has been a tight affair. Milan have proven to be a tough adversary for the champions this year; don’t be surprised to see the Rossoneri hold their own.

Prediciton: Milan 2-2 Juventus

It’s an exciting time to be a Blue. Frank Lampard, club legend is at the wheel, a dynamic and bold crop of academy products are blessing Stamford Bridge on a weekly basis, and the west Londoners are being linked with Europe’s elite talents.

TImo Werner and Hakim Ziyech have already signed on the dotted line to join the Lampard revolution, and the gifted name of Kai Havertz is also being tipped to make the familiar trip from the Bundesliga to the Premier League this summer.

It’s very exciting indeed. But with Chelsea flexing their financial muscles in this coming transfer window, they should do so with a degree of caution. The Premier League giants are already home to some of football’s greatest starlets, and with their young boss keen to help them grow into the next group of superstars, recruitment must be necessary, and not opportunistic.

Now, we’re not saying ‘Chelsea don’t need Havertz because they have Ross Barkley’, don’t get it twisted. But the likes of Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham must be wondering what future they possess at Stamford Bridge with this summer’s influx of offensive jewels.

And before we all start drawing up ideal Chelsea XI’s for next season, sporting adventurous 2-4-4 formations or Ziyech in the holding midfield role, we should accept that some of these stars are going to miss out on regular football. There’s no other way around it.

The Blues are blessed with a posse of wide players who boast bags of talent and energy, and that was summed up by the brilliant Pulisic on Saturday evening. The American orchestrated the 3-0 win over Watford from wide, torturing his marker and generally being a pest for his entire time on the field.

The winger won a penalty for the second goal, could well have won another late in the second half, and carved out chance after chance for his teammates. It speaks volumes of a player when he can be so selfless on the ball, yet still be the standout performer by a country mile.

Whisper it quietly, but there were shades of Eden Hazard in the 21-year-old’s dominance and authority on the pitch. He’s got so much time to improve, too.

But Pulisic was not alone in excelling. In a summer where transfers may be hard to pull off, with teams uncertain on their finances due to the coronavirus crisis, Chelsea already own a brilliant alternative in the form of Willian.

Although he is advancing in years, and can flit in and out of games, the 31-year-old provides an experienced head in a team of youth and vibrance. Is it really worth splashing £60m on another forward, when that money could be put to better use in the defensive half of the field?

That’s a question for the Chelsea board to answer, as they line up their targets for the summer window. But Lampard should be satisfied with the attacking options at his disposal, especially given that his backline has been the cause of his headaches throughout the season.

In the end, the bottom line for their spending spree should be: strengthen where necessary, and utilise what they have. But most of all – protect and nurture Pulisic at all costs, the boy is special.