Focus on Southport’s nearest Premier League neighbours

Aside from those who are diehard fans of Southport F.C. and non-league football, supporting their local team through thick and thin, most residents of this coastal town and surrounding villages will probably following their favourite Premier League clubs. Given the quality on display week in, week out, that’s hardly surprising.

The Premier League is widely considered to be the best in the world, boasting more international viewers than any of the rival European leagues. This includes LaLiga in Spain with global giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona, although both have lost some of their lustre, following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Luckily for us, the North-West of England is home to some of the most successful and historic teams in the country, which means the chance to watch games live in stadiums is just a short drive away from Southport. But as we head towards the midway stage of the 2021-22 season, how are our local Premier League teams faring?

Burnley

From their heyday in the early 1960s which included a league title and FA Cup win, Burnley sank into a slow and agonising decline after 24 uninterrupted topflight seasons, falling all the way to the fourth tier of English football by the mid-1980s. Then came the steady rise back, with brief spells back amongst the elite in 2009-10 and 2014-15.

Since the 2016-17 campaign, Burnley are now playing their fifth consecutive season in the Premier League, although the 2021-22 campaign is proving far from easy at Turf Moor. Having led the Clarets since 2012, Sean Dyche has done a wonderful job with limited resources, yet his team has really struggled this term.

Having managed to gain just one win in 13 games, heading into December, bookmakers are already shortening odds for Burnley to be relegated. Dyche will be hoping to add reinforcements during the January transfer window, and just as important will be keeping his best players. Central defender James Tarkowski is tipped to move and he would be a huge loss.

Manchester United

“I am excited to be joining Manchester United and focused on making this a successful season for the club. The squad is full of talent.

“All my efforts will be on helping these players fulfil their potential, both individually and, most importantly, as a team.”#MUFC pic.twitter.com/a3GKC42MuH

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 29, 2021

Sir Alex Ferguson built an impressive empire at Old Trafford, forging several teams during his tenure which utterly dominated English football, along with conquering Europe and the Champions League on two occasions. Since the legendary Scotsman retired, landing his thirteenth and final Premier League title in 2012-13, Manchester United have failed to lift the trophy.

If we include caretaker managers, the Red Devils are now on their seventh head coach following Fergie’s retirement. The latest incumbent of the managerial hot seat is Ralf Rangnick, the high-pressing German coaching guru, who himself is an interim appointment for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Rangnick will move upstairs to take up a consultancy role at the end of this campaign, in what the fans hope will be a complete shake-up behind the scenes. Deeply admired by fellow German coaches, including Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, the immediate task for the 63-year-old is to steady the ship and reach the top four.

Manchester City

Following their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, Manchester City eventually became a yo-yo club, flitting between the top two divisions in English football, before sliding so far down as the third tier during the 1998-99 campaign. Since the 2004-05 season they have been a permanent fixture in the Premier League, although it was the takeover of 2008 which really boosted their fortunes.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan sparked a new era for the club, following his purchase through the Abu Dhabi United Group, turning Manchester City into one of the wealthiest teams in the world. That has also brought five Premier League titles, making City a favourite with fans in many Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries.

As the reigning Premier League champions, Man City are also tipped as the outright favourites for the 2021-22 title, with the side led by Pep Guardiola making strong headway. Readers from the MENA countries are advised to check a complete guide to the best Arabic betting sites, before backing any teams. This can help ensure safe and secure wagering, along with providing sound advice and reviews for all the leading online bookmakers.

Everton

FT. pic.twitter.com/jdEg9UHBkc

— Everton (@Everton) December 1, 2021

Howard Kendal was manager when Everton won their last league title, during an excellent period for the club filled with silverware during the mid-1980s. Unfortunately, the Toffees haven’t come anywhere close to repeating those feats in recent decades, aside from a couple of cup wins in the mid-1990s under Joe Royle.

Despite the arrival of Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri and an ambitious new outlook, including a new stadium project which has now commenced, the football team remains no closer to winning any silverware. Indeed, fortunes on the pitch appear to be heading in precisely the wrong direction, midway into the 2021-22 season.
Rafa Benitez was a controversial appointment ahead of the campaign, given his past with city rivals Liverpool. He did get Everton off to a good start with three wins in their opening four games, then came a host of injuries and a disastrous run, featuring just one win from ten matches. The last of that run was a crushing 4-1 Merseyside Derby loss against Liverpool, putting further pressure on the Spanish coach, yet Moshiri says Benitez will be given time and financial support.

Liverpool

After being the kings of English football throughout the 1970s and 1980s, aside from the occasional interlopers, Liverpool had to weight 29 years between league titles. While there were cup wins and European triumphs over those three decades, winning the Premier League almost became an impossible dream, until the arrival of Jurgen Klopp.

The hugely popular German coach steadily built a side capable of taking on the best in Europe, reaching back-to-back Champions League finals and after missing out in 2018, lifted the trophy in 2019. Then came the moment Reds everywhere had been craving for so many long years, as Klopp led his all-conquering Liverpool side to the 2019-20 Premier League title. The scenes around Anfield were spectacular, amidst an outpouring of emotions mixed with joy and relief.

Finishing third last season was frustrating, although key injuries including that of star defender Virgil van Dijk hardly helped matters. The centre-back colossus is back and Liverpool are also back in their stride, genuinely capable of wrestling the Premier League crown back away from the clutches of Manchester City. If you add Chelsea into the mix, it’s turning into a three-way tussle for the title, with few other sides able to match their form and consistency.