Sports
Premier League overreactions: Spurs relegation, Chelsea discipline
This is shaping up to be one of the great Premier League seasons. The title race looks set to go the distance, the battle for Europe is heating up and the relegation scrap is wonderfully poised. Last weekend, we saw Spurs slip closer to the mire, Arsenal and Manchester City continue pushing the pace at the top, and the battle for Champions League places remain hotly contested. We also witnessed notable performances from strikers Viktor Gyökeres and Raúl Jiménez.
There are plenty of takes around after the weekend, and ahead of the next batch of fixtures — like we’ve done with NFL and rugby union — we look at some snap judgements before weighing up whether they are overreactions or legit takes.
Let’s start with the battle for the title.
Jump to:
Man City, Arsenal title race will go down to wire?
Spurs in relegation battle?
Chelsea least disciplined side in PL history?
Gyökeres has lived up to transfer fee?
Jiménez one of PL’s great stories?
The title race will go down to the wire
Manchester City are five points and a game in hand behind Arsenal with three months to go. The Gunners stuttered against Wolves last Wednesday in a 2-2 draw, then demolished Tottenham 4-1 on Sunday. It’s developed into the classic game of cat and mouse.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
You can reduce this title race to a handful of words: If either team wins its remaining matches, it will claim the Premier League. The date to circle is April 18, when Arsenal travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City, but you can expect many twists and turns until we get our eventual winner.
Arsenal have been in the driver’s seat for much of the season, but the ghosts of near-misses are peering over their shoulder. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s Man City have title-winning acumen throughout. In mid-January, Arsenal had a eight-point lead. Then came the draws at Brentford and Wolves, which opened the door for City. They strode straight through it, getting a late win over Liverpool, easing past Fulham, then hurdling Newcastle United last weekend on the back of Nico O’Reilly‘s pair of goals. Guardiola said his team would celebrate that 2-1 win with a cocktail or two. But Arsenal responded, obliterating rivals Spurs.
Opta still gives Arsenal a 82.8% chance of winning the league, predicting them to finish six or so points ahead of City. But the stats don’t account for the psychological aspect. Arsenal had an eight-point lead in April 2023, but ended up surrendering the title to Manchester City just a month later. It is going to be a fascinating, but excruciating, end of the season for the two teams.
2:25
Marcotti: Tottenham would be idiotic to wait for Pochettino
Gab & Juls discuss the potential of Mauricio Pochettino joining Tottenham after the World Cup.
Spurs are in the thick of the relegation battle
Too good to go down? Perhaps not. After their derby defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, Tottenham are in a precarious situation, sitting in 16th and just four points out of the relegation places.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Tottenham’s injury list is extensive: Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie, Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro are all sidelined. Cristian Romero is suspended. They’ve also had to navigate relentless upheaval behind the scenes. And amid all of that, they’ve forgotten how to win; their last league victory was against Crystal Palace on Dec. 28. Oh, and they also have Europe in the equation.
New Spurs manager Igor Tudor has played one, lost one in the Premier League, but says he is 100% convinced Spurs will be a Premier League team next season. Regardless of what he thinks will happen, Spurs are in a relegation scrap. Worryingly, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest are showing signs of improvement and resilient beneath them.
Spurs look low on confidence: These are players who are accustomed to playing in Europe and trying to reach the summit, not scrapping around at the base of the league. Tudor is well versed in getting top players to think his way, and he has managed big clubs (Juventus, Lazio, Marseille) to then steer them through choppy waters, but this could be his greatest ask yet.
Key to survival will be their ability to rally and fight for one another. Take this from Jarrod Bowen after West Ham’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth: “That’s a pleasing thing in the changing room when you can look around and say: ‘He’s got my back and I’ve got his.'” Can the same be said for Spurs?
Leeds, West Ham and Nottingham Forest are ready to battle. Spurs must start landing some punches of their own.
Chelsea are the most undisciplined side in Premier League history
Chelsea’s disciplinary record is truly grim. They picked up their sixth red card of the Premier League season in their 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday, with Wesley Fofana getting sent off for two yellows. At this point, the league record for red cards is not that far out of reach.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
We looked at Chelsea’s discipline back on Dec. 2 and whether it would cost them a Champions League spot. Back then, coach Enzo Maresca looked settled, and Chelsea were finding a way to grind matches out with 10 men. We said it wasn’t yet an issue that would scuttle their season, but they needed to sort it quickly.
Well, it’s still a major problem. Chelsea have lost 17 points from winning positions this term, and it happened again against Burnley as they conceded a 93rd-minute equalizer, with Zian Flemming heading home. But their red cards are not helping in the least. On Saturday, Wesley Fofana’s red made it nine total in all competitions (if you count Maresca’s against Liverpool in October). They’ve won just one of the six league matches in which they’ve had a player sent off.
But the Premier League record? Chelsea still have a way to go. Sunderland (2009-10) and QPR (2011-12) managed nine red cards, so they hold the record for the poorest discipline. It would take a lot for them to reach that unenviable mark.
It’s one of the unwanted habits that has crossed from Maresca’s tenure into Liam Rosenior’s. Chelsea have a young squad, but that’s not the sole reason for blame. “We need players you can rely on in the moment to do their job,” Rosenior said. “I know what we need to get there. It’s not down to youth; it’s down to assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments.”
Viktor Gyökeres has finally filled his Arsenal shirt
Gyökeres put in arguably his finest performance for Arsenal in the North London derby, scoring a second-half brace. As the Gunners chase their first title since 2003, Gyökeres might finally be living up to his $74 million transfer fee after making the move from Sporting CP last summer.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
In addition to his two wonderful goals, Gyökeres linked well with Bukayo Saka coming off the right wing, and was generally an immense nuisance down Spurs’ left side. His runs also created space for others, drawing defenders away. While he sometimes struggles in holding the ball up, his lethal form in front of goal was what Arsenal fans have been waiting for.
He has faced frequent challenges to his spot in the side. There was that spell when manager Mikel Arteta favored Mikel Merino as a false nine, and Gabriel Jesus‘ return added a further threat. With Arsenal in the driver’s seat of the title race, though, it’s Gyökeres’ shirt to lose. He’s scored more goals across all competitions than any other player in the Premier League in 2026.
But to say he’s finally living up to his transfer fee is premature, as he now faces the challenge of backing it up across the remaining 10 matches of the season. He’s rightly receiving praise for his performance last weekend, but he needs to show consistency over the coming weeks.
Raul Jiménez is one of the Premier League’s great stories
Jiménez suffered a fractured skull in November 2020 and after eight months of rehabilitation, he returned to action the next summer. Since joining Fulham from Wolverhampton Wanderers in June 2023 for a fee of $6.4 million, he has proved to be one of the best signings in Premier League history, with his brace for Fulham in their 3-1 win at Sunderland on Sunday the latest evidence.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
The Jiménez who arrived at Fulham in 2023 was still finding his feet in the sport after that horrific injury. “He was not in a good moment in his career,” Fulham manager Marco Silva said postmatch Sunday. That’s no surprise given doctors told Jiménez he was lucky to be alive.
In his final season for Wolves, Jiménez scored just three Carabao Cup goals. But Fulham believed they could nurture him back to his best. “We showed the confidence that we are capable for him to get to his best level,” Silva said. “We hope there is more to come. For a striker that we signed at the price we signed, he is doing very, very well.”
Jiménez’s brace gave Fulham a priceless win at Sunderland. It’s safe to argue that he must be one of the best points-per-pound acquisitions in the top flight. He has eight league goals this term, after chipping in with 12 last year and seven the season previous. With Rodrigo Muniz having missed so much of this season through injury, Jiménez has been leading the line.
While he doesn’t have the same pace we saw when he broke through for Wolves back in 2018, he still has that lethal touch in front of goal. His first against Sunderland saw him head home unmarked a corner, and his second was a calmly taken penalty. He’s 34 now, and heading into the twilight of his career, but his influence has not diminished.
Sports
NJ Transit CEO explains World Cup fare hike as NJ Gov again implores FIFA to pay for $150 train tickets
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An already-expensive trip to the World Cup just got even more costly, as NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee announced fare hikes to attend eight matches at MetLife Stadium this year.
The East Rutherford, New Jersey, stadium will host those matches, beginning June 13 and ending with the final on July 19, but a roundtrip train ticket to and from New York Penn Station and MetLife Stadium will be $150, up from the usual $12.90. Shuttles are also available for $80.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare hikes on Friday, saying that the ultimate cost to the public transportation company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri and Alex Lasry, CEO of the 2026 FIFA World Cup New York New Jersey Host Committee, speak during a press briefing on the regional mobility plan for the World Cup in Newark, New Jersey, on April 17, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and in the world. Equally important, she has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game, because that would not be fair,” Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament will cost NJ Transit $48 million.
“In order to move 40,000 people and to pay for the cost of $6 million (per game), we have to charge $150.”
The CEO said that if the regular $12.90 fare were put in place, commuters would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.
“No one that I have spoken to thinks that’s fair or reasonable. Commuters in New Jersey should not carry the cost years into the future for a wonderful event, no doubt. But the fans going to the games should burden the cost, that’s all we’re trying to say,” Kolluri added.
Days after New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that FIFA should pay for commuters’ costs, she did so again shortly after the fare hikes were announced.
“New Jersey is ready and excited to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer – including the World Cup Final,” Sherrill began in a social media post Friday.
A general view of MetLife Stadium and the Meadowlands Train Station is seen from a NJ Transit train before the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 9, 2025. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“Since I took office, my Administration has been working to prepare for the biggest sporting event our state has ever seen – and today, NJ TRANSIT released their Mobility Plan to move 40,000 fans to and from each match safely and efficiently. In the FIFA World Cup agreement that my Administration inherited, FIFA put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans. It also eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, putting the burden of transporting four times more matchday riders than typical for an event at the stadium on NJ TRANSIT. This agreement will cost NJ TRANSIT at least $48 million, while FIFA is positioned to make $11 billion during the World Cup.
“As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day.”
The fare hikes, however, did not please FIFA. In a scathing statement to Fox News Digital, World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said the “current pricing model will have a chilling effect,” including congestion, late arrivals, and “broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.”
Schirgi also ripped Sherrill for her “unprecedented” ask to make FIFA pay for the commuting costs.
“No other global event, concert or major sporting promoter has faced such a demand. While FIFA is projected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profit, as the Governor incorrectly claims, FIFA has always been a not-for-profit organization as per our statutes. Revenues from the FIFA World Cup are reinvested into developing the game of football, particularly for youth and women, worldwide,” Schirgi said.
Commuters move through the NJ Transit section of Penn Station in New York City on May 20, 2025, after NJ Transit resumed operations following a tentative deal to end a three-day strike by train engineers. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Parking has been barred from MetLife Stadium, and rideshare will be extremely limited, both of which will result in increased NJ Transit commutes.
New York Penn Station will also only be open to matchgoers beginning four hours prior to the start of games, and fans were urged to avoid nonessential NJ Transit travel on game days.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
- Lahore Qalandars defeat Rawalpindiz by 32 runs.
- Chasing 211, Rawalpindiz were restricted to 178-9.
- Fakhar Zaman gets Player of the Match award.
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars secured their third victory of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 on Saturday, defeating Rawalpindiz by 32 runs at the National Bank Stadium Karachi to eliminate them from the tournament.
Chasing 211, Rawalpindiz were restricted to 178-9 in their 20 overs, courtesy of an excellent bowling performance by the Qalandars’ attack.
Pindiz made a poor start as opener Shahzaib Khan became the first batter dismissed in the third over, falling to skipper Shaheen Afridi.
Afridi struck again in the same over, removing captain Mohammad Rizwan for a run-a-ball nine, which included two boundaries, leaving the side struggling at 17-2 in 2.3 overs.
Daryl Mitchell and Yasir Khan then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership, taking the score past the 50-run mark. The duo added a 50-run stand as Yasir played positively, bringing up his fourth PSL half-century.
However, their 71-run partnership was broken when Haris Rauf dismissed Mitchell for 11 off 15 balls, including one four, leaving Pindiz at 88-3 in 9.2 overs.
Rauf struck again in the same over, removing Yasir after a brilliant 58 off 29 deliveries, which included six fours and three sixes.
Sam Billings and Dian Forrester attempted to rebuild the innings and took the score past 100. However, Sikandar Raza broke the stand by dismissing Billings via stumping for just seven runs.
RawalPindiz continued to lose wickets as Usama Mir joined the attack, removing Dian Forrester for eight off 10 balls, leaving the side at 110-6 in 12.5 overs.
Usama struck again, dismissing Colin McConchie for three off five deliveries. Daniel Sams then removed Razaullah cheaply for five off 10 balls, adding further pressure on the batting side.
Saad Masood fought hard with a spirited knock, pushing the total past 150 and bringing up his maiden PSL half-century.
In the final over, Haris Rauf picked up his third wicket by ending Saad’s impressive innings of 54 off 26 balls, which included nine fours and one six, while Asif Afridi hit a four off the last delivery.
Batting first, Lahore Qalandars finished their innings at 210-4 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of outstanding performances by their opening batters Mohammad Farooq and Fakhar Zaman.
The pair began scoring at regular intervals, with Farooq leading from the front as runs flowed quickly through boundaries, putting early pressure on the Pindiz bowling attack as the score crossed the 50-run mark inside the powerplay.
Farooq was in top-notch form with the bat, while Fakhar contributed steadily from the other end, which also helped the young batter raise his bat for his maiden PSL fifty.
The duo troubled the opposition and showed no signs of slowing down as they brought up their 100-run stand, showcasing their brilliance while aiming to post a mammoth total to defend.
However, the 121-run partnership was broken when Mohammad Amir struck on the fifth delivery of the 11th over, dismissing the prized wicket of Farooq, who played an exceptional knock of 63 off 41 deliveries, including five fours and the same number of sixes.
Fakhar remained composed at the crease and kept the scoreboard moving for his side, which not only helped the team’s total surge past the 150-run mark but also saw the left-handed batter raise his bat for his 25th PSL half-century.
Abdullah Shafique came to the crease and started piling on runs, notching up a 50-run stand alongside Fakhar as the duo remained dominant with their batting approach.
However, Razaullah struck to break the 70-run partnership, dismissing Abdullah Shafique, who played a vital knock of 26 off 18 deliveries, including one four and two sixes.
Raza then dealt RawalPindiz another blow as he picked up his second wicket of the match, removing Sikandar Raza for a first-ball duck, leaving the team at 191-3 after 18 overs.
Qalandars lost their fourth wicket in the 19th over as Mohammad Amir struck to end Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant innings. He played an exceptional knock of 84 off 54 deliveries, featuring 11 fours and one six.
Charith Asalanka and Asif Ali came to the crease in the final over to finish the Qalandars’ innings.
Asif struck back-to-back sixes to push the team’s total past the 200-run mark and remained unbeaten on 14 off six deliveries, while Asalanka added one run.
Razaullah and Mohammad Amir led the bowling attack, picking up two wickets each during their spells.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
BLUE PANTHER AND ÚLTIMO GUERRERO STEAL THE SHOW AT CMLL’S FIRST-EVER US EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
Ariana Grande teases new era after ‘Eternal Sunshine’ with cryptic video
I don’t regret gifting Nobel prize to Trump: Venezuela’s Machado
NaBFID signs pact with PDCOR to expand advisory support for state projects – The Times of India
-
Politics1 week agoIndian airlines hit hardest after Dubai limits foreign flights until May 31
-
Entertainment6 days agoPalace left in shock as Prince William cancels grand ceremony
-
Sports5 days agoThe case for Man United’s Fernandes as Premier League’s best
-
Politics1 week agoChinese, Taiwanese will unite, Xi tells Taiwan opposition leader
-
Business5 days agoUK could adopt EU single market rules under new legislation
-
Entertainment1 week agoDua Lipa hits major career high ahead of wedding with Callum Turner
-
Business1 week agoThe FAA wants gamers to apply for air traffic control jobs
-
Sports1 week agoLamar Jackson hits back at critics with faithful message on social media