With FIFA's chequered history, just ask Sepp Blatter and the FBI, one could wonder if the keeper of football could steep any lower but they achieved that this week. Gianno Infantino, the current FIFA president has awarded the 2034 World Cup to, surprise surprise, Saudi Arabia. It was hardly a secret that the country with a bottomless pit of funds was going to host the competition; the problem was how they had no challengers. Long gone are the days when members of FIFA passed brown envelopes around and were given gifts in order for a country vote, it's all done in the open now, there are no votes, no challengers, does it feel like a dictatorship yet? One look at England and the glorious stadiums they have and yes some European Championship matches have been played in the country but it seems obscene that England have not held the tournament since 1966. Would England be chosen without an actual vote though? This is all about the money, it's always about the money and FIFA should be ashamed of themselves, but of course they will not. Another organisation who should be hanging their heads in shame are closer to home and that is the FA. The FA came out this week in support of a Saudi Arabian World Cup, that is fine but when you also have an organisation wanting to give a voice to the gay community and demanding that players wear rainbow coloured laces, something is amiss. Promoting equality is hardly a bad thing but you can't have your interests in both that and promoting sports in Saudi Arabia. What do the FA want? Because their support of a World Cup in Saudi Arabia puts them at odds surely with how they feel at home. They can't be putting their truthful interests in both pots, and if they are supporting Saudi Arabia then all of their efforts in the Premier League feel like some of the most major virtue signalling we have ever seen. Sadly like FIFA, interests come down to money.
It is strange to see how Manchester City have won just once in their last 10 games in all competitions and in midweek they lost 2-0 away to Juventus in the Champions League. This past weekend City should have pounced on a chance to catch up to league leaders Liverpool with their Merseyside derby postponed because of inclement weather. Instead City couldn't beat Crystal Palace they could only draw 2-2 and you get the feeling that City may well be out of the title race. If Liverpool were to win their game in hand the gap between them and City would be 11 points. Chelsea and Arsenal sit in between a possible City revival and whisper it but Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are only one win away from surpassing Pep Guardiola's side. Because of the fixture list around Christmas City's title chances are not quite over yet, and things can change quickly in the league. Liverpool's superiority this season was tested last week as they dropped points at Newcastle and everyone is waiting for manager Arne Slot's first drop off in form. However if City have not been able to pull back some points this time next month it should be fair to say that any hopes of a fifth league win in a row would have ended.
At this point of the season it is Chelsea who look most likely to challenge Liverpool. What a turnaround it has been for the Blues, who had been poor since winning the 2021 Champions League edition. Of course naysayers will tell you if you keep throwing money at a team at one point it will stick, granted history has confirmed this but at the same time look at the money that has been spent at Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United. However no one has been able to compete with the near £2 billion spent at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea do possess quality players. For now credit must go to manager Enzo Maresca who is doing a fine job as good as Slot is doing over at Liverpool. Just four points separates the clubs although the Reds have played a game less.
Finally Erling Haaland is banging in the goals this season and 13 is a great effort at this stage of the season. He is on course to break his record breaking 36 in his debut one for City. However Haaland has become accustomed to having his name in first place when we look at the top goalscorers chart and currently he is in 2nd. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is in 1st although both players have scored 13 goals each Salah comes out on top because he has also assisted in 8 goals to Haaland's 1. Haaland will be hoping that his goalscoring feats will not play a similar card to City's season so far but there is a chance that the odds on favourite may be eclipsed this season. Cole Palmer is also putting Haaland under pressure and the former City player is having a dream season with Chelsea and he has 11 goals, just two behind Haaland.
Premier League: Top Goalscorer 2024/25: Erling Haaland at 1.62, Mohamed Salah at 3.25, Cole Palmer at 9.00, Nicolas Jackson at 34.00, Chris Wood at 34.00
© Copyright topfootballtipster.com 2019
