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Inside Gareth Southgate’s England exit – the possible replacement

Gareth Southgate's tenure as England manager came to an end on Tuesday morning. At 11am BST, the FA confirmed the verdict, and the

Gareth Southgate’s tenure as England manager came to an end on Tuesday morning.

At 11am BST, the FA confirmed the verdict, and the country was officially in the post-Southgate era. He was no longer ‘the one’.

A 329-word first-person statement was published across England’s website and social media channels, a clear sign that this decision was firmly led by Southgate, who wanted to depart by directly addressing the nation.

90min understands it was always likely Southgate would have walked away from the job if England didn’t win Euro 2024. The FA had hoped if the Three Lions were victorious in Berlin or performances across the tournament as a whole were promising, they would be able to convince the 53-year-old to stay on for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Alas, England limped to the Olympiastadion and Southgate made the call to stand down quickly after the loss to Spain.

Southgate is widely credited as the architect behind England’s club-style feel which ultimately led to their return to international prominence and contention. He was not sacked nor pressured to leave. It was a fast and collaborative decision, and the FA do not have a singular leading candidate in mind at the moment.

However, their shortlist is relatively short, with only four-to-five names under consideration at this moment. This is due to succession-planning, regardless of whether Southgate left now or later, being underway for over a year.

The odd-one-out among the names discussed is Mauricio Pochettino, who is the only foreign coach in the FA’s thinking. But sources have told 90min that this does not mean the Argentine is at a disadvantage – the best candidate for the job will be hired regardless of nationality.

Pochettino is open to an approach from the FA and has made no secret of his love of English football and living in the country.

Mauricio Pochettino


Pochettino’s predecessor at Chelsea, Graham Potter, is another name on the FA’s list. He was highly regarded during his spell in charge of Brighton & Hove Albion, and it is believed any official judgement in regards to the England job would be framed around his job at the Amex Stadium, rather than his difficult spell at Stamford Bridge.

Potter has rejected various offers since leaving Chelsea in April 2023, and though he is open to international management, he could still turn to club football again if he is presented with the right offer.

The FA admired Southgate for his three-year stint in charge of England’s Under-21s, and that side’s current boss, Lee Carsley, is also a candidate. The FA want to set up pathways for coaches as well as players, and Carsley, who led the U21s to European Championship glory last summer and has worked with a sizeable portion of the senior squad, is expected to be involved in the process.

And then there is the most intriguing candidate – Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, who has long been touted as a potential Southgate successor.

 

Eddie Howe

90min understands Howe would consider taking the England job even though Newcastle will fight to keep him.

Newcastle are in a building process as they try to compete consistently with the Premier League’s big six. Yet changes behind the scenes at St James’ Park, although ambitious ones, could lead Howe to consider his options. He certainly hasn’t lost faith in the Magpies’ project, but there has been quite a bit of upheaval and the England job doesn’t come around too often.

Last week, it was announced that co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi would leave Newcastle. Right there, Howe lost two of his allies in the boardroom.

Paul Mitchell has also been appointed as the club’s replacement for sporting director Dan Ashworth, who was finally granted permission to leave for Manchester United earlier this month. Howe has huge respect for Mitchell, who could yet be a factor in him choosing to remain since the former Monaco sporting director is seen as a major coup. But what is clear is Dougie Freedman was Howe’s first choice for sporting director, as he was for many in the Newcastle hierarchy, but he chose to stay at Crystal Palace.

Newcastle want Howe to stay but they won’t deny him an interview if one is offered and would respect his decision.

If Howe is chosen, and we are a long way from that still, he will require compensation, but this won’t be a problem for the FA, who are more willing than clubs to pay managerial release clauses. Nevertheless, they have been handed a financial boost, as the amount quoted in Howe’s contract is now lower than the £8m sum they would have had to pay had Newcastle qualified for Europe.

There is also a dark-horse contender in Wolves’ Gary O’Neil, who has fans from within the England setup. Thomas Tuchel has also been linked with the vacancy as well, but FA sources have downplayed the possibility of him being a candidate.

 

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He Gives Us Energy: William Saliba Hails Mastermind Behind Arsenal’s Defensive Dominance

William Saliba and Gabriel Heinze during Arsenal training session

Arsenal’s defensive dominance in the Premier League has a new driving force behind it, according to William Saliba. The French centre-back has hailed Gabriel Heinze, Mikel Arteta’s new first-team coach, as the mastermind behind the Gunners’ impressive backline.

Since joining Arteta’s staff in July, Heinze has brought his trademark intensity and energy to Arsenal’s training ground, helping a side that has conceded just seven goals in 14 Premier League matches — the best defensive record in the division.

Heinze’s Influence On The Gunners

Speaking to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Saliba described Heinze as a constant presence around the defenders:

“Gabriel Heinze helps a lot, especially the defenders. He gives us energy because he’s always talking, always loud — even in training when we do simple things, he’s always loud. Even for nothing, he will be loud! He talks a lot and it’s good to have him close to us. I think this guy can help us a lot.”

Saliba’s comments paint a vivid picture of Heinze as a demanding coach, whose booming voice and relentless standards lift the entire defensive unit.

Arteta added context to Heinze’s appointment, noting their long-standing friendship and mutual trust:

“He’s a winner. He’s won in many clubs he’s been at. We’ve known each other for 23 years, I’m very close to that. It brings something extra.”

He praised Heinze’s tactical insight and complementary personality:

“We complement each other really well, and everybody brings a different insight, a different character, a different personality, to the table that makes us a much better team.”

A Winning Pedigree

Heinze’s coaching approach is rooted in a winning playing career. From PSG to Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Marseille, the former defender was known for hard tackling and relentless duels. Since retiring in 2014, he’s built a coaching résumé across South America and the U.S., including stints at Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Velez Sarsfield, Atlanta United, and Newell’s Old Boys.

Testing Defensive Resilience

Heinze’s influence comes at a time when Arsenal’s defense has been hit by injuries. Key centre-backs Saliba and Gabriel have been sidelined, forcing Arteta to deploy makeshift partnerships like Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, and Jurrien Timber. Despite the reshuffling, Arsenal still secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford, proving the defensive organisation and resilience Heinze has instilled.

Arteta commented on the injury situation:

“He (Saliba) had a little niggle, so I think it’s going to be a matter of days. Big Gabi is doing very well as well, but that’s weeks as well.”

With Heinze bringing energy, intensity, and tactical sharpness, Arsenal’s defensive stability continues to impress, even amid injury crises — a testament to the Argentine coach’s impact on the Premier League leaders.

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Arne Slot Confirms Mohamed Salah Is ‘Always In My Mind’ Amid Liverpool Absence

Mohamed Salah sitting on Liverpool bench during Premier League match

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has addressed the speculation surrounding Mohamed Salah, admitting that the Egypt forward is “always in my mind” despite being left out of the last two starting line-ups.

Salah, 33, has had a slow start to the Premier League season, scoring just four goals, and has played only 45 minutes across the last two games. The forward’s omission from the starting XI has sparked talk of a potential Saudi Pro League move, though Salah recently signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April.

Slot Explains Salah Situation

“I think for every player in my mind can start and Mo is an exceptional player for us,” Slot said. “He is always in my mind to either start or to come off the bench.”

Salah played a starring role last season, scoring 29 goals as Liverpool lifted the Premier League in Slot’s first campaign. However, he was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at West Ham and again came off the bench in the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland.

Slot acknowledged the chatter around Salah’s absence, saying:

“The chatter, yes because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me and six or seven years. It’s completely normal people talk about it when he isn’t playing.”

Van Dijk Weighs In

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also commented, highlighting that no player at the club has “unlimited credit”:

“He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. He’s disappointed but that’s absolutely normal. It’s always been the case that no one is undroppable.”

This statement underscores the high standards at Liverpool, even for one of their most prolific stars.

Liverpool’s Current Form

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, having won just two of their nine league games. Salah’s presence will be crucial as Liverpool look to regain momentum, with their next game set against Leeds United.

While fans debate Salah’s place in the squad, both Slot and Van Dijk emphasize that he remains central to Liverpool’s ambitions, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

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Premier League

‘Frustrated And Angry’ – Ruben Amorim Lets Rip At Man Utd After Throwing Away Lead Against West Ham

'I'm Frustrated' - Amorim Laments As Man Utd Lose Again

Manchester United had a golden opportunity to climb into the Premier League’s top five — but instead, they left Old Trafford with more frustration, more questions, and a visibly angry Ruben Amorim.

Diogo Dalot’s second-half strike should have been the start of a comfortable win. Instead, it became another night where United looked unsure, unfocused, and unable to kill off an opponent fighting for survival.

And Amorim?
He did not hide his feelings one bit.

United Drop Points… Again

United were coming off a shock defeat to 10-man Everton, and this was supposed to be the perfect response. Facing 18th-placed West Ham — a team with just one away win all season — many expected a bounce-back.

But things didn’t go as planned.

The Red Devils struggled to create clear chances, Bruno Fernandes couldn’t pull the strings, and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven looked shaky in his first Premier League start before being taken off at half-time.

West Ham stayed patient, stayed organised, and took their chance when it came.
Soungoutou Magassa pounced late in the game, smashing home from a corner to make it 1-1.

Old Trafford went silent.
Amorim, however, did not.

Amorim: “We Should Have Closed The Game Out”

The United manager could not hide his disappointment after the match.

“We lost control after the first goal,” he said. “We stopped winning second balls. We defended too far from our goal. We had the game under control and we didn’t win. That is frustrating and that is why I am angry.”

He went further on BBC Match of the Day:
“We should have closed the game with the ball. The game was there to win. We had our moments but we lost control. After the goal, we were sloppy. It’s really frustrating.”

For a manager who prides himself on structure, the collapse in control clearly hit a nerve.

The Heaven-Yoro Decision

Amorim raised eyebrows by starting Ayden Heaven and dropping Leny Yoro. But after Heaven collected an early yellow card and struggled against Callum Wilson, the manager had no choice but to make a switch.

“Of course it was the yellow card,” Amorim explained. “One more foul and it could be another yellow. We also needed him for set pieces. We have to be smarter.”

It was a risky gamble that didn’t pay off — but it wasn’t the main reason United failed to take all three points.

Dalot: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Dalot, who scored United’s goal, echoed his manager’s frustration.

“We cannot get anxious after scoring,” he said. “We became sloppy with the ball. We knew West Ham would look for counters and set pieces, and it was more our fault than anything they did.”

United have now taken just two points from their last three Premier League games at Old Trafford — and the pressure continues to grow.

Sports Market International Verdict

This is the kind of match top-five teams win without stress. But instead, Manchester United once again handed the momentum back to a relegation-fighting opponent.

From missed chances to lack of control to late lapses, the problems are becoming predictable — and the excuses are becoming fewer.

If the Red Devils want to climb back into the elite category, these are the games they simply must win.

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