“Top Four Talk” is a column by Marco Haynes about the 2024-25 English Premier League in which he breaks down the week’s four most consequential talking points.
Erik ten Hag’s bubble finally bursts at West Ham
The time has finally come for Manchester United fans as Erik ten Hag’s reign as manager comes to an end afted ownership decided to sack him after a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United at London Stadium.
After a truly poor run of form — putting Man U at 14th place in the division — United is experiencing their second-lowest point tally through nine games in the Premier League, providing plenty of reasons to see the Dutch manager walk out the door.
But a poor display this season shouldn’t overtake the achievements ten Hag accomplished during his tenure with the Red Devils. Coaching 128 games in all competitions, the Dutch manager won 72 times, collecting an FA Cup, an EFL Cup and a third place finish in his first season.
You have to question if it was right to sack ten Hag who, on the list of managers hired in the post-Fergie era, has the second-best win percentage of 56.25%, behind only former boss Jose Mourinho who won at a 58.3% mark. Maybe Man United need to keep the faith and patience with their managers to build a foundation and rebuild the legacy.
Since legendary Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired, the club has gone through eight managers, all who failed to take over the helm and continue on the legacy. Ten Hag seemed to be the man to do that when he signed the contract back in 2022 but followed along the path of previous coaches.
The Red Devils are already in the market for a new manager with Sporting Lisbon coach Rúben Amorim reportedly agreeing to take over, meaning the club with have to pay his €10 million exit clause.
Manchester United will return, possibly with a new manager, for its first game against Chelsea on Sunday, with expectations to impress the Old Trafford crowd.
Nuno’s rejuvenated Nottingham Forest continue to climb the table
If there’s one manager who deserves credit for revitalizing a team, it’s Nuno Espírito Santo’s name at the top of that list. He joined Nottingham Forest on December 20, 2023, with his new team in a relegation battle. They finished 17th, outside the dropzone at the end of the season.
Fast-forward four months and Santo’s team defeated Leicester City 3-1 at the King Power Stadium, jumping his club to 7th place.
The Portuguese coach has got his players organized, becoming a formidable foe for any club to face. A statement 1-0 victory on September 14th against Liverpool at Anfield and a worthy 1-1 draw to Chelsea a few weeks earlier shows how much Santos has got his team racing for a European position.
This season, Forest has been able to score and limit the goals conceded, with one defeat to show in the division. Only Liverpool has conceded less than Santo’s squad, with Forest surrendering seven goals and putting up three clean sheets.
But Chris Wood has been a pivotal offensive player for Forest and Santo. His clinical finishing has provided seven goals in nine league appearances and his position behind the top goalscorer, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, on the leaderboard proves how much of a force this club can be this season.
Furthermore, Forest won four out of their nine league games, the same number of wins they achieved from their final 18 games during the 2023/2024 season.
Nottingham Forest aims to continue their incredible run of form against an underperforming West Ham United at the City Ground on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah haunts Arsenal again
Mohamed Salah has a long list of clubs he loves scoring against in the Premier League, and Arsenal is one of those teams. The Egyptian scored his 11th goal in15 league appearances against the Gunners during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Salah’s goal against Arsenal means only Englishmen Harry Kane (14) and Wayne Rooney (12) have found the back of the net more times in the division.
The Egyptian netted his sixth goal in the league this season, which means he moves into 8th position among the all-time Premier League goalscorers with 163 goals out of 272 appearances to overtake legendary striker Jermaine Defoe.
Even so, Salah has established himself as an icon in the Premier League and a crucial player for Liverpool, obtaining three goal boots, one player of the season and a Premier League title.
Although Salah scores many goals, the attacking playmaker also has five assists in the division. Only Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has more than him with seven.
The Egyptian winger is most certainly going to be pivotal in Arne Slot’s team this season as they aim for a second Premier League title. A point on the road to title-rivals Arsenal keeps the Reds in 2nd place, with a point separating them and new league leaders Manchester City. Salah’s brilliance offensively can play a crucial role in Liverpool getting their hands on the league trophy again.
Salah and Liverpool return to Anfield on Saturday against a difficult Brighton team, aiming to win and reclaim the top spot.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle continues to look blunt and uninspiring
Three years ago, Newcastle United was bought by new owners, and the fans finally put the disappointing and lackluster era of the Mike Ashley seasons behind them. There is new ownership and a new identity with manager Eddie Howe, with the two main objectives being trophies and European football. In the years that came, the Magpies qualified for the Champions League and were defeated 2-1 in the EFL Cup final against Manchester United in the 2022-2023 season. Only one European qualification and zero trophies show the ownership still has a lot of work to do.
Over the weekend, Newcastle was defeated 2-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, dropping Howe’s team to 12th place. It’s the Magpie’s second defeat in a row and their third this season in the division. If Howe doesn’t turn it around, this inconsistent run of form might mean another season without European football.
Pivotal forward Alexander Isak hasn’t been able to find his shooting boots this season, only scoring two goals from eight appearances. Last season, the Swedish striker’s clinical finishing led his team to a seventh-place finish because of his 25 goals.
But winger Havery Barnes has been a shed of light amongst the underperforming Newcastle squad. The English attacker has three goals this season, including a game-winning strike against Wolves on September 15.
For the most part, Howe must find the spark that made his side such a hardworking team to return to a European position. The return of the Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali after spending 10 months in the stands for breaching betting rules and getting Isak back into his fiery goalscoring form again should get Howe’s team back again. However, if nothing is fixed, a new manager might have the following answer.
Newcastle returns with the difficult task of facing title-contending Arsenal at St. James Park on Saturday.
“Top Four Talk” runs every Wednesday.