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TASK AHEAD OF MOURINHO AT TOTTENHAM

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Jose Mourinho is back in the Premier League, replacing Mauricio Pochettino as manager of Tottenham on Wednesday.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss inherits a side packed with quality players but currently 14th in the Premier League table.

Agence France-Presse looks at five of the most pressing issues in the 56-year-old Portuguese’s in-tray.

1. WIN A TROPHY

Mourinho’s first task will be to stop Tottenham’s slide. Last season they rubbed shoulders with Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the league before falling away.

Spurs, and Mourinho, will be desperate to end the club’s trophy drought, which has lasted for more than a decade.

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They have not won the English top flight since 1961.

As well as his high profile, Mourinho’s knack of picking up silverware will have been a huge plus for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

For all of Pochettino’s success, he was unable to win a trophy for the club in his spell of more than five years in charge.

2. DEFENSIVE ISSUES

Tottenham have struggled defensively this season.

They have kept just one clean sheet in the league and conceded seven in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich.

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Mourinho is renowned for his ability to build a side that is defensively rigid and he will have to get to work quickly on drilling his new back line.

3. SORT OUT CONTRACTS

Pochettino faced a major problem after a summer rebuild failed to materialise and he was left with a clutch of players who had appeared to be on their way out of the club.

Christian Eriksen spoke publicly of his desire to quit Spurs at the end of last season and the Dane, along with Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, is in the final year of his contract.

Eriksen, Danny Rose – also linked with a move away – and Vertonghen, have performed well below par this season.

Mourinho must find a way to unite the squad quickly and get the best out of his players, some of whom could leave the club as early as January.

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4. TACKLE AWAY FORM

Part of Pochettino’s demise was due to poor away form. Spurs have won just three times on the road since January – all in the Champions League.

That is not good enough for a side of Tottenham’s quality.

5. CONVINCE HARRY KANE TO STAY

While the fate of players such as Eriksen, Vertonghen and Alderweireld may be out of his hands, Mourinho needs to convince Harry Kane that his future remains at Spurs.

The England captain is under contract for plenty of time yet, but he is a superstar of European football and has always said he wants to win things.

Ideally that would be at Spurs, and his chances of that might just have improved, but it would be a surprise if he were not linked with the super clubs this summer, especially if he has a good Euro 2020.

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Mourinho needs to do everything he can to make sure Kane, who had a close relationship with Pochettino, still feels content at the club – and hopefully winning matches will help to convince him.

-AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Maguire handed suspended prison sentence for 2020 brawl 

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Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Harry Maguire reacts REUTERS/Chris Radburn/File Photo 

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence ​by a Greek court over a 2020 ‌incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.

In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted ​bribery and violence against public employees after ​his arrest in a brawl in which ⁠two police officers were assaulted.

Maguire, who was detained ​for two days following the incident and denied ​any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full ​retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on ​multiple charges.

In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing ‌nullified ⁠Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.

Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest ​and attempted ​bribery. The ⁠32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. ​His legal team will appeal against ​the ⁠guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.

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Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences ⁠related ​to the incident and received ​suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.

-Reuters

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Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

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 Arsenal's David Raya celebrates after Jurrien Timber scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.

Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.

Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.

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Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy 

Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.

But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.

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Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.

-Reuters

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Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace

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 Premier League - Manchester United v Crystal Palace - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - March 1, 2026 Manchester United's Matheus Cunha in action with Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.

Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.

The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.

“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”

Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.

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The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.

United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.

The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.

Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.

United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.

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Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”

Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”

For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.

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