Sports Poets Society

As part of our occasional series, Xavier Greenwood examines a Premier League club in detail Xavier Greenwood 1 Mar 2026 - THE OBSERVER / Sport On-pitch performance Burnley certainly haven’t given up hope, and can point to a degree of bad luck, as the extraordinary match against Brentford showed yesterday. After going 3-0 down in 34 minutes, they thought they had won it in the 78th minute at 4-3 until Zian Flemming’s goal was ruled out. VAR intervened again controversially to deny them a point. Unfortunately their slight upturn in form is too little too late. They are 19th, eight points off safety with 10 games left. Their woes are blamed on attacking struggles: they have the fewest expected goals and chances in the league. But another promoted side, Sunderland, eight places and 18 points higher, have scored three fewer goals. The key difference is Sunderland are strong in midfield, whereas Burnley’s possession-light play has not translated into defensive solidity. Talk has turned to wh...

In the latest in our series, Paul Hayward examines a Premier League club in detail Paul Hayward 25 Jan 2026 - THE OBSERVER / Sport On-pitch performance The grumble in September was that Leeds had failed to sign a striker and undermined their survival chances. Unheralded, and on a free transfer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin did little to dispel that fear before the end of November, when he set off on a run of eight goals in nine matches. Against Manchester United, Calvert-Lewin, still only 28, outshone a £74m No9, Benjamin Šeško. He is the first Leeds player to score in six consecutive Premier League games. Daniel Farke, meanwhile, has found a settled formula that has given Leeds clear water above the relegation zone. They have lost once in 2026 so far, 4-3 at Newcastle, their only defeat in their past 10 matches, a run that includes seven unbeaten in the league – their best run in the top flight since 2001. In the core of regulars are Ethan Ampadu, Jayden Bogle, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Joe Rodon...

In the latest in our series, Paul Hayward examines a Premier League club in detail Paul Hayward 28 Dec 2025 - THE OBSERVER / Sport On-pitch performance Winning the FA Cup should have brought more glamour than a European Conference League last16 play-off against either Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic) or Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina). Palace’s demotion from the Europa League to Uefa’s third tier competition for ownership reasons hasn’t made their European debut much easier. A shadow team drew with the Finnish champions KuPS to leave Palace 10th in the Conference table and needing to win a two-legged play-off in February. Domestically, they consolidated the first major trophy win in the club’s 120-year history with 26 points from their first 15 games this season – their best Premier League start. Manchester City brought them down with a bump with a 3-0 win at Selhurst Park, then they lost 4-1 at Leeds. There are signs that nine games in 36 days are going to stretch their squad. Mean...