Managers

It may be only the beginning of February, but Chelsea are already looking set to run away with the Premier League title this season.

In the span of four days, Arsenal let slip any hopes they had of overtaking Chelsea for the Premier League title, and in typical Arsenal fashion. Despite being eight points behind Chelsea before the midweek fixtures, Arsenal had a chance to put some pressure on the Blues at the top. The Gunners were taking on mid-table side Watford at the Emirates Stadium while Chelsea traveled to Anfield to face top-four contenders Liverpool.

In the summer of 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson, who had managed the club since 1986, announced his retirement from Manchester United, taking 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League titles with him. 

The Red Devils attempted to continue their unmatched level of success with the hiring of David Moyes, who’d managed Everton with aplomb for over 10 years. Moyes’ first and only season at the helm was an unmitigated disaster. 

Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner worked as the Borussia Dortmund reserve team manager from 2011-2015 with Jurgen Klopp coaching the senior side. When Klopp was handed the task of managing Liverpool, Wagner was offered the role at Huddersfield in the English Championship.

Wagner, like Klopp, is in his 40s, wears nice glasses and is a bit emotional. On Sunday, Wagner reacted to his side’s late game-winning goal against Leeds United by running the length of the pitch to celebrate with his players.

Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad has silenced many critics, especially after both Sevilla and Barcelona dropped points. Real now have a four-point lead with a game in hand at the top of La Liga. But such is the nature of the beast at the Santiago Bernabeu that Zinedine Zidane is still facing questions over a poor January that included a stretch of one win in five matches and elimination from the Copa del Rey. 

Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio has named his 23-man squad for El Tri’s February 8 friendly against Iceland in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the match does not fall on an official FIFA international date (meaning European clubs do not have to release their players for national team duty), the squad is primarily Mexico-based, apart from the LA Galaxy’s Giovani dos Santos.

The 2016 NWSL season concluded on October 6th with the Western New York Flash winning the title on penalties. Meanwhile, on the men's side of the game, the Carolina RailHawks were sitting at home after missing the NASL playoffs and wondering how to rebound in 2017. Now, neither of those teams exist — well, not in their previous form.