The Sky Sports Football Podcast

On the last Essential Football Weekend Wrap of the season, Oliver Yew takes you through a round of games which saw Everton retain their Premier League status, while Leicester and Leeds dropped down to the Sky Bet Championship.Ben Grounds, Zinny Boswell, and David Richardson take us through the drama of Everton's win, which guaranteed survival, Leicester's relegation despite thier win against West Ham and Leeds' heavy loss against Tottenham as the battle to beat the drop was finally settled.Elsewhere, there were celebrations for Aston Villa as they secured the final European spot, meaning they will play in the Europa Conference League next season after pipping Spurs and Brentford, who beat champions Man City on the final day. Ron Walker and Sam Blitz report on Villa's win and Brentford's success against Pep Guardiola's side respectively.Nick Wright, Adam Bate and Peter Smith deliver final day verdicts from the Emirates Stadium, Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge after wins for Arsenal and Man Utd, and Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Newcastle, while Laura Hunter and Adam Smith round the season off with reports from St Mary's as already relegated Southampton played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Liverpool and Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace were held by Nottingham Forest.And that's your final Premier League Weekend Wrap of the season!

The TV legend that is Jeff Stelling joins Ron Walker for a special Essential Football on his last day at Sky Sports to look back on his 29 years in the Soccer Saturday chair.Jeff talks us through his three decades in the hotseat, what he'll miss most about being the face of Saturday afternoon TV and the best and worst moments that stick in his mind down the years.From George Best to Chris Kamara and everyone between, Jeff reveals how he made guests feel so at ease in the Soccer Saturday studio, how he seemed to have a statistic about every player from every league and why fronting ‘Sports Saturday' back in 1994 didn't seem like the most appealing job in the world back then – how times change.

Roberto Firmino waved goodbye to Anfield last weekend and on Sunday he will make his final appearance for Liverpool at Southampton before leaving the club this summer. After his emotional send-off from the home fans after scoring a late equaliser against Aston Villa, we look at how he became a cult hero for the club's supporters, his importance to Jurgen Klopp's style of play and the impact he had on the Premier League. Peter Smith is joined by Sky Sports senior football journalist Richard Morgan to analyse Firmino's time in England and we hear from Jamie Carragher about this unique player.

Kelly Cates is joined by Jamie Redknapp, Mary Earps and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as Manchester Utd confirmed a top-four finish with a Casemiro-inspired 4-1 win over Chelsea.

With the Premier League reaching its conclusion this weekend, Sky Sports football journalists Peter Smith, Nick Wright and Sam Blitz discuss, debate and celebrate the stars of the 2022/23 season. You can join in and have your say by visiting the Sky Sports website or App on Friday and posting your picks of the season in our interactive blog.

Coming towards the end of a bumpier first year in charge at Chelsea than either Todd Boehly or Behdad Eghbali could have ever envisaged, Sky Sports digital football journalist Joe Shread looks back on the most turbluent season in living memory at Stamford Bridge.In a special edition of Essential Football, Joe joins Ron Walker to discuss the key topics from a campaign which began with such promise after a tough end to the Roman Abramovich era.Up for discussion is how the new owners' relationship with Thomas Tuchel soured - and resulted in his sacking days after a chaotic summer transfer window had ended, before the pursuit of Graham Potter and the rapid toxic atmosphere which soon engulfed his reign amid another mad spending spree.Then it's onto the return of Frank Lampard and Chelsea plumetting to new depths under their interim manager - but renewed hope finally appearing due to the impending arrival of Mauricio Pochettino.Read Joe's full feature on Chelsea's 12 months of chaos on the Sky Sports website.

David Jones is joined by Liam Rosenior, Kolo Toure and Jamie Redknapp to analyse Brighton's 1-1 draw with Manchester City which guarantees them a Europa League spot for next season. Plus, Seagulls' manager Roberto De Zerbi joins the panel to reflect on the achievement and discuss his admiration for Pep Guardiola and Brighton owner Tony Bloom heaps praise on the Italian manager claiming, "he is the perfect man for the job".

David Jones is joined by Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville as they dissect Manchester City's dominance, both domestically and in Europe, and discuss their rise in form across the course of the season. They assess Newcastle's season as Eddie Howe's side secured a Champions League place with a 0-0 draw against Leicester and look at who could be relegated on the final day of the season before finishing off the night with their end of season MNF awards.

On the latest Essential Football Weekend Wrap, Peter Smith takes you through a round of games which saw Manchester City lift the Premier League trophy after Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest.We hear from key figures at Man City on their triumph and Gary Neville explains why this is his favourite version of a Pep Guardiola team at Man City.We also dive into the relegation battle, with Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper explaining what it feels like for his side to now be safe, Sean Dyche assessing Everton's situation after their last-gasp draw at Wolves and Sky Sports' Ben Grounds reports from the London Stadium where Leeds remain in big trouble after losing to West Ham.It was partytime on the south coast, though, as Brighton celebrated a first-ever European qualification. Lewis Jones explains how they did it. Liverpool are likely to join them in the Europa League and Jurgen Klopp pays tribute to Roberto Firmino and James Milner after their draw with Aston Villa. That result boosted Man Utd's Champions League chances and Joe Shread reflects on their win at Bournemouth.Tottenham slipped out of the European qualifying spots this weekend and Dev Trehan looks back on their disappointing defeat at home to a Brentford side who could incredible sneak into the Europa Conference League themselves. Plus Sam Blitz reports from Craven Cottage where Fulham and Crystal Palace drew and their supporters paid tribute to Roy Hodgson. And that's your Premier League Weekend Wrap!

Kelly Cates is joined by Tony Adams, Michael Dawson and Jamie Carragher and they witnessed Nottingham Forest clinch Premier League survival with their 1-0 win against Arsenal which also crowned Manchester City champions for a third successive season. Carragher felt the Gunners struggled to cope with the atmosphere and intensity at the City Ground and that was credit to Steve Cooper's players for the fighting performance they produced. The trio also reflect on Arsenal's stuttering end to the season and Manchester City's relentless recent form which ultimately secured them the title.Adams feels a contributing factor to Arsenal's recent demise is the lack of depth in the squad compared to their rivals, Manchester City. Carragher believes the Gunners blew their best chance at winning the Premier League and also pointed to a lack of quality alternatives in the squad compared with their starting eleven.Steve Cooper gives his reaction to Kelly, Tony, Michael and Jamie and found it difficult to describe his emotions at the time, but said that remaining in the Premier League allows the club to keep building and growing. Mikel Arteta congratulated Manchester City on securing the Premier League during his post-match interview, but admitted it was a really sad day for the club. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis also speaks with Pat Davison and said that keeping faith with Steve Cooper was a very wise decision.

On a special edition of Essential Football, Melissa Reddy, Paul Gilmour and Lyall Thomas join Ron Walker to look ahead to Mauricio Pochettino's impending appointment as Chelsea's third manager of the Todd Boehly era.Melissa and Paul explain the depth of the philosophy which made the Argentine such a successful figure at Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton, why he can re-energise a tired Chelsea and what he's learned from his time abroad at PSG.With a huge squad for Pochettino to deal with this summer, Lyall charts the task he has on his hands in the upcoming transfer window, who could be on their way out at Stamford Bridge and where he will want to see investment ahead of the new season.

Kelly Cates is joined by Jamie Redknapp and Chris Houghton in the studio to analyse Newcastle's impressive 4-1 win over Brighton at home that sees them being one win away from securing a Champions League spot next season. The studio panel also discussed how well Arsenal have done to push Manchester City all the way and the regelation run in as we near the last few games of the season.

David Jones is joined by Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and special guest Howard Webb on Monday Night Football as before the match they look at how VAR works in the background and during a key decision in the Premier League. After Liverpool's 3-0 win over Leicester, Jamie and Gary assess both the relegation run in and the race for the top four, looking at who has the toughest fixtures and who will likely reach the Champions League and avoid relegation come the end of the season. The pair then compare Manchester United's treble winning side from 1999 to this season's Manchester City team and create their own combined XIs.

On the latest Essential Football Weekend Wrap, Peter Smith takes you through a dramatic and potentially decisive round of Premier League games which saw Man City move to within touching distance of the Premier League crown after Arsenal were beaten at home by Brighton. We hear from Mikel Arteta, Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira on a dramatic Super Sunday. We also assess the race for European football, with Joe Shread's assessment of Man Utd's win over Wolves and Declan Olley's verdict on Aston Villa's victory against Tottenham. Plus the relegation battle is proving to be a fascinating one – Zinny Boswell reflects on Nottingham Forest's point at Chelsea which helps their hopes of escaping danger, while Nick Wright analyses Crystal Palace's win over a Bournemouth side who had their top-flight status confirmed by Everton's defeat to Man City. The fight is over for Southampton, though – they have been relegated to the Championship and Ben Grounds was there at St Mary's to see their 11-season stay in the Premier League come to an end. And that's your Premier League Weekend Wrap!

Kelly Cates presents Super Sunday alongside Patrick Vieira, Roy Keane and Micah Richards who witnessed Arsenal lose 3-0 against Europe-chasing Brighton at the Emirates. The result effectively leaves Arsenal's hopes of winning the Premier League title in tatters after Manchester City won at Goodison Park earlier in the day. Patrick Vieira said no one expected the Gunners to challenge for the title this season but they will learn a lot from this campaign. Keane felt the home side looked physically and mentally shot, whilst Richards believes they have fallen short due to the lack of their strength and depth in the squad compared to Manchester City.There is also reaction from both dressing rooms including Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard who admitted that the title feels gone. A deflated Mikel Arteta also gives his post-match thoughts and said that until it is mathematically out of their reach, they will continue to push Manchester City. Roberto De Zerbi also speaks pitch side and said he was so proud of his players to produce a performance like they did.

David Jones is joined by Martin O'Neil and Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football. The MNF crew talk through Nottingham Forest's seven-goal thriller against Saints that over them out of the drop zone and the duo discuss the relegation battle.

Essential Football is back with a round-up of all the weekend's Premier League matches, featuring reporter analysis and manager reaction from up and down the top-flight.Ron Walker looks back at Arsenal's crucial win at Newcastle, which keeps the Premier League title race alive after Man City beat Leeds on Saturday.Meanwhile, the race for the top-four is also wide open after Liverpool moved to within a point of Brentford with a sixth straight win on Saturday evening. Could Man Utd respond? The answer was no and Nick Wright and Zinny Boswell analyse United's 1-0 defeat at West Ham.Peter Smith reports from Tottenham's win over Crystal Palace, which keeps their European hopes alive after another record-breaking goal from Harry Kane. Meanwhile, Aston Villa's chances of securing European qualification were dented with a 1-0 defeat at Wolves. Adam Bate gives his verdict on the home win at Molineux.Finally, Chelsea got back to winning ways. Frank Lampard and his side avoided an unwanted club record with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth, which was watched for us by Dan Sansom and Sky Sports News reporter Mark McAdam.And that's your Premier League weekend wrap!

David Jones is joined by Gary Neville, William Gallas and Shay Given as they reflect on Arsenal's statement win over Newcastle. Gunners captain Martin Odegaard scored a sublime first and a Fabian Schar own goal gave the London side a 2-0 victory that keeps them hot on the heels of Manchester City.

Micah Richards, Jamie Redknapp & Jamie Carragher look back on all the Premier League action on Saturday. Carragher thinks Mo Salah is a Liverpool all-time great after his record-breaking goal secured the win over Brentford. Man City were on course for a comfortable victory over Leeds until hat-trick-hunting captain Gundogan took a penalty, ahead of Erling Haaland, and hit the post. Jamie Carragher says he was amazed the record-breaking marksman didn't take the pen when City were only 2-nil up.

Jamie Redknapp and Paul Ince disect what was a thrilling 1-0 win for Brighton against Manchester United, with Luke Shaw giving away a last-minute penalty for a handball in the box.

Dave Jones presents ‘Premier League Live' alongside Micah Richards and Izzy Christiansen and they watched Manchester City return to the top of the table with their 3-0 win against West Ham. Erling Haaland scored yet again and broke the record for most goals in a Premier League season with his 35th strike and spoke pitch side after the match describing the moment as a very proud one for him. The forward also went on to say that he would swap all his goals this season if it ensured that Manchester City are guaranteed a historic treble.There is also reaction from goalscorer Nathan Ake as well as both Pep Guardiola and David Moyes who reflect on the result.

David Jones is joined at the Emirates by Cesc Fàbregas, Patrick Vieira and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as they discuss Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Chelsea.

David Jones is joined by Jamie Carragher and special guest Kasper Schmeichel as they analyse Leicester's thrilling 2-2 draw with Everton, in a battle for Premier League survival. The MNF panel also discuss Schmeichel's heroics with the Foxes and his thought's on several of the league's best shot stoppers.

Essential Football is back with a round-up of all the weekend's Premier League matches, featuring reporter analysis and manager reaction from up and down the top-flight.Ben Grounds looks back at Manchester City's win over Fulham, which sees them go top of the Premier League table above Arsenal.There were big results in race for Europe. There's reaction from Harry Kane, Jurgen Klopp and Sky Sports' Gary Neville to Liverpool's dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham at Anfield.Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag discusses Man Utd's 1-0 win over in-form Aston Villa before Eddie Howe and Ruben Selles analyse Newcastle's comeback win over rock-bottom Southampton, while David Richardson discusses Brighton's big win over Wolves.There were also big wins down at the bottom of the table as Bournemouth and Crystal Palace moved closer to safety with wins over Leeds and West Ham respectively. We hear from Dan Long on the Cherries' big win, while Jack Wilkinson gives his verdict from Selhurst Park.Finally, we hear from Sam Blitz as Nottingham Forest's troubles deepened as Brentford struck late twice to snatch victory at the Gtech Community stadium.And that's your Premier League Weekend Wrap!

Graeme Souness, Robbie Keane, and Jamie Redknapp think Diogo Joto should've received a red card for his challenge on Oliver Skipp during the thriller between Liverpool and Spurs, Jota went on to clinch the game for the Reds. The trio also analyse how Manchester City leapfrogging Arsenal with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Fulham where Erling Haaland equalled the record for the most Premier League goals. And, after being a regular for over a decade, Graeme Souness steps down as a Sky Sports pundit.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp joins Peter Smith on the Essential Football Podcast to reflect on Manchester City's potentially title-race defining win over Arsenal on Wednesday night, analysing what set City apart, discussing what hope Arsenal may have of another twist – and why he reckons Kevin De Bruyne ranks as the Premier League's best-ever midfielder. Former Liverpool and Tottenham captain Redknapp also has his say on those two clubs ahead of their meeting at Anfield, with the Reds finding some late-season form and Tottenham picking themselves up under interim boss Ryan Mason. The next steps for both those clubs and how they can be a force next season is on the agenda.

In a rare Premier League Midweek Wrap with all 20 teams playing over three days, Ron Walker takes you through Manchester City moving a step closer to the Premier League title after victory over Arsenal, with Adam Bate in place at the Etihad to see Mikel Arteta's side drop points for the fourth game in a row.Sam Blitz and Nick Wright are at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs mount a creditable comeback to draw with Man Utd, while Joe Shread bears witness to another bad night for Chelsea at home to Brentford.Sky Sports News' Keith Downie is at Goodison Park where Newcastle romp to victory over Everton, while Leeds and Leicester share the points in another relegation dogfight at Elland Road.Nottingham Forest end their long winless streak to see off beaten FA Cup semi-finalists Brighton, and Peter Smith is at the London Stadium where Liverpool edge to victory over West Ham - but not without controversy.Joe Shread again gives us his thoughts on Southampton's prospects after defeat to Bournemouth, Unai Emery's sensational run with Aston Villa continues and Adam Bate is back to talk us through Wolves' win over Crystal Palace.And that's your Premier League Midweek Wrap!

On the latest Essential Football Weekend Wrap, Oliver Yew takes you through the weekend's Premier League action starting at Emirates Stadium - where Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville discuss Arsenal's fading title hopes after a 3-3 draw with bottom of the table Southampton. Can the Gunners bounce back in style in midweek when they face Man City in a title showdown?It wasn't a good weekend for the north London sides as Newcastle dismantled Tottenham 6-1 at St James' Park. Peter Smith runs through an extraordinary game which saw Newcastle score five goals - YES FIVE GOALS - in the opening 21 minutes.Elsewhere, Nick Wright is at Selhurst Park and discusses striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin's return in Everton's 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace. There was a dramatic 3-2 win for Liverpool at Anfield against Nottingham Forest, while Leicester moved out of the bottom three with a much-needed 2-1 win over Wolves.Finally, Sam Blitz gives his verdict on another defeat for Leeds, this time at Fulham, while Dan Sansom is with Sky Sports News reporter James Suvundra to discuss West Ham's emphatic 4-0 win at Bournemouth. Joe Shread then wraps things up as Aston Villa were held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford in a result that doesn't help both sides' European ambitions.And that's your Premier League Weekend Wrap!

Jamie Redknapp, Kieron Dyer and Danny Rose dissect Tottenham's humiliating 6-1 defeat at Newcastle United. They discuss whether Newcastle will make the top four, if Tottenham can bounce back, will the defeat prompt Harry Kane's departure from Spurs and why it was a 'weird' decision to keep Cristian Stellini in charge.

Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Karen Carney discuss Arsenal's thrilling 3-3 home draw with Southampton. They reflect on whether Arsenal are choking in the title race, debate if Southampton are doomed to relegation and look forward to next week's crunch match between Mikel Arteta's men and Manchester City.

On a special edition of Essential Football 10 years almost to the day since Manchester United were last crowned Premier League champions, Zinny Boswell joins Ron Walker to discuss the club's lost decade in the dark.Despite spending just shy of £1.5bn on players in that time, United have failed to reach the heights set by Sir Alex Ferguson - and fresh from writing a feature-length piece on 10 years of false dawns, Zinny charts where it's all gone wrong for the club in that time.Featuring insight from inside and out of Old Trafford and interviews with former assistant manager Rene Muelensteen as well as long-time Guardian Man Utd correspondent Jamie Jackson - the man who elicited THAT 'Respect!' rant from Jose Mourinho, this is the story of Manchester United: A decade in the dark.Read the article in full now on skysports.com.

David Jones is joined by Jamie Carragher and Brentford defender Ben Mee as they discuss Liverpool thrashing Leeds in Elland Road. The trio also reflect on the gap opening at the bottom of the table, Bournemouth's impressive form, Arsenal struggle to hold onto leads, and how to stop Erling Haaland.

On the latest Essential Football Weekend Wrap, Ron Walker takes you through the weekend's action starting at the London Stadium - where Lewis Jones explains how Arsenal threw away a 2-0 lead for the second weekend in succession to draw 2-2 with West Ham.That's far from the only dodgy result in the capital, with Peter Smith at Stamford Bridge to see Chelsea beaten 2-1 by Brighton, and Declan Olley in position as Bournemouth leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a last-minute 3-2 win over Spurs.Elsewhere, Adam Bate is at the Etihad Stadium for Man City's 10th win in a row over new Leicester boss Dean Smith, while Aston Villa rack up a fifth straight league win over Newcastle and Fulham bounce back to beat Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park.Erik Ten Hag explains Antony's development after Manchester United win 2-0 at Nottingham Forest, with Ben Grounds in position at St Mary's to see Southampton take another step towards the Championship with a 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace.And that's your Premier League Weekend Wrap!

Dave Jones presents ‘Super Sunday' alongside Roy Keane, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Gary Neville, who react to and analyse all the talking points of a pulsating 2-2 draw between title chasing Arsenal and fighting for survival West Ham as well as a triumphant win for Manchester United against Nottingham Forest. With reaction from player of the match Bruno Fernandes and teammate Christian Eriksen. A dissapointed Mikel Arteta reflects on another draw while a thrilled David Moyes embraces it.

Kelly Cates is joined on Saturday Night Football by Jamie Redknapp and Kolo Toure who look at Manchester City's 3-1 win over Leicester City. Erling Haaland is discussed as he grabbed another two goals, making it 47 goals so far this season in all competitions. How does he compare to the top scorers in the other major leagues in Europe and the top scorers of all time in the Premier League era? Kolo Toure looks at the remaining games in the title race, as former player for both Manchester City and Arsenal, then we look ahead to tomorrow's game, as the Gunners are hosted by West Ham.

Sky Sports pundit and former Nottingham Forest captain Michael Dawson joins the Essential Football Podcast to look ahead to Sunday's game between his old club and Manchester United.With Forest winless in nine games, what are their chances of an upset win at the City Ground? Dawson analyses the game and reviews Forest's return to the Premier League so far.He also weighs up the wider relegation battle, suggesting how many points are needed for survival and why it is a scrap which looks set to go right down to the final day…

Dave Jones presents ‘Super Sunday' alongside Roy Keane, Micah Richards, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, who react to and analyse all the talking points of a pulsating 2-2 draw between title chasing Arsenal and top four hopefuls Liverpool. The game lived up to the pre-match billing, producing late drama and constant excitement throughout with Richards saying, ‘it was one of the best games he has ever seen'. Despite a strong start and ultimately leading 2-0, Keane thinks Arsenal should be delighted with the point as they were under constant pressure during the second half. Neville believes the Gunners will drop more points in the title race and need to hope fellow title challengers Manchester City will too.There is also reaction from player of the match Aaron Ramsdale after his heroics as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold. Jurgen Klopp gives his post-match thoughts and was disappointed Liverpool did not secure the win, whilst Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal lost control of the game and therefore the draw was a fair result.

On this weekend's Premier League Weekend Wrap, Arsenal and Liverpool played out a 2-2 thriller to damage the Gunners' title charge. Gary Neville argues why this could be a good point for Arsenal, while Dermot Gallagher analyses the assistant referee elbow incident on Andy Robertson.Lewis Jones marvels in Erling Haaland's acrobatics as he reports from Manchester City's 4-1 win at Southampton. In the race for the top four, Pete Smith reports from a fiery Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the visit of Brighton, Dan Long discusses Newcastle's win at Brentford, while Jack Wilkinson takes in Manchester United's 2-0 win over Everton.Paul Merson has some harsh words on Chelsea after their 1-0 loss at Wolves for Frank Lampard's return, while Ben Grounds reports from West Ham's crucial 1-0 win at Fulham.And that's your Premier League Weekend Wrap!

Kelly Cates is joined on Saturday Night Football by Jamie Redknapp and Harry Redknapp as the pair assess Manchester City's impressive 4-1 win over Southampton. Erling Haaland bagged his 30th Premier League goal of the season, whilst Kevin De Bruyne became the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League assists. The win bridged the gap to just five points at the top of the table and they look at the run in for the title race, with particular focus on tomorrow's game between Liverpool and Arsenal.

Jamie Carragher joins the Essential Football Podcast to look ahead to Sunday's huge game between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield.The Sky Sports pundit assesses the impact victory or defeat would have on the momentum of Arsenal's title challenge, the selection issues for the home side in midfield – and why the Anfield factor transforms the complexion of this game between in-form Arsenal and struggling Liverpool.Plus Carragher analyses the performances this season of Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka, the right-side stars for Liverpool and Arsenal.

Dave Jones presents ‘Premier League Live' alongside Jamie Redknapp and Jobi McAnuff as they watched Newcastle thrash West Ham at the London Stadium to enhance their hopes of a top four finish. Both Redknapp and McAnuff praised Eddie Howe and feel he is getting all the big decisions right at the moment. Redknapp believes the momentum is with the Magpies and they are favourites to ensure a Champions League place ahead of both Manchester United and Tottenham.There is also reaction from goal scorer Callum Wilson as well as Eddie Howe, who felt Newcastle were not at their best but were clinical in front of goal. Declan Rice spoke after the match too and admitted West Ham's performance was nowhere near the standard it should be at, whilst David Moyes still feels he has the backing of the board despite the league position the Hammers find themselves in.