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Steven Gerrard has suffered what can only be described as a Jekyll and Hyde start to his Premier League managerial career with Aston Villa.

A solid start in the Midlands was quickly forgotten following a poor festive period, and following their 3-2 defeat to Manchester City last Sunday, they ended up in 14th place, three positions worse off than in 2020/21.

Gerrard has already begun to plan ahead for next season, though, securing the signings of Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, and Boubacar Kamara as he aims to rejuvenate a playing squad which should be capable of finishing in the top half of the table.

The 41-year-old has shown interest in Rangers defender Calvin Bassey recently, although it’s a deal for another defender in Sven Botman which could really excite the supporters.

The Telegraph have stated that Villa are one of the clubs who are keen on the 22-year-old Lille defender and are waiting in the wings in case his proposed move to Serie A champions AC Milan doesn’t happen.

Villa Park would be rocking

The centre-back has been described as a “leader” by former Lille manager Christophe Galtier, and with his agent Francesco Miniero lauding him as a “golden boy”, the future looks bright for the Dutchman.

It was reported in April that a €33m (£28m) move to Milan was close to completion, although nothing has been confirmed yet, so Villa should strike when they get the chance.

Botman ranks third in the Lille squad this season with an average WhoScored rating of 6.83, winning 2.3 aerial duels per game. This would rank him joint-third in the Villa squad for that metric, with only Kortney Hause (2.9) and Calum Chambers (2.4) more dominant in the air.

If Gerrard can pull off this deal, it would signal a huge statement of intent from the Midlands club. Milan will be appearing in the Champions League next season, so turning that opportunity down in order to play in the Premier League would leave the Villa Park faithful absolutely rocking.

It could well be a very interesting transfer window for the club’s supporters, if this month’s activity is anything to go by.

AND in other news, Gerrard must brutally axe “fortunate” AVFC dud in deal for “astonishing” £25m monster

Aston Villa have completed a ‘very big’ deal for 22-year-old midfielder Boubacar Kamara as Sky Sports presenter Tom White was left gushing over the player on live TV on Monday morning.

The lowdown

Kamara had reached the end of his contract at Marseilles, and so he’ll be moving to Villa on a free transfer.

The move kicks off Steven Gerrard’s first summer transfer window at the club following his arrival back in November.

Villa wound up finishing 14th in the Premier League table after failing to win any of their last four matches, but Gerrard wants to build a squad that can compete for Europe.

Kamara is capable of operating as both a defensive midfielder and a centre-back.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates-2/” title=”Aston Villa latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

Live on Sky Sports News on Monday morning, journalist White excitedly shared the announcement coming out of Villa Park.

He said that Villa had won a hotly-contested race for the youngster and seemed extremely impressed by the signing.

“We’ve got big breaking transfers news here,” he said. “Aston Villa have just announced that they’ve signed Boubacar Kamara on a five-year contract.

“He’s out of contract at the end of this season. He’s been playing really, really well for Marseille.

“Aston Villa will have fought off a lot of clubs to sign this player but they’ve got him.

“This is a very, very big signing for Aston Villa.”

The verdict

There were indeed other Premier League clubs linked with Kamara.

French outlet Foot Mercato reported that both Newcastle United and Manchester United were keen, as well as a top La Liga club in Atletico Madrid.

Two of those clubs – Atletico and Man. United – can offer European football next season, while Newcastle are extremely ambitious themselves.

But perhaps the draw of working with Steven Gerrard has proven to be key for Villa.

Gerrard is an all-time great, having been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame and been named in UEFA’s Ultimate Team of the Year.

In other news, this stalwart may leave Villa Park.

Hazlewood has been outstanding in the IPL following injury and indications from last season are that the hierarchy remains

Andrew McGlashan01-May-20252:12

What makes Hazlewood a much-improved T20 bowler?

Plenty of Australian cricketers are currently plying their trade overseas, and Josh Hazlewood is going as well as any of them for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the IPL in what has been an encouraging return from injury and shapes as bad news for Scott Boland’s hopes of featuring in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.As of Thursday, Hazlewood was the leading wicket-taker in the IPL – with 18 wickets in ten matches – and while the role and requirements of T20 are considerably different to a Test match, his trademark back-of-a-length mode of attack has been key to a number of his dismissals.Two years ago, Boland was the beneficiary when the selectors opted to preserve Hazlewood for the Ashes that followed the WTC final against India as he returned from a side injury picked up in that season’s IPL. Boland went on to bowl brilliantly at The Oval, claiming five wickets in the match, as Australia won the mace by 209 runs. This time, barring any setbacks for Hazlewood over the next month, it looks like going the other way.Related

• Boland: 'I just want to make their decision as hard as possible'

• Webster set for Warwickshire debut ahead of WTC final

• Green's return brings into focus Australia's big selection calls

• Finch: Selectors may have to 'cherry pick' Hazlewood's Tests

• RCB have the (Hazle)wood on their opponents now

For all Boland’s success that sees him sit with a Test record of 56 wickets at 17.66 from 13 matches he has only once been a first-choice selection when the big three quicks have been fit or not rotated: that was the opening Test of the 2023 Ashes when he was selected ahead of Mitchell Starc at Edgbaston. The two matches Boland played in that series have been the only occasion when a team has consistently dominated him – he finished with two wickets at 115.50 and an economy rate of 4.91 – as England’s Bazballers used his metronomic length to their advantage.Last season against India, Boland was the ultimate super sub. He replaced an injured Hazlewood in Adelaide where he zipped the pink ball around but then immediately made way in Brisbane only for Hazlewood to then suffer a calf strain. Boland took 16 wickets in the next two matches at the MCG and SCG, but the pace-bowling hierarchy remained clear. Again, Boland will likely need someone else’s misfortune to make the XI at Lord’s.Josh Hazlewood had an interrupted series against India•Getty ImagesHazlewood cut a distraught and frustrated figure as he walked off the Gabba after a ginger one-over spell on the fourth day after he tested the extent of the calf strain. Having emerged from an injury-hit period between 2021 and 2023, where he played just four Tests, he featured in 12 out of 13 matches after the WTC final, only missing at Headingley in the Ashes when he was rested.As Hazlewood recovered from the calf injury, a hip problem emerged, which ruled him out of the Champions Trophy. Through the various setbacks – both the recent ones and during 2021-2023 period – Hazlewood has remained adamant that it’s largely been bad timing rather than an indication that his body is becoming a genuine concern although Aaron Finch has previously suggested the selectors may need to start cherry-picking the Tests he plays.”I’ve had a little history of sides and calves, they are probably the two things that have kept me out for the majority of the last four years, but I [can] sort of just keep adding another layer to the defence hopefully,” he said late last year. “I’ve ticked a lot of boxes in the last 12 months and it’s just the timing again – they are only little two or three-week injuries, it’s just the timing of it and missing big games so that’s probably the frustrating thing.”Hazlewood has the 300-wicket mark in his sights should he be able to string appearances together this year, currently sitting on 279 at 24.57. There are landmarks approaching for all the big three: Pat Cummins is on 294 Test wickets, while Starc has 382 and is four games away from reaching 100 caps.There will be a couple of training camps in Brisbane during May for the Australian players who are based at home, which includes Boland who opted not to play county cricket after finishing the domestic season with a knee niggle.Initial WTC final squads, which will be 15 players, need to be submitted to the ICC by May 11 but can be amended until the end of the month. After that, the technical committee’s approval will be required for any injury replacements. Australia are expected to have a couple of travelling reserves with them in England, from where they head straight to the West Indies for a three-Test series.

Perth Scorchers quick is taking wickets in all formats after an injury-ravaged few years but believes international cricket is still ‘unrealistic’ in the short term

Tristan Lavalette16-Dec-2024As his latest comeback gains further steam, quick Jhye Richardson chuckled at a rather amusing question from a reporter before he pondered.Having last month had a scare with his troubled shoulder after animatedly celebrating a wicket against South Australia in his long-awaited Sheffield Shield return, Richardson was asked whether he could still high-five teammates.”I think I just got caught in a funny position over there in Adelaide, probably just got a little bit too excited and decided to slap a few hands a little bit too hard,” a grinning Richardson told reporters after starring with 3 for 19 in Perth Scorchers’ six-wicket victory over Melbourne Stars in the BBL season-opener at Optus Stadium.Related

• Cooper Connolly extends Scorchers' dominance over Stars on opening night

• BBL preview: Squads, fixtures, overseas names, players to watch

• Wickets, injury, wicket: Jhye Richardson's dramatic Shield return

• Neser hamstrung as Test back-up but Richardson comeback gains speed

But given his horror run with injuries, including shoulder and hamstring surgeries, Richardson paused in his response and then struck a serious tone.”I mean, it does sound silly, but … maybe we’ll stick with the low fives instead of the high fives,” he said. “But that’s just another thing that we deal with. I’ve dealt enough with my shoulder over the last few years. It’s just another thing to add to the basket.”Richardson is wise to take any precautions, no matter how innocuous they might seem to be, given his cursed luck over the years. He is still unable to throw from deep in the outfield due to the shoulder issue and instead has to bowl the ball in or underarm it if he’s closer in.

“Test cricket is obviously the goal. I’d love to play Test cricket again. I think it’s difficult having had a taste of it and then having that sort of ripped away.”Jhye Richardson

Richardson’s been limited to just three Test matches since debuting against Sri Lanka in January 2019, with the last being a pink-ball game in Adelaide in 2021 when he took his maiden Test five-wicket haul against England.The succession of injuries means Richardson, 28, has spent plenty of time on the sidelines and become a somewhat forgotten player in Australian cricket.But Richardson’s been bowling without interruption since his return in this year’s IPL and his improved fitness saw him return to first-class cricket earlier than expected.Richardson had match figures of 4 for 85 from 29 overs against South Australia in the Shield following four One-Day Cup matches and a couple of second XI games for Western Australia.Jhye Richardson made a dramatic Shield return last month•Getty ImagesEntering the BBL fit and firing, Richardson issued a reminder of why he’s one of the country’s most highly-rated quicks with a spectacular performance against Stars on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface.Bowling fast and finding swing, he claimed Joe Clarke and Sam Harper in a devastating new ball spell before finishing with the wicket of Beau Webster in the backend of Stars’ innings.”It felt a little bit different coming into this game, just purely actually having some cricket behind me over the last few months,” Richardson said. “I know last season, I sort of changed my run-up and had all of that I was dealing with and hadn’t played many games before actually coming into the tournament.”I remember last year feeling probably the most nervous I’ve ever felt on a cricket field before my first ball.”Today was probably the polar opposite. It felt like I could go out there and actually do what I’m used to doing, which is bowling a cricket ball.”While Australia’s frontline attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, along with back-up quick Scott Boland, have been remarkably consistent and resilient, Richardson offers valuable pace depth and could figure prominently – if he stays fit – amid an expected transition in the coming years.”Test cricket is obviously the goal,” Richardson said. “I’d love to play Test cricket again. I think it’s difficult having had a taste of it and then having that sort of ripped away.”I think it’s nice to have goals, but I’m obviously not there at the moment, so it would be unrealistic for me to think about international cricket. What’s realistic is what’s in front of me right now, and that’s playing Big Bash cricket and domestic cricket for WA.”But I’m hoping to get back there.”

Eddie Howe says there is “no chance” Newcastle will accept a draw as he plots a first Premier League derby victory over Sunderland in ten attempts.

Newcastle prepare for Tyne-Wear derby

The sides meet in the top flight for the first time since March 2016 on Sunday, when the Magpies will make the short trip to the Stadium of Light looking to end a wait for a win in the fixture which dates back to August 2011.

Head coach Howe and many of his players had a taste of what to expect in January last year when they went to Wearside and emerged with a 3-0 FA Cup third round success over the then Sky Bet Championship Black Cats, and he is conscious of the need for balance in their approach.

He said: “If you don’t get the arousal levels right, if you hype the players up too much, then you can go out and not perform because you’re over-thinking things, you’re not playing the game, you’re playing the atmosphere.

“You need cool heads, but you also need to have the fire in there. If the fire’s not there in this type of game, then you’re not going to perform either. It’s a balancing act of trying to get the players in the right frame of mind.”

Newcastle will arrive on Wearside on the back of a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions to face a Sunderland side who have confounded those who predicted they would go the way of many promoted sides and struggle to keep their heads above water.

Despite last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, Regis Le Bris’ men sit in ninth place in the table on 23 points – one more than their neighbours – after 15 games, and it would take a major collapse for them to slip into trouble.

However, asked if he would take a point, Howe, whose side drew 2-2 at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, replied swiftly:

He continued: “We prepare every game to win. This will be no different.

“We’ve got to get the preparation right in a very short period of time. That’s been a challenge we’ve had all season, and I think we’re doing okay at this moment in time.

“We know we can improve, there’s areas to get better in and we’ve got minimal training time to get those tweaks adjusted. But by kick-off, I can assure everybody that we’ll be ready.”

Newcastle star could miss Sunderland game after new injury "issue" emerges

An ill-timed blow for the Magpies.

By
Tom Cunningham

4 days ago

Sunday’s game will be the first clash between Howe and Le Bris – Michael Beale was in charge at Sunderland for the FA Cup tie – but the Newcastle boss has been impressed by what the Frenchman has achieved since taking the helm in July last year.

He said: “I don’t know him and it’s my first time going up against him, but I think they’ve done well this season. I’ve been impressed by how they’ve played.”

After six years, the Arizona Diamondbacks appear poised to part ways with one of their longest-tenured relivers.

The Diamondbacks are designating pitcher Joe Mantiply for assignment, they announced Friday evening amid a roster shakeup that saw fellow bullpen stalwart Kevin Ginkel demoted to the Triple-A Reno Aces.

Mantiply, 34, was an All-Star for Arizona in 2022. Despite his past success, he has endured a nightmarish 2025: in 9 2/3 innings, he has pitched to a 15.83 ERA with eight strikeouts.

The Diamondbacks—seen as a credible playoff threat early in the season, and still just five games back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League's third wild card—are 27-29 and have dropped seven of their past 10 games.

Mantiply and Ginkel have both seen Arizona fall, rise and fall again—from 52-110 doormats in 2021 to NL champions in 2023 to this year's apparent also-rans.

The Diamondbacks are scheduled to open a three-game set with the Washington Nationals Friday.

Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has warned his players of the challenges that come with Tuesday's Champions League visit to Bodo/Glimt's Aspmyra Stadion. The former Italy and Napoli manager admitted that the visitors will be at an obvious disadvantage due to the adverse weather and pitch conditions, while also reassuring that his team will improve with time.

• Juve face daunting trip to Bodo/Glimt

  Juventus will visit Norwegian heavyweights and giant killers Bodo/Glimt on matchday five of the Champions League on Tuesday. It will be an extremely tricky challenge for the Bianconeri, given the adverse weather and pitch conditions on offer at the Aspmyra Stadion. 

  Located north of the Arctic Circle, the Aspmyra Stadion is among the northernmost footballing venues in the world, located at 67 degrees latitude. Situated on the west coast of Norway, it is a hotspot for tourists and locals to experience the enchanting Northern Lights (or aurora borealis). Weather forecasts for Tuesday indicate temperatures sitting at an icy 1°C, along with potential snowfall. 

  However, it's not just the unforgiving weather conditions visiting teams have to deal with. Aspmyra Stadion uses an artificial pitch, a surface that often challenges visiting teams. The likes of Jose Mourinho and Ange Postecoglou have often called Bodo out for their use of the "plastic" field. 

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  Spalletti aware of the task at hand

  Speaking to at the pre-match press conference on Monday, Juve boss Spalletti acknowledged the challenge of playing at the Aspmyra Stadion and conceded that the hosts will head into the clash with an obvious advantage.

  "Not the ideal climate for a football match? It's a very tough match. We were joking with the players and I told them it's tougher than they expected," said the ex-Napoli boss. "I've had to deal with these temperatures on these pitches, and it's a different experience, breathing in this cold air. Sometimes you can't even keep your eyes open. But there's always the thrill of the challenge."

  Spalletti also addressed the team's recent string of unconvincing displays, reassuring that the best is yet to come.

  "I think it's premature to completely overturn everything right now. We haven't done well, but we haven't done badly either," he explained. "We're in that middle ground where, with some new things, we can raise the bar. We have a bit of everything here, but we need to recognise them and deploy them at the right times.

  "These guys are perfect; they're eager to participate and show off their skills. Tomorrow I'll change something, otherwise we risk losing confidence, and then we need to analyse things properly.

  "In the camp, there's no longer the rigidity of roles that seems like disorder but is actually freedom. In that freedom, you have to find balance. This constant rotation of roles and the search for a position is an advantage."

• 'Pitch and climate a disadvantage' for Juve, admits Spalletti

  Spalletti went on to highlight the biting cold and artificial turf at Bodo, a far cry from the traditional grass pitches found in Europe’s elite leagues. 

  "Did you mention the weather? Let's address one thing first, because it seems like we've had a bit of a disaster," he added. "But the players haven't performed as badly as people pretend. I was the first to say we needed to do more, and we need to get them out there, we need to use the horses we have and all our qualities. I've seen the desire in this team, and you either face responsibility or you lose. 

  "The pitch and the climate are a disadvantage, because I've been fortunate enough to work abroad, and the air you breathe is different. It's all a matter of habit, and it's different from ours. Our desire to perform must make up for this gap. They're also good at selecting players, and not just for the pitch and the cold; in an international comparison, they have a significant value.

  "[Playing at the Aspmyra Stadion] is a real difficulty, due to habits and rebounds. We'll certainly pay something for this, but we'll face it. We all had fears, then after facing them we adapted, but this can give us some satisfaction. The pitch bothers us, but we want to perform our best."

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  Spalletti's Juventus reign not off to an ideal start

  After beginning his spell with the Old Lady with a 2-1 win over Cremonese, Spalletti's side have slumped to three straight draws. Their European campaign stands at risk of collapsing if they fail to come away with maximum points from Norway on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Juve sit in seventh position in Serie A, seven points off the pace. However, Spalletti has assured that his troops will fight for the Scudetto until the end.

The New York Yankees have already explored a handful of different lineups early into the 2025 MLB season, and they'll once again trot out a new-look batting order for Thursday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Hitting atop the order will be Ben Rice, who will take over at first base while veteran Paul Goldschmidt gets the night off. Rice has primarily served as the Yankees' designated hitter, but will move to first base and bat leadoff for the first time in his career on Thursday night.

Asked about his decision to bat Rice first, Boone gave the perfect one-word response.

"Rakes," said the Yankees' skipper.

Sometimes, it doesn't take a long-winded answer to explain a decision from a manager.

In five games this year, Rice, 26, is slashing .385/.429/.923 with two home runs, two RBIs and five strikeouts in 13 at-bats. He's been seeing the ball well early into the campaign, and Boone is seemingly hopeful that Rice can provide an early spark from atop the batting order.

After sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in their season-opening series, New York has lost each of its last two games against the Diamondbacks, and will look to salvage a win in Thursday's series finale.

Premier League clubs have voted against the introduction of a salary cap in top-flight football, but a serious overhaul of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) is still being lined up. The proposals put to teams at the highest level of the English game would have seen previous financial regulations ripped up, but not every suggestion has received universal approval.

• Premier League vote on introduction of a salary cap

  All 20 Premier League clubs convened in a vote that took place on November 21. Part of that polling saw plans for a salary cap vetoed. It is reported that 12 teams voted against the plans, while seven were in favour and one abstained.

  At a shareholders’ meeting, a range of topics were discussed – including top to bottom anchoring, squad cost ratio (SCR) and the Sustainability and system resilience (SSR). A vote on SCR was passed, while SCR proposals were pushed through unanimously. Of the 20 sides holding a vote, 14 must give a green light in order for 

  Premier League rules to be changed.

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  The 2025-26 campaign will be the last with PSR regulations

  It has been determined that SCR will replace the current PSR system, which limits losses to a maximum of £105 million ($137m) over a three-year period. With a fresh approach being agreed, the 2025-26 campaign will be the last under the PSR regulations.

  SCR dictates that teams can only spend 85 per cent of their total income on wages and transfer fees for players, coaches and agents. The plan has already been adopted by UEFA, meaning that English teams competing in Europe can only spend 70 per cent of their income on wages and transfers. UEFA’s SCR scheme follows the calendar year, but the Premier League’s version will mirror the domestic football season.

• What is squad cost ratio (SCR) & why is it being introduced?

  A statement from the league read: "SCR will regulate clubs’ on-pitch spending to 85 per cent of their football revenue and net profit/loss on player sales. Clubs will have a multi-year allowance of 30% that they can use to spend in excess of the 85 per cent. Utilising this allowance will incur a levy and once the allowance is exhausted, they will need to comply with 85% or face a sporting sanction.

  "The new SCR rules are intended to promote opportunity for all clubs to aspire to greater success and brings the League’s financial system close to UEFA’s existing SCR rules which operate at a threshold of 70 per cent. The other key features of the League’s new system include transparent in-season monitoring and sanctions, protection against sporting underperformance, an ability to spend ahead of revenues, strengthened ability to invest off the pitch, and a reduction in complexity by focusing on football costs.

  "The Sustainability and Systemic Resilience rules assess a club’s short, medium and long-term financial health through three tests – Working Capital Test, Liquidity Test and Positive Equity Test.

  "Since 2023, the Premier League and our clubs have worked collaboratively to develop the financial controls with the objective of maintaining the League’s value, protecting competitive balance and ensuring clubs operate in a financially sustainable way.

  "The process has included extensive consultation at Shareholder level at clubs, as well as senior finance and legal executives, and club working groups. In addition, independent economic and legal analysis was sought.

  "As part of the development of the proposed rules, clubs agreed at the Premier League Annual General Meeting in June 2024 to trial SCR and TBA on a non-binding basis. The shadow monitoring of SCR and TBA rules has also continued this season.

  "This enabled the League and clubs to fully evaluate the system, including the operation of UEFA’s equivalent SCR regulations, and to complete the consultation with all relevant stakeholders including the PFA and football agents."

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  Explained: SSR & top to bottom anchoring

  SSR consists of three prongs. One of those seeks to ensure that teams have sufficient resources to manage outgoings and any revenue fluctuations. The others focus on long-term financial plans and the health of a club’s balance sheet.

  Top to bottom anchoring (TBA) would have effectively seen a salary cap put in place. That is because those proposals limit spending on wages and transfers to five times the amount paid in prize money and broadcast revenue to the team that finishes bottom of the division. The Premier League could, as reported by , have faced legal action from players had anchoring been introduced.

A hot topic of conversation amongst Premier League fans is which stadium generates the best atmosphere.

Having a raucous home crowd can even help change the flow of a game, with an intimidating home support helping suck the ball into the net.

For visiting players, some grounds can be a nightmare to go to. However, there are other stadiums which are relatively quiet and less intimidating to visit.

Premier League Player Power Rankings 2025/26

So, for the 2025/26 Premier League season, here is every stadium ranked for atmosphere, taking into consideration noise levels and capacity.

20

Vitality Stadium

Bournemouth

Starting off at the quieter stadiums in the division, AFC Bournemouth’s ground holds just over 11,000, something which hinders the atmosphere.

The Cherries have performed well on the south coast, however, a visiting player probably doesn’t fear a trip to the Vitality Stadium.

19

Craven Cottage

Fulham

Next on the list is Fulham, with Craven Cottage previously having a mixed section for home and away supporters.

Now expanded to a capacity of just under 30,000, the Cottagers can create a good atmosphere, especially in a London derby, however, on the whole, it is one of the more relaxed stadiums to visit in the top flight.

18

Molineux

Wolves

Wolves fans have not had much to shout about in recent years, and that has come across in the flat atmosphere at Molineux.

Regular defeats and flat performances have left home supporters with nothing to cheer or get behind, whereas it is arguably the worst viewpoint for away fans on the side of the pitch.

17

London Stadium

West Ham

Even West Ham fans may even argue that the London Stadium should be further down this list after swapping the cauldron that was Upton Park for their current 62,500 stadium.

Built for the 2012 Olympics, it is evident that the ground was not made for football and that often comes across from the stands, with seats too far away to feel on top of the players.

16

AMEX Stadium

Brighton

An impressive ground to visit, the AMEX Stadium has been home to Brighton & Hove Albion since 2011 and has been a Premier League stadium since 2017.

The Seagulls have had plenty of success and memorable moments at their home, which has created a solid atmosphere, especially behind the goal.

15

Gtech Community Stadium

Brentford

Brentford moved into their new stadium in 2020 and have enjoyed plenty of success in the Premier League since.

However, the Gtech Community Stadium which holds more than 17,000 isn’t exactly a daunting place to go. A game under the lights can often generate the best atmosphere, though, as we saw in their 2-1 win over Liverpool.

14

Turf Moor

Burnley

An old school traditional stadium, Turf Moor sees supporters close to the pitch with stands that rise steeply.

Holding just under 22,000 when at full capacity, the Clarets can generate a solid atmosphere but arguably cannot compete with some of their Premier League rivals and their grounds.

13

Stamford Bridge

Chelsea

Chelsea’s atmosphere has been described as dull and lethargic and Joe Cole said in 2025 that it’s the “worst” he’s seen in all his years supporting, playing or visiting Stamford Bridge.

Despite this, the Blues often show in a big game that the noise can be generated, but they just don’t do it regularly enough.

12

Etihad Stadium

Man City

Manchester City’s home support has been a running joke for a number of years now, however, the Etihad Stadium can generate an excellent atmosphere at times, especially for the big Premier League games.

The consistency isn’t there, though, with home supporters often leaving early despite seeing Pep Guardiola’s side run riot more often than not.

11

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham

Even though Tottenham have one of the newest stadiums in the division, which includes a South Stand capacity of 17,500, Spurs’ home support is often flat.

Performances and results haven’t been there in recent years, but the 62,850 stadium doesn’t produce the atmosphere it should.