He went down kicking and screaming until the very end.
After five years at the helm, Jurgen Klinsmann was fired as both the head coach of the U.S. national team and Technical Director of U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) on Monday by USSF president Sunil Gulati, the man who tasked him with taking the USMNT to new heights on and off the pitch.
Following two defeats to open up the Hexagonal round of 2018 World Cup qualifying last week, the German coach simply ran out of lives.
ProSoccerTalk understands senior USMNT players spoke with USSF following the defeat to Costa Rica and ahead of their upcoming meeting with Klinsmann in California on Monday where his fate was sealed. Not for the first time Klinsmann had pushed people within U.S. Soccer to breaking point.
In truth, he’s been pushing everyone to the limit ever since he took charge but over the past 18 months a steady, then rapid, decline ended inevitably. He challenged the media, fans and the wider public to criticize his side more and if they did, then that showed the U.S. was becoming a better soccer nation.
Most viewed it as patronizing and labeled Klinsmann as arrogant. He often told them they didn’t know what they were talking about as the most divisive figure U.S. soccer has ever seen called for a complete overhaul on how the game was talked and thought about, which many didn’t feel there was a need for.
At the end of his five-year spell, we can now look at how it all unraveled but first, let’s look back to his first-ever conference call as USMNT boss on Aug. 1, 2011. Klinsmann was asked about the identity of the U.S. national team and how he will try to develop that.
“Down the road, it should be our goal that we build something that people here in the United States identify with,” Klinsmann said. “There comes a lot of ingredients into the pot for that – it’s the culture here, the diversified culture, and it’s the way people look at soccer, the way people have their own lifestyles. Step by step, we throw all those bullet points into a pot and see how we can make something positive and identifying out of it.
“I like that discussion. I like that topic, because that’s what soccer is about. Soccer is about identifying with your favorite team, with your favorite style. Hopefully we can build something that the people really like. Obviously, it’s also based on the player material that you have at the end of the day.”
At the end of the day, it just didn’t happen.
There was no progression of the style of play and fans don’t identify with this team who are a mix between a side who can bunker in and grind out 1-0 wins and a side which believes they can play free-flowing attacking soccer even though their personnel suggests otherwise. The second half against Costa Rica told us that much. There was no cohesion. No identity. And, most damaging for Klinsmann, it seemed like the players just didn’t care anymore.
The U.S. national team’s identity is no different now than it was under Bob Bradley in 2011 and many could argue it’s so muddled that the USMNT is now in a worse place, at least on the field, than it was five years ago when Klinsmann took charge. It’s no surprise that Bruce Arena, fired as head coach by Gulati in 2006, is the man the USMNT is now looking to. They want to return to their old identity and have turned to a familiar face.
(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
With so much tinkering tactically from Klinsmann, so many personnel changes and so many ideas thrown out there and then quickly thrown in the trash can, the legacy of the legendary German striker on the playing side of things didn’t live up to expectations.
He guided the U.S. out of the “Group of Death” at the 2014 World Cup but their inadequacies against Belgium at the Round of 16 stage were there for all to see. He led them to a fourth-place finish at the Copa America Centenario this summer but apart from the 2013 Gold Cup victory and a few marquee friendly wins overseas against a weakened Netherlands and Germany in 2015, there’s not much else to really look back on and smile about.
Over the past 18 months there’s been much more to look back on and grimace about for fans of the USMNT.
First came the 2015 Gold Cup debacle which saw the U.S. finish fourth, its worst performance since 2000. Then came the CONCACAF Cup defeat to Mexico which robbed the USMNT of a Confederations Cup berth, another stated goal of Klinsmann’s. Then came the defeat to Guatemala in the fourth round of World Cup qualifying after another Klinsmann tinker job. Then came the defeats to Mexico and Costa Rica over the past 10 days. The latter was the final straw.
But it wasn’t like Gulati and U.S. Soccer hadn’t been thinking about firing Klinsmann for a while.
On the 18-month time scale, ProSoccerTalk understands that key figures from within U.S. Soccer flew to meet privately with senior players on the USMNT as far back as early 2015 to discuss Klinsmann’s position in charge of the team, such were the doubts from some.
This was coming. The end game was inevitable. And still, on the same day he was fired, Klinsmann launched another attack on the fans, U.S. soccer community and media which showed that over the five years he felt little progress had been made by those watching and supporting his team.
“I’m not afraid,” Klinsmann said to the New York Times about maybe being fired. “What you need to do is stick to the facts. Soccer is emotional, and a lot of people make conclusions without knowing anything about the inside of the team or the sport. I still believe we will get the points we need to qualify, and I am even confident we could win the group… The fact is, we lost two games. There is a lot of talk from people who don’t understand soccer or the team.”
In the end it was clear from the inside that his team and Klinsmann weren’t on the same page at all. That was a fact.
So many issues arose over his five years in charge, mostly with players and how some were treated differently than others while in camp, plus the likes of Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber and countless others publicly shamed by Klinsmann. His widespread disdain towards Major League Soccer and large chunks of his squad moving from Europe to MLS for big paydays hardly helped either.
Many players got preferential treatment. Many were snubbed completely. Many will not be sad to see the back of him. There are tales of some players being ridiculed by Klinsmann for ordering room service deserts while he then turned a blind eye when cigars and whisky were found in the hotel rooms of others. It was an uncomfortable tenure for many, but then, that’s what Klinsmann wanted to create from the very start.
Some players will thank him openly for not only giving them the chance to play for the U.S. but in helping them find clubs in Europe and improving them as players. There was plenty of good which went on but there’s no doubting that Klinsmann’s departure has created a divide in the USMNT locker room with some players actively voicing their concerns over the coaching situation and others backing Klinsmann in his time of need.
(Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
Those scars won’t heal overnight and the U.S. national team locker room will not be a happy place the next time they come together. Luckily that isn’t until January 2017 for a camp, when the vast majority of the squad won’t be available anyway due to playing commitments in Europe.
Aside from the players, Klinsmann was so much more than a coach. He was installed as a figurehead for U.S. Soccer and he constantly tried to push the boundaries. He didn’t change. He was stubborn. He repeated many of his criticisms time and time again.
Klinsmann’s constant undermining of U.S. fans and the American media as a soccer nation wasn’t pretty but it was a key part of his plan. It backfired.
He wanted to try and elevate the level of expectancy on the USMNT and behind-the-scenes you could argue he did plenty in his role of technical director which will help the U.S. in the future. Yes, his long stated goals of reaching the Olympics wasn’t reached in both 2012 and 2016, but with so many young American players like Christian Pulisic, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Lynden Gooch and even John Brooks now coming through the ranks at top-flight clubs in Europe, Klinsmann’s ideas are having some impact.
It helped that U.S. Soccer backed him financially to help shake up the youth teams and the direction of the program and when you look at performances at the U-20 World Cup in 2015 you can argue progress has been made, to a certain extent, at youth level. But like the USMNT, It just didn’t happen as quickly as Klinsmann wanted.
Stagnation and regression set in over the past 18 months.
Klinsmann wanted progress and wanted fans and the media to ask more questions of not only him but his players. When the big questions came calling and criticism followed more frequently since early 2015, he then told everyone they didn’t know what they were talking about.
Until the very end Klinsmann stayed true to what he believed in as it felt like he was almost on a one man crusade to try and elevate U.S. Soccer to the next level.
His final act of that ultimately unsuccessful crusade was to fall on his own sword which was made sharper by his own actions.
The result leaves Manchester United (43 points) 3rd in the Premier League table, now just two points back of two-time defending champions Manchester City and seven behind leaders Arsenal. Leeds (19 points), meanwhile, move one point and one place (up to 16th, from 17th) clear of the relegation zone as they begin the post-Jesse Marsch era.
Leeds raced out to a 1-0 with just 56 seconds on the clock, after Tyler Adams and Pascal Struijk combined to win the ball back in Manchester United’s defensive third. The ball was quickly circulated to Wilfried Gnonto, who cut in front the left side and fired low, from the top of the penalty area, and beat David de Gea just inside his right-hand post.
Raphael Varane put the ball in his own net to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute, as Crysencio Summerville walked the end line and crossed the ball off the Frenchman at the near post.
The comeback began shortly after the hour mark, when Marcus Rashford rose highest near the penalty spot to meet Diogo Dalot’s cross, given the red-hot Englishman 12 goals in 14 games (plus four assists – all competitions) since returning from the 2022 World Cup break.
11 minutes after he came off the bench, Jadon Sancho fired past Illan Meslier to make it 2-2, and the big, gloved Frenchman will feel he should have made the save as the ball was hit well within his reach but went off, and under, his hands.
Leeds will host Manchester United at Elland Road in each sides’ next Premier League fixture, in just four days’ time (Watch live, Sunday, 9 am ET, on USA Network and online via NBCSports.com).
How to watch Manchester United vs Leeds live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET, Wednesday TV Channel: USA Network Online:Stream via NBCSports.com
Key storylines & star players
Marcus Rashford had scored in six of United’s last seven Premier League matches and he’s zipped up the PL goals list as one of just six players with at least 10 goals this season.
One player Rashford is likely to pass is fellow 10-goal man Rodrigo, who will not play for Leeds. The visitors will be looking to new signings Georginio Rutter and Weston McKennie to help lead the way, while Wilfried Gnonto and Jack Harrison seem likely to keep pestering opponents with pace.
Manchester United team news, injuries, lineup options
QUESTIONABLE: Antony (lower leg). OUT: Mason Greenwood (suspension), Anthony Martial (undisclosed), Scott McTominay (other), Casemiro (suspension), Christian Eriksen (ankle), Donny van de Beek (knee)
The 2022-23 Premier League fixtures are front and center as the new season has delivered so much drama so far and normal service has resumed after the World Cup break.
Remember: you can watch all 380 Premier League games across NBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com and Peacock. We’ve got you covered.
Will Manchester City win yet another Premier League title? Can Chelsea and Liverpool push them all the way? How will Manchester United’s new-look side fare? What about Tottenham and Arsenal? How will the new boys get on? Who will be the surprise package?
Those questions will be answered from August 2022 to May 2023, with the full list of Premier League fixtures.
While below are the answers to all of the questions you have around the Premier League fixtures and everything else you need to know for the upcoming season, with full details on the Premier League TV schedule across the NBC family of channels and more.
The Premier League fixtures for the 2022-23 season were announced on Thursday June 16, 2022 at 4am ET. Below is the full schedule, as you can watch all 380 games across our NBC platforms.
The Premier League fixture computer decides who plays who and when, as teams located close to one another are usually playing at home on opposite weekends to help with policing, crowd control and transport congestion in those areas.
When will the Premier League take a break for the 2022 World Cup?
When will the 2022-23 Premier League season finish?
The final day of the season will be on Sunday, May 28, 2023.
Which teams will compete in the 2022-23 Premier League?
These are the 20 teams which will compete in the Premier League for the upcoming season:
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leeds United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Predictions for 2022-23 Premier League season
We made a few bold predictions ahead of the Premier League campaign, which you can read in full here. And we’ve also predicted how we think the Premier League table will look at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. I’m sure you agree wholeheartedly with these predictions…
2022-23 Premier League TV schedule
Below are the Premier League fixtures in full, with all kick offs listed at 10am ET unless otherwise stated:
9am: Leeds v Man Utd – USA Network – WATCH LIVE
11:30am: Man City v Aston Villa – USA Network – WATCH LIVE
Monday 13 February
3pm: Liverpool v Everton – USA Network – WATCH LIVE
Matchweek 24
Wednesday 15 February
2:30pm: Arsenal vs Manchester City (rearranged)
Saturday 18 February
7:30am: Aston Villa v Arsenal
Brentford v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Fulham
Chelsea v Southampton
Everton v Leeds
Nottingham Forest v Man City
Wolves v AFC Bournemouth
12:30pm: Newcastle v Liverpool
Sunday 19 February
9am: Man Utd v Leicester
11:30am: Spurs v West Ham
Matchweek 25
Friday 24 February
3pm: Fulham v Wolves
Saturday 25 February
7:30am: Newcastle v Brighton
Everton v Aston Villa
Leeds v Southampton
Leicester v Arsenal
West Ham v Nottingham Forest
12:30pm: AFC Bournemouth v Man City *subject to EFL Cup Final
2:45pm: Crystal Palace v Liverpool ^If Liverpool are not in EFL fifth round and if AFC Bournemouth or Man City progress to EFL Cup final, this match will move to 17:30 and remain on Sky Sports
Sunday 26 February
8:30am: Man Utd v Brentford* Due to UEFA Europa League playoff round
8:30am: Spurs v Chelsea
Saturday 4 March
Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Brentford v Fulham
Brighton v West Ham
Chelsea v Leeds
Liverpool v Man Utd
Man City v Newcastle
Nottingham Forest v Everton
Southampton v Leicester
Wolves v Spurs
Saturday 11 March
AFC Bournemouth v Liverpool
Crystal Palace v Man City
Everton v Brentford
Fulham v Arsenal
Leeds v Brighton
Leicester v Chelsea
Man Utd v Southampton
Newcastle v Wolves
Spurs v Nottingham Forest
West Ham v Aston Villa
Saturday 18 March
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v AFC Bournemouth
Brentford v Leicester
Brighton v Man Utd
Chelsea v Everton
Liverpool v Fulham
Man City v West Ham
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle
Southampton v Spurs
Wolves v Leeds
Saturday 1 April
AFC Bournemouth v Fulham
Arsenal v Leeds
Brighton v Brentford
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Everton v Spurs
Man City v Liverpool
Newcastle v Man Utd
Nottingham Forest v Wolves
West Ham v Southampton
Saturday 8 April
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest
Brentford v Newcastle
Fulham v West Ham
Leeds v Crystal Palace
Leicester v AFC Bournemouth
Liverpool v Arsenal
Man Utd v Everton
Southampton v Man City
Spurs v Brighton
Wolves v Chelsea
Saturday 15 April
Aston Villa v Newcastle
Chelsea v Brighton
Everton v Fulham
Leeds v Liverpool
Man City v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Man Utd
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Spurs v AFC Bournemouth
West Ham v Arsenal
Wolves v Brentford
Saturday 22 April
AFC Bournemouth v West Ham
Arsenal v Southampton
Brentford v Aston Villa
Brighton v Man City
Crystal Palace v Everton
Fulham v Leeds
Leicester v Wolves
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
Man Utd v Chelsea
Newcastle v Spurs
Tuesday 25 April
19:45 Everton v Newcastle
19:45 Leeds v Leicester
19:45 Nottingham Forest v Brighton
19:45 Spurs v Man Utd
19:45 West Ham v Liverpool
19:45 Wolves v Crystal Palace
20:00 Aston Villa v Fulham
Wednesday 26 April
19:45 Chelsea v Brentford
19:45 Southampton v AFC Bournemouth
20:00 Man City v Arsenal
Saturday 29 April
AFC Bournemouth v Leeds
Arsenal v Chelsea
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Brighton v Wolves
Crystal Palace v West Ham
Fulham v Man City
Leicester v Everton
Liverpool v Spurs
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Southampton
Saturday 6 May
AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea
Brighton v Everton
Fulham v Leicester
Liverpool v Brentford
Man City v Leeds
Newcastle v Arsenal
Nottingham Forest v Southampton
Spurs v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Man Utd
Wolves v Aston Villa
Saturday 13 May
Arsenal v Brighton
Aston Villa v Spurs
Brentford v West Ham
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth
Everton v Man City
Leeds v Newcastle
Leicester v Liverpool
Man Utd v Wolves
Southampton v Fulham
Saturday 20 May
AFC Bournemouth v Man Utd
Brighton v Southampton
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Man City v Chelsea
Newcastle v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Spurs v Brentford
West Ham v Leeds
Wolves v Everton
Sunday 28 May
16:00 Arsenal v Wolves
16:00 Aston Villa v Brighton
16:00 Brentford v Man City
16:00 Chelsea v Newcastle
16:00 Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest
16:00 Everton v AFC Bournemouth
16:00 Leeds v Spurs
16:00 Leicester v West Ham
16:00 Man Utd v Fulham
16:00 Southampton v Liverpool
The FA Cup always delivers shocks and plenty of Premier League clubs have tricky tests facing them in the last 16.
Only nine PL clubs remain, with fourth-tier Grimsby Town the lowest-ranked team left. There are two all-Premier League ties with Fulham hosting Leeds and West Ham heading to Manchester United.
FA Cup live: How to watch, scores, schedule, dates, how to watch
Dates: Fifth round – Tuesday, Feb. 28 – Wednesday, Mar. 1
Times: Below
Online: Live updates via NBCSports.com
How to watch: ESPN+
FA Cup fifth round draw
Tuesday, February 28
Stoke City vs Brighton & Hove Albion – 2:15pm ET
Leicester City vs Blackburn Rovers – 2:30pm ET
Fulham vs Leeds United – 2:45pm ET
Bristol City vs Manchester City – 3pm ET
Wednesday, March 1
Southampton vs Grimsby Town – 2:15pm ET
Burnley vs Fleetwood Town – 2:30pm ET
Manchester United vs West Ham United – 2:45pm ET
Sheffield United vs Tottenham Hotspur – 2:55pm ET
FA Cup fifth round predictions – By Joe Prince-Wright
Tuesday, February 28
Leicester City 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
Stoke City 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
Fulham 2-1 Leeds United
Bristol City 1-3 Manchester City
Wednesday, March 1
Southampton 3-1 Grimsby Town
Manchester United 2-1 West Ham United
Burnley 3-0 Fleetwood Town
Sheffield United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
FA Cup fourth round replays — Schedule
Tuesday
Grimsby Town 3-0 Luton Town
Fleetwood Town 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Burnley 2-1 Ipswich Town
Sheffield United 3-1 Wrexham AFC
Saturday
Accrington Stanley 1-3 Leeds United
Walsall 0-1 Leicester City
Fulham 1-1 Sunderland
Bristol City 3-0 West Brom
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Fleetwood Town
Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Birmingham City
Luton Town 2-2 Grimsby Town
Ipswich Town 0-0 Burnley
Southampton 2-1 Blackpool
Preston North End 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United 3-1 Reading
Swansea City 1-2 (AET) Bristol City
Forest Green Rovers 1-2 Birmingham City (original tie postponed due to waterlogged pitch)
Wigan 1-2 Luton
Wolves 0-1 Liverpool West Brom 4-0 Chesterfield
Preston North End 3-1 Huddersfield Town
Reading 2-0 Watford
Tottenham 1-0 Portsmouth
Gillingham 0-1 Leicester City
Forest Green Rovers vs Birmingham City — PPD
Crystal Palace 1-2 Southampton
Hull City 0-2 Fulham
Middlesbrough 1-5 Brighton
Fleetwood Town 2-1 QPR
Ipswich Town 4-1 Rotherham
Bournemouth 2-4 Burnley
Blackpool 4-1 Nottingham Forest
Chesterfield 3-3 West Brom
Millwall 0-2 Sheffield United
Boreham Wood 1-1 Accrington Stanley
Shrewsbury Town 1-2 Sunderland
Brentford 0-1 West Ham
Coventry City 3-4 Wrexham
Luton Town 1-1 Wigan
Grimsby Town 1-0 Burton Albion
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Newcastle
Liverpool 2-2 Wolves
Bristol City 1-1 Swansea City
Derby County 3-0 Barnsley
Cardiff City 2-2 Leeds
Stockport 1-2 Walsall
Hartlepool 0-3 Stoke City
Norwich 0-1 Blackpool
Aston Villa 1-2 Stevenage
Man City 4-0 Chelsea
Who’s looking like title contenders and/or favorites?
As we head into the second half of the 2022-23 season, Arsenal and Manchester City are looking head and shoulders above the rest though Newcastle is not going away and Manchester United has surged into contention.
The Gunners will have their hands full for the duration of their title challenge, as Erling Haaland continues to take the Premier League by storm with an almost impossible goal-scoring record.
Uneven Tottenham are hanging in the top four battle, while Liverpool is struggling to stay in the Champions League scrap. Chelsea has some work to do while surprising Fulham, Brentford and Brighton are hanging around on the periphery with fine campaigns.
Who are the candidates for relegation?
Everton, Bournemouth, and Southampton currently occupy the relegation places.
But Leicester, West Ham, Wolves, and Leeds all find themselves within a few points of the bottom three after a topsy-turvy season so far.
Below you will find the latest Premier League table.