In Today’s CleanSheet:

• Headlines 📌

• What 2 Look 4 👀 

• Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥- The Coefficients of Europe

• Off Island 🏝️ - CL, EL, ECL

• Best Bets 💰

Gardening. Who knew it had so many meanings.

In the US a garden is often viewed as a “vegetable garden”, in the UK it’s a manicured “yard”. In the EPL - evidently there is Gardening Leave - “a practice employed by employers when an employee resigns or has their employment terminated. They are told to stay away but are still on the payroll.”

Newcastle put their Sporting Director on Gardening Leave after he said he would like to leave for a similar role at Man United. By putting him on Gardening Leave he would remain under contract until 2026 and could not work for United - unless they paid a compensation fee - which Newcastle is asking $25M.

Headlines 📌

• Pencil This One In. Man United v Fulham +475 (Sat 9am NBC) - FFC sits in the middle of the PL and on paper this seems like a simple match for United. How-ev-ah, they have played many tight matches, beat Arsenal recently and have shown the ability to control matches. United have been on a solid run starting with their draw 0-0 at Liverpool in mid-December. Defensively they have been solid all season, now they are finding ways to score and win tight matches. This match may come down to who scores first.

• 6.1.1. Weekend. 6 Saturday, 1 Sunday, 1 Monday.

  • Chelsea v Tottenham. This match has been postponed as Chelsea plays in the EFL Cup Final Sunday. Reschedule date is TBD.

  • Liverpool 4-1 Luton Town. The Hatters had a great 1H and went into the break up 1-0. It was all Liverpool in the second half with 4 goals, could’ve been more but Hatters Goalkeeper with several great saves.

    • The deflection. Ogbene the recipient, Hatters lead at 11’. (X)

    • Two goals two minutes. Liverpool take the lead, van Dijk and Gakpo. (X)

    • Diaz for a 3-1 lead. (X)

    • Icing on the cake. Elliott for the goal in his 100th appearance.

• Quick Kicks

  • 5.45. Thomas Kaminski (no relation to frank) has prevented 5.45 goals for Luton Town this season, more than any other goalkeeper.

  • 39 goals in 25. Wolves have scored more goals this season than in their previous 3 seasons, with 13 matches yet to play.

  • 21 for 21. Erling Haaland has now scored against every PL club he has played against.

  • 1st Pair. Serfino Dest and Malik Tillman played in the CL round of 16 for PSV Eindhoven this week. They are the first pair of USMNT teammates to start for the same team in a CL knockout stage.

  • 10+ across 5. Liverpool are the first club in Europe’s top leagues to have 5 players score 10+ goals - Diaz (10), Gakpo (11), Nunez (13), Jota (14), Salah (19).

  • 9. Darwin Nunez (Liverpool) has “hit the woodwork” NINE times this season. Second on the list 5 players tied at 3.

Gotta See This. UEFA punished Legia Warsaw Ultras (Passionate Poland Fans of Legia) for lighting fireworks and sending “provocative messages”.

What 2 Look 4 👀- Match Week 26

Local Culture Highlight Match of the Week - Aston Villa, Birmingham

• Villa v Forest +500 (Sat) - Villa has lost their last 2 at home after a long unbeaten streak. The Trees are coming off a solid W home to West Ham. Expect The Lions fans at the Aston Tavern to be ready for a big W.

Traditional Culture. If you think of English soccer as cool old stadiums with passionate fans, great pubs, and major rivalries - that describes Aston Villa. It’s one of the original clubs started, with great history, many cups and titles, a great stadium and a passionate fan following. Great local rivals add to the passion and energy with the “Big 4 of the West Midlands” (West Brom, Wolverhampton, Birmingham City). An argument could be made for Villa to be the “best” PL club not in the Big 6. Villa have spent 109 consecutive seasons in the top 4 leagues, second only to Everton (120) and the two have matched up against each other more than any other two clubs. For current Villa fans frustration comes from a couple angles. The titles were over 40 years ago, the main rivals keep rotating in and out of the PL, and The Lions seem to be fighting uphill against the Big 6 clubs.

At the stadium…..

Pretty Big Home Favorites/Road Dogs

• Arsenal v Newcastle +750 (Sat) - The Gunners have been great at limited opponents’ chances. They have allowed only 3 shots on goal in their last 3 matches and on the season have allowed the fewest goals at 22. Newcastle last scored a goal at Arsenal in 2014, eight games ago.

• Wolves v Sheffield United +525 (Sun) - Wolves have lost their last 2 home matches. The Blades took themselves out with a red card their last time out and really have been a sieve averaging 3 goals allowed per match in their last 7. But really, they have been averaging over 2.5 goals allowed per match on the season, so 3 is really not a big step down.

• Villa v Forest +500 (Sat) - See Above.

• Man United v Fulham +475 (Sat) - See Above.

• BHA v Everton+300 (Sat) - BHA has had only one 1 goal match (aside from 4 draws) since December 6, their wins and losses have been big numbers. Everton won 4 in a row in December but have not won in their last 8 with 4D in the last 5. Everton are 17 goals behind their xG this season.

• Palace v Burnley +300 (Sat) - It is often believed that teams get a “bounce” after a managerial change, that has not been the case for Palace who are just 2D 4L after their last 6 managerial changes. Also, the home team in this matchup on either side is 2D 4L in their last 6. Palace got a good point at Everton last time out, The Clarets continue to struggle.

Home Teams That May Struggle

• West Ham v Brentford +165 (Mon) - 3D 3L in The Hammers last 6 and a free fall out of the top 10. Can a home match to Brentford, where the Hammers are slight favorites, turn the tide.

• Bournemouth v Man City -240 (Sat 1130am) - In their last 12 matches, City are 10W 2D but it doesn't feel that way. They have not been dominating and have needed late scores to put games away. The Cherries haven’t won in 6 but do have 3 draws. Will need some home turf cooking as their trip to City ended in a 1-6 defeat.

Not Playing On The Weekend

• Chelsea v Tottenham - Postponed.

• Liverpool v Luton Town - See Above.

Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥

The Coefficients of Europe

Ever wonder how teams get into the Champions League and how all the European Leagues are ranked best to worst? I didn’t think so. File this topic under things you may not know, didn't even know existed, but once you know it does exist you can't wait to learn. 🤔

Here is a 2-page Primer on how the Champions League works. (@ cleansheet.beehiv.com)

Why is this a Hot Topic?

We are now into the knockout rounds in the CL, EL and ECL and these games matter both to this year’s tournament and to future qualification opportunities for the Country Leagues and there is a battle going on at the top.

UEFA Coefficient Rankings (Full Rankings) as of 2/20/2024

In addition, next year the CL expands to 36 teams, from 32 - this will include an additional Automatic Qualifier for the TOP 2 in Coefficient Rankings. So instead of 4 automatic qualifiers the top 2 will get 5. And then, instead of the 5th place team qualifying for the Europa Leage it will be the 6th place team. All resulting in more money for the clubs and league.

• Here is a great article from SkySports with more detail.

• Here is an average article at the CleanSheet on the basics of the Leagues for those interested.

Off Island 🏝️

Champions League, Europa League & Europa Conference

All first legs are in the books for the CL and the final 16 have been determined in the EL and ECL.

Second Leg’s will be March 5/6 and 12/13.

Champions League Leg One Results

Europa League & Europa Conference - Teams that advanced to Round of 16

Matches will be played 3/7 and 3/14. Who plays who will be determined today, Friday 2/23 at 5am. While you are reading the CleanSheet and having your cup of coffee, you can watch the live stream.

Europa League Sweet 16 - Knock Out Round, best of 2 matches.

Europa Conference League Sweet 16 - Knock Out Round, best of 2 matches.

Best Bets 💰

Need Some Guest Picker’s. Send CS an email if you are interested!

CleanSheet Season Gains/Losses: Starting Balance $1000. Current Standing $1,197.

Liverpool to Win v Luton Town and O4.5 +164. $20

Villa Forest O3.5. +135. $20

Burnley to Win at Palace +300. $20

Everton BHA to Draw +280. $20

Arsenal to Win v Newcastle & Newcastle will not score +111. $20

Brentford to Win v West Ham +165. $20

EFL CUP Special

Liverpool to Win v Chelsea. +115. $20