“Arsenal were probably the best team over the season. I did think if it got close Manchester City would probably take it all the way to the last game, but it wasn't to be.

“People have blamed VAR, but I think you've got to give Arsenal the credit. They probably have had the best squad, the best performances, and have been excellent defensively. It's been a long time coming for them, so they should enjoy it.

“I know Mikel Arteta deserves credit because he's had to be really patient up against some really good teams. They deserve it.”

"I think Arsenal can go on to dominate. I just think the timing now is absolutely perfect for them with Pep Guardiola on his way out, as it could take time to adjust to a new manager going in there.

“Liverpool were obviously the rivals in previous years, but they're not having a great time, and with Chelsea and Aston Villa now, they're probably thinking to themselves they've got a chance to really challenge in the Premier League.

“I think if I'm an Arsenal fan or Mikel Arteta, I'm sitting there quietly confident that you can have a few years of dominating now if you don't stand still and continue to add to the good squad of players you've got already.”

“Coming in as the underdogs is perfect for Arsenal. Winning the league will give them a big sigh of relief and confidence going into the game. While everyone is saying PSG are nailed on to win, given Arsenal's squad and capabilities, they can easily go and win on the day.

“I'm expecting a really good game and Arsenal should go in quietly confident.”

“The game might have been slightly worrying for the Aston Villa fans going in because Freiburg were somewhat unknown, midtable in the Bundesliga. Having said that, they absolutely dominated from start to finish.

“Getting that first goal was key to settling everyone down, and they were far the better team, having been deserved favorites right from the start of the season.

“With Unai Emery's experience and the squad they've built, they were deserved winners and the best team in the competition by quite some distance. This is brilliant and absolutely amazing for the fans, who will be delighted to finally end that 'hoodoo' and win the trophy after such a long wait.

“They showed this year they can challenge up to a point in the Premier League, and there is no reason they can't take that even further next year.

“Since they've put the trophy 'hoodoo' out of the way, they should go and pick up some more now while they have a great manager and a good squad of players.”

“I feel sorry for Harvey Elliott, the situation was likely out of his contract, all he wanted was first-team football away from Liverpool and probably wasn't fully aware of all the contract details at the time.

“He handled it really well by keeping his head down, continuing to train, and doing his best whenever asked to play or sit on the bench. He has learned a lot and will come back a lot stronger next year, with the trophy he picked up being a bonus.”

“Jarrod Bowen is going to be a name thrown around to quite a few Premier League teams and even teams in Europe, especially if West Ham do eventually go down.

“As a Villa fan, he would be a great signing because Aston Villa is not overly flooded with that type of player. He offers a different option for Unai Emery, who loves different types of players and tactics for setting his team up.

“Bowen would be a great addition to the squad and a necessary signing if Villa want to compete at the top of the Premier League and continue competing in Europe. They will need quality players like him and maybe one or two more.”

“It's unfortunate, but everything has to come to an end at some point. Watching Pep Guardiola recently, he seemed a little more relaxed in his press conferences, which suggests he may have made his mind up.

“With 10 years, 20 trophies, and his style of football, fans will adore him forever. It will be a sad day on the weekend if it is his last appearance for Manchester City, and I'm sure the fans will be ready to give him a massive ovation.

“When we look at long-term managers at Premier League clubs in recent years like Wenger, Ferguson, and Klopp, it is always tough for a successor to come in and immediately match what they achieved.

“It will be a tough job for Enzo Maresca even with his connections and similar style to Pep, and I don't think he can paint a different picture to that.

“However, he does know the club, which puts him ahead of new managers coming in from elsewhere. He is very close to Pep, so there will be a lot of conversations going on.

“It is not an easy job, but Maresca is going to have a fantastic squad to start with, and I'm sure he will be relishing the challenge.”

“That is the conversation in football, some fans would love to see Pep Guardiola take on a challenge with less money and fewer top players to see how he would fare.

“I believe he would get it right eventually, as even at Man City, success didn't happen overnight. If he were to go to a club like Leicester City with a squad built on limited money, I'm sure the way he works would eventually bring results.

“While I can't see it happening, he is certainly capable of doing it at Leicester City.”

“Michael Carrick's timing for taking the job full-time is very good. He has already shown he is capable of turning things around at the club, and the players are clearly backing him, which is vital for a manager.

“Manchester United will be looking to capitalize on this period, similar to Aston Villa. By adding a couple of players to improve their starting XI and building on their great finish to the season, they could easily be challenging at the top again next year if they start well.

“Carrick will be looking forward to a preseason and securing a couple of new signings to further improve the team, then take it from there.”

“I was surprised by Xabi Alonso’s move, given the rivalry Alonso had with Chelsea when he played at Liverpool, and his reputation might have slightly weighed on Liverpool fans.

“However, in football, you can't wait forever, and Chelsea is a huge club that would be tough to turn down if you're looking to get back into managing.

“I was slightly surprised he didn't wait to see if the Liverpool job might have become available. Regardless, it will be a tough challenge for him because the Chelsea dressing room currently seems a little inconsistent.

“The one good thing about Liverpool is that they are very patient with their managers. You have to give a big bit of credit to Arne Slot, winning the Premier League in his first season.

“The recruitment wasn't great on the results of how the players performed this year. But I think they're doing the right thing. Maybe with some additions again, we know he's capable of producing a team to perform at the top of the Premier League.

“I'm sure he'll be looking forward to getting this season out of the way and going again.”

“John Stones can adapt anywhere in the world, but his main challenge will be keeping fit. If he can maintain his fitness, he is capable of playing at any top club.

“It wouldn't surprise me if he wanted to compete at the highest level with Champions League football and a new challenge at a club like Bayern Munich, especially given the connection with Vincent Kompany. On a free transfer, John will have a lot of options, including his old club, Everton.

“Ultimately, it will come down to personal preference whether he wants a new challenge abroad or to return to his old club and stay where he is, probably in Cheshire. I wouldn't be surprised by either move, and I'm sure John has already made his mind up before he goes on holiday.”

“I have always thought that sort of business is much better for the club and the player if it can be done early. Though I am unsure how many top teams are interested in Elliot Anderson, Manchester United fans would be desperate for him as a replacement.

“Casemiro will be a huge loss. While they are slightly different players at different points in their careers, Elliot Anderson is a player on the up and improving every time I watch him, I think he’d be an amazing replacement for Casemiro.”

“I wouldn't be a fan of seeing Everton in for Romelu Lukaku, knowing his character from playing with him. He's likely to be hurt this year, loves scoring goals, and would have a big point to prove if Everton can get the signing over the line.

“Given the current situation, and knowing the Everton fans, I don't think they are fully convinced the two existing strikers can consistently score goals.

“Lukaku would be a great addition, Romelu. He'd be desperate to make it a point and obviously knows the club very well. So that would be a great signing for Everton and I'm sure David Moyes is thinking about that, if he’s available.”

“Given the constant changing of goalkeepers at Newcastle, Eddie Howe is likely looking to start again. Carl Rushworth would be a great signing. He’s had a fantastic year at Coventry and, at 24 or 25, has already played a lot of football.

“If a new goalkeeper is on Newcastle’s radar, he should definitely be at the very top of the list, provided he is available and whatever Brighton decides to do with him.”

“It's going to be a real nervy couple of matches, possibly more so around Spurs, as West Ham are expecting Spurs to secure a point or so. Nothing will surprise me this weekend.

“Premier League clubs fight right until the end, even if they are not playing for much. I expected them to get a result at Chelsea, which just shows how much every club fights.

“Having said that, if Spurs go down, they will be straight back up. I think they are too strong, the manager, the club, and the players. Although the Championship is a tough league, I believe Spurs will be able to bounce straight back up.”

“Roberto Martinez will be looking forward to getting back into full-time management, as he loves the game and the day-to-day training. His training methods are fantastic, and his style of play is great. If Celtic secure Roberto Martinez, it would be a great coup.

“He is capable of helping Celtic move past the worries of almost not winning a league title this year and implementing a style of football the fans will love. It would be a good move all around.”

“Patrick Vieira is a huge name that Celtic fans would love. Although he seems comfortable now as a pundit when I see him on TV, he'd be a great hire. He's a great guy, and if he's looking to get back into management, Celtic is a great opportunity he probably wouldn't turn down. I'm excited to see who they eventually appoint.”

“This year was a missed opportunity for Rangers, as Celtic clearly weren't at their best, having to just nick the title. Rangers will be looking to improve their season.

“Danny Rohl is a young manager, and I'm sure he can improve again if given the backing. He started very well, but his results waned at the business end, which created pressure from the fans.

“Rangers will likely give him another season to improve the squad over the summer with a couple of signings. However, Celtic seems to have a firm grip on the league, so it will be tough to turn them over.”

“The decision is difficult to accept because it’s new and unusual, particularly in the English game.

“Teams constantly seek an advantage, but the rules clearly stated that this cannot be done and therefore there has to be a punishment. Given the clear evidence and the club's admission, the punishment was always on the table.

“You have to feel sympathy for the players, the fans who bought tickets, and others who are not at fault, especially considering the potential for massive contract improvements from reaching the Premier League.

“Ultimately, the punishment was on the table, and something had to be done.”

“I heard Middlesbrough have continued training, and the pressure is likely off them as they are getting another chance. The situation is harsher on Hull, who were preparing for Southampton.

“With the pressure off Middlesbrough and on Hull, the focus will be interesting, but Hull City has had an amazing season regardless.

“If Hull City win it, it would be a massive surprise, as I wasn't expecting them to be so high in the Championship this year. They have come from nowhere and look like a real solid unit.”

“This will be a tough decision for Kieran McKenna. He had promotion before and turned down several big job offers to stay and help Ipswich stay in the Premier League, which ultimately didn't happen.

“He will be desperate to prove he can keep Ipswich in the Premier League, but his future is 50/50. Ipswich Town supporters should be nervous because he has proven himself to be a good and capable manager, there will be inevitable interest in him.”

“I had Sheffield United down as possibly one of the favorites to come up this year but after the start they had, it was never really going to happen.

“They had a good run in the middle which they might have had a half a chance at the playoffs. I think Chris Wilder, they know what type of manager they've got there.

“They know he's going to be capable of getting them close to the playoffs. It's all about how we can improve their team.

“I think they're slightly behind on the financial side, so I'm not sure how much money they've got to spend. I think it will be tough again next year.

“I think he'll be probably targeting that playoff place rather than the automatics. It’s going to be a tough job for him again next year.”

“Living in the area, I know the Birmingham fans are excited. They seem pretty patient, to be fair. There were slight expectations that they could get to the playoffs but I think they're probably happy with the direction the club's going.

“They've all seen the plans from the new owners, if you're doing well on the pitch, it helps everything else. You can gain rewards financially as well.

“They're going to have a big decision with the manager there, Chris Davies. It was his first year in the Championship, so you can't expect too much despite dominating League One.

“There's certainly going to be a tiny bit more pressure next year than I think they will be expecting to push a lot closer to the playoffs at least.”

The initial news of Snoop Dogg bringing extra attention to Swansea can only go so far. Fans go to watch their football club and want them to win.

“They will be excited by the extra noise around the club, but ultimately, it is all about the results. Swansea will be looking forward to next season and trying to improve from where they were this year, but having exciting investors won’t get you promoted.”

“Achieving back-to-back promotions from League Two to League One is a relatively common feat in English football so MK Dons fans might be dreaming of that.

“Having said that, the primary goal after promotion is usually to solidify your position for a year, if MK Dons start the season well, they can certainly ride that wave.

“Back-to-back promotions have been done a lot down the years, there is no reason why MK Dons can’t do it.”

“Any side that has been in the Premier League for a long period, it’s not nice to see them stuck in League One. Gary Caldwell has come in and steadied the ship, they finished the season strongly and I think they are a capable side.

“Promotion isn’t completely out of the question, Caldwell will be trying to work his magic and keep improving on last year.”

“Bradford City is a massive club, and the full stadium during the playoffs highlighted the level of support they have. Being so close to promotion will fuel them for next season.

“They know their squad is capable and, with improvements to the starting XI and a few new additions, they are not too far away from their goal under Graham Alexander.”

“Richie Wellens, he's done well. He obviously got them promoted. They lost a few key players this year, which obviously affected them.

“It's tough when you lose any good players at any level. And I'm sure Richie Wellens is looking to replace those that he lost, which made it a lot tougher this year.

“So the target will be to edge further up the lead rather than looking down.”

“Blackpool, another big club that have experienced the Premier League, but the competition is high. You talk about the Championship, but even League One now, look how easy it is to slip down.

“We see big clubs are slipping all the way down to League One, League Two sometimes. Ian Evatt is an experienced manager now.

“He'll know the quality he's going to need to bring in to compete with these other teams and after a mid-table finish for them this year, they're going to be looking to improve and get themselves back in the Championship.”

“I think it's great to see Wimbledon doing well. I remember playing against them in the Premier League, so it was a shame to see them having to restart again.

“The manager's come in and done well, he's done a great rebuild. There's no reason why they can't go up to the Championship.

“They've steadied the ship, they're gaining experience by playing big teams around them and they'll just be looking to improve season by season.”

“It was one of the biggest surprises in League Two. Not long ago, they were looking at automatic promotion, and given Ian Holloway's great job and experience, to finish the season without even making the playoffs was a massive shock.

“Holloway seems keen to stay, which will fuel their drive to aim for automatic promotion next year. Having been so close and failing to make the playoffs will be frustrating for both the club and the fans.”

“Micky Mellon, he deserves a lot of credit. After promotion and the next thing you want to do is have a comfortable season rather than struggle in a relegation battle.

“He seems to have done that well. It's nice to see Oldham finding themselves back in the Football League and with a good manager there, there is no reason why they can't challenge for the playoffs next year.”

“The dramatic fashion in which York went up, their fans will be ecstatic really to return to the Football League.

“It's been about 10 years since they've not experienced the Football League and this summer will be really exciting, I think next it’s about steadying yourselves and looking to improve gradually year on year.”

“John Terry's link to buying Colchester United came as a surprise to me. He’s been keen to get into management but now looks to have shifted his focus to club ownership.

“A big name like John Terry is exciting for Colchester fans and of course they’d want to follow the successful model of Wrexham.

“It’s an exciting challenge for him and it could have a huge impact on the direction of the club, it’s come out of nowhere but maybe he’s decided on ownership after not getting the management role he wanted.

“But Wrexham have now really set the tone, I'm sure that they'll be looking to follow the way they've gone about their business.”

“I'm sure Mauricio Pochettino is enjoying his job over there and it's not quite the same as your club football day to day, working with the players.

“Because of the level he has shown in club management he won’t be short of options, even if the USMNT don’t do well, his reputation will get him a Premier League job without doubt.

“He’s got the World Cup to worry about first, but I won’t be surprised to see Pochettino back in the Premier League next season.”

“I am worried about the heat and the England players, when it comes to dealing with those conditions. It will be a huge task.

“We are not as adapted to the heat as the South Americans or most other nations, the coaching staff will need to factor this in with the players, getting them acclimatized and possibly employing tactics like slowing the game down, which is different from the end-to-end football we are used to in these tournaments.

“It needs to be a significant talking point for the manager and the players, and it’s certainly a worry that needs to be addressed during the tournament.”

“Looking back at the World Cup in 1994 and the impact that had, it was a huge thing for soccer out there and this tournament could take things to another level.

“Lionel Messi is out there and they will want to attract even more big names in the peak of their careers, I think this tournament could have that impact if things go right.

“The MLS can thrive off the back of this and that’s what the organizers should be trying to do.”

“I think France are up there, but Spain would be my favorites. Their style of play might suit the conditions a tiny bit more than France. That could have a big impact.

“France has the attacking ability and a couple of solid defenders as well. They're going to be up there, but if you were to ask me who I think is going to win, it's going to be Spain.

“There's so many other teams you can mention in that bracket to compete as well, but that’s how I see it.”

“Morgan Rogers has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League this year, he’s played the most minutes for Villa and despite a slight dip in his form, he has finished the season really strongly.

“On the world stage, he is relatively unknown, which gives him the potential to be a breakout star like we often see at World Cups, Wayne Rooney was one of them.

“He will need careful management due to his workload this season, but if he can maintain his form and confidence, he can surprise other nations whose managers maybe aren’t as aware of him.

“If he can repeat his weekly performances, it will be excellent news for England.”

“I think the speculation last summer certainly unnerved Morgan Rogers a little bit and he started the season very slowly, which is natural.

“Whatever happens this year, I think the experience of last year will help him, will he stay at Aston Villa? I don't see why he would want to leave.

“Champions League football and has now won a trophy. The only thing Villa fans will be wary of is their finances and if the club might need to sell Rogers, that would be my only concern.

“Apart from that I don't see why there's any reason he'd want to be leaving Aston Villa at the moment. He's one of the main men playing a lot of the games and he's playing well and while he's got the English shirt there's no reason he needs to move.”

“It is a shame that ticket prices lack a consistent level regardless of the fixture. It is unfortunate for the fans of bigger nations who are desperate to travel and watch their teams, as not every fan can afford the prices.

“This is pricing certain people out, which is not what sport and football should be about. The tournament should be about filling stadiums and leaving a legacy, which ticket prices could put a stop to.”

“I really think that the USMNT set up to perform well, they can benefit from familiar stadiums, home support, and a really capable manager.

“It would not surprise me to see them play good football and potentially reach the quarter-finals.

“They have some players who aren’t well known, but others who have lots of Premier League appearances and they will have to step up. It’s great to see them at the highest level domestically and now they need to help their nation at the World Cup.”

“I think Scotland are getting written off a little bit too soon to be honest. I know they've got a fairly tough group, but we've seen the new set up that you can finish third maybe and still qualify.

“They're capable of getting through the group and who knows, they have got players like John McGinn and Scott McTominay and I think they could surprise a few people.

“They'll have a big set of fans out there, that support will help them, they should not be written off and I’d back them to get through that group and maybe cause a few shocks in the knockout rounds.”

“The game between Liverpool and Everton towards the end of the season was the first time in a long time that I saw Everton as favorites, I think with their current squads and form they are the closest they have been in a long while.

“Both clubs at the minute will be looking to strengthen this summer and give them the best possible chances of success next season, Everton fans will be excited to see some new faces to get them back into Europe and will be hoping that Liverpool have another indifferent season to give them a chance to catch them.

“That would be a great achievement for David Moyes.”

“Manchester City are set up better than clubs under long-term managers like Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson were when they left.

“Enzo Maresca, knowing the club, puts City ahead of the game in terms of replacement. However, what Pep Guardiola brought to the club, in terms of attracting players and setting up the team, will be a tough act to follow.

“There will be immense pressure on Maresca, and other clubs will be looking to capitalize on the transition to stop City and win trophies of their own.”