The F A Premier League (PL) is back, and so too are Premier London Derbies (PLDs) matches. On Friday 11 August 2023 it is newly promoted Burnley v PL Champions Manchester City as the 2023-24 PL season’s opener. Pupil Vincent Kompany entertaining his master Pep Guardiola. The first PLDs match is Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 13 August.
Before we look at that one let’s remind ourselves where our Clubs finished in both the PL and the PLDs mini-league last season 2022-23. Arsenal were the most successful Club being second in the PL, faltering in only their last few matches, and were unbeaten in the PLDs mini-league. Their 10 wins put them back on top of the All-Time PLDs table too. West Ham United were arguably the PLDs second most successful Club with their Europa Conference League Cup win. This does not make up for losing star Declan Rice to Arsenal but was well deserved by manager David Moyes. Both Fulham and Crystal Palace outshone a troubled Chelsea in the PL but trailed The Blues in the PLDs mini-league.
Our contestants in the first PLDs match of the 2023-24 season, Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur, were separated by a point and a place in both leagues with Spurs just on top. They do however enter the arena in very different moods! For The Bees it has been a quiet transfer market so far holding off Arsenal’s interest in top-performing goalkeeper David Raya. Behind the scenes it will be a calm and steady consolidation despite star striker Ivan Toney serving a suspension until January 2024. For Spurs it could not be more different. Another manager, the Australian Arne Postecoglou, has arrived from Glasgow Celtic, and a few new players, notably James Madison from relegated Leicester City. But the biggest question remains: will Harry Kane,scorer of 280 goals in 435 appearances, stay or go? With typical brinkmanship Chairman Daniel Levy has put the decision on the player. He will not be known as “The man who sold Harry Kane!”.
Have a good season whatever your Club, Andrew at PLDs.
