Jermaine Pennant names his Premier League XI and says Man City charges delay is “very sus”

Jermaine Pennant has named his current Premier League XI - and given a very blunt view on the long-running Manchester City 115 charges case.

The former Liverpool, Arsenal, Birmingham City and Stoke City winger spoke exclusively to The Football Historian and picked Mikel Arteta as his current Premier League manager, pointing to Arsenal’s title-winning form and unbeaten start.

“You have to go Arteta at the moment,” Pennant said.

“On the back of winning the Premier League, we know how hard it is to defend it.”

Jermaine Pennant’s current Premier League XI

Position	Jermaine Pennant’s pick
Goalkeeper	David Raya
Right-back	Reece James
Centre-back	Virgil van Dijk
Centre-back	Gabriel
Left-back	Lewis Hall
Midfield	Bruno Fernandes
Midfield	Cole Palmer
Midfield	Elliot Anderson
Right wing	Bukayo Saka
Left wing	Bradley Barcola
Striker	Erling Haaland

Pennant admitted right-back was one of the harder positions to choose, joking that there used to be “loads” of right-backs back in the day, but now the options feel thinner.

He eventually went with Reece James, with Lewis Hall at left-back and a centre-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Gabriel.

In midfield, Pennant selected Bruno Fernandes, Cole Palmer and Elliot Anderson.

Out wide, he went with Bukayo Saka on the right and Bradley Barcola on the left.

Up front, there was no debate.

“I love Haaland,” Pennant said.

“I don’t think you put anyone else up front, can you?”

He is probably right. Whatever tactical shape you want, whatever style of football you prefer, and whatever argument football Twitter wants to have this week, picking Erling Haaland as your Premier League striker is the only choice.

Pennant’s view on Man City’s 115 charges

Pennant was also asked about Manchester City’s 115 charges, and why the situation has dragged on for so long.

His answer was not subtle.

“I think it’s shocking,” he said.

“If it was the neighbours down the road, Everton, they would have been charged and docked 12 points by now.

“I think they get charged if they breathe.”

Pennant said he finds the delay increasingly suspicious, especially when compared to how quickly other clubs have been punished.

“We’re still nowhere nearer a conclusion on what’s going on,” he said.

“To me it’s very sus.

“They’re very scared or reluctant to punish them because it’s Man City and what it’s going to affect - the league, money and all this.

“You look at teams that have been punished and how quick it’s come. Yes, it’s 115 charges, but you’ve had almost ten times the time to get to this point.

“It feels like it’s been going on when I was playing.

“It’s very sus, it’s very dodgy in my eyes and it’s poor work, to be fair.”

“The game’s gone”

Pennant was also asked for his “the game’s gone” moment - and he went straight to VAR, tackles, penalties and modern officiating.

He referenced a recent challenge from Jeremy Jacquet against Atletico Madrid that was checked for a possible serious offence, saying he “could not believe” what he was seeing.

“If that was in my day, every single left-back and right-back would have been sent off,” Pennant said.

“The tackling, mate, it’s gone.

“The way people fall down now and what’s a red and what’s not a red - absolutely a farce.”

He also said modern officiating has become embarrassing.

“The VAR and the officiating, how they see reds and pens, it’s just embarrassing,” he said.

So there you have it.

Pennant’s Premier League XI has Raya in goal, Van Dijk and Gabriel at the back, Saka and Barcola out wide and Haaland up front.

His manager is Arteta.

His biggest frustration? VAR, soft red cards and a Man City case that he believes has dragged on far too long.

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