Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest is part of 's live Premier League coverage on Saturday, but the wider talking point this week has come from Mauricio Pochettino and his view of Chelsea's 2016-17 title.
Pochettino, the former Chelsea manager, said Spurs should have been awarded the title after finishing second to Chelsea in 2016-17. His comments follow a March punishment for Chelsea, when the club was fined £10.75m after being charged by the Premier League for historical breaches of competition rules.
That case also included a six-point deduction, although it was later set aside on appeal. Pochettino's argument is straightforward: if Chelsea were punished for not following the rules, then the title should go to the team that finished second.
He said Spurs should win one Premier League title and added that it was not fair to say the teams competed under the same conditions. In his words, Tottenham did not start that season with the same chance as Chelsea, so the title should have gone elsewhere.
The comments arrive in a week when Chelsea were also in action, beating Leeds in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. But the title debate is separate from that result, and it keeps the focus on the older Premier League punishment and what it could mean in hindsight.
What Pochettino said
Pochettino's stance was clear: Chelsea should be stripped of the 2016-17 Premier League title, and Spurs should be recognised as champions. He said Chelsea were punished, admitted the issue, and that the team which finished second should receive the title.
It is an argument rooted in fairness rather than statistics. Pochettino's point was that the competition should be judged by the same rules for everyone, and that the outcome should reflect that if a club is found to have breached those rules.
Why it matters now
The immediate football focus is still on the weekend schedule, including Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest, but Pochettino's remarks have reopened a long-running debate about the 2016-17 season. Chelsea won the title, Spurs finished second, and the later punishment has prompted questions about what should happen in hindsight.
For now, the title remains with Chelsea. But the comments ensure the issue stays in the conversation whenever the club's past conduct is discussed, and they give added context to the Premier League's historical breach case.
