as was only to be expected

[GoldfishLord]

Antonio Conte and Inter have, as was only to be expected, parted ways. The Scudetto party did not improve relations between manager and owner, borne out of an irredeemable fall-out.
(Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...er-just-warming-Gattuso-Conte-Pirlo-move.html)
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I'd like to know the meaning of "only".
I wonder why the auther used "as was only to be expected" rather than "as was to be expected".

 

[jutfrank]

The word only is optional in the phrase (only) to be expected.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/expect

 

[GoldfishLord]

How does adding the word "only" change the meaning?

 

[jutfrank]

It emphasises the expectation. That is to say it carries the idea that it would have been misguided to have expected anything else.