MOOR THE MERRIER
It has been a busy couple of days in Doha, where Fifa president Gianni Infantino has had to field no end of awkward questions about the upcoming Human Rights World Cup in Qatar. However, one particularly tricky question The Fiver can’t help but feel has gone unasked regards the timing of Friday’s draw. Scheduled for 5pm BST, it hasn’t gone unnoticed here in Fiver Towers that world football’s governing body has pointedly timed it to coincide with the arrival of the world’s most daily email in the spam folders of our subscribers, meaning we’re unable to provide any pithy commentary here. What’s more, this deliberate act of spiteful, bureaucratic sabotage means that, in terms of piping-hot takes on high-profile match-ups, it behoves us to scrabble around closer to home.
Following a two-week hiatus the Premier League resumes on Saturday, with Liverpool’s game against Watford getting proceedings under way at Anfield. Victory for Jürgen Klopp’s side would see them leapfrog Manchester City and go top of the table for a couple of hours at least, until Pep Guardiola and his merry men swat Burnley aside at Turf Moor. Not that the German is taking his side’s inevitable win for granted against a side battling for Premier League survival. “If we viewed this as an easy game we wouldn’t have that many points,” he cooed, before spoiling the surprise he has in store for Mr Roy’s team and insulting a town 40 miles away. “We have to surprise Watford with our intensity – it’s not an easy weekend for City or us. Burnley is the last place you want to go.”
For a man who has complained loudly and at great length since his arrival in England any time his team has been forced to play early on a Saturday, Klopp was uncharacteristically upbeat about their kick-off time. “Most of the time City have played before us,” he blurted. “This time we play before them but I couldn’t care less.” However, he did warn any Liverpool fans with laryngitis to stay away from Anfield. “We need the best 12.30pm atmosphere ever – if you cannot shout or sing, then stay at home and give your ticket to somebody else, please.” That’s them told.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE!
Join John Brewin now for updates from the draw for the Human Rights World Cup.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“My family told me to go to western Ukraine but I refused. I said: ‘I am from Kyiv, I can’t leave’. I didn’t think it would be correct as people have to defend and I can’t run. I thought, if they come to Kyiv I will pick up a weapon and defend my city” – in an extraordinary interview, Ukraine’s manager, Oleksandr Petrakov, talks about trying to get his team to the World Cup amid war and his willingness to take up arms and fight at the age of 64.
MOVING THE GOALPOSTS
The Fiver has a new sister email, folks! It’s a weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women’s football called Moving the Goalposts. You don’t need to be told that it’s smarter and wittier than us – so sign up here. The first edition has already been sent whistling into inboxes but you can get a taste here.
FIVER LETTERS
“Steven Pye’s article on the Liverpool team of 1984 brought back fond memories for me, as I was a 13-year-old Walsall supporter back then. Shunned by my peers at school for being a fan of a team ‘no one had heard of’, this was my time to bask in some glory. Alan Buckley worked miracles and assembled a team that pushed the European champions all the way in the Milk Cup semi-final. I listened to both ties on the radio while pretending to do homework, with my dad going to both legs. In spite of the result it was a great time to be a Walsall fan. Good times don’t happen often to us poor souls. As luck would have it, a book has just been published celebrating this very occasion, 90 Minutes from Europe, which I’m hoping to receive as a gift in the very near future … Up the Saddlers!” – Robin Foster.
“I find all the booing of Harry Maguire (Fiver passim) disappointing, because I always look forward to seeing him on the field. But then, I support Crystal Palace. Maguire’s time at Leicester City coincided with the Foxes losing four consecutive games to Palace for the first time since the 1990s, but the Eagles have not beaten them since Maguire moved to Manchester United. By coincidence, his first game against Palace in a United shirt was also the first time the Eagles had won a league fixture at Old Trafford since 1989. More power to him, I say” – Ed Taylor.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Robin Foster. Next week: prizes are back, baby! We will be giving away copies of Jon Spurling’s Get It On, a joyous retelling of how the 1970s rocked football. And it’s also available here.
NEWS, BITS AND BOBS
The SFA has been urged to consider a fit and proper person test for players in the wake of outcry over David Goodwillie signing for Raith Rovers, despite the striker having been found by a civil court to have raped a woman.
West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini has escaped unhurt after crashing into a tree on his way to training in east London.
Bruno Fernandes claims a “special relationship” with the Stretford End convinced him to ink his name all over a bumper new four-year deal at Manchester United.
Ooh, the Lord Ferg special: Trent Alexander-Arnold should be available again for Liverpool by Tuesday after making a hasty recovery over the international break.
Mr Roy hopes Ismaila Sarr can help Watford in the relegation scrap after returning from Senegal duty on a high. “That has buoyed his spirits I am sure,” cheered Roy. “He will be putting his hand up and ask to be put into the starting line-up.”
Barcelona will use their experience of behind-the-scenes bother [Mess que un club? – Fiver Ed] by trying to lever César Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rüdiger away from the uncertainty at Chelsea.
And the Pope’s Newc O’Rangers have caused a flamin’ uproar by pulling out of their schlep to the Sydney Super Cup. “The [O’Rangers] board has let down many, many fans in Australia and the Asian region,” aww-mated organisers, who denied allegations they reneged on aspects of their contract.
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STILL WANT MORE?
Low-wage workers have paid dearly for Qatar’s glittering World Cup, writes Pete Pattisson.
“Just keep playing”: Danny Warren’s journey from the Premier League to non-league.
Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte gets his chat on with Sid Lowe.
A Liverpool quadruple may not be such a laughable notion, warns Andy Hunter.
Ten of your things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend.
And if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO!
