Premier League match previews are all here:
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That’s the lot from us today.
Here are all today’s pieces, starting with Liverpool’s reaction to their defeat by Atalanta:
Thanks for reading – bye for now.
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When Arsenal went top of the Premier League against Luton last week, it wasn’t their fans who were celebrating. Comfortable in their two-goal lead, the home crowd were slipping out before the end and the stadium was empty soon after the whistle. But not entirely. Clustered in the south-east corner, nearly 3,000 Luton fans stayed to serenade their beloved manager. Oh for someone who looks at you the way a Lutonian looks at Rob Edwards.
Matz Sels, the Nottingham Forest goalie, has told the Premier League’s official website that it’s amazing to win the Castrol Save of the Month Award.
“I’m quite proud,” Sels said. “To be nominated was really good, but to win the trophy is amazing …in that moment it was an important save against Liverpool … sadly, we lost the game like three or four minutes later.”
I can’t see any quotes on Forest’s website before tomorrow’s visit of Wolves. But I can reveal that tickets remain for the “luxury rolling buffet”.
“Limited spaces remain for our brand-new Museum hospitality package, which includes a luxury rolling buffet, 30-minute Q&A session with a Forest Legend as well as access to our brand-new, state-of-the-art Museum.”
Premier League clubs spent more than £400m on agents in the year to February 2024, with Chelsea handing over a record £75m to players’ representatives.
Figures released by the Football Association show that Premier League clubs paid £409m to intermediaries from 1 February 2023 to 1 February 2024, which includes the past two transfer windows.
The Bournemouth manager, Andoni Iraola, gave a fitness (and illness) update before the Premier League visit of Manchester United tomorrow evening.
“We have some with colds and there are some players that are 50-50,” Iraola said.
“But I will tell you the ones that are out. Tyler Adams, Chris Mepham, Marcus Tavernier, Ryan Fredericks and Antoine Semenyo, they are out. It is a shame.”
Of Marcus Tavernier he added: “Tav is probably the worst we have right now, because it is a hamstring injury. It is just one month until the end of the season. I hope he plays, but it is going to be more difficult to play a lot of games.
“I hope he can play the last games, but now the time is difficult.” (PA)
My Premier League manager box-ticking exercise continues apace with Marco Silva and a line from the clever people at the Press Association:
Fulham ran riot against West Ham in December but boss Marco Silva insists that result will be meaningless in the return at London Stadium. The Hammers were routed 5-0 at Craven Cottage days after Fulham had thrashed Nottingham Forest by the same score.
Now Silva is attempting to steer his team out of a rut having won just one of their previous five Premier League matches.
“The result against West Ham is not going to have any impact on Sunday,” Silva said. “We all follow the Premier League - we are living this competition - and it’s really tough for any club to win a game - imagine winning 5-0. It was a moment that happened. OK, credit for ourselves, for our players, the way we did it. If it’s difficult to win a football match, imagine winning 5-0 back-to-back.
“It’s clearly much more difficult, and unusual as well, but we are not going to think about that result. We won against Forest as well with a clear result. And one week ago we went to Forest and our performance was not good enough, we didn’t reach the level that we should, and we lost the game.”
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The Sheffield United manager, Chris Wilder, believes Brentford’s Ivan Toney is an example of why patience pays when it comes to developing young players.
“Newcastle didn’t get him going. This is what you deal in with young players,” said Wilder, speaking on Thursday. “Look at our two young players, (Daniel) Jebbison and (Will) Osula, and the characteristics they’ve got.
“No 9s, modern-day centre-forwards. Strong, powerful and athletic. Obviously Ivan had all those tools and I’m not saying our boys will go on to have the career Ivan’s had. But it’s been a while coming and he’ll possibly be the first to admit that, loans here, there and everywhere.
“Obviously he found a good home at Peterborough and developed off the back of that. He then got his move (to Brentford) and the numbers you are talking about and getting in the England squad. So with young players you need time and patience because they’re going to make mistakes and I’m sure Ivan did as a young player.
“But if somebody believes in them, which we do in our young players, then hopefully they come through. We’re all looking for it to be now of course, the next six and 12 months, but he’s a great example to our players and everyone at the club that this might take a bit of time with the young ones.” (PA Media)
Thomas Frank has warned Brentford they cannot afford to underestimate Sheffield United when they host them in the Premier League on Saturday.
“The last four games, they have been very much in form, great performances, very good results as well - 2-2 against Chelsea, Liverpool only just beat them at Anfield, 3-3 against Fulham, and 2-2 against Bournemouth. They have more fight and they are more difficult to beat.
“They are doing everything I would expect from a Chris Wilder team. I think he has done a very good job in general, and we are seeing what he is building at the club now, so I expect a difficult game.” (PA Media)
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In other news, a TV football pundit providing insight and context thanks to their deep knowledge is causing quite a stir on X today. Which is great, of course, and also highlights how the increasing reliance on ex-pros as pundits has come at a cost:
"They've normalised the extraordinary!"@JamesHorncastle discusses Gian Piero Gasperini's incredible work at Atalanta...
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024
🎙️ @julesbreach pic.twitter.com/IYOvjlutjH
Rob Edwards said avoiding defeat against Manchester City will be “one of the results of the century” with Luton facing an injury crisis that may leave them without a recognised centre-half. The Hatters are fighting for Premier League survival and go to the Etihad Stadium level with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Edwards could be forced to field a makeshift side after he revealed none of the club’s seven centre-halves trained this week. Reece Burke and Teden Mengi, who both played in Luton’s comeback win against Bournemouth, have since been consigned to the treatment room, while Issa Kabore, on loan from City, is ineligible.
“We’ve got seven centre-backs at this club and not one has trained this week,” said Edwards. “Maybe we get one back, maybe we get both, but maybe we don’t get either. We are already depleted. Teden twice pushed through to help us win the game last week against Bournemouth and he was in a lot of pain.
“Issa will be a big miss, too. He’s had a great attitude and filled in a number of positions. The players have responded well and trained well. But we’ll have to ride our luck, and if we get a result, given all the problems we’ve got, it’ll be one of the results of the century.” (PA Media)
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When you grow bored of watching your chosen golfers crash at Augusta, Tanya Aldred has the county cricket news right here:
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Glasner hails 'inspirational' Klopp
A bit more here from Oliver Glasner of Crystal Palace. He’s poured praised on Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp, who is moving on at the end of the season, before the Eagles’ trip to Anfield.
“I think Jürgen was inspirational for many German-speaking coaches because at the time when he was performing with Borussia Dortmund so well, he had maybe a new style of playing: very aggressive, very intense,” Glasner said.
“This was at the end of my career as a player, so his approach to the game had a lot of influence on my sights to the game. It still has because of how they play with this intensity, especially this season. I think they struggled a little bit last season because they didn’t have this power, this energy, this intensity in the games.
“When I see it in many games, when they lose the ball, what happens? It’s like somebody whistles and 10 players are hunting the ball and so it makes it so difficult for you.”
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Quick turnaround is will be difficult, says Moyes
More from Moyes. He said it’s going to be tough to be ready for Sunday’s Premier League match against Fulham after being in action in Europe last night.
“It’s difficult mentally to get back and get the players ready,” Moyes said. “Physically you need time to recover, debrief and get things out of the way. I’m not sure you can ever get used to it. But we’ve been doing it for three years and we’re getting a bit more used to how we need to feel on the day of the game.
“We have a day or two to recover and be ready for the next game, so we’ll do our best to be ready for Fulham on Sunday.
“Disappointment is something that comes around in football, but you have the opportunity to put it right in the next game,” added Moyes following the 2-0 defeat by Leverkusen on Thursday night. “We had a brilliant win away at Wolves last weekend and now we’re back at home, where we’ve done well for the majority of the season, so I hope we can get another good result at home.
“Every time you win, it builds a little bit of momentum. I thought we did a lot of good things at Leverkusen partly because of what we did at Wolves. We’ll always go into a game with hope and things can alter in football very quickly, so hopefully it can change against Leverkusen next week.”
When Portsmouth celebrated promotion to the Premier League in 2003 and lifting the FA Cup in 2008 which, it later emerged, came at a crippling cost, Southsea Common played host to the party. Fans also gathered there to toast winning League Two in 2017, though at that point they did not anticipate spending quite so long in League One. At the seventh attempt, a return to the second tier after 12 years away is in full view, John Mousinho having quietly revived a club that had been stuck in a malaise. Victory at Bolton on Saturday would not only guarantee promotion but crown Pompey champions. As the kit man “Big” Kev McCormack, part of the furniture after 25 years of service, says, the feelgood factor is back.
“I don’t think we’ll have Jarrod [Bowen] at the weekend,” says West Ham’s David Moyes, whose side host Fulham on Sunday. “Alphonse [Areola] I’m not sure about yet … Kalvin Phillips I’m not sure about … They’re the ones I need to wait on … I’ve not spoken to the medical team [about Konstantinos Mavropanos, taken off late last night].”
On the concession of two late goals against Leverkusen: “Huge disappointment. The players had done a great job. They had worked really really hard, tirelessly, to keep a good team down.
“But look, we knew Leverkusen are very strong … They’ve got 16, 17 players they play, they interchange them, they’re all very much part of their squad … He [Xabi Alonso] used them later on and they made that little bit of difference. But I was pleased with what we’d done, just disappointed with the latter stages.”
Leverkusen might have a Bundesliga title party before the second leg: “I don’t really know what Leverkusen are going to do. I do know it’s a good side and we’ll have to play well. We played the first part. There’s a second half to go now, and we have to try and do better.”
Moyes is asked: is he in favour of semi-automated offside technology? “Every time something new comes out we’re asked, are we in favour? Half the time we might say yes, we might say no … the truth is we probably don’t know. We need to see how it works, we need to see if it gets the results that are desired … I think it’s going to speed things up a bit and if so that would help … it’s difficult to ask us just now until we see it.”
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David Moyes up next.
Let’s glance across the Channel to continental Europe, where Barça boss Xavi has been having a chat with pesky journalists in Spain …
Xavi is convinced Barcelona’s season would have been a “disaster” had he not announced his decision to leave at the end of it. The 44-year-old revealed after a 5-3 home defeat by Villarreal in January he would walk away after two and a half years in charge.
He said at the time his decision would free up his players, and they will head into Saturday’s La Liga clash with lowly Cadiz on a 12-game unbeaten run in all competitions - the last of them an impressive 3-2 Champions League quarter-final, first-leg victory at Paris Saint-Germain.
Xavi said: “With the decision made, I was sure we would be like this. If not, it would have been a disaster, and I told the president so. I looked and looked around the club. If I hadn’t decided, we wouldn’t be competing now.”
Asked if he might reconsider his decision to leave, Xavi said: “I’ve told you that at every press conference. Nothing has changed.”
Barça head into the game revelling in their midweek fightback in Paris, which saw them recover from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2 at the Parc des Princes and secure a lead to take back to Catalonia.
They have won their last five in all competitions, although their hopes of closing an eight-point gap to leaders Real Madrid - their opponents at the Bernabeu Stadium next Sunday - appear to be receding by the week.
Xavi said: “Next week there is a Clásico that, if we win tomorrow, could leave us five points behind. If we lose tomorrow, the league is over.” (PA Media)
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Barring one of the most remarkable comebacks to have decorated Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign, his final European game at Anfield will have featured a flat performance and atmosphere, resignation to defeat and a divide between fans and club; everything, that is, that goes against the culture he has created over the past nine years. Rediscovering the spark and belief required to win a Premier League title, however, is the Liverpool manager’s more pressing concern.
“It’s not full Eric Cantona and sardines following a trawler,” says the bloke on Sky, of Emma Hayes’s recent cryptic poetry outburst.
Seagulls following a trawler, surely.
“Of course, it’s going to be very difficult,” Aston Villa’s Unai Emery says of Sunday’s showdown with the current Premier League leaders Arsenal. “We have to be very demanding of ourselves to defend, to attack … but we are motivated, we are excited.
“They are dominating, imposing [themselves] on a lot of games … and they are fighting in Champions League as well against top teams like Bayern Munich. The level they achieved is very high, in the Premier League and in the Champions League.”
If, like me, you are trying to keep abreast of the pathetic attempts of the golfers you backed to make the cut, Scott Murray’s Masters live blog is always well worth a read:
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Oliver Glasner, the Crystal Palace manager, says that Premier League survival is in their hands before Sunday’s trip to Anfield:
“It’s up to us to get the points we need … I don’t know how many it will be … but it’s up to us,” Glasner said. “If we don’t get one point to the end of the season, and 30 points means relegation, then it’s our fault.
“We can’t blame anybody else … what does it need that we get the points that we win games? Sometimes we are close … It’s up to us, it’s our job to get these points, to increase our performance for the whole period of the game. And then, we won’t get relegated.”
You can’t say fairer than that. Palace are 14th, with 30 points as Glasner mentioned, and just five points ahead of 18th-placed Luton.
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In the WSL, the plot thickens on Emma Hayes v Jonas Eidevall.
Chelsea’s Hayes has spoken to the media after her Arsenal counterpart, Jonas Eidevall, said her comments were “irresponsible” following the Gunners’ 1-0 win in the Continental League Cup final the weekend before last.
“My son said to me after the game, when you push someone at school, you’re asked to go and take time out. I said to him, you know what darling – ‘You can’t meet aggression with aggression’. All you can do is tell the teacher … all you can do is explain to the teacher and explain why you think something is unfair,” Hayes said. “Even if the players go to the teacher, even if the parents go to the teacher, you cannot meet aggression with aggression.”
Asked a second question about the controversy, Hayes simply quotes some poetry by Robert Frost:
“So when at times the mob is swayed,
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star,
To stay our minds on and be staid.”
To the next question – can she explain what that means – Hayes says: “I’ve had a fantastic break … I’ve already explained an important analogy that I shared with my son … my focus is on moving forwards. And I’ve had time to look at my “star”.
When it is mentioned that Eidevall called Hayes’s comments irresponsible, the Chelsea manager simply replies: “I don’t have an opinion on it.”
“I’ve said everything I need to say on it. We need to move past that and focus on the next game.”
Chelsea face Aston Villa in the WSL next Wednesday.
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Thanks a lot Dominic. Hello everyone. Here’s a line from the busy people at the Press Association, and some injury news from Scotland:
Celtic could be without Daizen Maeda during the title run-in after the Japan international suffered a hamstring injury. The wide player will miss Saturday’s Premiership contest with St Mirren while the damage is assessed.
Brendan Rodgers said: “He picked up an injury high up in his hamstring, his tendon, so we will have to see what that looks like in the coming weeks. But he is certainly not available for the weekend.
“We will see where it goes in the next week or so and then we will understand better what inclusion he will have between now and the end of the season. Liam Scales has picked up a slight strain in his abductor so the likelihood is that he won’t be involved.”
With Luis Palma fully fit after a calf problem and Nicolas Kuhn settling in, Rodgers played down the potential loss of Maeda.
“He has done fantastic for us and was very, very good last weekend,” he said. “But if it is to be, and he is out, there will be an opportunity there for someone else to come into the game. What he brings, the intensity and pressing, of course that’s big for us. But it’s an opportunity for other players to step up.”
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Right, that’s my power hour done and I’ll hand back to Luke McLaughlin for the rest of the day. Enjoy.
‘Provides an update’ is a real stretch here, guys.
Phil Foden 🏴
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 12, 2024
Kyle Walker 🏴
Pep Guardiola provides an update on Man City's team news ahead of their clash against Luton 🔹 pic.twitter.com/STsaAoEGl4
Want more from from Gary O’Neil’s VAR diatribe? Of course you do.
I have spent an awful a lot of time talking to [PGMOL chief] Howard Webb about offside and I have tried to explain my concerns.
I have spent a lot of my Sundays speaking to Howard, giving him my views on it and how it can be improved. Hopefully this is part of the improvement.
I guess if he sees something in our game and he sees my name pop up on his phone it might be, ‘oh, do I have to take this one’.
I’m sure he has pressed the red button a few times, but he is always open and honest and that is all I ask.
Speed dial is the wrong way to put it, I’m happy to speak to Howard as he is happy to speak to me.
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OLLIE WATKINS is trending on X right now (capitals included), presumably because he’s been so damn good this season, both in terms of scoring and creating goals.
Ollie Watkins has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other player this season (28). 😮💨
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) April 12, 2024
Surely the #AVFC man is guaranteed a spot in England's #EURO2024 squad? 🏴
🎧 The Edge of the Box panel had their say on the latest episode, presented by @UltimateFanUK 👇
There’s barely a club in the Premier League that hasn’t been through its own injury crisis this season.
Brighton now have nine players unavailable for their trip to Burnley, with Tariq Lamptey joining their injury list.
Meanwhile, Marcus Tavernier, Antoine Semenyo, Chris Mepham, Tyler Adams and Ryan Fredericks are all out for Bournemouth as they prepare to host Manchester United. Andoni Iraola said: “It is tough when someone like Tav [Tavernier] gets a muscle injury and is out for four or five games. But it is something that is happening to all of the teams and we have to accept it.”
Back to press conference waffle now and Ange Postecoglou believes Newcastle’s struggles represent something of a warning to his Spurs side.
Eddie Howe’s boys haven’t found it plain sailing this season despite qualifying for the Champions League and Big Ange has been vocal recently in reiterating that finishing in the top four (or five) is not the end game in itself.
Certainly there is a cautionary tale there that getting into Champions League also means greater demands. Demands on players, demands on the squad and you have to be geared up for it or else it can affect all parts of your season.
It has been tough on Newcastle this year because the progress last year was fantastic, the reward for that was Champions League and this year for whatever reason it has made it a really challenging season on all fronts for them.
How much clubs paid to agents in 23/24
Chelsea (£75.1m) and Manchester City (£60.6m) top the Premier League table when it comes to money that’s been paid to intermediaries – AKA agents – in the past two transfer windows. Manchester United were third with £34,1m, just ahead of Liverpool on £31.5m.
Luton paid the least, a little more than £2m. Burnley and Sheffield United are down among the lowest, too.
A whopping £409m was spent by the 20 top flight clubs, in all. Eeesh.
Manchester United are not a very good football team, but they are a football team that scores very good goals.
Marcus Rashford’s Manchester derby howitzer has been named the Premier League’s goal of the month for March. Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have previously won the award this season.
💥 @MarcusRashford's rocket is the #PL GOTM for March 🚀#MUFC pic.twitter.com/hCBjiyrbCk
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 12, 2024
Let’s get back to that Gary O’Neil rant that Luke mentioned. Wolves have felt hard-done-by in the VAR stakes this season, with their chairman Jeff Shi releasing a statement condemning the officials last weekend. Wolves were denied a late equaliser against West Ham by a contentious VAR call for offside.
This is what O’Neil had to add to that, as well as his thoughts on facing FA charges for his ‘behaviour around match officials’:
It’s probably best for me not to comment on the charge until the process is complete. Then I’ll be happy to discuss openly from what has gone on from the start to the finish. It’s best for me to not discuss the charge.
I think you can feel [VAR frustration] nationally in the whole of the league, there has been a lot of disappointment and frustration with how decisions have gone.
It’s not all bad. There has been some really good calls, but not only at Wolves. There is a drive from everyone for the standard to improve.
Thanks Luke, happy to be here. And there’s plenty more Premier League manager press conference patter to placate you until your Friyay beers.
I’m off for a sandwich, and Dominic Booth is here to guide you through the next while.
“It’s a huge challenge at the best of times, going here,” says Luton’s manager, Rob Edwards, of his injury-depleted side’s visit to Manchester City. “But the players have been great, the players that are available have been amazing, for them to have given us what they’ve been giving us over the past month or so when it’s really tough, they deserve so much credit. And they’re going to deliver again tomorrow, I know that. What I can’t guarantee is a victory, or any kind of points.”
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“Conditions were perfect and are still perfect.”
That sounds perfect, Erik.
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Ten Hag will 'miss the support' of Murtough
The Manchester United head coach, Erik ten Hag, says he will miss the support of departed football director John Murtough and has emphasised the importance of replacing him.
United on Tuesday announced Murtough was stepping down, having spent almost 11 years at the club in a variety of roles. The Red Devils, with Ineos now in control of football operations after Sir Jim Ratcliffe became minority owner in February, are looking to bring in Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth and Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox.
Asked about Murtough leaving before Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, Ten Hag said: “You mention the new season - it’s very important, the new ownership is working on this and we have to replace this function to go into the new season.
“For the moment, of course I miss his support, but he moved on, there has been choices made. We work very good together, so I say thank you to John and I wish him all the best for the future. Also I work with the new ownership very good and closely together and that will not change. It doesn’t have an impact on the way I can work here.
“Conditions were perfect and are still perfect, so I’m happy with that, but we want to set the right conditions to be successful.” (PA Media)
O’Neil of Wolves has just embarked on a long speech about refereeing standards, VAR and the like. I’ll see if I can type up the “best” bits.
The Wolves manager, Gary O’Neil, is having a chat now.
With regards to his FA charge for criticising the officials after last week’s loss to West Ham, he says it’s best if he doesn’t comment until the process is complete. Very sensible too.
“Never mind all your Premier League-centric stuff, there is stuff going on elsewhere this weekend, and nowhere more so than the world’s bitchingest League, THE CHAMPIONSHIP !!!!!!” emails Jeremy Boyce.
It’s nice to see the smoke coming off my keyboard is not in vain. Happy to be of service as always.
“It’s tighter than a duck’s whatnot in the top three,” continues Jeremy. “All of whom have shown signs of pressure the last week or so, whereas Saints seem to have come through their sticky patch and are back on track. There are games in hand, there are points in the bag. Leeds fan spoiler alert : Sir Don was always a “points in the bag” man, putting the pressure on the others to keep up. He had a point, end of season fatigue + lots of pressure isn’t always the best recipe for success. So with Leicester in action tonight, and all the other top 4 tomorrow, there will be shredded nerves, bitten fingernails and scuffed chances a-go-go. Hooray for the Not-The-Premier-League!”
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Manchester City are likely to capitalise on Lucas Paquetá’s desire to leave West Ham this summer, as long as the Football Association’s investigation into alleged betting breaches by the midfielder has been dropped before the transfer window shuts.
Semi-automated offsides. Is the Spurs boss Ange Postecogou for it? “Yeah. I don’t know a lot about it. But if they make decisions quicker and clearer - yeah, all for it.”
Tottenham face Newcastle tomorrow at St James’ Park at 12.30pm. A question quickly arrives about points deductions, money, and profitability and sustainability rules.
“We’re going down this rabbit hole again are we? We did this last week …
“I said last week there’s got to be some regulation around a safety net for clubs, to make sure they don’t overspend for their own good. There’s got to be a competitive balance within that … but not at the expense of the quality we are trying to produce in the best league in the world … from my perspective I’ll leave that to the guys who know better.”
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg impressed off the bench in the win over Forest last Sunday and was congratulated by the manager on the pitch at full-time: “Yeah he was good. I try to get to all the players [after the game]. Some of them hang around longer than others and I sometimes I have to chase them down the tunnel …
“Pierre and Rodri [Bentancur] coming on really helped us last week … it needed something a little bit different than what we had. “Biss” and Pape [Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr] did well enough in the first half and worked really hard.
“I felt where the game was at, and the way Forest were setting up … having Pierre and Rodri in there with his passing range.
“It worked well. Pierre’s been good. He’s not started as many games probably as he’d like. We are in a good place at the moment, where we have a squad where I can make these changes in games, or between games.”
Has Postecoglou watched the game back from last season, when Spurs went 5-0 down early doors and lost 6-1?
“No, I haven’t watched the game back. There’s no reason to, for me. Yeah. It’ll be a tough game. I don’t think the 12.30 kick-off will [make any difference] … we’re leaving today and have had good preparation for it. It’s a tough game.
“They’re obviously going through a tough time themselves in terms of injuries. Probably they’ve been hurt for a more prolonged period. Particularly at home they’re still a very good side.
“The crowd gives them a lot of energy … we’re going to have to match that energy tomorrow and that’s how we like to play our football as well. By bringing our own energy to it, hopefully we can overcome the challenge.”
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Arteta looks fresh, relaxed, confident and completely in control.
In his press conference, Guardiola looked like he was losing the will to live, but I suppose there is nothing new there when it comes to his Friday brushes with the fourth estate.
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How defining will the next couple of weeks be for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta?
“Percentage wise?” Arteta asks. “Very! For sure. We can be in no competitions [after two weeks] … We can be in the semi-finals of the Champions League or top of the Premier League, or not. Every game is going to define what our future looks like."
“It’s the only thing possible to look at one game, and one day … that’s the only thing you can control.”
Arteta relishing 'most beautiful part of the season'
How does the Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, reflect on the 2-2 Bayern Munich draw?
“Reflection gone, Bayern gone. Now it’s only about Aston Villa.”
Has Bukayo Saka calmed down after remonstrating with the referee at the end of that Champions League match?
“Yes, yes, he’s fine this morning. He’s had 48 hours to think about it.
“Unai Emery has made a huge impact [at Sunday’s opponents Aston Villa] … it’s unbelievable what they are doing. Really impressed.”
The now customary title race question arrives: Is it a disadvantage to play after City and Liverpool this weekend?
“We have a duty to win our game. That’s all we can control … focus on what we can do, what we can control.
“The momentum is really good. It’s the most beautiful part of the season coming up right now … we’re going to have to be really good to beat Aston Villa.”
The Premier League lead has changed 18 times this season - how exciting is that to be involved in?
“Hopefully it stays as it is … 18 is a beautiful number. Let’s keep it 18.”
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Mikel Arteta is speaking now.
Eidevall: Hayes comments were "very irresponsible"
Was Jonas Eidevall, the Arsenal Women manager, surprised that the FA have chosen not to take action after Chelsea’s Emma Hayes accused him of “male aggression”?
“Not really … I thought the comments were very irresponsible.
“They were not mirroring the conduct that I had in the technical area. That I thought was irresponsible. That’s basically all I thought about it.
“I think always, when you make comments about other people, you have to take into consideration what effect that could have.
“Especially when you’re a leader. You need to be very good with your words. You need to understand the consequences of your action and your language.
“That’s why I think it’s really really important that we treat each other with respect and stay at facts as much as possible, and don’t get too emotional.
Did he find Hayes’s comments hurtful? “It’s never nice when people say something about you that you don’t find it’s true. Maybe I’m lucky that everything I do is recorded … everything is on video. Everything is recorded. I need to be accountable for my actions … I’m very happy with the way I conducted myself, and I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
"I'm not surprised... the comments I heard after the game were irresponsible" 💬
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) April 12, 2024
Jonas Eidevall on the FA not taking any action for an incident involving himself and Emma Hayes at the FA Women's League Cup final pic.twitter.com/Nfhgwwbxw6
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The Chelsea gaffer Mauricio Pochettino is asked about injuries, and the news that Ben Chilwell is nearing fitness before Monday’s visit of Everton. “It’s not only him we were missing,” Pochettino points out. “But yes, “Chilly” is in partial training today, and we’ll see if he can be on the bench for Monday. It’s good news.”
But there is worse news on Enzo Fernández and and Axel Disasi?
“We’ll see. They are under assessment. They have different type of issues … we don’t believe big issues. We’ll see if they can be available. At the moment they are not training with the group. We don’t know if they can be involved on Monday.”
Has Pochettino experienced a worse season for injuries?
“It’s true it’s a “special” season. We were suffering a lot … I need to stop talking [about injuries]. People are waiting for me to talk … it’s so boring … they know we are going to talk about that.
“We need to accept the reality and be positive … with the young kids we have who came through the academy, we are going to try to win the game Monday … If something happens [with injuries] we have to accept we will train with young guys … they can step up and show their quality … they can be good players and provide for Chelsea.
“When that situation happens another door will be open. It’s good for the kids to have the opportunity to train with us.”
Pochettino is asked about last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Sheffield United, and he says he got the message wrong after the game when speaking to the media.
“I think I need to be more cautious about my words after the game also. I need to adapt a different message … to try to improve this week. We need to be more positive. We need to accept it’s the reality … sometimes I give my feelings.
“We have a really good squad. That is the reality. We need to work hard to support them and to perform better in the next game. I am really happy in the way they were training. I hope we can have a very good game Monday.”
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Ten Hag: Manchester United must cut out 'individual mistakes'
Erik Ten Hag is asked how difficult it has been not to be able to field a settled back four throughout this season due to injuries.
“It’s very difficult,” he says. “Everyone who has a little bit of knowledge about football - a little, eh? - they know it will affect your performance and your results. So the back four is always a foundation for getting the results, and we didn’t have that. Still we have to win, and we know that. All of us have to take responsibility. But yes - it has a negative impact.”
Manchester United travel to Bournemouth tomorrow. Following the defeat against Bournemouth in December - a 3-0 humbling at Old Trafford - Ten Hag said his squad were incapable of the necessary consistency. Does he feel that has changed? “[Defeat by Bournemouth] was after a very good performance against Chelsea in the week,” Ten Hag says. “And we were mentally not ready for that game.
“They battled us and we lost the battles. Tomorrow will not be different. That is the way they play. They want to fight with you. It’s about make sure you go in that fight, you have the confidence and the belief you need to support each other to win the battles. To outplay them, to outrun them, and defending to match the runs.
How frustrating has it been to lose points from winning positions? “Of course it’s frustrating … for me and for the team as well. The most important part is to put yourself in a winning position. That was not luck. We did it out of a plan. But then of course you have to bring the win over the line … in such moments we should act better … it’s not about organisation. It has to do with individual, tactical mistakes. Sometimes technical. It was not out of open play. But we have to manage those situations better.”
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Guardiola defends Haaland after Real Madrid draw
Guardiola is asked if Erling Haaland needs to improve his all-round game – it is mentioned by a reporter that the Norway international failed to score in the 3-3 draw against Madrid: “He’s a young player. He has some departments in the game he has to improve. Like a player who is 33 years old can have margins to improve.
“But it’s more about the team than him … We scored three goals [in Madrid]. He had two central defenders close to him. It’s not easy. It’s the most difficult position on the pitch … most difficult position is the striker … every [other] player has one player … It’s two against one for a striker. They were so tight, really good defenders. Madrid, and most of the teams … it’s the most difficult position.”
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Guardiola: Busy City schedule puts them in "big, big trouble"
The Manchester City head coach, Pep Guardiola, looks ahead to tomorrow’s 3pm kick-off against Luton:
“The Premier League is so important … We have to be ready. It’s 11 months fighting for the title. We know the position we are. We cannot drop points.
Does it help for City to play before their title rivals this weekend?
“Doesn’t matter. We have to do the same job … you have to win your game.”
Pep is asked about the condition of the influential midfielder, Rodri, who mentioned earlier this week that he feels like he needs a rest.
“I didn’t speak with him,” says Guardiola. “If he needs rest, he will have rest … or no. I don’t know.
“I had the feeling in the game he’s [said he was] tired. Like Crystal Palace Palace and Madrid - the second half was better than the first half. He ran more and was more precise in the second half than the first.
“More the physicality is a question of course, spending mental energy every three days, three days, three days- of course he’s tired, he’s played a lot of minutes for us. He’s so important for us, and tomorrow we’ll decide what we do.”
Will Pep say “No” to Rodri if he asks for a rest?
“Your player doesn’t want to play, he’s not going to play. It’s simple. Another one is going to play.
“If he’s tired, he feels exhausted – it can happen. Another player’s going to play.”
“I would love to rest central defenders … but we don’t have … For friendly [international] games, they were injured. We are in big, big trouble. We cannot rest.”
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Thank you John. Hello everyone. Pep Guardiola is speaking now … quotes to follow shortly.
Right, that’s my morning on the blog completed. The estimable Luke McLaughlin takes the reins from here.
Barney Ronay reminds that the summer’s Euro finals are being played amid the fug of a continental land war.
It is worth noting that Slovakia are not alone in offering a Russia-facing presence at these Euros. Hungary maintains fond relations. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is planning his next meeting with Putin (strongman to strongman: it’s complicated). Intriguingly, it could have been Belarus instead of Romania in Group E had qualifying gone differently, obliging Ukraine to play against a nation that willingly assisted the invasion of its borders. Unite in the heart of Europe! Or something.
Vincent Kompany says his Burnley team don’t actually need a miracle to stay up. They play Brighton tomorrow. “Fine margins”: the phrase of the season?
“I wouldn’t call it a miracle, but it needs wins, it needs points. We’re not necessarily able to look forward to any game and pick and choose, say ‘this game is the one’. Every game is tough for us.
“But every game offers the opportunity. We don’t also look at any game as a game where we can’t win. What we need is that difference (from) what we’ve had this season - if you have a good performance you have to have three points.
“It’s been fine margins so many times. It’s been this type of season where at the beginning I think we found it, talking very early doors, difficult to adapt quickly, but for a while now we’ve been in every game. It’s just the frustration, what it’s been this season, is after a game to feel like we could have done more.
“What I want to add is that - and that was my frustration probably with my over-reaction at times with the officials as well - there have been times where it’s been our own fault, our own mistakes, and sometimes it’s not been our fault, and that’s unfortunate.”
Congratulations, Rodrigo Muniz, Premier League player of the month.
What a month for Rodrigo Muniz 👏
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 12, 2024
He has been named @EASPORTSFC Player of the Month for March!#PLAwards | @FulhamFC pic.twitter.com/FhrmpuSGFt
4️⃣ Goals
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 12, 2024
1️⃣ Assist
What a run of form for Rodrigo 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/kdde0f6skP
There’s a lot of blame being slung around for this. And it has felt like Rangers have been doing quite well in European football in recent years.
West Ham were another Europa League casualty though that was little surprise at the hands of Europe’s most in-form team.
David Moyes had this to say afterwards:
“We’re still in the tie and we have half a chance in the second leg. We’d like to have played more attacking. The players did a brilliant job with the structure. We got done by two corner-kicks. The second one was really poor from our point of view.
“Let’s try to get one and then see if we can get two. We’ll pick ourselves up for next week and hopefully get the crowd behind us.
“This team we’re playing will be Champions League next year. We have to recognise what we’re playing against. We’ll have to do exceptionally well to get that result.”
This move essentially paywalls the EFL beyond the reach of those who do not wish to pay for Sky. Will there be a highlights show? This has the feel of the cricket deal done in 2005 that closed off access to the game.
Also, what time are the kick-offs? The EFL is currently the home of the Saturday 3pm, but perhaps not now. Perhaps this is progress, but it looks like the money was taken ahead of a greater good.
From next season, @SkySports will be the home of the EFL. 📺
— EFL (@EFL) April 12, 2024
With over 1,000 EFL fixtures live via Sky and NOW each season, iFollow/club streaming services will no longer offer domestic live video coverage of EFL matches.@EFL | #AD
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Good news here on Frida Maanum, who collapsed when playing for Arsenal last week in the Continental Cup final.
Jonas Eidevall says Frida Maanum is not available to play this weekend but, if everything goes to plan, then "after that, it looks promising" that she can return #ArsenalWFC #BarclaysWSL
— Tom Garry (@TomJGarry) April 12, 2024
Eddie Howe is first up of the PL managers. He’s celebrating Joelinton signing a new contract:
“I go back to my first training session [at Newcastle] - I genuinely thought ‘what a player he is’. I saw a player immensely talented and I was aware it hadn’t gone well [before Howe arrived].
“In terms of Joelinton’s position, I am not going to change history and say I saw his transition from a forward to midfielder initially, but he has taken that opportunity superbly well.
“I know at previous clubs he has played a deeper role. That transition comes about playing in England with the speed and strength [of the game].
“You have to adapt when you come from abroad - he is robust and everything you want him to be. He is like a brick wall. In part, that has made him the player he is.”
Not a great week for Everton, though a win last weekend and a two-point deduction meant it was not all bad. It could have been worse in the eyes of many, and a further penalty may yet come.
Still, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored a goal.
A nasty thing to happen to the Kane family but thankfully the news is good.
Everton news, and it’s rarely good news, is it? This time, it’s news on the source of their financing loans, and a name familiar to horse racing fans, Michael Tabor, has come up.
Everton, a founder member of the Football League and the Premier League, is now believed to owe more than £500m to third-party lenders. Most of the interest charges reported in its annual report appear to relate to about £225m of debt built up with the club’s largest lender Rights & Media Funding (RMF). About £23m in interest was paid by the club in its last financial year and more than £7m in the two previous years.
And some reaction to last night.
Let’s kick it off in the usual way, with 10 things to look out for this weekend.
Preamble
Morning, all. Oh Liverpool. “And at sea with flowing hair I’d think of Dublin Of Grafton Street and Derby Square,” as Phil Lynott once had it, though all that forgot Atalanta, a rather good team in recent years. Have Liverpool lost it? Who has found it? Perhaps more will be revealed this weekend, and elsewhere too in the Premier League as much is at stake.
Newcastle v Spurs: Eddie Howe seeks to salvage the season while this week’s Euro flops mean Spurs really really need to land fourth.
Brentford v Sheffield United: Thomas Frank’s team really need to start winning soon or else Blades might get out of this mess.
Burnley v Brighton: Big Vin’s team are in trouble, Brighton are on a salvage job, too.
Manchester City v Luton: David Pleat’s moccasins will be mentioned. Will Rod Edwards wear a tan suit? The title and relegation both at stake.
Nottingham Forest v Wolves: Forest continue to be desperate for a win. What a job Gary O’Neil is doing by the way. Just don’t mention the VAR.
Bournemouth v Manchester United: How many shots will the Cherries get on Andre Onana’s goal?
Liverpool v Crystal Palace: The flags will be back at Anfield but will the defending and shooting boots? Palace, still on only 30 points, are not out of danger.
West Ham v Fulham: Perhaps the weekend’s least stakes game, though how will David Moyes be greeted by Hammers fans?
Arsenal v Aston Villa: The Premier League leaders against a team whose need for fourth has increased for coefficient reasons.
Chelsea v Everton: Two more points down for Sean Dyche’s team. What can Cole Palmer do to them?
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