And your guide to the weekend coverage on Guardian Sport.
Get your weekend Premier League team news here.
Jeremy Boyce gets in touch: “It’s a bank holiday here in France, enjoyed a nice lunch, then started reading your footie countdown, and wondered if my drink had been spiked. I’m sure I read that Jose “the special/unhappy/angry/mellow/grumpy/angry again/been-found-out-for-what-he-is” one is somehow now being linked with a soon-to-be-vacant job back at a former employer badly in need of some silverware, when his silverware days are clearly well behind him.
“Obviously I’m hallucinating that, much in the way Alice did when she fell down the rabbit hole. How much hole has he already fallen down ? Even with the thickest of ropes he’s way too far gone to be rescued now. Or is Real in fact the White Rabbit, and the Santiago Bernabeu the hole they fall into ?
“Man U, Chelsea, Porto and many other supporters may find themselves laughing hysterically in a public place on hearing the news, a sure sign of either cannabis consumption (see Met Police, 1980s), or confidence of making the semi finals of Big Cup next year. The Mad Hatter is back ? Everybody move round one place …”
World Cup: anyone get the feeling they’ve overdone it?
Fifa is upping efforts to sell luxury hospitality tickets for the World Cup, with packages still available for 102 of the 104 matches at the expanded tournament.
Mexico’s Group A game against South Korea and one last-32 fixture expected to feature Spain are the only matches showing a lack of availability on Fifa’s hospitality platform, and a new category – “suite essentials” – has been added to lower-profile games, allowing customers to buy an individual ticket for a suite that would previously have been sold to a group.
Nick Ames previews Saturday’s high-noon affair in the Championship.
One thing is certain: Ipswich will be up if they beat 14th-placed QPR, on paper the perfect opponent, at an expectant Portman Road. They have ground through an enervating seven-game schedule over the past month, enduring a solitary defeat but not quite securing the wins that would mean an instant Premier League return. McKenna’s team have only lost once in 14 games; a side that took time to acclimatise appear to have developed a steely resilience at the right time and it speaks volumes that, with a vastly reshaped group, the manager is on the brink of a third ascent of his four and a half years in charge.
Bournemouth’s technical director, Simon Francis, is set to leave at the end of this season, it is reported. The former defender has been with the club 15 years, helping them climb the divisions, and then assisting Richard Hughes, now at Liverpool, before succeeding him.
Brighton, who play at Newcastle on Saturday, have a new means of dealing with set-piece strong-arm tactics: MMA fighter Christian Eckerlin, a pal of Fabian Hurzeler, who said: “It was a couple of months ago. We brought him in because we spoke a lot about set-pieces, blocking, new trends in the Premier League. Therefore we tried to adapt to it as well,” said Hurzeler.
“I don’t always want to be known as a club that is nice. In certain moments you need to be quite resilient in personal duels. There are different ways of being resilient, of using a block, different techniques to win one-v-one duels - especially at set-pieces.
“An MMA fighter always has one-against-one duels. They always need to find a way to beat an opponent. We try to get ideas from other sports and this was an idea we used. If it stays in a player’s mind then that’s always a positive thing. As a club we’re not known as being so dominant in set-pieces.
“That’s what we face against Newcastle. We might not be that physical but there are always ways you can defend and attack in one-on-one duels at set-pieces and that’s why we try to use techniques from MMA as well.”
Illegal streamers face a hefty bill, according to a BBC report.
Five members of a gang who were sent to prison for illegally streaming Premier League games have been ordered by the court to return their profits, worth £3.75m.
Gould, originally sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2023, was this week ordered by Derby Crown Court to forfeit the proceeds of his criminal activities and return £2.35m within three months or face a further prison sentence of 10 years.
More McFarlane, on the pull of the poisoned chalice of the Chelsea manager’s job: “I don’t think I have to sell that in all honesty, it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world, with a great history of winning. We’ve got some unbelievable players, some of the best players in the world, great training facilities. You’ve got everything you could want.”
Updated
Bad news for Aston Villa, for that crunch game with Spurs on Sunday. Amadou Onana is out, according to Unai Emery. Onana pulled up in Thursday’s Europa League meeting with Nottingham Forest: “Difficult. He had a scan and we will see the consequences after it and how he is feeling, but for Sunday it is sure he is not available.”
McFarlane speaks: “We just have to keep winning our games. The mood has been lifted after a recent run of losses.”
On the prickly question of Cucurella, Enzo and Joao Pedro spending time in Madrid, even hanging out with Jude Bellingham: “It says a lot of the group that they go away together. I love that they spend time together. They went to Madrid to watch tennis, I don’t see an issue. It is positive sign for the unity of the group.”
Afternoon, all. Here’s those promised Calum McFarlane quotes.
My power hour on the blog is coming to an end, with John Brewin the next man in the hot-seat.
He’s got some red-hot chat from Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane to slice into this afternoon.
What about League One this weekend?
Well, Pep Guardiola’s favourite team Stockport County need a point at Barnsley to confirm a playoff place; as do Bradford, who are away at Exeter – who themselves need to win and hope Leyton Orient lose to stay up. Stevenage occupy the final playoff spot, but Luton and Plymouth are lurking. Those two will have to win and hope other results go in their favour.
Here’s the table as it stands ahead of the final day.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln City | 45 | 46 | 100 |
| 2 | Cardiff | 45 | 41 | 91 |
| 3 | Bolton | 45 | 19 | 75 |
| 4 | Stockport County | 45 | 11 | 74 |
| 5 | Bradford | 45 | 6 | 74 |
| 6 | Stevenage | 45 | 2 | 72 |
| 7 | Luton | 45 | 11 | 71 |
| 8 | Plymouth | 45 | 11 | 70 |
| 9 | Huddersfield | 45 | 6 | 64 |
| 10 | Reading | 45 | 5 | 63 |
| 11 | Mansfield | 45 | 11 | 62 |
| 12 | Wycombe | 45 | 10 | 60 |
| 13 | Barnsley | 45 | -3 | 59 |
| 14 | Blackpool | 45 | -12 | 57 |
| 15 | Doncaster | 45 | -21 | 57 |
| 16 | Wigan | 45 | -8 | 56 |
| 17 | Peterborough | 45 | -2 | 53 |
| 18 | Burton Albion | 45 | -10 | 53 |
| 19 | AFC Wimbledon | 45 | -17 | 53 |
| 20 | Leyton Orient | 45 | -12 | 51 |
| 21 | Exeter | 45 | -8 | 49 |
| 22 | Port Vale | 45 | -23 | 42 |
| 23 | Rotherham | 45 | -29 | 41 |
| 24 | Northampton | 45 | -34 | 35 |
Mikel Arteta dubbed Marco Silva “one of the best managers in the league”, so what does the Fulham coach have to say for himself? His team have the opportunity to further disrupt Arsenal’s title bid when they visit the Emirates on Saturday evening.
Silva said: “Arsenal are a top side, a side that are title contenders, that play to win all of their games, but are also the most solid team in the league. They are a team, that even if they are not playing at their best level, they have other ways to punish the opposition.
“We just have to look at ourselves and be competitive to fight for the three points. Three points to fight for – and we will fight.”
On playing at a potentially tense and nervy Emirates, Silva said: “Let’s hope we can use that. That depends on many things.
“Whether the environment is tense or not depends on how we play and whether we are good enough to make it happen. Simple as that.”
Mourinho says he's had no contact from Real Madrid
Benfica’s José Mourinho said there has been no contact between him and Real Madrid, despite speculation the Spanish giants could turn to the Portuguese this summer.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea boss, who led Los Blancos from 2010 to 2013 in a heated rivalry with Pep Guardiola’s Barca, is reported to be on Madrid’s shortlist for a new coach.
Current Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa seems set to be replaced with the team heading for a second consecutive season without a major trophy.
“No one from Real Madrid has spoken to me. I can guarantee that,” Mourinho told reporters. “I’ve been in football for so many years and I’m used to these things... but there’s nothing from Real Madrid,” added Mourinho, who guided Real to the 2012 La Liga title.
“I have a year to go on my Benfica contract, and that’s all.”
Updated
Some more from De Zerbi, who has really come out fighting at this presser …
We go to play one of the best teams in the Premier League at the moment but if Tottenham win at Villa Park it’s not a miracle. Maybe we [will] lose but we have the quality to win this game. We have to be positive because we are lucky to work in a big club.
If Xavi and Solanke are injured we can play with Kolo Muani, Tel, Richarlison. These are not bad players. We have [available] Porro, Van de Ven, Udogie …
All these things I don’t have too much time to hear these things.
De Zerbi: No 'crying' or excuses for Tottenham
Roberto De Zerbi is not allowing himself or his Tottenham squad any room to make excuses ahead of their vital game against Aston Villa this weekend.
Spurs once again have a huge injury list but may have to beat Villa on Sunday to stand any chance of lifting themselves out of the bottom three. De Zerbi got his first win as Tottenham coach last week against Wolves but his team remain two points adrift of safety – with the likes of Guglielmo Vicario, Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons unavailable this weekend.
He said: “Listen, I want to be clear one time. The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us, inside of the players, the staff, the fans. This voice produce negative thoughts and the voice says we are unlucky, we have too many injuries. We lost Xavi Simons and he was one of the most important players for us in the past two games. Our medical staff is not good enough, our stadium pitch is not good enough, our training pitch is not good enough. It’s all negative things and it’s rubbish.
“I want to keep the focus on myself and the quality of my players. It’s like we’re all crying and relegated. No, not yet. It’s not the best moment, it’s a tough moment, but the losers cry. They think negatively. I don’t want people close to me crying and thinking in a different way to me.We are good enough to win the games and we good enough to stay up.”
Before we get back on the presser trail, how about a moment for the scrap for EFL survival at the bottom of League Two?
Basement boys Barrow, who are three points adrift, should be relegated to the National League barring a mathematical miracle. But above them Crawley and Harrogate are locked on 39 points, then there’s Newport and Tranmere both on 40. The final day (tomorrow) sees Crawley host Salford, Harrogate welcome Barnet, while Tranmere are at home to Grimsby and Newport are away to Barrow. Here’s how it all stands.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Tranmere | 45 | -25 | 40 |
| 21 | Newport County | 45 | -30 | 40 |
| 22 | Crawley Town | 45 | -24 | 39 |
| 23 | Harrogate Town | 45 | -28 | 39 |
| 24 | Barrow | 45 | -32 | 36 |
Thanks Luke, here I am.
Good grief there is quite the flurry of manager press conferences going on right now. Let’s get stuck in.
Dominic Booth is here for the next bit. De Zerbi is soon to face the music, I hear, and there are other managers up shortly too.
Updated
Arteta to use ‘siege mentality’ in Arsenal title charge
“Let’s see how everyone is tomorrow,” Mikel Arteta says of their injury woes before facing Fulham tomorrow.
Kai Havertz and and Jürrien Timber will be sidelined this weekend, Arteta confirms, but he is more confident on Martin Ødegaard’s prospects.
You said you were fuming after Atlético, how about now?
“Focus on Fulham. Hunger to play, compete, win, to be closer to achieve our dream.
“I haven’t spoken to Uefa [about the penalty that wasn’t against Atlético]. We will deal with that on Monday. Now it’s Fulham.”
Can a sense of injustice be fuel for the run-in?
“Maybe. I think we have enough fuel in the tank. It’s exactly where we wanted to be, four games to go.
“We have a siege mentality. We need to face any context, any situation. What happened the other night was extremely disappointing.”
What does he see from his players?
“Hunger. Hunger to win. That’s it. To achieve the goal we set at the start of the season.”
A message for fans?
“Let’s give them what we did all season. Energy, passion ... and together we’re going to make it happen.
“It’s a lot of factors, emotionally for sure we have to manage in the right way. That desire, hunger, will that we’ve shown all season. We only have four games left.”
“Marco [Silva] is one of the best managers in the league. We know how tough it is going to be tomorrow.
“[Injured] Havertz has been a huge miss. One of the most important attacking payers we have. He was out for seven, eight months. And he’s not the only one. But the team has shown it can overcome these scenarios. Kai is desperate to be on the pitch as soon as possible. He cannot do this game, but hopes to be back for Atlético.”
Updated
Pereira: Forest may need 43 points to stay up
Vítor Pereira has predicted Nottingham Forest may need a record 43 points to avoid relegation from the Premier League and joked that tuning into their rivals’ matches is enough to put him off his food. The Forest head coach has told his revitalised squad they must be ready to fight until the final minute of the season, despite establishing a five-point buffer to 18th-placed Tottenham with four games remaining.
Pereira’s side are unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions after victory over Aston Villa in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday but the Portuguese believes Forest may need to eclipse West Ham’s 42 points in 2003, the highest tally to culminate in top-flight relegation. Asked if Forest may require 43 points to avoid the drop, Pereira replied: “I believe [so]. That’s why we need to be mentally ready to compete until the last minute of the last game. I don’t know how many points [we will need] because I think this season, it will be a special season in terms of points to avoid relegation. It is better to try to win every game, not wait for other results.”
Forest face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday hoping to maintain momentum and stretch their unbeaten streak to 10 matches. West Ham visit Brentford on Saturday and Tottenham travel to Aston Villa on Sunday but Pereira has said he will not be consumed by rivals’ results. “Do they play [at] lunch time or dinner time?” Pereira said of the weekend fixtures. “Because if they play at lunchtime, and I watch the game, maybe I won’t have a good lunch. [I will have] indigestion. I cannot suffer the results of the other teams. I prefer to have a good lunch. I prefer to have a good dinner.”
Updated
Much more to come from Mainoo, says Carrick
Michael Carrick of Manchester United is asked about Kobbie Mainoo.
“I’ve been hugely impressed with Kobbie. I’ve known him some time in different capacities. He epitomises this club. Young players coming through the academy, living and breathing the club, coming through with real talent. The last couple of games he’s been fantastic. Everyone’s over the moon, including me, that he’s signed a new contract. He deserves it.
“Like all the players [when I came in, it was about] trying to get that connection, building relationships ... understanding his last couple of years, the big highs, the challenging times... letting him thrive, to let him go and be himself ... he’s improved, he keeps adding to his game - that opportunity for him to go and be the best version. There’s a lot more to come, I’ve said that. He’s in a great spot at the moment.
Is Liverpool still the biggest game for Manchester United?
“Certainly one of my favourite games, yeah, without doubt. It’s a standout game. Therre are big games, big rivalries with other teams but this one is right up there ... the excitement, the entertainment, the emotion, it makes it a really special game. That edge, that competition, irrespective of league positions over the years, it’s never changed the feeling of the game, the emotions of the supporters ... it’s just a special game to be part of. To come out on top is one of the best feelings you’ll get.
“First of all it’s a real privilege for us all to be involved in it. I think that’s the beauty of football. We all get wound up at different times about what’s going on week to week … to sustain a level of performance over time for each football club. It’s what you stand for as a club and it’s two incredible clubs, to be so close together in so many ways, in terms of titles and geographically. It’s quite special and I think we all appreciate that.”
Does he need to give Casemiro any advice?
“It’s interesting in how much you give certain players. It’s knowing when to come off and let them thrive, let them develop [with younger players] … then there’s the stage when there is a lot of experience … trusting them to know themselves, speaking to them on a level when there’s understanding there. That’s been the case with Casemiro, real trust in his experience. I was personally proud I sustained my career for a period of time. To do what he’s done takes a lot of work, and he should take a lot of credit for doing what he has.”
Updated
Michael Carrick is having a chat before Manchester United v Liverpool (Sunday 3.30pm).
Updated
Eddie Howe has emerged from a meeting with Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian owners confident he retains their support but also acutely aware that such backing is finite, with the manager admitting “a lot is riding” on Saturday’s visit of Brighton.
Howe will aim to end a run of five straight defeats against Fabian Hürzeler’s side at St James’ Park and is under no illusion of the significance of the task ahead. “We need a win,” admitted Newcastle’s manager. “There’s a lot riding on this weekend for us. You can talk as much as you want but the proof is in how the team performs. I’m under no illusion that needs to be positive.”
Andoni Iraola speaks. Can Bournemouth get to Europe?
“The opportunity is there. but we still need a lot of points. The situation is tight. A lot of teams are within two-three points. If we want to get to Europe we need to win games, starting on Sunday against Palace. We don’t have an easy game. We have to earn everything. We want to take this opportunity, and I think we arrive at this decisive moment in a good place.”
Will nine points get the job done for Europe?
“We really don’t know ... everyone is fighting for everything ... I think everyone has difficult games. I think we need to win ... at least two games, maybe three.
“I would love it [European qualification as a parting gift to the club] ... we have to take the opportunity. I think we are in a good place, we are playing well ... we lost two points [in the 2-2 draw against Leeds] I liked what I saw. We created plenty of chances. We are playing well.”
Justin Kluivert back in training after five months out – a boost?
“It’s very positive news. A very important player in our team. He has been training at a good level this week, but not fully ... he will help us in the last games of the season ... his knee is responding well, no swelling, no issues, but for this game it will be too much.
“The only one out injured is Lewis Cook.”
Updated
Leicester are down to League One, but they will always have 2015-16. Ben Fisher reminisces with some of the key players in their Premier League triumph:
“Wow! Millwall vs Oxford? I’m so excited for you, I guess,” emails Michael Lafua from Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
“You might just be administered another dose of the PSG v Bayern goal rush. But I guess not. What would I be doing this weekend? Hmm .. I’ll probably read a novel, sneak a peek as Arsenal bottles it against Fulham, cheer on Man Utd as we return to the European summit.”
And here’s an email from Bede:
“The last time Pep shrugged off the fixture pileup a few months back his team went on to perform badly. He needs to be very careful about that because I’m quite invested in Arsenal’s collapse and will be utterly disappointed if City were to lose this race.”
No further Arsenal-baiting will be tolerated.
Updated
There was an impressive casualness to the way Guardiola inquired what time Arsenal are kicking off against Fulham tomorrow, having been asked if he will watch the Gunners’ game this weekend.
“Oh, it’s after training, maybe I will watch,” he said after being informed it’s 5.30pm.
Mindgames, isn’t it? Wasn’t it?
Updated
Rob Edwards, boss of relegated Wolves, is having a chat now.
“There was nothing in it,” he says of last weekend’s 1-0 defeat by Spurs. “Either team could have won it and we came out the wrong side of it.”
How is he managing the situation after relegation?
“You guys will be thinking it’s worse than what it is. It’s a difficult situation but I feel we are getting the most out of the group.
“The training levels are through the roof, the lads are giving everything … We’ll always make mistakes, we’re not perfect … but the lads are giving everything, they really are, and I need to stress that.”
Players are going to leave in the summer. How much of a blow would it be to lose João Gomes?
“We’ve got some really good players and there will be interest … João is a really good player.”
How can the team rebuild the bond with fans?
“In the end we’ve got to win games … we’ve got to find a winning team. I left a good job where a team was winning … I have to stay strong, take a lot on my shoulders, take some stick – which I don’t look at, but I know it’ll be there … Results are the one thing we can’t guarantee but we’re doing everything we can.
And what of the challenge against Sunderland at Molineux tomorrow?
“Sunderland have done incredibly well, they’ve had a great couple of years … they’ve got talented individuals, real power and athleticism, and a good way of playing. It’ll be a tough game, as they all are. Look where we are in the league.”
Updated
Mikel Arteta of Arsenal will be among those speaking soon.
Another line from Guardiola, on what is in store for City at Everton on Monday:
“In recent weeks, Everton have had very good results and are fighting for a place in Europe,” Guardiola said.
“We can’t have any result but win, win, win.”
A cumulative total of 1,377 days have been missed by Tottenham players across the season due to injury, we are informed by a well-known sports news channel. Sounds like a lot.
Impress your friends with your in-depth knowledge of the race for promotion in the Championship, simply by studying the table. And maybe making some notes.
Derby v Sheffield Utd
Hull v Norwich
Ipswich v QPR
Millwall v Oxford
Wrexham v Middlesbrough …
… and Preston v Southampton are the fixtures to be keeping an eye on. All kick off tomorrow at 12.30.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 45 | 48 | 92 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 45 | 30 | 81 |
| 3 | Millwall | 45 | 13 | 80 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 45 | 25 | 79 |
| 5 | Southampton | 45 | 24 | 77 |
| 6 | Wrexham | 45 | 4 | 70 |
| 7 | Hull | 45 | 3 | 70 |
| 8 | Derby | 45 | 9 | 69 |
| 9 | Norwich | 45 | 8 | 65 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 45 | 1 | 63 |
| 11 | Swansea | 45 | -4 | 61 |
| 12 | Preston North End | 45 | -5 | 60 |
| 13 | Bristol City | 45 | -2 | 59 |
| 14 | QPR | 45 | -9 | 58 |
| 15 | Sheff Utd | 45 | -1 | 57 |
| 16 | Watford | 45 | -8 | 57 |
| 17 | Stoke | 45 | -3 | 55 |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 45 | -15 | 54 |
| 19 | Charlton | 45 | -12 | 53 |
| 20 | Blackburn | 45 | -13 | 52 |
| 21 | West Brom | 45 | -9 | 51 |
| 22 | Oxford Utd | 45 | -12 | 47 |
| 23 | Leicester | 45 | -11 | 43 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 45 | -61 | -3 |
Updated
Chelsea host Nottingham Forest on Monday, and the Blues interim manager Liam McFarlane will be speaking soon.
Chelsea are winless in five … but here’s an even more revealing stat:
Spurs have had three managers since Chelsea last kept a clean sheet in the Premier League, reveals Gary Cotterill, of His Majesty’s Sky Sports News.
Updated
Three teams, two automatic promotion spots and only one point between them. Add the fact that two are facing each other and Saturday’s final day of the Women’s Super League 2 season is set perfectly for an afternoon of high drama, twists and emotions.
Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City and Crystal Palace are dreaming of a WSL place. For this season only, there are two automatic promotion spots rather than the usual one, as the top tier expands from 12 to 14 teams, offering a precious opportunity that adds to the tension for the 3pm kick-offs, the most tantalising of which comes at the Valley, where the top two, Charlton and Birmingham, go head-to-head.
A psychologist charged in the trial over Diego Maradona’s death told an Argentinian court on Thursday that the football great had bipolar disorder and was a narcissist, and required a zero-alcohol treatment plan, Argentinian media reported.
Carlos Díaz, 34, is facing the charge of manslaughter with reckless intent for prescribing the wrong medication. He is one of seven defendants accused of criminal responsibility in the death of the former Argentine captain and national coach.
“There was bipolar disorder and narcissism,” newspaper El Clarín cited Diaz as saying at the trial in Buenos Aires. “He could bring a country to its knees, but one glass of alcohol could bring him to his knees.“
Diaz said he met Maradona on October 26, 2020, 29 days before he died, and that Maradona was drinking wine on a couch at the time, La Nacion Argentina reported.
“The first image shocked me because he was just like my father, an alcoholic, who had died a few months earlier,” Diaz was quoted as saying.
Diaz told the court he believed Maradona wanted to change his lifestyle and tailored the star’s treatment based on abstinence from alcohol, El Clarin reported. He also said the toxicology report showed Maradona’s life ended after 23 days without drug use.
The legendary attacker won trophies with teams including Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli, and captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup. He died on 25 November 2020, aged 60, after surgery on a subdural hematoma.
The trial is examining whether members of his medical and care team bear criminal responsibility for his death.
The neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, another defendant, also testified on Thursday, saying Maradona’s home hospitalisation was appropriate and was not intended to function as an intensive-care unit, El Clarin reported. Reuters
Updated
There will soon be the usual lunchtime rush of Premier League managers banging on about football and that.
In the meantime, why not have a bash at our sports quiz of the week:
Impress your friends with knowledge of Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup selection options for the USMNT, by reading this piece by Jeff Rueter:
Updated
Feels like it’s been a bad week for the VAR. Granted, it’s not easy to remember a good week for the VAR.
Unai Emery raged at the video assistant referee for failing to flag Elliot Anderson’s dangerous first-half tackle on Ollie Watkins in defeat at Nottingham Forest and claimed the England striker was fortunate to avoid a broken ankle. Villa’s manager said the Portuguese VAR, Tiago Martins, made a “huge mistake” by not alerting the referee, João Pinheiro, to the incident.
I’ll be attending Millwall v Oxford tomorrow lunchtime, which is nice. Well, it might be.
Mail me and tell me what you’re up to this weekend.
Updated
Oliver Glasner was asked if he could end up reversing his decision to leave Crystal Palace.
“No,” he said.
“I think it’s the wrong moment to discuss my future. We are discussing what we’re doing on Sunday at Bournemouth, it’s more important. My future is not important right now.”
Here’s our story from January on the announcement that he’ll be off at the end of the season:
Updated
Guardiola shrugs off City fixture pileup
There was plenty in Pep Guardiola’s media session just then, before their Premier League match at Everton on Monday. “It is what it is,” was the common theme.
On Everton’s David Moyes: “To still have the passion at his age is really nice”
Is it an advantage for Arsenal to play before City?
“[Guardiola laughs]. You always ask me the same questions. Sometimes you play first, sometimes behind ... it’s the calendar, it is what it is. Nothing changes, you know exactly what you have to do.”
Thoughts on John Stones, who will be leaving in the summer? “One of the first times, I remember travelling to London to meet him … then he was young. He’s one of those players who can understand what happened here [at City]. He’s one of them. He was the best player, by far, in the final in Istanbul [City’s Champions League win against Inter in 2023].
“Now he feels fit. Hopefully he will find the rhythm physically. His contribution has been massive, he’s an incredible person on and off the pitch. Yeah really pleased.”
Now a question on City’s fixture pileup:
“It is what it is. I would prefer to play in a Champions League semi-final [than not]. It is what it is ... of course, it could be better. We will adapt, go to play game by game.
“Listen - it is what it is. The calender, the broadcaster or the Premier League, whatever, they decide when the games are, and we’ll be there with 11 players and people on the bench.”
“In other countries it [scheduling] might be different. Here, it is what it is. If you don’t like it, go to France or Portugal. I never expected, from a long time ago [anything different].
“I like to be here [in the Premier League]. I’ve said many times, when I was in Barcelona, and I saw all the managers here complaining about the schedule, I said - ‘I will not be that’.
“It is what it is. I never, never expect differently. Whenever they decide to play, we will play.”
How is Rodri’s fitness?
“Rodri is getting better. He still didn’t train with us. We’ll see in the next days. I’m always confident ...
“Ruben Díaz is not yet with the team. Him and Josko [Gvardiol], are getting better.”
Why did he watch Stockport 1-2 Port Vale on Tuesday?
“Because the day before, I saw the calendar, [I thought] the PSG game with Bayern – what a disaster game, the managers are not good, Luis [Enrique], Vini [Vincent Kompany], really, really shit players ... so ... I am in love with English football so I went to see Stockport.”
Did he watch the PSG v Bayern highlights?
“No: I watched the game right after when I arrived home from Stockport.”
What about the defending?
“That’s nice. Football is all about styles. You and me are not the same. I’m more handsome than you. It was a good game, There are different styles ... There are different ways, that’s why football has to be accepted in everything.
“At the end the difference is interesting. Both teams were man marking, high pressing. And when that happens one player can dribble past another, and go alone.
“It was extraordinary to watch. Some teams prefer more control, more zonal ... It’s all nice.”
Updated
Arne Slot expects the improving form of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to drive Liverpool forward in future.
The club’s two most expensive signings – costing a combined £241m – have had underwhelming first seasons due to Isak’s injuries and Wirtz’s struggles adapt to the Premier League.
But they both scored in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace and may start their fourth successive match together at Manchester United on Sunday, their longest run of the campaign.
Slot accepts the new arrivals have had difficulties, but in the last month has seen glimpses that both are starting to find their feet.
“Converting chances into goals is something we haven’t done very well throughout this whole season but one of the players (Isak) we always thought could score goals for us was hardly available,” said Slot.
“Last week you could see it was a chance but it wasn’t the biggest chance we’ve had this season and he finished that one off really well by scoring the 1-0 and scoring a goal which is vital in football as it sets you in the right direction.
“Happy to have Alex back. I think there are some other players that haven’t scored the amount of goals that I think they are able to, or they have shown in the past they are able to, and that will go back to normal in a certain moment and the sooner the better.”
Wirtz would come into that category with seven goals and 10 assists – none of which have come against Premier League opposition currently occupying European places – representing a lower-than-expected return for a £116m player hailed as a generational talent when he arrived from Bayer Leverkusen.
“For me the development Florian has made throughout his Liverpool career, which has only been 10 months, is so clear and obvious,” added Slot.
“In the 93rd minute against Crystal Palace making a duel on the sideline, winning a throw-in and then making a sprint from 40 yards and hitting the ball in the top corner – that is something I am not completely convinced he could do the same eight months ago.
“That improvement will only continue as he is only 22. Almost every player in the world is at his best when he is 25, 26 but he is already an elite player now and he can only become better.” PA Media
Updated
Manchester City go to Everton in the Premier League on Monday night, and my sources tell me Pep Guardiola is about to hold court.
Brighton's Hürzeler backs Welbeck for England
The Brighton gaffer Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler says he “can only hope” Danny Welbeck’s form is recognised with a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
“What I can say is he’s a great human being, great personality, a great goalscorer, he can help every team in the world. On the pitch he makes the players around him better, and off the pitch he recognises the dynamics quite well ... a player like him is difficult to find, a player to create a really good culture ... I can only give praise to Danny Welbeck, because I appreciate what he is doing for this club, and I can only hope he gets the chance [for England at the World Cup].”
Updated
If you have any thoughts on these current affairs in association football, you can email me.
Some fans have been let loose on Sky Sports News to talk about the Premier League title race, and other matters.
It seems the Arsenal fan has surrendered to their fate, at this point:
“I’ve had four years of this and I can’t take another let-down,” he says.
“I’ve had my cry. I’ve broken down. If we win it now, I’ll be happy.”
Although he closes on a slightly more upbeat note:
“It doesn’t matter about anyone else ... we’ve got to get ourselves right, get our heads right. I’m not letting myself get my hopes up at the moment.”
Updated
Thanks Tom, hi everyone.
Here’s a line off Reuters about a former Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and England legend:
Raheem Sterling was meant to be a marquee signing for Feyenoord as they battled for supremacy in the Netherlands, but with three games left in the season, the Dutch club are still waiting for the 31-year-old to make an impact.
Feyenoord continue their quest for second place in the league, and qualification for the Champions League, with a trip to 12th-placed Fortuna Sittard on Sunday, but it is not certain Sterling will be in the team.
The former England international, signed on a short-term contract in February, has started four league games and made three substitute appearances, and is yet to score.
He seemed a frustrated figure when left on the bench for the key clash against third-placed NEC Nijmegen last month, and came on for the final 15 minutes in last weekend’s win against Groningen.
Feyenoord cannot win the league, sitting 19 points behind the champions PSV Eindhoven, but still have much to play for, with a tenuous three-point lead over third-placed NEC Nijmegen in the battle for second place.
Coach Robin van Persie called Sterling’s signing “one of the biggest transfers in the history of the club” but his form has not lived up to the hype.
Van Persie, however, backed him despite criticism in the Dutch media and some scorn from disappointed supporters.
The coach said last week he had a positive conversation with Sterling, who he felt was getting better and fitter, but said any decision on whether the former Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City attacker would stay next season would come later.
Sterling’s move to Feyenoord was something of a surprise but was seen as a genuine effort to resurrect his career after being sidelined at Chelsea.
Sterling had not played for nine months before his first appearance for Feyenoord, where fans gave him a rapturous reception, but he has since been jeered by supporters. Reuters
Updated
And with that, I’m handing over to Luke McLaughlin, who’ll take you through to lunchtime. Laters.
One of the biggest games of the bank holiday weekend doesn’t come until Monday night, when Hearts host Rangers knowing they could practically end the visitors’ title hopes – and massively boost theirs – with a win, turning the title race into a two-way fight with Celtic (IF the Hoops beat Hibs on Sunday). The Jambos’ manager, Derek McInnes, is trying not to think about it: “Every team in with a chance of the title will see themselves as right in it, which makes it even more exciting. We’ve got a good enough record in this fixture but we need to concentrate on ourselves and not focus too much about what the opposition are thinking.”
All sorts of rivalry-distortions are in play too – Hearts fans willing their Edinburgh foes Hibs against Celtic? Celtic fans preferring a draw for Rangers at Hearts rather than a defeat?
In case you missed it yesterday, a spot of early-summer transfer whispering with Manchester United chasing West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf as possible left-back competition for Luke Shaw.
Just perusing the weekend’s Premier League and EFL fixtures, a huge number of matches have something at stake for at least one of the teams playing in them, and here’s a list:
Premier League
Leeds v Burnley
Brentford v West Ham
Arsenal v Fulham
Bournemouth v Palace
Man Utd v Liverpool
Aston Villa v Spurs
Chelsea v Forest
Everton v Man City
Championship
Derby v Sheffield Utd
Hull v Norwich
Ipswich v QPR
Millwall v Oxford
Wrexham v Middlesbrough
League One
Barnsley v Stockport
Bolton v Luton
Exeter v Bradford
Leyton Orient v Burton
Northampton v Plymouth
Stevenage v Wigan
League Two
Barrow v Newport
Bromley v Walsall
Crawley v Salford
Crewe v Cambridge
Fleetwood v MK Dons
Harrogate v Barnet
Notts County v Bristol Rovers
Swindon v Chesterfield
Tranmere v Grimsby
Gianni Infantino’s “football heals the world” schtick came off worse in an encounter with reality when his attempt to orchestrate a handshake between the Palestinian and Israeli delegates at Fifa’s congress backfired.
The Palestinian Football Association’s president, Jibril Rajoub, refused to stand alongside the Israel FA’s vice-president, Basim Sheikh Suliman, towards the end of the congress after both men had been called to the stage in Vancouver by Infantino.
Asked what Rajoub said when he refused, the Palestinian FA’s vice-president, Susan Shalabi, told Reuters: “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide. We are suffering.”
Matt Hughes has the story here:
Given the horror-show of a season Leicester fans have endured, the 10th anniversary of their sensational Premier League title triumph might feel a tad bittersweet, but what a season 2015-16 was, and what a team they were. Ben Fisher has been talking to some of the key participants, including Claudio Ranieri …
It changed the lives of everybody. For my players, who can say: “I won the Premier League.” I’m a very shy man, I don’t say: “I won the title!” But I’m very proud, very happy. In Leicester there is a big Indian community and some Indian people told me: “Thank you, Claudio, because now we link more with the Leicester people, the English people. When we go to the stadium, we push together.” And that is very, very special for me. It’s bigger than football.
It’s a big weekend in the Women’s Super League too and Manchester City can move closer to the title with a home win over Liverpool tomorrow, though they have been wobbling lately. Their main challengers, Arsenal, are otherwise engaged – in WCL semi-final action against OL Lyonnes.
But as the season draws to an end, fixture scheduling remains a sore point in the women’s game, as Tom Garry reports:
Waiting for men’s broadcast picks, dodging local fun runs and even having to avoid clashing with nearby comedy gigs: welcome to the quagmire of trying to arrange the Women’s Super League and WSL 2 schedule.
The fixture list is often a bone of contention for supporters, and organisers face a painstaking task in trying to organise games in venues where other teams get first dibs.
“Stadium availability is led by the men’s game and then broadcast is led by the men’s game, so it can be really hard,” Zarah Al-Kudcy, chief revenue officer at WSL Football, says. “Some of the reasons we are given as to why fixtures have to change, you just have to laugh or you’d cry.”
Howe: Newcastle owners remain 'supportive'
Eddie Howe says Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian owners remain supportive after meetings with PIF representatives on their trip over to the north-east this week. “I saw the owners and their representatives; it was constructive” said the manager before tomorrow’s home game against in-form Brighton. “It’s always constructive because they clearly care so much about the football club.
“There are exciting times ahead regardless of what happens in the short term. There’s no change in the level of support I’m receiving and the infrastructure but there is still an understanding of how football works and we need results.”
Howe was fairly non-commital about Anthony Gordon’s prospects of being fit to face Brighton. “He did a session on Wednesday, it was great to see him back on the pitch we’ll make an assessment closer to the game.”
Updated
Slot: Salah not fit enough to face Manchester United
Arne Slot has been up early for the press conference to preview Liverpool’s game at Manchester United and Mohamed Salah, who has scored 16 goals for the Reds against their biggest rivals, is not fit enough to make a final appearance at Old Trafford in a Liverpool shirt as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Mo is always working incredibly hard during the season when he is fit and when he is injured to get back as soon as possible. Usually he is back earlier fit than other players. He has a minor injury and we expect and need him back for the final part of the season, but not for Sunday. It is a big relief that his injury is minor and he is able to play for us and at the World Cup. If a player deserves a big send off then it is Mo.”
Slot also said that Alisson is close to a return.
Updated
Preamble
Morning everyone and welcome. We’re at that stage of the season where clubs are either on the beach or deep in a world of stress/pain/excitement, each casting envious glances at the other. A hugely consequential weekend looms, starting tonight with Leeds having another opportunity to distance themselves from the relegation rabble when they host managerless and relegated Burnley. By around 3pm tomorrow we’ll know the identity of one more of the clubs replacing the Clarets, with Ipswich, Millwall and Middlesbrough duking it out for second place in the Championship, while ups, downs and playoff places in the rest of the EFL will be sorted by teatime, when everyone can chill out watching Arsenal’s bid to keep their creaking title bid on the road when they face Fulham.
There was plenty to chew on last night too. Nottingham Forest just about edged their all-English Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa, but not without the inevitable VAR blow-up, Unai Emery fuming at the failure to punish Elliott Anderson for a dangerous tackle on Ollie Watkins. In the Conference League, Oliver Glasner’s chances of bowing out at Crystal Palace with a second trophy in two years were substantially enhanced in a 3-1 semi-final first leg win against Shakhtar Donetsk. The Europa League place denied them last year is now in sight.
Anyway, we’ll be across all the buildup and news going into the weekend, with pressers due at Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester City this morning and pre-match chat from Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United and Chelsea around lunchtime. And to get you in the mood, here’s 10 Premier League things to look out for, in time-honoured fashion.
