We’re into the latter stages of Mail v Senegal, the score is still 0-1 in Tangiers. Niall McVeigh will bring you full coverage of the hosts in Rabat.
After that Salford game was cancelled, the return of the Bundesliga has taken a hit.
Reuters – The matches between St Pauli and RB Leipzig and Werder Bremen against Hoffenheim on Sunday were postponed. Germany has been hit by heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures in recent days with more expected over the weekend.
The stadium operator of St Pauli’s Millerntor Stadium closed the venue after consulting with local authorities, Germany’s football league said in a statement on Friday. “This is due to the large amount of snow and ice across the entire stadium grounds and the associated safety risks for everyone involved on match day, as well as the critical overall situation in Hamburg. A new date for the match will be announced shortly,” the club said.
It was a similar case in Bremen. There have been concerns that other matches, including Union Berlin against Mainz 05, could also be adversely affected by the weather as the Bundesliga season restarts this weekend after a three-week winter break.
A friend was at the St Pauli v Werder friendly last weekend and they had to clear the pitch of snow.
Liverpool’s top scorer this season, the striker Beata Olsson, has been ruled out of their meeting with London City Lionesses on Sunday with a knock, Gareth Taylor says.
It will be a blow to the Merseyside club to lose Olsson. She has scored five times in nine WSL matches for Liverpool, who have received better news with the returns to match fitness of defenders Grace Fisk and Gemma Bonner.
Man guilty of 'abhorrent' messages to Jess Carter
A 59-year-old man has admitted sending “malicious and hateful” messages to England international Jess Carter during the European Championships last summer.
Nigel Dewale, from Great Harwood in Lancashire, pleaded guilty to one count of malicious communications and one of possession of a weapon in a private place when he appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The prosecution followed an investigation by Cheshire Police, brought about after Carter revealed she had been subjected to “a lot of racist abuse” online during the Lionesses’ successful defence of their European title. Carter subsequently described her experience as “definitely a tough time”.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the UK’s lead on football policing, welcomed Dewale’s guilty plea. “Everyone is responsible for what they do and say, and posting a message on social media is no different. In this case, Dewale sent hateful and malicious messages, thinking that he would be able to hide behind his account name.
“His comments were totally abhorrent, they caused emotional distress for Miss Carter and her family and I welcome the guilty plea entered today. We have been clear that hate crime online or in person, is not acceptable and as we have shown in this case, you cannot hide behind a social media profile to post vile comments and spread hate.”
Dewale will be sentenced on Wednesday 25 March at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, while a second man was arrested on suspicion of sending malicious messages to Carter last September.
Updated
The Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers has confirmed that the full-back Jenna Nighswonger is negotiating a loan move away from the club.
Slegers says the United States defender, who has made just one substitute appearance this season and is said by sources to be feeling unsettled in England, will not be in Saturday’s matchday squad for the visit of Manchester United, as her loan move away nears completion.
Ben Fisher has been spending time at the Somerset seaside club hoping to sink another coastal club in Grimsby.
Weston’s squad comprises players at both ends of their careers and everyone from builders and teachers to labourers and lecturers, in the case of the captain, Emlyn Lewis, who works at Cardiff Metropolitan University. “Luckily, we had enough time to put annual leave in,” says Lewis of travelling north on Friday. The youngster Charlie Cummins is on loan from Exeter. Adam May and Dom Bernard have played in League One, Scott Wilson in League Two. Smith faced Chelsea with Peterborough in the FA Cup third round in 2017. “Chelsea went on to win the Premier League, so it was a good squad: Pedro, Fàbregas, Kanté, John Terry,” he says.
Chelsea employee sentenced for £200,000 ticket fraud
A former Chelsea FC employee has been spared jail for creating false refunds on tickets to defraud the club out of more than £200,000.
Claire Walsh, 39, who worked as an assistant treasury manager at the Premier League football club, admitted dishonestly abusing her position to obtain £208,521.65 for herself between June 8 2019 and October 23 2023.
She was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday.
If a Chelsea season ticket holder was unable to attend a home match at Stamford Bridge, they could make tickets available on a club-run ticket exchange site for purchase by other season ticket holders and club members, the court was told.
Prosecutor Alex Alawode said Walsh, whose role involved administering manual refunds, was “creating false refunds for tickets that had not been put onto the exchange site”.
Mitigating for Walsh, Joy Dykers said the defendant had told her “none” of the money was left and “it has all been spent”, adding that some went on “supporting her parents”.
Ms Dykers added: “A lot went on gifts and experiences for her family and friends, trips to the theatre and holidays.”
Walsh was also sentenced to up to 25 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work in the community. No costs or compensation were sought by Chelsea Football Club.
It’s a huge weekend of sport, and we’ve got it all covered here.
Read today’s Football Daily on the probable next Chelsea manager, er, Gary O’Neil.
It’s half-time in Tangiers at AfCon, and Mail are losing 1-0 to Senegal, the goal from Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, and Yves Bissouma, the Mali captain, has been sent off. Mail beat Tunisia with ten men but that’s a bitter blow, after a horrible challenge for a straight red. He was already on a yellow and suspended for any potential semi-final. The first half lasted 54 minutes.
Romero will miss the Aston Villa game tomorrow, that means. Which is kind of convenient for Thomas Frank but also not.
More bad news for Tottenham, per Reuters: captain Cristian Romero has been handed a one-match suspension for his reaction to being sent off during last month’s 2-1 Premier League loss to Liverpool.
The centre back, who received a second yellow card for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate in added time, did not immediately leave the field after being given his marching orders and argued with the referee, leading to the FA charging him for acting in an “improper” manner.
“The defender subsequently admitted the charge, and an independent regulatory commission has now imposed a one-match suspension and £50,000 after a hearing,” the FA posted on X.
Romero, who served his automatic one-match suspension in Spurs’ 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on December 28, now faces an additional game on the sidelines.
Chelsea have been charged by the Football Association after a water bottle appeared to be thrown at the Aston Villa bench following a 2-1 win for Unai Emery’s team at Stamford Bridge on December 27.
It is alleged that the club failed to ensure its players and/or other relevant personnel positioned around the technical area after the final whistle did not behave in an improper and/or provocative and/or abusive way. The club have been given until January 12 to respond.
(Per PA Media)
We’re underway in the AfCon quarter-finals, with Mali taking on Senegal in Tangiers. The weather is wet, as it has been out there for most of the tournament. It’s 0-0 still, in what looks a spectacular stadium.
Updated
Here’s John to see this thing through.
Phil Grey makes a good point:
Two players have received red cards for pulling Cucurella’s hair, Joao [Neves] and Jack Stephens (and VAR admitted it made a mistake when Romero wasn’t punished for pulling his hair). Howard Webb explained why pulling hair is considered violent conduct after the Stephens red card. It’s a bit surprising David Moyes obviously doesn’t know about any of those red cards.
Saka agrees new five-year deal at Arsenal
These are happy days for the red half of north London.
The postponements keep on coming: Accrington Stanley’s League Two clash with Barnet has been called off after a pitch inspection.
“Despite the best efforts of our Grounds team, an EFL-appointed referee has conducted a pitch inspection this afternoon and deemed that areas of the Wham Stadium playing surface are unplayable,” read a statement from Accrington Stanley.
Daniel Farke has been speaking about Leeds’ plans to redevelop Elland Road. The club has received planning permission to increase capacity from 37,645 to about 53,000.
Quotes courtesy of PA:
The main topic is to extend the stadium so even more can follow and support us, so we can build even a stronger connection – if this is possible – with our supporters and community. But on the other hand, also not to lose our traditional charm and our unique Elland Road atmosphere.
For that there are way more capable people who have to do the right planning and put it into real life. I hope we find a good balance between going into the future and having a modern stadium with top facilities, but also make sure we don’t lose this traditional charm and atmosphere. That’s the target.
Updated
Moyes is approaching his second one-year anniversary as Everton manager. Having joined with the club one point off the relegation zone, I’d say he’s done a pretty solid job.
Three-match ban for Keane 'extraordinary', says Moyes
David Moyes has been discussing Everton’s rejected appeal against Michael Keane’s red card against Wolves.
The club released a statement arguing that the incident – Keane was sent off for pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair – “did not meet the threshold for violent conduct as defined in the rules, and that the action was neither forceful nor intentional”. Keane will miss Everton’s next three matches.
Moyes said:
To say it’s violent conduct … We’ve just seen a game last night where it’s OK to throw a ball at somebody, OK to pick them up with a bad injury, but to have a little pull of somebody’s hair accidentally and [for that] to mean a three-game ban is quite extraordinary for me.
It shouldn’t even have been any games. But I’m more embarrassed for whoever was on VAR. This was a young referee doing only his third or fourth game and VAR gave him a terrible decision. VAR didn’t need to get involved in that at all … looking for the smallest things there and probably things I don’t think anybody would have really paid any interest in in any way.
Updated
Scrap that, John will join the fun a little later. Here’s Ed Aarons on Oliver Glasner and the speculation surrounding his future.
That’s all from me; John Brewin’s here to take over.
Updated
Here’s Rosenior on Chelsea’s defeat by Fulham:
“What I learned the most, I thought Calum [McFarlane], who I’m delighted has joined our coaching staff, has done an incredible job. Obviously it’s very disappointing to lose any game, but I love the fact that 70 minutes the lads played with 10 men, played with real energy, with passion, created chances. At times it looked like we still had 11 men on the pitch … there’s a lot of good building blocks that Calum has put in.”
Updated
Liam Rosenior, the new Chelsea head coach, speaks. He’s asked about the revolving door of managers at the club.
I think the turnover of managers now, regardless of club, is huge. The pressure is there from day one, I’m aware of that, if I wasn’t willing to take on that pressure or that privilege… I’m looking forward to it.
I can’t wait for tomorrow night, I couldn’t wait to get here when we agreed the deal. If you are scared or fearful there is no point in being a coach. I’ve worked so hard pretty much my whole life for this opportunity. I’m going to enjoy it.
I am going to work 24 hours a day. I am going to push the players as hard as I possibly can to be successful.
In case you’ve forgotten, Rosenior is Chelsea’s sixth full-time appointment as head coach this decade.
Nuno Espírito Santo, under the pump, speaks to the press. His West Ham side are 18th and seven points off safety after their defeat by Nottingham Forest this week.
“It’s a tough situation but at the same time it’s realising there are 17 games to go, a lot of football to be played … if you start looking every time at the table you get more anxious so let’s try to focus on ourselves and what we have to do to compete. With 17 games in the league, I believe it’s possible.”
On the January transfer window:
“We are working hard as a club to bring in players. We need to rebalance our squad, it’s clear, and bring in players who make us stronger for the fight.”
Plenty of FA Cup action tomorrow … but not in Salford. Swindon Town’s third-round clash against Salford City has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Here’s a statement from Salford City:
Sheets have remained on the pitch over the last couple of weeks in anticipation of the forecasted sub-zero temperatures, and heat lamps have been moved around the pitch throughout the week to try and help thaw the pitch out.
However despite the best efforts of the ground staff there are still parts of the pitch that are frozen, and the decision has been made early in conjunction with the FA and Swindon to prevent unnecessary disruption to travelling supporters.
We will continue to liaise with both the FA and Swindon Town to find a suitable date for the fixture to be played, and communicate this to supporters at the earliest possible moment.
Supporters who have purchased match tickets should retain these as they will be valid for the rearranged fixture. Once a new date has been arranged, if you can’t make it then a refund will be available.
Semenyo taking the No 42 shirt at City, once worn by Yaya Toure, is a worthwhile excuse to watch this. He was operating on a ridiculous level in 2013-14.
Afternoon, everyone. Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, has spoken about the departure of Antoine Semenyo.
“Scoring the goal, scoring the winner, the ovation – that is something that will stay there in his mind forever, I’m really pleased for him and I wish him all the best.”
On whether Semenyo can succeed at Manchester City:
“He will have strong competition for minutes but I think he has the level, he’s producing the numbers and is a player who can adapt very well to all the scenarios … I think he understands this is another step.”
On whether Bournemouth will sign a winger in January:
“Yes, we have to sign a winger – Antoine has played almost every minute with us, there is a hole we have to fill. Obviously, probably is not [someone] with the same skills as Antoine, can be a different type or player … it’s a market that is not easy … We have to look at all the options we have available.”
That’s all from me for now. Here is Taha Hashim to guide you through the rest of the afternoon.
Samuel Okafor, the chief executive of football’s anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out, writes on Liam Rosenior’s landmark Chelsea appointment and how there cannot be another generation of qualified black coaches that are ignored.
We know that black managers are few and far between, but Kick It Out analysis of workforce diversity figures released by clubs at the start of this season under Football Association rule N showed that in board and senior leadership positions at Premier League clubs, only 3.2% were occupied by ethnically diverse people. The percentage of ethnically diverse people among permanent employees overall is healthier for Premier League and EFL clubs at about 12%.
Research shows that diverse leadership can foster a diversity of thinking and better decision-making based on those with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. It can enhance innovation and creativity, and connect better in a football context with a diverse playing population and global fanbase, leading to stronger performance.
Rosenior has spoken about his background and how that has helped in some cases when dealing with multicultural dressing rooms. But if leadership in football lacks that diversity, is there an implicit bias when it comes to recruitment?
Read his full comment below.
The FA Cup defending champions, Crystal Palace, travel to face the non-league side Macclesfield in their third-round tie on Saturday. It will be the first meeting between the FA Cup holders and a non-league side since the 2004-05 season when Manchester United needed a replay to eliminate Exeter, also in the third round.
Here is an inside look at how Macclesfield are gearing up for the big showdown with words from Sam Dalling and photography by Christopher Thomond.
Semenyo to be in City's squad for FA Cup tie
Antoine Semenyo has been registered in time for the weekend and will be in Manchester City’s squad for their FA Cup third-round tie against the League One side Exeter City tomorrow.
Pep Guardiola is currently speaking to the media and here were his first words on his newest signing:
Everybody knows the qualities. They are extraordinary at Bournemouth and he can play on both sides – right and left. He can play as a striker as well with his pace. He knows the Premier League. Many clubs wanted him and he decided to join us so all I can say is thanks to him. We are very pleased for the next years.
We followed him for a long time and in the end with the situation we have up front with the winger’s – we have three specific players in Oscar [Bobb], Savinho and Jérémy [Doku] – we need to reinforce for the next years and that’s why the club made the gesture and effort to take him. He is the perfect age at 25 with the best years to come. The club likes to try to bring young players to make his career with his best years here.
Updated
Martin O’Neill took charge of Celtic training before beginning his second stint as interim manager tomorrow against Dundee United. The 73-year-old first returned on a temporary basis after Brendan Rodgers’ departure in October, and is back again after Wilfried Nancy’s 33-day reign.
Earlier this week, O’Neill said it would be a “difficult” task to win the Scottish Premiership. Celtic trail the league leaders, Hearts, by six points.
There are fewer games to play now than before, and Rangers must have gained a psychological advantage there, and that’s over us. We still have to catch Hearts, and the way that Motherwell played the other evening against Celtic, they might well be the best footballing side in the league. Hearts have had momentum all season. They’ve been able to win some big games, so it is a difficult task for us.
The lads are in decent spirits, we had a bit of a meeting and honestly they genuinely feel as if they’re in good heart. Naturally disappointed with the recent results and the way things have gone, but I’m just hoping that they’re up for the battle ahead, and I’m sure they will be.
Here is more on Semenyo’s move to Manchester City. Bournemouth will find it hard to replace a player at the peak of his powers and an attacker that has been polished up perfectly for the elite.
Semenyo’s initial £62.5m fee fits City’s practice, after the mixed results of lavishing £100m on Jack Grealish, of preferring to buy players at about that price point. A contract extension signed in the summer to stay at Bournemouth locked in the fee, and he follows Dean Huijsen, who headed to Real Madrid last summer, in leaving the Vitality Stadium for a pre-agreed valuation. Though Liverpool and Manchester United had interest in the summer, neither made the decisive move when the player’s desire for a January move was clear. The prospect of the Ghana international and Jérémy Doku’s rolling thunder either side of Erling Haaland is daunting.
Read John Brewin’s full verdict below.
West Ham losing faith in Nuno and unhappy he embraced Forest players
West Ham are losing faith in Nuno Espírito Santo’s ability to save them from relegation and unhappy with their manager embracing Nottingham Forest players on the pitch after losing to his former side on Monday.
Nuno, fired by Forest last September, finds his position under increasing threat after 10 games without a win. West Ham remain reluctant to make their second sacking of the season but are increasingly unimpressed with the Portuguese’s tactics and did not like his demeanour after their latest defeat.
Figures within the club were dismayed to see Nuno smiling at full-time and embracing some of his old players. Nuno was pictured with players including Morato and Morgan Gibbs-White, whose late winner left West Ham seven points behind 17th-placed Forest. Nuno had looked aghast when Forest, who won 2-1 after trailing at half-time, were awarded their penalty after a VAR review.
Although it is accepted that Nuno was liked by many of Forest’s former players and was facing them for the first time since his messy exit from the City Ground, it was felt he should have waited until he was away from the cameras before reuniting with members of his old team. West Ham had just suffered an agonising late defeat and are on course to lose their fight to stay in the Premier League. In that context sources at the club felt that Nuno, who has two wins from 16 games since replacing Graham Potter in September, was naive to be seen smiling before heading down the tunnel.
Read the full story from Jacob Steinberg below.
Thanks Dave, and hello all. Let’s start with some West Ham news.
Righty, it’s time now to leave you in the excellent hands of Yara El-Shaboury while I power walk around the block several times. Thanks!
It’s the start of the quarter-finals at Afcon today. Here are the four fixtures that will determine who plays in Wednesday’s semi-finals. The final is next Sunday in Rabat.
Friday
Mali v Senegal (4pm GMT, Tangier)
Cameroon v Morocco (7pm GMT, Rabat)
Saturday
Algeria vs Nigeria (4pm GMT, Marrakech)
Egypt vs Ivory Coast (7pm GMT, Agadir)
Meanwhile, here’s Osasu Obayiuwana on the enigma that is Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen.
Krishnamoorthy v, on email, has been giving Antoine Semenyo’s shirt number some deep thought. “I thought Semenyo chose 42 because he is a fan of Douglas Adams.”
I’ll add that 42 is the shirt number of Liverpool’s Trey Nyoni. The youngster will be a likely starter for the Reds when Barnsley try to (Arthur) dent Liverpool’s FA Cup hopes on Monday night.
If you missed this from last night, Manchester United supporters group The 1958 has called for a vote of no confidence in the club’s ownership model. The organisation wants the removal of the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe from the club and will also hold a protest at the home match against Fulham on 1 February to make their voices heard at Old Trafford.
This is quite the quote from the 1958: “After lurching from one disaster to another, Ratcliffe comes across as an incompetent clown turning the club into a circus. Instead of best in class we’re a laughing stock. It has been an extraordinary and deeply troubling few days at Manchester United. On the pitch, we are watching mediocre performances from an average team drifting without identity, direction or ambition. Off it, the chaos is even worse.”
Eddie Howe expects Newcastle’s Fabian Schar to be sidelined for an extended period but is hopeful that the former Switzerland central defender will recover from an ankle ligament injury in time to play again this season.
Schar was taken to hospital following a collision with Dominic Calvert-Lewis during Wednesday’s 4-3 home win against Leeds but Newcastle’s manager is now cautiously optimistic that the damage is not quite as bad as initially feared.
“Maybe it’s not as bad as it first looked, there’s no fracture,” said Howe, whose side host his former club, Bournemouth in the FA Cup third round on Saturday. “But Fabian will be seeing a specialist in the next few days to get some more definitive answers. At the moment we’re confident Fabian will be back before the end of season but let’s see. We still have to get a definitive assessment on the scale of the injury,”
With England’s Dan Burn still recovering from a punctured lung and broken ribs, Howe has limited defensive options but will resist the temptation to rush into the transfer market. “It’s not ideal but, at the moment, we’re taking a watching brief,” said Newcastle’s manager. “We’ll see how we go in the next few games and that will have a bearing on what we do.”
One option is to recall the full back, Matt Targett from his loan at Middlesbrough but it is believed the player would be unhappy to leave the Riverside where he is playing a key role in Boro’s Championship promotion push.
“We’re looking at all options,” said Howe. “But with Matt there is not just our wants and needs, there is his as well and we have to balance both.”
Newcastle’s manger also revealed that Jamaal Lascelles, the club captain and once the mainstay of his defence, is currently unable to train and could leave St James’ Park this month. “Jamaal is not training with us currently,” said Howe. “He hasn’t felt well enough physically to train. I don’t think he’s injured particularly but his body isn’t ready. There is a possibility he could leave but Jamaal has been an excellent leader for us over the years behind the scenes.”
A rather withering assessment of current events here. Kev The Poet from Uffculme writes in an email entitled ‘The Beautiful Game’: “So Man City buy a player they don’t really need, whilst whistling and walking the other way when Exeter City ask for an extra tenner. Meanwhile, a player accuses another player of feigning injury, apologises on Instagram. Let’s all cheer The Villa (not even my team); they might be managed by Alan Partridge, but they appear to have a thread of humanity.”
Everton's Keane red card appeal rejected
Everton’s appeal against the red card shown to Michael Keane for violent conduct against Wolves has been rejected. It means the defender starts a three-match ban against Sunderland in the FA Cup tomorrow.
Keane was sent off for pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair as the pair leapt for a high ball during the team’s 1-1 draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium. David Moyes insisted the offence did not meet the criteria for violent conduct and Everton appealed on Thursday, but a three-man FA panel has upheld the original decision.
“We appealed in the firm belief the incident did not meet the threshold for violent conduct as defined in the rules, and that the action was neither forceful nor intentional,” read an Everton statement.
“Our appeal was also lodged in support of Michael Keane, a player who plays the game with the highest ethical standards and who, prior to Wednesday, had never been dismissed for violent conduct in his career. It is our firm belief that the severity of the three game suspension is clearly excessive, and we are surprised and disappointed that this point of appeal has also been rejected. Michael’s suspension begins immediately, and he will now not be available for our forthcoming fixtures against Sunderland, Aston Villa and Leeds United.”
And to think, I only just transferred him into my fantasy team last week.
The third round of the FA Cup threw up plenty of intriguing ties. Check out some of the storylines ahead of the action which gets underway with four matches tonight.
Today’s Rumour Mill has been released into the wild. How many bloody defenders do Arsenal need?!
Some quotes from Antoine Semenyo after his move to Manchester City. A nice mix of knowing his worth but also keeping humble.
On his own game...
“Powerful, quick, strong, clinical player. I’m still improving and I feel like I’m still yet to reach my peak. I feel like I’ve got a learning to do and joining City is the best thing for my development. The best coaches and best players – taking my game to the next level.”
On improving his game...
“It starts in the mornings when I’m praying. Day and night I make sure I always pray; I make sure I’m always writing down things where I can improve and get better and just having the right people around me. Those three things are what has got me the success I’ve got today. I just need to keep them around me, keep improving, keep writing down and keep praying.”
On playing with personality...
“I feel very chaotic on the eye, just spontaneous and can do anything at any moment. I’ll be playing with a smile on my face, and I hope I do for the fans as well.”
On his two-footed ability...
“It makes it so difficult for defenders to mark me – it’s my God-given talent.”
On choosing the No.42 shirt...
“It was my first number I got at Bristol City when I first signed. It’s always stuck me. I was either 42 or 24 – 24 wasn’t available so I went back to my first number. That’s the inspiration behind it.”
On his journey so far...
“I’ve had to be a strong character. Emotionally and mentally, I’ve had to get really strong. I have my family, friends and fiancée around me – keeping me uplifted and always pushing me. I’ve had to push myself quite a bit to get through a lot of hard times – it’s made me the man I am today; strong, fearless and ready to attack the world.”
The new West Ham head coach, Rita Guarino, has said her priority is staying in the Women’s Super League but she has full belief in the squad’s quality. The 54-year-old, formerly in charge of Juventus and Inter, replaced Rehanne Skinner during the WSL’s winter break on an 18-month contract, with West Ham second bottom after winning one of 11 games.
Guarino said: “I analysed not just the results of the team but also the performances, and in certain games I saw a high performance level. In certain games, they deserved more than what they obtained. So I think they have a good quality. I believe in this team.”
The Italian spoke in English throughout her first press conference, only once needing to turn to her translator to double-check the meaning of a question. She was calm and professional and said she was excited by the challenge in the WSL: “For me it’s a great opportunity for me to coach here in one of the best leagues in the world, so it’s exciting to start and I think this environment fits with my values, so I’m very happy to be here. I think here there is more intensity in the game, so it’s much faster than Italy.”
Asked what she would like to achieve at West Ham, she said: “In this moment, I am very focused on staying in the league.”
Weather causes postponements
Storm Goretti – a winter weather threat that sounds like a medal contender at a hip, new sporting event being introduced at the 2028 LA Olympics – is having an effect on the football calender. All good so far in the FA Cup but a couple of games in League Two have gone. We’ll keep you updated throughout the day.
League Two
Oldham Athletic and Notts County - OFF
Chesterfield vs Colchester - OFF
More reaction from Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool. This is Jonathan Liew’s take.
“Arsenal, we must remind ourselves, are the country’s outstanding team right now, their five-point gap at the top extended to six by full-time. They are top of the Champions League table. They have players who can blow the back of your head right off. And yet. Is anyone in this stadium actually enjoying themselves?”
And here’s the match report from Ed Aarons.
Manchester City sign Semenyo
It’s official: Antoine Semenyo is now a Manchester City player after signing a £62.5m deal. The 26-year-old’s transfer from Bournemouth, who could receive £1.5m in add-ons and are due 10% of any future profit, was confirmed this morning. Semenyo could make his debut against Exeter in the FA Cup on Saturday.
A great move for everyone? Or will Semenyo find himself in an Eberechi Eze situation i.e. going from being the main man to one who occasionally looks devastating but spends plenty of time warming the bench?
Updated
As for Connor Bradley’s injury, we’ll likely get an update today. Slot had this to say in his press conference last night.
“I don’t know yet but it didn’t look great if you have to go off on a stretcher. When we see the video, we both think probably the same but we have to wait on the scans if it’s that bad. Or maybe he can play on Monday - let’s hope so.”
Martinelli offers apology to Bradley
Let’s start with the big talking point last night – Gabriel Martinelli trying to shove the injured Connor Bradley off the pitch. The Arsenal winger has now offered an apology to the Liverpool right-back, who was taken off on a stretcher.
Martinelli posted on Instagram: “Conor and I have messaged and I have already apologised to him. I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment. I want to say I’m deeply sorry for reacting. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery.”
At the time, Gary Neville on co-comms wanted half of the Liverpool side to knock seven bells out of the Brazilian although Reds boss Arne Slot had a much calmer take.
“You cannot expect from Martinelli that he thinks so clear in the 94th minute. I am 100 per cent sure if he knew what the injury might be that he we would never do that.
“But it doesn’t look great if he has the injury which we fear he might have, of course. But football, time-wasting, diving has come to the situation that players think in the 94th minute that probably that is happening again. Because I have seen it happening against us so many times this season that I can understand that Martinelli might have thought that this was time-wasting as well and he couldn’t have thought, ‘This is Liverpool, they don’t do this.’”
Preamble
The Premier League steps aside this weekend after Arsenal showed just what worthy champions they’d be were outplayed in a 0-0 home draw with a Liverpool side that only they seem to be afraid of. The Gunners didn’t have a shot between the 44th and 90th minutes in Thursday night’s encounter but, hey, Mikel Arteta’s side are six points clear with 17 games to go so it’s up to everyone else to do better.
The Premier League goes on hold now as it’s FA Cup third round weekend. Much excitement abounds – especially in the reserve goalkeeper fraternity. Contender for first upset comes tonight with in-form Wrexham hosting Nottingham Forest. If Arsenal want to go for the ‘double’ they’ll have to get past Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Sunday while holders Crystal Palace travel to non-league Macclesfield in an early Saturday kick-off.
Elsewhere, the quarter-finals of Afcon begin today, with hosts Morocco taking on Cameroon in the second last-eight clash, while what’s in store in the transfer window? Antoine Semenyo has made his move but who next? It’s all here, and more, in your Friday football blog. Let’s go!
