Barcelona: Hansi Flick is confident his side will not be derailed by injuries as they prepare to visit Athletic Club on Saturday, aiming to maintain their lead over Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga. WIth a Champions League Round of 16 match against Newcastle United to follow on Tuesday, Barca suffered injuries to defenders Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde during their 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday, a result that was not enough to overturn a four-goal deficit from the first leg. Midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Gavi also remain sidelined, but striker Robert Lewandowski is fit for the Athletic clash.
“These things happen, I’m not happy,” said Flick today. “We have to talk about what we can improve. That is always my responsibility. It’s not on the medical staff or the physios - it’s my responsibility. I want to talk to the doctors, the physios and the technical staff to see what we can do better. It’s about managing the team, and it’s not pleasant, especially at such a crucial moment. But we’re optimistic. This gives other players the opportunity to show how good they are.” Real Madrid’s shock 1-0 home loss to Getafe on Monday left leaders Barca four points clear after 26 matches. Athletic sit ninth.
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An email: “Re: the Jesse Lingard move to Corinthians. Jamal Lewis went on loan to Sao Paolo in September 2024 so I think Lingard will become the second Englishman to play in the Brazilian top flight,” writes Adam Griffiths, who is correct … but I’m not going to let that stop me splitting hairs. While Lewis is English and did indeed play six times for Sao Paolo, scoring one goal, he is a Northern Ireland international. Anyway, good spot, Adam.
Brentford: Having signed a new and improved long-term deal with Brentford last week, Keith Andrews has been further rewarded with a nomination for Ferbuary’s manager of the month.
“Listen, it is nice of course but it is just a testament to the work that has gone on and the level of the performances the boys have produced, especially away from home, during this period,” he said, ahead of his side’s FA Cup match against West Ham on Monday night.
“I think the work that goes into it from everybody has got us to that point over a period of time, which we have worked tirelessly to get to. So it is nice to see it come to fruition in some big games - and, of course, it is a nice pat on the back for everybody that has played a huge part in it.”
Brentford winger Dango Ouattara has also been nominated for February’s player of the month award, while Rico Henry will miss Monday night’s match with a hamstring injury and is expected to be out for what Andrews described as “a decent amount of time”. Vitaly Janelt and Aaron Hickey also remain sidelined for Brentford.
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Corinthians sign Jesse Lingard: The club from the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo have announced the signing of the former Manchester United and West Ham midfielder, who has been without a club since leaving the South Korean club FC Seoul in December.
The 33-year-old has signed a deal to take him to the end of the year and will become the first English footballer to play in the Brazilian top flight but has a lot of work to do if he is to win fans over and join a roll call of club legends that includes Socrates, Rivelino, Carlos Teves, the original and best Ronaldo, and Carlos Tevez.
Leeds United: While Farke’s focus turns to the FA Cup this weekend, Premier League survival remains Leeds’ priority. Sitting just three points above the drop zone on 31 points, their safety is far from assured, even if they are best placed of the six teams circling the drain to stay up.
“I trust my players and I trust the group,” he said. “I don’t agree that results on other pitches are going against us. It’s good fun to analyse other results, but I’m not sitting on my sofa biting my nails and hoping West Ham or Nottingham Forest lose.
“We need seven to nine points in order to stay in this league, that’s a fact. For me, the crunch time is the last six games. We have three games where we could even win the points before [the end of the season] to ease the pressure on those last six games.
“If we don’t do this then we don’t deserve to play in the Premier League next season, but what we have shown so far gives me lots of confidence in this group. I stay calm, concentrated and focused. If we win seven to nine points, we will be safe in the end. I’m confident we have more than enough to get the points we need.”
Leeds United: Daniel Farke learned today that he has received a one-match touchline ban on the back of the red card he was shown for approaching referee Peter Bankes on the pitch at the end of the game following Leeds’ defeat to Manchester City. He was asked about his punishment in the press conference he gave ahead of Leeds’ FA Cup fifth round tie against his former side Norwich City at Elland Road on Sunday.
“I think the message I will take is that I will never jog on the pitch again because I was accused of entering the pitch and confronting the referee,” he said. “I did my jogging and I won’t again because I probably look a bit scary when I jog. I still think it wasn’t the right decision to show me a red card because, even if I jogged, it isn’t right to be given a red card anyway.
“There was not one bad word, no accusation or no bad language or whatever. I think the red card shouldn’t stand, however I haven’t appealed the one-match ban for one simple reason: because if I appeal and the panel comes together for two weeks, we speak again about this topic and then the decision is made. I don’t think it makes sense to talk more about this topic and that’s why I’ve simply accepted the ban.”
Wrexham: Thirty-four years on from Mickey Thomas’ famous free-kick winner against Arsenal, the Welsh club are seeking another statement win over Chelsea, writes Will Unwin …
Sunderland: With his side’s Premier League status secured following their win over Leeds in one of the most terrible games of football ever played at Elland Road or anywhere else on Tuesday night, Regis Le Bris takes Sunderland to Port Vale on Sunday, where they’ll play the League One’s bottom side on a threadbare pitch that could be ripe to stage an upset.
“We have to adapt because you can’t play next to your box and it is especially hard to play short because the risk is high,” said Regis. “But I don’t want to highlight this part of the game too much. Football is unpredictable. You have to adapt and find creative solutions. We will have to be pragmatic.”
Despite Port Vale’s lowly position, Le Bris insisted his team won’t be taking their hosts lightly. “You need to earn it because it won’t be easy,” he said of victory. “It’s a specific context, especially with them playing against a Premier League team, so they will play with this X factor. This energy can make surprises. It’s always like that, so for us that context is really important.”
More email correspondence: “Spurs going down would beat Leicester winning the league as the craziest thing to happen since football was invented in 1992, wouldn’t it?” suggests Graeme Neill. “It would be a shame though – part of the joy of revelling in Spursiness is watching them have ideas above their station before Sideshow Bobbing their way across the pitch packed with rakes.”
From Spurs season ticket-holder Matt Bailey: “I’m interested to know if other Spurs fans would have taken the Europa League trophy at the expense of relegation this season?” he asks. “Are extreme highs and lows preferable to calm mediocrity? I realise the two outcomes aren’t directly related, but ignoring the league last season to concentrate on Europe, got the team used to losing league games. Is the Championship an opportunity for a much needed reset and rebuild?”
From Spurs fan Martin Bolme: “As a Spurs supporter I have seen some strange things the last 35 years, but this is actually scary now,” he writes. “My main question: will they survive in the championship next year? I suspect most players will be sold at a huge discount, bur who will remain? Maybe the young ones will take one season before moving on, but will that be enough? Lets say Gray, Bergvall, Tel, Souza and Kinský stays. Maybe Danso. Who will buy the players needed to survive in the Championship? Venkatesham and Lange?”
Women’s World Cup: I had this bit prepped and ready to go before my colleague Suzanne Wrack filed her vastly superior copy from Sarina Wiegman’s press conference earlier, so apologies for any overlap but it does contain some additional quotes and info about the mechanics of qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil that I wasn’t previously aware of …
Following their 6-1 win over Ukraine in Antalya on Tuesday, England are due to face Iceland at a sold-out City Ground at 12.30pm (GMT) on Saturday. All England’s goals against Ukraine came in the second half and ahead of tomorrow’s match, Sarina Wiegman has been preaching the virtue of patience if her Lionesses are slow in scoring against an Iceland team cthey are heavy favourites to beat.
“It’s very important,” she said. “That’s what we showed on Tuesday. Of course we wanted to score goals in the first half and we did have some opportunities, but the team showed that we could do better. We stuck with the plan and everyone kept doing their tasks together. We didn’t start doing things on our own because that doesn’t help in those moments. We just stayed calm, kept doing our task and got some opportunity up front. In the moments where we lost the ball, we won it back so quickly as well. That says a lot about the mentality of my team.”
Iceland lost 3-0 against Spain on Tuesday in Castellon, but held out against the current world champions for 39 minutes. Only the winners of Group A3 qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil without having to go through playoffs. Spain and England are expected to battle for top spot.
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An email: “Quick observation,” writes Peter Crosby. “The announcement of the season ticket price hike is most unfortunate given Man Utd are finally on a good run of results on the pitch. And you know what it brings to mind? Tottenham.
“One of the main reasons the atmosphere at the ground has been so toxic over the past two years is that the ticket prices naturally raise expectations of quality, and naturally produce more wrath when that is not reflected in the quality of the spectacle.
“Man Utd and Spurs are similar in some ways - both huge clubs for whom relegation seemed impossible, but for whom chronic mismanagement has led to a huge lowering of footballing standards. If I were Big Sir Jim, I’d be most careful about a quick money grab from fans when all that will do is make them more impatient.”
Chelsea: Liam Rosenior takes his side to Wales, where they will play Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground. Two months into the job, Rosenior has already masterminded FA Cup wins over Charlton Athletic and Hull City and hopes to add a third Championship scalp to this season’s collection tomorrow evening as he bids to win his first trophy as Chelsea head coach.
“It is why I am here,” he told reporters. “It is what you dream of as a player, coach or manager. The FA Cup is an amazing competition with tradition and history, but what we have to do tomorrow is not think about the trophy or finals and concentrate on Wrexham.
“If I go back to the Charlton or Hull game, what pleased me most was the application of the players. I thought we were excellent, and we will have to be at the same level at least to win the game tomorrow. It is what you work for, but if you focus on the trophy at the end of the season you probably aren’t going to win anything. It is all about the next game, it really is.
“The players are in a really good frame of mind. The Aston Villa performance and result has given us confidence, but we need to focus on this game and make sure we come through the other side.”
Rosenior told reporters that tomorrow’s game has come to soon for Estevao and Jamie Gittens, who are both back in training as they recover from injury.
West Ham: No press conference worth its salt these days concludes without the thorny issue of anarchy at set-pieces being raised and Nuno’s was no exception. “It has changed,” he said. “What referees are allowing from set-piece situations is almost crazy. I think they should review it. I think they should come to the clubs and speak to the players.
“They need to try to really explain to them what is a foul, what contact is and how far you can go with contact, so that the players are more clear on their actions. We are seeing things that are not normal. I consider many of them fouls. The contact, the holding, the grabbing, the blocks. The contact allowed on the goalkeepers which makes their life very, very difficult.”
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More Conor-spondence: “I really rate Conor Gallagher and was surprised when I turned up at what was a football ground rather than an entertainment venue to find he was on the bench,” writes Robin Jones, a long-suffering Spurs season ticket holder.
“The scene and likely result were already set by the time he was introduced and he tried to make an impact as he has done in his other games. But let’s be honest Spurs are a very poor side (hardly a team) and if I had any influence as a season ticket holder (which I don’t) I would want to see most of the current squad gone. Only Archie Gray puts in 90 minutes of effort which in current times is about 115 minutes. If Poch returns we should see Connor earn his Spurs.”
Would Mauricio Pochettino fancy muddying his spats in the Championship? I’m not so sure.
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West Ham: Nuno Espirito Santo’s side get a welcome break from their fight against relegation as they host Brentford in the FA Cup on Monday night. The Portuguese head coach did, however, tune in to see Tottenham's Premier League defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace last night, a loss that was simultaneously shocking and completely unsurprising.
“We see all the games,” he said. “What we know is that we cannot influence anything. We are just spectators, so it doesn’t mean anything for us. We are still in the same situation. We have a lot of work in front of us. I watched some moments. What I watch at home is not important. I’m trying to tell you that we watch all of the matches but we know that it’s all about us. We cannot control anything that happens in other stadiums. We can influence in our games, and this is our main focus.”
On his own side’s recent resurgence, Nuno had this to say: “It wasn’t me, it was the players. The players have been able to improve our game. The results are helping, so is the atmosphere and the mood, it is all much better.”
West Ham have taken 14 points from the last 24 available and currently sit in 17th place, level on poiunts with Nottingham Forest and just one behind a Tottenham team that has lost seven of their last 10 league games and is yet to win a top flight game this year. No pressure, Igor.
Manchester United: The former Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra has stuck the boot into his former teammates Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Roy Keane for sticking the boot into another former teammate, the current Manchester United manager, Michael Carrick, following Newcastle’s 2-1 win over the former Manchester United midfielder’s side on Wednesday night.
“Michael has definitely got something special about him...cos Utd have been crap last four games,” read an Instagram post from Scholes that irked Evra, along with some opinions proffered by rent-a-gob ex-captains Neville and Keane.
“I hope Paul Scholes’ Instagram story is fake,” said Evra in an interview with Stake. “I hope he was hacked. To be honest, I’m not surprised at that from Scholesy. He was the quietest player I’ve ever played with in my entire career. Now, in the media, he drops bombshells.
“I really don’t understand the lack of support behind Michael Carrick, he’s one of us and he’s doing very well. There’s been negative analysis from Scholesy, but also from Roy Keane and Gary Neville. It annoys me because we want to be in the top four, and those comments are unnecessary, but this is what you do when you work in TV. You can’t be positive, you have to be negative.
“Most of these guys get a managerial job and get fired straightaway. I said to Neville: ‘It’s easy to talk on TV. When you were at Valencia, they asked you for paella, and you gave them fish and chips’. After three months, they said goodbye.
“People can’t forget what they have done as a manager. As players, they’re legends, but as managers, they haven’t done a great job. So for them to speak and possibly kill the career of a manager, it’s a little bit too much.” PA Sport
My work here is done, Barry Glendenning is coming aboard to take you through the afternoon. Goodbye.
Like Manchester United, Newcastle have announced that season ticket prices will be increased by 5% for next season.
In addition, the disability discount ticket has been halved, to 25% from 50%.
The details are here, on the official club website.
Another email about Spurs!
“Hi Luke,” opens Peter.
“I am a season-ticket holder and went to the game last night and stayed till the end. I don’t know if you saw the warmup before the game, I have never seen such a mess in all my time going, you could see that the coaches out on the field had no idea what they were doing. And if you looked at the faces of the players you could see defeat in their eyes. I said to Sandra who sits next to me that we would lose tonight – we lost in that warmup.”
“Conor Gallagher – tell me why you would go out and spend £35 million on another Oliver Skipp? And break your wages cap? He brings nothing to the team and we sold Skipp for £20 million.
“And Van de Ven supposedly one of the fastest players in the league, cannot keep up and pulls a player down and will miss the next three games. How convenient, gets him a bit nearer the end of the season, and then goodbye – “I really enjoyed my time at Spurs, you will always be in my heart.” ha ha.”
Note: Van de Ven’s suspension will in fact be one match rather than three.
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“I don’t understand why I am still not there,” Sean Dyche said of his sacking by Nottingham Forest.
“From my record while I was there, we’d have been 12th in the Premier League. On factual data and analysis I can’t understand any of the decisions … Football now is like selling chocolate teapots … fans says ‘this is what this club’ is about when maybe they’ve had one good season in the past 30 … this is where the keyboard warriors come into it. It’s trying to reming the fan base of the truth, rather than what it is, is very difficult now.
“10% of the fans spread the hate. The real Everton fans [in his previous job] told me I was doing really well.”
(Dyche was talking to the Football Boardroom Podcast.)
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Manchester United insist a 5% increase in ticket prices around Old Trafford next season will help in their quest to “return to the top of domestic and European football”, but supporters’ groups criticised the decision, along with moving fans to increase the number of hospitality seats.
“Sounds odd when it’s Championship footie next season,” emails Nick, in an email titled COYS.
“Interesting to see who will stay, which manager will carry unreasonable expectations etc. etc. But at last I’ll be able to turn notifications back on. There will be something to aim for. Hopefully.”
Alex Greenwood has been unable to recover from a muscle injury and will be unavailable for the Lionesses’ World Cup qualifier against Iceland on Saturday.
“Unfortunately Alex didn’t make it,” said the manager Sarina Wiegman. “She has a minor muscle injury but tomorrow is too early. She was desperate to go out last Tuesday [against Ukraine] and also for tomorrow, so of course we have all tried to make it work, but it’s just too early and it’s not worth it to take a massive risk.”
After an opening 6-1 win against Ukraine in Turkey, Wiegman warned against underestimating Iceland at the City Ground in Nottingham. “We think we will have the ball a lot, but it’s going to be very hard to break down their defence,” she said. “I think it is a very strong test, they’re very disciplined, very physical, very direct and with a lot of pace.”
England were shut out in the first half against Ukraine in Antalya but Alessia Russo, who scored twice along with Georgia Stanway and Jess Park, said they were not worried at the break.
“It was a game of two halves, although after the first half we were still happy with how we were playing, we wanted to be a little bit more ruthless and we were aware of that,” Russo said. “The conversations at half-time were that we were dominating the ball and we just needed to create that final product or that final finish and going out into the second half, we saw that in abundance.”
Russo was back at No 9 for England, having operated more regularly in the No 10 role for Arsenal this season. Wiegman said “for us, the way we set up, her best position is No 9” but that her versatility is a bonus. Russo says alternating positions is expanding her knowledge.
“I feel like I understand the game a lot more and, as I grow up, I have learned a lot about myself and my playing style and I’ll play wherever the team needs me in any moment,” Russo said.
“Both positions offer different things and I’m happy to do whatever the team needs. Ultimately, I want to be in and around the box, creating, scoring myself or setting other people up, but I don’t mind it. I think it adds to my knowledge of the game and helps me become a better player.”
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“I’m probably being harsh, but I’ve never rated Gallagher. Good stamina and not much else,” emails Joshua.
Doesn’t that describe 90% of modern footballers, though? He’s definitely not skilful but you need box-to-box drive, now more than ever.
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“The FA cup is so important,” opines Pep Guardiola before Manchester City’s meeting with Newcastle tomorrow. Is he friendly with Eddie Howe, his counterpart at the Magpies?
“Really good [relations] but never dinner together … good relations. Listen, we are rivals, we have to play each other, but before and after the game, it’s completely different.”
Then he’s asked about Rodri, who is still readjusting to their busy schedule after serious injury: “We wanted a long time ago when he came back a consistent routine, to play, play, play … but we play a lot of games, a lot of travel, fatigue,” Guardiola says. “Yeah you have to use all the squad, otherwise it will not be possible. Step by step he’s getting better and better and better. Everybody knows it.”
By the way, isn’t Conor Gallagher quite good? I thought he was good. I see he was on the bench last night. What’s happened? Please email me and explain.
Jamie O’Hara, the font of all footballing knowledge, is on telly talking about Igor Tudor.
“His tactics are terrible … he’s miles off it … he’s shown no evidence he can get quick results … he’s come in an moaned about the problems. We know there are problems at Tottenham! That’s why you are in the job … he’s got no clue about the Premier League.
“The window is closed, you can’t buy players, the only thing you can do is get rid of the manager … this is desperate times … if this guy carries on, I genuinely think we are going to go down … he’s not going to be there at the end of the season so the players don’t care enough … get Harry Redknapp in … Jermain Defoe … I can’t believe what I’m watching!”
Yes, Tottenham’s problems are definitely to do with the guy they hired three weeks ago.
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Thanks Dom. In fact, due to a clerical error, it’s Luke McLaughlin (me) now, then Barry at 2pm. Let’s do this.
I shall now vacate this seat.
It’s time for Barry Glendenning to come in and steer you through the Friday lunchtime rush, or lack thereof.
Is Igor Tudor known as ‘the Ferryman’ for his ability to get steer away from relegation or simply because he’s only once had a job that lasted more than a year and 50 games?
And that was his first managerial role, at Hadjuk Split.
Since then: PAOK, Karabükspor, Galatasaray, Udinese (twice), Hajduk Split (again), Hellas Verona, Marseille, Lazio, Juventus and now Spurs have taken short punts on Tudor.
Matthew Guite has been in touch to analyse Igor Tudor’s insistence that the Tottenham Hotspur boat was heading in the right direction …
Interestingly, Igor didn’t seem to say where exactly where he thought the “boat” was heading to? As his nickname is the Ferryman, maybe he thinks he is supposed to be ferrying the team from the Premier League to the Championship?
It would be so Spurs to get to the Champions League final and get relegated.
Wolves playing Liverpool at the same venue twice in the space of three days feels really jarring. Newcastle playing Manchester City for what seems like the 12th time this season can be put in the same category. The ‘magic’ of the FA Cup draw eh…
MUST – the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust – have released the following statement after that ticket price news:
It is disappointing that the club has ignored our call, as part of the FSA’s league-wide campaign, for a ticket price freeze. Supporters are paying more and more to watch their team, and as the FSA campaign said: enough is enough.
We’ve also learned that 600 more loyal fans are being moved for ever more hospitality. Those people will be understandably furious, and need to be better treated by the club than those who went through the same thing last year were.
That said, we are pleased the club listened to some of our concerns and there are no further restrictions on season ticket holders forwarding their tickets and no increase in the minimum usage rules.
Football clubs make better decisions when they listen to fans – they should do it more!
Messi meeting Trump (or vice versa) wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card. But then, I’m not sure what is beyond parody anymore.
Zach Neeley has an email for me:
As an Arsenal fan, I’d rather see Wenger manage Spurs than embarrass himself stumping for FIFA, make it happen.
Surely other Gooners wouldn’t want to see this?
I brought you those Gareth Bale quotes earlier… Bale of course was infamous (for a short time) for a run of games at Spurs in which he never tasted victory – a 24-game sequence to be exact, under Redknapp and ending in 2009.
Is Conor Gallagher beginning to replicate that run? Since signing for Tottenham in January for £34.6m from Atlético Madrid, Gallagher has featured eight times for Spurs, playing in two draws and six defeats – but not once completing 90 minutes.
Former boss Thomas Frank said upon signing Gallagher that the England international “will bring leadership, maturity, character and personality to our dressing room, while his running power, pressing ability and eye for goal will strengthen us in a key area of the pitch.”
The ex-Chelsea midfielder hasn’t yet done that – and is copping some stick from supporters at the moment who view him as an ineffective signing. It would be a surprise if he turned around his Spurs fortunes the way Bale did.
I’m sure there will be some Sir Jim Ratcliffe bashing after that aforementioned news… but to be honest it’s not an enormous hike in prices. Better to give Big Jim flak for his political comments, in my humble opinion.
United, of course, have a free weekend coming up due to being knocked out of every available competition that isn’t the Premier League this season.
Man Utd announce increase in season ticket prices
Manchester United have announced a 5% increase in season ticket prices for next season.
The club have emphasised the increase is to drive up revenues “to reinvest in football and our facilities”. In real terms it equates to slightly more than £2 per game on average for adult season ticket holders, and £1 per game for under 16s.
The lowest price for an adult season at Old Trafford next season will be £646 – working out at £34 per match across the 19 league games.
United will also relocate a number of general admission tickets in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand due to the installation of more hospitality seats, and they are also undertaking a dugout renovation ahead of expected European football next season.
Marlon André Seton weighs in on likely FA Cup shocks this weekend with tongue firmly in cheek …
My prediction for a shock is Liverpool, having just lost a league game against them, winning at Wolves.
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Gareth Bale appeared with Gary Neville and the guys on The Overlap recently and was asked – easy question alert! – to try and put his finger on why it’s all fallen apart for Tottenham in the post-Pochettino era.
To go from regularly challenging for trophies and finishing in the top four to a 17th-place finish and now a regulation fight… it’s a drop-off that is hard to explain.
I would say money. Look at the wage bill – it is lower [than other top six clubs. They always seem to buy young and hope they are going to grow into something bigger, which has worked in the past with me and a few other players, but they are an established club now.
They have the stadium. They have the training ground. They have the fanbase. They need to be buying bigger players, and maybe be paying a bit more.
It is a bit of a gamble that maybe they just need to take. But from a business point of view, they are not willing to do it.
Let’s check in on Tottenham and… oh, ‘Poch’, ‘Romero’ and ‘Arsene Wenger’ are all trending on X Twitter, so all perfectly normal there. With murmurings (already) about Igor Tudor’s future as manager, could there really be another change in the Spurs dugout this season?
If so, who on earth comes in? Ryan Mason isn’t a firefighter. Do they run it back and call on a 79-year-old Harry Redknapp? It’s nigh-on impossible to think of someone who would come in, sort them out straight away and get them safe.
Real Madrid fined by Uefa after fan salute
Real Madrid have been fined and face the threat of a partial closure of their stadium after a supporter inside the Bernabéu was filmed appearing to perform a Nazi salute.
The incident occurred moments before last month’s Champions League game against Benfica.
Real said at the time that the fan had been ejected from the ground after being identified by stadium security, with the club condemning the gesture.
Real were charged by Uefa and have now been fined €15,000 (around £13,000) and ordered to close 500 seats in the lower south stand during their next home European match, with that punishment suspended for a year.
Stephen Pye has a nice Wrexham v Chelsea read to sink your teeth into this Friday mid-morning:
Here’s an email from Stephen Milward who has an answer to my question of ‘where will a shock occur in the FA Cup this weekend?’
Mansfield v Arsenal. In 1969, Mansfield played the then mighty West Ham in the 5th round. West Ham had Moore, Redknapp, Peters, Brooking, Bonds [and] Hurst in their team. Mansfield were facing World cup Winners. Mansfield won 3-0. Never write off minnows in the cup. Mansfield can win this.
I admire your optimism, Stephen, it’s what the cup is all about.
VAR: Wrexham’s STōK Cae Ras (AKA the Racecourse Ground), Mansfield’s One Call Stadium (AKA Field Mill) and Port Vale’s Vale Park will all see the use of VAR for the first time in their history this weekend, with the technology in use across all grounds in the FA Cup from the fifth round onwards. It had previously only been used at Premier League grounds.
Realistically, Wrexham v Chelsea seems like the best chance of a cupset this weekend. Mansfield v Arsenal is a massive longshot, and while Norwich winning at Leeds would be a surprise, the two teams have played in the same division more often than not in recent years.
Maybe Port Vale v Sunderland? Another longshot, perhaps, given Vale are rooted to the bottom of League One.
Drop me an email with your thoughts on where a shock may occur in the FA Cup fifth round.
Wrexham star: Chelsea cup game an 'amazing distraction'
Wrexham captain Dominic Hyam has called Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Chelsea an “amazing distraction” from their promotion charge as they look to make more history in the competition.
Phil Parkinson’s men have won three successive Championship games to strengthen their hold on a top six place as they aim for what would be an incredible fourth successive promotion, but will take time out to welcome the club world champions to north Wales this weekend. This is what Hyam said:
It could be deemed as a distraction, but what an amazing distraction it is. You want to play against the best teams and the best players. It’s what you work hard for, playing against Premier League teams in the FA Cup.
Hopefully we can be there one day and be a Premier league team playing someone in the FA Cup too.
Before the Forest game, the gaffer showed us a lot of clips on the history of Wrexham and some of the big games that happened here many years ago. Hopefully we can use that now, having beaten Forest as another example, so it’s another opportunity to create our own history.
Is this ‘game’s gone’ territory?
The three-minute hydration breaks, which will take place after 22 minutes of each half irrespective of the temperature during the World Cup, seem like a good idea. But more adverts? Football’s shift towards to NFL gets closer.
Thanks Luke.
Never mind Spurs, is there ever a quiet week at Nottingham Forest? Reports from the BBC are claiming Edu – the former Arsenal director of football who is now the global head of football at the City Ground – has been told to stay away from games. The 47-year-old has not, apparently, been present for Forest’s recent games against Fenerbahce, Brighton and Manchester City.
After sacking three managers in one season, could one of the chief suits at Forest now get the boot too? The club have told the BBC that Edu is working as normal.
Dominic Booth is here to monitor the Spurs sack-o-meter for the next little bit. Goodbye from me.
Winger is “the hardest position to play” in modern football, according to Arne Slot, and Liverpool’s wide men would find it hard to disagree. A lot of Liverpool’s problems this season can be attributed to their attacking flair being stifled, leaving the champions 19 points adrift of Premier League leaders, Arsenal.
Liverpool return to Molineux on Friday, three days after a stoppage-time defeat by Wolves in the league. The FA Cup fifth-round fixture will be an opportunity for Slot to test his bullpen of wingers and see whether they can do better. Liverpool have scored 48 goals in 29 league matches, the average of 1.66 a game a long way short of the 2.26 when winning last season’s title.
Will your team still be in the hat after the FA Cup fifth round?
Here are some things to look out for over the weekend – starting with Wolves v Liverpool, which kicks off in under 12 hours.
“Who would have thought approaching mid-March Wolves would be the Midlands team – at least in the Premier League – with the most to cheer? Aston Villa, while fourth and still capable of securing a place in the Champions League, are wobbling. Nottingham Forest are fighting relegation. In the Championship, Coventry are at the summit but West Brom and Leicester are in danger of dropping into League One. Wolves may quietly fancy their chances when Liverpool visit Molineux for the second time in four days. Rob Edwards’s side triumphed on Tuesday and, while it got lost amid the stoppage-time drama, he made several changes with Friday’s Cup tie in mind. “Does it have to be one or the other?” Edwards said. “No, so we are going to try and win both. It is going to be a really exciting night.” Ben Fisher
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Solanke: Spurs 'need to improve now'
Dominic Solanke has urged his Tottenham teammates to take responsibility and realise the situation they are in after the club’s relegation fears heightened on Thursday.
Solanke’s 34th-minute opener against Crystal Palace momentarily put Spurs four points clear of the bottom three, but Micky van de Ven’s sending-off for a pull on Ismaïla Sarr changed the match.
Sarr scored the resulting penalty and Palace struck twice more in first-half stoppage time to consign Tottenham to a fifth consecutive defeat, extendeding their winless Premier League run to a club-record 11.
Only one point above 18th-placed West Ham, Solanke acknowledged the critical scenario and revealed a post-match meeting with the squad took place.
Spurs turn attention to the Champions League with a last-16 first leg tie at Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, but Solanke called for a group missing 10 players to step up in the Premier League.
“Another difficult one to take. Before the game we looked at the game thinking we definitely needed to win, but it’s another game that has passed now, and we need to realise the position we’re in,” Solanke told SpursPlay.
“It was difficult circumstances (with 10 men) but we’ve had a chat between us and we need to understand we need to improve, and improve now. It is difficult and hard to say with just words, we need to show it on the pitch but it’s something we need to do as soon as possible.
“We obviously need to realise the position that we are in. We know it’s been so difficult this season with the injuries, but we can’t change that now. Us players on the pitch need to take responsibility and ultimately change it as soon as possible.
“It’s difficult just speaking, but we need to realise the position we’re in and we need to fight for every game. Fight for every result and there is not many games left, so we need to start (winning) soon.
“I think we need to look forward to the next games. We need to see what is going wrong on the pitch, debrief that and change, but we’re not in a position to dwell on anything now. We need to make sure next game we’re going to be at it, see where we can improve and see what we can do to change this form around.” PA Media
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The Leeds manager Daniel Farke has been given a one-match touchline ban after confronting a referee following his side’s defeat by Manchester City last weekend.
Farke was shown a red card after jogging on to the pitch to remonstrate with Peter Bankes after the 1-0 loss. The German insists he did not swear or act aggressively but decided to accept the suspension, which came with an £8,000 fine, rather than contest it and risk a two-game ban.
He will sit out Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Norwich and be back in the dugout for the Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace on March 15. Farke had earlier placed his red card down to the manner that he took the field, saying: “I’m not like a butterfly or unbelievably cute when I jog. I have learned my lesson - I will never jog again.”
A statement from the Football Association read: “Daniel Farke has been sanctioned for misconduct following the Premier League fixture between Leeds and Manchester City on Saturday February 28.
“It was alleged that the manager entered the field of play at full-time to confront the match official/s, contrary to Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Daniel Farke subsequently admitted the charge against him and accepted the standard one-match suspension and £8,000 fine.” PA Media
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The Crucible Theatre is best known for hosting snooker, but it claims a place in football history too. On its outer wall, a blue plaque marks the site where the Sheffield Rules of the game were agreed in 1858, back when it was the Adelphi hotel. So it is a fitting spot to be premiering a new play this month about the establishment – and subsequent dismantling – of women’s football in the early 20th century.
Football fans and theatregoers may not have always felt like the obvious overlap in a Venn diagram, but the past decade has been a banner one for the beautiful game on stage. We have had a farce about the 2018 World Cup bid (Three Lions), a Royal Court drama about homophobia (The Pass), a Pulitzer Prize-nominated exploration of teenage girlhood (The Wolves) and even a 16th-century folk horror (The Bounds). Plus Dear England, the still-touring smash hit that tells the story of Gareth Southgate’s tenure as manager of the national men’s team.
An Iranian state television presenter has labelled the women’s national soccer team as “wartime traitors” after the players did not sing their national anthem before their Asian Cup opener against South Korea in Australia earlier this week.
Iran are playing in the continental tournament as a military conflict escalates at home after the US and Israel launched air strikes over the weekend, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Their players stood in silence when Iran’s anthem was played at the Gold Coast ahead of their 3-0 opening loss to South Korea on Monday, though they sang and saluted before a 4-0 defeat by hosts Australia three days later.
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi said in a video that the players showed a lack of patriotism and their actions amounted to the “pinnacle of dishonour” in footage circulating widely on social media.
“Let me just say one thing: traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely,” Shahbazi said.
“Anyone who takes a step against the country under war conditions must be dealt with more severely. Like this matter of our women’s football team not singing the national anthem ... these people must be dealt with more severely.”
Reuters has contacted the Asian Football Confederation for comment. Reuters has also contacted the Iran football federation and the team at the Asian Cup for comment.
Ahead of their game against Australia, Iran forward Sara Didar fought back tears and spoke about the war while coach Marziyeh Jafari said her players were doing their best to focus on the tournament despite concern for their families back home.
Iran face the Philippines on Sunday in their final group match. Reuters
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The birds are singing and the rain has abated. Nigel Clough and his wife, Margaret, are taking their dog, Bobbie, for a long peaceful walk around the beautiful Derbyshire reservoir of Carsington Water. Looming on the horizon for the Mansfield manager is an FA Cup fifth-round tie at home to Arsenal but Clough knows the importance of staying, as he puts it, in the “real world”.
Igor Tudor insisted that the “boat is going in the direction I want to go” despite a shambolic 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, deepening Tottenham’s relegation fears.
Although the atmosphere was toxic on another grim night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tudor is confident that he can steer his new side to safety. Tottenham have lost each of their three games under their interim manager and are a point above the bottom three after Micky van de Ven’s red card kickstarted an implosion against Palace.
Spurs have four Premier League games in May: Aston Villa (away), Leeds (home), Chelsea (away) and Everton at home on the final day, Sunday 24 May.
You’d normally say Leeds and Everton at home look winnable but the atmosphere at Tottenham Stadium is hardly positive. What sort of league position will they be in come May?
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Tottenham are sinking in a sea of venom. Relegation is no longer a distant prospect for the owners of the country’s best and costliest stadium. On the contrary, it is all getting all too real. Tottenham have rolled the dice, replacing a bedraggled Thomas Frank with a bewildered Igor Tudor, but they are only a point above the bottom three and offered absolutely no evidence that they are capable of arresting the slide during this shambolic defeat to Crystal Palace.
Preamble
Tottenham are in crisis. Tottenham are almost always in crisis, but last night’s 3-1 home Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace means things got a lot more crisis-y. They are now just a point above 18th-placed Wolves and 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, 29 points to their 28. As Tottenham’s executives survey the wreckage of another season – and weigh up whether or not the very-recently-appointed Igor Tudor is the right man to lead them through this full-blooded relegation fight – we’ll bring you the latest.
There is also FA Cup to look forward to this weekend, among other things, with Wolves v Liverpool kicking off the fifth-round action at Molineux at 8pm tonight. Then there’s Mansfield Town v Arsenal, Wrexham v Chelsea and Newcastle v Manchester City tomorrow, to name but three.
First things first, don’t miss Barney Ronay on (ever-deeper) crisis club Tottenham:
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