And that’s it for today. Don’t forget to join us for tonight’s Premier League clash between Fulham and Wolves. Daniel Gallan will bring you live MBM coverage from Craven Cottage. Bye for now.
More Carabao Cup and phew… neither team playing in their purple one-off Cup final special fourth strip which is made of fleece and greed.
“Manchester United will be dressed in their red home shirts, accompanied by white shorts and socks, while Newcastle United will wear their traditional black and white striped shirts with black shorts and socks.
“The Reds’ goalkeeper will be attired in an all-yellow strip while the Magpies’ stopper will be dressed in all-aqua blue.”
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Well, this is just lovely. Enjoy it Ollie.
🏆🎟️ Ollie's golden ticket to the Carabao Cup Final!
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 24, 2023
Club legend Rob Lee and the @EFL surprised @NUFC fan Ollie and his family with tickets to Sunday's Final against @ManUtd. 🖤🤍
Hear about his story: ⬇️#EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/CBct29wZns
Once watched Tim in a pre-season charity match. That was some friendly. Played in a white shirt... the charlatan.
Garnacho on for United and I’m getting tagged in a lot of tweets 😉 pic.twitter.com/sd2JQLzNiS
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) February 23, 2023
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Watford have changed manager 19 times in the last 10 seasons so it’s easy to imagine that long list as one homogenous mass of incompetence. But Javi Gracia was pretty decent, leading the Hornets to 11th in the table with 50 points in 2018/19 and taking them to the FA Cup final.
A few more quotes now from the 52-year-old Spaniard as he looks forward to his first game in charge of Leeds – a home match against bottom club Southampton on Saturday.
“You know our situation [as a head coach]. You can stay one game or stay your life. When I accepted the challenge it was because I want to stay here and achieve the objective [keeping Leeds up]. I don’t want to be here to stay because I have a contract. I don’t want the club to have a coach they don’t want. It’s my goal to finish the season with the objective.
“I know the atmosphere is really good. Of course I’m looking forward to the game. I expect our supporters will be player number 12 for us. We need them. From the beginning to the end, we need to give our best. Tomorrow we have to give extra effort. Tomorrow is the day.”
The New Football Daily is out and it leads off with the Carabao Cup final between Newcastle and Man Utd.
“And while they despair at having lost Nick Pope to the Naughty Step, it may be somewhat alleviated by news that Miggy Almirón has just signed a new long-term deal. Standing just 5ft 7in in his socks and with no previous goalkeeping experience, the midfielder might even be some Geordies’ preferred choice to play between the sticks instead of Loris Karius, who has spent the week being primed to complete his redemption arc almost five years after that Big Cup final horror show with Liverpool.”
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has gone down the ‘beware the wounded animal’ route ahead of his side’s meeting with Liverpool on Saturday evening (7.45pm). The Reds head to Selhurst Park on the back of a chastening 5-2 defeat by Real Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday night.
And he’s right to be wary as the last time Liverpool suffered a cup defeat, the 2-1 loss at Brighton, the Merseysiders *checks notes* erm… lost 3-0 at Wolves next time out.
So are Liverpool ‘bang average’?
Bang average pic.twitter.com/7cszXF3iRw
— Bryan’s Gunn (@bryansgunn) February 19, 2023
Or will Big Pat’s worst fears be realised.
“I don’t think this is the best time to play them,” he said. “I think when you’re talking about Liverpool Football Club, with what they have achieved in the last couple of years, looking at the quality of players that they have, they will want to bounce back straight away.
“There is no good time to play Liverpool. But on the other side, our performances in the last couple of games, especially at home with the support that we have, has been positive. So what is important for us is to turn those performances into a win.”
Admir Pajic writes in to say: “As a huge admirer of Graham Potter’s earlier work at Sweden and Brighton, I still feel sympathy for him even if he is at Chelsea (I’m an Arsenal fan). I’m 100% positive he is capable of making success at a big club but right now, he can’t see his drawing board from the pile of expensive players thrown at it by Boehly.
“The weirdest thing is, for all that defensive mess Kepa, Cucurella et al have created this season, Chelsea still have the joint-second best defensive record (only Newcastle have conceded fewer goals). That suggests Potter’s magic (no pun intended, I swear!) is needed in front of the opponents’ goal and once all those talented forwards settle at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea may Mount (OK, this one is intended) a serious title challenge next season.”
Meanwhile, here’s Jacob Steinberg’s piece on Graham Potter’s press conference from earlier today.
Lawyers representing Liverpool fans escalate claim against UEFA
Lawyers acting on behalf of Liverpool fans caught up in the chaos at last season’s Champions League final have escalated their claim against UEFA.
An independent review concluded earlier this month that UEFA bore “primary responsibility” for what almost led to a “mass fatality catastrophe” at the showpiece game in Paris last May. Reds fans found themselves penned against stadium perimeter fences ahead of the match against Real Madrid due to the organisational failings, and were then tear-gassed by French police.
Law firm Leigh Day is representing more than 800 Liverpool supporters and has now submitted a formal letter before action on their behalf, setting out the legal basis of the claim.
“Since the publication of the report, UEFA has issued an apology to fans and has said it will be announcing a ‘special refund scheme’, but we believe those who have suffered deserve more than the price of a ticket,” Leigh Day partners Clare Campbell and Jill Paterson said in a joint statement. “For a lot of our clients, the reason they are part of the claim is about accountability and part of that is redress. Offering appropriate compensation is part of UEFA recognising the significant part it played in the chaos that unfolded at the 2022 Champions League final and the injuries and traumas that were suffered as a result.”
Fan group representatives met with UEFA officials in Liverpool on Tuesday and welcomed the governing body of European football saying it would implement all the recommendations of the report.
UEFA has already issued an apology to Liverpool fans after it initially blamed them for creating the chaos by arriving late, and in some cases with counterfeit tickets. The independent report said those initial accusations were “manifestly inaccurate”. (PA Media)
Fun facts from Opta. Possibly the first one won’t be seen as fun by some.
Newcastle United have lost their last eight matches at Wembley, the longest ever losing run by a team in Wembley history.
Since the 2009-10 season, when Eddie Howe first managed in the League Cup, no manager has more wins in the competition than he does (22, level with Pep Guardiola).
Erik ten Hag is set to become the first Dutch manager to take charge of a side in a League Cup final. Dutch managers have won three of their four domestic cup finals in England (all FA Cup – Ruud Gullit 1997, Guus Hiddink 2009, Louis van Gaal 2016), with the exception Ruud Gullit’s Newcastle losing 2-0 against Manchester United in 1999.
West Ham boss David Moyes puts himself forward as a possible stand-in for Barry Glendenning and Justin Moorhouse on Guess The Attendance as he talks over the crunch weekend clash with Nottingham Forest.
“We need the crowd. I look at the crowd over the last two years and they’ve been brilliant. It’s 62,500… we have huge crowds coming to West Ham and that’s because they’ve seen good teams and top players at West Ham. Sometimes when it’s not going so well is when you really need the fans with you. I know they’ll be with us on Saturday,” said Moyes
“It’s a really big game. All the games in the Premier League are big and there is still a lot to play, but things are getting bigger because there aren’t as many games to play as there were.”
Moyes could give a start to January signing Danny Ings, who is fit again after coming on as a late substitute in the lacklustre 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.
“I think Danny Ings is getting fit now,” he said. “He got an injury in his first game after 30 seconds. If you look at our injuries this season, it’s quite incredible really. We’ve had injuries right from the start.
“Danny Ings’ reputation speaks for itself,” said Moyes. “He’s scored goals at every club he’s played for and I hope he can replicate that here. He’s getting closer to readiness now. He’s settling in. He’s here for a few years on his contract and we want to make sure he’s ready to play.”
Tottenham host Chelsea this weekend and manager Antonio Conte is again set to be absent as he recovers from gallbladder surgery. Assistant Cristian Stellini steps in once again as Spurs try to end their abysmal record against Conte’s former team.
Stellini gave this update earlier. “We don’t know yet but my feeling is that he’s very close to coming back. No, I don’t think so [for Chelsea]. It is not the moment, but he is very close because I feel also his energy. We have a call three times a day, also in the evenings so absolutely I feel Antonio like he is here.
“We speak a lot and, if we compare when Antonio had the surgery three weeks ago to now, it is completely different. He is completely involved. We transfer to him our feeling, this sensation we have on the players. He can watch also the training so the energy is coming again 100 per cent. I am looking forward to have him back and when he would be back I think the impact of Antonio will be incredible.”
Pep’s also been getting a bit chippy about Erling Haaland and the criticism over his lack of touches. And how about the closing comment on happiness. Ken Dodd won’t be having that.
“It’s our fault. Not Erling. Erling has been impressive all season. It’s not metrics, I don’t need metrics to know. When I finish the game one second later I know if he has been involved or not and who should be more involved or not. I don’t need numbers or metrics.
“In the game against Nottingham you are right. Arsenal no. Don’t make one game a big theory. He had chances in Nottingham in the first and second half. Of course we have to improve and we will improve. We have spoken about that many times and it is going to happen.
“Striker is the most difficult position in the world because they have two players focused on him and Erling has more. It’s not easy to do that. I would like to see in my career here our other strikers like Sergio [Aguero] or Gabriel [Jesus] when they player proper striker not false nine how many times did they touch the ball.
“It’s not about have the ball, striker, have the ball, striker. Our process is more. It’s fine. I am frustrated too. You are frustrated too in your life sometimes isn’t it? Happiness is overestimated.”
Updated
Manchester City news and Kevin De Bruyne is a doubt for Saturday evening’s away game at Bournemouth. The midfielder missed the Champions League tie against Leipzig due to illness, as did defender Aymeric Laporte. John Stones is unlikely to return due to an ongoing thigh issue.
Here’s an update from Pep: “We have training this afternoon. I think Kevin is back for training, Aymer I don’t think so. John maybe partially. We will know in the next few hours. We will see [about their availability]. Maybe Kevin but the other two, I don’t think so."
Thanks John. I join you having just booked tickets to see Teenage Fanclub at Leeds Brudenell. And, believe it or not, there’s a link here to the Carabao Cup final. Sort of.
Teenage Fanclub’s ‘Is This Music?’ was used as Match of the Day’s Goal of the Month music for the 1996/97 season - the same campaign when Manchester United and Newcastle finished 1-2 in the Premier League. Okay, it wasn’t that season but it did produce this memorable encounter. Surely Philippe Albert’s chip was Goal of the Month. Anyone?
Right, next up is David Tindall, who will take on the blog until its closure.
More Jürgen Klopp from before, and there’s a bit of Liverpool FC existentialism here, perhaps as a result of this week’s 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid.
This team has a wonderful history. The way this club is led is by not splashing the money and having a look at if it works out or not. Our transfers always have to be on point. So that makes it really tricky where we cannot make four transfers before we know who will leave the club.
Last year I said it a couple of times, and I don’t know how many times I can say it, I knew it would be tricky. And that was one of the main reasons why I signed a new contract, to make sure people who are not on top of all that have to discuss and then ‘he leaves next year’.
And not because I’m that great, just because imagine the same situation with another coach. Everybody would have said, ‘Bring Klopp back’. It’s good, we don’t have that. Some of them want me out, it’s fine. I can understand that as well, but it’s not about that. It’s just about the club and the stability.
Last year was not a season for a big change. We played until the last moment. If you want to change again, this club, we can’t just bring in new players and then realise later, ‘Oh, nobody wants to leave.’ It doesn’t work, it doesn’t work like that.
Graham Potter is not under any pressure from his bosses at Chelsea, reckons Graham Potter. The response to last week’s loss to Southampton was rancorous to say the least.
Yes, I have spoken to them. It’s the same as it has always been. There has always been support. I have been under pressure here for four months from you guys [the media] don’t forget. I have had constant [questions about] ‘have you spoken with the owners?’ and ‘do you have their support?’.
That continues, they have been great, they have been brilliant. They also see where we are at and at the same time are frustrated because the results are where we are and we have to do better.
These are all sensible words, and they always are from G-Pott but this is football, where sense has got nothing to do with anything.
It’s always tough when you lose, certainly when you lose at home. Very tough - that’s normal. The response from the players has been really good. Of course, we have had conversations and one-to-ones and tried to put things into perspective because that is also important, but, yes, it has been a tough week.
You have to take two positions - it is not good to lose at home, results have not been good enough, it is important to acknowledge that; at the same time you have got to look at the third game in a week, where we are at as a squad, what we have had to endure this season and why we are where we are, which involves lots of factors.
You have to make sure you analyse the situations properly then demand more and better, because that is what we want.
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Kári Tulinius gets in touch: “Perhaps I’m showing my age a bit, but I can’t but feel that the Europa Conference League is the most wonderfully old school of this year’s UEFA competitions. It’s full of teams from cities that I know little about. Many of these teams had a golden age sometime in the last century, and others have risen from obscurity in recent years. There are only five teams from the big five leagues, and the rest are from all over. It’s a competition with the surprise and mystery of European competitions of yesteryear. This has to be UEFA’s best idea in gadzoinks.”
That last-16 draw in full, and full of exoticism.
AEK Larnaca v West Ham
Fiorentina v Sivasspor
Lazio v AZ Alkmaar
Basel v Slovan Bratislava
Sheriff Tiraspol v Nice
Anderlecht vs Villarreal
Lech Poznan v Djurgarden
Gent v İstanbul Basaksehir
Updated
Javi Gracia has been unveiled as Leeds manager and is back in the Premier League after his work permit was passed.
When I finished at Watford, I didn’t know if I’d have another experience in the Premier League. I had the chance in Spain with Valencia, then to Qatar with different experiences of life and working. When this experience appeared I didn’t have any doubt. It was what I was waiting for. I was waiting for something in the Premier League and it’s something I’m excited for.
Gracia will take charge of his first game at Elland Road on Saturday when Leeds bid to climb out of the relegation zone with victory over bottom club Southampton.
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 24, 2023
Erik ten Hag is on to Newcastle and their timewasting tactics. These comments are sure not to go down well on Tyneside.
They do really well. They’re an annoying team to play against, so we have to find a way to win. They try to annoy you. We have to make sure that we play our game and we focus on our game.
For instance. The referees want to play effective time. They have the lowest in the league and they are quite successful with it. So, it’s up to us that we get speed in the game but also we are then dependent on the refereeing as well.
Eddie Howe has replied with some annoyance…
“I’ve kept really quiet, but I’ll tell you something, he went down in my estimation when he said that. We have not resorted to that, but I’ll tell you, you can tell him now if you’re watching it, we’re still fighting for this title, and he’s got to go to Wembley and get something, and... and... I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them, love it!…”
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Richard Foster, the Premier League historian and statistician, on an illusory title race.
The Premier League prides itself on being the most competitive of the leading European leagues. The story goes that, on any given day, a team towards the bottom of the table can beat a team near the top. This David and Goliath narrative is undoubtedly attractive to broadcasters, introducing a sense of jeopardy to the continuous diet of televised matches. However, the evidence of the last decade shows that the strong are getting stronger, and the gap between them and the weak is getting much, much wider.
Miguel Almíron has signed a new contract with Newcastle. He’s been one of the best players in the Premier League this season so well deserved. That’s three more seasons of Miggy beyond this one.
I felt at home at Newcastle from the beginning. I’ve felt very welcomed and I feel like part of the family, so I am very happy to stay here and I am going to keep giving everything on the pitch to thank the people of Newcastle.
The truth is that I’ve worked really hard since I came to Newcastle to improve my level and to be where I am at the moment, and I also thank the staff and my team-mates, who have helped me a lot during these four years. I think this is a reward for that hard work and I am very happy.
On Sunday, we have a very important match and while the new contract makes me really happy, the most important thing is that we celebrate this contract with a victory on Sunday.
Eddie Howe: “Miggy is a hugely important part of our squad on and off the pitch and I’m very pleased to see his contribution acknowledged in this way.
“I’m delighted we’ll continue our journey together.”
Part of the family. ❤️🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/Cji8vLf6GY
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) February 24, 2023
It’s quiz quiz quiz time. And I got 17, while feeling I left points behind. Beat that.
Good afternoon. Let’s start the dance with a celebration of John Motson, featuring Craig Charles playing head tennis. What was in the water in 1998 is anyone’s guess, but possibly not a difficult one.
“An Ode to Motty” by Craig Charles (1998)pic.twitter.com/Qbq7YTDdMM
— 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙇𝘿 𝘾𝙐𝙋 𝙍𝙀𝙒𝙄𝙉𝘿 ⏪ (@WorldCup_Rewind) February 23, 2023
Summary
John Brewin is here to take up the red hot #content cudgels. Have a great weekend.
Everton: Sean Dyche has been talking to the press in advance of Everton’s match against Aston Villa at Goodison Park tomorrow afternoon. Everton have won two games out of three under Dyche’s watch but remain deep in the relegation mire, sitting 16th in the table, just one point above the thick black line.
“I’ve walked into an environment where people work hard which is a great start,” he said. “With the players equally there’s an open-mindedness to it and that’s a great start. It’s not about easy or hard – no job is easy, it’s always about hard work. We’ve got a way of working that can develop between the people here and my mini-group that has come in, then working with the players.
“That’s the end product that you want, to get the players in the best shape mentally, physically and tactically to give performances. So far it’s been very enjoyable. Yes, it’s a big challenge but it’s very enjoyable.”
Nottingham Forest: Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper says his side’s poor Premier League away form has been a sunject of discussion among his squad. Forest have picked up just six points on their travels this season, compared to 19 at the City Ground, with their solitary win coming against Southampton at the start of the year.
“It is something I will always openly talk about as one of the things we need to improve on,” he said ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Ham. “If you don’t you are shirking away from the demands of what the Premier League is. It’s no secret and I don’t want any elephants in the room, our away from is something that needs to improve.
“I am talking about it more with the players and they are with each other more than I am with you guys. It is something we really want to turn around and we need to turn it around. We have an opportunity, like every away game, to improve it and we have focus and commitment in doing that.”
Marcus Rashford fitness non-update
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag does not yet know if in-form Marcus Rashford will be available for the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
The striker was substituted in the 88th minute of his side’s Europa League win over Barcelona last night and was seen limping down the Old Trafford touchline. .
“I don’t know,” said Ten Hag, upon being asked if Rashford would be fit for Wembley. “So, players now are coming in. We have to do investigations, medical of course. Yesterday we did but so straight after the game most of the time you can’t say. We have to wait for a 100% diagnosis, so we have to wait.”
Europa Conference League Round of 16 draw
One suspects West Ham and their fans will be very pleased indeed with their draw against fairly unfancied opposition, with an away trip to a lovely destination. Here’s the draw in full …
AEK Larnaca v West Ham
Fiorentina v Sivasspor
Lazio v AZ Alkmaar
Lech Poznan v Djurgardens IF
Basel v Slovan Bratislava
Sheriff Tiraspol v Nice
Anderlecht v Villarreal
Gent v Istanbul Basaksehir
First legs scheduled for 9 March, with second legs slated for 16 March.
Updated
West Ham are off to Cyprus!
Europa Conference League draw: Vladimir has done West Ham and their fans a good turn, pairing them with AEK Larnaca. The first leg will be played in sunny Cyprus. That’s a very nice away trip.
The Europa Conference League draw is immninent
We’re down to the last 16 in Europe’s third tier competition and Premier League strugglers West Ham are the sole British representatives. They are among the eight seeded teams.
Seeded teams: West Ham, Nice, AZ Alkmaar, Slovan Bratislava, Villarreal, Djurgardens IF, Istanbul Basaksehir, Sivasspor,
Non-seeded teams: Gent, Basel, Lazio, Lech Poznan, Fiorentina, AEK Larnaca, Sheriff Tiraspol, Anderlecht.
With this season’s final due to be staged in Prague, the former Czech legend Vladimir Smicer will draw the balls from the bowls.
Jurgen Klopp press conference
Hot on the heels of their Champions League drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid on Tuesday night, Liverpool face another potentially tricky assignment when they play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park tomorrow. Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media before his team’s trip to Sarf Lahndan.
“You can’t work on a lot in training but we are using the information from the game,” he said. “When you lose games like this it makes no sense to listen to the outside. Conceding five in the Champions League is not acceptable but it happened anyway. We have to change things. The first half was really good; the second half was the worst start. A lot of things are back but not stable yet.
“Crystal Palace’s performances have been better than their results suggest since the World Cup. They have lots of technique and speed; they are a very organised team in a 4-2-3-1. I respect what they have done for years. It’ll be tough but for us every game from here is a Champions League qualifier.”
Miguel Almiron signs new deal with Newcastle
The 29-year-old from Paraguay, who asrrived at St James’ Park from MLS side Atlanta in 2019, has signed a new three-and-a-half year deal with the Carabao Cup finalists.
“I felt at home at Newcastle from the beginning,” he told the club website. “I’ve felt very welcomed and I feel like part of the family, so I am very happy to stay here and I am going to keep giving everything on the pitch to thank the people of Newcastle.
“The truth is that I’ve worked really hard since I came to Newcastle to improve my level and to be where I am at the moment, and I also thank the staff and my team-mates, who have helped me a lot during these four years. I think this is a reward for that hard work and I am very happy.
“On Sunday, we have a very important match and while the new contract makes me really happy, the most important thing is that we celebrate this contract with a victory on Sunday.”
More on that Europa League draw ...
Manchester United will play Real Betis, who currently sit fifth in La Liga, at home in the first leg of the Round of 16 on 9 March. The away leg at the Benito Villamarín Stadium will be played on 16 March.
Fourth in the Portuguese top flight, Sporting Clube De Portugal will host Arsenal at the José Alvalade Stadium in the first leg, with the return at the Emirates Stadium.
Europa League Round of 16 draw
FC Union Saint-Gilloise v Union Berlin
Sevilla v Fenerbahce
Juventus v SC Freiburg
Bayer Leverkusen v Ferencvaros
Sporting Clube De Portugal v Arsenal
Manchester United v Real Betis
Roma v Real Sociedad
Shakhatar Donetsk v Feyenoord
Manchester United drawn against Real Betis
Europa League draw: Erik ten Hag will be taking his side to Spain again.
Arsenal will face Sporting
Europa League draw: Hungary, Fulham and West Brom legend Zoltan Gera has paired the two sides at Uefa HQ.
Updated
Miguel Almiron signs new deal with Newcastle
What could be a great weekend for Carabao Cup finallists Newcastle has already got a little but better with the news that Miguel Almiron has signed a new three-and-a-half year deal with the club.
🇵🇾 WOR MIGGY 🇵🇾
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) February 24, 2023
🤝 We are delighted to announce that Miguel Almirón has signed a new three-and-a-half year deal!
The Europa League draw is imminent
Uefa comms chief Pedro Pinto is looking dapper, the montages are playing, the Uefa tombola is being wheeled into place for the Round of 16 draw, a smattering of elderly and middle-aged representatives from various clubs are looking forward to it being over so they can go for lunch and there are two English teams in the mix.
Arsenal are among the eight seeded teams, while Manchester United are not. The two Premier League sides cannot be drawn against each other at this stage of the competition as thery are from the same country.
Seeded teams: Union Saint-Gilloise, Arsenal, SC Freiburg, Ferencvaros, Feyenoord, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, Fenerbahce.
Unseeded teams: Manchester United, Juventus, Sporting Lisbon, Shakhtar Donetsk, Union Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen, Sevilla, Roma.
We know how long these things can drag on for so we’ll bring you more news of the draw once it gets under way.
Jordan Pickford saigns new deal with Everton
The 28-year-old England goalkeeper has committed his future to the club by signing a new four-and-a-half year deal. “It’s massive to sign this new contract at such a special club for me,” he told Everton TV. “The support I’ve had from everyone at the Club since I joined as a 22-year-old has been so important to my family and me. I’m happy here and so are my family. We love it at Everton.
“Everton is a massive club. The past few seasons have not been what we wanted but we now have a manager who I believe will point us in the right direction and get us up the table. It’s definitely my aim to be successful at this club. The fans, the staff and my teammates have been great with me from the moment I joined and I want to be great for them.
“I just want to keep working hard and performing for Everton. We know we are in a tough place at the moment in the league but I’m eager to help the team improve this season and then aim for success in the future, which will include playing in our new stadium.
“This contract will take me to more than 10 years at Everton and I want to build a legacy here to put myself up there with the likes of Neville Southall to be one of the best keepers to have played for Everton.”
China national team: The Chinese Football Association has appointed Aleksandar Jankovic as the head coach for China’s men’s team, it has announced in a statement. The appointment was made for the preparation of 2023 Asian Cup and the 2026 World Cup Asian Qualifiers, the association said. The 50-year-old Serb is a former manager of Red Star Belgrade, Mechelen, Standard Liege and has been involved with the China under-age and senior set-up since 2018.
Arsenal: During his press conference, Mikel Arteta took time to reflect on his team’s hard-fought win against Aston Villa last Saturday. Arsenal were forced to come from behind twice before scoring two goals in added time to secure all three points.
“There is a much better better mood, much more positive,” he said. “The confidence is much better, the environment around training is much better. The fact the team showed the capacity in an adverse situation; when you are 2-1 down and played less than 72 hours before and everyone is expecting you to be tired mentally - to be able to come back and win the game is a real big boost for us.”
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta has got his pre-match media duties out of the way early doors, telling reporters that Thomas Partey is back from injury and in contention to feature in the Arsenal squad travelling to Leicester this weekend. He also said Gabriel Jesus is nearing a comeback having been out since the World Cup, but had no further updates on the contract negotiatians between either Bukayo Saka or William Saliba and the club. “We want to create a long-term project here and to do that we need our best players to be committed to the club,” he said.
Southampton hand Sellés reins until end of the season
Following their win over Chelsea last weekend, Southampton have confirmed Rubén Sellés has been appointed as manager until the end of the season after convincing the hierarchy he can steer the club clear of relegation. Ben Fisher has the latest …
Updated
A big weekend of football ...
Greetings one and all. Another busy weekend of football looms, with this one incorporating the first cup finals of the English and Scottish seasons. They’re both difficult to call, with Manchester United and Newcastle United duking it out at Wembley on Sunday afternoon in the denouement of the Carabao Cup, while Celtic take on Rangers in the final of the Viaplay League Cup at Hampden Park.
Before those showpiece events there’s plenty of league business to be taken care of and we’ll bring you news from the various managerial press conferences scheduled for today. There’s also the small matter of the Europa League draw, in which Manchester United and Arsenal will find out who they face in the last 16.
Performing far better in the Europa Conference League than they are on the domestic front, West Ham will also learn who they must face in the next round of Europe’s third tier competition.
