That’s all for today. Thanks for reading and emailing in and best of luck for the weekend.
As we stumble towards closing time here on the Weekend Football Countdown, here’s an exhaustive list of all today’s football pieces if you missed any of them – and even if you didn’t:
Barry, who of course was blogging here earlier, went off to sit in a darkened room to write Football Daily, which is below for your reading pleasure:
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Regarding the mystery Chelsea player in the wall, I’ve had two correct replies, the latest from Paul Marijetic.
Make that three correct replies:
“Saw him score twice against Coventry in a night game,” emails Timothy Edwards. “That was pretty much it though. I also stood next to him in the toilet in Monaco at half time when we played Real Madrid in the Super Cup.”
I’m not going to name and shame, but someone thought it was Pierluigi Casiraghi, and someone else, Albert Ferrer. Join us next week for another round of Mystery 1990s Footballers.
(Extra point if you spotted Riccardo Scimeca lurking in the background.)
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You know what time it is … that’s right, it’s weekend Premier League match preview time.
Dig in here:
In 40 or 50 years’ time – perhaps a littler sooner, perhaps a little later – football historians will talk about this week as the moment the sport entered a new era in regards to its biggest superstars. No longer, they will say, was this Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s world, for now it belonged to two greater giants. We heard them speak, we heard them muse, we heard them make fun of our teams and, finally, the glory was theirs. Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, praise be thy names.
An email entitled “Office Space” arrives, from perennial pun-master Peter Oh.
“I reckon the Chelsea set-piece department will want the corner office.”
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Napoli host Juventus in Serie A on Sunday night, although the reigning Italian champions are languishing in ninth place after a desperately disappointing attempt to defend their third Scudetto.
Juve are second, 12 points behind the leaders Internazionale, who welcome Genoa to San Siro on Monday evening.
Third-placed Milan, meanwhile, kick off this weekend’s action tonight, away against Lazio, who are eighth.
If you missed it earlier: Jacob Steinberg reports that Roberto De Zerbi is on Liverpool’s radar in their search to replace the soon-to-depart Jürgen Klopp:
Vincent Kompany is desperate to reward Burnley’s supporters with a victory fist pump this weekend. The Clarets boss made a habit of sharing the afterglow of another three points with supporters in last year’s promotion campaign but has had little to cheer in the Premier League.
His side have three wins from 26 games, the last of those coming on December 23, and are in 19th place with relegation looming.
Kompany made a forlorn trip to face the travelling fans during their most recent 3-0 loss at Crystal Palace but is eager to join the Turf Moor faithful in a more satisfying reaction after Sunday’s clash with Bournemouth.
“We’re all in it with our passions and emotions. We take a real punch to the guts when we lose and it hurts - just like the fans do,” he said. “You go to fans when it’s going well and you give them the first pump, then when it’s going badly all of a sudden what are you going to do - run inside?
“The question was asked after the last game ‘did you go and apologise?’. No, no way. If you work hard in your job from morning to evening, with everything you’ve got to give, you don’t go and apologise. “Being respectful? 100 per cent. Being together? Yes. I’m just believing the good times are coming again.
“I would love nothing more than to go back to fans and do the fist pumps again, that’s how I visualise Sunday. We’ve got to be able to imagine ourselves winning these kind of games ... you have to have that ambition.” (PA Media)
Gareth Taylor hailed an “impressive effort” from his team as Manchester City look to extend their winning run against Everton in the Women’s Super League this weekend.
City earned their 11th straight victory in all competitions with a 1-0 win against title rivals Chelsea before the international break.
Both sides are now level on 34 points at the top of the WSL table - as well as boasting the same goal difference of +28 - but Taylor believes there are areas his side can improve.
“The Chelsea game feels like a long time ago now having had the international break, a chance to recharge the batteries for some, for others a tough international period,” he said.
“When you look back over those games we still know we can improve in a lot of areas. I think that’s a good thing, it’s a healthy thing that each player wants to get better, wants to improve, that we want to get better and improve.
“But of course when you look at the run we’re on with 11 consecutive wins, it’s been a really impressive effort from everyone in the team.”
City host ninth-placed Everton on Saturday. (PA Media)
When Gary O’Neil was approaching the back end of his playing career he juggled performing in the Premier League with making birdies on the back nine as a scratch golfer. In 2012, he had come came up short in his attempt to make the cut for the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes, one of Tiger Woods’s favourite courses, and former teammates recall O’Neil flicking through golf magazines in pursuit of perfection, scouring pages for tips to put into practice at the London Club, in Kent, his local at the time. In his spare time he competed in professional tournaments and grew obsessed with the Masters.
Here are the talking points from the last round of Women’s Super League action – including a very significant win for Manchester City against Chelsea …
Chelsea Women, who lead the WSL on goal difference from Manchester City, visit seventh-placed Leicester City on Sunday.
In her pre-match press conference, Emma Hayes is asked a question which kicks off with the premise that a disproportionately high amount of ACL injuries are occurring in the women’s professional game.
“I’d dispute that,” Hayes says. “There’s an equal amount happening in the men’s game.”
After prompting the questioner to rephrase, Hayes says: “We do our own research here. We’re women, we’re built differently ... we’ve got a relatively new professional game. It’s multi-faceted. There isn’t a simple answer.
“We don’t run in straight lines. We have kick-off times that are different. We have loading that has different requirements. When it comes to women’s football, we are not going to have all the answers right away, and we have to accept that.
“When it comes to academies, we have to make sure the youngsters are given the right amount of strength training early on in life. I’m not sure if we will ever solve it [the problem of ACL injuries] and maybe that’s something we’ll have to accept.”
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A bit more from Unai Emery here, on this weekend’s looming encounter with Luton: “It will be a very demanding match in 90 minutes. Even when they were losing 3-0, they scored two goals against Manchester City (in last week’s 6-2 FA Cup defeat). Even when they were losing 3-0 at home against Chelsea (in December), they scored two goals and had chances to draw the match.
“Analysing them, my respect for them is increasing. I’m impressed with how they are playing. [Ross Barkley] is playing very well,” Emery said. “They are in a very good moment … I appreciate a lot how they are playing. Very aggressive, man-to-man, playing in combinations and Barkley is in a very good moment.”
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Speaking of Gent, who remembers this hilarious mix-up, from back in 2019:
Chelsea and West Ham are tracking Gent’s Archie Brown with a view to a potential summer move for the English defender.
The 21-year-old left Derby County for Lausanne three years ago and could return to England after impressing in Belgium this season. Brown began his career as a left winger but has made strong progress since switching to left-back at Lausanne.
If Todd Boehly gets his way perhaps association football will switch to an NFL-style model with separate teams for offense, defence and a special team for kicks and stuff like that. It’s an idea.
“Hello Luke,” emails Paul Riley. “I believe the player you are struggling to name is Mark Nicholls.”
Thanks Paul. You are spot on by the looks of it. Great career path, too, all the way to North Greenford United in 2019, via Aldershot, Partick Thistle and Torquay, to name but three.
Luton’s Rob Edwards speaks on their battle against relegation before hosting Aston Villa in the Premier League tomorrow night: “We have to concentrate on ourselves. If we don’t get enough points to get back in that mix [to stay up], it doesn’t matter.
All our focus in on Villa. Whatever happens elsewhere happens. Tomorrow’s an important game. It’s not like a must win. It’s not at that stage … but it’s going to turn around quick now. We’re into March. We want to give ourselves the best opportunity in the final month of the season. We’re in the mix.”
What is it like battling relegation amid all the talk about possible points deductions? “It’s strange. It’s hard. It’s new for all of us … I am sure it’s interesting for everyone on the outside. But it is weird … it’s weird it could be going on after the season. That’s mental. We’re trying to not be involved in that come the end of the season.”
Searching “Chelsea wall” in the image archive also threw up this – from the famous old Worthington Cup in 1998 – featuring Gustavo Poyet, Tore André Flo and the late, great Gianluca Vialli.
I can’t name the player on the left, but I am sure someone out there can help via email.
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Chelsea to establish set-piece department
Chelsea’s drive to improve their sporting infrastructure will see them establish a department devoted to working on set-pieces. It is expected that they will recruit one or two specialist coaches to work within it.
The move comes despite some initial scepticism from Mauricio Pochettino to the idea, although it has been stressed that the head coach has come round to it. Pochettino said last month that “football belongs to the players, not the specialists” and said the members of his close-knit backroom staff are capable of working on set-pieces.
But Chelsea have gone ahead with the plan and are aiming to become as proficient as Brentford at set-pieces. Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa all have set-piece coaches. Pochettino has suggested that his aim is to sign a player who is strong at taking set-pieces this summer.
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Before tomorrow’s meeting with Everton, West Ham’s David Moyes has set Jarrod Bowen a target of 20 Premier League goals this campaign. The Hammers forward has 14 after his hat-trick against Brentford last Monday.
“He’s enjoying the [goalscoring] feeling,” Moyes said. “He’s looking like he can be a goalscorer. He can still play wide right. We’ll chop and change when we need it. We can always move him back [to the wing] … I just get that feeling about him he’s hungry to score more goals. If he can get to 20 goals it’ll be a great record … I’ve not told him yet, but there you go, I’ve probably set a target for him.”
What will Moyes’s emotions be going back to his former club Everton?
“Huge feelings for Everton. It gave me brilliant opportunity … it gave me a start. It gave me a chance to make mistakes, and get it wrong at times … I think people look back and say it was a good time … we were in Europe … we were trying to challenge top clubs.
“But the best thing about being at Everton was the players. If you look at the players we brought in, some of them went on to be internationals … brilliant, brilliant lads to be with. I keep in touch with them all. I really look forward to catching up with them when I get a bit more time myself.”
De Zerbi: 'I have only Brighton in my head'
Brighton’s Roberto de Zerbi was also asked earlier about all the recent reports linking him to various roles around Europe.
“I have only Brighton in my head,” he said. “I would like to finish this season in the best way, playing with not all players, because [Solly] March and [Kaoru] Mitoma, they both finish the season.
“But the other players, [Julio] Enciso, with João Pedro … to compete, to try to win as many games as we can.”
Will De Zerbi be at Brighton beyond this season? “Yes, I have a contract. Until now, I have not decided nothing. My focus is on Brighton 100 per cent.”
Reassuring.
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Will Unwin sizes up what promises to be a pivotal month in Manchester City’s relentless quest for silverware:
“On the way to winning the treble last season Manchester City enjoyed the most run-of-the-mill March considering the history achieved three months later. They played four times, winning two Premier League and two cup matches 16-0 on aggregate. It might have been straightforward but it showed their competitors they meant business.
“A year on, this month could define how Pep Guardiola’s three-pronged battle concludes but it will be a lot more difficult. City begin a complicated Premier League period by welcoming United for the Manchester derby on Sunday, followed by games against their title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, with the small matter of a Champions League last-16 second leg against Copenhagen and an FA Cup quarter-final at home to Newcastle also fitted in.”
The Aston Villa head coach, Unai Emery, talks up Luton, the Villans’ oppoonents tomorrow in the Premier League: “They are in a good moment. Not just with [Ross] Barkley. They are feeling strong. Maybe not with good results. The last matches, they didn’t win. But they are playing really well.”
Damning with faint praise, at all?
Broken ankle rules Brentford's Mee out for season
Brentford defender Ben Mee will miss the rest of the season with an ankle fracture, manager Thomas Frank said on Friday. Mee sustained the injury in Monday’s 4-2 Premier League loss at West Ham, joining fellow defenders Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock and Aaron Hickey on a list of injured players.
“It’s our entire back four from last season now out,” Frank said. “If you look at key players, I have potentially seven starters out. The back four, Bryan (Mbeumo), Kevin (Schade) and Josh Dasilva. We have a good squad, we have good players, but that makes it a little bit more tough,” he said.
Brentford, 16th with 25 points, have lost their last three games as they struggle to stay above the relegation zone. “I’m very optimistic. I’m a massive fighter and my players are massive fighters,” Frank said. “When you are in a situation when things are going against you, you can only do one thing. Get tighter together ... and fight. I can’t wait for tomorrow.” (Reuters)
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Roberto de Zerbi - reportedly on Liverpool’s radar - has a positive update on squad fitness before the Seagulls’ visit to Fulham tomorrow.
“Tariq Lamptey and Joel Veltman are available. Evan Ferguson as well. [Danny] Welbeck played 45 minutes, and he can play part of the game [tomorrow]. I am very, very happy.”
Will his selection have one eye on the Europa League match against Roma next week? “The focus is to win the game. We have to play with fresh players ... I will change something in the first 11, but not for Rome [with the Roma match in mind].
“We start to think about Rome Sunday morning. We will start to prepare the game. But the focus is on the Premier League.”
Are Lamptey and Veltman fit to start? “You want to know the first 11?” De Zerbi deadpans. “Maybe yes we can [play them from the start].”
Why have Brighton struggled for consistency lately?
“I don’t know. I think we are playing well. With Everton we conceded two shots on the goal, we conceded one goal. On Wednesday, against Wolves, we play another good game. We have some problems [with results] but in terms of performance, I have nothing to say. I think we are playing well.”
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Silva plays down Fernandes TikTok row
Marco Silva, the Fulham head coach, is asked about Erik ten Hag’s criticism of a club social media post about Bruno Fernandes. (Ten Hag said it was “totally out of order” if Fulham’s social media team had suggested the Manchester United captain feigned injury.)
“OK, I’m aware of everything,” he says. “I haven’t seen [the post]. I’m not a big fan of social media … but I’m aware. When a manager defends a player, it’s a normal situation. One of my players, I will defend to the last. Ten Hag said he hasn’t seen the post. He was speaking after a question from a journalist. I haven’t seen how the journalist put that question … that is the situation.
“Bruno is a player I know well. He is a top player, a top professional, that’s what I can say about him. A top quality player, top professional … You are not a Man United captain if you don’t have all the package in the same box to be a Man United captain and a so important player. Ten Hag can defend his player. I can understand that. All the noise around that comes because it’s Man United. Probably if it was Marco Silva reacting in this way, it would be finished 10 seconds after.
“The second question in this press conference comes about TikTok … I would prefer to talk about our performance. OK, you [journalists] are talking about TikTok before a match against Brighton. It’s nice.”
Note: he means it’s not nice. He’s being sarcastic there. Anyway here is the story in which Ten Hag demands an apology, in case you missed it:
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Eddie Howe has revealed that playing the piano has helped him to relax during an often stressful season at Newcastle by briefly diverting his focus from football.
“I was tinkling the ivories last night,” the manager said on Friday. “When I’m playing I’m not thinking of 4-3-3 or 4-4-2; it’s a rare moment for me to do that – a chance to get away from football.
“In most other parts of my life, walking my dog or going to sleep, I’m thinking football. But the piano is one of those rare things that really does occupy your brain and take you away.”
The Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers, has a chat following Wednesday’s 7-1 drubbing of Dundee – and before Sunday’s visit to Hearts in the SPL.
The Hoops captain, Callum McGregor, went off injured two days ago and Rodgers tells Sky: “We’ve got a few that have niggles … Callum came off at half time with his achilles and soreness in his calf. We have to await results of a scan for that.
“If he’s out, clearly he’s our captain and a hugely influential player … [but] if he’s not available there’s someone to come in and take his place.”
What did he take from that handsome midweek win against Dundee? “I think the biggest thing was the players got up to the speed of the game quickly … we were no time in our comfort zone.
“I think the intent, the start of the game was really good. The speed of our football, our counter-pressing … was all there. The mentality is we have to maintain that.
“The half time response [from the fans] would have felt great for the players. They played so well to be 6-0 up in any game of football. It’s up to us on the field. If we can perform and play at the speed and the tempo we want to, that will inspire the supporters.
“We were poor on the day [last time out against Hearts when Celtic lost 2-0 at home in Decemeber]. We looked tired … we weren’t at out best on the day, they deserved to win. But … we enjoy going there. We want to go there and keep this level of performance going.”
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Salah not "too far off" fitness, says Klopp
Jürgen Klopp has issued a wide-ranging fitness update on his squad before Liverpool’s trip to Nottingham Forest tomorrow:
“Darwin [Núñez] and Dom [Szoboszlai] trained yesterday with the team. So, they looked good, but we have to wait [to see] how they react. Wataru [Endo] and Robbo [Andy Robertson] didn’t, but there is the plan that they join in today. That’s the idea but we have to see if that really works out.
“Ibou [Ibrahima Konate], nothing, it [him not starting against Southampton] was just time-sharing. Lucho [Luis Diaz] is fine, Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] is fine. They all look fine.
“The little problem we couldn’t know about is that Macca was ill for one-and-a-half days I would say and Robbo had the same thing, so hopefully that didn’t spread now. So far I didn’t hear anything [but] I didn’t ask because I don’t want to know probably! So, we will see.”
Asked about Salah Klopp said: “I don’t think Mo is too far off, but he will not feature tomorrow and from there we have to go. It’s like touch and go… but I think next week at any point it is possible. He is on the way back, definitely, but not there yet.”
(Quotes courtesy of Liverpool’s website.)
Updated
Ange Postecoglou, the Spurs manager, is asked about the fitness of Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro before tomorrow’s Premier League meeting at home against Crystal Palace.
“Destiny’s a chance,” Postecoglou says. “We’ll see how he pulls up. Pedro is probably another week away.”
Is Postecoglou pleased with the way Spurs have competed in recent weeks? “Mixed in many respects. We’ve had some challenges in terms of injuries and disruptions. Has our football been at the level we want? Probably not. But the lads share effort and will.”
Is the target for this season the Champions League, now that the squad is nearly fully fit? “We do have a couple of injuries,” Postecoglou is quick to point out. “Richarlison is out for three or four weeks. He got a knee injury in the last game … and “Sess” [Ryan Sessegnon] has had a big setback.
“In terms of now and the end of the year, nothing different. Try to keep developing our football and our game style to see how that sets up for the years to come.
How proud is Postecoglou to win the manager of the year at the London Football Awards?
“It’s a bit weird. It’s only February. I’m not really sure where that fits in terms of recognition. Having said that, it is an acknowledgement of the work we’ve done since the start of the year. We as a [coaching] group have made an impact … it’s an acknowledgement of that, and you need to appreciate that.
“Like I said, we’ve still got a fair chunk of the season to go. It was nice to be there. I met Bob Wilson … and I had a great chat with Harry Redknapp which was nice. I’m still a bit of a fan with all that.”
“It’s been a really disruptive season for us … it just seems we’ve had a lot of stop and starts to our season. Obviously we’ve got a couple of games and then the international break … then we’ll have some regular football until the end of the year.”
Is it hard facing a club with a new manager? “It’s always a little bit challenging … A lot of your scouting … you look at teams in recent games … usually it has a positive effect when a new manager comes in. Oliver’s a good coach … particularly at Frankfurt he produced a really strong team with a particular style.
“The emphasis is on us, and our football, and making sure we bring the kind of energy and commitment to our game [against Palace].”
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Pep Guardiola was asked about Jim Ratcliffe’s stated intention to usurp Manchester City within three years, after the Ineos chief bought a stake in Manchester United. Is that timeframe realistic?
“I know nothing about that club. If he says they need two or three years. Who am I to say the opposite? I am pretty sure they will work to reduce that gap ... but apart from that, I don’t know,” says Guardiola. “I am not there.”
Who is the person to ask?
“The people at the club who work inside. Who are every day there.”
Updated
Oliver Glasner, the new Crystal Palace manager, is coming off the back of last weekend’s 3-0 win against Burnley in his first match in charge after succeeding Roy Hodgson. He is having a chat with the media now and he confirms that Eberechi Eze has trained all week, and is available for selection against Tottenham tomorrow after a few weeks out injured. Will Hughes is also available again, but the defender Marc Guehi faces several weeks out after knee surgery.
“Eb’s a great player for us,” says Glasner. “But it’s also important that Will is back, that gives us more opportunities. Eb can’t win the game for us alone … he needs his teammates … but as a team, we’re in a good place.”
Glasner talks about Guehi’s knee operation: “Last week I said he could train with us this week. His knee reacted in a way we didn’t like … he visited the doctor one more time, and we said, it’s better to have surgery … we’ll support him as best we can.
Has Glasner raised the intensity in training? “We have to take care for the players. That they are ready for the game. The most important fitness level is Saturday.”
If I understood correctly, Glasner says that he has introduced training on Sunday for players who didn’t play that weekend, whereas normally they would have Sunday off if not playing.
“We always looked what they did before … we want to increase [training load] … but this is just the beginning of the cooperation of all of us. I didn’t find something new, that nobody does. But of course, we have our ideas, and we try to prepare as best we can.”
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Mauricio Pochettino is asked about Gary Neville’s recent comments about Chelsea. He says they will not use them as motivation, and that they are not overly concerned. “They [Chelsea players] only pay attention because here in England, when important people like Gary are talking in this way, but only that. You pay attention for a few seconds, then you move on.”
Conor Gallagher has recently said he loves playing for Pochettino: “I want to clarify this,” Pochettino replies, light-heartedly, “If not, some coaches become jealous. When he said “Poch”, he meant the whole coaching staff. He made a reference just to Poch because it’s easy … he meant many coaches, all the staff.”
How hard will Pochettino fight to keep Gallagher at the club? “But that is another thing. That needs to be agreed. I cannot be involved in this. It’s between the club and Conor. They can make the deal. I am the coach that needs to be in my place. What can I say? Nothing.
“I take the best decisions for the team, not for the club. If I believe Conor deserves to play, that’s my job. To pick the best 11 and strategy. To win games – that is my main job.”
Was losing last weekend’s final his hardest time at Chelsea thus far? “Maybe yes. We felt very disappointed. We were so close. After 90 mins I think we were the better side … we created big changes to win the game. Second-half, our energy dropped … we feel really disappointed …
“I repeat. Finals are not about deserve. It’s about to win.”
“It’s about us,” says Thomas Frank before Brentford’s meeting with Chelsea tomorrow. They are on very a poor run, having lost 10 out of their last 12.
“We need to perform … At West Ham, we hit a bad level, I know we will perform tomorrow. I respect Chelsea, they have some fantastic players, Cole Palmer is a key player for them …”
Has Frank spoken to Neal Maupay about his tendency to wind up the opposition? “It’s nice to speak about Neal. He’s done fantastically for us. Before he came here, he hadn’t scored a goal for ages … what the club has done for him, and what he’s done to be at this level in incredible. He deserves a lot of credit.
“What I believe is ever player different. They need to find their own way of what makes them tick. Then it’s my responsibility to guide them sometimes, and of course it’s pretty obvious I get a lot of questions about this. Of course I spoke with Neal about it. That of course I will keep to myself. He needs to do what he thinks is important.”
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Manchester City's Grealish sidelined by groin injury
Jack Grealish is unlikely to be fit for England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium later this month, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said. The City midfielder suffered a recurrence of a recent groin injury in the club’s FA Cup win at Luton on Tuesday.
Grealish was substituted after 38 minutes of the 6-2 victory at Kenilworth Road, cutting short his first appearance in four games. He has been ruled out of Sunday’s derby against Manchester United in the Premier League and Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday he was unlikely to play again before the next international break.
Guardiola said: “I don’t think so. I haven’t spoken with (England manager) Gareth (Southgate) but I don’t think he will be ready. When he will come back, I don’t know exactly. He will not be fit for this weekend. I think he has to recover well. He has had a setback and he has to recover well for us to use him as much as possible.”
England host Brazil at Wembley on March 23 and Belgium three days later as part of their Euro 2024 preparations. Grealish has had a difficult season having struggled for form and fitness and seen teammates excel in his place.
The 28-year-old had been one of the most consistent performers during City’s 2022-23 treble-winning campaign. Guardiola is confident he will bounce back from this latest problem. The Spaniard said: “Yes, he doesn’t have an alternative. Setbacks in life are always there, it is how you overcome them.” (PA Media)
Thanks Barry. Hello everyone. Copious football manager-chat coming right up.
You can email me or send a message on X, if you so desire.
Handover: With plenty more hot managerial chat to come, Luke McLaughlin is here for the afternoon shift.
An email: “City had to play 5 games in 13 days before Christmas,” writes Michael Fryer. More from Liverpool supporter Malcolm as we get it.
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Brighton's De Zerbi on Liverpool's radar
Liverpool have identified Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi as a potential replacement for Jürgen Klopp should they fail to appoint their top target, Xabi Alonso. Jacob Steinberg reports …
An email: Gav in Edinburgh has a response to Malcolm’s missive outlining the unfairness of Liverpool’s fixture schedule.
“Malcolm may want to look a few weeks ahead and see that City play Arsenal late on a Sunday and then Villa on the Tuesday, which seems a little close for comfort,” he writes. It’s almost like fixtures can often be spaced out to varying degrees depending on any number of factors.”
Manchester City: Pep has been chatting ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby but refuses to be drawn on how he expects the opposition to play. It’s a wise move, considering his opposite number, Erik ten Hag, probably has no idea how Manchester United are going to play either. Does anyone?
“Always I expect the best from our opponents,” he says. “Always. I expect the best from Manchester United but I don’t talk about what they do. As opponents I respect too much and I don’t want any misunderstandings of my words. I have a lot of respect for them and a lot of respect for the institution - United, Erik and the players.”
Liverpool: “Nottingham is a great place to play but a difficult one,” says Jurgen Klopp ahead of his side’s trip to the City Ground. “The situation they are in is a similar one to us, they need to win games to reach their target as much as we can. They made a few changes for the last game, Callum Hudson-Odoi didn’t start, but we know roughly who to expect on the pitch. We have analysed them.
“It’s a real task for us to find out how we can line up with so many games to come. It’s always about us before games because we demand different things in each game. It will be a tough challenge, anyone can see that. Newcastle, Aston Villa and even Arsenal didn’t have it easy against them.
“They are a threat on the counter-attack, massively. Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White or Divock [Origi] can cause problems. I’m looking forward to it. There’s always a great atmosphere there.”
An email: “How can it be possible let alone fair that as the title race reaches a critical stage with only one point separating them, Liverpool with their lengthening injuries, are asked to play just three days after a midweek FA Cup tie and an exhausting final last Sunday?” asks Malcolm. “City meanwhile get five days rest between their FA Cup fixture and the Sunday clash at Utd!”
“Surely the PL has some responsibility to ensure that its competition is run to ensure that no side enjoys an unfair advantage, or that teams are forced to play an unreasonable number of fixtures.
“City were allowed a considerable break to play the World Club Cup, but no such generosity seems to be on offer to Liverpool. If City overhaul Liverpool this weekend and win the title, the PL’s callous negligence and indifference may be considered to have played a decisive role in the race.
“This will only fuel suspicion that the PL and other agencies are doing everything to sabotage Liverpool’s title chances or at least doing nothing to ensure their competition is managed fairly and responsibly.”
Looking past the fact that only Tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorists think the Premier League and other agencies are doing everything – or indeed anything – to sabotage Liverpool’s title chances, does Matthew have a point? Or is the answer just … money, as usual.
Liverpool’s injury list is not the Premier League’s problem, nor should it be. The fact that they had a tough game last Sunday is also completely irrelevant. However, they are being asked to play on Wednesday-Saturday, while Manchester City play on Tuesday-Sunday, getting an extra two days rest.
“I suspect you have a couple of TV companies to blame for that, Malcolm … but you probably knew that already. ITV and the BBC will have dictated which midweek FA Cup games were played on what night, while Sky Sports will have demanded that the Manchester derby be played on Sunday. It’s almost certainly that simple.
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Crystal Palace: A 45 per cent stakeholder in Crystal Palace, who has been the subject of some wordy, derogatory banners shown by fans at recent games, John Textor also has majority stakes in Lyon, Brazil’s Botafogo, Belgian top-flight outfit RWD Molenbeek and US academy side FC Florida.
The American businessman sat down for an interview with the BBC and is unlikely to have endeared himself to Palace ultras with his response to their protests about his involvement with their club. Protests which he dismissed as “nonsense". Oof.
“I read these banners, which are nonsense,” he said. “I showed up a couple of years ago and I do nothing but support as one of four members of the board and then I see banners which say ‘Textor we don’t trust you’. I don’t care.
“They don’t need to trust me, I’m not running the club. People say they want fan ownership and transparency but there’s nothing more transparent than a US public company that reports material contracts within four days.
“I developed a belief that I work for the anonymous fan that I don’t know, and he or she is 10 years old and they love the club because their father loves the club. I don’t work for the ultras.”
While Textor may leave the running of the club to Steve Parish, he did, later in the same interview, concede that the pair do not always see eye to eye and that there is plenty of friction during their weekly boardroom meetings.
Republic of Ireland: John O’Shea was supposed to be unveiled as the Republic of Ireland’s interim manager today but his press conference has been postponed until Monday because of heavy snowfall in Dublin.
It is now 100 days since Stephen Kenny left his post but the cash-strapped Football Association of Ireland have yet to appoint a permanent successor. O’Shea will take charge of Ireland’s upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland at the end of this month.
The FAI are believed to have been after England U-21 manager Lee Carsley, but the former Republic of Ireland international was not interested in taking the job. Chris Coleman and Neil Lennon had also been linked with the vacant position but it has since been made clear that neither will be considered. Neil Clement is the latest candidate to be linked with the role vacated by Kenny.
Nottingham Forest: Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo believes Liverpool old boy Divock Origi can help Forest beat his former club this weekend.
The Belgian’s season-long loan spell at the City Ground from Milan has been punctuated by a string of injuries which have prevented him from showing his best but he has looked a threat in his last two appearances - in defeats by Aston Villa and Manchester United - and could start against Liverpool.
“I still haven’t decided who is going to play but I can tell you Divock is improving,” Nuno said. “He has been in and out, some small issues which has been delaying his progress. But in the first half [against Manchester United] he was amazing and for us, he is a solution because he can play right, left side and in the centre. So we need the best version of Divock.”
Nuno also said he does not want his side to compromise their attacking instincts against Liverpool. “We need to be clinical with the chances we have and control their game, especially the offensive movements they have. They are really dangerous, they have quality so it will require a lot of effort from us. But we have to keep this idea of playing and going forward no matter which opponent we have because this is what our team needs.”
As far as injuries are concerned, Ibrahim Sangare, Chris Wood and Willy Boly are all nearing returns for Forest but Nuno Tavares and Ola Aina remain out the foreseeable future.
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WSL: Marc Skinner has said he hopes Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Manchester United provides a “springboard” for success for the women’s team.
United’s women’s side, relaunched in 2018 and managed by Skinner since 2021, achieved best finishes of runners-up in the Women’s Super League and FA Cup last term. They currently sit fourth in the WSL, 10 points adrift of leaders Chelsea and travel to West Ham on Sunday.
“We have not managed to meet yet, I know it’s on the horizon very soon,” said Skinner in today’s press conference. “But we have our constant kind of feed through our bosses anyway in terms of kind of how we want to go forwards, what’s going to work and there’s a lot to do.
“I see it as a real positive move. I think if you know me as a character, my energy is full on. I’m all in so with my energy, coupled with the fantastic movement of the Ineos investment, I think it’s a real positive moment.
“We have to capitalise on that, we’re going to try to do that, we’re going to put all our behaviours in place for that. It’s hopefully a springboard for everybody to find the success that everybody wants for Man United.”
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Sports Quiz of the Week: How much attention have you been paying to the goings-on in the world of sport this week? Paul Campbell is your quizmaster and I just got 13 out of 17 answers correct.
Everton: Having had their points deduction for a breach of profit and sustainibility rules reduced from 10 to six points this week, Everton are now five points clear of the relegation zone ahead of their home match against West Ham tomorrow. While the respite is welcome, Everton are without a win in nine Premier League games and have taken just five points from the past 27 available to them.
“We have to get it right, especially against teams like West Ham coming up here,” said Sean Dyche ahead of the game. I think we have to go into the game in the right state of mind and I think we are in the right place as a team. We need to find those defining moments and they become ever-important when you haven’t been winning.”
Everton have been struggling to score. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has gone 20 games without a goal, while back-up striker Beto has bagged just one in 21 league appearances, most as a substitute.
“It is about finding different ways of creating chances but I think we have done that considerably well over the season,” said Dyche. “The moment of truth is someone putting it in the net. The players know that and they don’t need reminding about it from me every day. And you can still score from set-pieces and we have been strong at that. They know where it’s at but it is our responsibility to keep getting the team to forge the chances and the higher quality chances give you an easier opportunity to score.”
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Arsenal: Offering injury updates on various members of his squad, Arteta said Thomas Partey will probably be part of the squad for Monday night’s game, while it’s “possible” Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takahiro Tomiyasu could make it, depending on how they train over the next couple of days.
He said that Gabriel Jesus is fit enough to start or play some part in the game after but needs to be managed carefully after a month on the sidelines. “Obviously we need him fit,” said Arteta. “He’s a massive player for us and we want to make sure that now we load the players in the right way.”
He added that Jurrien Timber, who has been out with a knee injury since the opening day of the season in mid-August, is being reintegrated to the first team squad and could make his third appearance for Arsenal before the end of the season.
“It’s been a joy and all the physios and the medical staff are really happy with his attitude and his commitment, especially with the way things have gone,” he said of the Dutch centre-back.
“It’s not a coincidence the way he applies [himself], how determined he is, his willingness to put every effort in everything that he’s demanded to do and he’s in a really good place. Now we have to manage [him] because it’s the last stage of that difficult injury that is complicated, but I think he’s on the right way.”
Arsenal: Usually a Friday morning merchant, Mikel Arteta conducted his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Sheffield United yesterday. While others might expect Arsenal to win at their leisure, the Spaniard insisted it is not a game he or any of his players will be taking lightly.
“First of all, you have to earn the right to win the games,” he said. “We want to be ruthless and efficient in front of goal and I think lately we’ve been really good. With every team we look at the weaknesses and the strengths and try to take the game to the opponent, but I’m saying this because I know [Sheffield United] really well. I analysed them many years ago and the things that Chris did and I learned from his teams. I’m telling you, it’s going to be a really tough match.”
Newcastle: Eddie Howe raised a few eyebrows by introducing a half-fit Elliott Anderson in place of Lewis Miley, also a substitute, towards the end of extra time during Newcastle’s win over Blackburn on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old midfielder had been sidelined since October with a back injury but is something of a penalty specialist and was brought on with the shootout in mind. He duly scored his team’s penultimate penalty as they went on to win the tie.
“It wasn’t quick from our side or from Elliot’s,” he says of the youngster’s time oout. “It’s been hugely frustrating for him that he hasn’t been able to kick on sooner and return to training sooner. It’s hugely frustrating when you can’t run. He had to be very careful and we had to be careful with him.
“The last stage of his injury has been quick and we were very keen to get him on with penalties in mind. We see him every day practising penalties and he executes them very well. Still, he had to come in cold and have the composure to execute and he did.”
Howe goes on to say that while Anderson is “technically fit”, he is nowhere near match fit and will have to be nursed back to action. “He’s been a huge miss for us because of his versatility,” he says. “When you miss him and Joelinton at the same time, a lot of the versatility in the squad goes.”
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Newcastle: Turning his attention to Saturday’s game, Howe says his team need to be wary of Wolves, particularly on the break. “They will bring a counter attacking threat,” he says. “They have some good athletes in the team and play with a fluid style. I think Gary O’Neil has done a brilliant job, as he did last season [with Bournemouth].
“Wolves are very good away from home - they have just beaten Chelsea and Tottenham - so they are a dangerous opponent for us. We had a tight game [against them] away, but it was a game we could have won and we are confident going into the game on Saturday.”
Football Weekly: In the latest edition of the podcast we discuss the midweek FA Cup ties and also debate Liverpool fan reaction to our reaction to last Sunday’s Carabao Cup final. You can lend us your ears here and if you’re not already a subscriber, feel free to sign up wherever you get your podcasts.
Newcastle United: As is customary, Eddie Howe is first off the rank when it comes to Friday pressers. His Newcastle side are shipping goals at an alarming rate and not playing particularly well at the moment. They host Wolves tomorrow in a top flight match that’s genuinely difficult to call.
First, the FA Cup. Having scraped past a Blackburn side that, with a little more compusure in front of goal, should have won this week, Newcastle got the worst conceivable quarter-final draw – away to Man City.
“I was driving at the time and almost swerved off the road,” says Howe. “It wasn’t the draw we wanted, that’s for sure. I’m not sure any team wants to play Manchester City four times in a season but we’re looking forward to the game. I believe we can beat anyone when at our best and we’ve had three really close games with them this season.
“When you analyse things and go through them mentally, you realise that if you want to win the FA Cup you probably need to beat Manchester City at some stage of the competition. That has been moved forward from our view and we just have to give everything to try and win.”
Rafael Benitez interview: Rob Draper travelled to the Galician coast to meet the itinerant Spanish manager, who seemed in remarkably chipper form for a man who many expect to lose his job as Celta Vigo boss if he fails to mastermind victory over bottom-of-the-table Almeria tonight. It’s a fascinating read that take in his passion for coaching, the clamour for Xabi Alonso and his love for Jamie Carragher.
Premier League fixtures
Newcastle v Wolves (3pm GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
Brentford v Chelsea
Everton v West Ham
Fulham v Brighton
Luton Town v Aston Villa (5.30pm)
Burnley v Bournemouth (Sunday, 1pm)
Manchester City v Manchester United (3.30pm)
Sheffield United v Arsenal (Monday, 8pm)
The weekend starts here ...
After a week of FA Cup action, we clamber back aboard the Premier League treadmill, with some fascinating games ahead at both ends of the table. With a one-point lead to protect at the top of the table, Liverpool travel to Nottingham Forest, where they lost last season, despite their hosts being bottom of the table at kick-off. This season, the team from the City Ground are just four places higher and looking over their shoulders.
Second-placed Manchester City host Manchester United in a derby the bookies expect the reigning champions too win with a minimum of fuss, with few giving Erik ten Hag’s side a snowball’s chance in hell of beating their noisy neighbours. In third place, Arsenal don’t play until Monday, when they will be expected to swat aside a Sheffield United side who are bottom of the table, 11 points from safety.
Elsewhere at the bottom, Burnley host a Bournemouth side who are without a win in seven games, while Luton will hope to bounce back from their 6-2 midweek FA Cup shellacking at the hands of City by taking something from their game against Aston Villa at Kenilworth Road. Brentford, who are far from safe, host their out-of-sorts west London rivals Chelsea.
With several other eyecatching fixtures looming, we’ll bring you the latest from all the managerial press conferences, while keeping you up to date with anything else of note to report from the EFL, Women’s Super League and beyond.
