That’s yer lot for today. Have a great weekend and thanks for keeping us company throughout the day.
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THomas Frank: "This league is brutal"
Brentford: Despite losing against Everton at Goodison Park last time out, Brentford guaranteed their Premier League survival for a fifth consecutive season with four matches to spare and their manager Thomas Frank has warned that nobody at the club should take their top tier status for granted.
“It is fantastic that the expectations are rising, I think that is always an indicator that you have done something very good,” he said before their game at Fulham on Saturday. “We have made some fantastic results, but I think we always want more. We want to be an asset to the Premier League, we want to develop, we want to do better, but this league is brutal. It is the best league in the world, and last year we had the lowest budget but finished ninth, which shouldn’t be possible.
“This year we are still in the low [end of team budgets] and if you are not in the top seven, then you are fighting with everybody else for something between eight, nine and 17. In a top season, you manage that, then in a not so good season, maybe because you are hit by injuries, then maybe you just do the minimum - and the minimum is to stay in the league.”
Forest duo charged by FA and Clattenburg formally warned
Nottingham Forest: The club’s manager Nuno Espirito Santo and defender Neco Williams have been charged with misconduct following their comments about the match officials in April’s Premier League match against Everton, the Football Association has announced.
The former referee Mark Clattenburg, who today announced his resignation from a consultancy role at Forest, has been issued with a formal warning over comments he made in the aftermath of the game. “It’s alleged that the club, player and manager’s comments constitute improper conduct in that they imply bias and/or question the integrity of the match officials and/or bring the game into disrepute,” said the FA. Nuno and Williams have until Thursday 9 May to respond to the charges.
Forest’s manager, players and officials felt aggrieved at being denied what they felt were three clear penalties in their defeat against Everton and say they had flagged up the issue that Stuart Attwell, the video assistant referee for the game, is a Luton Town fan before the game but claim their concerns about potential bias were ignored by the PGMOL.
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Unai Emery: "We have to focus again, quickly"
Aston Villa: Following Villa’s 4-2 defeat at the hands of Olympiakos in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg last night, Unai Emery must call on his players to bounce back ahead of their trip to out-of-sorts Brighton on Sunday.
“Firstly we have to focus again on the Premier League quickly,” he told reporters. “After we will analyse the game we played yesterday. We need to be quick to analyse with the players the match we will face on Sunday with data analysis, characteristics of the team, individual players.
“As well we need to recover quick again and full energy for Sunday. Our motivation of course is high because we are now fourth and it is a very important match to try and be closer to our first objective in the Premier League.”
Villa could scarcely have handpicked more suitable opposition as they attempt to consolidate fourth place in the league, as they travel to play a Brighton team who have not won any of their last six games and in Roberto Di Zerbi, have a manager whose heart no longer appears to be in the job he used to do so well at the Amex Stadium.
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Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner has been to the USA with club CEO to visit the club’s major stakeholders (one of whom he met for the first time), take in a basketball game and enjoy a nicve meal.
“It’s important to get each other known,” he said. “It’s the same when we are talking about a team. We are a team, we are a Crystal Palace team. It is important to not only be watching the basketball, having a dinner together, not just about squad or football but issues we all have. It had very good momentum and very good possibility so we took the chance to go there.”
Talking about Palace’s match against Manchester United at Selhurst Park on Monday night, Glasner was upbeat about his side’s chances despite Manchester United’s quality. “Yes, definitely, they have a lot of quality in offence,” he said. “In every team there are weaknesses. For us it is to control their strengths but also use their weaknesses but what also fits to our strengths. We kept the last three teams in single figures of shots against us and this is how we want to play.”
Liverpool’s succession plan: Jurgen Klopp’s replacement Arne Slot has been talking ahead of Feyenoord’s match against PEC Zwolle on Sunday and has found himself in the slightly ridiculous position of being unable to comment on his new role, despite it being common knowledge that he has already been, or definitely will be appointed to it.
“We haven’t confirmed anything yet,” he said. “As long as we haven’t confirmed anything yet I don’t think it is honest to the club where I am working now or the club I could go to [Liverpool] to talk about that. I’m more than willing to answer any questions if the official announcement will be made. I have all the confidence that that will happen, but until now it hasn’t been confirmed officially yet.”
VAR! What is it good for?
Paul MacInnes: There have been some glaring mistakes by VAR this season but it also appears to have increased officiating standards on the pitch.
That is all from me today. Thanks so much for tuning in. Barry is back to take you through to the end of the day.
Updated
Wolves will have the big task of taking on Manchester City this week. Here are some thoughts from the Wolves manager, Gary O’Neil.
"We're trying to finish as high up the table as possible" 👀
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 3, 2024
Wolves boss Gary O'Neil on facing Man City this weekend 👇 pic.twitter.com/8wSCQNLfUB
Marc Guehi’s expected return for the final games of the season will be boost for club and country, says the Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner.
Along with Eberechi Eze, who sat out last weekend’s draw at Fulham, the Palace captain will be in contention for Monday’s game against Manchester United after recovering from a knee problem which has sidelined him since early February.
It is very positive news – both of them are fit and have trained. The players were off after Sunday and we started yesterday preparing them for the United game. Both trained yesterday in the full session and again today, so it looks good. If everything continues as we expect, both will be in the squad.
On Guehi’s recovery setback, the manager also added:
He worked very hard in rehab. It took maybe one or two weeks longer than we all hoped, but it is such great work. It is always good when the players are back – and especially when a captain is back, so we are really looking forward to the last three games.
I see his working attitude – he is outstanding. He has got a lot of quality, but he is also very professional, hard-working, always wanting to improve.
We hope he plays some good games for us – and especially also for England in the Euros.
West Ham close to deal for Lopetegui to take over as manager
West Ham are close to agreeing a deal for Julen Lopetegui to take over as their new manager. The club are poised to part company with David Moyes at the end of the season and talks with Lopetegui are gathering pace.
The club have been doing due diligence on the Spaniard, who is out of the running to join Milan. If negotiations reach a successful conclusion, everything could be settled next week. Even without a formal announcement, that could allow Moyes to be given a proper sendoff when West Ham play Luton Town in their final home game next Saturday.
More on that story below.
Mark Clattenburg has had a busy few months at Forest. His role saw him become the club’s representative when they felt aggrieved by decisions against them in games.
He spoke to the PGMOL chief Howard Webb prior to the team’s 2-0 defeat at Everton last month after concerns the VAR Stuart Attwell was a supporter of Luton Town, Forest’s rivals at the bottom of the Premier League.
Forest were then denied what they believed were three penalties at Goodison Park. Webb admitted this week that one of three should have been a penalty.
Clattenburg has resigned as referee consultant for Forest
Mark Clattenburg has resigned from his role as referee consultant for Nottingham Forest after only a few months.
The former referee has said the role in the team has become “more hindrance than help” to Forest.
In an official statement, he wrote:
This is to announce that I will no longer be providing match analysis services to NFFC.
Since February this year, I have been proud to have done so under a consultancy agreement between NFFC and Referee Consultant Ltd.
I performed my services under the consultancy agreement in good faith, to the best of my abilities and in the hope of using my extensive experience as a match official to help NFFC understand how decisions in relation to key match incidents are made amid the workings of VAR.
However, it is now clear that the existence and performance of these consultancy services has caused unintended friction between NFFC and other participants, to the extent that it has become more of a hinderance than help to NFFC. It has also led to the unmerited targeting of me, personally, by certain participants and pundits.
Such reactions and outcome was not expected and is regrettable, as it is my sincere belief that there is a place for and value in such a role in the modern game.
I am grateful to NFFC and wish them all the best during the remainder of the season and in the future. It’s been an honour.
Celtic will have Daizen Maeda back in the squad for Saturday’s Scottish Premiership encounter match against Hearts.
It had looked like the Japan forward was going to miss the rest of the season after damaging a hamstring tendon after facing Rangers on 7 April but he will be back for the title run-in.
The Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers, said: “He will come into the squad. It’s great news for us, thinking he was not going to be available initially, but he has recovered remarkably well and I think we all see he is a specimen physically. He has got back and it’s brilliant news for us.”
An email!
Steve has some words on Klopp’s earlier comments regarding fixture congestion:
Personally, I think complaining about the TV schedule is pretty poor as an excuse for English clubs’ lack of recent success in Europe. I see no complaints when they receive the cheque for the TV appearance money. I see no complaints on behalf of their supporters when schedules require them to fund their own trips and make long journeys at unsociable times. I see no complaints when they do win competitions.
Their squads are packed with quality and quantity and so they should be capable of competing on all fronts. They are given a bye in the early rounds of the League Cup and the FA Cup is now being destroyed in an attempt to free up their calendars. Maybe they should consider not going on the preseason tours and letting their players have a proper rest.
As Wayne Rooney recently commented “Just get on with it”
Agree? Disagree? Have thoughts on anything else? Send me an email!
Mauricio Pochettino is fed up with “stupid rumours” about his job and has said it is up to Chelsea’s bosses to provide clarity on his future.
The Argentinian, appointed on a two-year deal last summer with a club option for an extra year, has not been given any assurances that he will be at Stamford Bridge at the start of next season.
“But I wanted to say that it is enough with these type of rumours. If I have one more year on my contract here, and no one says nothing, suppose that I am going to be here. [We leave] only if then we finish the season and someone says to me: ‘Ciao.’
“Because we don’t know at the moment. I suppose I have one more year on my contract and that I am going to be here. But enough about the stupid rumours. You need to ask the club if they want me to keep going or not – not to write things that have no sense.”
More on what Pochettino said can be read below.
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have “momentum” and they have to “keep going” as they chase the relentless Manchester City side. Arsenal are currently top of the table but City have a game in hand. Arteta’s side face Bournemouth this weekend before heading to Old Trafford to face Manchester United and hosting Everton on the final day of the season.
On Declan Rice, who finished as runner-up to Phil Foden in the FWA Awards:
He’s had such an impact since day one. It’s a great group, I think they’ve been really, really supportive. After eight/nine days in pre-season, he said he’d felt like he’d been here for three years.
On Jorginho, who has been subject to transfer rumours as of late:
I would love to keep him. He knows that. The club is fully supportive of that. He makes us better, and we are interested, so we want him to stay.
On if David Raya will stay beyond his loan from Brentford:
Those conversations are for after the season. We will review where we are. We are very happy with David and everything he’s brought to the team.
On Gabriel Jesus transfer rumours:
I don’t know where this is coming from. No intention of letting him leave.
On Bournemouth’s manager Andoni Iraola:
They had a really difficult start in terms of fixtures. That was a huge factor. It was always difficult to get results for the opponents. He stuck to his beliefs. I’ve known him since we were very little and I wish him all the best.
Before we hear from Mikel Arteta, the early news from Arsenal is their former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has bought the branding rights to ‘the Invincibles’.
Lehmann completed the £30,000 purchase of the trademark used for Arsenal’s Premier League title winning season of 2003-04 ahead of its 20th anniversary.
Arsenal were caught unaware by the move but Lehmann says the intention is to donate any profit to charity.
More on that story can be found below.
Reus’ honours at Dortmund include two DFB-Pokal titles, two DFL-Supercup titles and a Champions League runner-up medal.
The record books may not be kind to Reus but he has certainly been a special player for the fans in the Yellow Wall. Individually, he won three Bundesliga Player of the Season awards and two Footballer of the Year in Germany awards.
And the possibility to end the season with the Champions League medal!
Marco Reus to leave Borussia Dortmund as free agent
Borussia Dortmund and their long-term captain Marco Reus have mutually agreed not to extend the player’s contract, which expires at the end of the season. The Dortmund native has worn the iconic black and yellow shirt for 12 years since returning to the club of his youth in 2012.
On leaving the club, Reus said:
I’m incredibly grateful for and proud of this special time at my club Borussia Dortmund. I have spent more than half of my life at this club and enjoyed every day, even though there have of course been difficult moments too. I already know now that I will find it difficult to say goodbye at the end of the season. And yet I’m happy that there is now clarity and that we can focus fully on the very important final games that we still have to play. We have a big objective in our sights that we all want to achieve together. To do so, we will need every single one of our unbelievable fans, to whom I would like to express my sincere thanks for their unbelievable support over the years.
A message from Marco. pic.twitter.com/gQCHG8AUOf
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) May 3, 2024
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Thanks, Barry and hello all! Happy Friday. Let’s start with some more Pep Guardiola, whose side is, of course, chasing a historic fourth successive Premier League title.
On if his experience of winning as a manager gives him an edge over Mikel Arteta:
I would love [that], but I don’t know, I don’t have an answer to this question. I would love to say yes, but we have to prove it tomorrow against Wolves and in the next games. We know that we have to win all 12 points [from remaining games].
On Jürgen Klopp’s comments about the league’s schedule hindering teams in Europe:
It’s one of the reasons. I agree with Jürgen. But it’s not going to change. Maybe next season we have three or four English teams in final stages [of European competitions].
And more on Phil Foden’s development:
He was playing in a team that won a lot of Premier Leagues and was playing in the final stages of a lot of competitions. It is not easy to play [in that team] that is so demanding.
We can, as a manager, suggest something, but it belongs to them. Look at the case of Cole Palmer. What did I develop? I didn’t give him the minutes. The talent is there; in the end, it depends absolutely on the players, what they do, and what they learn every single game.
Always you can improve until you retire and you die, you can improve.
Guardiola also says that Erling Haaland is fit to start and Foden, Rúben Dias and Ederson may all feature tomorrow against Wolves.
Handover: Yara El-Shaboury is here to take up the cudgels, bring you all the news that’s fit the print and possibly much more that isn’t.
Ward to step down as Villa women's manager
Women’s football: Aston Villa have confirmed that Carla Ward has decided to step down from her post as manager of the women’s team at the end of the season. The 40-year-old coach joined Villa three years ago and has established the club as a force in the top-flight of women’s football.
“In her first season in charge, Carla led the team to a ninth-place finish in the Barclays WSL before recording a fifth-place finish, our best ever league position, in 2022/23,” said a club statement.
“The club also progressed to the semi-final of the Women’s FA Cup in what was a groundbreaking campaign. This season the team reached the semi-final of the FA Women’s Contintental Tyres League Cup and they currently sit in seventh place in the WSL with two games remaining.
“During Carla’s tenure, the club has recruited national and international stars of the game including Lionesses Rachel Daly, Lucy Staniforth and Jordan Nobbs plus Scotland captain Rachel Corsie. 11 Academy graduates have also made first-team debuts during her time in charge.”
Ward cited a desire to spend more time with her family for the reason behind her decision to leave her position. “To step down from my post here at Aston Villa has been the hardest decision of my managerial career, but I know it is the right one for my family and I,” she said.
“Managing a great club like Aston Villa has been a full-throttle job and I have always given the role 100 per cent dedication. However, I now believe it is the right time for me to prioritise the other important things - such as my daughter and the rest of my family life.
“I am immensely grateful to Monchi and Damian Vidagany who tried so hard to encourage me to stay in the role, but I know it is the right time to step down after our last game of the season.”
Aston Villa president of Football Operations, Monchi said: “Carla came to us a few weeks ago and spoke of her plan to step down. We have had extensive dialogue with her to see if there was anything we could do to persuade her to stay, but she is adamant that she wants to take a break from the game.
“Therefore, on behalf of everybody at Aston Villa, I want to place on record our grateful thanks to Carla for everything she has achieved with us and wish her well for the future.”
Director of Football Operations Damian Vidagany, said: “In my opinion, Carla is one of the best managers in women’s football and we are sad to see here go. I would like to wish her all the best for the future.”
Pep Guardiola: "Congratulations for the writers and for him"
Manchester City: Ahead of his tabel-topping team’s potentially tricky match against Wolves tomorrow, Pep Guardiola began his press conference by congratulating Phil Foden on winning the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year Award … albeit while appearing to have a little dig at those who voted for his midfielder.
“The writers decide this award,” he said. “Congratulation for the writers and for him. He played really good this season, many players played really good this season and the writers decide for this award, so what can I say? Congratulations.
“[He’s done] really good. I have said many times. The impact in the final third is very good, his work ethic. Every year due to the amount of games he is playing and the minutes he is playing he is more mature. He understands the game better but he has to keep on improving, he is still young.”
Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo has had to deal with injuries, a points deduction and VAR controversies but Forest’s future is still in their own hands. Victory at Sheffield United tomorrow afternoon is a must if the club is to maintain its legacy of hope, writes Will Unwin …
Sheffield United: The Blades’ relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last weekend but they can still have a major say in who goes down to the Championship with them as they host Nottingham Forest at Bramall Lane tomorrow. In the meantime, their manager Chris Wilder says he is already making plans for next season.
“I’m getting on with it now, speaking to players and meeting agents and heavily in discussions with targets, speaking to players who might not be on the next part of the journey here and their agents because there are a lot of moving parts,” he told reporters.
“Players out of contract and players who are in contract, who may not be on the journey; options to take up and youngsters to look at as well. We’re heavily engrossed anyway and have been for a while, but now it steps up.”
Klopp says spat with Salah is "totally resolved"
Jurgen Klopp: While the Liverpool manager was happy to stick the boot into TNT Sports this morning, he insisted his much publicised touchline spat with Mo Salah at West Ham last Saturday was something and nothing, and has been put to bed.
“It is completely resolved,” he said. “It is no problem. If we wouldn’t know each other for that long I don’t know how we would deal with it, but we know each other for that long and respect each other. I think we have the right to deal with these things completely independent of any expectations from the outside. It is a non-story. In general everyone is in the best possible place.
“[If] we win the games, we score loads of goals, then the situation would have probably not been exactly like that because Mo would not have been on the bench in the first place. It all depends on each other.”
The flashpoint sparked speculation about Salah’s future, as a player who is 32 in June has just over one year left on his lucrative contract. But with Klopp due to leave the club at the end of the season, he would not get drawn into a discussion about the star forward as it is not his concern. “You all have to get used to the fact that is not my subject,” he said. “Mo, as a player, is incredible and I don’t think I should speak about that. Other people will decide that, especially Mo.”
Ange Postecoglou: "You need to feel the pain"
Tottenham Hotspur: “I am sure they are hurt and that is part of the process,” says Ange Postecoglou of the players who were far from their best against Chelsea last night. “Big games are always big. You need to feel the pain and to understand. The intensity is always there when playing for this football club.
“Every job I have taken has had tough bits, sometimes at the start, sometimes in the middle and sometimes at the end. Nothing surprises me and it’s a necessary part of it. It’s about how you grow, not from thinking ‘it’s going to run smoothly’. You need to go through these times to learn more about yourself. I think I have been very consistent in saying that we have got a long way to go.”
Pochettino on Gallagher's future: "I don't know nothing"
Chelsea: Mauricio Pochettino was unable to provide any guarantees over the future of Conor Gallagher after Thursday’s 2-0 win over Tottenham. The midfielder wore the captain’s armband and starred with his free-kick able to set up Trevor Chalobah’s 24th-minute opener. Before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, home fans unveiled a banner in support of academy graduate Gallagher, which carried the words ‘Chelsea since birth’ alongside an image of the midfielder.
Even though Gallagher has established himself as a key figure under Pochettino with six goals alongside nine assists in 46 appearances this season, speculation over his future shows no sign of abating. In July, Gallagher will enter the final 12 months of his deal and Spurs have been mooted as a potential destination after they pushed to sign the 24-year-old last summer.
“I am not involved. I don’t know nothing,” Pochettino admitted. “I think you can see in my starting XI that the whole season he was always there. With all the circumstances, he was always there. Yes, he is an important player, of course but I am not involved in the decision. It is the club and Conor. That is a situation they need to fix between the club and the player.”
Gallagher and Chalobah, another former club youth-teamer, played a crucial role in the club being able to complete a league double over Tottenham but both players may have to be sold in the summer to help ensure Chelsea stay on the right side of their old friends, the Premier League profit and sustainability regulations.
Vincent Kompany: "Why start to overthink it now?"
Burnley: We’ve already written about Burnley’s recent upturn in form at the business end of the season and Vincent Kompany has been getting his chat on with the ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth Estate ahead of their match against Newcastle tomorrow.
“You have to respect their attacking capabilities but at the same time it’s Saturday at Turf Moor,” he said. “It’s a different day, a different opponent and anything can happen. That’s the mindset and we’ve played good players all season so why start to overthink it now? If they are better than us well done, if not we need to make sure we are the best we can be.
“It’s not been a case of at home we haven’t had a chance. We have been close so many times but it’s clear on Saturday we have to be close again and then we have to be more than that and take points. That’s the impressive part about my team - we were always like this when we were having no success or results.
“They have been exceptional in that sense and we might not come out of this season winners, in terms of winning trophies and stuff, but what I’ve seen in terms of how the group has behaved has given me confidence for how much success they will have in the future.”
Liverpool v Tottenham: Jurgen Klopp and Ange Postecoglou will be standing in adjacent technical areas for Sunday afternoon’s feature game and the Liverpool manager has confirmed that Diogo Jota is still unavailable, Conor Bradley is back in training and his captain Virgil van Dijk is a doubt.
“We will have to be prepared,” he said. “We will have to defend really compact. If we don’t do that then we will play through us because the idea is really obvious. They have worked together nearly a year.”
I think it’s safe to deduce from those comments that Jurgen may not have tuned into last night’s Premier League game between Chelsea and Tottenham, when Ange Postecoglou was left visibly enraged by his team’s general incompetence during a dismal performance.
“We were nowhere near the levels of energy we usually show,” said the Australian this morning, having had the night to reflect on his side’s defeat. “Our pressing has been consistent all year and our football has fluctuated. [That was the case] in the first half especially last night. That is my responsibility.”
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Eddie Howe: "Vincent Kompany has done a good job"
Burnley v Newcastle: No longer looking the relegation certainties they seemed throughout the season, Burnley have been showing signs of life in recent weeks and have lost just one of their past eight games. A propensity to cough up cheap goals continues to cost them dearly but they are only two from safety with three games left to play and still in with a fighting chance of staying up at the expense of Nottingham Forest and Luton Town. Tomorrow afternoon they host Newcastle, whose manager Eddie Howe had a brief spell as boss at Turf Moor.
“Burnley are an interesting team, in terms of how they play,” said Howe. “Vincent Kompany has done a good job. He’s been true to his principles and they play a really expansive, attacking brand of football. Something they have not deviated from and the manager deserves credit for that. In recent weeks they have been reaping the rewards of that. I know Turf Moor really well. It is a difficult place to go, but we will be ready for the game.”
Newcastle’s form on the road will be a source of optimism for Burnley fans, as Howe’s side have won just 14 of the 53 points they have amassed so far this season away from home. “For me I always try to focus on the game and not where it is played,” says Howe. “I urge my players to do the same. In the last few games we have shown flashes of being back to our very best. I want to see that for 90 minutes if we can.”
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Wolves make Tommy Doyle loan move permanent
Wolverhampton Wanderers: A bit of transfer news: Wolves have triggered the option to make the signing of Tommy Doyle from Manchester City a permanent one, for a fee of about £4.3m. The 22-year-old midfielder has impressed since joining on a season’s loan last summer, making 30 appearances. City have inserted a buy-back option and significant sell-on clause in the deal. Doyle is ineligible to face his parent club at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Erik ten Hag speaks to Sky Sports
Manchester United: Erik ten Hag has offered an interesting take on why Manchester United can be so open and concede too easily in an interview with Sky Sports. He points to the “bad luck” that has caused 60-plus injuries and illness as undermining his desired “proactive” mode of play and claims that being more pragmatic might cause a detrimental, long-term effect.
He said: “We thought about this, but one of my objectives here was to bring in a proactive way of play. The players [unavailable] will return so if you then adjust, go in a very defensive style and it doesn’t fit to the players we already have, then if you don’t get the results everyone will lose confidence. Then when the players are back, you have to return to the proactive and you have lost many times.”
An interesting answer as it throws up an obvious follow-up question: as an elite coach can Ten Hag not tinker and adjust enough to retain the proactive style while ensuring needless goals are not leaked? One to put to him soon.
Nuno: "It's going to be until the end"
Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo expects his side’s Premier League relegation battle to go down to the wire. Nottingham Forest are locked in a three-way battle with Luton and Burnley to avoid the remaining two places in the bottom three and are away at already-relegated Sheffield United tomorrow afternoon. Forest are still awaiting news of their appeal against a four-point deduction due to breaking profit and sustainability rules. Nuno believes even if his side win tomorrow, their fate will not be decided until the final day of the season when they play Burnley in what could be a relegation shootout.
“Looking at the table and the next matches, it’s going to be until the end, it’s not going to be solved tomorrow,” Nuno said. “We depend on ourselves and after Sheffield United it must still be in our hands so, for that, we must win.”
Nuno does not know whether his side will be helped or hindered by the Blades’ fate already sealed. “You never know,” he said. “The element of pressure they had is not there anymore. I don’t know what Chris [Wilder] is going to do: shape, organisation … all these things, but we know it is going to be tough. They are relegated but there is a pride element in front of their fans. We know it’s going to be tough but we believe in ourselves and we know we have a hard task ahead of us. We are confident knowing it’s going to be tough. The players are ready to go.”
Updated
Jurgen Klopp: "I was waiting for Amnesty International"
It would be fair to say that Jurgen Klopp is at it again. The outgoing Liverpool manager loves nothing more than moaning about his team having to play in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off after a European midweek game and despite the fact it is a horror he will never have to endure again, he’s still complaiming about last weekend, when his side were held to a draw by West Ham and saw any faint hopes they still entertained of winning the title evaporate.
Never mind the fact that they missed enough goalscoring chances to win several football matches, it seems the blame for their failure to take all three points lies squarely at the door of TNT Sports. “Seeing Aston Villa lost last night it means no English team will be in a European final, we should ask do we decrease the intensity for the players,” he says.
“If no English team is in a European final, have we underperformed? The Premier League is the best in the world but the players are overworked. Someone needs to help the people, cut off one game. Two more Champions League games next season and you can cut off the League Cup semi-final second legs.
“Everyone has a reason to say we cannot do it but we cannot sort it all the time. I had a chat with TNT – a television channel I will never watch again! – and they said they pay us to play football but I don’t see it that way. Football pays them. You have to become a part of football again and not just the squeezer, that is some advice from an old man on the way out.
“People can survive without match-days from time to time. City, Arsenal, us all out in the quarter-finals. It’s not a reflection of quality but that we couldn’t deliver on the day. Other countries have good teams, of course. When I speak about it people think it is because of the last game, no. It’s not. It’s a general problem. They dare Thursday-Sunday, Wednesday-Saturday 12:30pm. It is a crime. I was waiting for Amnesty International to go to them!
“I would like to be part of that meeting when someone says ‘Liverpool 12:30pm’ and the whole room bursts into laughter. I would love to be there. In the whole world we have the quickest turnaround between games but they are still happy and collect subscribers. You can take me off. If they are ever after a pundit, I speak English I could do it.”
While he may have been joking, Klopp has worked as a pundit in his native Germany in the past and is reported to be a very entertaining and informative match analyst. There is bound to be a clamour for his services in the months ahead, although it seems unlikely TNT Sports will be successful in any overtures they may make.
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Eddie Howe on Sandro Tonali: “It’s the right decision, I think the FA have arrived at the ban that isn’t extended,” he says. “Sandro’s currently working hard behind the scenes, he’s trained very well. But as always, referring to this situation, we’re still supporting him and helping him as he serves his time.
“He’s been very good, very consistent. Of course I see a small fraction of his life, the time he is at the training ground. He’s a very good professional, he’s trained very well, but he’s relatively quiet, that’s just his personality. I wouldn’t necessarily see what goes on beneath the surface, I’m sure he’s had difficult moments but he’s done really well.
“I’ve seen the hunger there throughout the entire time. He’s done a lot of work alone, individual work, fitness work, gym work, we’ve worked on his speed, and covered loads of aspects of his game to try and help him.”
Fabian Schar to miss final games of the season
Newcastle United: You need to be up early in the moring to catch Eddie Howe and as is customary, the Newcastle boss is first out of the traps when it comes to Friday press briefings. Not for the first time this season, he has news of another injury. Fabian Schar has a hamstring issue that is likely to keep him out of Newcastle’s remaining games of the season and Howe reveals that the Swiss international’s absence could open a door for Paul Dummett, Alex Taylor or Emile Krafth.
In better news for Newcastle fans, Howe reveals that Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Nick Pope are all back in training, although he says Kieran Trippier is a little behind them in his recovery from a calf injury. We’ll have more from Wor Eddie shortly, as he’s likely to address the good news that Sandro Tonali has received a suspended two-month ban for illegal betting activity from the Football Association and will not have to serve any additional time on the 10-month ban he is currently serving that harks back to his time in Italy.
That suspension ends in August and if the Italian midfielder keeps his bib clean until the end of next season, he will not have to serve the shorter one handed down by the FA. All in all, it seems a fairly sensible approach to ending what has been a difficult situation for the Italian and it is to be hoped that Tonali is receiving any help or counselling he requires to get his addiction in check.
Women’s Super League: Following a tired Chelsea side’s defeat at the hands of Liverpool in a seven-goal whiteknuckle ride at Prenton Park on Wednesday night, Emma Hayes conceded defeat in the title race to Manchester City. The Chelsea manager looks likely to end her 12-year reign at the club without winning a trophy in her final season, a prosepect that seemed unthinkable as recently as five weeks ago when a quadruple was still on the cards. All hope is not lost in the WSL, however, despite Manchester City having a six point lead and a significantly better goal difference (+8).
With three matches still to play, Chelsea have a game in hand over the leaders and host already-relegated Bristol City at the weekend. Elsewhere, City entertain Arsenal. Following their unedifying row in the immediate aftermath of the Continental Cup final, Hayes desperately needs Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall and his players to do her a favour on Sunday. If Chelsea can beat Bristol City by a big score this weekend and Arsenal do a number on City at the Etihad Campus, it would still be all to play for going into the final week of the season.
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West Ham: The club’s hunt for a new manager has resulted in Tim Steidten, the technical director, being asked to stay away from David Moyes and the first team for the rest of the season, writes Jacob Steinberg.
Aston Villa 2-4 Olympiakos
Europa Conference League: Aston Villa’s first major European semi-final since 1982 fell flat and unless they can inspire a memorable turnaround in the port of Piraeus next Thursday, their adventure will end in disappointment. Ben Fisher reports from Villa Park …
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League: Ange Postecoglou admitted Tottenham had the wrong mindset after their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were hit by a limp 2-0 loss to Chelsea. Jacob Steinberg reports from Stamford Bridge.
Good morning!
Another weekend is upon us, with no shortage of potentially thrilling football action to keep us entertained and as assorted leagues head towards their denouements, there could be no end of twists and turns remaining in what’s left of the road ahead.
The Premier League and Women’s Super League remain undecided but for now but they are both Manchester City’s to lose, while in the men’s top flight the unseemly scramble to avoid the two remaining relegation places will enter its latest phase. A division below, there are still I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed in the final round of Championship games, while the promotion playoffs for Leagues One and Two also get under way on this bank holiday weekend.
We’ll bring you news from various press conferences throughout what promises to be a busy day of often inane managerial chat, while flagging up any other stories or talking points of interest as the day unfolds.
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