Mainoo to reject Man Utd contract extension
Time to sign off with a big exclusive from Will Unwin – Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is set to turn down a contract extension and seek a move abroad. Mainoo has two years left on his deal but the club would be open to selling the £70m-rated England international to help boost their finances.
Our full preview of the weekend’s top-flight action:
It’s a weekend of reunions in the Championship, with Mark Robins returning to Coventry with his Stoke side, who are five points clear of the relegation zone. The Sky Blues’ decision to sack their long-serving manager in November drew plenty of scorn, but Coventry are flying under Frank Lampard and sit fifth.
It could be an awkward afternoon for John Eustace, who left promotion-chasing Blackburn to take the Derby job last month. The manager has racked up three defeats with no goals scored with the Rams bottom of the table, seven points from safety. Blackburn, who have appointed Valérien Ismaël as Eustace’s replacement, are still in the playoff mix but will be without several players due to injury.
Leaders Leeds visit Portsmouth on Sunday, so Sheffield United and Burnley will aim to close the gap against Preston (managed by former Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom) and lowly Luton respectively. The Hatters are 22nd, a point above Plymouth, who host mid-table Sheffield Wednesday.
As for Everton’s David Moyes, he quipped about being “normally a bottle of red wine down” by 8pm on a Saturday. “We have to go with it, even if it will ruin some people’s Saturday nights,” he added. Moyes has led Everton on a seven-match unbeaten league run since he returned, but he isn’t letting up in his bid to ensure the club’s survival.
“Every game at the moment is about taking points which is the most important thing,” Moyes said.” We need to keep getting ourselves further and further away from the bottom three.” Attackers Iliman Ndiaye, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dwight McNeil are all still out injured, while Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti are getting closer to a return.
Wolves host Everton at the unusual time of 8pm on Saturday, and will be without Matheus Cunha after the forward’s head-loss in the FA Cup tie at Bournemouth. Manager Vítor Pereira has backed his attacking talisman after the incident, saying: “He admitted the mistake … he is a good boy. It was a bad moment … [it] affects him, the club, the supporters. He has given a lot to us until now. It means that this is the moment to support him.”
Pereira called on fans to show “the spirit of the wolf” at Molineux, and will be boosted by positive injury updates from Emmanuel Agbadou, Marshall Munetsi, Gonçalo Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. “I’m very happy and positive for this game,” Pereira added, possibly before howling at the moon.
Speaking of that Leverkusen defeat, I enjoyed this quote from Granit Xhaka after the game. Defender Nordi Mukiele was sent off with the visitors 2-0 down and Xhaka – who has some history in this department – was not exactly supportive of his teammate afterwards.
“Despite going behind, we were well in the game and then we got a stupid red card, which was totally unnecessary,” Xhaka said. “It was so far from the goal. The frustration is huge. I need to take a deep breath before I say something foul.”
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In the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen are back in action after a chastening 3-0 first-leg Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich. The defending champions host Werder Bremen, and are eight points behind Bayern in the league despite losing just one match this season.
“The mood today is better than yesterday,” said manager Xabi Alonso. “Today was our first and last training session in preparation for tomorrow. We’re used to switching between the Champions League and Bundesliga, so it shouldn’t be a problem for us. We need more energy and more clarity for this second leg.”
Leverkusen host Bayern in the return leg on Tuesday. Vincent Kompany’s side host struggling Bochum on Saturday. Mainz could climb to third with a win at Mönchengladbach tonight, while Freiburg host Leipzig tomorrow in a battle between Champions League contenders.
It’s been five years since Brentford fans said goodbye to Griffin Park – and Thomas Frank has talked up the impact of the club’s move to their new Gtech Stadium.
“For any club, when you move into a new stadium, it will create bigger revenue through sponsors and fans and so on, and that’s important,” said Frank, who has been in charge of Brentford for their entire time at the new ground.
“But, also, a new stadium just gives you something, it lifted, and we needed that. Griffin Park was fantastic, it was our home, but we needed a more modern stadium and the Gtech has been great.” Aston Villa are the visitors on Saturday evening, looking to improve an away record of just four wins in 13 games.
Liverpool fans will have Paris injury claims heard in UK
Liverpool fans affected by the chaos surrounding the 2022 Champions League final in Paris have the right to have their personal injury claims heard in the UK, a judge has ruled, after an attempt by European football’s governing body to block it.
A number of supporters were hurt outside the Stade de France in Saint-Denis during overcrowding before their club played against Real Madrid in the men’s final of the European competition on 28 May 2022.
A judge on Friday dismissed Uefa’s argument that personal injury claims should not be heard in Liverpool, which revolve around claims the governing body failed to ensure a safe environment for those watching the game, which Liverpool went on to lose 1-0.
Today’s Football Daily on Manchester United v Arsenal … by me.
In the other quarter-finals, Hearts host Dundee tonight while Aberdeen host the conquerors of Rangers, Queen’s Park, on Saturday afternoon. Another second-tier side, Livingston, host St Johnstone on Monday night – although I’m very disappointed that their stadium is no longer called the Tony Macaroni Arena.
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It’s Scottish Cup weekend in, well, Scotland – with Celtic hosting Hibernian in the quarter-finals. The visitors will bring the largest away contingent to Celtic Park since 2018, with 7,000 fans making the trip – and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is glad to have them in the house.
“I just think it’ll be fantastic,” Rodgers said. “You can’t dismiss what it means to have away supporters in your ground, because that creates the atmosphere, that creates the rivalry. That passion … will roll onto the pitch, I’m pretty sure, and create for a great atmosphere.”
Rodgers also had a dig at old rival José Mourinho, who had talked up his chances of managing Celtic or Rangers – before his Fenerbahce side lost limply to the latter in Thursday’s Europa League first-leg tie.
“Well, I’ve heard he’s taking my job,” Rodgers joked. “Listen, he’s a great man. You guys would love him up here. Plenty of headlines for you … he’s good value, José, and obviously a top manager.”
Speaking of Aston Villa, Unai Emery has said that the club’s league position remains his priority, even as the Champions League quarter-finals roar into view.
“The Premier League is the most important for us, always,” Emery said. “The first day I was sending the same message, and until the last day in the Premier League, the message is the same. Our challenge is to compete in different competitions … and try to get our performances collectively and individually.”
Villa go to Brentford on Saturday and can call on Andrés García and Donyell Malen, who are both ineligible for the Champions League. Amadou Onana is close to a return from a hamstring injury but Ross Barkley remains sidelined. Emery added that Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash – who both came off the bench against Club Brugge – are “closer to playing more.” PA Media
Manchester City's Aké out for 10-11 weeks
The Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is expected to be out for up to 11 weeks following foot surgery, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed. The centre-back went off at half-time in the FA Cup victory over Plymouth and has undergone an operation to repair a fracture.
“Ten weeks, 11 weeks [out], they said to me. When you go for surgery it’s because something wrong happened,” Guardiola said. “But the important thing is it is done. He has struggled a lot this season with the problems in his feet. It happens.”
John Stones and Manuel Akanji are already set to miss most of the rest of the season with thigh and groin problems respectively, and Aké now appears unlikely to return to full fitness before the end of the campaign. The FA Cup aside, City’s main target for the rest of this season is to secure a Champions League place.
City, currently fourth, visit third-placed Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s early kick-off. The battle behind them is tight, with Aston Villa 10th but just five points behind Guardiola’s side. “It will not be the end of the world if we’re not going to qualify for the Champions League,” the City manager insisted. “[Our] position is not ideal, but it’s not too bad. It’s in our hands and we’re going to fight for that.”
The other three quarter-finals also feature WSL top-four sides at home – Manchester United face second-tier Sunderland tonight, before Arsenal host Liverpool and Chelsea entertain Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Women’s FA Cup reaches the quarter-final stage this weekend, with Manchester City hosting Aston Villa on Sunday. The City manager, Gareth Taylor, has been up in front of the press pack today after his side lost more ground in the WSL title race with a 1-1 draw at West Ham in midweek.
“It was tough to take but there were a lot of positives, particularly with the personnel we had,” says Taylor of that result. “Having Bunny [Shaw] and Viv [Miedema] back certainly helps. It’s an important game on Sunday, trying to take another step in the competition.”
Roberts has served one game of his ban already – Tuesday’s 2-0 home defeat to Bristol City – but will not be available again until the trip to Sheffield United on 8 April. Lukas Jensen has been Millwall’s first-choice keeper in the Championship this season, with Roberts making just two league starts.
Millwall have said they are “disappointed with the outcome, but respects the process that has been undertaken.” In addition, Roberts has released a statement via the club, saying he is “devastated by what happened.”
“As the dust settles, I want to address what has been a really difficult week for all concerned, including my family and I. Firstly, to Jean-Philippe, who I continue to send my best wishes to in his recovery. As soon as I could, I reached out to Jean-Philippe personally to apologise, and I was thankful to hear back from him that evening that he was OK and reassured me not to worry.
“I am devastated by what happened. I unequivocally accept the red card as awarded and accept my punishment. Furthermore, it has been extremely unpleasant to observe suggestions that I intended to harm a fellow professional. I have categorically never stepped onto a football pitch with the intention of hurting anyone.
“Misleading articles and comments have resulted in an unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats towards my family and I. To the footballing community who know me and reached out with support through this tough time, thank you, I appreciate every single message.”
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Millwall keeper Liam Roberts banned for six games
Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts has had his three-game ban extended to six games by the FA. Roberts was sent off for his challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup fifth-round win last Saturday. The Palace striker required 25 stitches to his ear, but is expected to return for the quarter-final against Fulham in late March.
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Thanks David. Niall here, starting with some breaking news …
And after that brief stint, I’ll hand over to Niall McVeigh for the rest of the afternoon.
I’ll leave on a Bournemouth email from Peter Crosby in New York: “Hey David. In lieu of the new Football Manager being released I have been playing the FM24 mobile game which is highly entertaining. In my reign as Bournemouth manager, only one other manager has come close to toppling our vice-like grip on Premier League domination in 2028: Spurs manager Cristiano Ronaldo. ManU should get him in now while they can.”
Bournemouth: Cherries boss Andoni Iraola says Ryan Christie may need surgery in the summer to solve a chronic groin problem. The Scottish international has made 24 Premier League starts this weekend and been a key figure in helping Bournemouth move up to seventh place and challenge for European qualification.
“Ryan’s (injury) is something chronic. He’s dealing with some pain and I think it’s a situation that we will have to manage day by day,” said Iraola. “I’m not ruling him out. I trust Ryan a lot. He knows his body. Sometimes he’s feeling OK and he trains and says, ‘I’ll give it a go’, sometimes he’s in some pain.
“So it’s not an easy situation to deal with during the season. Probably he needs some rest, but obviously he wants to continue playing. We will continue to deal with it. We are probably thinking about surgery or something like this and it’s better for everyone if it’s in the summer.
“But I’m not Ryan Christie and he has to see how he feels, if he can play or can’t play, decisions with the doctor, but he’s pretty good at managing it.”
In other team news for Sunday’s trip to Tottenham, defender Illia Zabarnyi completes the final game of his three-match ban, while Enes Unal, Marcos Senesi and Adam Smith remain unavailable.
More Manchester United: Back to those Opta stats and here’s an eye-popping one.
“Manchester United are yet to win consecutive league games this season, with this their longest wait for back-to-back league victories since 1968-69 (games 32 and 33).”
What? Really? Not the current day bit, the 1968-69 bit. That can’t be right in the Best, Law and Charlton era, can it? I mean, they’d just won the European Cup. Well, I’ve checked and the stat is correct. It took until back-to-back wins over QPR and Sheffield Wednesday in March 1969 before Matt Busby’s side won consecutive league games that season. They finished 11th (W15, D12, L15) although, as holders, reached the semi-finals of the European Cup, losing 2-1 on aggregate to AC Milan. At the end of the season, Busby stepped down as manager after 24 years in charge. Best scored 19 in the league while Law fired in 30 goals in all comps. Charlton’s 70th-minute strike was the only goal in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final at Old Trafford but United had lost the first leg 2-0 in Milan, the Italians boasting a certain Giovanni Trapattoni in their ranks.
Kieran McKintosh emails in: “Nothing shows the decline of Manchester United quite like the definition of a big character for the club going from Ronaldo in the 2000s (justified) to Ronaldo again in the 2020s (not as justified) to Casemiro (er...when did he last score? Or assist?)
“Wonder how Ten Hag is doing right now. Probably enjoying himself and laughing out loud whenever he checks latest match results.”
Liverpool: Some stats, courtesy of Opta, on just how good the Reds and Mo Salah have been this season.
Liverpool have scored at least twice in 25 of their Premier League games this season, at least 10 more than any other side. It’s the highest percentage of games (89%) any team has scored multiple goals across a single campaign in the competition.
Mohamed Salah has scored or assisted a goal in 12 of Liverpool’s 13 Premier League games at Anfield this season, including each of his last 11 in a row since the Reds’ only league defeat of the season so far against Nottingham Forest in September. Only two different players have ever had a longer run of goal involvements in home games within a single Premier League season: Alan Shearer twice (13 in 1995-96, 15 in 1996-97) and Thierry Henry (12 in 2002-03).
That Casemiro eh. I guess being your club’s highest-paid player kind of gives you a cloak of confidence and invincibility.
Talking about Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad, the Brazilian roared: “I’m happy with my game in particular, but the result could have been a little better.”
And as for the speculation about his future: “It’s too soon to talk about next season, but of course I have another year of contract and then an option. We have important games, and on Sunday we have Arsenal. It’s too soon to talk about next season.
“I’m here, I’m available, with total happiness, and I’m ready for the coach and the club. As everyone knows, I’m a big character for the club.”
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Thanks Stu. Hopefully I can have the same impact as Harvey Elliott. Although I very much doubt it.
Talking of that PSG game - now officially the biggest smash and grab in the history of football despite it being fairly easy to think of plenty of others – the French outfit return to domestic action with a trip to Rennes this weekend. Like Liverpool, PSG have a 13-point lead at the top. But, unlike the Reds’ weekend foes, Southampton, their opponents, Rennes, are half decent. Well, at home anyway. Only three sides have won more on their own patch then Jorge Sampaoli’s side. Pencil it in for a 3-0 PSG win then.
Time for me to toddle … spinning around while clapping all four stands. David Tindall is the man on the touchline wondering how long I can drag this out for before he can actually make it on to the park and get cracking. May the afternoon, evening and weekend treat you all well.
More Palace: While Roberts awaits word on whether an automatic three-game ban for his red card will be extended by the FA, Glasner said: “It’s their decision. They have rules and they will decide. I know the goalkeeper apologised to JP, he texted him. For me, the game has gone, his action has gone.
“I’m pleased that it’s not the worst that we thought it could be during the game.”
Glasner hopes Mateta can return for late-March FA Cup tie
Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner provided an update on the stricken Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was the unfortunate recipient of a clubbing boot to the head courtesy of Millwall keeper Liam Roberts last Saturday.
“He won’t play tomorrow, but is doing well and recovering at home,” the Austrian manager said. “Fortunately, he had no fractures and no concussion. It was a huge wound which was stitched but healing is going like we expected and hoped.”
As for the squad’s forthcoming training camp, Glasner added: “He will go with us to Marbella next week to train individually. If everything goes how we wish then he should be available for the Fulham game.
“His mother came from France so he’s in the best hands – he has great support at home. When he goes to Marbella, he’ll be also in good hands again and then hopefully he’ll start training with us again.”
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More Arsenal: Arteta will oversee his 200th Premier League game on Sunday – he has amassed 118 victories in that time. What chance another 200? “It’s gone fast! I have a lot of energy still and I’m very driven to have more success,” Arteta said. As for the immediate future: “Win on Sunday – that’s what happens in this industry. We try out best.”
Quite aside from the disparity in trophy tally, he will lag behind Arsène Wenger in the stats for a while yet – between 1996-2018 the Frenchman racked up 828 matches in charge.
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Arsenal: Mikel Arteta has been merrily lobbing morsels into the media Sarlacc pit. He reflected on a “great night” on the road as his side tonked PSV Eindhoven 7-1 on Tuesday: “The manner – the way we did it – lifted everybody … but that is the past unfortunately.”
He also opened up on the decision to withdraw emerging card magnet Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 35th minute, after the 18-year-old had received a yellow in the 24th. “We didn’t want to take any risks and learn from that experience of managing the game for so long, especially with how important the Champions League is.
“It’s a lesson for Lewis-Skelly to learn. We will support and help him. The line is really thin in sport, and he needs to understand that. He is very intelligent, he’s extremely demanding of himself … a perfectionist. He’s got a great environment around him to learn, and he will.”
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Amorim: 'I will not have the time Arteta had'
Manchester United: Ruben Amorim views Mikel Arteta’s rebuild of Arsenal as an inspiration but does not believe he will be granted the same time to reverse Manchester United’s fortunes.
Arteta took over Arsenal in December 2019 with the club 10th. That season he led them to the FA Cup and eighth but came under pressure the following term, the team slipping towards the relegation zone before again finishing eighth.
Amorim was asked whether his role was similar to the challenge Arteta had faced. “I don’t feel that,” he said. “I will not have the time Arteta had – I feel that. It’s a different club. So we just need to survive with the players [available] on Sunday. I think it’s a different club – in that aspect, the way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody but I will not have the time like Arteta had.”
Much more here …
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Maresca unconcerned about 'fantastic' Palmer's goal drought
More Chelsea: Maresca has also been asked about Cole Palmer’s goal drought. The forward has 14 league goals this season but has gone without in his past eight outings.
“When you score a goal you are more happy because your goals help the team to win. But overall Cole is fine, he’s happy.
“He knows he’s struggled to score goals in this moment but that it’s something normal that during the season can happen. Watching him during the training session you don’t think it’s affecting him, he’s fantastic.”
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Russo backs Slegers in search for new run of Arsenal success
Arsenal women: Alessia Russo is clearly impressed with the impact Renée Slegers has made at the club, having been upgraded from caretaker to permanent manager in January. The Gunners are the most successful women’s team in English football but have only won two League Cups in the past five years.
However, they are targeting more silverware this season as they face Liverpool in the quarter-final of the FA Cup on Sunday before taking on Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League last eight later this month.
Russo said: “I’ve been loving playing under her. Renée has been great ever since she stepped in. The transition to her joining was smooth, and she sets the standard really high for us as players. You can see that with our performances and how we’re winning as well. We’re winning games in different types of ways which is important as a team, especially at this stage of the season.
“I’m really enjoying my time under her and feel we’re really growing as a team. Arsenal is all about winning and I want to be a part of that … I’ve not won a whole lot in my career yet, but hopefully we’ll go on to win lots more.” PA Media
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More Silva: The Fulham manager is one of five nominees for Premier League manager of the month, alongside Oliver Glasner, David Moyes, Ange Postecoglou and Arne Slot.
Asked about being in the running for the award, Silva said: “What gave me more satisfaction is that the team reacted really well after a very good end of November and December. The load of the games was very big, and January as a month was not the best. For me to be there means that the team did well in February. For me, that is the most important thing. The reaction from the team has been really good. We have been performing well.”
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Elsewhere in south-west London … Fulham again: Marco Silva feels his side’s impressive away form will be tested when they head to Brighton against a team on an “incredible” run.
The Cottagers have not lost a Premier League fixture against Brighton since Silva took charge in the summer of 2021, with four wins out of five matches. They have also only failed to win only one of their last nine away games – a run of five wins, three draws and a 3-2 defeat at West Ham.
Silva still cautioned against complacency. “It [our record against Brighton] gives us confidence, definitely, but all those games were really difficult because they are a really good side,” Silva said. “They always create a lot of problems, a really offensive side that is always playing with two strikers, the wide players are really quick, and it is always difficult to play against them.
“They have been on an incredible run of results as well after the heavy [7-0] defeat against Nottingham Forest, they reacted really well.”
More Chelsea: The club’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League have been boosted by players returning from injury. Roméo Lavia is training after a hamstring injury and could be on the bench against Leicester. Lavia provides Maresca with another option in midfield. Reece James also impressed in the middle during Chelsea’s victory in the first leg of their last-16 tie against Copenhagen in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
Maresca, who left Leicester after guiding them to promotion last season, urged Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to remain patient about his lack of football. Dewsbury-Hall has been a bit-part player since leaving Leicester last season but the versatile midfielder made a rare start against Copenhagen.
“At the beginning he struggled a little to accept that he was not playing many games,” Maresca said. Now, probably after a while, he has realised that he has to be calm, he has to understand. At this moment he’s much better. He played an important game tonight from the start. That shows that I really trust Kiernan.”
Maresca willing to risk Caicedo against Leicester
Chelsea: Enzo Maresca is prepared to risk Moisés Caicedo against Leicester … even though the Chelsea midfielder is a booking away from a suspension that would rule him out of games against Arsenal and Tottenham.
Caicedo has been vital this season and does not have an obvious replacement. The Ecuador international is on nine yellow cards and will serve a two-game ban if cautioned again.
Although Chelsea will be desperate to have Caicedo available when they visit Arsenal next weekend and host Spurs after the international break, Maresca is not planning to protect the 23-year-old by omitting him for the seemingly easier assignment of Sunday’s home game against Leicester.
“At this moment for us, it’s about winning games,” Maresca said. “We need to win games, so we cannot plan giving Moi a rest thinking that he can play Arsenal. We need to win against Leicester and then we need to focus on how we can beat Arsenal. It’s just game by game and we need our best players on the pitch.
“The position of Moises, if you see his background, last year he had 11 or 12 yellow cards, the year before the same, because he’s a midfielder. You are in the traffic. Sometimes you have to make some fouls. It’s normal. Hopefully, he can avoid that until the end.”
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Cheers Barry. Afternoon (GMT or adjacent) all. Some Chelsea news incoming to get this lunchtime stint rolling …
Handover: Stuart Goodwin is here to take up the cudgels o’news for the next while. Thanks for your time and company. Have a great weekend.
Postecoglou: "Vicario is one of the purest human beings"
Tottenham Hotspur: Ange Postecoglou took time during his press conference to stick up for Guglielmo Vicario after the Spurs goalkeeper got in a heated exchange with some travelling fans in the wake of Tottenham’s defeat at the hands of AZ Alkmaar last night.
“Vic is very, very passionate about this football club,” he said of the Italian. “He is very passionate about what we’re trying to do here and he wants to win and wants everyone on board with that. If people think there is one bad or vindictive bone in Vicario’s make up, they don’t know the man that I do.
“Vicario is one of the purest human beings you’d ever come across. Whatever he does, he thinks it’s best for the team, best for the football club because he really cares.”
Leicester City: Five points from safety and having taken just four points from the past 39 available, Leicester’s prospects of survival look bleak and going into Sunday’s match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Ruud van Nistelrooy was asked if his team’s games are becoming increasingly must-win.
“The approach and it always has been, is to get the maximum out of games and always plan to be able to win one way or the other,” he said. “If you can’t win, you want to protect the result. In the end it depends how the game goes. In that sense it’s a similar approach for Sunday to all the other games.”
Van Nistelrooy was also asked if the fact that his players had a full week to prepare for this game against a Chelsea team that played in Copenhagen last night would give Leicester any sort of advantage.
“You have to take advantage of this time,” he said. “We had five sessions, five days together here including today and tomorrow, to prepare for the game. Those seconds, every second we use, we’ve always done that to work with the team.
“Of course you have to recover from a bad result and rise again but this team is capable of doing it. We are not the only team in this situation where we have to deal with loss after loss, more teams are doing that around us so we have to make sure we are ready for Sunday.”
Fulham: The Cottagers have won four of their past six away games but travel to Brighton tomorrow to face a team that has won five games in a row. “They always create a lot of problems,” he said of Fabian Hurzeler’s side. “A really offensive side that is always playing with two strikers, the wide players are really quick, and it is always difficult to play against them.
“They have been on an incredible run of results as well after the heavy defeat against Nottingham Forest, they reacted really well. Our away form has been top as well so far, and it is going to be a really good game, in my opinion. It is always good when you have a very good record. The reality is that it gives us and our fans the confidence that we can repeat again, and let us hope we can get a good result.”
Fulham will be without midfielder Sasa Lukic, who is banned for two games after accumulating 10 yellow cards in the Premier League this season. Adama Traore is a also doubt with an ankle injury he picked up in Fulham’s FA Cup win over Manchester United last weekend.
Romero and Van de Ven in line for Spurs return
Tottenham Hotspur: In better news for Spurs fans, Postecoglou revealed that long-term absentees Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven could feature against Bournemouth on Sunday.
“They are a chance,” he said. “To be honest, when I saw the pitch the night before I pretty much made up my mind I wasn’t going to risk them last night. It wasn’t a great pitch, it was steady under foot and was a game where I didn’t need to kind of expose them. A couple of extra days of fitness, training and recovery, hopefully both will be in line to feature.”
Tottenham Hotspur: Ange Postecoglou has been picking over the bones of his team’s dismal performance in defeat in the first leg of their Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar last night.
““I don’t think last night was a matter of individuals,” he said. “I thought as a collective, we just weren’t anywhere near the levels we had to be. It’s tough playing away in Europe, we knew that. The crowd create a really good atmosphere for the home side, they got the goal which gave them some momentum.
“Last night was not about individuals. It’s about the collective, we were nowhere near the level we had to be.”
Spurs host Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon and while his team has little or nothing to play for in the league, Postecoglou feels his team need another match before the return leg against their Dutch opponents next Thursday.
“We definitely need another game to get the squad to get to where we need it to get to,” he said. “Giving us the opportunity to get more game time to certain guys. Last night’s disappointment, the best way to sort of put that to one side is to perform at the weekend.
“Our league form hasn’t been too bad over the last recent period and we want to continue that. The Europa League is massive emphasis for us. We still have a massive desire to move up the table and we get that opportunity on Sunday.”
World Cup 2026: Experts warn that cooling breaks and later kickoff times may be needed to cope with scorching temperatures when North America hosts the tournament. Leander Schaelaeckens reports …
Everton: David Moyes’ side play Wolves at Molineux tomorrow in a match that kicks off at 8pm. Like many others, the Scot is of a mind that Saturday night kick-off times are not everyone’s cup of tea or bottle of Rioja.
“I’m normally a bottle of red wine down by that time on a Saturday!” he said. “If you’re a traditionalist then you probably don’t see 8pm on a Saturday night as a good kick-off time but it’s the way it’s going and I think football clubs are signing up to it due to the money that is coming in from the broadcasters. We have to go with it even if it will ruin some people’s Saturday night out.”
Everton are unbeaten on the road since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche and he was asked about their away form. “Maybe the secret is that we’ve had more home games than away games,” he said. “I have to say that our run of games - we’ve had quite a few home games and Goodison at the moment is special.
“I have to say that we’ve been away to Brighton, Crystal Palace and Brentford and the players have done a really good job. We have to try and keep it going, keep improving and making progress. The players have done a remarkable job in the last five or six weeks but I’m not thinking we’re safe, that’s for sure. We have to keep getting points.”
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Slot: Liverpool 'really lucky' at PSG
Liverpool: During Arne Slot’s press conference , talk inevitably turned to Liverpool’s rather fortuitous victory over PSG on Wednesday night and Alisson’s heroics in goal for Liverpool in Paris. The Liverpool manager was happy to concede his team had been lucky.
“I would say we weren’t a little bit lucky, we were really lucky but as Michael Jordan once said ‘the harder you work the more luck you have’ and this is the biggest compliment you have to give the players,” he said. “They have worked incredibly hard and I think the second half we didn’t control ball possession, not the dominant team at all but we controlled them better than in the first half.”
Asked what it is about Alisson that makes the Brazilian so special, Slot had this to say: “Saving shots! No, I think to become the best goalkeeper in the world you sometimes need to make saves others wouldn’t make. I think he made one or two on Wednesday. He had two world-class saves in big moments for us.”
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Newcastle United: As well as revealing that Sven Botman is facing an extended spell on the sidelines, Eddie Howe explained why Newcastle did not appeal against the red card that Anthony Gordon was shown for shoving Brighton defender Jean Paul van Hecke in the back of the head towards the end of last weekend’s FA Cup defeat at the hands of Brighton.
The winger’’s impetuousness means he will miss Newcastle’s next three games, including the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley next weekend. In short, Howe said he didn’t think there was any point in lodging an appeal as the club felt it would almost certainly be unsuccessful.
“It’s always a discussion point and we discussed it with the respective people we needed to discuss it with - lawyers etc - and we felt there wasn’t sufficient grounds to do that,” he said. “There was no intention from Anthony. He didn’t mean to hurt anybody. But, you have to look at it and ask if there is any chance of being successful and if there is no chance then what is the point of appealing and Anthony understands that.”
Liverpool: Following their midweek Champions League smash-and-grab against Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool take on Southampton tomorrow in a match where Arne Slot is expected to rotate his squad in order to keep his heavy artillery fresh for the visit of PSG next week. Unsurprisingly, it was a subject that was discussed at the Dutchman’s press conference.
“For me the one against Southampton is by far the most important, not only because it’s the first one we play but it is a very important one for us,” he said. “If I make the choice to play other players that is because I think that’s the biggest chance to win the game tomorrow and not because I want to rest them for the game against PSG.”
Hmmm …
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Brighton: Fabian Hurzeler’s side have won five games in a row in all competitions, with three of those victories coming in the top flight. They host Fulham tomorrow and in the build-up to the game, the German was asked about his side’s chances of qualifying for a place in next season’s Champions League. Brighton currently sit three points off fifth place, with Fulham just a point behind them.
“It’s very important we focus on our journey and that we really believe in it,” he told reporters. “Yesterday I received a picture from a mountain. In a mountain you always have new peaks, new peaks you have to climb. That’s the goal for us we have to climb new peaks.”
His appetite for Alpine analogies sated, Hurzeler went on to reveal that Kaoru Mitoma will be fit for tomorrow’s game after recovering from cramp, while he has no other injury concerns.
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Sven Botman to miss Carabao Cup final
Newcastle United: With Anthony Gordon about to begin a three-match ban and Lewis Hall ruled out for the rest of the season, Eddie Howe has revealed that Sven Botman is facing eight weeks out with a knee injury. Newcastle travel to West Ham on Monday night and have an appointment with Liverpool at Wembley for next weekend’s Carabao Cup final, with Gordon, Hall and Botman all due to miss out.
“With Sven we have been trying to get him close to full fitness and he was actually very close for the Brighton game, but the day before he felt the same problem in his knee,” he said. “That meant a reset and we still hoped he could come back but this week again he felt the same discomfort so now it looks like he will have to have an operation. We hope he will be back in around eight weeks.”
Ipswich Town: Five points from safety, Kieran McKenna’s side travel to in-form Crystal Palace tomorrow hoping to close the five-point gap between themselves and a Wolves side who have lost Matheus Cunha, their best player, to at least four games through suspension. Despite the very real threat of relegation hanging over his side, Kieran McKenna has said he is not prepared to abandon his principles.
“If you stay consistent in your behaviour, in our processes, driving the culture here, I think that builds a trust between the group,” he said. “Of course the later you get towards the end of the season, because there’s less games ahead, the results feel more important. But the best way we believe to get the points is to focus on performances and to try and perform as well as you can with whatever the game plan is in that particular game.
“There’s no game in the Premier League that is going to be anything less than competitive. If we can do a lot of things well then we’ll make the games competitive and Crystal Palace are a very strong side, they have certainly improved as the season has gone on.”
Southampton: With the teams separated by 52 points, Southampton face a daunting weekend trip to Anfield, where nobody gives the Premier League’s bottom side a snowball’s chance in hell of adding to their tally of nine points against the table-toppers.
While Ivan Juric could be forgiven for whimpering in fear behind the sofa, the Saints boss fronted up at his press conference to declare his side – who have already given Liverpool a decent run for their money on two separate occasions this season – will try to give a good account of themselves.
“It’s never mission impossible,” he told reporters. “We will try to do our best and we will see. Before the match, I’m always optimistic and then after maybe I think differently. But before the match, I always see the possibility of doing something good.
“When you play against Liverpool, sometimes it’s the way you want to die. If you do some things, they will find another way to beat you. If you are low block, they will find a way to beat you. I think we have to be perfect in both things. Sometimes press, sometimes low block. We will see. We have to play well.”
Football finance: The Premier League’s financial power continues to blow its European rivals out of the water, with combined revenues almost double those in Germany and Spain according to newly released figures from Uefa. Nick Ames has the latest …
Tottenham Hotspur: Guglielmo Vicario has said he “understands the frustration of the fans” after the Tottenham goalkeeper was involved in an emotional exchange following his side’s 1-0 defeat at AZ in the first leg of their Europa League tie. Ed Aarons reports from Alkmaar …
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Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo’s side welcome Manchester City for tomorrow’s early kick-off having taken just one point from the last nine available in the Premier League. Forest sit third in the top flight but will be overtaken by City if they fail to beat them. The Forest manager has said he will treat tomorrow’s game against the Premier League champions the same way he would any other game.
“The approach is the same,” Nuno told reporters. “Nothing changes. You have to realise that you’re going to play a very, very good team, a team that has been able to clearly dominate in the last years, a coach that has a big impact on the game and fantastic players.
“But it’s the same approach. It’s realising how hard it’s going to be, but at the same time with the joy of the moment. It’s going to be even more difficult than it was before [at the Etihad, where Forest lost 3-0].”
The Portuguese refused to be drawn on the reasons behind City’s decline this season and insisted Guardiola remains as influential as ever. “Pep is one of the coaches who has had a direct impact on the game,” he said. “His ideas and the way he approaches [his work] and tries to build his teams.
“He has a big impact and he’s contagious to older managers because they see new things and different things. We’ve faced each other many times and it’s always about the players at the end of the day, the ability of the players to make the manager’s ideas work.”
Premier League fixtures
Nottingham Forest v Man City (Sat 12.30pm GMT)
Liverpool v Southampton (3pm)
Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town (3pm)
Brighton v Fulham (3pm)
Brentford v Aston Villa (5.30pm)
Wolves v Everton (8pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth (Sunday 2pm)
Chelsea v Leicester (2pm)
Manchester United v Arsenal (4.30pm)
West Ham v Newcastle (Monday 8pm)
FC Copenhagen 1-2 Chelsea
Europa Conference League: Reece James and Enzo Fernandez papered over the cracks of a poor Chelsea performance as Enzo Maresca’s side assumed control of the tie in Denmark. Jacob Steinberg reports from Parken …
Fenerbahce 1-3 Rangers
Europa League: Vaclav Cerny scored twice as Rangers interim boss Barry Ferguson led his side to a famous and emphatic victory over José Mourinho’s side in Istanbul. Jonathan Wilson reports from the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium
Real Sociedad 1-1 Manchester United
Europa League: Mikel Oyarzabal cancelled out Joshua Zirkzee’s opener, but a sensational Andre Onana save in added time means United will welcome their opponents from La Liga to Old Trafford on level terms next week. Sid Lowe reports from the Anoeta Stadium
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AZ 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Europa League: An abject display in which Tottenham fell behind to an early Lucas Bergvall own goal means Ange Postecoglou’s chances of maintaining his record of winning a second season trophy at every club he has managed now rest on next week’s second leg. Ed Aarons reports from the AZ Stadion …
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Preamble
Happy Friday! With another week of Premier League action looming, we’re here to bring you news from the usual Friday schedule of pre-match managerial press conferences.
As well as diligently reporting the answers to such probing questions as “any knocks?”, we’ll flag up any other major talking points and items of interest that crop up throughout the day, while gently nudging you in the direction of any pertinent and interesting Guardian content as it materialises.
To get the ball rolling, here are Ten Things our crack team of writers think you should be looking out for in the top flight this weekend …
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