Here are the latest Premier League headlines for Monday, April 25.
City duo doubtful
Kyle Walker and John Stones both remain doubtful for the first leg of Manchester City's Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid tomorrow night. Right-back Walker has missed City's last three games while centre-back Stones suffered a knock in the Premier League victory over Brighton last Wednesday.
The potential absence of the England pair means City could have significant defensive issues for the Etihad Stadium clash as their other first-choice full-back, Joao Cancelo, is suspended. Manager Pep Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference: "They are doubts. They didn't train. Kyle has not trained for the last week to 10 days and John not since Brighton.
"We'll have the training session. I don't know what will come out of it but let's see how they feel. I'll speak with them, see how they feel and take a decision."
READ MORE: Sean Longstaff's view of how much Eddie Howe has changed Newcastle United
Everton look for answers
Everton have contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Board with concerns over some of the refereeing in their 2-0 derby defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. The PA news agency report the club are unhappy that the second-half incident involving their forward Anthony Gordon, who had previously been booked for diving, and Liverpool defender Joel Matip was not given due consideration.
Referee Stuart Attwell decided no penalty should be awarded and VAR did not intervene as the game continued at 0-0. Manager Frank Lampard said after the game he felt it should have been a spot-kick - and that it would have been given at the other end for Liverpool - and that is the consensus within the Everton hierarchy.
Last month the club received an apology, following another official complaint, from PGMOL chief Mike Riley following the failure to award a handball against Rodri in the home defeat to Manchester City. On that occasion referee Paul Tierney was unsighted and the VAR, Chris Kavanagh, decided there was insufficient evidence to show the ball had hit the City midfielder on the arm despite television replays being fairly conclusive. Everton dropped into the relegation zone on Sunday and are now two points from safety.
Kane's Champions League target
Tottenham striker Harry Kane feels his side have to win all five of their remaining games to secure Champions League football next season. Spurs lost ground in the top four race on a damaging Saturday, as Arsenal beat Manchester United to move into fourth and then they were unable to beat Brentford.
That 0-0 draw in west London came a week after they were beaten 1-0 at home to Brighton and they are now outsiders in a race they looked to be in control of. Crucially, they still have Arsenal to play at home and that looks like being decisive, with other games against Leicester, Liverpool, Burnley and Norwich. Kane reckons 15 points could be needed if they are to get back into the top tier of European football.
"The last two especially, to only get one point from those two games is disappointing," Kane said. "We're running out of games in terms of dropping points. There are five games left and we feel like we are pretty much going to have to win all of them to get that spot. We are more than capable of doing that, we believe in that and that is what we'll try and do.
"If we win the last five games we will be in the Champions League so that is how we've got to look at it. We know those five games will be difficult, we go to Liverpool away as well which will be very tough. As we've seen this season we have dropped points against teams where we were probably expected to win and so have the others around us.
"It is by all means not done yet. We have to stay focused and keep working hard. We have a little gap now to prepare and work and hopefully we can put in a good performance against Leicester."
Saints support Tino
James Ward-Prowse says Southampton's players will give Tino Livramento all the support required to return "bigger, better and stronger" from his horror knee injury. England Under-21 defender Livramento received oxygen and was carried off on a stretcher after collapsing to the ground in the first half of Sunday's 2-2 Premier League draw at Brighton.
Saints are still waiting to discover the full extent of the problem, which manager Ralph Hasenhuttl described as appearing "very, very serious". Captain Ward-Prowse salvaged a point with a long-range double after the visitors had fallen 2-0 behind at the Amex Stadium and dedicated the equaliser to his stricken team-mate by making a T sign with his fingers.
"I think everybody was a little bit shook up and shocked from what we saw," Ward-Prowse told the club website. "Of course we don't know the extent of the injury at the moment but I think that moment spurred us on in the game and we wanted to get back in the game for him.
"When he joined the club in his first few weeks, he didn't say a single word to anyone and I was thinking, 'oh, come on'. But he's really come out of his shell. His performances have excelled everybody's expectations, I think. It's a real big shame but it's up to us now to get behind him and support him and give him everything he needs to come back bigger, better and stronger."
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