That concludes today’s blog. And let’s close out with today’s Football Daily. Don’t forget to sign up to receive it.
Lionel Messi has apologised to Paris Saint-Germain and his teammates for taking an unauthorised two-day trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
The World Cup winner was suspended by PSG for two weeks, during which time he is banned from playing or training with the team and will have his pay docked, according to reports in France.
Mac Millings gets in touch: “As a Hornets supporter I know I’m biased, but I disagree about the signing of João Pedro being ‘leftfield’. He’s absolutely brilliant, probably the best player in the Championship. He’s got it all--strength, touch, tricks, composure, work rate, and a huge heart. I don’t know what his best attacking position is, because he’s so good at all of them. A thoroughly wonderful, thoroughly modern footballer.”
Joe Pearson: “Brighton do seem to know what they’re doing, as your own Jonathan Liew explored recently.”
The Watford striker has scored 11 goals in 35 matches this season. It looks a leftfield move but that’s what Brighton do and do well.
Technical director David Weir said, “Joao has been a long-term target of ours, and he has also attracted a lot of interest from across Europe.
“So, we are delighted to have reached an agreement with a key target for the club ahead of the summer window opening, and it is great for Joao that he can focus on the new season, with his immediate future settled.
“He’s a brilliant young talent, technically very good, quick and with an eye for goal. He will complement our existing forward line very well. He also has settled well here, with good experience of both the Premier League and Championship and more than 100 games for Watford.
“We are really looking forward to starting work with him in pre-season, here in the UK and when we travel to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series.”
There’s been a sickness in the West Ham camp but three players are back after feeling Tom and Dick as they say down the East End. Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Nayef Aguerd were absent for the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City after a sickness bug swept through the Hammers’ camp. But should be ready to face Manchester United.
All three played against Crystal Palace last week, to a fashion.
Per PA Media, Moyes revealed another couple of players have also come down with illness: “They’ve been in today and done a little bit of training. We are hoping all three will be available for the weekend. But we had one other player who was sent home this morning and another who said he didn’t feel so good. We’ve just got to hope we can contain it. It looks like it’s more like sickness and players are getting over it quite quickly.”
Frank Lampard’s been cracking funnies again.
Quite the story from Naples.
Vincenzo Costanzo, who was known to police and had a “significant” criminal record, was gunned down during the spontaneous street partying that took place across the city after Napoli were crowned champions.
He was the son of Maurizio Costanzo, convicted of mafia association and considered one of the bosses of the Camorra, the Neapolitan mafia, in the Ponticelli district, where a feud among clans is ongoing. During the incident, three other people were injured. According to police, the Costanzo died in hospital as a result of gunshot wounds.
And with that, I shall hand you back to John Brewin. Enjoy your weekend, and whatever games you may go to. And there’s plenty to pick from and nowt else to do after all. Bye.
The Borussia Dortmund coach, Edin Terzic, says Jude Bellingham hasn’t spoken to him about Real Madrid’s interest in the England midfielder, saying with a weary sigh: “Now the news [about Bellingham’s suitors] comes from Spain, before that England, before that even France at one point. And last year it was Erling [Haaland], the year before Jayden [Sancho] – we have had a lot of experience of that over the years.
I’ve not even heard from him [Bellingham] that he’s involved with another club, the rest are topics that have no place in the dressing room or the manager’s office, our only focus is on winning the league and having something in our hands at the end of the season.
Second-placed Dortmund host Wolfsburg on Sunday and this is how they stand.
Celtic can win another Scottish Premiership title if they beat Hearts on Sunday and Big Ange Postecoglou has implored his players to remain level-headed when they visit Tynecastle. “They’re human beings of course and they know what’s on the line so that tends to get them excited about the prospect of winning a title. But as much as there’s hype and excitemet it still comes down to us having a clear head and playing our natural game.”
Julen Lopetegui says Wolves need to be “very close to perfection” if they are to prevent Aston Villa from putting them back in relegation bother at Molineux tomorrow, reports PA Media.
Lopetegui, whose side were hammered 0-6 at Brighton last week, said: “It’s a match against a very good team. They have improved a lot from the first half of the season until now. They have a very clear idea and have developed, and after they have the quality to damage you in each moment.
“Above all, we have to put the focus on our strengths, be confident with our work and we have to be ready. I prefer to talk about us, our strengths, because we have to be confident in our energy, our strengths, and put the focus to be able to compete with them.”
Lopetegui hopes to have the defender Nelson Semedo at his disposal following his return to training.
While he’s in Greater Manchester this weekend, Sam Allardyce will also be managing a team of footballing legends to take on a celebrity side in a charity match in honour of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
All the money raised from Sunday’s “Manchester remembers” match, at Oldham’s Boundary Park, will support five charities set up in the aftermath of the bombing.
Peter Reid will manage the celebs team, which includes Callum Best, Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, Jay Kontzie and Joe-Warren Plant from Emmerdale and Love Island’s Dom Lever. The ex-players side features Dean Holden, Matt Le Tissier, Trevor Sinclair, Richie Wellens and Colin Hendry.
Kick off is 3pm and tickets and hospitality packages are available here.
Napoli’s title win might be the most popular title-win of Europe’s major leagues this season, so do we fancy some more Napoli title celebrations? Why not?
Jürgen Klopp’s been doing the old attempted reverse-jinx routine on Liverpool’s Champions League qualification hopes, saying he expects his team to miss out on a top-four place. “Other teams are in much better positions,” said the maanger. “As long as they win games, we have no chance and we have to keep teams behind us, which (for) not all of them we can do that. We have 59 (points), United has 63 so we can get 71 maximum. United needs for that eight points in five, (eight points) from 15. I think they will do that. They win three games of the rest and that is it for us.”
The EFL’s April manager of the month awards have been announced, and unsurprisingly they go to three promotion winners: Sheffield United’s Paul Heckingbottom gets the Championship gong, Kieran McKenna is rewarded for Ipswich’s unstoppable charge to sealing a top-two place in League One, and Steve Evans is League Two’s manager of the month for steering Stevenage over the line.
The Premier League hasn’t announced its April winner yet but the nominees are Unai Emery, Pep Guardiola, Roy Hodgson, Eddie Howe and Gary O’Neil. Worthy contenders all, though I’d quite like to see Mr Roy get it given Palace seemed congenitally incapable of winning for yonks before he showed up again.
Mikel Arteta has not ruled out William Saliba returning for Arsenal before the end of the season, though it might be too late to influence the title race by then.
“He’s feeling better every day but he’s not been able to have any activity around the first team so we don’t expect him to be with us [at Newcastle]. “It’s about the healing process; pain-wise and the things he can do off the pitch he’s in a good place, but we have to build that capacity with the right load so that he’s able to contribute to the team.” Pushed on whether it was time to accept Saliba was out for the season, he added: “We are not there yet because we’re always hopeful and the players are pushing to play. If that’s the case we’ll announce it, but hopefully not.”
A little snippet from David Moyes’s presser before West Ham’s game against Manchester United. The former United manager praised the current incumbent, Erik ten Hag, for doing “a very good job. He’s got Manchester United closer to where they want to be. They’re a very good team with brilliant players but we had to play another really good team the other week, Arsenal, and did very well.” Moyes also professed himself “really pleased” Big Sam’s back in the game, at Leeds, being “a terrific football man well versed in the Premier League. I wish him well but I hope it’s not at the expense of ourselves.”
Now to the world’s most well-funded “crisis” club, Paris Saint-Germain, and this from Reuters on Chrisophe Galtier’s media conference:
“The Paris Saint-Germain manager, Christophe Galtier, said he had nothing to do with the club’s decision to suspend Lionel Messi while he also condemned the Ligue 1 side’s fans for staging protests outside Neymar’s house.
French media reported that Messi was suspended for two weeks after an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia when he was supposed to train with his team following their 3-1 defeat at home to Lorient in the league on Sunday.
Messi has received a formal offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal next season, a source close to Argentina’s captain told Reuters, with a contract renewal at PSG not on the cards for the World Cup winner who turns 36 next month.“I was informed by the board at the start of the week of the decision to suspend Messi. When I was informed, I had the responsibility of not commenting on it,” Galtier told a press conference ahead of Sunday’s game at Troyes.
“I’m employed by the club and that is my role... The decision was nothing to do with me. I was informed of the decision. Leo’s suspension has added to poor performances, we can’t hide behind that … I can’t say it has been a pleasant period. There’s a target to achieve, players are working hard. We are focused and committed.”
PSG lead the standings but last weekend’s loss has reduced the advantage over second-placed Marseille to five points with five games left this season. PSG’s dip in form this year, especially after they were knocked out of the Champions League in the last-16 in early March, has been a cause for concern for supporters, with fans protesting outside Neymar’s home this week chanting for him to leave.
The Brazilian has been ruled out for the rest of the season after ankle surgery in March but Galtier declined to comment on whether the forward would be at the club next season.
PSG condemned the fans’ actions while Galtier said it was unacceptable for supporters to protest outside a player’s house. Regarding the protests in front of a player’s home, we have to be careful with that. Private life must remain private,” he said.
“I can understand the anger, the disappointment of our fans. You may protest at the training ground or at the PSG office or after a match at the Parc des Princes. But I cannot accept it at anyone’s house - whether it’s Neymar or anyone else.”
Unai Emery is in an upbeat mood and has some of his walking wounded getting nearer to match-readiness. He told his pre-match presser that Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash have all returned to training this week, though he would be assessing them in the 24 hours before kick-off before deciding what role, if any, they might have for Aston Villa’s game at Wolves tomorrow afternoon.
The Villa manager said Wolves would be a difficult opponent, adding: “Tomorrow is a very important match and will give us a good opportunity to boost our Europa League chances but we know it’s the most difficult step; Brighton won yesterday, Liverpool are winning a lot of matches, we have to play Tottenham [on Saturday week]. But one monoth ago we were just thinking of a top-10 position.”
Thanks David. And I’ll start with a spot of news from Scotland, with the Rangers manager, Michael Beale, revealing that Ryan Kent and the mercurial Alfredo Morelos will not be offered new deals. And the Gers’ Bayern Munich loanee Malik Tillman will not play again this season after suffering hamstring-knack in the Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic. Beale is hopeful of securing a permanent deal for the midfielder though, Rangers having first option to buy him for around £5m, according to PA Media. “That [talk of a permanent deal] is all still on-going in the background as well,” Beale said. “Me and Malik are in a great place on a personal level. He’s been brilliant for the club and I think brilliant for me in my time here.”
And while we’re in that part of the world, another chance to re-up the Glaswegian football story of the weekend:
Righty, I’ll hand the blog baton to Tom Davies for a while.
Are Manchester United at risk of blowing their place in next season’s Champions League? Results like the 1-0 defeat at Brighton last night and shipping a 2-0 lead against Spurs are certainly fuelling the hopes of Liverpool fans. Erik ten Hag has no time for such chat though.
Tottenham will host a double-header featuring their men’s and women’s teams later this month. Spurs announced on Friday morning that their Women’s Super League clash at home to Reading had been moved forward a day and would now take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 20.
The WSL fixture will kick off at 4.15pm and be part of a first-ever double-header for the club, with the men’s team in Premier League action against Brentford in a 12.30pm kick-off earlier in the day. All supporters with tickets for Tottenham versus Brentford will be able to stay in the stadium to watch the women’s team later on the Saturday.
It will be a pivotal fixture in the bid to beat the drop for Vicky Jepson’s side with bottom-of-the-table Reading only three points off ninth-placed Spurs. (PA Media)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is speaking to the press and, first up, he gives an update on Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian midfielder was forced off with injury during his man-of-the-match display against Arsenal and missed the games/wins (same thing) against Fulham and West Ham.
Those Napoli title celebrations are bound to spark an endless stream of memes. This will take some beating.
Just to update you on the Liverpool kit… of course, it’s not for the golf day. That could be postponed actually given that LFC’s number one club swinger, James Milner, is off to Brighton. No, it’s the brand-new home kit for the 2023-24 season which pays homage to Bill Shankly’s final campaign in charge of the Reds 50 years ago.
“An iconic kit reimagined, it’s a classic design in bright Liverpool red with white contrast collar and cuffs inspired by Shankly’s 1973-74 squad of FA Cup winners,” says the club website.
In other Liverpool news, Jürgen Klopp is about to speak to the press ahead of the home game with Brentford on Saturday.
Corrections and clarifications. Christopher Duff writes in: “Re 12:20: err it ain’t Zadok the Priest mate, it’s the Champions League anthem and was composed by my next door neighbour! I once commented on its similarity to the Handel banger and was swiftly told that’s because it’s what they said they wanted. So there.”
Thanks Christopher. Our knowledge expands.
Does Gary O’Neil get the credit he deserves? Ben McAleer believes the Bournemouth manager’s feats this term should put him in the conversation for manager of the season. Agree?
Liverpool have revealed their kit for the annual end-of-season golf day at this year’s Open venue, Hoylake.
Newcastle v Arsenal has to be the game of the weekend. It seems a fair bet to expect goals.
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There have been at least four goals scored in each of Arsenal’s last seven Premier League games; only three teams have had longer such runs in the competition’s history – Liverpool (9 between Sep-Dec 2021), Manchester City (8 between May-Sep 2019) and Manchester United (8 between Mar-May 2000)
On the team news front. Allan Saint-Maximin could return for the first time since 5 April when doing his hamstring at West Ham. Midfielder Sean Longstaff is doubtful with the foot injury that kept him out of last weekend’s 3-1 win over Southampton.
Here’s Magpies boss Eddie Howe hoping that one line from this statement isn’t taken out of context. “Allan has trained. He trained yesterday – great to see him back on the grass – trained very well too, so really pleased with that. Sean is okay, he’s improved. He hasn’t trained yet, so we’re hoping either today or tomorrow he will, but we’ll wait and see.”
Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris will not play again this season due to the thigh injury he sustained in their 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle last month. Acting head coach Ryan Mason confirmed the news in Friday’s press conference.
“Hugo is out for the season. We have now had the results back. We did fear that. I can’t speak about next season but Hugo has got a very important role for us until the end of the season.”
What role could that be? Providing detailed half-time notes on the goals Spurs conceded in the first 15 minutes?
Thanks John. Let’s start with a nice story. Imagine being Steven Chicken this morning!
Here’s what Warnock said to Chicken after the win over Sheffield United that completed the dramatic rescue from relegation.
“Can I thank you Steven for picking the team? My team was different and then I read your column in the paper [Huddersfield Examiner] this morning and decided to go a little bit more defensive.”
And that’s enough from me at the moment. David Tindall takes the reins.
Brighton have been fast movers in the summer’s transfer window. James Milner adds experience to a midfield that also contains former Liverpool colleague Adam Lallana. And, depending on what happens this summer, Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
The Premier League/Coronation weekend started early, with Brighton pulling off a last-gasp, VAR win over Manchester United. Means the race to hear Zadok The Priest, as might be heard during the coronation tomorrow, in your stadium has heated up between United and Liverpool.
And fine quotes from Roberto De Zerbi, one of the stars of the season.
Take in some more of those Neapolitan celebrations.
More Big Sam, from the BBC. Some humility, too, when talking about Pep Guardiola.
We’ve always got on throughout the years he has been here. I have obviously met him at the LMA [League Managers Association] events and stuff like that, especially when he wins it [the manager of the year award]. I get a bit jealous then, but there you go.
He’s a great guy and his knowledge is fantastic, from what he has done and achieved. It’s great to be pitting your wits against coaches like him and in the Premier League in general. If you want to be a player or a coach or a physio or sports psychologist, the Premier League is the only place to be in this country.
Talking of Neymar, he’s been linked with a move to Newcastle at the wilder fringes of the transfer wibble community. And Eddie Howe was asked about it. Eddie Howe didn’t answer the question directly. It’s…on?
I’m not sure who we have been linked with. The transfer window is secondary at the moment. We are fighting for points in games and that consumes you so much.
Until we know where we stand in terms of next year it is difficult to predict. The games dictate what happens next year.
The transfer business is hugely important and I don’t underestimate it. There is work going into it, but you just have to get your priorities right at this stage in the season.
Who possibly could have foreseen that all would go wrong at PSG?
Keep your Erling Haaland, Everton will always have Dixie Dean. (And Middlesbrough will always have George Camsell.)
Another nine where this came from.
“How shit must you be, it’s only 2-0,” sang the travelling Tottenham support at Anfield last Sunday. Perhaps Liverpool were slighted because they quickly made it 3-0 in the 15th minute, seemingly ending the contest. Spurs fought back, equalising in stoppage-time before throwing it away at the end, but their dreadful start confirmed the re-emergence of a theme of their season. Previously, they had trailed 2-0 and 5-0 at half-time to Manchester United and Newcastle United respectively and, although they salvaged a point against the former, they have regularly played with fire by running on auto-pilot in the first half of matches, sometimes crashing. In their last 33 games in all competitions, Spurs have scored 12 first-half goals, which have been good for an interval lead on five occasions. Thirteen times during the sequence, they have been behind at the break. David Hytner
Finally – finally – Napoli were able to celebrate winning Serie A.
The club that once featured an A Ferguson as a player – amateurs were named in the fashion – may be headed to the top division in Scotland.
Wikpedia also tells us this: “Some of the Spiders’ support call themselves the “Irn Bru Firm” and the Spangle Army.”
Good to see Owen Coyle back and doing well, a man who got the “Barclays Premier League” text and ran with it.
Straight back into the swing of things and Sam Allardyce has been sounding off on life. the universe and Manchester City, Leeds’ opponents on Saturday. The big man is not for holding back.
On Pep: “I think he’s brilliant. He has done a huge amount for the Premier League since he’s been here, when you see what he has achieved. Of course, he has had great backing. The recruitment they have done has been spot on, but also his management style over the years has been fabulous.”
Being Big Sam: ““I have tried to make everybody feel better. I have had conversations with lads who have come into the office and wanted a chat. I have had lots of conversations on the training ground, nothing to do with football or coaching, just life in general. Just to see and find out the personality and try to have more lighthearted conversations, which gives you a better understanding of everybody.”
On Haaland: “It’s also supply. Stop the supply, stop the big man getting as many chances as he gets. But keep an eye on him at all times, particularly in the final third.”
Luke Shaw just made sure this all got a bit more interesting. The race for fourth is on, probably. But before that, the King’s Coronation places a slight delay in the schedule, with no Friday or Saturday lunchtime matches. Instead, at at 3pm, Manchester City v Leeds will break the TV blackout, while at the same time, Spurs v Crystal Palace offers potential for come Tottenham comedy, Wolves v Aston Villa is a Midlands special, with Julen Lopetegui’s team not quite safe. Liverpool v Brentford could see the Jürgen Klopp’s tricky reds close on Manchester United.
Sunday sees some wacky timing as the day kicks off in the Premier League doesn’t start until 4.30 when it’s Newcastle v Arsenal, followed by that ever friendly 7pm kick off for West Ham v Man Utd.
All that and a huge weekend in the Women’s Super League, plus titles to be chased in Germany, France and Spain now that Napoli have won the Scudetto.
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