That is all from us today; thank you for tuning in! I leave you with Rob Smyth’s MBM of the Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest.
The talk: Liverpool’s troubled goalkeeping situation in spotlight as Newcastle manager fears for fitness of his England defender … all the top Premier League stories ahead of the weekend can be found below.
Southampton: Fifty years ago, the FA Cup was won by a team in the Second Division, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the 1976 final. That FA Cup win is still central to the city’s identity and this weekend, Southampton, will hope to reignite that spirit to topple another Manchester team in the semi-final.
World Cup 2026: The Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit out at the cost of tickets for this summer’s World Cup, saying that “football is for the fans”.
Fifa has been heavily criticised over its pricing policy for the tournament, with some seats for the final costing almost $11,000 (£8,100). Tickets have also appeared on Fifa’s resale portal for close to $2.3m.
Guardiola said: “I remember the World Cup years ago was a celebration of the joy of football for the nations there and everyone travelled from around the globe to see their country play there and it was affordable. Now, in modern times it is so expensive.
“But I’m not there so I don’t know the reason why. Hopefully they can think about it. Football is for the fans.
“Of course they have to think about sponsors and all this kind of stuff because otherwise it will not be sustainable, everybody knows it, but fans are the key for how this business can go on.”
Guardiola was speaking after praising City for their decision to freeze ticket prices. Manchester City announced that “in recognition of the extraordinary accumulated impact of the current cost-of-living pressures” their prices would be held at the same level for a third successive year.
Guardiola said: “Hats off to my chair and my CEO. This business doesn’t work without fans. The situation in the world is difficult and not increasing season tickets means a lot, for how special this club is and how good it is.”
Other clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool, are planning increases. “I don’t judge other clubs,” Guardiola said. “They can do whatever they want.”
Sunderland: The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel has ruled that the Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey should have been sent off for bringing down Cristian Romero during a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month.
The Spurs defender Romero suffered a season-ending injury as he collided with his team’s goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after Brobbey, already on a yellow card, pushed him in the second half.
The referee Rob Jones called the foul but chose not to show Brobbey a second yellow card, as Spurs suffered their seventh loss in eight league games to remain in the bottom three, with the threat of relegation looming.
The KMI panel voted 3-2 to rule that Jones had made a mistake, with the majority saying that the push was an “unnecessarily reckless action”.
Spurs, 18th in the table amid a 15-match winless streak in the league, visit bottom side Wolves on Saturday while Argentina’s Romero remains a doubt for this year’s World Cup.
World Cup 2026: Football fans with disabilities are struggling to buy companion tickets for World Cup games with some seats that had been assigned for caregivers appearing to be put on general sale.
The Guardian has uncovered significant issues with the World Cup ticket sales process for fans with disabilities, including:
Wheelchair users who have secured a match ticket being unable to buy an accompanying ticket for a caregiver
Companion seats being made available to buy in isolation, without proof of a prior wheelchair or accessible purchase, in stage four of Fifa’s sale process earlier this month
Wheelchair and accessible seating being priced higher than general admission tickets on Fifa’s official resale marketplace across a wide range of matches
An inability by Fifa to guarantee that fans who have bought companion tickets will be seated next to the wheelchair user they are accompanying
Read the full story from Matt Hughes below.
West Brom: The club have released the following statement in response to their two-point deduction.
Following a two-day hearing which concluded on 23 April 2026, the EFL’s Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) has published a decision which states that the Club has exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold for the three-year period ending 30 June 2025 and will therefore receive a two point deduction, effective immediately. At this stage, the CFRP has not published any written reasons for the decision. The Club disagrees with the CFRP’s findings and remains of the view that it has fully complied with the Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) Rules.
The decision does not state the amount by which the Club is said to have exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold. West Bromwich Albion has not been informed of the quantum of the breach, save that this is less than £2m. This is therefore the smallest ever breach of the P&S Rules across the EFL Championship and the Premier League.
Proceedings were brought by the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) following a change in the CFRU’s approach to Community Development Expenditure. In 2023/24, the CFRU accepted that the Club was entitled to include in-kind donations of the Club’s facilities, staff time and resources to its official charity partner, The Albion Foundation, in its P&S calculation. Earlier this year, the CFRU informed the club that it had changed its approach and imposed a retrospective adjustment to the Club’s P&S calculation.
Without the CFRU changing its approach to the Community Development Expenditure, the Club would not have breached the P&S Rules. The Club will continue to support the great work of The Albion Foundation and its community programmes.
West Bromwich Albion has a right of appeal and is considering its options. The Club will provide further comment once it has received the written reasons.
For now, we will settle this on the pitch.
West Brom: James Morrison’s side host second-place Ipswich Town on Saturday in the early kick-off. Their final game of the season on 2 May will be at the already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday.
West Brom have a better goal difference to Oxford United, who occupy the final relegation spot, with the Morrison’s side having scored six more goals this season. Matt Bloomfield’s side’s last two games are against Sheffield Wednesday at home, while they go to promotion-chasing Millwall on the final day.
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West Brom: Here is the EFL’s full statement.
In March 2026, the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) submitted a Compliance Report to the independent Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) in relation to an alleged breach of Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) Rules.
The report alleged that the Club had exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold of £39m over the three-year period ending in the 2024/25 season and recommended a two-point deduction in line with EFL sanctioning guidelines. The Club denied the allegations.
Following a hearing on 22 and 23 April and having considered the Compliance Report in full alongside the Club’s responses, the CFRP determined that the Club’s losses did exceed the Upper Loss Threshold and imposed a two-point deduction, effective immediately.
The sporting sanction has been applied to the Championship table for the 2025/26 season.
The Club may appeal the decision within 14 days of receipt of the full written reasons, as set out in Appendix 6 of the Regulations. If an appeal is lodged, the rules provide that it shall be heard within 28 days of submission.
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West Brom deducted two points for financial irregularities
The Championship club have incurred a two-point deduction for breaching EFL profit and sustainability rules. The penalty means they drop to 20th place in the Championship table, six points above the relegation zone with two matches left to play. Yara El-Shaboury will keep you up to date with the latest …
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WSL2: The former Ipswich Town men’s team defender David Wright has been appointed as the manager of Ipswich’s women’s team on a more permanent basis, having been in caretaker charge of the WSL2 side since January.
Wright has signed an undisclosed-length deal after steering the team three points clear of the relegation zone and seemingly on course for survival in their first season in the second tier, with two matches remaining this term.
Mark Ashton, the club’s chairman, said of Wright: “David has brought incredible knowledge and enthusiasm to the women’s team over the last few months and we are very pleased he will now become manager on a permanent basis. The results since the turn of the year have been excellent and have given us a real chance of finishing this season positively.”
Wright’s playing career also included spells at Crewe, Wigan Athletic and Crystal Palace.
Women’s Champions League: Renée Slegers gave an emotion-packed answer to a question about her journey alongside Arsenal’s forward Stina Blackstenius before their Champions League semi-final first leg against OL Lyonnes on Sunday. Slegers was a midfielder for Linköping when a 16-year-old Blackstenius was brought in by the Swedish club. Fourteen years on, Slegers is Blackstenius’s manager and the pair sat side by side in the pre-match press conference.
Slegers said: “It gives me goosebumps talking about this here with Stina now, partly because it brings me back to where I come from as well. I think the last year we played together was 2016 and we had been in the same team for four years. Looking at where I am now, not a hair on my head thought I’d be here.”
Slegers turned to Blackstenius, who scored the winning goal for Arsenal in last year’s Champions League final: “You came to Linköping when you were 16, you were still playing handball at the time I think, and really good at handball; you had to give up that career. There were a lot of young players coming in and we built something there.
“What’s so special is what Stina was then. We had one summer party at your mum’s place, a lovely place down by the water. You were always very humble and not in the centre of attention, but just doing a lot of very important work for yourself and for others. That’s still Stina now. It’s funny to talk about you a bit while you sit next to me. We should have a coffee afterwards – bring up some of the memories.”
Gianluca Prestianni ban: As we reported earlier, the Benfica playerhas been given a six-match ban after being found guilty of homophobic conduct towards Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, with three of those suspended for a two-year period. Here’s the full story …
Women’s Champions League: Leah Williamson is available for Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final first leg at home to OL Lyonnes on Sunday. However, the manager, Renée Slegers, said the Gunners would be without the centre-back Steph Catley and forward Beth Mead.
“Steph’s still recovering from her calf issue, so hopefully we’ll see her later on in this block of games,” she said. “Beth is not with us and hasn’t been with us this week because of personal reasons.”
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Everton: In what can only be described as a ringing endorsement of Thierno Barry’s season thus far, David Moyes has warned the French striker that he is not guaranteed a place in the Everton side to play West Ham tomorrow despite him being the only fit striker in the squad. With Beto sidelined with a concussion, it was presumed Barry would start in his absence but Moyes said that wasn’t necessarily the case and a poor performance as a substitute in Sunday’s Merseyside derby defeat has not helped the striker’s cause.
“He can score, can’t he?” said Moyes, upon being asked what more the 23-year-old could do to ensure he gets selected. “Score and play well, be a team player. If you do that then we don’t ask for much more. We are asking him to do the best he possibly can, nothing more, and hopefully he can fulfil that for us – if I choose to play him. I’ve got other people who I think could do it [but] I’m not going to tell you. Graeme Sharp [Everton’s striker in the 1980s who is now 65] is getting himself ready.”
Moyes, who is set to manage his 750th Premier League match, with only Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger ahead of him, returns to a former club with whom he won the Uefa Conference League three years ago.
Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner takes his side to Anfield tomorrow, where they could make history by becoming the first club in football history to beat Liverpool four times in one season. Palace defeated Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield, beat them 2-1 at Selhurst Park in the Premier League and then won 3-0 at Anfield in the League Cup.
“I think when you talk before a season and say: ’OK, we win once against Liverpool’, you would say ’yeah, it’s good’,” said Glasner in his pre-match press conference. “And if you say we’d win twice against Liverpool, you would say, ’well, it would be very good’. And you say we win three times against Liverpool, it’s amazing. And now we have the opportunity to win four times against Liverpool in one season. I think that’s something unique.
“First of all, you don’t play a team like Liverpool four times a year very often. And on the other side, then having already three wins, that’s massive for us. That’s why we’re really highly motivated, because maybe this will never happen again and it’s a massive chance. We have an extra motivation, so everybody should look forward to this game.”
Fulham: Ahead of his team’s lunchtime kick-off against Aston Villa at Craven Cottage tomorrow, Marco Silva has played down speculation linking him with the vacant job of ringmaster at the Chelsea circus. The Portuguese coach – whose current deal expires in the summer – has been touted as a replacement for Liam Rosenior, who was sacked on Wednesday after just three months in charge as a poor run of results put the Blues’ ambitions of Champions League qualification at serious risk.
“No,” he said, upon being asked if there was any news on his future. “Why is it different this week? It is not at all. It is the same and the same answer that I said to you already last week, it is the same. I will not make every single week comments about it.
“When something comes new, we are going to tell from ourselves, myself and the club. Everything what I need, or the club needs to do with me is going to be between me and the club. We know what we want to achieve – we are ambitious, but at the same time realistic and aligned. We are always aligned since the first day I joined the football club and it is going to be [the same] until the end.”
Tottenham Hotspur: Roberto De Zerbi believes one victory can change the course of Tottenham’s season – but he will be without more key personnel for Saturday’s crucial trip to already-relegated Wolves. Spurs have spent another week in the bottom three after they conceded a last-gasp equaliser at home to Brighton in a 2-2 draw to extend their winless run in the Premier League to 15 matches.
Tottenham are two points from safety after 17th-placed West Ham shared the spoils with Crystal Palace on Monday, but De Zerbi retains faith they can avoid a catastrophic first relegation since 1977 before they head to Molineux. De Zerbi has lost left-back Destiny Udogie due to a muscle problem and Guglielmo Vicario is still not available after hernia surgery, which means Antonin Kinsky will deputise in goal again.
James Maddison was an unused substitute against Brighton and even though he is set to travel to Wolverhampton, the playmaker does not appear ready to contribute but De Zerbi urged his team to play without pressure. “It’s a tough game because [Wolves] have nothing to lose,” he said. “It’s an important game for us, for sure, but we have to be able to play with not too much pressure. Sometimes when one team is losing too many games the rumours are not nice and behaviour and the people speak about not too much serious players, but no, it is not like this in this case.
“I found good players, good guys, serious players and they follow me. They believe in my words because I am able to recognise the eyes of the players. We are suffering, they are suffering because it is not easy to play in Tottenham in this condition of the table, but I said they have to be stronger and they have to live to win a game. We have to live every part of the day waiting for a win and preparing for a win because I think with a win we can change this part of the season.”
Earlier this week, Tottenham found themselves the subject of much public derision when they posted an advertisement looking for a lead psychologist for their men’s first team on social media platform LinkedIn. Until one is found, it seems it has been left to De Zerbi to provide “evidence-based psychological support” to his beleaguered players. [PA Sport]
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National League: York and Rochdale meet at the Crown Oil Arena tomorrow at lunchtime as the two teams battle it out for the single automatic promotion spot to League Two available in the final game of the regular season. Visitors York are top of the table with a staggering 107 points, while Rochdale are only two points behind them on 105.
Both clubs have jointly urged the football authorities to end the “injustice” of only two teams being promoted from the National League to the EFL each season, with whoever misses out tomorrow forced to go through the playoffs. The clubs issued a joint statement on Friday afternoon insisting that both supported the idea of ‘3UP’ between the National League and League Two, regardless of Saturday’s outcome.
“The National League is no longer a non-league competition,” it read. “It is effectively a League 3, with fully professional clubs operating at a level equal to or higher than many of those in League 2.
“We both understand how important this game is to both clubs and supporters. We both pledge now that whatever happens tomorrow, we will both continue to fight for 3UP. Both clubs sit on over 100 points. One of us will have to fight once more in the National League play-offs. However, we both strongly believe that this shouldn’t have to be the case.
“We call on the National League, Football Regulator, EFL and Premier League to come together immediately and resolve this issue, so that we do not have to highlight this injustice year after year.”
If those who are behind the 3UP campaign are to get their way, they would need a majority of EFL clubs to vote for the scheme’s approval. One suspects they would have more chance of persuading 72 turkeys to vote for Christmas.
Sunderland: Regis Le Bris’s side host Nottingham Forest tonight in the first of the weekend’s Premier League fixtures and with their safety secured, the French head coach will be hoping his side can bounce back from last weekend’s narrow 4-3 defeat away at Aston Villa.
“A strong team,” he said of Forest. “They are in the semi-final of the Europa League, unbeaten in their past seven games and have nice, good players. They struggled at the beginning of the season, which shows how demanding this league is because if you don’t get the momentum, you will chase the momentum. And the confidence, the energy are sometimes a bit different and difficult to find. So they are getting better and it’s clear they are now in good form, so it will be tactical. It will be demanding but an exciting challenge.”
In the past 24 hours, there have been suggestions that Le Bris is in danger of losing his job if Sunderland fail to qualify for Europe. They seem preposterous, to say the least and should almost certainly be taken with several dumper-trucks full of salt.
Here’s Barry Glendenning to take up the cudgels.
Mikel Arteta shared some thoughts on Liam Rosenior: “It is always sad to see a colleague leave a club. We know the scrutiny and demands on our jobs. The only thing that matters is if we win a lot of matches.”
Will the Premier League title race go to the wire? Mikel Arteta has fond memories of the 2003 SPL, final-day turkey shoot between Rangers and Celtic: “We are just talking about a lot of possibilities. Then, depending on how the situation is, then you can start to think about something else.
“You have to put everything into it. Those five games start tomorrow. Everything you have, you have to put it on the table, and you have to make it happen.
“I took the penalty and we won the league by one goal difference. It doesn’t get better than that. One of the best feelings I had in my career. When you win it, it is even more special.”
Great stat via the Times’ Bill Edgar: “Sept 27: Bottom club Wolves meet 3rd-place Spurs Tomorrow: Bottom club Wolves meet 3rd-bottom Spurs.”
Manchester City were no great shakes at Burnley on Wednesday, and Guardiola offers some reasoning behind that: ““It was so demanding, the game against Arsenal, emotionally, it’s normal. The people were so tired, and they take a train for hours.They were from here to the hotel, and to Wembley. Tomorrow will be a fantastic day. So many, many thoughts. Still I am in my mind and we’ll see tomorrow.”
As yet, Uefa has not published the reasoning of its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Board in reaching the sanction announced for Prestianni.
More Chelsea speculation. Could Cesc Fàbregas be the next manager? In an interview with City AM, the president of Como, Mirwan Suwarso, said he would not stand in the former Blues’ midfielder’s way.
“If that makes him happy, that’s him. You want your employees to stay with you for as long as possible but at the end of the day we don’t own him and he’s free to go to Chelsea if he wishes.”
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Arsenal news, some good news: Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori will be in the squad to face Newcastle. Jurrien Timber’s absence continues.
Pep Guardiola has been speaking ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton; Rodri is ruled out: “He’s better. No, we don’t want to take the risk.”
“We don’t want to take risk, because if he’s injured, and we lose him the next five games. Rodri is so important.”
Asked again – this happens weekly - on his future: “I’m living day by day, numbers are numbers, how fine we have been is how fine we have been, who we are is who we will be. It is a semi final at Wembley again. We will try to win.”
James Humphries gets in touch: “Worth noting that because he’s already served one match, Prestianni will serve the same number of games banned for abusing Vinicius as Callum Slattery got for a dive against St Mirren (assuming neither of their suspended bans are activated). If you did what Prestianni did in any other workplace you’d be gone by the end of the day.”
Some news on Estevao, who has a grade-four hamstring tear, from Calum McFarlane: “Estevao unfortunately won’t play for us this season. He is going to be out for a little bit of time. We’re here to support him. I’m not sure on that if I’m honest. He won’t be available for us. I’m sure he’s very hopeful he can make the World Cup but I don’t know on that.”
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Meanwhile, Calum McFarlane, back as interim head coach has been speaking at Chelsea’s press conference:
“There’s still a lot of belief in this group. I know it has been tough recently but we’ve had some good games this year, good performances against top sides. A lot of talent, there is still a lot of belief in us to turn this around and get back on track.
“I’ve got a good relationship with the players, our process will be the same as when I did interim before. I work the way I know how to work, everyone is on board and we are ready for Sunday. I don’t think I am going to talk tactically today. I’ll keep that private.”
PA Media’s Jamie Gardner reports: “Vinícius Júnior alleged he was racially abused during the knockout play-off round match between the sides in Lisbon on 17 February.
“Uefa appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator after the match, with the investigation having concluded Prestianni’s conduct was homophobic rather than racist. Uefa said it had requested that Fifa extend the ban worldwide. It was reported in February that Prestianni had told Uefa he had used a homophobic slur rather than a racist one. Vinícius left the field and refused to return after Prestianni’s comments, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes.
“The incident could yet spark a law change, with the International Football Association Board (Ifab) set to meet in Canada next week ahead of Fifa Congress to further consider how players are dealt with if they cover their mouths to talk to an opponent in a confrontation.”
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Prestianni ban for 'homophobic language'
Via AFP: “The European football governing body said they had taken the decision to ban the Argentine ‘for discriminatory (ie homophobic) conduct’, with three of those matches suspended for a two-year probationary period.”
And a club statement from Benfica: “Benfica informs that it has been notified by Uefa of the sanction applied to player Prestianni due to the use of homophobic language during the Benfica–Real Madrid match.
“Prestianni has been punished with a six-match suspension, three of which are suspended for a period of two years. Of the three matches to be effectively served, one has already been completed, and the remaining two must be served in Uefa competitions or with the Argentina national team in Fifa-sanctioned matches.”
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We’ll await developments on that Prestianni ban, hopefully some reaction.
That’s all from me for now. John Brewin is back to steer you through the next hour. See you in a bit!
Some more emails on the Guardian’s exclusive that domestic leagues may stage one game a season in foreign countries under Fifa proposals.
Krishna with an ‘as the saying goes’:
There is an old Tamil verse that describes a peasant (or his state of mind, to be more precise) who faces endless disasters, one after another. His house collapses due to rains, his servant leaves, wife suffers terrible ache, he goes to the field to save his crops he is bitten by a snake and an unavoidable guest arrives and the priest comes around asking for donation. Football fans have been reduced to this stage by FIFA and its suits. Time we revived the Stop Football campaign.
And Prakash makes his stance clear:
I have had a season ticket for Nottingham Forest for 39 years and would not go to see them play a home game or an away game in another country (apart from Wales having seen us play in Cardiff several times!)
Football has always been about community and support the local team. Long may it continue to be so. COYR!
Newcastle: Eddie Howe is unsure whether his England full-back Tino Livramento will recover from a thigh problem in time to play again this season.
Newcastle’s manager is awaiting the results of a second scan on an injury Livramento picked up during last Saturday’s home defeat by Bournemouth that could jeopardise the defender’s hopes of being part of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
“We will wait and see whether Tino plays again this season,” said Howe, who revealed that Anthony Gordon would miss Saturday’s trip to Arsenal with hip trouble. Although the England winger’s potential World Cup participation is not thought to be in doubt, Gordon’s absence at a time when he is being linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich has raised eyebrows.
Howe, though, was adamant it is wrong to question the former Everton player’s commitment to Newcastle. “Anthony Gordon is injured, 100%,” he said. “So it’s a non-question [to query his loyalty].”
Benfica’s Prestianni suspended after conduct towards Vinícius
Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has been given a six-match ban by Uefa for discriminatory conduct towards Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match in February, with three matches suspended for a period of two years.
The suspension comes after Prestianni racially abused Vinícius Júnior during the first leg of the Champions League playoff.
Vinícius accused Prestianni of subjecting him to racist abuse at the Estádio da Luz, with Kylian Mbappé alleging he had heard Prestianni call Vinícius a “monkey” five times. The game was delayed for 10 minutes after the Brazilian reported the alleged incident to the referee François Letexier, who activated the anti‑racism protocol but who had not heard anything himself. Prestianni had covered his mouth with his shirt when he addressed Vinícius.
Prestianni previously received a one‑game ban is a provisional while the investigation was ongoing.
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Wolves: Rob Edwards admits relegation is “tough to take” but is hopeful that Wolves are able to bounce back quickly. West Ham’s draw at Crystal Palace on Monday confirmed Wolves’ eight-year stay in the top-flight will come to an end with five games still to play.
“We know where we’ve been. No one wanted [relegation], so it hurt, but we have to react in the right way,” said Edwards. “It wasn’t easy but it’s about how we respond. We want to finish as strong as possible, that’s the message we’re instilling and driving every day.”
The club’s relegation means recruitment strategies will have to change but Edwards said the club is well-prepared: “It is important we get it right. We’ve spoken about it a lot, the process was started in January. We want to be aggressive, do it as early as possible. We won’t be able to do that in every single case, but everyone wants to act as early as possible.
“We need good people who want to be here. We want good players, but they have to care and want to be here.”
Wolves were promoted as Championship winners under current West Ham head coach Nuno Espírito Santo in 2017-18. Under Nuno, Wolves achieved back-to-back seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League and also played in Europe in the 2019-20 campaign, reaching the Europa League quarter-finals. The club secured a third top-half finish in 2021-22, finishing 10th under Bruno Lage.
Taking their place in the Premier League will be Coventry City, who secured their return to the top flight last Friday after a 25-year absence with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers.
Wolves host Tottenham on Saturday, with the north London side in the midst of their own relegation battle.
Some emails have come in!
Francis on the joys of non-World Cup football (see 11.19am BST):
I saved for 8 years to go to the 2026 World Cup as I’ve got a big birthday coming up this summer. But last summer when I saw ticket prices and the mess that is American politics I decided not to go.
I instead spent the money on a trip to South America going to the Superclassico Boca v River at the Bombonera and to see Oasis in Buenos Aires and Santiago Chile. I also went to see Huracán v Newell Old Boys in their beautiful art deco stadium and Velez Sarsfield v River Plate. As someone who’s been to more 200 grounds watching club and country I can safely say that football culture in Argentina is the best in the world.
I’m member of the England Travel Club and did it all for less than a face value ticket for two of Englands groups games.
And Antony on the Guardian’s exclusive that domestic leagues are to be allowed the staging one game a season in foreign countries under Fifa proposals (see 11.47am BST):
Absolute greed. Fans do not want this. We’re looming towards a future where clubs’ location won’t even matter. This is a community game. But none of these big organisations care. Hopefully the UK football regulator steps in.
If you have thoughts on the World Cup, future league games in foreign countries or anything else mentioned in this blog, then send me an email.
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Chris Hughton: The former Premier League manager Chris Hughton has revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer but has since recovered post-operation.
On finding out about the diagnosis, he said: “The news certainly didn’t scare me. I know everyone is different, but my first impression was: ‘I’ll be fine.’ I didn’t instantly think “this is probably just going to kill me. I just thought: “OK, we’ll have to do what we have to do.’
“I had very good advice and all the treatment options were given to me, and I decided to have my prostate removed. The recovery has gone really well. I’m one year post operation and I feel good. It’s all gone very well. I’ve got a lot of energy. Keeping active and busy is part of how I am anyway, but it’s also about rehabilitation and keeping your mind active as well. I’m very comfortable with my prognosis and my post operation feelings. I’m in a really good place.”
Hughton had previous stints with Newcastle, Norwich and Birmingham and he was at the helm when Brighton were promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 2017. He was most recently head coach of the Ghana national team.
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Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Adam Wharton will be available for his side’s trip to Anfield on Saturday.
Wharton missed Monday’s 0-0 draw against West Ham after he was withdrawn during the Conference League quarter-final away in Fiorentina. But the England midfielder will be available when Glasner selects his team to face the Premier League holders, as Palace go searching for a fourth win against Liverpool this season.
“Adam [Wharton] is good. He is fit and trained yesterday without any issues, so he’ll be available for Liverpool,” said Glasner. “We’ve got no new injury concerns, which is good news.
“Two injuries we still have are Eddie Nketiah and Evann Guessand. So they will miss this game.”
Nathaniel Clyne could make his 250th club appearance if he featured against his former club at Anfield but there are question marks over wether the defender will take the pitch.
“He was ill yesterday, but then was better in the evening,” said Glasner. “He’s being assessed at the moment. But also it looks like he is available.”
Roma: More on Claudio Ranieri’s exit, who left the Serie A club as senior adviser after a fallout with the manager, Gian Piero Gasperini.
Two weeks ago before Roma’s win over Pisa, Ranieri gave a pre-match interview where he responded to Gasperini’s criticism of the club’s transfer business, saying that no player was signed without the manager’s approval. “In the summer we contacted five or six coaches, three of them then didn’t come, and in the end the club made the decision,” Ranieri also said.
Gasperini responded a week later ahead of a game against his previous club Atalanta, saying Ranieri’s words were an incredible surprise and that he had been thrown into a media storm not of his making.
“As we look to the future, our direction is clear. The club is strong, with solid leadership and a defined vision,” a Roma statement said. “AS Roma will always come first.“
Before the Atalanta game, Gasperini was given a warm welcome by the Roma fans, while the Curva Sud made clear they wanted the focus to return to what happened on the pitch.
“Enough. Roma comes before everything and everyone,” read one banner while another asked: “Silent ownership, talkative management. Who is thinking about the good of our Roma?”.
Ranieri began his playing career at Roma and later went on to have three spells as manager of the club, with the 74-year-old coming out of retirement to take charge last season with the club in the bottom half of the table. He led Roma to a fifth-placed finish, missing out on Champions League football by one point, before accepting the advisory role, but this would appear to be Ranieri’s final farewell to the club closest to his heart.
Ranieri’s almost 40-year managerial career has taken him to the likes of Fiorentina, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus and Inter Milan among many others, but his greatest triumph came with a fairytale Premier League title win at Leicester City a decade ago.
Ranieri turned down the chance to manage Italy’s national team when offered the job in June after the sacking of Luciano Spalletti to focus on his new role at Roma. With the position vacant once more after the departure of Gennaro Gattuso, another return from retirement for Ranieri cannot be ruled out. Reuters
Leagues to be allowed one game abroad a season under new Fifa proposals
Domestic leagues would be limited to staging one game a season in foreign countries under Fifa proposals that significantly raise the bar for controversial “international matches” to be approved.
A new protocol, developed by a Fifa working group set up almost two years ago, would bring in clearer regulations to police the divisive issue and introduce strict limits.
In addition to each league being permitted to relocate one top-division game, it is understood host countries would be allowed to stage a maximum of five matches affiliated to another league each season.
La Liga and Serie A had scheduled league games for Miami and Perth respectively this season, sparking a political row involving Fifa and Uefa, but the fixtures – Villarreal v Barcelona and Milan v Como – were scrapped after objections raised by local authorities. La Liga’s American promoter, Relevant Sports, also got cold feet. The episodes caused considerable bad blood between many parties involved.
Under the new protocol any request to switch a competitive game to a foreign territory would be considered only if it has approval from all major stakeholders, and Fifa would have a right of veto.
Any request would have to be accepted by the national association of the clubs involved, their confederation, the Football Association of the country planning to host the game and its confederation, before being passed to Fifa.
Under this model, the domestic league would not be consulted in the event that the clubs pushed against its wishes for a game abroad. England’s FA would not sanction a switch against the Premier League’s wishes but such alignment is not necessarily the case in every country and could lead to tension.
Sources indicate Fifa may block requests if it has concerns over player welfare relating to workload and excessive travel.
Read more below in the exclusive by Nick Ames and Matt Hughes.
Roma: Claudio Ranieri has left his role as senior adviser at Roma. The former Leicester City manager became manager and senior adviser to the ownership last summer after he was replaced as head coach by Gian Piero Gasperini.
The club said in a statement:
AS Roma confirms the relationship with Claudio Ranieri has ended. The Club would like to thank Claudio for his significant contributions to Roma. He lead the team through a very challenging time and we will always be grateful for his efforts.
As we look to the future, our direction is clear. The Club is strong, with solid leadership and a defined vision. AS Roma will always come first. We have full confidence in the path ahead under Gian Piero Gasperini, with the shared objective of growing, improving, and delivering results worthy of our history.
Previous to his role as senior adviser at Roma, Ranieri turned down an opportunity to coach Italy’s national team after the sacking of Luciano Spalletti.
World Cup 2026: Civil liberties groups have advised players, fans and journalists could be exposed to “serious harm” at this summer’s World Cup due to the US government’s immigration crackdown.
A group of 120 organisations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), issued a travel advisory on Thursday urging visitors to the States to “exercise caution”.
The advisory states that while the “rising authoritarianism” of president Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious risk to all, it states that those from immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals have been and continue to be disproportionately targeted and affected.
ACLU said potential human rights abuses could include racial profiling and discrimination by law enforcement, invasive social media screening and searches of electronic devices, the suppression of speech and protest, and the risk of cruel or inhuman treatment.
An ACLU statement said:
As the human rights climate in the US deteriorates, it is critical for Fifa to advocate for policy changes that align with international human rights and ensure that players, fans, and journalists can participate safely. Instead, Fifa has spent the last year closely aligning itself with the Trump administration by hosting its recent tournament draw at the Kennedy Centre, a place where President Trump received the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize.
It has been reported that Fifa is considering seeking a moratorium on raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials during the finals, but so far nothing has been confirmed.
ACLU’s statement added:
ICE continues to act with little accountability or regard for human dignity, and should be reined in both during and beyond the Fifa World Cup games.
A Fifa spokesperson said in response to the issuing of the travel advisory:
As per article 3 of the Fifa Statutes, Fifa is committed to respecting all internationally recognised human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights.
The development and publication of the FWC2026 Sustainability and Human Rights Strategy, the FWC2026 Human Rights Framework, and the recently updated FIFA Statement on Human Rights Defenders and Media Representatives as well as the establishment of an FWC2026 Human Rights Advisory Group comprised of independent experts and the wide advertisement of the FIFA Human Rights Grievance Mechanism, are all evidence of FIFA’s commitment to human rights across all key activities and actors connected to the tournament.
ICE has also been contacted for comment. PA
Did you have plans to go the World Cup this summer? Will you still be going? What affected your decision? Send me an email.
Liverpool: Arne Slot warned that “margins are small” in the Premier League as Liverpool aim to strengthen their push for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Slot’s side are fifth in the table after two straight league wins, five points clear of Brighton, who have played a game more. The top five teams in the Premier League gain automatic entry into next season’s Champions League.
Liverpool face a tough task on Saturday against Crystal Palace, whom they have failed to beat in three meetings so far this season.
Slot was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he was planning for next season after a disappointing title defence but was keen to shift the focus back on to the current campaign.
Of course there are conversations going on about next season but my complete focus is, and still should be, on this season, because margins are small.
One or two results can make a big difference, as we saw, because I think two weeks ago we weren’t five points clear of the number six, and two results later we are, so it can also go both ways.
So my full focus is on Palace, which is needed because, as you know, we’ve played them three times already this season and we’re unable to beat them once.
Liverpool lost to Oliver Glasner’s side on penalties in the season-opening Community Shield before defeats in the Premier League and the League Cup. They have picked up vital wins against Fulham and Everton this month but have also suffered demoralising defeats against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Manchester City in the FA Cup.
In the last eight games we picked up 16 points, and it doesn’t always feel like that, because in between we have to play PSG, Man City. But our recent league form is acceptable.
Thanks John and hello all! Some more Arne Slot lines are coming your way, with the Liverpool manager fully focused on the challenge of Crystal Palace.
And with that, I shall pass the reins to Yara El-Shaboury.
Eddie Howe’s press conference was long, as is usually the case. He’s talking here as if he will be in post next season, in which there is some doubt, and addressing Newcastle’s signings of Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade, neither of which have worked out so far.
“They’re both outstanding players. I don’t in any way doubt their individual qualities. They’ll both be better for this season’s experience next season.
“Any signing we make, regardless of age, having a season where they fully understand everything, get used to the environment, used to their team-mates, the location that they’re living in, it’s a big change for the players. Next season we’ll see that all the new signings that we integrated this season will be much better for the experience.
“And, of course, then the intense focus shifts on to someone else we may have signed in the summer.
Daniel Farke, the Leeds manager, has been talking ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea, and on the subject of Liam Rosenior’s departure from his team’s opponents. Calum McFarlane will take charge until the end of the season.
“I mind my own business and don’t take decisions for other clubs.
“First of all, you feel also for a colleague and a really good human being and a promising young manager like Liam. I’m pretty sure he will still have a big career in management and let’s not forget how young he is. He will also take this as a big experience and grow. You always feel for a manager and you don’t want a manager to lose his job, that’s for sure. But, on the other hand, we take it as it is.”
“When some top-class players are showing the basics and have no excuses, then it can be a really, really dangerous side. For that, I expect a Chelsea side who will be back to their best. I expect a side who will try to prove that it’s a fresh start, and right now the burden has been lifted and they want to show what they’re capable of.”
Manchester City news, via the Manchester Evening News’ Simon Bajkowski. “Manchester City freeze season ticket and matchday prices for the 2026/27 season. The club have also changed the unpopular ticket transfer system and will have a new category for some midweek games (£25 adult tickets).“
“After listening to feedback, from next season supporters will be able to send their ticket to Blues without memberships and while it has to be within a list of 18 friends and family this list can now be added to all through the season.”
A few other sets of fans would appreciate similar from their clubs.
There’s a huge game in the National League on Saturday, Rochdale v York. The highest of stakes. Here’s a guide to what else is going on beyond the 92. The answer is plenty.
Read Ben Fisher’s interview with Shea Charles, perhaps Southampton’s best hope of downing Manchester City on Saturday. And preventing another domestic treble. Charles is one of many City graduates making their way elsewhere.
When you first go up, as a City fan, I was a bit starstruck: ‘Woah!’ Suddenly I’m training with [Riyad] Mahrez. Fernandinho was there, someone I always tried to ask things. He helped me with little details – positioning, knowing when to drop at the right time. I tried to get bits of information from him. And Rodri as well. I ended up playing against Rodri in a friendly … it’s not fun to play against him, I’ll be honest.
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Infantino ally to become DRC football chief?
Football’s governing body in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC) has changed eligibility rules for its presidential elections, allowing a university friend of Gianni Infantino to stand.
Véron Mosengo-Omba, who was at university with the Fifa president in Switzerland, is a former general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), and confirmed his candidacy to be president of the DRC’s football federation, Fecofa, this week.
The election was due to take place on 11 April but has been postponed until next month, with the delay understood to have been because Mosengo-Omba – who surrendered his passport when he left the DRC to study in Europe aged 18 and is a Swiss citizen – only has a diplomatic Congolese passport.
Under-pressure Eddie Howe, as he is currently being termed, has been speaking ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Arsenal. There will be a couple of key absences.
Anthony Gordon, the centre of much speculation: “Anthony won’t make this game. He hasn’t trained this week. Again, not a serious injury but not in time for this game. Hopefully, the next one.”
Tino Livramento, a World Cup hopeful: “With Tino, he went for a scan initially. We don’t think it’s a bad injury. We will wait and see whether he will play again this season. He is due to have another scan at the weekend to determine the full extent of his time out.”
On Newcastle’s run, eight from 11 Premier League matches lost: “When you have had a difficult run it can seem like you’ve been in it a long period of time, probably with an international break, a big length of gap we had between games, it felt that way for us. We have to tap into games we performed really well in.
“We’re all feeling that pain at the moment, it has been a difficult period for us. I think we are very determined to try and put that right, we will try to win as many games as we can. Priding ourselves, historically, we lose a game, fighting to the end, giving everything to try and get a result.”
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More Manchester United: Sebastian Coe, the chair of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, has admitted that the timeline on the project is “slightly uncertain” but believes that the work to build Manchester United’s new stadium is “moving in the right direction”.
Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, Lord Coe admits he was pleased to be brought into the Old Trafford regeneration project by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Andy Burnham. “Look, I love regeneration projects, and I was really pleased to be asked to get involved in that,” he says. “I do actually believe in good locally funded projects to make lives easier for local people. And I also saw from the London model that if you build it around sport, the multiplier impact of getting other stuff done is far quicker than it would have been.
“Land acquisition is always complicated. I know that from London. So, at this moment, it’s just putting the stuff together sequentially and incrementally and using a world class stadium to be a catalyst for so many other things, including inward investment. So, it’s about jobs, it’s about housing, it’s about educational aspiration. And I’ve seen sport so often used properly, changing local landscapes, and this is an exciting project.
“It’s slightly uncertain at the moment. The stadium is being scoped and being improperly scaled. But again, that is also dependent on the purchasing and the acquisition of various other parcels of land in that space. That’s all taking place at the moment, and I won’t maintain a running commentary on that. But we’re moving in the right direction.”
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News from Manchester United: Matthijs de Ligt is back in training. He’s not played since November.
Why is Freddie Woodman likely to play for Liverpool against Crystal Palace? “No Giorgi [Mamardashvili] will definitely not be available tomorrow and not for the upcoming weeks. Ali [Alisson] is close to returning to play. Let’s see if tomorrow comes too early. That leaves Freddie [Woodman] as an option who is definitely fit.”
It was last season against Palace that Alisson suffered one of his many muscle injuries.
Here’s your quiz of the week, see if you can beat my 10/15.
Freddie Woodman’s dad, Andy, had to watch his Bromley team lose from the stands at Salford last night. A big home win for Gary Neville’s club, Paul Scholes was watching on, and automatic promotion might be on. Bromley have to wait and see if they win the League Two title. So much to play for in the EFL.
To on-field matters, where Arne Slot has been talking about Freddie Woodman, the third-choice keeper who has been thrown into action:
“There is a reason we have signed an experienced third goalkeeper. Usually you don’t need him that much, but there could be situations if one [goalkeeper] is injured and one gets suspended. That makes more sense than two goalkeepers being injured.
“Apart from him being a good goalkeeper, which he has shown. When he was young, he won the Euros with the under-17s and the under-20s he won the World Cup.”
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There are more protests planned over the Liverpool ticket price rises this weekend and a van was parked outside the AXA Training Centre this morning for the press conference bearing the messages “caution: Anfield’s soul at risk” and “no to three years of price rises”.
Via the Spirit of Shankly website: “On Saturday we are asking every supporter to “Show FSG The Yellow Card” over the decision to make Liverpool FC the first club to lock in THREE YEARS of price rises.
“Not only is this a tone-deaf and worrying decision in terms of the price of tickets, it is also closing down the conversation with supporters, and ending yearly accountability and scrutiny through the Liverpool Supporters’ Board.
“We have already seen the withdrawal of flags and banners from The Kop and “Not A Pound In The Ground” – the successful drive to encourage supporters not to spend inside Anfield and instead support local businesses in the surrounding area.”
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What’s at stake as the Premier League reaches its final straight? Both Wolves and Burnley are already relegated, of course. Here’s you handy guide.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 33 | 37 | 70 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 33 | 37 | 70 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 33 | 13 | 58 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 33 | 6 | 58 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 33 | 11 | 55 |
| 6 | Brighton | 34 | 9 | 50 |
| 7 | AFC Bournemouth | 34 | 0 | 49 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 34 | 8 | 48 |
| 9 | Brentford | 33 | 4 | 48 |
| 10 | Everton | 33 | 1 | 47 |
| 11 | Sunderland | 33 | -4 | 46 |
| 12 | Fulham | 33 | -3 | 45 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace | 32 | -1 | 43 |
| 14 | Newcastle | 33 | -3 | 42 |
| 15 | Leeds | 34 | -7 | 40 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 33 | -9 | 36 |
| 17 | West Ham | 33 | -17 | 33 |
| 18 | Tottenham Hotspur | 33 | -11 | 31 |
| 19 | Burnley | 34 | -34 | 20 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 33 | -37 | 17 |
We expect to hear from interim – for the second time – Chelsea head coach Calum McFarlane today. And there’s news of the first manager he stood in for back in January.
The regular weekend digest of what to expect here.
Wilson: BBC 'crazy' to can Football Focus
The former presenter Bob Wilson feels it is “crazy” the BBC has decided to take Football Focus off the air after more than half a century.
The Saturday lunchtime programme was first broadcast in 1974, with former Scotland and Arsenal goalkeeper Wilson the new show’s host. On Thursday, the BBC said in a press release “changing audience behaviours” had prompted it to act, bringing to an end the show’s run of 52 years when it finishes at the end of the season, with Football Interview set to move into the Saturday 12.45pm slot.
Wilson wrote in the Times: “I was absolutely shocked to hear that Football Focus will end this summer. It has run successfully for 52 years, so goodness me, why are they getting rid of it? I am really disappointed it has come to this. The BBC has said it will be replaced next season by an interview show about what makes footballers tick. That is crazy.”
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Millwall receive apology over racism booklet
Millwall have received an apology from Westminster City Council for the “insensitive” use of the club’s official logo to “illustrate the historic problem of racism within football” in a children’s education booklet which was distributed in schools.
Images shared widely on social media from the booklet show the badge of the Championship club printed on the clothing of a member of a white supremacist hate group. On Thursday afternoon, Westminster City Council issued a statement confirming the booklet had been removed from circulation, with internal processes being reviewed.
A Westminster City Council spokesperson said:
We accept the use of this image was an insensitive way to illustrate the historic problem of racism within football. We have apologised to Millwall Football Club for the improper use of their logo and for any offence caused. The booklet has been removed from circulation, and we are reviewing processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
According to the club’s official supporters’ group, Millwall are still considering their legal position on the matter. PA Media
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Preamble
Good morning, football. Another quiet week, then … what would we do without Chelsea? We’ll have the latest from the Stamford Bridge content machine, as we look forward ro two FA Cup semi-finals and another crucial round of Premier League fixtures. It’s also the penultimate weekend of the EFL, with so much to be decided.
FA Cup: Man City v Southampton, 5.15pm Saturday
FA Cup: Chelsea v Leeds, 3pm Sunday
Sunderland v Nottingham Forest, 8pm Friday
Arsenal v Newcastle, 5.30pm Saturday
Fulham v Aston Villa, 12.30pm Saturday
Liverpool v Crystal Palace, 3pm Saturday
West Ham v Everton, 3pm Saturday
Wolverhampton v Tottenham Hotspur, 3pm Saturday
Manchester United v Brentford, 8pm Monday
Join us for the day’s news, previews and reaction.
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