Summary
To recap the major stories of the day:
- Steve Bruce has confirmed that he had a training ground row with midfielder Matt Ritchie but has said that the leak to the press “borders on treason, if you like. It’s disgusting.”
- Accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity will no longer be considered an offence, the International Football Association Board has announced. The law will come into effect on 1 July.
- Infantino has said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger – now Fifa’s chief of global football development – had given a presentation on a proposed change to the offside law, which would see a player deemed onside if any part of them that can score a goal is in line with the second-last defender. Urgh.
- More injury trouble in defence for Liverpool, with Jürgen Klopp confirming that Ozan Kabak will miss the game against Fulham. In other injury news, Jack Grealsh is still out for Aston Villa, but Wilfried Zaha is fit to play for Crystal Palace at Tottenham.
- Premier League managers, including Man City’s Pep Guardiola and Aston Villa’s Dean Smith, have said that they will prevent their players from travelling to ‘red-list’ countries over international break to avoid a 10-day quarantine on their return.
Thanks for your company today. Final task before you head off into the weekend sunset is to give this a go: Barney Ronay on whether Arsenal’s Visit Rwanda shirtsleeve deal remains a ‘compelling fit’?
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Football Weekly is live, featuring hot Premier League chat, an Ian St John tribute and Sid Low on Barcelona.
Here’s Steve Bruce on fine form.
All aboard the Fiver!
This is a nice read on Rennes, and the departure of Julien Stéphan, who has resigned after securing the club’s first trophy in 48 years and leading them into the Champions League.
Premier League managers to prevent players from travelling to 'red-list' countries over international break
Several Premier League managers, including Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp, have decided to take the perfectly reasonable step to prevent their players from travelling to ‘red-list’ countries (which would require a 10-day hotel stay in quarantine) over the international break, after Fifa gave clubs dispensation to prevent players from travelling.
After Klopp made the point earlier this week, Guardiola has been speaking today about this:
I think it makes no sense if the players go to the national team and then have to isolate for 10 days when they come back. We’ve worked incredibly tough for seven, eight or nine months and after the international break comes the real part of the season, and [if] important players, maybe six, seven, eight, nine players cannot play for 10 days, it makes no sense. They are not going to fly. That’s for sure. If they can fly, play with the national team and come straight back to training, they’ll fly.”
Portugal have announced they will play their ‘home’ game against Azerbaijan in Turin, while Norway will face Turkey in Malaga. Tottenham manager José Mourinho said he wanted to wait to see if more fixtures were moved before making a decision on his own players.
I want to see what is going to happen. Is Brazil v Argentina going to be played in South America or is it going to be played for example in London? I don’t know. Portugal will play in Turin, Norway will play in Spain. Let’s see what is going to happen, where the matches are going to be played and of course the clubs have the right to protect itself because Jurgen is right, the clubs pay the players.”
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson urged more nations to look at moving fixtures where possible. Ghana internationals Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew could be selected to play an away game against South Africa this month, while Cheikhou Kouyaté’s Senegal are due to face DR Congo. Hodgson said:
Certainly as far as the red-list countries are concerned, I don’t think there is anything to discuss on that matter. It would be my suggestion teams like Ghana and any other teams who have games where it will involve them playing in a red-list country, if they are that interested in English-based players, to try and maybe move the game to somewhere where the players could travel to.”
Earlier on Friday, Aston Villa boss Dean Smith said that Argentinian goalkeeper Emi Martínez, Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz and Zimbabwe midfielder Marvelous Nakamba have been told they cannot travel if the games remain scheduled for countries on the red list. He said:
I’ve spoken to all the players that it applies to at the football club. Although they want to go and represent their countries, they fully understand.”
In mid-January, Ben Fisher wrote this piece about Southampton, who were seventh after beating Liverpool and jostling for a European place. Now, after losing eight of their last nine games, including that 9-0 shellacking at Old Trafford, it is not impossible that they could be relegated. The Saints are just seven points clear of a tidy-looking Fulham side in 18th, and face bottom club Sheffield United on Saturday. Asked if he considers the south coast side to be in a relegation battle, Raplh Hasenhüttl said today:
You can call it how you want. For one it’s a relegation battle, for another one it’s something else. I think we have done something right in this season otherwise we wouldn’t have 30 points at this stage and now it’s about, yeah, finding the first win.
But we know how to do this. It’s not that we haven’t won a game since ever. We had won a game in the cup against Wolves and Arsenal. But the more players we have, the more players are coming back, the more alternatives there are, the easier it is for us to find a game plan that makes us a competitive side. It’s important to be a competitive side against Sheffield because they will fight for everything.”
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Here’s Jacob Steinberg on N’Golo Kanté, and the Frenchman’s return to form.
Rangers could win their first Scottish Premiership in 10 years this weekend. They are 18 points clear of Celtic at the top of the table need to beat St Mirren at Ibrox on Saturday and hope their rivals slip up against Dundee United on Sunday to clinch the title.
Wolves’ Nuno Espírito Santo is the latest to be wheeled out and as well as calling the new handball rule “confusing”, he’s got an update on sidelined striker Raúl Jiménez, who continues to recover from the fractured skull he suffered in November.
“He is doing well and improving. He has been able to join parts of the training sessions and we expect him to progress with his fitness. He is feeling well and happy but we have to take the same measures and protocols we always do, we follow the protocols and we will be guided by that. It’s a very delicate situation and we cannot afford any kind of mistake.”
Anyway, back to the football. Rotherham’s Championship game at Brentford has been called off after another coronavirus outbreak at the South Yorkshire club.
The Millers have already had one bout of the virus affect the camp, which led to the postponement of two games before Christmas, but they have been struck down again, meaning their trip to West London on Saturday will not go ahead.
The club have confirmed a number of players and staff have tested positive, with the EFL sanctioning the postponement, and their training ground has been shut.
Defender Richard Wood missed the midweek trip to Sheffield Wednesday as he was self-isolating but no identities have been revealed. The Millers say Tuesday’s trip to Luton is expected to go ahead.
Sometimes, when Infantino talks, I like to wander into a dark room and listen to Neil Young. Goodness.
Infantino also said that after semi-automated offside technology was trialled at the 2019 Club World Cup and said he “cannot exclude” the possibility of it being used at the 2022 World Cup. “For that, more tests will have to take place, but the technology is moving very, very fast,” he said.
You can read more about this new technology here. The general gist is that the system uses limb-tracking technology coupled with AI algorithms to determine which limb is closest to the goal line when a ball is played, eliminating the risk of human error and provide instantaneous decisions.
The latter point is obviously of concern to Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham, who has just said:“Semi-automated offsides would be a real step forward. The fan experience is negatively impacted by waiting to see if a goal has been scored.”
Infantino has said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger – now Fifa’s chief of global football development – had given a presentation on a proposed change to the offside law, which would see a player deemed onside if any part of them that can score a goal is in line with the second-last defender.
“We have been seeing that maybe we can think about a new law which allows a bit more attack in football,” said Infantino.
Sorry, what on earth is going on? Wenger has invented an idea to make the offside law even worse?!
Wilfried Zaha is back, baby. Crystal Palace’s talisman is available for selection at Tottenham on Sunday after a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
“He has come back quicker than perhaps the medical staff thought was possible,” Roy Hodgson confirmed. “He trained well this week so no reason why I can’t consider him for a place in the team.”
Re Sunday league football, we’ve had an email from Billy Beckett, who seems like a very sound bloke. Do get involved when it is safe to do so.
“I run a group called Terrible Football. We run free park football groups around the world - though in the UK just in London and Brighton. I started the group five years ago in a park in Bethnal Green - we’ve now got groups in California, Berlin and Taiwan. Everyone including me is a volunteer, all our games are free to play, mixed gender, and very much aimed at people with limited skills and poor to average fitness. We run the groups for the love of the game. The quality - of the grass, the passing, the shooting - is pretty poor so it really is more about getting together and having a laugh.”
“I have missed playing football more than almost anything else. Our London games are truly the most incredible mixture of people from all walks of life and all over the world. It’s a cliche that football is a universal language, but it really is true. I can’t think of many opportunities, even in such a fantastically diverse city as London, where you can spend an afternoon with people from literally every continent (apart from Antartica!) and then get a pint with them after. I am also really aware of how lonely this pandemic has been for many people. I know that a lot of the players have been struggling without their regular weekly kick about in the park. Many of the people who play Terrible Football join the group to make friends, often people who have just arrived in the city, don’t have much English and haven’t made any friends yet. We have had terrible footballers go on holiday together, start dating and even (I think!) an engagement. It’s been very difficult losing that over the last year.”
“Anyway, I just wanted to share that with you - and if you do live anywhere near a Terrible Football group (London and Brighton atm but planning to go to Manchester) you’re more than welcome to come down.”
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West Brom boss Sam Allardyce, meanwhile, has been asked about the situation at Newcastle, one of his former clubs.
If there’s a disagreement, what’s wrong with it? I like disagreements. I like people to air their view. I like people to argue. It means they care. We shouldn’t be subservient and not speak up for ourselves if we feel we’ve been wronged. Whether the player says it to you as a manager if he thinks you’re wrong, why not speak up? Why not say ‘what are you talking about’? There’s nothing wrong with it. Then you just sort it out and get on with it, and it’s forgotten the next day. Or it should be. It’s a good thing, having disagreements. It’s a good thing digging each other out. This world is getting far too pathetic, as far as I’m concerned, when it comes to criticism or telling people that they’re not giving the right attitude, or players standing up to a manager or coach and saying ‘well I think you’re wrong’. What’s wrong with it?
So it could galvanise a dressing room?
It should do. I think people make too much fuss about it because, you know, bad news is good news. They love writing and reporting about it. I find it laughable.
Thomas Tuchel is on a high. Chelsea’s 1-0 win at the champions on Thursday makes it 10 matches unbeaten since his appointment. However, with the international break on the horizon (just bizarre that this is still going ahead), he has been asked about his players going to ‘red-list’ countries.
I am absolutely worried because my target is to play Premier League and if I have players in quarantine I cannot build a group that we want. This is the risk and I am absolutely worried about this situation. But I am also sure that the club knows how to handle it. If it maybe is the consequence that the players cannot go then this is the consequence. This situation is extraordinary. We have to adapt and we will do this as a club and we will take these decisions when the decisions are taken. We are very concerned about the situation.
I am happy to be at the sideline. I feel an unbelievable attitude towards training, towards games, I feel the bond that is necessary. In the whole world when football is played, the teams that stand out are the teams that fight for each other, are ready to sacrifice, are happy for each other, push each other from the bench and this is exactly what I found. I found a lot of talent. It’s a pleasure to compete with this team and this group against other strong, strong managers and with their groups and to be in this competition is pure joy. It is everything that you look for as a coach.
I wish they would just can the whole thing, to be honest. Just go back to on-pitch officials making the best decisions they can in the moment. If there are a few mistakes, so be it. At least we can go back to celebrating goals properly and not have this tedious debate every five minutes.
Ifab also clarified the interpretation of the offside law, saying the definition for handball, whereby the arm ends at the bottom of the armpit, must be used when judging whether a player is offside or not.
Chelsea’s Timo Werner was denied a goal against Liverpool on Thursday night when VAR ruled his arm had been offside in the build-up.
Speaking of Werner, you can read Barney Ronay’s musings on him right here.
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If you have to say that “it’s not embarrassing, or a climbdown” it normally means that it is embarrassing and a climbdown.
On the decision to no longer penalise a player for an accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said: “After analysing everything it was felt this was maybe one step too far. This was the perception of the public and the perception we had at Ifab.
“For this reason we amended this regulation. It’s not embarrassing, or a climbdown. We are listening and attentive to what’s going on. It’s the job of the Ifab to take comments on board and make things better.”
A bit more on that rule change. Interesting that Ifab is suggesting that referees and officials are at fault for wrong decisions due to “incorrect applications of the law.” Which is nonsense, really. It’s the law that was the problem.
An Ifab statement read: “As the interpretation of handball incidents has not always been consistent due to incorrect applications of the law, the members confirmed that not every touch of a player’s hand/arm with the ball is an offence. Accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity will no longer be considered an offence.”
It will remain a handball offence if a player scores accidentally with their hand or arm, or uses their hand or arm directly before scoring.
Fulham boss Scott Parker hit out at the law in the wake of his team’s defeat to Tottenham, saying:
“I understand why the goal was not given and that’s the rule. I don’t agree with the rule. I am not complaining with that, the referee is acting to the rule. We have VAR so you can look back and see if there is a clear advantage. I don’t think we did.
“We are trying to make the game so pure and sterile and trying to control every single phase or moment to an absolute T and that is where the problem lies.”
BREAKING NEWS: handball law to change from 1 July
This just in from PA.
Accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity will no longer be considered an offence, the the International Football Association Board has announced.
The controversial section of the handball law came into play during Thursday night’s Premier League game between Fulham and Tottenham, the Cottagers seeing a goal by Josh Maja ruled out when the ball cannoned into the hand of his team-mate Mario Lemina from a Davinson Sanchez clearance when he was a matter of yards away.
Ifab, the game’s lawmaking body, has now agreed a change, which comes into effect from 1 July. However, competitions have the flexibility to introduce changes prior to that date, Ifab said.
I wrote about this in our Premier League talking points, and why the rule change might come too late for Fulham.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær has also been talking about giving David de Gea a leave of absence to attend the birth of his child in Spain. The travel means the goalkeeper missed Manchester United’s draw with Palace and will be absent for Sunday’s upcoming derby with Man City due to further quarantine complications. De Gea’s partner gave birth on Thursday. Felicidades!
It’s a fantastic day for David. Of course when you become a dad that’s probably the best possible feeling you can have. The ones who have been lucky enough to have that feeling know exactly what David is going through now. I’ll give him the time he needs before he comes back. He has to go home and in the old world that’s a day, you come back and you’re ready again.
Now with the pandemic and quarantines of course it’s a different world, but still we felt when David wanted to go and be there to support his girlfriend of course there’s not even a decision to make. Dean [Henderson] came in and played well and he’s ready, so I’ll give David the time he needs of course.”
We want our players back as soon as possible but there’s a human being in there that we had to look after and David was there for this fantastic day for him, his girlfriend and his family. I don’t know when he’ll be back. It won’t be long before he comes.
It was easy when I travelled back from the Euros. [My son] Noah was born on a Friday and I played against Spain on the Tuesday, travelling back on a Sunday. No quarantines, nothing.
The world’s a different place but, still, this is the biggest occasion in any parents’ lives so of course we allowed him to go. But Dean did well against Palace and I’m sure he’s looking forward to this City game as well. He’s had that experience already this season in the Carabao Cup so that will stand him in good stead.”
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Jürgen Klopp speaks! More injury trouble for Liverpool …
On-loan Ozan Kabak is the latest to sustain an injury. The defender played 90 minutes of the 1-0 defeat at home to Chelsea but reported an issue afterwards which now makes him a doubt for the weekend. Klopp already has Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip out for the season and only had Fabinho return after injury on Thursday.
“Ozan had, after the game, a little problem. We will see if he is ready for Fulham but it doesn’t look like it at the moment.
“Nat [Phillips] I think will be ready, Ben [Davies] as well. It’s not easy for Ben, we brought him in and he has to adapt. He is a really good player. We have to be careful.”
“We once beat a team 25-0, but those teams are the heroes of Sunday league. They do it because it’s about being part of something. Football is a reason for them to get together, feel like a group and go to the pub after. For them that is enough.”
You’re going to have to read this by Copa 90’s James Kelly (and watch the accompanying short film by Charlie Watts) on Sunday league football.
I play (very) amateur football on the weekends and have definitely missed it over the last few months. I would say that one or another, football takes up most of my time, whether it’s reading or writing about it, thinking about it in the bath, listening to podcasts, playing video games with my brother, watching it on the telly. But nothing beats actually playing a game with your mates on a weekend.
What do you miss about it? What does it mean to you? Do get in touch. Email michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet @michaelbutler18
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Aston Villa’s Dean Smith is next up in front of a mic, and as well as expressing disappointment about his side’s 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United in midweek, he’s got some Jack Grealish news, as the England man continues to recover from a shin problem which has forced him to miss the last three games. Matt Cash (hamstring), Kortney Hause (foot) and Wesley (knee) remain sidelined for Villa.
Jack is doing better. He’s unlikely to play. I’ve not sat down with the medical staff yet but he was on the AlterG (treadmill) running yesterday. He looks pain-free now, so once I sit down with the medical staff we’ll decide what he’s doing.
Hello world! Lots of stuff to get through today but first, please direct your attention towards this essential read on concussion by Burnley captain Ben Mee. He is both eloquent and incisive.
While you decide who deserves Player of the Month, I’ll hand over to Michael Butler to guide you through Jurgen Klopp’s press conference and much more.
Wow. No Liverpool players on there. Jurgen Klopp speaking to the press shortly by the way.
⚪️ Joachim Andersen
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 5, 2021
🦊 Harvey Barnes
🔵 Joao Cancelo
🔴 Bruno Fernandes
🔥 Ilkay Gundogan
⚒️ Jesse Lingard
🐺 Ruben Neves
🇧🇷 Raphinha
Who gets your vote for February's @EASPORTSFIFA Player of the Month?
➡️ https://t.co/8W5E1TDy45#PLAwards pic.twitter.com/X6kGvNED82
As the home-schooling kids continue to pester for snacks despite lunch being on the horizon, chill out and take 10 minutes to read to 10 things...
Let’s move this show on to Goodison Park where defender Michael Keane has lots of good things to say about boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Keane has told evertontv that the Italian coach’s vast experience is the key to helping the Toffees claim a Champions League spot. They’re currently fifth but have a game in hand over the three teams above them.
We know it is going to be tough but we feel we have quality and we have the attitude and mentality within the team to do it.
The manager has been there and done it all and he passes that belief onto his players.
You can see that on nights like last night [1-0 win at West Brom]; even when we don’t play well we still believe we are going win, we can dig deep, get one chance, take it and hold on.
That is some of the quality you need. We know it is going to be tough but there are 12 games left and there is no reason why we can’t believe.
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Quite a morning for Steve Bruce.
All good source material for his next murder mystery I guess.
You can read my in-depth reviews of all three books, at the following links.
— Séamas It Ever Was (@shockproofbeats) June 1, 2020
1. Striker https://t.co/bZ9TqtFbBo
2. Sweeper https://t.co/txPzqlJZ3I
3. Defender https://t.co/BMp4prT7X1
A final line on Steve Bruce catching moles (note to self: idea for game show).
From the Newcastle Chronicle:
“There is a source feeding stuff. We are looking into to it to find the culprit.”
When asked whether it was coming from within the four walls at United, Bruce said: “It has to be. That is the biggest disappointment that it, unfortunately, happens too often. We will try to look to see who it is.”
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Steve Bruce is really fire-fighting today. He’s also had to deny claims that he had leaked a story himself about replacing goalkeeper Karl Darlow with Martin Dubravka ahead of last weekend’s game.
Bruce bristles: “If I thought I would do that, I would resign tomorrow. It’s simply not true.
“It’s unfair on Karl and arguably, over the last 18 months, that’s been the most difficult decision I’ve had to make.”
Staying on Steve Bruce and there’s more emotive language being quoted elsewhere.
Speaking to TalkSport about a possible mole in the Newcastle camp, Bruce bites: “I’ve got more to important things to do than trying to find out.
“We’re all disappointed, of course we are, and why wouldn’t we be? It borders on treason, if you like. It’s disgusting.”
Bruce confirms Ritchie row
Steve Bruce has confirmed in his press conference that he had a training ground row with midfielder Matt Ritchie.
But he wants to kill the story which emerged in the wake of the Magpies’ 1-1 draw with Wolves.
Look, there’s no denying that I’ve had a row with Matt Ritchie, but let me tell you that happens up and down training grounds every other week.
You’re dealing with 25 men, emotions run high, fiercely competitive – these things happen unfortunately, and unfortunately for us with Newcastle, of course it gets blown to all sort of proportions.
Matty apologised. As far as we’re concerned and me personally, it’s over.
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is talking to the press. Some juicy stuff coming out, but first some team news for the game against West Brom.
“We’ve got one or two knocks. We’ll see how Isaac Hayden is, he’s been carrying an ankle injury for a week or two. Emil Krafth has got a nasty shin injury so we’ll see how they are today and tomorrow.”
On Callum Wilson: “It’s rest and recovery for him. He’s working with the physios and lightly jogging but he’s unfortunately still going to be a little bit away.”
On Federico Fernández: “He’s trained all week and he might be involved.”
A morning conspiracy theory to digest.
Michael Owen on why Mané always stays on his feet:
— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) March 5, 2021
“Mo Salah is the penalty taker in this team, and if he (Mane) thinks he’s getting a chance to score he thinks ‘well I’m going to score, if I don’t stay on my feet, Mo’s going to get another penalty’’.”
The latest VAR controversy at Anfield didn’t affect the outcome. But the latest VAR controversy at Craven Cottage did. Here’s Fulham boss Scott Parker on the latest VAR controversy.
"VAR is killing every bit of emotion in the game we love"
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) March 4, 2021
Scott Parker has absolutely nailed it 👏
🔗 https://t.co/mwVtSgAGib pic.twitter.com/lObea1CMnZ
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Preamble
And here we go again...
Manchester City’s attempt to win their 257th consecutive game faces a stern challenge this weekend. Not just because of form books and windows but derby rivals United have a genuinely good record against them. Expect a 2-0 win for City then.
But it’s the battle for a Champions League spot where it’s really all happening, baby. With United (51pts) wobbling and Leicester (50pts) limping, Chelsea (47pts), Everton (46pts), West Ham (45pts), Liverpool (43pts) and Spurs (42pts) could all come with a late run.
Chelsea look by far the safest bets after their impressive win at Anfield on Thursday night while Everton are perfecting the 1-0 Richarlison so look dangerous too. If Liverpool play all their remaining games away from home, then maybe Jurgen Klopp’s men can salvage something from this strangest of seasons.
At the bottom, Sheffield United and West Brom have a mighty task to avoid the drop but Brighton and Newcastle are twitching with Fulham still showing signs of encouragement. The Cottagers travel to Anfield on Sunday so pencil that in for a 1-0 away win.
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