Match report: Leeds 1-2 Wigan
An agonising defeat for Leeds United, and a huge victory for Wigan Athletic. Football, eh? They threw the kitchen sink in the end but it was hardly a vintage Leeds performance under Marcelo Bielsa, with Wigan showing glimpses of quality when it mattered. It was another fine display by Reece James, the Chelsea loanee who rattled the woodwork. Leeds slip to third behind Sheffield United on goal difference, while Wigan move five points clear of the relegation zone. Chris Wilder’s side are back in the driving seat for that second automatic promotion place with three games to go. Norwich City, who take on Sheffield Wednesday tonight, are very nearly there. Norwich can move seven points clear of second with nine to play for, while they can seal promotion at Stoke on Monday. Wilder, who said he would give Leeds’ game a miss in favour of a pint of his preferred Yorkshire ale, will certainly enjoy that beer.
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Full-time results
Championship
Birmingham 2-2 Derby
Bolton 0-2 Aston Villa
Bristol City 1-1 Reading
Leeds 1-2 Wigan
Middlesbrough 1-0 Stoke
Millwall 1-1 Brentford
Preston 4-0 Ipswich
QPR 1-2 Blackburn
Sheff Utd 2-0 Nottm Forest
Swansea 4-3 Rotherham
West Brom 3-2 Hull City
Norwich v Sheff Weds (7.45pm)
League One
AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Bristol Rovers
Barnsley 2-1 Shrewsbury
Burton 1-2 Portsmouth
Coventry 2-0 Bradford
Fleetwood 1-1 Peterborough
Gillingham 3-1 Plymouth
Oxford 2-1 Charlton
Rochdale 1-0 Wycombe
Scunthorpe 0-0 Blackpool
Walsall 1-1 Southend
Sunderland v Doncaster (5.15pm)
League Two
Cambridge 0-0 Swindon
Carlisle 1-0 Lincoln
Cheltenham 0-0 Oldham
Colchester 1-0 Grimsby
Crewe 2-0 Yeovil
Exeter 1-3 Crawley
Mansfield 4-0 Morecambe
Newport 3-1 Bury
Northampton 3-1 Macclesfield
Notts Co 1-2 MK Dons
Port Vale 1-4 Stevenage
Tranmere 0-1 Forest Green
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Bolton relegated to League One
It has been a long time coming and Phil Parkinson has done a phenomenal job given the circumstances, but Laurence Bassini will own a League One club once his takeover is complete. Goals by Jack Grealish and Tammy Abraham earned Aston Villa a 2-0 victory, as Dean Smith’s side picked up a ninth win on the spin. Seven years after dropping out of the Premier League, Bolton will begin next season in the third tier having lost 14 of their past 18 matches, the latest defeat their 27th of the season.
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There will be five added minutes at Elland Road. Meanwhile, Middlesbrough have got the job done at the Riverside, picking up a third consecutive win with victory over Stoke.
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Wigan’s coaching staff are incensed at Elland Road – they feel they should have been awarded a penalty after Forshaw upended Reece James in the box! Nothing doing. Into the 90th minute we go ...
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A big goal at Burton! Matt Clarke nets what is surely a stoppage-time winner for Portsmouth at the Pirelli Stadium. Barnsley are also winning in League One, while Sunderland take on Doncaster shortly. All to play for at the top!
Leeds are camped inside the Wigan half at Elland Road – but they cannot find a way past Christian Walton. It’s an attack v defence excercise, as you would expect. Elsewehere, Birmingham scramble the ball to safety after Fikayo Tomori went agonisingly close!
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GOAL! West Brom 3-2 Hull City (Gayle, 84)
Dwight Gayle strikes with his 23rd of the season. The striker converts Jacob Murphy’s low cross to poke Albion’s noses in front at the Hawthorns.
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GOAL! Swansea 4-3 Rotherham (Vaulks, 83)
A goal-fest at the Liberty Stadium! Staying in south Wales, a big goal for Newport, who go 3-1 up over Bury. Mike Flynn’s side are making a late – and convincing – dash for the play-offs.
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GOAL! Swansea 4-2 Rotherham (McBurnie, 79)
Oli McBurnie’s 19th goal of the season seals what is surely a sixth straight home win. In League One, a sweet Ollie Clarke strike from distance earns Bristol Rovers an equaliser at AFC Wimbledon, who drop back into the relegation zone as things stand.
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Preston 4-0 Ipswich! Lukas Nmecha gets his second of the afternoon. Elsewhere, Mansfield are three goals to the good at home to Morecambe, and already-promoted Lincoln trail at play-off chasing Carlisle.
Reece James strikes the bar for Wigan! They come within millimetres of adding a third. A curling free-kick by the impressive Chelsea loanee outsmarts Kiko Casilla in the Leeds goal but the not the woodwork. Eighteen minutes of normal time to play at Elland Road.
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GOAL! Swansea 3-2 Rotherham (Naughton, 69)
Swansea lead for the first time this afternoon against Rotherham. George Byers hooks goalwards and Kyle Naughton gets the faintest of touches on it to help it on. Wigan, as things stand, will move five points clear of the bottom three. If they can hold on at Elland Road ...
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GOAL! Leeds 1-2 Wigan (Massey, 62)
Wowee! Ten-man Wigan lead at Elland Road! Gavin Massey heads home his second goal of the afternoon after meeting a neat, cushioned header by Leon Clarke. If Wigan – who have the worst away record in the entire Football League – go on to win this game, then Leeds will drop to third, behind Sheffield United on goal difference. A huge goal in Yorkshire.
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GOAL! West Brom 2-2 Hull City (Gayle, 63)
Dwight Gayle nods home his 22nd goal of the season as Hull drift off in the box.
Fancy a quick Aston Villa stat? Tammy Abraham the first player to score 25 goals in a league season for Villa since Andy Gray, in 1976-77. The downside for Abraham is that he injured his shoulder in doubling Villa’s lead at Bolton, with the forward replaced by Keinan Davis.
GOAL! West Brom 1-2 Hull City (Kane, 60)
Todd Kane doubles his – and Hull’s tally – at the Hawthorns. Just like London buses, etc. Down in League Two, Yeovil are in real trouble after Adel Gafaiti picks up a straight red card for elbowing Nicky Hunt. MK Dons, meanwhile, lead 1-0 at Notts County through David Wheeler.
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GOAL! Bolton 0-2 Aston Villa (Abraham, 57)
That is No 25 for the season for Tammy Abraham, the striker converting Grealish’s deft cross inside the box. Meanwhile, Preston lead Ipswich 3-0, courtesy of Lukas Nmecha.
And now Kemar Roofe passes up a big chance for Leeds! The substitute opts to chest, as opposed to heading Jack Harrison’s cross, and his effort from six yards out is ultimately too tame to truly trouble Walton in the Wigan goal.
Pablo Hernández drags wide for Leeds at Elland Road! Alioski had teed up the Spaniard but his effort was wayward. Marcelo Bielsa introduced Kemar Roofe and Adam Forshaw at the interval, in place of Tyler Roberts and Kalvin Phillips. Down in League Two, high-flying Forest Green lead Tranmere and Yeovil survive as a second Crewe goal is disallowed at Gresty Road.
GOAL! Swansea 2-2 Rotherham (McKay, 50)
Barrie McKay heads in Daniel James’s cross, and Swansea pull level once more in south Wales.
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GOAL! West Brom 1-1 Hull (Kane, 49)
Todd Kane storms forward down the right flank and has a pop from 25 yards. Bang!
GOAL! Bolton 0-1 Aston Villa (Grealish, 47)
Jack Grealish heads in Tammy Abraham’s cross to put Villa on course for a ninth successive league. Dean Smith’s side are nigh on untouchable at present. Bolton, meanwhile, are heading down.
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GOAL! QPR 0-2 Blackburn (Dack, 46)
Bradley Dack doubles Rovers’ lead in west London. In League One, Burton have pulled level at home to Portsmouth throughtheir record-signing, Liam Boyce.
Some storylines to keep an eye on as the second halves get under way: Bolton are 45-odd minutes from being relegated to League One, Leeds could do with shaking off 10-man Wigan to establish some breathing space between them and Sheffield United at the top of the Championship and, at the foot of League Two, Sol Campbell’s Macclesfield Town could pick up a crucial point. They’re level-pegging at Northampton, while Notts County and MK Dons are currently tied at 0-0. At the bottom of League One, will AFC Wimbledon and Southend get the job done and pick up priceless wins? There is, as they say, plenty to play for.
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Half-time scores
Championship
Birmingham 2-2 Derby
Bolton 0-0 Aston Villa
Leeds 1-1 Wigan
Middlesbrough 1-0 Stoke
Preston 2-0 Ipswich
QPR 0-1 Blackburn
Swansea 1-2 Rotherham
West Brom 1-0 Hull
Full-time results: Bristol City 1-1 Reading, Millwall 1-1 Brentford
Sheffield United 2-0 Nottingham Forest, Norwich v Sheffield Wednesday (7.45pm)
League One
AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Bristol Rovers
Barnsley 1-1 Shrewsbury
Burton 0-1 Portsmouth
Fleetwood 0-0 Peterborough
Gillingham 0-1 Plymouth
Rochdale 0-0 Wycombe
Scunthorpe 0-0 Blackpool
Walsall 0-1 Southend
Full-time results: Coventry 2-0 Bradford, Oxford United 2-1 Charlton. Sunderland v Doncaster (5.15pm)
League Two
Cambridge 0-0 Swindon
Carlisle 0-0 Lincoln
Cheltenham 0-0 Oldham
Colchester 1-0 Grimsby
Crewe 1-0 Yeovil
Mansfield 1-0 Morecambe
Newport 2-1 Bury
Northampton 1-1 Macclesfield
Notts County 0-0 MK Dons
Port Vale 0-1 Stevenage
Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green
Full-time result: Exeter 1-3 Crawley
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GOAL! Leeds 1-1 Wigan (Massey, 44)
Oof! Ten-man Wigan have a lifeline at Elland Road, with Gavin Massey lashing home inside Kiko Casilla’s near post. As things stand – with Rotherham winning – that Wigan goal would be enough to keep them above the dotted line, for time being at least.
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GOAL! West Brom 1-0 Hull City (Gibbs, 42)
Kieran Gibbs nonchalantly slots home a Tosin Adarabioyo cross. Elsewhere, Kevin Bond’s Southend lead 1-0 at Walsall, with Simon Cox rounding the goalkeeper to net his 15th goal of the season.
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GOAL! Swansea 1-2 Rotherham (Crooks, 38)
Moving on up – again – are Rotherham, courtesy of another Matt Crooks goal.
GOAL! Swansea 1-1 Rotherham (McBurnie, 36)
Oli McBurnie equalises with his 18th goal of the season. A goal that has huge consequences for Rotherham, Wigan and Bolton, who will be relegated this evening as things stand. In League One, results are also going against Bradford City, who look to be heading down to League Two.
GOAL! Birmingham 2-2 Derby (Keogh, 28)
And now Richard Keogh, the Derby captain, is on the scoresheet, scooting round the back post to head in unmarked. A potentially huge goal for Frank Lampard’s side.
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A flurry of goals! Preston 2-0 Ipswich, QPR 0-1 Blackburn. In League One, AFC Wimbledon lead Bristol Rovers, who are not yet safe themselves. Anthony Hartigan’s low ball is converted first-time by Joe Pigott. As it stands, Wally Downes’s side are heading out of the relegation zone.
GOAL! Birmingham 2-1 Derby (Morrison, 19)
Frank Lampard shakes his head as the Birmingham captain Michael Morrison puts his side back in front.
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GOAL! Leeds 1-0 Wigan (Bamford, 17)
Seconds, more or less, after missing a penalty, Leeds lead.
Pablo Hernández misses a penalty for Leeds! He rattles a post. But Leeds do at least have a man advantage for the remaining 75-odd minutes. In League Two, Newport are 2-1 up against Bury and Jääskeläinen’s Crewe are 1-0 up against lowly Yeovil.
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Penalty to Leeds! Pablo Hernández will take it! And red card for Wigan’s Cédric Kipré. Plus, a statistical update to the news Will Jääskeläinen, son of the former Bolton goalkeeper Jussi, is making his Crewe debut. When Jussi made his English league debut for Bolton in August 1998, Will was just 14 days old ...
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GOAL! Swansea 0-1 Rotherham (Ihiekwe, 10)
Advantage Rotherham in south Wales. Michael Ihiekwe glances home Will Vaulks’s inswinging cross. As it stands, that goal would be enough to condemn Bolton to an inevitable – and sad – relegation. And we have an equaliser at Birmingham, with Martyn Waghorn restoring parity for Derby at St Andrew’s. Preston, meanwhile, lead relegated Ipswich.
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Asked if he will be tuning into Leeds’ game with Wigan, Chris Wilder replies: “No. I’m going for a beer.” Another soundbite from the early Championship action, courtesy of Lee Johnson. “We won every stat apart from the most important one,” says the Bristol City head coach. “It is not a disaster. We have big games to come and we will thrive in that uncertainty.”
GOAL! Middlesbrough 1-0 Stoke (Assombalonga, 2)
Britt Assombalonga gives Boro a dream start at the Riverside. And a big goal at St Andrew’s too, where Derby trail Birmingham inside the opening few minutes. Lukas Jutkiewicz has given Garry Monk’s side the lead there.
A big result for the top and bottom of League Two! Crawley Town earn back-to-back away wins for the first time this season to open up some breathing space between them and the bottom two. They have essentially ensured safety, stretching the gap to 23rd-placed Yeovil, who have four games to play, to 12 points. For Exeter, that is a blow to cementing their top-six berth, with Carlisle among the teams that can apply some heat in the battle for the play-offs. Some full-time scores then, as the 3pms get started:
Championship
Bristol City 1-1 Reading
Millwall 1-1 Brentford
Sheffield Utd 2-0 Nottingham Forest
League One
Coventry 2-0 Bradford
Oxford United 2-1 Charlton
League Two
Exeter City 1-3 Crawley
Surely a first for fifth-tier football matches ... such is the interest in Leyton Orient’s bid to return to the Football League, the club say they are aware of false tickets being sold for their crunch Easter Monday match-up with Solihull Moors on the black market. A brief Orient statement said: “We have received reports that fraudulent tickets for Solihull Moors on Monday are being sold on the Leyton High Street. These tickets are fake. Please don’t purchase tickets from unofficial sources.” National League leaders Orient, who have three games to play, host Harrogate Town this afternoon.
A couple more nuggets of team news: a big boost for Aston Villa as Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings return to the starting XI at Bolton, Leeds are unchanged at home to Wigan, while there is no Jack Butland for Stoke against Rotherham, with the England goalkeeper absent following the birth of his son, George. Congratulations and best wishes to the Butland clan!
Some big – well, 6ft to be precise – team news at Gresty Road, where Jussi Jääskeläinen’s son, Will, makes his Football League debut for Crewe. Jääskeläinen was released by Bolton two years ago and makes his bow alongside another former Trotters staple, with Nicky Hunt also in the starting lineup against a Yeovil side in desperate need of three points:
Sheffield United double their lead over Nottingham Forest! Enda Stevens drills into the bottom corner to pile the pressure back on Leeds getting the job done against Wigan a little later. That is mightily big goal at Bramall Lane, as it also prevents Norwich from being able to rubber-stamp promotion to the Premier League at Carrow Road this evening.
That’s it from me now. Ben Fisher is ready and waiting to take you through a crammed afternoon of Football League fun. Email Ben here, or tweet him @BenFisherJ.
Full-time at Ashton Gate: it’s all-square there, as Reading hold Bristol City to a 1-1 draw, meaning the Robins will drop out of the playoff spots if Derby and/or Middlesbrough win later. It also means Reading can’t now be caught by second-bottom Bolton, who will be relegated today should they lose to Aston Villa.
Some half-times in League One: Lyle Taylor gave Charlton the lead at Oxford United but it’s now 2-1 to the home team thanks to Curtis Nelson and Luke Garbutt, while Coventry City lead Bradford City 1-0 thanks to a Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila goal. Bradford have also had Nathaniel Knight-Percival sent off and, if my maths are correct, they will be relegated today if that result sticks.
Duffy on the right, forces Pantillimon into a scrambling tip over the bar from what might have been an audacious shot, or more likely a slightly miscued cross. Norwood tries a shot himself but howls at the moon as it sails into the Kop. Scott Hogan, once upon a time a £10million striker, comes off the bench to replace Gary Madine.
Football, isn’t it.
Between now and Tuesday night:
— Gary Parkinson (@GaryParkinson) April 19, 2019
• 3 teams (in the 92) can win the title
• 5 can get promoted
• 10 can reach the play-offs
• 25 can avoid relegation.
But also:
• 9 can miss out on the title
• 8 can miss promotion
• 22 can miss the play-offs
• 7 can be relegated.
Enjoy.
A change for Forest, as Daryl Murphy is winched off, replaced by Lewis Grabban. Meanwhile Baldock has a golden chance to either double United’s lead or set someone else up to, but dithers for so long that even the Forest defence has time to swoop in and get the ball off him.
A red card at the New Den too, where Brentford’s Henrik Dalsgaard is enjoying a solitary bath after tripping Ben Thompson when clear on goal. Thompson has since been subbed off, I assume as a consequence of the foul.
M-m-m-m-m-m-match p-p-p-p-preview: here’s what you need to know about Huddersfield vs Watford.
Big save by Pantillimon, changing direction and diving low to his left to paw away a slightly miss-hit effort from McGoldrick.
Sheffield United take the lead against Nottingham Forest! The Blades take advantage straight away, as Mark Duffy collects a loose ball on the left side of the box, is allowed an age to line up his shot but executes it beautifully, curling beyond Costel Pantillimon.
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Red card!
Nottingham Forest are down to ten men after Yohan Benalouane was sent off for taking out David McGoldrick while clean through. A clear goalscoring chance even though there were a few defenders in the general area, but Benalouane insists he didn’t touch his opponent and he might have a point. Martin O’Neill is quite literally hopping mad. Centre-back Alex Milosevic comes on in place of Pele. Not that one.
Let’s have a quick chat about Denis Suarez: in a crowded old field, this could be the most pointless signing Arsenal made for some years. Signed in a position they didn’t really need to sign anyone in anyway, he’s played a total of 95 minutes over four appearances, none of them starts, and is now out injured. Even Kim Kallstrom scored a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final shoot-out against Wigan. Arsenal will assess his groin twang ahead of the game against Crystal Palace tomorrow, from which Aaron Ramsey will be missing (and indeed probably from all future Arsenal games) while Sokratis Papastathopoulos is suspended.
Big few minutes at Millwall: Lee Gregory gave the home side the lead after turning home from a corner, but the lead was short-lived as Josh da Silva has already equalised for Brentford, curling one into the top corner from 25 yards. 1-1 with about 20 minutes gone.
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At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United’s Martin Cranie achieved the impressive feat of fouling a Forest player and a Sheffield United player in the same challenge. The referee, with little regard for such an ambitious act, books him. And that’s half-time: 0-0. Reminder that if Forest win here then Norwich can seal promotion if they beat Sheffield Wednesday tonight.
In the other early Championship game, Reading have taken the lead at Bristol City through Yakou Meite. And in the other other early fixture, Millwall and Brentford are about 15 minutes in to their clash at the Den: remember, Millwall are just two points outside the relegation zone.
John’s off to get some lunch, so hello, it is me, Nick Miller back for a spell. Emails to me here, or tweet @NickMiller79
Into the 35th minute now, and Sheffield United go close-ish again, as David McGoldrick’s header at the fair post just evades the lurking Gary Madine...and goal machine Daryl Murphy has just slid the ball wide for Nottingham Forest.
As Phil Withall tweets in to say: “Sheffield United are really missing Billy Sharp. His absence could well cost them promotion.”
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Here’s your Bournemouth v Fulham preview. Not much at stake, but it is Eddie Howe’s 500th game in football management. That’s pretty good going for a 41-year-old.
The big news from the Blades-Forest game so far is that Jack Colback has collected his 15th booking in 38 games and will now be banned for the final three games of the season.
In other news, Blades’ Enda Stevens’ cross just missed Gary Madine’s head with a cross. Sheffield United getting closer, but not close enough.
More Jürgen on that VAR decision: “I’ve no idea, but it was unbelievable, eh? Seeing that I just really felt for them. That’s how it is. Everybody thought the ball was in and the whole stadium is celebrating. I know some people say without VAR it’s a clear goal but it was offside in that moment, nobody really doubts that, but that’s tough to take I’m 100 per cent sure.”
Shiny, happy Jürgen Klopp has been speaking ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Cardiff, which, it goes without saying, they need to win.
On the Champions League: “People think about Barcelona but before then it’s Cardiff and Huddersfield - games with the same importance. There’s a massive job to do this weekend...We don’t talk about Porto or Barcelona, we only talk about the next opponent, the next opportunity and that’s Cardiff.”
On City v Spurs: “It was unbelievable, wow, I really felt for them. Celebrating the goal..... It was tough to take I am 100% sure but big compliment to Tottenham.”
On fatigue: “We are not tired. It’s a decisive period of the season. It’s good to be involved in these two competitions - it’s a sign of success. You can imagine training is low intensity, we don’t need to do a lot as most important sessions are the ones we play.”
Any knocks? “Dejan was ill but he should be available again. Everyone else should be okay.”
On Cardiff: “Each set-piece will be a scoring opportunity for Cardiff. It will be difficult. They were really unlucky v Chelsea.”
At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United are on top, without any clear chances. It’s still 0-0.
Look away now, Jürgen, Pep and Mauricio, but have a peak to see what happens in actual civilised football countries. From the Press Association:
All Eredivisie fixtures the weekend before Ajax’s Champions League clash with Tottenham have been postponed, Dutch football chiefs have announced.
Ajax were scheduled to play De Graafschap on Sunday, April 28 and then Tottenham in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, April 30.
The Dutch federation, the KNVB, said its decision to delay all the weekend’s league fixtures was made to allow Ajax two days’ full rest between the games.
“I can confirm this as a plan and hopefully it will be (made) definite (on Friday) because we await the approval of the local authorities,” KNVB spokesperson Jaap Paulsen told Press Association Sport.
“Ajax have to play two games in three days and this is impossible because the league’s regulations say a club must have two full days off in between games.”
The postponed matches, including Ajax v De Graafschap, will now be played on Wednesday, May 15, making it the final round of games in the Dutch top flight.
Moving Ajax’s game against De Graafschap back to April 26 or 27 was also ruled out because it clashed with a large festival in Amsterdam, the King’s Night and King’s Day celebrations, and would have caused “insurmountable problems”.“We needed to change the schedule and this was very hard to do. We ran out of options,” said Paulsen, who added the decision was in no way made to give Ajax an advantage over Tottenham.
“In addition, for the sake of a fair running of the competition, we maintain that as long as possible we insist that on the last two match days all clubs take action at the same time.”
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has come out swinging ahead of the Blades’ huge game with Nottingham Forest.
We are not going to moan and groan about injuries. Now these players have a chance to play a part. When the line gets closer, it’s natural there will be some tightening up. The players have earned the right to be here. We are three points behind (Leeds), nobody has been promoted or crowned champions. There are pressure games right up and down the country and we are involved in a big game. Let’s stick it back at people who think we are done and dusted.
Martin O’Neill’s Forest are playing for pride alone.
Let’s get on the front foot, and try and win the game.
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Here’s a classic of the footballer playing down their prospects genre. Why do footballers never like to be favourites to win a game? Anyway, N’Golo Kanté was speaking after Chelsea’s defeat of Slavia Prague guided them into the Europa League semis, with Arsenal in the other side of the draw.
Maurizio Sarri’s team face Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-finals, with Arsenal facing Valencia in the other last-four tie. “We’re not favourites; we played a good match and we will do all we can to get to the final,” said Kante. “But we’re not favourites. It was important for us to win this game. I think it’s important to be in the semi-finals, it was our target.”
Were the semi-finals really the target? For the season?
News from the League of Ireland, where Waterford FC have been banned by UEFA from next year’s Europa League on the grounds of being ineligible due to having not been a club for more than three years - Waterford United reformed. This happened after St Patrick’s lodged a complaint...good thing the FAI is fully in working order to..ah, oh. Here’s a statement from Waterford owner Lee Power (also owner of Swindon Town).
Everyone at Waterford FC are deeply shocked and saddened at the news that we have been expelled from playing in the Europa League this season. We feel we have been totally misled by the FAI and were given assurances throughout this five-month process by them that the licence would be granted. We also had club visits by UEFA Delegates during this period of which no issues were raised.
As a club, we entered into substantial commercial agreements and invested heavily again into the team and also budgeted for the qualification money due in November. This will now have a serious financial impact on the club going forward.
The circumstances to which this decision has been made and the events over the last week are unclear and dubious, bearing in mind representations made to us and assurances given.
We will be asking for a full investigation into the FAI handling of this matter.
I have instructed my UK Lawyers to lodge an immediate appeal with UEFA and will pursue any legal avenue we have with regards to compensation and/or any wrong doing against a number of parties.
Finally, I must mention the people who matter the most – The Supporters – who have supported this club through thick and thin and have been badly let down by the people in Ireland governing this process.
Lee Power,
Chairman/Owner
We asked readers to share their experiences of racism in football and hundreds replied. This is a selection of their stories.
The Blades are getting sharpened for their huge match with Nottingham Forest.
Ready 👊🏻#WeAreBlades 🔴 pic.twitter.com/fCwJLdVlpM
— Sheffield United (@SUFC_tweets) April 19, 2019
Here’s more on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer channeling Dr Phil by telling it like it is to Manchester United fans.
Diego Costa continues to be Diego Costa. Everyone’s favourite granite-faced, potty-mouthed striker refused to train with Atletico Madrid yesterday after the club told him they would lighten his pockets in punishment for his spicy outburst against the referee in the Barcelona game the other week. Diego Simeone, however, seems to be spinning this as a positive:
Simeone just now on Costa refusing to train yesterday: "What I can tell you is that it is an internal situation, which we resolved yesterday, and today Diego was training as he always has trained.... nothing has changed with Costa's situation."
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 19, 2019
Simeone: "Costa has not had a good season but all his rebelliousness will be good for us next season, when he can return with hunger to turn around all that has happened this year."
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 19, 2019
Some team news for the big early game in the Championship. Billy Sharp and Chris Basham’s hamstring injuries prevent them from starting for Sheffield United, while John Egan is suspended.
⚔️⚽️ CONFIRMED TEAM | Chris Wilder makes 4⃣ changes…
— Sheffield United (@SUFC_tweets) April 19, 2019
➡️ Baldock, Stearman, Cranie, Madine
⬅️ Freeman, Egan, Basham, Sharp
It’s @SUFC_tweets v @NFFC in the @SkyBetChamp, kick-off is 12.30pm#sufc #ForgedinSteel #twitterblades pic.twitter.com/7nXpiPsnla
Here's how #NFFC line up for today's game against @SUFC_tweets... pic.twitter.com/v5yrlamume
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) April 19, 2019
This guy continues to display classic son-in-law qualities.
Bought Birmingham Post today. Thug who attacked Jack Grealish on pitch quoted as saying on release from prison: "It was the best month of my life. It was hard being away from my family but everything was good. I'm not apologising for nothing." Viva our criminal justice system.
— Chris Waters (@CWatersYPSport) April 19, 2019
A little Tottenham team news ahead of the big ‘un tomorrow: Moussa Sissoko looks unlikely to make it after tweaking his groin in Pt.2 of this trilogy the other night. Harry Kane is obviously out, as are Harry Winks and Serge Aurier, but Eric Dier might be back.
After their Champions League win in Porto on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp said Sunday’s game against Cardiff will be just as intense. Given Liverpool won 4-1 in Portugal you could take that as a honking backhanded compliment, but he’s clearly wary of Neil Warnock’s boys since their own midweek success, the 2-0 victory at Brighton, significantly boosted their chances of dodging relegation.
Warnock, however, isn’t exactly predicting a nailed on win for his lot. He roared:
We realise the challenge, they’ve shown this season that they can beat anyone on a good day. We just want to give a good performance and not get a battering really.
And looking ahead to Norwich’s elevation to the big boys’ table, here’s Stuart James’s piece on the Daniel Farke revolution. Features horses.
As previously mentioned, it’s a big ol’ day in the Football League: here’s what could be decided today
Championship
- Norwich will be promoted if Sheffield United lose the lunchtime kick-off and they beat Sheffield Wednesday this evening.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwich | 42 | 34 | 86 |
| 2 | Leeds | 42 | 27 | 82 |
| 3 | Sheff Utd | 42 | 30 | 79 |
| 4 | West Brom | 42 | 25 | 73 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 42 | 19 | 69 |
- Bolton, new owner and all, will be relegated if they lose Aston Villa. Even if they win, they’ll drop if Millwall and Wigan beat Brentford and Leeds respectively, and Reading don’t lose to Bristol City. And even again if they win and Reading lose, they can still only draw level on points and the Royals currently have a superior goal difference to the tune of 27. In short, they’re toast.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Millwall | 41 | -13 | 42 |
| 21 | Wigan | 42 | -17 | 42 |
| 22 | Rotherham | 42 | -26 | 40 |
| 23 | Bolton | 42 | -43 | 32 |
| 24 | Ipswich | 42 | -35 | 28 |
League One
- Bradford will be relegated if they lose at Coventry and both Rochdale and Scunthorpe pick up points.
League Two
- Nothing can be definitively decided, but Sol Campbell’s Macclesfield will take a healthy stride to survival if they beat Northampton and both Notts County and Yeovil lose.
All tables are here if you would like to play the permutations game yourself.
You may have missed the news that Bolton Wanderers have a new saviour in the shape of former Watford head honcho Laurence Bassini. David Conn explains how previously bankrupt man who has served a three-year FA ban for dishonesty and deception can be judged suitable to own another football club.
Probably best not to comment.
Introducing our docuseries 'A Season on the Edge', in partnership with Friday Films and SENT Entertainment.
— Fleetwood Town FC (@ftfc) April 18, 2019
Please note this trailer contains strong language 🤬
👉 https://t.co/BDPPmTFLdZ#OnwardTogether | #ASeasonOnTheEdge pic.twitter.com/bSndp0eiXB
This is interesting: Harry Kane said recently that he fancies being a kicker in the NFL when he’s done with soccer, but a man who knows better says: “Not so fast, H.”
Good news, Manchester United fans: Ole Gunnar Solskjær reckons the route back to the top will be a long, hard, tedious slog. Enjoy! He said:
We know we have to be realistic here and we know we have a job to be done. There’s no quick fix, it’s not like we buy seven players and suddenly we’re in the right shape, we are where we are. We have to take it step-by-step and of course there will be signings made in the summer.
It’s always a comfort to discover that footballers, these highly-paid, athletic, wealthy gods, are very often entirely incompetent. With that in mind, here’s Tom Bryant’s annual Premier League incompetence index.
As ever, your place to start on a Friday is our 10 things to watch out for in the Premier League this weekend.
Preamble
Good day, good day, good day. Happy Easter and all that. Football never stops: this is one of three days in a run of 41 in which there is no Premier, Champions or Europa League games, but the gods recognise we are all weak and need this to make it through the day, so there’s a dramatic old day of Football League stuff to keep you interested. Norwich could seal promotion today, which will rely on Sheffield United losing to Nottingham Forest at lunchtime, plus there’s a bunch of other stuff to be decided and resolved.
Before that, we’ll have the usual Friday business of previews, team news, speculation and build-up for the Premier League action tomorrow, Sunday and Monday, so stick around and let’s do this together.
Drop me an email here, or tweet @NickMiller79, and we’ll all have a lot of fun.
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