Premier League News, Reaction, Opinion - talkSPORT

Arsenal would not win the Premier League title without unseen Declan Rice moments

Amy Hamerslagh — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:12:52 +0000

Declan Rice has played in every game but one this season, and Arsenal fans believe that if it were not for the England midfielder, a title challenge would be impossible.

Rice has accumulated more minutes than any other Arsenal outfield player, missing out on only a 4-1 home victory against Aston Villa.

Arsenal are undefeated in their last 12 games in the Champions League

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The 27-year-old has contributed four goals and five assists in the Premier League this season.

He has been one of the frontrunners for the PFA awards, with many of the view that Rice is the most influential player in Mikel Arteta‘s side.

His importance to the squad has grown significantly with captain Martin Odegaard sidelined for much of this season, meaning Rice has also emerged as a leader.

‘No Rice, no title’

On talkSPORt’s latest episode of Inside Gooners, host Nick Bright asked the panel: “Has Declan Rice cemented himself as… I don’t want to say ‘most important’, because all the players are important… but our most influential player?”

The ‘Deluded Gooner’ insisted there are unseen Rice moments that make Arsenal so solid.

He replied: “He clearly is. When he can play in the No.6 or the No.8, there is no other player who can fill that role.

“We can focus on how Rice plays the ball forward but he’s the one who puts out fires. Atletico Madrid are so good on the ball and transitioning.

“The things he does to stop that and they might not get the headlines or make the highlights but that’s why Rice is vital.

“We are not the same team without Declan.”

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Adrian Clarke added: “No Rice, no title.”

Arsenal have missed out on the league title for the last consecutive three season

Rice has been referred to as ‘The Horse’ by his teammates due to the non-stop running attitude in his game.

He has covered the eighth-most distance in the Premier League this season, totalling 351.44km.

If Arsenal eventually win their first title in 22 years, Rice’s leadership skills and footballing ability will undoubtedly be credited.

The Arsenal star has frequently been seen encouraging Arteta’s side, specifically after they were defeated by rivals Manchester City.

While other players stood with their heads were in their hands, Rice could be spotted shouting a defiant message towards his teammates, insisting: “It’s not done, it’s not done.”

The Gunners have lost two of their last three league games, including the clash at the Etihad, which led to the two clubs going level on points with an equal number of games played.

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Arsenal regained their place at the top of the table with a victory over Newcastle in their last outing, although Man City are three points behind with a game in hand.

Regarding the PFA award debate, with Bruno Fernandes being compared to Rice, the Deluded Gooner had his take: “If we win the league, it’s Declan Rice.”

Premier League Player of the Season predictions with firm reminder of unsung heroes and Bruno Fernandes assists

Joe Brophy — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:41:29 +0000

A Portuguese captain from a Manchester club headlines talkSPORT talent’s picks for their Player of the Season.

However, as Bernardo Silva competes in the title race, he has been bested in the individual honours list by compatriot Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes has cemented his place as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders and could end the year on a high

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And with Man United third in the table, their skipper Fernandes fittingly dominates but not everyone thinks he is deserving of winning.

The 31-year-old is one assist shy of the Premier League record of 20 in a single season after turning down a £700,000-a-week offer from Saudi Arabia last summer.

His 19th – and seventh in as many matches – came in the 2-1 win over Brentford that put the Red Devils 11 points clear of sixth in their bid to qualify for the Champions League.

Yet with Michael Carrick‘s men not battling for the title, Arsenal and Man City equally have claims to put their star man in the spotlight.

So, without further ado, here’s who our best talkSPORT presenters and star-studded guests name whom they believe should win the 2025/26 Player of the Season.

Dwight Yorke (Former Man United striker)
PICK: Bruno Fernandes

The 1999 Man United treble winner has been more than vindicated in calling for the club to build around Fernandes this time last year.

And the five-time major trophy winner at Old Trafford, Yorke, was keen to laud the playmaker again on talkSPORT Breakfast this week.

He told Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor: “Certainly, when you look at Bruno’s level of consistency, and he’s not everybody’s cup of tea in some way, the way he behaves, and that always seems to be out there a little bit.

“But let’s not go away from the actual focus of what he brings to United and his creativity. He’s the engineer of that team.

“He really does make United tick on all fronts.

Fans and pundits have loved watching the Manchester United captain in action

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Players who have won PFA Player of the Season without winning the title that season

■ Paul McGrath – Aston Villa, 1992/1993)

■ Les Ferdinand – Newcastle United, 1995/1996

■ Alan Shearer – Newcastle United, 1996/1997

■ David Ginola – Tottenham Hotspur, 1998/1999

■ Ruud Van Nistelrooy – Manchester United, 2001/2002

■ Thierry Henry – Arsenal, 2002/2003

■ Steven Gerrard – Liverpool, 2005/2006

■ Wayne Rooney – Manchester United, 2009/2010

■ Gareth Bale – Tottenham Hotspur, 2010/2011

■ Robin van Persie – Arsenal, 2011/2012

■ Gareth Bale – Tottenham Hotspur, 2012/2013

■ Luis Suárez – Liverpool, 2013/2014

■ Mohamed Salah – Liverpool, 2017/2018

■ Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool, 2018/19

■ Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City, 2019/2020

■ Mohamed Salah – Liverpool, 2021/2022

“And it shows again, because not just with his assists, but his goals, his leadership quality has gotten better.

“I think for me, again, there is a no-brainer there, that he is easily undoubtedly the best player in the league right now on current form.”

Ally McCoist (talkSPORT Breakfast host)
PICK: Bruno Fernandes/ Nico O’Reilly

The face of talkSPORT Breakfast was initially in total agreement over Fernandes, but hasn’t ruled out O’Reilly doing the double.

Speaking first on Man United’s talisman, McCoist told Breakfast on Tuesday: “I’ll tell you who I’m giving it to. Bruno.

“I think he has been outstanding. I expect him to go on, certainly equal and probably beat the assist record that Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry have.

I’ve watched him closely all season. I thought his level of performance, and I mentioned the game at Stamford Bridge [1-0 win over Chelsea].

“He just looked a level above anything else on the pitch. And you think of the talent, there’s really talented players on that pitch.
[Moises] Caicedo, [Enzo] Fernandez, all these boys.”

O’Reilly has only just turned 21 and is being talked about as the best player and young player

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Noel Gallagher (Oasis superstar)
Pick: Nico O’Reilly

Die hard City fan Noel has unsurprisingly plumped for a player from his beloved side, who can still win a domestic treble this term.

And it speaks volumes that their latest academy superstar, O’Reilly, is the pick of the bunch following a breakout campaign in 2025/2026.

Primarily a midfielder, the England international has thrived as an unorthodox left-back with five goals and three assists in 31 Premier League appearances.

He also scored a game-deciding double in City’s Carabao Cup final win in March, and looks a shoo-in for the Three Lions’ World Cup squad.

Gallagher, who joined Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent on talkSPORT Drive in April, said: “I don’t know enough about other teams, but surely O’Reilly is a shoo-in for young player of the year.

“I just cannot put into words.

“You know that bit on the touchline where he’s got three players around him, he nutmegs two players [during 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Etihad].

“All before the game is like, are they feeling the pressure? Well, he isn’t. [Rayan] Cherki isn’t. [Abdukodir] Khusanov isn’t.

“[Gianluigi] Donnarumma looked like he was. O’Reilly for sure. O’Reilly could win both [awards for PFA YPOTY and POTY].

O’Reilly has been an ever-present for Manchester City this season

Lianne Sanderson (talkSPORT host)
PICK: Bruno Fernandes

Former England forward Sanderson told Kick off with Natalie Sawyer: “People know how much I love Man United, right? But I’m not biased towards Man United. I’m very kind of measured. I’ll give credit where it’s due.

“Bruno Fernandes – separating Cristiano Ronaldo – I think Bruno has been the best Manchester United signing since Eric Cantona.

“And Eric Cantona was the reason why I support Man United. People can say he whinges, people can say shouting at the ref, but who cares?

“People used to shout at the refs all the time. Do you remember Roy Keane and [referee] David Ellery back in the day? Like, football’s changed, we know.

“I just love the fact with Bruno, I don’t think he gets spoken about enough that he turned down like £700,000 a week to go to Saudi [Arabia] to stay at Man United.

“And that’s why every time he plays, I tweet about it, I put it on X, he is my captain. I love everything about Bruno.

“He can whinge all he wants, but he is my player of the year.”

Fernandes has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this term

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Adrian Durham (talkSPORT host)
PICK: Rayan Cherki

The 22-year-old underlined why he was Durham’s pick for Player of the Year with his stunning solo goal in Man City’s win over Arsenal.

Cherki is the first player to reach double figures in BOTH goals and assists for a Premier League club in all competitions this season.

And Durham believes fans should forget about Fernandes and Declan Rice in favour of the former Lyon star.

“I’m thinking of the footballer of the year,” Durham said.

“You can’t have any Arsenal players, they’re not footballers, okay? They’re just robots.

“So, you can’t have any Arsenal players as player of the year.”

And on Cherki, Durham continued: “He is the only contender for footballer of the year. “Rayan Cherki has won it already.”

Cherki is proving the difference maker for Man City in the title race

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Sean Dyche (ex-Premier League manager) PICK: Igor Thiago

An outside shout got a mention from the former Burnley, Watford, Everton and Forest boss, who made a case for Brentford’s Igor Thiago.

After missing the majority of his first season in England through injury, the Brazilian has sparked into life in the 2025/26 campaign.

Thiago’s 21 goals in 34 games have fired the Bees into European contention, having been tipped for relegation before a ball was kicked last summer.

He has scored the most goals by a Brazilian in a single Premier League season, while only Erling Haaland has more league goals this term.

And Dyche made sure to throw Thiago’s name in the hat, as he urged people to look beyond the stars of the league’s big-name teams.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, he said: “He’s not quite under the radar, but obviously the big clubs, you always look for their players.

“But I must say Thiago at Brentford, I think.”

GettyThiago has become Brentford’s highest scorer in a single Premier League season, moving ahead of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo[/caption]

Jeff Stelling (talkSPORT Breakfast host)
PICK: Nico O’Reilly

O’Reilly equalled Fernandes in talkSPORT’s votes for Player of the Year by getting Stelling’s seal of approval.

Speaking on Friday’s Breakfast Show, Stelling said: “I’m going to go for somebody who hasn’t gone below the radar.

“I think they’ll definitely be going to the World Cup, probably start for England.

“I think Nico O’Reilly’s had an incredible season.

Highlighting what he brings to the team, Stelling said: “[He] gives a different dimension to Manchester City, and he has made so much progress this year.

“People will say: ‘Young Player of the Year’. But for me probably the Player of the Year full stop.”

O’Reilly bagged a Carabao Cup final double to inspire City to glory against Arsenal

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Chelsea tipped to sell Mykhailo Mudryk for £30million as early return date predicted

Jake Lambourne — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:33:03 +0000

Mykhailo Mudryk could be available to return to the pitch in December 2026 – but his future at Chelsea is all-but over.

That’s the view of ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan, who has had his say on the 25-year-old’s whopping four-year ban.

Mudryk hasn’t played since November 2024 as a result of his initial suspension

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The FA dished out maximum punishment on the Ukraine international, who tested positive for a banned substance – believed to be performance-enhancing drug Meldonium.

Mudryk had been provisionally suspended since December 2024 following an adverse finding in a routine urine test.

talkSPORT understands that the former Arsenal target has since lodged an appeal over the FA’s decision, which has been referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

It is believed that Mudryk’s four-year ban will be backdated and include a provisional ban, keeping him sidelined until 2028.

In the Mud?

But Jordan believes that it won’t be too long until the winger graces the pitch – with Chelsea to quickly bin him off in a cut-price deal worth up to £30million.

Chelsea pipped the Gunners to Mudryk’s signature in January 2023 in a deal rising to £88m, with the player going on to register a mere ten goals and 11 assists from 73 games in all competitions.

Commenting on Mudryk, who is tied down until 2031 at Stamford Bridge, talkSPORT co-host Jordan suggested that the player will get his ban reduced – referencing how boxers have had similar bans shortened.

He said: “If you can tap dance your way around legislation as Conor Benn did and other fighters have done, it will be almost unbelievable to think that Mudryk won’t find a solution to some extent to get himself into a position where the ban is reduced from four years to two years.

“And by the time that comes around, he’ll be almost out because he’d have served the time in the last 15-16 months.”

Before adding: “My nose tells me, that with the kind of resources that a player that’s cost £88m would have around him, that they’ll find a way to get themselves into a position despite strict liability and having to account for it, that they get themselves back into a situation where two years is what they serve.

Ukraine international Mudryk may have already played his last game for Chelsea

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“And given they’re 15, 16 months already into it, he’ll be back available as a professional footballer in December of 2026.”

Jordan then detailed why he believes Chelsea will not rip up the forward’s contract – despite him not being available for the foreseeable future.

He remarked: “Chelsea are sitting on the sidelines paying his salary because the alternative is, either looking at the opportunity as a breach of contract, because if he’s being charged and now found guilty, he’s potentially in breach of contract.

“They probably don’t want to do that because they’ve got his registration, if they terminate his contract, they terminated the registration which means they can’t sell him.”

The ex-Eagles chairman continued: “You’ll be able to sell him despite the challenge of what he is and what he isn’t, for £20m-£30m, you’ve booked a profit at that time.

“So there’s lots in it for Chelsea to think about, the player I doubt will play for Chelsea again, because he was a mile off in lots of people’s minds in terms of his competence.

Mudryk chipped in with just nine five goals and four assists from 53 Premier League outings

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“And what you’ve got, is a player now that is an £80m misfit, has got banned for drug consequences, now defending himself – not against the fact there’s drugs in his system – against how they’ve got there.

“Strict liability means you’ve got to have a cast-iron, copper bottom, unassailable reason, which clearly hasn’t been the case, otherwise he wouldn’t be getting a four-year ban from the outset.

“He’s relying on the Court of Arbitration for Sport to look at it perhaps more equitably in their minds, and the usual form is, they’ll take the ban and they’ll take it into two years rather than four.

“That’s not exonerating yourself, that’s just bringing yourself back quicker, and then that becomes a situation where Chelsea go, ‘We can still monetise this player.'”

Mudryk, who hasn’t played a competitive game of football since November 2024, has been renting the pitch at non-league side Uxbridge’s stadium to maintain his fitness during his initial suspension.

Burnley should be banned from promotion for five years, they’re cheating the system

Lee Davey — Fri, 01 May 2026 10:02:02 +0000

Burnley have been accused of ‘cheating the system’ and should be banned from promotion back to the Premier League.

Those were the strong words of talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook after the Clarets were put out of their Premier League misery with last week’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City.

Burnley’s immediate return to the Championship was confirmed last week

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The result condemned Burnley to their third relegation in the past five seasons.

There was further upheaval at Turf Moor on Thursday when the club mutually agreed to part ways with manager Scott Parker, with four matches still to play.

Burnley’s record this season makes for dismal reading with just four league wins while boasting the worst defensive record of all 20 top-flight clubs.

Attention will quickly turn to next season’s Championship campaign and the quest to once again, achieve promotion to the Premier League.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

But before they depart for the second tier, Crook had some scathing parting words for the Lancashire club.

“Burnley are heading back where they belong, which is to the Championship,” Crook told talkSPORT’s Fiery Fridays podcast.

“For the second Premier League season in a row for them, they’ve absolutely stunk the place out.

“We all thought Burnley under Scott Parker with their defensive record last season keeping so many clean sheets in the Championship, would come into the Premier League and compete.

“They’ve been absolutely pathetic. Four wins from 34 games and 22 defeats.

“They’ve actually conceded more goals than Wolves who have been even stinkier than them over the course of the season.

Scott Parker often cut a dejected figure during Burnley forgettable 2025/26 campaign

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Alex Crook says the writing was on the wall for Burnley when they sold goalkeeper James Trafford to Man City last summer

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“Any Premier League team signing [Armando] Broja should be a sackable offence.

“They sold their goalkeeper before they’d even kicked a ball in the Premier League. He was a massive part of their success last season.

“And that showed they had no intention of staying in the Premier League. If you’re serious, you don’t sell your best player before you’ve even played your first game.”

Crook then explained why he believes Burnley’s yo-yoing between leagues is exploiting the system by handing them a financial advantage in their attempts to achieve promotion.

“I’m going to use the same argument that got me blacklisted by Norwich. Burnley are basically cheating the system,” Crook claims.

“They are coming up into the Premier League, they’re not making any great effort to compete. They go back down again and get the parachute money.

Crook hopes a ban on promotion would help prevent yo-yo club’s claiming a huge financial advantage in the Championship

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“They’ll probably win promotion under the right manager next season and then we’re going to rinse and repeat.”

Bans on promotion?

He then boldly proposed a new rule that would prevent clubs like Burnley from bouncing between leagues so often in what would be a hugely controversial addition to football’s ever-changing rulebook.

“If you get relegated from the Premier League twice in three seasons, you should be banned from winning promotion for the next five years,” Crook suggested.

“I’ve never been to Turf Moor, I’m not sure I’m ever going to be invited after that hot take.”

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Fri, May 1

Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

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Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

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Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
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Burnley set to be snubbed by top target to replace Scott Parker

Lee Davey — Fri, 01 May 2026 09:51:28 +0000

Craig Bellamy is reluctant to quit Wales to become Burnley’s new manager, talkSPORT understands.

Bellamy is one of Burnley’s top targets to replace Scott Parker but is committed to leading Wales at a home Euros in 2028.

Craig Bellamy has unfinished business with Wales and is set to snub Burnley’s approach

The Wales boss coached at Burnley under former boss Vincent Kompany and was among the candidates to take the job prior to Parker’s appointment two years ago.

Burnley have yet to make a formal approach for Bellamy who has won eight, drawn five and lost five of his 18 matches in charge of Wales.

The Clarets know that they would have to pay a release clause in the region of £700,000 to get him out of his contract with the Football Association of Wales.

But Bellamy’s stance is likely to be a firm one meaning Burnley will have to look elsewhere for Parker’s successor.

Steven Gerrard has also been heavily-linked with the newly-vacant job at Turf Moor.

The Liverpool legend is open to a Championship job having been out of work since leaving Al Ettifaq in January 2025.

Brian Barry-Murphy who led Cardiff to promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking is also another name in the frame.

The former Manchester City coach has impressed at the Welsh club by placing his trust in youth and implementing an impressive brand of attacking football.

Burnley have four Premier League games remaining before attention starts to turn to next season’s Championship campaign.

Assistant manager Michael Jackson will take charge of the final matches starting with Friday’s night’s trip to Leeds.

Steven Gerrard is in contention for the vacant post at Burnley

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Burnley are aslo keeping close tabs on Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy

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They then face fixtures against Aston Villa and Arsenal before facing fellow relegated outfit Wolves on the final day.

Burnley have endured an abysmal season in the top flight, registering just four wins from 34 league games.

That has been little for fans to cheer about in domestic cup competition either

Burnley were dumped out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup by third tier opposition in Mansfield and Cardiff respectively.

That led to discontent in the stands with Parker the subject of boos following their FA Cup exit in February.

Parker ended his association with Burnley by mutual consent on Thursday.

Premier League Match Odds with talkSPORT BET

Ally McCoists Boosted Acca

Brighton, Sunderland, West Ham and Arsenal all to win – was 29/1 now 33/1

Fri, May 1

Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

Sat, May 2

Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

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Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
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Adrian Durham: Bruno Fernandes as Player of the Year is laughable and fans should be embarrassed

Jackson Cole — Fri, 01 May 2026 07:35:52 +0000

Anyone who claims Bruno Fernandes should win Player of the Year this season is a joke.

That is the view of talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham, who shocked the Fiery Fridays panel with his impassioned case for why the Manchester United captain should NOT receive the highest individual accolade on offer this season – the PFA award, which is voted for by his fellow professionals and won by Mohamed Salah in 2025.

Fernandes may win PFA Player of the Year but he may struggle to win Football Writers Player of the Year going by Durham’s view

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In a campaign that’s been one to forget for the Red Devils, Fernandes has enjoyed personal success as he closes in on the all-time record for number of assists in a Premier League season.

But Durham is having none of it as he began on the latest episode of Fiery Fridays, sitting next to two Manchester United fans in Alex Crook and Angelina Kelly: “My tolerance level has peaked with people banging on, droning on, whining on about Bruno Fernandes and his assist stats.

“And he’s going to break some record or other apparently. First of all, assist stats. I mean, do they really mean that much? They’re a little guide.

“Yes, you can use them, fine. But what was this assist? Was it a pass to somebody who smacked in a beauty in the top corner from 30 yards, is that really an assist?

“Anyway, besides that, let’s just say Bruno Fernandes’ assist stats should carry an asterisk. Someone said to me the other day that Bruno Fernandes should be Player of the Year.

“I haven’t laughed so much since I caught on video Alex Crook, the chief football correspondent, doing the YMCA in a bar near Wembley. And he’s still paying me for keeping that video.”

Bruno’s season should be asterisked

Fernandes has recorded 19 assists in the league this term, meaning he’s one off the record of 20 shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

The Portugal international’s upturn in form has also helped Man United recover from a terrible start to the season with the Red Devils set to get back into the Champions League as they lie third in the Premier League table with four games to go.

However, Durham argues that the fact Man United had been knocked out of all cup competitions by January means Fernandes has had fewer matches play and thus has it easier physically than his rivals for the Player of the Year crown.

Durham continued: “Bruno Fernandes is basically taking a year off football this season. He’s having a year long holiday. And for Bruno, this whole season should be asterisked.

Fernandes needs one more assist to equal the record and two to break it. He has four matches left to achieve it

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Adrian strongly believes there should be an asterisk next to Fernandes’ assists as he closes in on a milestone

“And people fawning over him are a total joke. He won’t even play 40 games this season. It’s pathetic.

“Declan Rice and Rayan Cherki have played 50 already with more to come. Nico O’Reilly is on 49 and he’s a baby. Martin Zubimendi is on 51 already with more to come.

“These are proper contenders, not someone who’s turning up once a week and isn’t even in double figures goals. And by the way, of his eight goals this season – only eight goals – just one was against the top side.

“And even then, that was Chelsea, so it doesn’t even count. So he’s got a big number of assists, okay? Fair enough.

“But of course, he looks good when he’s been part of a side that’s only playing Premier League games.

“He was one of the reasons United aren’t in Europe this season. He was on the pitch when they got knocked out of the League Cup by Grimsby. Lauding someone’s assist stats in their laziest season ever is praising failure.

Arsenal star Rice will likely be a contender for Player of the Year just as he is for the Ballon d’Or

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Cherki has won many fans for his flair and dynamism this season at City

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“He doesn’t have the pressure or the physical cost of multiple competitions.

“Show some respect to proper footballers by leaving him out of the player of the year conversation. Stick an asterisk next to the assist tally because he’s got his numbers up by not bothering with any other competitions.

“Just finally on this. A season of just 40 games is an embarrassment for a club like Manchester United.

“So Captain Calamity can stick all his assist stats in the bin because he got them by taking a week off between games, which is something top footballers don’t do.”

Not my captain

Fiery Fridays is a place to air strong opinions, but Durham had talkSPORT co-hosts Crooky and Angelina – both Man United fans – stunned.

Durham thinks Fernandes should stay a frustrated man at the end of season awards

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Fernandes’ backing of former Man United manager Ruben Amorim is a cause for concern, believes Durham

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It was put to Durham that while Fernandes’ schedule isn’t as busy as usual, the fact he’s gone and recorded as many assists as he has and performed well in matches should be celebrated anyway.

But Durham doubled down, as he added that Fernandes isn’t captain material.

He said: “I’m baffled by this.

“How can Man United fans be celebrating this season when it is so embarrassing and he’s a part of it?

“I pointed out to you two a couple of weeks ago that he did an interview very recently in a British newspaper whereby he said that actually they were basically wrong to sack Ruben Amorim.

“They were wrong to sack him because they had, in his words, something going under Ruben Amorim.

“When asked about Michael Carrick and how it was going, he said, well, anyone could look good in spells.

“So is this really somebody who’s being fully supportive of what’s going on at the football club? That’s not a proper captain to me.

“You should be embarrassed by this. You should be embarrassed by this. But typical Man United fans, they latch on to somebody they think is a hero because they’ve got nothing else to latch on to.

“It’s so easy for Man United this season. This season isn’t the test.”

The Arsenal view

Our Insides Gooners panel, unsurprisingly, argued that Declan Rice has to be named Player of the Year over Fernandes if Arsenal win the Premier League title.

Broadcaster ‘Deluded Gooner’ said: “Win the Premier League and there’s no debate. Rice has to win it.

“I like Bruno. I know he’s frustrating, but I like his mentality and his ability to get goals and assists.

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“Maybe I’m naive, but it feels like this just started two weeks ago. Man United fans couldn’t stand him and now he’s Player of the Year?

“It’s easy when you’re playing once a month. No disrespect to Bruno.

“You could argue that what Igor Thiago has done, relative to Brentford, is more impressive than what Bruno has done at Man United.

“I like him, but come on man.”

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Guglielmo Vicario agrees to join European giant this summer even if Tottenham survive

Amy Hamerslagh — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:55:50 +0000

Guglielmo Vicario has agreed personal terms with Inter Milan, talkSPORT understands.

The goalkeeper is set to leave north London this summer regardless of Tottenham’s final league position.

Vicario was predicted to recover from his injury for the Wolves game

Getty

talkSPORT reported earlier in the season that he could be heading to the San Siro to join a side currently on course to win the Serie A title.

In the summer of 2023, Spurs announced the signing of the Italian goalkeeper on a five-year deal.

The 29-year-old, who arrived from Udinese, has made 93 appearances for the club, making his debut away at the Gtech Community Stadium on the opening day of the 2023 season.

In his Premier League career, he has kept 18 clean sheets, the first of which came in a 2-0 win over Manchester United.

The Italian international also started in the 2025 Europa League final, keeping a clean sheet as the Lilywhites went on to win their first trophy in 17 years.

Injury struggles

Vicario has recently undergone surgery on a hernia and is currently unfit to play for the relegation-threatened side, hoping he can return before the end of the season.

He had a strong start to life in north London, but has since struggled in a dwindling Spurs side.

His time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been hampered by repeated fitness issues, including an ankle injury last season that sidelined him for over three months.

Throughout the season, Vicario has been criticised by Spurs fans for his inconsistent performances, leading ex-manager Igor Tudor to select second-choice goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky for the Champions League round of 16 tie against Atletico Madrid.

Despite his tough start to life at Spurs, he has just been nominated for ‘Save of the Month’

AFP

Kinsky’s rebirth

The Czech goalkeeper made a mistake just six minutes into the game, allowing Marcos Llorente to score, and subsequently committed two more errors.

This led to the fastest a team has conceded three goals in a knockout stage match in the competition’s history.

Kinsky eventually had to be substituted for Vicario following a woeful 17-minute cameo.

However, despite the incident, Kinsky was reinstated to the starting lineup, with many fans backing him to keep his place.

That sentiment is shared by the Inside Spurs panel, as Tottenham broadcaster Abbi Summers noted: “I want to give Kinsky so much credit because what happened with him at the Atletico game could have done serious damage to him.

“But the way he’s come back, it’s a position we’re not talking about anymore.”

She added: “We haven’t spoken about the goalkeeper situation at all. He’s come in, and he’s done a much better job than Vicario.

Kinsky kept a clean sheet in his last game against an in-form Wolves side

Getty

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“Usually, we’re sitting here calling out Vicario week in, week out for his mistakes.

“Kinsky’s very calm. I don’t worry about corners. He’s not flappy. He just gives me more confidence, and I would not change that.

“I would not change it. I hope De Zerbi doesn’t.”

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Manchester United target West Ham star in surprise transfer raid

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:38:46 +0000

Manchester United are interested in West Ham United’s El Hadji Malick Diouf, talkSPORT understands.

The 21-year-old Hammers star has been a standout player for West Ham in a difficult season.

Diouf has been a key part of the West Ham team

AFP

Despite the Hammers battling relegation all year, Diouf has impressed at left-back.

The Senegal international has been marauding up and down the left for the Irons and earned plaudits following his move from Sparta Prague in 2025.

West Ham spent £22million plus add-ons for Diouf.

But he has made 28 Premier League appearances and has five assists, and it would have been more if it weren’t for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Diouf played five games as Senegal beat Morocco in one of the most controversial finals of recent times.

He played all 120 minutes of the final and lifted the trophy that has since been awarded to Morocco.

There is no indication of what sort of fee West Ham would be looking for but a lot would depend on the relegation battle.

Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side are two points clear of Tottenham in 17th place with four games to go.

So, fees for any players leaving the London Stadium likely will depend on if the Irons go down or stay up.

Man United’s transfer strategy

In terms of left-back, manager Michael Carrick has entrusted Luke Shaw with his place.

Patrick Dorgu is also an option, but the Denmark international has been injured for a few months, and even when he was playing, he was deployed further forward.

Shaw isn’t getting any younger and Dorgu is more of a wing-back, which explains why Diouf would be a target.

Should Carrick stay or go, a new left-back is on the cards at Old Trafford

Getty

The Red Devils also aren’t shying away from their need to improve the centre of midfield.

Casemiro has been announced to be leaving while talkSPORT understands that the club are willing to listen to offers for Manuel Ugarte.

After joining for £50million in the summer of 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain to become the first INEOS signing, the club are willing to accept an offer at half of that price.

Kobbie Mainoo has signed a new deal that will see him earn around £150,000 per week and keep him at Old Trafford until 2031.

But away from that, Atalanta’s Ederson has emerged as a target.

talkSPORT understands the Italian side value the Brazilian at £42million.

He has agreed terms with Atletico Madrid, but the Champions League semi-finalists are yet to sort terms with Atalanta.

Sandro Tonali, Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are also on the radar.

AFPMainoo will be the only central midfielder to remain with a big revamp on the way[/caption]

One position that isn’t a concern for Man United is centre-back with Carrick adamant they won’t be looking for more central defenders.

He said: “It’s not an area of concern for me at this moment in time.

“At the moment and timing wise, talking about the summer and what goes beyond that, it’s difficult to elaborate on that really.

“Licha’s [Lisandro Martinez] missing games for different reasons at the minute, which we won’t go into, but I understand why you are asking it.

“But no, I haven’t got concerns. I think we’ve got a mixed blend there of experience, of real quality and some young – I’d say more than talented really – two promising young players that have already shown what they can do.

“I thought Ayden was fantastic last week in such a difficult game.

“I haven’t got concerns. What the future looks like, I can’t really get involved, because I’m not sure myself what that looks like.”

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Eddie Howe in face-to-face talks with the man who just binned off LIV Golf

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:13:16 +0000

Eddie Howe is set for face-to-face talks with Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan at the annual PIF summit.

The summit comes just hours after the latter pulled funding for LIV Golf.

Howe will be asked to explain just why the Premier League form has declined so badly

Getty

As the Toon’s majority owners, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund meet with the day-to-day runners of the club every year to discuss strategy, the season and transfer plans.

talkSPORT understands these talks were scheduled to happen at this time at the start of the season but they of course come amid a backdrop of a terrible domestic campaign for the Toon.

Newcastle have lost nine of their last 12 in the Premier League and face being dragged into a late relegation battle with their form a major cause for concern for their fans.

Al-Rumayyan and several other PIF officials will meet Howe, CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson.

They are set for two days of talks at Maften Hall just north of Newcastle, and there are plenty of things to discuss.

Howe’s future is up in the air, with talkSPORT understanding that the Englishman could walk away from St James’ Park at the end of the season.

His time on Tyneside has been extremely successful, qualifying for the Champions League twice and claiming the Carabao Cup – for which he will always be celebrated as it ended the club’s 70-year wait without a trophy.

However, with four games to go, Newcastle are on course for a lower bottom half finish and have thrown away 25 points from winning positions this term to leave some Toon fans feeling as if a change in the dugout would be best.

At this summit, Howe will be given the opportunity to explain where he believes things have gone wrong.

Hopkinson also revealed that Newcastle’s transfer strategy would be changing, and the final item on the agenda is a potential new training ground and a plan for St James’ Park.

The club are yet to decide if they want to expand the current ground or build a new stadium, and it is something that has been discussed for years.

Hopkinson also revealed on talkSPORT earlier this year that by 2030, he wants the Magpies to be regularly competing for the top trophies in the world.

So, it’s unclear how the ownership will judge this year for the Magpies in relation to that target.

Al-Rumayyan doesn’t really have a hands-on-role with Newcastle, but he’ll wants answers

Getty

LIV Golf gone

The summit comes amid, PIF have pulling their funding from LIV Golf, which was Al-Rumayyan’s breakaway league from the traditional PGA Tour.

The PIF have ploughed billions into it, but the funding has been cut.

In a statement, they said: “PIF has made the decision to fund LIV Golf only for the remainder of the 2026 season.

“The substantial investment required by LIV Golf over a longer term is no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s investment strategy. This decision has been made in light of PIF’s investment priorities and current macro dynamics.”

For Newcastle fans concerned, there are numerous reports that suggest nothing is changing for their club.

However, there is a clear reduction in investment in sports from the Saudis, and we should know where things stand with Newcastle soon.

Howe has looked increasingly perplexed on the sidelines

Getty

talkSPORT verdict - golf correspondent Sean O'Brien

Yasir Al-Rumayyan is the man who runs the Public Investment Fund and essentially controls the Saudi billions.

LIV Golf was his passion project. Rory McIlroy and many others have been on record crediting Al-Rumayyan with a genuine love for the game. At times, his enthusiasm for LIV Golf felt like the only other thing keeping it alive besides the money.

By pulling the plug completely, Al-Rumayyan has all-but accepted that he lost billions and failed in his objectives. And just hours after that news was made public, Eddie Howe has to meet him in person and explain why Newcastle are so crap right now.

While this is said to be a long-planned annual debrief, rather than showdown talks, the timing is fascinating.

Hopkinson’s blueprint

Ahead of the PIF summit, Hopkinson was in London and set out a clear plan to grow Newcastle’s revenue.

He said: “Our ambition is ultimately to be number one. How are we going to do that? Frankly, money is the biggest piece of the equation.

“We’ve got to just generate more revenue, give ourselves a bigger envelope to work with. If we can execute superbly, there might be £100m in annual run rate revenue that could be unlocked.

“We’re [at] about £400m. Well, that can become £500m or stretch to £550m. We start to kick our way into that conversation. That’s our ambition.

“We don’t have an insurance sponsor today – we should have one. The training ground didn’t have naming rights – it does now.

“Stadium naming rights, expanding our digital audience, all of that can unlock revenue. If we execute superbly, there might be £100m in annual run-rate revenue that could be unlocked.”

With that in mind, Newcastle are set to appoint Dave O’Connor as chief revenue officer and a new chief marketing officer is set to be brought in as well.

Liverpool told to make summer transfer U-turn to avoid another Luis Diaz mistake

Amy Hamerslagh — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:30:46 +0000

Liverpool must offer Curtis Jones a new contract to avoid losing another valuable asset, like Luis Diaz.

That’s the view of the Inside Liverpool panel after the club’s transfer strategy has come under renewed scrutiny following the success of Luis Diaz at his new side, Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich’s Colombian forward scored what could be a crucial late goal

The German side’s front three, which includes the Colombian, have scored a combined 100 goals in all competitions this season, becoming the first trio to do so for a non-Spanish club.

The 29-year-old has scored 26 times in 46 matches and recently featured on the scoresheet against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.

With hindsight, the Reds likely regret letting Diaz leave in a £65million deal last summer.

Since his departure, fans at Anfield have struggled to see a player who can replicate the qualities the Colombian possessed, particularly his relentless pressing and threat on the counter-attack.

Need for speed

While the Merseyside outfit have introduced teenager Rio Ngumoha on Merseyside, head coach Arne Slot will be mindful not to place too much pressure on the 17-year-old.

On talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool, former Liverpool player Jermaine Pennant urged the club’s hierarchy to find a proven replacement in the summer.

He said: “What Liverpool should be looking at is a player of the stature of Luis Diaz.

“When we were struggling, we would play him down the middle and he would do a great job and score goals. When you had your No.9 back, you would put him back on the left, so you need another versatile player.

“Because what you don’t want to find a substitute for Hugo Ekitike, and then when the main man comes back, you don’t want to be left with three strikers.”

Will the Scouser stay?

A similar situation could reoccur this summer regarding Curtis Jones, as uncertainty grows over his long-term future.

Jones could leave Liverpool after 16 years at the club, with his contract up next year

AFP

His current deal has only 14 months remaining, and his situation is being tracked by several clubs across England and Europe. The 25-year-old has only started 15 games across all competitions for his boyhood club this season.

Despite the lack of game time, the Liverpool-born footballer ranks second behind Rodri among midfielders for passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League.

Additionally, he is ranked second behind Moises Caicedo for passing accuracy and Rayan Cherki for number of carries.

Pennant spoke on the Englishman’s situation and how the club need to quickly act. He said: “We should keep him just for his versatility, it’s great.

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“You can put him anywhere in the midfield or at right back. You need that.

“He’s a local lad, he knows and loves the club and he can help a lot of the players understand certain things as well.

Jones could potentially follow the footsteps of his old teammate by going abroad

Getty

“Ultimately, the last few games, he’s been phenomenal – one of the top performers.

“So, we should offer him a contract because this squad is dwindling. There are a lot of key players leaving and you need to keep the core. He’s a local lad and we have already lost Trent [Alexander-Arnold].

“Offer him a contract, and ultimately, it’s up to him if he wants to go somewhere where he can play week in, week out, but all the club can do is offer.”

Scott Parker tipped for another Championship job after Burnley exit

Ciaran Wiseman — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:51:02 +0000

Scott Parker’s track record will help him land another Championship job despite his Premier League woes.

That is according to Simon Jordan following the former Burnley manager’s Turf Moor exit.

Parker has been tipped to land another Championship job following his Burnley exit

Getty

The Clarets confirmed Parker had left the club by mutual consent on Thursday.

It came eight days after the club’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.

Parker guided the club out of the Championship as runners-up last season.

The achievement marked the third time the 45-year-old had been promoted from the second-tier.

He previously secured a spot in the top-flight whilst in charge of Fulham and Bournemouth.

Jordan reacted to the news moments after Burnley announced Parker’s departure.

Speaking on White & Jordan, the former Crystal Palace chairman said: “Scott will go on, I think, reasonably intact.

“People will position him as a Championship manager now, someone that can get you out of the Championship and into the Premier League, and not any further than that.”

As for whether the decision is fair or not, the talkSPORT co-host made comparisons to Parker’s predecessor Vincent Kompany.

Jordan added: “Is it unfair for Vincent Kompany? He’s now the manager of Bayern Munich, potentially the best side in Europe. So is it unfair?

Parker won his third promotion from the Championship as a manager last season

Getty

“These are the cards that you’re dealt. It may well be that he is a championship-winning manager in the Championship, is that such a terrible thing?

“That’s not a bad profession, not a bad place to be, you’re still going to get big bags of money and lots of acclaim.

“He will want to be better. He played at elite level, he played for his country, from what I gather he’s a decent bloke.

“I didn’t agree with his principles when he flapped his gums at Bournemouth but I suspect he probably learnt from that.

“So he’ll go, having got Burnley promoted, having done no worse than his predecessor.”

Return to Spurs?

Tottenham broadcaster Abbi Summers admitted she would take Parker at Spurs if they get relegated.

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talkSPORT understands there is no relegation clause in Roberto De Zerbi’s contract and the Italian is expected to remain at the club even if they do not survive in the Premier League this season.

However, Summers suggested Parker would be a good appointment if De Zerbi goes back on his word.

“I know he said that he’ll be there in the Championship. Whether or not that is going to be true, we’ll soon find out if that is the case,” she said on the latest episode of Inside Spurs.

“If not, my pick would be someone like a Robbie Keane. I would even say someone like Scott Parker.

“He knows how to get out of the division and also he played for this club.”

talkSPORT’s Sonny Snelling echoed Jordan’s thoughts on Kompany while expressing his support for Parker.

Burnley finished last season on 100 points following a 33-match unbeaten run

Getty

He added: “I think Parker’s a good shout because you look at Kompany, everyone wrote him off at Burnley.

“He’s gone to Bayern Munich and obviously I know that’s a different thing, but you can take a manager and put them in a different scenario…

“Parker was shocking at Bournemouth, for example, but put him in a team where he is going to get that love and appreciation and understands it, then it could be a whole different scenario altogether.”

Kompany departed Burnley for Bayern Munich following their relegation from the Premier League in 2024.

Parker was subsequently appointed as his successor before clinching promotion last April.

His side ended the season on 100 points following a 33-match unbeaten run.

As well as his Championship and Premier League experience, Parker previously had a spell of Club Brugge.

Following his Bournemouth exit, he took charge of the Belgian side between December 2022 and March 2023.

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Arsenal urged to strip Martin Odegaard of club captaincy as replacement named

Amy Hamerslagh — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:24:44 +0000

Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara have urged Arsenal to replace Martin Odegaard as club captain.

Odegaard has been at the Emirates for six seasons, amassing 230 appearances in all competitions. He was awarded the armband in 2022 at just 23, leveraging his experience leading the Norway national team.

Odegaard has only featured 15 times in the starting eleven this season

Getty

However, this season, the midfielder has struggled due to a persistent knee injury, missing 12 Premier League matches.

The 27-year-old was selected in the starting lineup by Mikel Arteta on Wednesday night ahead of their Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid.

He struggled to make a lasting impression, recording only one blocked shot, losing possession three times and winning only one of two contested duels.

Consequently, the Norwegian was substituted off before the hour mark, with Eberechi Eze replacing him.

Martin Oh-dear-gaard

Following the first-leg of the semi-final, O’Hara and Cundy spoke on talkSPORT’s Sports Bar regarding whether Odegaard deserves to remain in Arteta’s side.

The ex-Tottenham player said: “Last season, he wasn’t great either. He’s been terrible this season, getting dragged off in a Champions League semi-final when you’re the captain is never a good look.

“I do believe that Arsenal may be growing away from Odegaard. Maybe they’ve got to look at a player who can come in and be that talisman.

“When Eze came on tonight, he kept getting caught in possession. He’s done a couple of good things, but is he the world-class star in the number 10 role for Arsenal? I’m not sure. But Odegaard needs to up his game.

“He needs to buck his ideas up because he will end up falling down the pecking order. I don’t think he can be the captain anymore.”

Case for Declan Rice

With Odegaard’s absences this season, Declan Rice has emerged as the club’s natural leader. His background positions him alongside history-book figures like Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, as Rice became one of three captains to lead West Ham to a major trophy.

Rice features with the Captain’s armband when Odegaard is not available

Cundy offered high praise for the England international, backing him for the role.

He said: “He’s never going to catch the eye in terms of doing step-overs,pinging one in top bins, or running 30 yards. He isn’t that player. What he is a defensive monster.

“When he goes forward, he carries the team. He’s brilliant in control. I think he will be England’s next captain, and I think he’ll be Arsenal’s next captain.”

Wilshere weighs in

Despite the criticism, there are fans and pundits who believe the Norwegian is key to Arteta’s system, even though he has found the back f the net just once this season.

Former Arsenal player Jack Wilshere defended Odegaard on talkSPORT Breakfast on Wednesday, arguing that the squad functions better when the Norwegian leads them out.

He said: “Over the last few years, there has been a change in style in the team, but that’s not just Arsenal, right?

Odegaard has suffered with five separate injury issues this season

Getty

“You look at Man City and how they brought Haaland in and how they played into his strengths a little bit more.

“With Arsenal, I think Odegaard is key to that. He’s a player who takes risks. He’s a player who, even out of possession, sets the tone.

“He’s had a few injuries this season, maybe he’s lost a bit of form at times. But when Martin’s playing, it’s a different team and they look braver.

“This Arsenal team has fallen short over the last few years against Liverpool and City, teams that like to dominate the ball, and Arsenal couldn’t get it done.

“He obviously sees this as the way forward to winning the league, and at times, I would like to see them play a little bit more on the ball as well.”

Arsenal are next in action against Fulham on Saturday at 5.30pm as they look to cling on to the top spot in the Premier League.

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Frank Lampard names ‘special player’ who needs to start for England at the World Cup

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:56:17 +0000

Frank Lampard believes that Reece James is one of the best right-backs in the world and should be starting for England at the World Cup.

The Blues legend was the man to hand James his Chelsea debut in the League Cup, Champions League and Premier League when he was just 19.

James has Lampard to thank for taking the chance on him

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The right-back has gone on to become the Blues captain and a full England international.

He is currently out with a hamstring injury, but it’s expected he’ll return before the end of the season.

That means he should be fit in time for the World Cup, and Lampard was full of praise for James when he joined talkSPORT Breakfast for an exclusive interview.

Speaking to Jeff Stelling and Gabby Agbonlahor, he was asked about James’ role in the England team.

He said: “Without picking Thomas’ squad for him – I think Reece James is one of the best right-backs in the world without a doubt.

“I want to see him fit and playing again because he’s a special player.”

Before that, he spoke about their first spell together at Chelsea.

“What an incredible player and incredible lad. I have been really pleased with how he’s taken to the captaincy there as well because I feel like he’s grown.

“He was always quite a quiet lad, Reece. He kept himself to himself, but when you did speak to him, he was very articulate.

“But the quality level when I first went to Chelsea, you immediately saw his talent level.

Frank Lampard joined talkSPORT for half an hour on Thursday

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“I have never seen someone who gets a 70-yard crossfield ball, brings it down on his chest and can then do whatever he wants.

“But he’s also got that pace and power, so he’s massively important for Chelsea – you can see that when he’s not playing.

“He’s managed to play a lot more this season.”

James’ growth

Since making that debut as a teenager, James has won the Champions League, Conference League and Club World Cup with Chelsea.

He lifted the Club World Cup trophy and Conference League as skipper.

James has made 226 appearances for Chelsea, which could have been so many more should he have avoided injury.

James has probably been Chelsea’s best player in a poor season

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Tuchel has been told in no uncertain circumstances what he should do

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But still, there is no question that he is one of the best full-backs around, and if fit, he’ll be key for England.

England’s World Cup chances

Thomas Tuchel takes England to the World Cup in June with the Three Lions one of the favourites to claim victory.

But there will be plenty of competition with France, Spain and Germany all boasting stacked squads.

Argentina, Portugal and Brazil will also be in contention, while Japan and Senegal look to be dark horses.

And Lampard is feeling confident.

On the World Cup itself, Lampard said: “I think we’ve got a good chance, but there are a lot of other good teams in it.

“It is the age-old question I always get about why we didn’t win World Cups, and part of the answer is because other teams were really good too.

“There are other teams that are competing and will know the conditions better, but we do have lots of good talent in our squad.

“So, we have a really good chance of doing it. It will be about momentum and about keeping the right players fit and getting them ready at the right time.

“But as an Englishman, I go there thinking we’ve got a really good chance.”

Scott Parker leaves Burnley four games before end of Premier League season

Ciaran Wiseman — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:15:26 +0000

Scott Parker has left Burnley by mutual consent, the club have confirmed.

It follows their relegation from the Premier League last week.

Parker has been sacked by Burnley following their relegation to the Championship

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The Clarets’ immediate return to the Championship was sealed by their defeat to Manchester City on April 22.

Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard are currently in the running to replace Parker, talkSPORT understands.

Gerrard is without a club after leaving Al Ettifaq in January 2025.

Meanwhile, Bellamy has been in charge of the Welsh national team for the last two years.

Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy, who has guided them to promotion from League One, is also a contender.

Burnley statement

Announcing Parker’s exit in a statement, Burnley said: “Scott Parker has left his position as Head Coach of Burnley Football Club by mutual consent.

“Following confirmation of the club’s relegation from the Premier League last week, Parker and the Board held discussions and mutually agreed that his time at Turf Moor would conclude.”

The club have also confirmed Mike Jackson will take charge of their final four Premier League matches on an interim basis, starting away at Leeds United on Friday, live on talkSPORT.

Burnley will also host Aston Villa and Wolves either side of a trip to Arsenal to close out the campaign.

Jackson had a previous caretaker spell at the end of the 2021/22 season following Sean Dyche’s sacking.

Parker leaves Burnley with four matches of the season remaining

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The 52-year-old has spent the last four years as an assistant manager to both Parker and Vincent Kompany.

Former Clarets manager Dyche will join Jeff Stelling on talkSPORT Breakfast on Friday.

Dyche spent just under a decade in charge at Turf Moor after being appointed in 2022.

As for Parker, he took over in the summer of 2024 following Kompany’s departure.

He guided the club to promotion as Championship runners-up behind Leeds.

Burnley ended the campaign on 100 points after a club record 33-match unbeaten run.

Parker guided Burnley to promotion last season but won just four league matches this term

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However, they have failed to reach those heights since returning to the Premier League.

The Clarets have won just four of their 34 league matches so far this season.

They are also currently on an eight-match winless run dating back to February.

talkSPORT verdict

Simon Jordan reacted to the news of Parker’s dismissal on White & Jordan on Thursday morning.

The former Crystal Palace chairman explained: “What’s the point? If a decision has been made, what’s the point of hanging around? The die has been cast, the agenda has been set.

“Whether it’s a combination of mutual or one person has jumped faster and the other one pushed, who knows? But if you’ve made a decision, there’s no point in sticking around, the club’s been relegated.

“You might find a few people having a few choice words to say to the manager at the back end of the season, because they’re disappointed with the club’s relegation.

Burnley will play Championship football once again next season

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“Why subject him to that? Why subject yourself to that? Because I think there’s a little bit of disquiet about some of the performances from certain sections of the Burnley fans, if I read the room right.

“If I’m wrong, I’m happy to be corrected. But Scott Parker can leave with no worse a job than, say, Vincent Kompany did.

“I am disappointed that I thought they would be more competitive, insofar as I care about Burnley. But I thought they would be more competitive because they came up in such a way, with such a robust, resilient defence that seems to have completely evaporated since they’ve got to the Premier League.

“It’s often easier to be disruptive than it is to be constructive. The best players are the ones that score goals, and they’re the ones that are most difficult to buy.

“The ones that can stop you from scoring goals are slightly easier to acquire. But they’ve gone, he’s gone, Burnley will rebuild again. They’ve got another set of parachute payments, they’ve got another set of Premier League money that came in, they probably didn’t spend all of it, or a significant portion of it.

“So, they get to rebuild again. They go down with the massive advantage of parachute payments and of course, the massive consequence of Premier League wages.

“Scott will go on, I think, reasonably intact. People will position him as a Championship manager now, someone that can get you out of the Championship and into the Premier League, and not any further than that.”

Frank Lampard reveals Coventry transfer strategy that will annoy wife Christine ahead of Premier League return

Ciaran Wiseman — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:59:30 +0000

Frank Lampard admits there is work to be done this summer for Coventry City to bridge the gap to the Premier League.

The 47-year-old will be busy working on deals in the off-season to get them ready for the new campaign – and joked he will owe a few apologies to wife Christine.

Lampard has joked he may have to apologise to his wife at times this summer

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The Sky Blues will return to the top-flight after 25 years away following their Championship title victory this season.

A busy summer is now expected at the CBS Arena ahead of their long-awaited return.

Lampard, who was appointed in November 2024, guided Coventry into the play-offs last season.

However, they were ultimately beaten by Sunderland in the semi-finals.

His side have gone a step further this season by winning the title with two matches remaining.

Ahead of Saturday’s final day trip to Watford, Lampard spoke to Jeff Stelling and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT Breakfast.

Asked about the club’s transfer plans and whether he will be able to relax this summer, Lampard admitted he may annoy his wife at times.

The former England midfielder joked: “I’m going to multitask, so there will be moments where maybe I have a beer in my hand and my phone in the other one.

“Sometimes I have to apologise to Christine for that.”

Coventry’s transfer plans

There remains a job at hand, though, with Lampard well aware of the challenges facing Coventry in the Premier League.

Lampard is ready for a busy summer ahead of Coventry’s Premier League return

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The 47-year-old has previously taken charge of both Chelsea and Everton in the division.

Revealing what challenges his current club now face, he added: “In terms of the summer, there’s a lot of work to be done.

“There’s no doubt when you come up as a non-parachute team with players who aren’t as experienced.

“I know the gap well because I’ve played in it (the Premier League) a lot.

“I’ve managed a team fighting for the Champions League with Chelsea, I’ve managed in a relegation battle at Everton.

“I understand there’s lots of conversations (to be had). The owner has been very keen on us all enjoying and celebrating in these last couple of weeks, and I agree with that, we can live in the moment.

Coventry will play in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years next season

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“But the next job for the football club is ‘ok, what do we need to do?’ because we’ve risen quite quickly in these last 18 months.

“A lot of amazing groundwork by Mark Robins but the differences that are coming upon the football club now and the step is big so it has to be done well, so that will be the job.”

Coventry have already completed their first permanent signing of the summer.

A clause in Frank Onyeka’s loan deal from Brentford was triggered by the Sky Blues winning promotion.

Owner Doug King has also refused to rule out a move to bring goalkeeper Carl Rushworth back to the club next season.

The untouchable Newcastle star who can’t be sold amid Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento links

Amy Hamerslagh — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:38:56 +0000

Bruno Guimaraes is the most important player for Newcastle to retain this summer, but the board must act quickly.

The Brazilian has served as the leader and engine of the Magpies’ midfield since his arrival in 2022.

Guimaraes has scored 30 league goals during his time at Newcastle

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Statistical evidence consistently supports his importance, as Newcastle’s win rate percentage drops considerably whenever he is absent.

This season, the 28-year-old has been directly involved in 35 per cent of Newcastle’s goals and sits as the squad’s top scorer with nine.

Beyond his individual talent, Guimaraes acts as the team’s heartbeat, often orchestrating play from various positions on the pitch.

He is adored by the Geordies, having become the first captain to lift domestic silverware for the club in 70 years in their 2025 Carabao Cup victory.

Summer of uncertainty

With Newcastle set to miss out on European football next season, manager Eddie Howe will find it increasingly difficult to retain his star players.

It is far from certain Howe will remain on Tyneside himself.

Recent reports suggest Newcastle are aiming to extend Guimaraes’ deal to fend off mounting interest.

On talkSPORT’s Inside The Toon, our Magpies correspondent Jack Cunningham highlighted the Brazilian’s brilliance.

He said: “The statistics he had before his injury proved how much we need him, we didn’t win any Premier League games without him.

“It always felt like going into this part of the season, it was a test to see how we would do without Bruno, and clearly… not very well.

Guimaraes got injured in February against Spurs and was out for six games

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“This makes the summer very important. There are transfer links for Gordon, Tonali, and Livramento, but Bruno is the priority.

“Newcastle need to nip any speculation in the bud immediately. Despite us finishing in the bottom half and lacking European football, we need him to sign a new contract.

“He could play for any big team in Europe, the only thing that could put them off is because he’s turning 29-years-old.”

Squad departures

Guimaraes recently returned to action as a starter against Arsenal, playing 75 minutes before being substituted.

His season has been plagued by misfortune, including a hamstring tear and a bout of mumps contracted while visiting Brazil.

More high-profile players are rumoured to be departing St James’ Park this summer including Anthony Gordon after three-and-a-half-years at the club.

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Newcastle are looking for a £70m fee for the winger

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The hierarchy are prepared to sell the England international for £75million, with Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Chelsea interested.

Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento are reportedly top targets for clubs that can offer the prospect of playing in premium continental competitions.

Additionally, the north east outfit will be expected to sell at least one key player this summer to comply with the Premier League’s new ‘Squad Cost Ratio’ rules.

With their failure to secure Champions League football, the loss of financial benefits makes player sales a necessity to fund a broader squad rebuild.

But for talkSPORT’s Cunningham, there’s one prime candidate worth saving. He added: “There’s a few players who are untouchable for me and he [Guimaraes] is top of that list.

“His goals on top of his work rate have been crucial – clutch goals, headers, and penalties.

“He’s done it all, and he’s saved us from being in a genuine relegation battle.”

Mathematically, Howe’s side can still be relegated from the Premier League – a precarious position Newcastle have not found themselves in since the former Bournemouth manager was appointed.

Manchester United star gets six-fold salary increase as he signs lucrative new contract

Alex Conrad — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:17:17 +0000

Kobbie Mainoo has signed a bumper new deal to remain at Manchester United until 2031.

The midfielder, who was on wages of £25,000-a-week, will now take home approximately £120,000-a-week.

AFPMainoo won’t be leaving the Red Devils any time soon[/caption]

That figure could balloon up to £150,000-a-week through bonuses.

Kobstopper

Mainoo’s new deal represents a remarkable turnaround in his fortunes at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old was on the periphery under former Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim.

In fact, Mainoo’s only start this season on Amorim’s watch this term came during their embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to Grimsby Town last August.

Mainoo’s reduced role sparked rumours he could seek a move elsewhere in January, with Bayern Munich and Napoli two clubs who were credited with an interest.

It represented an alarming fall from grace for Mainoo, who scored the winner for United to help them beat Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final.

However, Old Trafford chiefs held on to Mainoo throughout the January window.

The Mainoo man

It proved to be a wise call, especially once Amorim was sacked and replaced by Michael Carrick until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Under Carrick, Mainoo has started all 12 of United’s league fixtures he has been available for.

The only game he has missed was a 2-1 loss to Leeds on April 13, where he was ruled out due to injury.

Carrick’s arrival has sparked an almighty turnaround for Mainoo

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But he was thrust straight back into the action in United’s following game, which was a 1-0 win away to Chelsea.

What did Mainoo say?

Speaking after the news was confirmed on Thursday, Mainoo said: “Manchester United has always been my home; this special club means everything to my family.

“I have grown up seeing the impact that our club has on our city, and I relish the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt.

“From The Cliff, to Littleton Road, to Carrington and ultimately Old Trafford, the journey so far has been incredible. I have the privilege of living my dream every single day, with the same relentless desire to succeed here as when I joined my first training session at the age of six.

“We can all feel the momentum building inside the club. I am determined to step up and play my role in helping Manchester United to regularly fight for major trophies in the years ahead.”

Mic drop

Mainoo’s performance against the Blues earned high praise from Carrick, who felt it was the youngster’s best display since returning to the Old Trafford dugout.

“To step up and put so many phases or sides to his game tonight… I thought he looked so composed and so calm, he had a real presence about him, defended well,” Carrick said.

“It’s not easy when you’ve got good players around you and it was a good battle between him and Cole Palmer.

“So he had to be right at it tonight but as you saw he had so much quality and composure in a tough environment really, to show us what he can do.”

Mainoo’s turnaround in form also earned him a recall to the England squad, as the midfielder was called up for recent friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

Prior to the Uruguay match, Mainoo’s last England appearance was in September 2024

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The 21-year-old enjoyed a 21-minute cameo off the bench in the Uruguay draw and started the 2-1 loss to Japan.

Mainoo’s fresh deal follows hot on the heels of central defender Harry Maguire, who also recently pledged his future to United.

Maguire, who was due to become a free agent this summer, signed until June 2027, with the option for a further year.

The defender’s new deal will take his stay at Old Trafford to a remarkable eight years, having first arrived in 2019 from Leicester.

Why Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest is being played at bizarre early time on Monday

Ciaran Wiseman — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:39:32 +0000

Chelsea welcome Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League in a unique Monday afternoon kick-off.

This is another key game as Chelsea look to keep up with the European qualification places and Forest strive for survival.

Chelsea’s clash with Forest this weekend has been given a unique kick-off time

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The match had been due to be played on Saturday, May 2 when the fixture list was announced at the start of the season.

Prior to Matchday 35, though, a new date and kick-off time has been confirmed by the Premier League.

When is Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest?

Chelsea welcome Forest to west London on Monday, May 4, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.

The unique kick-off time is made possible by it being the Early May Bank Holiday.

Matches moved to Monday are usually scheduled for 8pm as part of Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme.

However, Chelsea and Forest’s clash will instead take place earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, Everton host Manchester City in the 8pm slot later on Monday.

The Blues confirmed the match had been moved after being selected for live coverage by Sky Sports.

It was announced in March along with the rest of the television selections for this weekend.

Forest’s trip to Stamford Bridge could not be played earlier than Sunday afternoon due to their European commitments.

The two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Monday, with kick-off at 3pm

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Vitor Pereira’s side are in Europa League semi-final action this week.

They host Aston Villa at the City Ground on Thursday, with kick-off at 8pm.

Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest: How to follow

Monday’s clash will be live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

Coverage of the match begins at 2.30pm ahead of the 3pm kick-off.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT.com will also have updates on the action throughout the afternoon.

To listen via the talkSPORT website, click HERE for the livestream.

talkSPORT will have updates from the match throughout Monday afternoon

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Alternatively, you can tune in on the talkSPORT app here, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

talkSPORT.com will also keep you across all the latest talking points from Stamford Bridge.

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Laura Woods admits Arsenal are ‘boring’ – but reveals why fans need to be positive

Ciaran Wiseman — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:56:36 +0000

Laura Woods has admitted she has to agree with rival fans who claim her beloved Arsenal are ‘boring’.

The Gunners’ style of play under Mikel Arteta has come in for criticism throughout this season.

Arsenal fans still have a reason to be positive despite their ‘boring’ play style, says Woods

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However, recent performances have given fans a reason to be confident, says Woods.

Arsenal are currently three points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Title rivals Manchester City have a game in hand, though, and beat the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month.

Their recent clash saw Arsenal produce a much more offensive display compared to previous matches against their fellow title challengers.

Arsenal can be ‘boring’ – Woods

Woods joined talkSPORT Breakfast on Wednesday ahead of her side’s Champions League semi-final first leg.

The Gunners face Atletico Madrid away from home before next week’s return leg at the Emirates Stadium.

It follows the nine-goal thriller between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

The intensity of their contest has increased claims Arsenal are far from exciting to watch.

Giving her stance, Woods explained: “I think it does get boring, doesn’t it?

“That’s where I do agree with everybody who says watching Arsenal sometimes this season can be a bit boring, because I agree.

Woods saw reasons for Arsenal fans to be confident in their loss to City

“Sometimes they go sideways, they go backwards and you just think, ‘oh for God’s sake, just do it, go forward and see what can happen’.

“We did the FA Cup at the weekend and you’ve got goalkeepers that are playing over the top and getting the assist for the goal. I’d love to see a little bit more of that.

“I also worry a little bit, just about their confidence at the moment and obviously (Kai) Havertz picking up an injury and things like that.

“I do worry because I kind of thought against City, ‘wow, they’ve now come to the party,’ and I’d love to see them play a little bit more like that.

“Then the next game was a bit of a disappointment again. So I do worry a little bit about just their confidence at this time of the season.”

Despite the underwhelming performance in Saturday’s win over Newcastle United, Woods believes the City display should give fans confidence.

Arsenal are three points clear at the top of the table, but City have a game in hand

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Discussing the prospect of Arsenal adopting a less defensive approach, she added: “I thought they did exactly that (going longer) against City. I thought City played better football in that particular game, but I thought Arsenal were excellent.

“They did a little bit where they took a chance early on in the game, (Erling) Haaland nearly closed David Raya down and he got a little bit of a fright and then we saw what happened with (Gianluigi) Donnarumma at the other end.

“After that, they did miss out the defenders, and indeed the midfield, and they knocked it into Havertz, who I thought held the ball up well and brought people in.

“I think that this is a part of the game that surely if they looked at that City game, they’d realise they’ve got to have more of that. They’ve got to stick to more of that.”

When asked for her score prediction, Woods added: “0-0 probably.

“I’d be disappointed with it. They can bring it back to the Emirates and then hopefully do something with it.

Woodsy is on TNT Sports presenting duty this evening

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“But for my nerves, no. I don’t want to just take 0-0 or 1-1 even. It depends on the way the game goes.

“If they’re going for it and they’re really trying and it’s a great game and you kind of think, oh wow, we managed to get away with 1-1 there then maybe I’ll feel a little bit different.

“I don’t want to leave it to chance necessarily. But that’s just me from a fan’s perspective.”

Listen to live commentary of Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal live on talkSPORT at 8pm on Wednesday.

Jack Wilshere responds to cheeky question on managing against Tottenham next season

Ciaran Wiseman — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:46:17 +0000

Jack Wilshere has played down the prospect of facing Tottenham next season.

The Luton Town boss can still win promotion to the Championship this term.

Wilshere is not thinking about the prospect of facing Spurs next season yet

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Meanwhile, Spurs remain embroiled in a relegation battle at the bottom of the Premier League.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side are two points from safety with four matches remaining.

The north London outfit have not suffered relegation for 49 years.

As for Wilshere, he is hoping to guide Luton out of League One via the play-offs.

Position	Team	Games	Points
1	Lincoln	45	100
2	Cardiff	45	91
3	Bolton	45	75
4	Stockport	45	74
5	Bradford	45	74
6	Stevenage	45	72
7	Luton	45	71

Wilshere on Spurs

Ahead of their final match of the season, he joined talkSPORT Breakfast on Wednesday morning.

Before leaving the show, fellow former Arsenal star Ray Parlour asked Wilshere about potentially facing Spurs next term.

The Gunners academy graduate replied: “I knew you were going to say that.

“I knew you were going to say that. Listen, the focus is on us. We only focus on us.”

Wilshere’s side currently sit seventh in League One heading into the final day.

They are just a point outside the play-off places before their trip to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

Spurs are at risk of suffering their first relegation for 49 years this season

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The Trotters are already assured of a play-off berth but cannot be promoted automatically.

Lincoln City and Cardiff City have already secured the top two spots in the third-tier.

Luton’s play-off hopes

Asked about facing a play-off rival on the final day, Wilshere added: “It’s still tight and I know they’ll want to finish third because you obviously get a little bit of advantage.

“I believe that once you’re in the play-offs the games are something special and it’s about who the best team is on the day and who deals with that pressure the best.

“I can’t see Bolton doing that (resting players) because they’ll want to finish third and I think you get home advantage for the second leg.

“I think they’ll be going for that and also you want to go into it in good form, you want to have momentum and they’re a good team.”

Wilshere is eyeing the final play-off spot after winning the EFL Trophy with Luton

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Wilshere was appointed by the Hatters in October as he secured his first permanent job in senior management.

The 34-year-old has already lifted his first trophy after Luton beat Stockport County in the EFL Trophy final earlier this month.

Manchester United willing to take cut price fee for Manuel Ugarte just two years after £50million transfer

Ciaran Wiseman — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:42:47 +0000

Manchester United are willing to sell Manuel Ugarte for £25million this summer, talkSPORT understands.

United paid Paris Saint-Germain £50million two summers ago to make Ugarte the first signing of the INEOS era.

United are prepared to sell Ugarte for £25million this summer

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The 25-year-old signed a five-year deal through to the summer of 2029, with the option of a further year.

However, Ugarte has made just ten starts across all competitions this season.

The midfielder has also been an unused substitute for the Red Devils’ last two Premier League outings.

His exit comes ahead of a planned midfield overhaul at Old Trafford this summer.

Casemiro’s departure has already been confirmed when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, United have added Atalanta’s Ederson to their list of transfer targets, talkSPORT understands.

The Brazilian is valued at around £42m, but has already agreed personal terms with Atletico Madrid.

United could still secure his services, though, with a fee yet to be agreed by the Spanish giants.

As for Ugarte, the Uruguayan has made 69 appearances for the Red Devils since his arrival in 2024.

Those appearances have produced just two goals and six assists in all competitions.

Ugarte has played second fiddle to Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo this season

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He has been an unused substitute in each of United’s last two top-flight matches

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His last appearance came in the defeat to Leeds United earlier this month, with Ugarte playing the full 90 minutes.

It represented his first Premier League start since January 7 – a run stretching back ten matches.

Speaking on the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Inside Devils, United fan and broadcaster Flex insisted that Ugarte is not at the level required to play for United.

He said: “All the guys that are in charge of recruitment at United, if they don’t smash it out of the ballpark in the summer, forget it.

“They need to go one further [than last year], people are forgetting just how much surgery the squad needs.

“Casemiro is leaving the football club, to replace him, that leaves is at par.

Ugarte as been named in the line-up just eight times from his 22 Premier League outings this term

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“So that’s not an extra body to deal with the extra games, it’s par.

“Ugarte is not good enough, he’s going to leave, but that’s keeping the squad as it is.

“[Joshua] Zirkzee is probably going to leave, [Tyrell] Malacia… so that’s keeping the squad as is.

“We need more quality, we need more numbers, the squad, rightly so, we reduced in size [last summer] because we had one game a week and no Europe.

“So for me, it’s about recruitment, recruitment, recruitment.”

talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent and United supporter Alex Crook then added: “And recruiting from within the Premier League I think was recipe for success last season.”

Ugarte has failed to justify his £50m price tag since joining from PSG

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Ugarte spent a season with PSG prior to his move to United at the start of last term.

He had previously spent two years in Portugal with Famalicao and Sporting Lisbon.

During his time with Sporting, Ugarte won the Portuguese League Cup under former United boss Ruben Amorim.

The Uruguay international is set to feature for his country at this summer’s World Cup.

Ugarte has one goal in 35 senior international caps since making his debut aged 20 in 2021.

He was part of the side which drew with England at Wembley Stadium in March.

Premier League set for biggest ever manager merry-go-round – who could be in every club dugout next season

Amy Hamerslagh — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:37:19 +0000

The Premier League looks set to be a period of significant transition amongst its managers.

Iconic coaches are packing their bags, and the league’s most prestigious clubs are preparing for a massive game of musical chairs.

Arne Slot won the Premier League in his first season and despite a tough second term looks set to keep his job at Liverpool

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Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner have confirmed their departures, while Marco Silva’s future at Fulham remains uncertain.

Critical questions remain: Who will land the permanent Manchester United job? Has Eddie Howe taken Newcastle as far as he can? And is this the right time for Pep Guardiola to step away?

Alex Crook and Olly Clink discussed the future of every Premier League dugout on the talkSPORT Daily podcast.

AFC Bournemouth

Current manager: Andoni Iraola League position: 7th

The south coast outfit announced Marco Rose as their incoming manager just days after Iraola revealed he would leave after three years.

The ex-Dortmund manager brings a strong track record of developing young talent including Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Crook praised the club’s succession planning, saying: “I’m really impressed. Bill Foley is one of the best owners in the division, it’s no surprise they had a plan in place.

“I’ve been told they offered Iraola the biggest contract they’ve ever been willing to dish out for a player or manager, so when he decided to move on, they pivoted quickly to Rose. There was a little talk about Kieran Mckenna but Rose was always their prime target.

“He ticks a lot of the boxes, he’s got European experience, managing in the Champions League and the Europa League and it’s perfect, with Bournemouth on the edge of a historic European qualification.”

Bournemouth must now navigate the ‘Squad Cost Ratio’ rules, which limit on-pitch spending to 85 per cent of football-related revenue and net profit.

Iraola is a highly-respected manager and has been linked with a host of top jobs – including Chelsea

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A recent success story is the signing of the Brazilian winger Rayan, who has scored three goals in 11 appearances since his January arrival.

Arsenal

Current manager: Mikel Arteta Current position: 1st

Arsenal appeared destined for their first league title in 22 years, but their nine-point lead has evaporated over the last three weeks.

April has proven to be a particularly cursed month for Arteta, since his arrival in 2019, he has lost 51 matches, nine of which occurred in April.

Despite fan frustration surrounding a potential third consecutive season without the league title, Crook notes: “I haven’t heard anything from the board about replacing him.

“However, fans are beginning to wonder if they need a different path.

“It would be a major disappointment if they finish the season trophyless after the promise of a quadruple.”

Arteta has only won one trophy during his time as Gunners manager

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Aston Villa

Current manager: Unai Emery League position: 5th

The Spaniard has enjoyed another stellar season, reaching the Europa League semi-finals and challenging for Champions League football.

While a recent dip in form— Villa winning only three of their last ten matches — has caused anxiety, Crook believes Emery is firmly entrenched.

Crook confessed there was interest from other clubs: “Manchester United were certainly an admirer of him, but he has so much power at Villa that it would be hard for him to walk away and it might help keep players like Morgan Rogers at the club.

“They will be experiencing the same financial problems as Newcastle but they will be competing in the Champions League, it’s a huge money generator.”

Emery is known for his strengths in Europe having won the Europa League three times at Sevilla

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Brentford

Current manager: Keith Andrews League position: 9th

After the departures of Thomas Frank and Bryan Mbeumo, many pundits predicted relegation for the Bees.

Keith Andrews has silenced critics, steering the team to within one point of European qualification.

However, Crook remains cautious, saying: “I think a struggle next season is on the cards and I could see the club fighting relegation but it remains an impressive recruitment model from Matthew Benham.”

Brighton

Current manager: Fabian Hurzeler League position: 6th

The 33-year-old became the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history upon replacing De Zerbi in 2024.

While he has been linked with German club Bayer Leverkusen, Brighton are reportedly hopeful of retaining him with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2027.

The Seagulls ended up appointing Hurzeler to replace De Zerbi

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Crook said: “I’m delighted for Hurzeler that he’s been able to turn it around. Brighton are going to have to make a decision soon if they want to extend his contract or not.”

Burnley

Current manager: Scott Parker League position: 19th

The Lancashire outfit will be in the Championship next season having had their Premier League relegation confirmed last week.

Steven Gerrard is a name in contention for the job, in addition to the Wales boss, Craig Bellamy.

Crook said: “Parker’s an interesting one because Burnley fans gave up on him a long time ago. They’ve been underwhelmed by what they’ve seen from Parker in the Premier League, similar to his previous clubs.

“But you would have thought, if they were going to have made a change they would have done it by now. If you are looking for a manager to get you out of the Championship, Parker has been there, done that and got the T-shirt.

Bellamy has been backed by one of his star players to stick around the Welsh camp

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As has Gerrard, who’s been out of work since leaving Al Ettifaq in January 2025

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“The one name I’ve heard a few times as a potential successor is Craig Bellamy. He won’t be going to the World Cup this summer now that Wales have lost their play-off game, he was highly regarded when he was a part of Vincent Kompany’s coaching staff.

“The club wanted to keep him when Kompany left for Bayern Munich so that’s more a question to Bellamy is how much he fancies a tilt at managing Wales at the home Euros and that might be an issue for Burnley.”

Chelsea

Current interim manager: Calum McFarlane League position: 8th

Chelsea’s situation is complex following the dismissal of Liam Rosenior just three months into a six-and-a-half-year contract last week.

“The final straw was the 3-0 defeat to Brighton,” said Crook.

“The board could feel the anger of the fans and we now know one player had a nickname for Rosenior, that he was labelled the ‘substitute teacher’.

The Chelsea squad did not buy into Rosenior methods – leading to his downfall

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“Clearly the players weren’t buying into his methods and while they didn’t want to make a second mid-season change, they felt it was best to ensure they reach the FA Cup final and secure some form of European football next season.

“In terms of a replacement, it is an open race. Iraola is a name I have heard, and he has said he would like to manage a London club in the past.

“Eddie Howe was mentioned but that was closed down quickly, it seems they want to go for experience rather than an untested manager and Iraola who has led a club like Bournemouth to historic European qualification would tick all the boxes.

Crystal Palace

Current manager: Oliver Glasner League position: 13th

The Austrian revealed he would leave the club in January after he said he felt ‘abandoned’ after the sale of Marc Guehi happened to Manchester City, behind his back.

Crook stated: “There’s been a little talk from fans that he might make a U-turn if he’s able to win the Conference League.

“I don’t think that will happen, that’s not the impression I’m getting. A couple of names for potential replacements would be Jose Bordalas at Getafe and Rayo Vallecano’s Inigo Perez, who was mentioned for the Bournemouth job.

Current Eagles boss Oliver Glasner will leave upon the expiration of his contract in the summer

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“I think the plan at Palace is that they will announce his replacement before the Conference final, if they get there. Iraola has been mentioned as well but I think he would want a bigger club and elsewhere in Europe.”

Everton

Current manager: David Moyes League position: 11th

Despite a recent slump, Moyes has successfully transformed Everton from relegation fodder to European contenders.

“David Moyes will sign a new contact and rightly so,” said Crook.

Fulham

Current manager: Marco Silva League Position: 10th

The Portuguese manager has been at the helm since July 2021 and has been key in helping the west London club remain in the top flight.

But Silva’s contract expires at the end of the season, with Crook saying: “We ask him every year about his contract.

“It seems to be a continuous power play in order for him to get what he wants and to receive more transfer funds.

Silva’s deal expires this summer but Fulham chief Tony Khan is hopeful he will extend his stay

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“If they don’t qualify for Europe, I could see this finally being the year he leaves and the job at Nottingham Forest would be appealing to him.”

Leeds United

Current manager: Daniel Farke League position: 15th

After reaching the FA Cup semi-final, and the team being six points clear of the relegation zone, Farke has solidified his position.

“There were question marks earlier in the season,” Crook noted. “But after a trip to Wembley, he is definitely safe.”

Liverpool

Current manager: Arne Slot League position: 4th

Over the last couple of months, there have been calls from Liverpool fans for Slot’s removal despite the Dutchman winning a league title just a year ago.

However, Crook insists the board will stick with Slot despite a tough season for the Reds that will end without a trophy after over £400million spent during last summer’s transfer window.

“I can’t see his reign coming to an end yet, there isn’t an appetite at board level to make a change, particularly after looking like they will achieve Champions league qualification.

It has been one of Liverpool’s worst seasons in recent memory despite being defending Premier League champions

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“I think they realise there have been a lot of mitigating factors this season, with the tragic passing of Diogo Jota in the summer and you can’t underestimate the impact that has had on the dressing room.

“Senior players have not hit the same standard of last season. Mohamed Salah is a prime example of that and they have been going through a transitional period.

“I expect Slot to stay which could upset a lot of Liverpool supporters but he has earned the right for more time after winning the title.”

Manchester City

Current manager: Pep Guardiola League position: 2nd

talkSPORT understands the club have formally asked the six-time Premier League-winning manager about his future intentions.

“I believe he’s had the look of a tired manager for years now, so if he goes I believe it will be Enzo Maresca to replace him on the throne.

“A lot of City fans want Vincent Kompany but he’s being smart about it and doesn’t want to be the successor to Pep Guardiola so he will stay at Bayern Munich.

Maresca, who worked as an assistant to Guardiola at City, is favoured to be his successor

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Manchester United

Current manager: Michael Carrick League position: 3rd

Carrick has made compelling cases for the permanent managerial role, with victories over their European contenders City, Arenal, Chelsea and Villa.

Crook said: “You look at other options, Thomas Tuchel. He has extended is deal with England so that won’t happen, I think there’s a reluctance from the board to wait after the World Cup for managers like Mauricio Pochettino and Carlo Ancelotti.

“Julian Nagelsmann has got support in the hierarchy.

“You’ve also got options from home, Oliver Glasner and Marco Silva are not an upgrade on Carrick. I also love Iraola, but I don’t know if he has the personality to manage a club like Manchester United.

“I think once the top five is secured, the board will move quickly. I would be interested to see how long the deal would be but I think Carrick would at least want a two-year deal.”

Carrick has led Man United towards securing a Champions League place

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Newcastle United

Current manager: Eddie Howe League position: 14th

Crook said: “I don’t think he will be sacked because he signed a long term contract which will be an expensive deal to remove him from.

“If he does leave Newcastle, which it looks the case, it’s far more likely he decides he has got the club as far as he can.

“Last summer, the hierarchy made it far too hard to bring new players in. It felt like they was panic buying with Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade. Neither was anywhere near the top of their list at the start of summer, as I understand.

“They are going to have to sell players again, especially with the interest from Bayern Munich and Arsenal for players like Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali.”

Commenting on Xabi Alonso being a rumoured contender for the job, Crook said: “I don’t think Newcastle are ambitious enough for him. It seems the Saudis are not as committed as they was at the start of the project, partly due to PSR restraints.

Howe achieved generational success at Newcastle as he guided them to a first major trophy in 70 years by winning the Carabao Cup last season

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Nottingham Forest

Current manager: Vitor Pereira League position: 16th

Pereira only got the job in February but his long-term future is uncertain, with links to Fulham boss Silva persisting.

Crook said: “I always felt if Marco Silva was to leave Fulham, I could see him at Forest. He has a good relationship with Evangelos Marinakis during his time at Olympiakos where they eventually won the league together.

“Pereira could go and win the Europa League but I’m not entirely sure he’s there for the long haul.”

Pereira looks set to achieve his immediate goal of steering Forest away from relegation

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Sunderland

Current manager: Regis Le Bris League position: 12th

The Black Cats have coped the best of the promoted teams having made a stunning start to season which saw them get into the top four.

Form faded in the second half of the season but Sunderland have survived with relative comfort. That may not be enough for the Frenchman, however.

Crook stated: “Keep an eye on Regis Le Bris, if they don’t qualify for Europe there’s been a couple of suggestions for me that maybe the hierarchy are considering a change at the end of the season.”

Tottenham Hotspur

Current manager: Roberto De Zerbi League position: 18th

Despite relegation fears, De Zerbi seems committed to the long haul, even if it is in the Championship.

On De Zerbi’s future, Crook said: “I think there would be a pay cut coming his way if they don’t stay up, but he said he was committed for the long haul and he signed a five-year contract.

“I think if they do go down, it won’t be De Zerbi’s fault or even Igor Tudor, it will be on the hierarchy for sticking with Thomas Frank for too long.

Tottenham have to wait until Sunday evening when they face Aston Villa to continue their fight for safety

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West Ham

Current manager: Nuno Espirito Santo League position: 17th

The Portuguese remains another manager in the relegation battle with the Hammers currently two points above the drop.

On Nuno’s situation with West Ham, Crook said: “In terms of Nuno, if they go down, there certainly will be conversations.

“Because the board will feel he’s had a majority of the season to save them so it’s not certain he will stay if they go down. If they do stay up, I think he will be fine.”

Nuno was appointed Hammers boss in September after the sacking of Graham Potter

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Wolves

Current manager: Rob Edwards League position: 20th

The ex-Luton boss is expected to stay on in the Championship, though fan patience is wearing thin amongst the fans.

On Edwards, Crook said: “I think he will certainly be sticking around in the Championship, when they appointed him they knew where the likely destination they would be next year.

“He’s had some high moments this season, with the games at Liverpool, Arsenal and Villa.

“But as a whole, it’s been a disappointing season and I think he has to hit the ground running, certainly in the eyes of the fans, patience is in short supply especially amongst Wolves fans.”

Chelsea urged to abandon key transfer policy to sign 37-year-old in ‘perfect’ transfer

Robert Calcutt — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:57:16 +0000

Chelsea should go against their usual transfer strategy and target an audacious move for Robert Lewandowski this summer.

That’s the view of Andy Brassell as the Blues prepare for yet another summer of huge change both on and off the pitch.

The Chelsea hierarchy will be busy preparing for the summer transfer window

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After sacking Liam Rosenior, Chelsea are searching for their new head coach, with Andoni Iraola understood to be a leading candidate.

However, they will also be looking ahead to the summer transfer window in their bid to strengthen the squad for the 2026/27 season.

Since Chelsea were taken over by BlueCo in 2022, the average age of their signings has approximately been 21 years and five months.

They have mostly signed younger talents in the hope of developing them for the benefit of the first team, or selling them for a profit.

A lack of leadership and experience in the squad has been a repeated criticism of the current squad, and Brassell may well have a solution.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com, the European football journalist claimed that 37-year-old Lewandowski would be an ideal signing for them.

Lewandowski has an incredible record for both club and country

“Only 13 starts in La Liga this season, although he’s been available for many more,” he said of the Poland and Barcelona striker. “12 goals in those 13 starts, which is still pretty good.

“We know he can make a nuisance of himself against the best defenders still. So, if we’re talking about a one-year deal for him to play in in the Premier League, great, I think go for it.

“Now, I know there will be people out there who say, ‘Oh, well, you know a bottom half side could take a chance on him’. It’s not taking a chance, it is Robert Lewandowski! The only thing you’re taking a chance on is, can he last the pace?

“Unless you’re expecting him to start every game I think it’s a more than palatable gamble, I think he’d be good for Arsenal. I think he’d be good for Chelsea.

Brassell has named Lewandowski as a go-to target for Chelsea

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“You could even argue he’d be good for Manchester United, if it wasn’t for the fact that Benjamin Sesko probably needs a season where he’s gonna start all the games.

“And that would be your argument against Arsenal as well, the fact that (Viktor) Gyokeres has to play more to be more consistent and get better.

“I know he divides opinion but I think even though it’s not the perfect first season at Arsenal, it’s an acceptable first season at Arsenal. So, my immediate thoughts would be if we’re looking at big clubs; Chelsea for a year.

“Not that they will do because they don’t tend to do the experience thing. But I think a bit of experience would be perfect for Chelsea.”

Barca pip Chelsea to Lewandowski

After glittering spells with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, Lewandowski opted for a fresh challenge in Spain at Barcelona.

However, he was also presented with the opportunity to move to the Premier League, with none other than Chelsea.

Boehly was keen to bring Lewandowski to Chelsea in the summer of 2022

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The Blues made contact with his representatives in 2022 as their new co-owner Todd Boehly eyed a statement star signing.

However, Lewandowski got his wish and completed his move to Barca, for whom he has scored 118 goals in 188 outings.

He is a two-time LaLiga champion, and set to win a third league title as they sit 11 points clear of Real Madrid with five matches to play.

Newcastle and Aston Villa could hijack Premier League rivals’ bid for next Florian Wirtz

Lee Davey — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:42:33 +0000

Aston Villa and Newcastle could step up their efforts to lure German whizz kid Said El Mala to the Premier League this summer.

The 19-year-old midfielder appeared set for a move to Brighton but the Seagulls saw two January bids worth £24 and £27million rebuffed by Bundesliga side FC Köln (Cologne).

El Mala could still find himself in the Premier League next season despite seeing his move to Brighton fall through

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Brighton reportedly upped their offer to £30m in late February with plans to also sign his brother Malek, only to see the German outfit resist another approach.

Reports in Germany now claim that Brighton have pulled out of the running to sign the talented teenager with Köln having slapped a £43m price tag on him.

A bright future

El Mala has impressed for his club this season and recently opened his account for Germany under-21s.

There are high hopes for El Mala with some already likening him to Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz.

And that has put him firmly in the shop window with Aston Villa and Newcastle showing their interest in the rising star.

European football expert Andy Brassell believes a lack of clarity over the future of Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler may have impacted the deal.

“I think there are a couple of sides to it. The fact that El Mala and his brother made an agreement in principle, but it’s not gone any further than that, I think is an issue,” Brassell told talkSPORT.com.

“I think something probably could have been fleshed out at a compromised figure. But the big question for El Mala is will Fabian Hurzeler be there next year?

“If Hurzeler is there I think he’s straight there, but without the guarantee, they didn’t want to put the ink on the paper. That’s fair enough.

“I think when you look at the fact that he’s 19 years old, the potential is clear. He’s got a really high ceiling and he was a pest again against Leverkusen at the weekend missed a really great chance where he rounded the goalkeeper Janis Blasic and hit the post.

Brassell suggests El Sala’s move to Brighton may have collapsed due to uncertainty around the future of Fabian Hurzeler

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“But you know, he’s a guy who takes responsibility in big moments already.”

Ready made for the Premier League?

Despite having played just 33 times for Köln in what has been his breakout season, El Mala has been among the club’s brightest talents.

He has scored 11 goals and registered five assists in 31 Bundesliga outings and although his top-level experience is limited, Brassell believes the midfielder has what it takes to make a splash in English football.

“I think you’re looking at a player who could have a really good first season in the Premier League,” he added.

“He could be effective from the get-go, so I think if you’re looking at Chelsea and the fact they have a lot of wide players who have been largely ineffective this season, I think that that would be an interesting fit.

“Whether you think that’s the place for a player to develop and again, there’s a question over who the coaches are.

El Mala has netted an impressive 11 goals in his breakout season in the Bundesliga

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“I think that those are reasonable questions to ask, how he’s different from the other players that there already is.

“He’s direct, he’ll score. He’s someone who can play as a winger and as a wide forward. So I think that is really all part of what makes him so exciting.

“Clearly I think he would be an interesting replacement for Anthony Gordon at Newcastle if they were to let him go.

“I don’t think Aston Villa are going to continue with Jaden Sancho.

“So he’s a different type of wide player but similar coming in from the left-hand side and again, I think the idea of developing under Unai Emery would be really great.

“But just because Brighton have stepped back from for the moment I’m not convinced it’s necessarily over. I’m not convinced that’s necessarily off the table, but I’m pretty sure he’ll end up in the Premier League.”

Eddie Howe told to leave Newcastle and he could take ‘bigger’ job

Alex Conrad — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:41:44 +0000

Gabby Agbonlahor has boldly declared Eddie Howe ‘deserves’ the opportunity to join a ‘bigger club’ than Newcastle.

Howe took charge of the Magpies in November 2021 and has overseen nearly 230 matches across all competitions.

There is a sentiment Howe’s time as Magpies boss is almost up

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In that span, the 48-year-old helped Newcastle end their 70-year wait for a major trophy as they beat Liverpool to win the 2025 Carabao Cup.

Howe has also steered Newcastle to two Champions League campaigns in three seasons, the latest of which included a run to the last 16 where they were comprehensively beaten across two legs by Barcelona.

Howe much longer?

Despite the credit in the bank built up over the years, Howe has come under increasing scrutiny this term.

Even though he guided Newcastle to the knockout stage of this season’s Champions League, Howe has overseen an alarming Premier League campaign.

The Magpies sit 14th in the league on 42 points with four games remaining, a tally which leaves them all but certain to miss out on European football next term.

A lack of European football next season means Newcastle’s finances will take a hit, a scenario which is highly likely to force them into a major player sale.

Howe lost superstar striker Alexander Isak last summer to Liverpool in a record deal, although it was a messy saga that dragged on throughout the window.

Anthony Gordon looms as the likeliest candidate for a move elsewhere in the summer, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich two clubs who appear to be the front-runners.

As change amongst the playing squad looms, Howe’s future is also uncertain.

talkSPORT understands Jose Mourinho has admirers among Newcastle’s board, while Xabi Alonso and Oliver Glasner could feature among the contenders.

Howe could be poached by one of Newcastle’s Premier League rivals

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Yet even if Howe is axed, the 48-year-old may not be out of work for long.

Gabby: ‘Howe may have taken Toon as far as he can’

Speaking on the Early Sports Breakfast, co-hosts Agbonlahor and Ally McCoist were asked for their thoughts on the prospect of Howe to Chelsea, who do not have a permanent manager for next season following Liam Rosenior’s recent departure.

McCoist was not a fan of such a move and believed Howe deserves a chance to right this season’s wrongs at St James’ Park.

“I want to see Eddie Howe stay at Newcastle,” McCoist said.

“Get reinforcements in, no European football and Newcastle will finish top five.”

However, Agbonlahor questioned whether Howe had simply reached the end of his road with Newcastle.

The Blues will be on their sixth permanent manager in the BlueCo era

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“I hear exactly what you’re saying, but what if Eddie Howe is sitting there now saying, ‘Maybe I want to go, maybe I’ve taken Newcastle as far as I can go with them,'” Agbonlahor said.

“I think he deserves to go a bigger club than Newcastle.”

Is Howe a realistic chance of taking over Chelsea?

The suggestion of Howe to Chelsea comes amid talkSPORT’s understanding he has admirers among the Chelsea hierarchy.

However, Howe does not appear to have a straight run to the Stamford Bridge dugout.

Andoni Iraola, who will depart Bournemouth at the end of the season, is understood to be a leading candidate for the vacancy.

talkSPORT understands the Blues have already made contact with Iraola’s agent.

Fulham boss Marco Silva, whose contract with the Cottagers expires this summer, is another name on the shortlist.

Liverpool and Manchester United scheduled to play at same bizarre time in fixture revamp

Ciaran Wiseman — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:01:27 +0000

The latest Premier League fixture amendments have been confirmed for the penultimate weekend of the season and there are some strange timings.

A series of matches have been rescheduled on Sunday, May 17 due to being selected for live television coverage.

Manchester United have been handed a bizarre kick-off time in the latest amendments

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With the FA Cup final coming up on Saturday, May 16, there will be no Premier League matches held on that day.

New dates have been confirmed for Manchester City and Chelsea’s rearranged fixtures due to their involvement in the final.

And the latest announcement has also confirmed how the other affected games that weekend have been changed.

Aston Villa’s home clash with Liverpool will now take place at 12.30pm on Sunday, May 17.

Nottingham Forest’s trip to Manchester United has been schedule for the same time having also been selected by the broadcaster.

However, one of those matches will be moved to 8pm on Friday, May 15 due to the Europa League final.

Villa and Forest meet in the semi-finals of the competition, with one of them advancing to the final on Wednesday, May 20.

12:30pm kick-offs are usually only held on Saturdays but the FA Cup final has seen the Premier League weekend shifted forward by a day which may catch some fans out.

New dates confirmed

City have been handed a new date and kick-off time for their home clash with Crystal Palace.

The two sides’ original meeting was postponed due to City’s involvement in the Carabao Cup final in March.

City’s request for their rearranged fixtures before and after the FA Cup final has been rejected

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Palace will now travel to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, May 13 with kick-off at 8pm.

City then face Bournemouth away from home on Tuesday, May 19 at 7.30pm.

Pep Guardiola’s side had asked that the matches be played opposite way round, but their request was rejected.

talkSPORT understands City are furious with the Premier League, believing there was plenty of time to rearrange the Palace game as they’d made it to the Carabao Cup final on February 4.

The eight-time Premier League winners are said to have suggested three alternative midweeks for the Palace fixture, two of which were ruled out due to the Eagles’ involvement in the Conference League.

It’s also suggested the Premier League appeared receptive to the idea of City playing Bournemouth on Thursday May 21 but opted to schedule it two days earlier.

Premier League fixture amendments

Wednesday, May 13

Manchester City vs Crystal Palace – 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Sunday, May 17

Aston Villa vs Liverpool – 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports*
Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest – 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports**
Newcastle United vs West Ham United – 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Monday, May 18

Arsenal vs Burnley – 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Tuesday, May 19

Bournemouth vs Manchester City – 7.30pm, live on Sky Sports
Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur – 8.15pm, live on Sky Sports

* Subject to Aston Villa reaching Europa League final

** Subject to Nottingham Forest reaching Europa League final

City’s FA Cup final opponents Chelsea will host Tottenham Hotspur at 8.15pm on Tuesday, May 19.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United vs West Ham will now kick-off at 5.30pm on Sunday, May 17.

And Arsenal will host Burnley on Monday, May 18 at 8pm, with both matches set to be aired on Sky Sports.

The four remaining matches on Matchday 37 – Brentford v Crystal Palace, Everton v Sunderland, Leeds United v Brighton and Wolves v Fulham – will take place at 3pm on Sunday, May 17.

Transfer Notebook: Arsenal target Premier League rising star, Championship POTY on Man United’s radar, new deal for key Crystal Palace ace

Joe Moore — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:17:57 +0000

Arsenal are among a number of top clubs keeping tabs on Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi.

Kroupi, 19, has scored 11 Premier League goals this season, becoming the first teenager to hit double figures in their maiden campaign in the competition.

Kroupi has been one of the Premier League’s breakout stars this season and has attracted the eyes of the top flight big boys

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The France Under-21 international also bagged goals home and away against the Gunners, capturing the attention of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

Bournemouth signed Kroupi from sister club Lorient for a bargain £10million last February before loaning him back for the remainder of the season.

The likes of Manchester United and City have also been credited with an interest in the talented teen.

Sources with knowledge of the situation have told talkSPORT Kroupi is not believed to have a release clause in his contract.

Palace desperate to keep key man

Dean Henderson is in talks with Crystal Palace over a new contract, talkSPORT understands.

Henderson’s current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2028 but Palace are keen to extend his stay at Selhurst Park.

The 29-year-old played a starring role in last season’s FA Cup final triumph and has also been key to Palace’s run to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals.

Henderson has become a popular figure at Selhurst Park three years on from his £20m arrival from Manchester United.

He was made club captain when Marc Guehi was sold to Man City in January.

He has kept 11 clean sheets in 32 Premier League appearances this season.

Henderson is a key player and a big fan-favourite at Crystal Palace who are desperate to tie down the goalkeeper’s future

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Championship POTY set for big move?

Hayden Hackney will be a man in demand if Middlesbrough miss out on promotion to the Premier League.

Hackney was crowned Championship Player of the Year at last weekend’s EFL end of season awards.

His stellar form for his boyhood club has put Nottingham Forest, Everton, West Ham and newly-promoted Coventry on high alert.

The 23-year-old could even be a potential option for Manchester United, should Michael Carrick be named permanent manager, having starred under the ex-Boro coach at the Riverside Stadium.

Boro are one of four sides still vying for a top-two finish heading into the final week of the season.

Hackney could earn a Premier League transfer this summer with some big clubs keen after his Player of the Year-winning campaign in the Championship

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Wolves target Rangers star

Rangers captain James Tavernier is on Wolves’ radar after announcing he will quit Ibrox at the end of the season.

Boss Rob Edwards sees Tavernier, 34, as the type of character who can help lead Wolves back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The right-back is leaving Rangers after 11 years with the Scottish giants and also has interest from Saudi Arabia.

Man City fume at Premier League as bid to change fixtures rejected after several clubs raise opposition

Alex Conrad — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:27:47 +0000

Manchester City have failed in their request to move their fixtures with Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.

Title-chasing City are thus consigned to the prospect of three crucial end-of-season games in seven days.

City’s hopes for an easier ride to end the season have been dashed

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The match against Bournemouth, originally scheduled for May 17, has been pushed back to May 19 due to City’s appearance in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, which is set for May 16.

Manchester City also have a game-in-hand against Crystal Palace, which was originally scheduled for March but has now been pencilled in for May 13.

City had hoped to play Bournemouth first leaving them two home games to finish the season, including Aston Villa on the final day.

At least three Premier League clubs voiced opposition against Manchester City’s proposal.

It is not protocol to switch the order of fixtures unless forced to meaning City’s home match with Palace should, if possible, come before the away trip to Bournemouth.

Several clubs made this point informally to the Premier League and were prepared to make a formal complaint had Manchester City been able to finish the season with back-to-back home matches.

City fuming

talkSPORT understands City are furious with the Premier League, believing there was plenty of time to rearrange the Palace game as they’d made it to the Carabao Cup final on February 4.

It’s also suggested the Premier League appeared receptive to the idea of City playing Bournemouth on Thursday May 21 but opted to schedule it two days earlier.

Which other Premier League features have been changed?

Elsewhere among the latest round of confirmed fixtures, Aston Villa’s final home fixture of the season against Liverpool has been brought forward from a 3pm kick-off to a 12:30pm start on May 17.

City won’t be getting any favours from their Premier League rivals

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However, that match will be brought forward to a 8pm kick-off on May 15 should they beat Nottingham Forest over two legs to reach the Europa League final.

It’s a similar case for Forest, who have had their match against Manchester United on May 17 shifted to a 12:30pm kick-off.

As would be the case for Villa, that game will also move to 8pm on May 15 if Forest reach the Europa League final.

Newcastle and West Ham’s match on May 17 has been moved back from 3pm to 5:30pm, while Arsenal’s clash against Burnley has shifted from May 17 at 3pm to May 18 at 8pm.

There’s also been a chance for Chelsea and Tottenham’s crunch clash, with a new date and kick-off time of May 19 at 8:15pm instead of 3pm on May 17.

Could City’s revised fixtures impact the title race?

The prospect of City’s fixture nightmare will come as welcome news to title challengers Arsenal.

As it stands, Arsenal lead City by three points on the Premier League table with four games remaining.

However, City have five fixtures to play, meaning they can take top spot from the Gunners should they win their game in hand, whenever that may be.

Arsenal returned to the summit last Saturday thanks to a 1-0 win over Newcastle.

It was a result that snapped a two-game losing streak for Mikel Arteta’s side, which included a 2-1 loss to City.

But the fact City look increasingly likely to play three crunch fixtures in the space of a week, including the FA Cup Final, could give Arteta and his troops renewed hope.

City are next in action on May 4 when they travel to Everton, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm.

New Premier League club enters £75million race for Newcastle star Anthony Gordon

Jake Lambourne — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:59:00 +0000

Chelsea could look to revive their interest in Anthony Gordon – four years after his failed transfer, talkSPORT understands.

The 25-year-old could be on his way out of Newcastle this summer after three-and-a-half-years at St James’ Park.

Newcastle winger Gordon looks set for a summer switch to one of Europe’s elite clubs

AFP

Gordon is the Magpies’ top scorer this term – firing in 17 goals in all competitions from 46 matches – while also chipping in with five assists.

His form in what has been a disappointing season for the Tyneside outfit has led to a transfer battle emerging to secure the England international’s services.

talkSPORT understands that Newcastle would be prepared to sell Gordon should they receive a fee of around £75million.

It is believed that Bayern Munich are set to advance on their interest in the winger, who is tied down at Newcastle until 2030.

Meanwhile, we told you in February how Liverpool remain keen on prising away the boyhood Reds fan.

Arsenal are another side that have been linked with making a move for Gordon as the Gunners look for an upgrade on both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard on the left flank.

Gor blimey

And now Chelsea could look to join the party as they contemplate bolstering their attack, and have not discounted making an approach for Gordon.

That is despite bringing in Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens last summer to play in the left wing position – both of whom have failed to impress.

The west London outfit are also set to welcome the arrival of Geovany Quenda from Sporting Lisbon, having agreed a £44m deal to sign him last year.

Though it remains to be seen whether Gordon would be prepared to make the move to Stamford Bridge if the club fail to secure Champions League football.

Gordon is believed to be up for grabs should a potential suitor cough up £75m

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As it stands, Chelsea are in a fight for Europe altogether as they sit eighth in the table with just four matches remaining.

Five consecutive top-flight defeats without scoring have seen the Blues tumble down the table, where they are now ten points off a spot for Europe’s premier competition.

Their best chance of sealing a place in the Champions League at the moment is by finishing sixth, and hope that Aston Villa, who are in fifth spot, win the Europa League.

Chelsea boast historical interest in Gordon having come close to signing him while he was on Everton‘s books in 2022.

They went as high as £60m late in the summer window after having a £40m bid rejected, but the Toffees refused to cash in on him – before selling him to Newcastle in a deal rising to £45m months later.

Gordon revealed in November 2024 how he had been ‘desperate’ to join Chelsea and play under now-England boss Thomas Tuchel.

Gordon has missed eight Premier League matches this season due to suspension and injury

And he remains an attractive option for Chelsea due to his versatility in being able to play on the right wing as well as up front.

It is believed that Chelsea will look to target Premier League-proven players this summer in what promises to be a busy window for the club.

Should Gordon be brought into the club, he could potentially take Nicolas Jackson‘s spot in the squad, with the Senegalese forward currently on loan at Bayern Munich.

The 24-year-old has chipped in with ten goals and four assists from 29 matches while playing second fiddle to Harry Kane – scoring in each of his last three league games.

But that hasn’t been enough to convince the Bundesliga champions to trigger the £56.2m buy option in his contract.

While Jackson will be heading back to Chelsea, Blues fan and broadcaster Matisse Armani believes he must be shipped off on a permanent move this summer.

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Speaking in the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Inside Chelsea, show host Toby Evenden posed the question as to whether Jackson should be re-introduced to the side.

But Matisse believes his time at the club should be over, as he said: “I feel like there are a few positions that are open to inject maturity, experience, quality, leadership, intangibles that we are lacking.

“One of those positions for me, is that back-up striker role, or that second striker role to Joao Pedro.”

Before adding: “Jackson, for all of his good attributes outside of the box, he still can’t head the ball, he still doesn’t have good shooting technique in terms of finishing – even to Loic Remy and [Michy] Batshuayi standards.

“I look at Demba Ba, and other strikers that we’ve had, for me, when you’re bringing someone off the bench as a striker, it’s usually because you need to chase the game or win the game.

“And he’s not a player that comes on and takes chances, he’s not clinical, he misses a lot of chances, he’s more of a momentum striker for me, you start him week-in, week-out.

Jackson will be returning to Chelsea as a Bundesliga champion – and he could still win the DFB-Pokal and Champions League at Bayern this term

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“Now he’s not starting over Joao Pedro, [Jackson has] great link-up play with [Cole] Palmer, great chemistry, but we’ve already got that type of forward up there already.

“So apart from his pressing, which is really strong, what are you having Jackson as a deputy for?

“Because [Liam] Delap has struggled with a lack of minutes and a lack of momentum, Jackson’s going to have the same situation.

“For me, that’s not the type of striker that we actually need behind Joao Pedro.”

Matisse concluded by saying: “I think the ship has sailed [regarding Jackson at Chelsea], but he’s certainly a better option than Delap, but I don’t think it’s what we need.”

Why Aston Villa vs Tottenham is kicking off at strange late time this Sunday

Jack Johnson — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:41:29 +0000

Among a variety of strange Premier League kick-off times this weekend, Aston Villa vs Tottenham has a weird one too.

Villa will hope to deliver a potential killer blow to relegation-threatened Spurs in a crucial top-flight clash for both sides.

Tottenham have to wait until Sunday evening to continue their fight for safety

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Unai Emery‘s side will want to fend off a late challenge for Champions League football, while Roberto De Zerbi‘s men must win to make sure they don’t slip ever closer to a drop to the Championship.

It’s going to be a tense one and fans that want to watch could be caught out by the unusual start time in Birmingham…

Why is Aston Villa vs Tottenham kicking off at 7pm on Sunday?

Aston Villa vs Tottenham will kick off at 7pm on Sunday evening.

Typically, on Sundays, Premier League fixtures will be scheduled for 2pm and 4:30pm in the afternoon.

However, a change has been made to put the game at Villa Park at 7pm, due to it having to be moved from 12:30pm on Saturday.

Spurs originally announced in March: “Our visit to Villa Park on Saturday 2 May now has a new kick-off time of 12.30pm and will be live on TNT Sports.”

But their statement included: “Please note, this match will move to 7pm on Sunday 3 May should Aston Villa reach the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.”

And Emery’s side went on to beat Bologna 7-1 on aggregate in their quarter-final to set up a meeting with Nottingham Forest in the semis of the Europa League.

That game takes place this Thursday, meaning the original Saturday early kick-off would have been too quick of a turnaround.

As the action is being broadcast live on TNT Sports, they have used their 7pm slot to change the game to late on Sunday.

Villa’s progression in the Europa League meant that they had to move this fixture

Rex

Premier League Match Odds with talkSPORT BET

Ally McCoists Boosted Acca

Brighton, Sunderland, West Ham and Arsenal all to win – was 29/1 now 33/1

Fri, May 1

Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

Sat, May 2

Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

Mon, May 4

Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
Everton 11/2 – Draw 17/5 – Man City 4/9

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talkSPORT will have live coverage of the game, with commentary coming from Sam Matterface and ex-Liverpool star Charlie Adam.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Multiple changes

As mentioned, the kick-off change for this game is one of a few strange start times in the Premier League this weekend.

Man United vs Liverpool had their blockbuster meeting moved an hour earlier than usual to 3:30pm on Sunday.

Meanwhile, with Monday being a bank holiday, there’s a 3pm kick-off on a weekday, as Chelsea take on Nottingham Forest.

Football LIVE: Dyche joins talkSPORT, James and Colwill back in Chelsea training, Burnley manager latest

TalkSPORT — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:16:00 +0000

Follow all of the reaction as three English sides were involved in European semi-finals on Thursday night.

A Chris Wood penalty handed Nottingham Forest a priceless 1-0 win at home against Aston Villa in the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace earned a memorable 3-1 away victory over Shakhtar Donetsk to put one foot in the Conference League final.

Sean Dyche joined the talkSPORT Breakfast team this morning, just a day after Frank Lampard made a special appearance on the show.

The Premier League returns tonight as Burnley travel to Leeds United in their first match without Scott Parker, live on talkSPORT.

Newcastle set to explore sale of £55m signing just a year after joining

Robert Calcutt — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 22:08:58 +0000

Newcastle United could sell Yoane Wissa in the summer, talkSPORT understands.

The Magpies signed the DR Congo international from Brentford in a £55million deal in September 2025.

Wissa may spend just one season at Newcastle

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Wissa was a long-term target at St. James’ Park having netted 19 goals in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.

His move was confirmed on the same day that Alexander Isak left for Liverpool in a British record £125m move.

However, he has scored just three times for Newcastle in 24 matches across all competitions.

The 29-year-old also had to wait until December 6 to make his debut as he recovered from a knee injury.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has handed him just four league starts, with the forward struggling during his first season.

An exit just one year later could happen this summer although it’s understood the player is determined to make it work at St James’ Park.

Newcastle summer plans

Newcastle will likely look to bring in some attacking reinforcements as their season looks set for a disappointing end.

They have lost their last five matches in all competitions, four of which have come in the Premier League.

Howe’s side are 14th in the table and are on course to miss out on a European spot.

talkSPORT understands that Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who has been on loan at Bayern Munich, is a target for Newcastle.

Wissa has not been able to make an impact at Newcastle

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An obligation to buy worth £56.2m was included in the loan deal, as long as certain conditions were met.

Jackson had to play at least 45 minutes of 40 matches but, given he has been back-up to Harry Kane, this has not happened.

Bayern have confirmed that they will not sign him permanently.

The 24-year-old has plenty of Premier League experience, having scored 24 goals in 65 appearances for Chelsea.

Jackson also faces an uncertain future at the Blues, with Joao Pedro netting 19 goals in his debut season.

Emmanuel Emegha is also set to join from sister club RC Strasbourg this summer.

Premier League Match Odds with talkSPORT BET

Ally McCoists Boosted Acca

Brighton, Sunderland, West Ham and Arsenal all to win – was 29/1 now 33/1

Fri, May 1

Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

Sat, May 2

Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

Mon, May 4

Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
Everton 11/2 – Draw 17/5 – Man City 4/9

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Bruno Fernandes ‘has carried Manchester United’ as star equals Cristiano Ronaldo and nears elite Premier League record

Ciaran Wiseman — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:04:12 +0000

Bruno Fernandes made history with his assist in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Brentford.

The Red Devils captain set up Benjamin Sesko to double their lead at Old Trafford on Monday night.

Fernandes is closing in on an all-time Premier League record currently shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne

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It followed Casemiro’s opener for Michael Carrick’s side earlier in the first half.

Fernandes collected the ball inside his own half before driving up the pitch and into the Bees box.

His pass then teed up Sesko to score as Fernandes registered his 70th Premier League assist for United.

The result has further strengthened United’s grip on a Champions League spot as the season nears its conclusion.

With four matches remaining, they are third in the table with 11 points separating them from sixth place Brighton.

History beckons

Having also score 70 league goals for the club, Fernandes now has 140 goal contributions to his name in the competition.

As a result, the Portuguese midfielder has drawn level with Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for United.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner scored 103 goals and provided 37 assists in 236 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils.

Fernandes could still make more history before the end of the season.

His latest assist is his 19th in the Premier League this term, leaving the 31-year-old just one short of equalling the single season record.

Fernandes’ assist for Sesko was his 19th in the Premier League this season

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Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne both previously provided 20 assists during the 2002/03 and 2019/20 campaigns, respectively.

Fernandes has four matches remaining this term to either equal or surpass their shared record.

Fernandes has ‘carried the club’

His importance to United is not lost on former captain Steve Bruce following Fernandes’ heroics against Brentford.

Reacting to his performance live on commentary at Old Trafford: “There’s been this debate about him over the years… I have to say he’s been the outstanding player for Man United for the last four or five years.

“Absolutely, there’s times he’s carried this club along which is a big big weight on your shoulders. But he never disappoints.

“He gives everything he’s got. He plays every week. I know we can be a little bit sensitive at times, we all can, but he produces.”

Fernandes has ‘carried’ United on his shoulders, says former captain Bruce

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Since joining United in January 2020, Fernandes has scored 106 goals and added 106 assists in 323 appearances in all competitions.

Meanwhile, he has won both the FA Cup and League Cup with the Red Devils.

Nick Woltemade has ‘exceeded expectations’ – now Newcastle players need to help him

Martha Riley — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:19:47 +0000

Nick Woltemade’s recent struggles were to be expected, his Newcastle teammates haven’t given him enough service.

That is the view of former Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who has defended the Magpies’ record signing after a challenging first season in England.

Woltemade’s form and ability has divided Newcastle fans this season

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Woltemade joined the Toon from Stuttgart last summer in a £69million deal to replace Alexander Isak.

He got off to a strong start at St. James’ Park, netting four times in his open five Premier League outings.

However, things have taken a turn for the worse since then, with the 24-year-old only managing three further league goals, none of which have been in 2026.

This has prompted manager Eddie Howe to tweak his position in an attempt to get the best out of him – starting him up front, in the No.10 role, and even in central midfield, but to little avail.

More recently, Woltemade has been dropped to the bench, alongside fellow summer signing Yoane Wissa, with Will Osula being preferred.

His struggles have seen him face some stinging criticism, including being branded the worst signing in Premier League history.

Taking the Nick?

Doubts have begun to emerge over Woltemade’s long-term suitability at Newcastle, and talkSPORT understands striker Nicolas Jackson is on their list of summer targets, who is set to return to Chelsea after his loan at Bayern Munich.

But Arsenal Invincible Lehmann has now defended his compatriot, who praised how quickly he adjusted to Premier League football and insisted his dip in form is inevitable for a young player.

Lehmann told talkSPORT’s Hawksbee and Jacobs: “He over-exceeded my actual expectations at the beginning of the season.

“Because normally when you come to the Premier League from a league where the football is a little bit slower, then you need to take time to adjust.

GettyNewcastle could turn to a more proven No.9 in Nicolas Jackson this summer[/caption]

Woltemade looked to have picked up where Alexander Isak left off at the start of the season

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“It normally takes three, four or five months. So he did really well at the beginning.

“He probably has to recover from that a little bit because he’s still a young guy. And we don’t know his physical details. So it may come down to that.

“In terms of Germany, I hope that he’s getting better, obviously [ahead of the World Cup].

“But for a young player, I think it’s quite normal that you cannot have this level of presence and good performances throughout your first Premier League season.”

Lehmann: It’s not all Woltemade’s fault

Asked if he would persevere with Woltemade, Lehmann was adamant in his reply, insisting: “Yes, he’s a very good player.

“Considering his size, technically he’s gifted. And he’s got a fantastic presence in the box. And he will come [good].”

Newcastle are on a run of four straight league defeats as a tough campaign draws to a close

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Lehmann then argued the blame should not lie solely with Woltemade over his recent woes.

He claimed the Germany international hasn’t been helped by his Newcastle teammates, insisting they must take responsibility for creating chances for him.

It has been a disappointing campaign for the Magpies, who sit 14th in the Premier League, and have little chance of qualifying for Europe.

Lehmann hinted at this, as he said of Woltemade: “I think sometimes for a striker in his position, you need to be waiting for good assists and good deliveries.

“It’s not only down to yourself.”

Liverpool warned Premier League rival could swoop in for Xabi Alonso

Ciaran Wiseman — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:37:58 +0000

Liverpool have been urged to appoint Xabi Alonso this summer if they replace Arne Slot as manager, or risk missing out on him to a rival.

That is the view of former Premier League manager Alan Pardew ahead of a busy summer of managerial movements.

Alonso could be targeted by another Premier League club along with Liverpool, says Pardew

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Pardew discussed the potential changes which could take place across the top flight’s dugouts ahead of next term on Sunday.

Alonso in demand

Speaking on The Final Word, the 64-year-old highlighted Alonso as the best manager that’s currently available.

He explained: “If you are going to look at a financial situation, Alonso isn’t going to cost you a transfer fee.

“Taking all of his staff would all be involved with a new contract, with a new club. There’s a real window of opportunity.

“I think they’re going to have to make a big call in the summer. Slot has had a strange season.

“He could still end up in the Champions League. So is that enough with the injuries and the problems that he’s had?

“So that’s an interesting one, but if he isn’t going to Liverpool, I think Man United should be interested.”

Alonso is currently without a club after he was sacked by Real Madrid in January.

As a player, the Spaniard spent five years with Liverpool and was part of their Champions League-winning side in 2005.

Current Reds boss Slot is under contract until the end of next season having been appointed two years ago.

Pardew believes Liverpool have a decision to make on Slot’s future with Alonso available

AFP

Alonso enjoyed a successful spell in charge of Bayer Leverkusen before his six-month stay at the Bernabeu

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Following Saturday’s win over Crystal Palace, his side are fourth with four matches remaining and with an eight-point lead over sixth place Brighton.

Meanwhile, United will be looking for a new manager in the summer, with temporary boss Michael Carrick’s deal expiring at the end of the season.

Carrick returned to Old Trafford in January following Ruben Amorim’s departure.

Inside Liverpool verdict

Slot’s future and the potential of missing out on Alonso was a hot topic on talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool YouTube show.

The same fears were raised that Liverpool could be in a position next season where they are discussing Slot’s position, but Alonso has already gone elsewhere.

Sam Ellard said: “It looks like Slot’s going to stay and we’ll get behind him. My only worry is that he’s got to get off to a good start next season.

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“If you don’t, we know a lot of fans are up and down on him, and then I do not want us to be in a position next season where you’re in October, November, and we’ve played eight and won three and we’re 12th in the table.

“Alonso’s gone to someone else, and there’s conversations about sacking him. That is my worry about next season.”

Jermaine Pennant added: “I totally agree and I think that the start that he has is going to be detrimental to his tenure at the job.

“If he’s going to stay, then fantastic, great, I’ll support that, I’ll get behind it and hope for the best.

“But previously the conversation was, would you like to see him go? I said, if he was to go, I’d be happy with that as well, and maybe get Alonso in and get a different tune.”

Managerial merry-go-round

A number of other Premier League clubs could also be appointing new managers during the off season.

Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of the campaign, with Marco Rose already confirmed as his successor.

Crystal Palace will need to replace the outgoing Oliver Glasner, whilst Fulham could also make a change.

Iraola will also be available this summer after confirming his exit from Bournemouth

AFP

Pardew added: “I think Iraola from Bournemouth, he’s number two in the list for me and the reason they’re one and two in the list, purely on their CV, their financial situation, they’re both free transfers, they’re not obligated by any contracts.

“So they would be my top two and then below that, I’ve got Glasner going to Germany. I’ve got (Marco) Silva, who’s out of contract at Fulham. I think he’ll sign a new contract there.

“I’m not so sure with the experience he had at Everton, where he went there and it didn’t quite work out. I think it might be better for him, actually, to do another year there.

“He’s had a great season at Fulham and I think Fulham could get into Europe, so let’s see how that evolves. I know Fulham would definitely want him to stay.

“They’ve offered him a contract and hopefully he’ll sign it. Then I’ve got Palace, because obviously Glasner is going to go, I’ve got Thomas Frank going in there.”

Why Manchester United vs Liverpool is kicking off at bizarre time this weekend

Jack Johnson — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:12:39 +0000

Manchester United take on Liverpool in the biggest Premier League game of the weekend – but at a bizarre time.

The age-old bitter rivals will clash in a huge fixture, with both sides pushing for a third-place finish in the top-flight this season.

Man United are going to be hosting Liverpool at a strange time this weekend

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It means all eyes are going to be on the action, as they usually are when it comes to Man United vs Liverpool at Old Trafford.

But fans will have to make sure they’re aware of a time change…

Why is Man United vs Liverpool at 3:30pm?

Michael Carrick‘s United will host Arne Slot‘s Liverpool at the changed time of 3:30pm on Sunday afternoon.

The switch was confirmed in March, before the Premier League announced the full fixture schedule for May.

Typically, when it comes to the top-flight schedule, Sunday games in the top-flight would be played at 2pm and 4:30pm.

However, the 3:30pm start has become common for this specific fixture between United and Liverpool.

No official reason has been given, but some reports state that the match has been brought an hour earlier than usual as part of a security measure due to the nature of the rivalry.

This has been the explanation for some previous occasions when the fixture was moved to the unique 3:30pm slot.

Their FA Cup clash in 2024 was changed to that time after ITV, the FA and police came together to move the kick-off earlier.

It was also thought to be the same reasoning for the switch for the Premier League meeting later that season too.

Liverpool will be playing at Old Trafford an hour earlier than expected

Getty

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Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

Sat, May 2

Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

Mon, May 4

Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
Everton 11/2 – Draw 17/5 – Man City 4/9

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A strange schedule

The change to Man United vs Liverpool comes amid a whole host of unusual Premier League fixture times.

To start, there will be no 12:30pm kick-off on Saturday afternoon.

And then on Sunday, alongside the usual 2pm start between Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, there are more changes.

After the clash at Old Trafford at 3:30pm, Aston Villa will host Tottenham Hotspur at the weird time of 7pm.

Coverage of that game will be exclusively live on talkSPORT.

Commentary will be coming from Sam Matterface and former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Why there is no 12:30pm kick-off in the Premier League this weekend

Jack Johnson — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:02:12 +0000

Premier League fans are going to have to wait a little longer than usual to get their top-flight football fix this Saturday…

Most weeks in England, there is a 12:30pm kick-off scheduled to kickstart the first day of action at the weekend.

Spurs were originally planned to be playing in the early kick-off

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However, in one of the final weeks of the campaign, there will not be an early kick-off in the Premier League.

And that has happened due to a re-jigging of the fixtures.

Why is there no 12:30pm kick-off in the Premier League this weekend?

There is no 12:30pm kick-off this Saturday due to Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur being moved.

It comes after Villa booked a place in the Europa League semi-finals with a 7-1 aggregate win over Italian side Bologna.

They are taking on Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their huge tie on Thursday evening, which enforced a change.

The club confirmed on April 17: “Villa’s clash with Spurs at Villa Park, originally scheduled to take place at 12.30pm on Saturday, May 2, will now be held a day later on Sunday, May 3, kicking off at 7pm.”

The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, despite the changed date and time, as they hold the rights to both slots.

And they have kept their coverage of the game on Sunday at 7pm, meaning the fixture has not been replaced on Saturday.

So, it leaves a gap in the schedule for this weekend’s action.

Fortunately for fans, it means they’ll be able to focus on the Championship final day, which could be very dramatic.

GettyVilla’s progression to the Europa League semi-final forced the game to be moved[/caption]

Premier League Match Odds with talkSPORT BET

Ally McCoists Boosted Acca

Brighton, Sunderland, West Ham and Arsenal all to win – was 29/1 now 33/1

Fri, May 1

Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

Sat, May 2

Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

Mon, May 4

Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
Everton 11/2 – Draw 17/5 – Man City 4/9

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This weekend’s Premier League schedule

Despite the lack of an early kick-off on Saturday afternoon, there’s still a full schedule of fixtures coming our way.

Premier League action begins on Friday at 8pm, with Leeds taking on Burnley at Elland Road, exclusively live on talkSPORT.

Then, there are three 3pm starts, with Newcastle hosting Brighton, Wolves taking on Sunderland and Brentford facing West Ham.

Arsenal will welcome Fulham to the Emirates at 5:30pm.

On Sunday afternoon, Bournemouth face Crystal Palace, Manchester United take on Liverpool in a blockbuster and then Aston Villa come up against Tottenham.

With it being a bank holiday too, there are two games on Monday, as Chelsea welcome Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge and Manchester City travel to face Everton.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 will be bang across all the action.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. Listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Why do Manchester United have a different front-of-shirt sponsor tonight?

Jack Johnson — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:27:28 +0000

Manchester United will be wearing a special one-off shirt tonight at Old Trafford when they take on Brentford.

The Red Devils usually don the Snapdragon logo on their kits, following the world-record deal signed back in 2023.

The United players worse the (RED) sponsor against West Ham last season

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But a big change is going to be made this evening, with fans sure to notice the switch on the front of the players’ shirts.

And here’s why there’s a new sponsor on Man United‘s kits…

Why do Man United have a different sponsor?

United will switch from Snapdragon to (RED) as the sponsor on the front of their shirts just for their clash with Brentford.

The change has been made to support the fight against AIDS.

(RED) is a charity, co-founded by Bono in 2006, that partners with iconic brands to ‘create products and experiences that raise money, heat and urgency to fight against global health injustice.

And it was announced in January that United would be partnering with them for a second time after doing so last season.

The club said: “Snapdragon and Manchester United are coming together to support the global fight against health injustice by putting the (RED) logo on the front of United’s famous shirt for the second consecutive year.

“(RED) will appear on the front of Manchester United’s shirt for the men’s match against Brentford on 27 April at Old Trafford and the women’s match against Tottenham Hotspur on 26 April* in London.

“The limited-edition adidas shirt will be available for supporters to buy and all net profits will be donated to (RED)’s Global Fund, which has raised more than $800 million since its launch 20 years ago. Additional matching will also be made by The Gates Foundation.“

Shirts will be made available to buy via the auction platform MatchWornShirt until May 2.

The club are raising money and awareness for a very good cause

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Marc Armstrong, Chief Business Officer at Man United, said: “Through the power and innovation of our partnership with Snapdragon we are, once again, proud to use the front of the famous Manchester United shirt to raise awareness and tell the story of the vital work undertaken by (RED) to fight against health injustice.

“Snapdragon shares our ambition to use football as a force for good and the second year of this initiative underlines that aspiration.

“Especially at a time when the world faces enormous challenges in supporting the most vulnerable in society.”

Man United vs Brentford: talkSPORT coverage

Man United will be donning their one-off (RED) sponsor against Brentford this evening at 8pm.

talkSPORT will have live coverage from Old Trafford tonight.

Adrian Durham will be your host, with commentary coming from Sam Matterface and former United captain Steve Bruce.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Manchester United vs Brentford LIVE commentary: Kick-off time and team news plus Champions League implications

Jack Johnson — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:21:15 +0000

Manchester United will hope to all but secure Champions League football next season against Brentford this evening.

The Red Devils, who won away at Chelsea last time out, can move clear in third place in the Premier League with a win.

Carrick has led Man United towards securing a Champions League place

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Michael Carrick continues to stake his claim at getting the manager’s job permanently, with the season now entering the run-in.

A win at Old Trafford would be huge for United, seeing them move three points ahead of Liverpool in the table.

But the game is almost as important for Brentford, as Keith Andrews’ men can boost their hopes of European football.

The Bees have had a remarkable year and sixth place is theirs if they can snap their streak of five straight draws.

Man United vs Brentford: UCL in sight

As mentioned, Man United have the chance to move three points clear in third place in the Premier League tonight.

And it would all but book their place in the Champions League, following an impressive turnaround under Carrick.

With fifth place already guaranteed to be enough to qualify for UEFA’s elite competition, they just need to stay on the right side.

A win against Brentford would see them go 11 points clear of Brighton in sixth, with four games to play this season.

So, it would mean qualification is almost certainly secured.

As for the Bees, even with a defeat, they’d stand a great chance at making it into Europe, with a positive result boosting chances.

Man United can all but secure a top-five finish, with Brentford also chasing Europe

Maguire will make a return from suspension this evening

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Man United vs Brentford: Team news

Harry Maguire will return from suspension for United this evening to take his place in the centre of defence.

Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven were the centre-back pairing last time out, but Maguire will now make a comeback.

Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez is still suspended following a three-game ban, with Leny Yoro remaining a doubt.

Patrick Dorgu is still recovering, along with Matthijs de Ligt.

As for Brentford, Jordan Henderson, Vitaly Janelt and Rico Henry are all going to miss the trip to Old Trafford.

Josh Dasilva, Kaye Furo, Fabio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo will stay in the treatment room too, with longer-term issues.

Brentford could take a huge step towards Europe with a positive result

Getty

Man United vs Brentford: talkSPORT coverage

This Premier League clash will take place tonight at 8pm.

talkSPORT will have live coverage of the game from Old Trafford presented by Adrian Durham.

Commentary will come from Sam Matterface and former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

talkSPORT.com will also keep you up to date with all the latest.

Premier League Match Odds with talkSPORT BET

Ally McCoists Boosted Acca

Brighton, Sunderland, West Ham and Arsenal all to win – was 29/1 now 33/1

Fri, May 1

Leeds 4/11 – Draw 4/1 – Burnley 15/2

Sat, May 2

Newcastle 6/4 – Draw 13/5 – Brighton 13/8
Wolves 23/10 – Draw 12/5 – Sunderland 6/5
Brentford 10/11 – Draw 14/5 – West Ham 27/10
Arsenal 4/9 – Draw 17/5 – Fulham 13/2

Sun, May 3

Bournemouth 4/7 – Draw 3/1 – Crystal Palace 17/4
Man Utd 5/4 – Draw 11/4 – Liverpool 7/4
Aston Villa 11/10 – Draw 13/5 – Spurs 85/40

Mon, May 4

Chelsea 4/6 – Draw 29/10 – Notts Forest 18/5
Everton 11/2 – Draw 17/5 – Man City 4/9

See all Premier League match odds over at talkSPORT BET

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Phil Foden is a shell of what he once was – he’s now at serious risk of missing the World Cup

Alex Conrad — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:03:05 +0000

There was a time when Wembley used to be Phil Foden’s playground.

As a teenager Foden picked up the man of the match award after playing a starring role in City’s 2020 League Cup final win over Aston Villa.

Foden is on track for his lowest goalscoring season in six years

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Fast forward six years and the now 25-year-old cut a dejected figure as he was hauled off after only 58 minutes with City struggling for a breakthrough against Championship Southampton.

By that time Saints right-back James Bree, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Charlton, had already won the battle of wills with Foden, who looked devoid of the swagger and confidence he used to exude on stages like this.

Where Foden would once have been City’s creative driving force, playing on the edge, he too often looked for the safety-first pass.

Having not started a game for his club in more than six weeks this was his chance to convince Pep Guardiola he can play a significant role in what is going to be a thrilling end of season run-in.

However, one ballooned effort over the crossbar just a few minutes before seeing his number come up epitomised not just Foden’s afternoon, but perhaps his season.

It is now zero goals in his last 24 appearances, admittedly many of them off the bench.

And it is a damning reflection on City’s once poster boy that his replacement Savinho posed far more of a threat as the treble chasers came from behind to book their spot in a record-breaking fourth straight FA Cup final.

City still have faith in their academy sensation and want to extend his contract, due to expire at the end of next season.

Boss Pep Guardiola said afterwards it was ‘just a question of time’ before Foden comes good again, but even he must be as baffled as anyone by the alarming drop in form.

It was after all only two years ago that the man dubbed ‘the Stockport Iniesta’ scooped the PFA Player of the Year award.

Foden started three of England’s five games at the last World Cup, but he might not even make the squad for this year’s tournament

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It was also only two years ago that England boss Gareth Southgate was so desperate to find a spot for him in his team that he shoved him out wide as opposed to his preferred central role.

When Thomas Tuchel names his squad for the upcoming World Cup there is no guarantee Foden’s name will be listed.

On current form Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and even Morgan Gibbs-White should all be ahead of Foden in the pecking order for that hotly-contested number ten position.

Many would argue he would be incredibly lucky to make the cut, although Tuchel did start him in both of last month’s warm up matches against Uruguay and Japan.

On both occasions he was taken off before the hour, meaning City’s hard-fought 2-1 win, keeping alive their dream of a cup double and potential domestic clean sweep, brought up an unwanted Wembley hat-trick.

Foden’s goal contributions this season in the league are a marked decrease from when he scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in 2023/24

talkSPORT

Man United add £42million Serie A midfielder to list of summer transfer targets

Martha Riley — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:22:45 +0000

Manchester United have added Atalanta midfielder Ederson to their list of summer transfer targets, talkSPORT understands.

The Red Devils are looking to sign two midfielders this summer, with veteran star Casemiro set to depart in the summer and Manuel Ugarte expected to be sold.

GettyEderson is known for his bustling displays in the middle of the park[/caption]

Atalanta value Ederson at around £42million, and United may well have a battle on their hands if they are to secure his services.

The Brazilian has already agreed terms to join Atletico Madrid in the summer.

However, the Spanish giants are yet to reach an agreement with Atalanta over a fee, leaving it open to a potential hijack.

Ederson is out of contract at Atalanta in 2027, having been at the Serie A outfit since 2022.

According to reports, United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, is an admirer of Ederson and is monitoring his progress after drawing up a list of potential replacements for Casemiro.

United plot midfield summer spree

talkSPORT recently reported that the Red Devils view adding multiple midfielders as their top priority this summer.

As well as looking to replace Casemiro, a second more versatile central midfielder is also likely to arrive.

This move comes as United look look set to offload £51million signing Ugarte, who has started just eight games all season.

The Uruguayan has so far failed to up to his price tag since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.

And while United have now made Ederson a target, he isn’t the only midfielder who they are keeping tabs on.

Casemiro will leave Man United in the summer after four years at Old Trafford

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Manuel Ugarte has played second fiddle to Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo this season

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Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is also one of the names on the club’s radar, with Los Blancos looking to raise funds for a midfield revamp in the summer which could prompt the Frenchman’s sale.

Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson remains United’s top target, but United face heavy competition from Manchester City.

Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali is also appreciated but viewed as too expensive when fee, wage and commissions are factored in.

Brighton star Carlos Baleba may remain keen on an Old Trafford switch following United’s approach last summer, while Crystal Palace‘s Adam Wharton has admirers at the club but is viewed as similiar in profile to Kobbie Mainoo, who recently penned a new deal.

Who is Ederson?

Ederson joined Atalanta in January 2022 from Italian side Salernitana, having played for Cruzeiro, Corinthians, and Fortaleza.

Since making the move to Bergamo, he has established himself a key player in a hugely successful period for the club.

Ederson has previously been linked to Tottenham and Newcastle

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The 26-year-old has made 176 appearances in all competitions, and was part of the Atalanta side that won its first-ever European trophy with Europa League glory in 2024.

His exploits that season led to interest from Tottenham and Newcastle, but a move never materialised.

Since then, he has continued to be an ever-present in midfield for the Serie A side, making 37 appearances in all competitions and scoring twice as Atalanta sit seventh in the table, four points off Como, who occupy the last European place.

Ederson’s strong showings for Atalanta have also led to international recognition, as he made his Brazil debut in a friendly against Mexico in June 2024.

He has since gone on to win three caps, the last of which came in a 4-1 loss to Argentina in March 2025.

Liverpool fans fear Mohamed Salah has played final game for the club in premature goodbye

Robert Calcutt — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:35:24 +0000

Liverpool fans have questioned if Mohamed Salah has played his final match for the club after sustaining an injury.

The Reds legend was substituted just before the hour mark in their 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

Salah injured his hamstring during the win over Palace

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Salah announced last month that he will leave the club at the end of the season, marking the end of a glittering nine-year stint.

Liverpool fans stood up and applauded him when went off the pitch at Anfield.

However, some have been left concerned over whether or not it was last ever appearance in red ahead of his summer exit.

Salah appeared to applaud to all four stands as he made a slow walk to the bench, although this may have been due to his injury.

One fan on X said: “We just can’t catch a break. Salah OF ALL PEOPLE getting injured. End the season already man.”

“If that was the last time, it’s been an absolute pleasure salah,” added a second.

A third commented: “This can’t be his last game for us, this is not how it was supposed to end. Thank you Mo Salah!”

“Hoping that wasn’t the last time we see Mo Salah,” said a fourth.

Head coach Arne Slot was asked about Salah’s injury during his post-match press conference, but was unable to provide any clarity.

“Another win and another injury,” Slot said.

View Tweet: https://t.co/i8DKiwowDO

Salah may have played his last match for the club due to the injury

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“It’s the story of our season. It’s too early to say, but we all know Mo and how hard it is for him to leave the pitch.

“For Mo to leave the pitch, it shows you something, but we have to wait and see how bad it is.”

A potential last appearance for Liverpool aside, Salah will also hope that his injury does not affect his World Cup chances.

Egypt are in Group G for this summer’s tournament, where they face Belgium, Iran and New Zealand.

What could be next for Salah?

talkSPORT understands Salah is one of 50 peak-age foreign signings for dealmakers in Saudi Arabia this summer.

Multiple clubs had the 33-year-old on their radar in January after his sensational claim that Liverpool had thrown him under the bus.

San Diego FC owner Mohamed Mansour revealed that he would be open to signing Salah.

The move would see him join San Diego midway through the 2026 MLS season, with the club competing in the Western Conference.

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle United LIVE REACTION: Eze screamer sends Gunners back to top of Premier League table

Jack Cunningham — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:15:00 +0000

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with an ugly and hard-fought 1-0 win over Newcastle United.

In a game of few chances, Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the contest nine minutes in.

The Gunners worked a corner short into Kai Havertz, and he laid it off to the edge of the area.

Eze rifled in a strike that flew into the top corner.

From there, there weren’t many chances for either side, but Yoane Wissa should have scored ten minutes from time when Nick Woltemade chipped the ball through for the striker.

But he skied it over the bar, and Arsenal held on.

‘Heartbroken’ Xavi Simons to miss rest of Tottenham season and out of World Cup

Robert Calcutt — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 15:46:05 +0000

Xavi Simons revealed that his season has come to an end because of a knee injury.

The Dutchman sustained a serious injury as Spurs finally won a Premier League match in 2026 to breathe new life into their relegation battle.

GettySimons needed treatment on the pitch after a nasty-looking injury[/caption]

The 23-year-old was carried off on a stretcher following a tussle with Wolves’ Hugo Bueno.

It has now been revealed that he has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will be out for around months.

It therefore means he will miss this summer’s World Cup, where he was due to play with the Netherlands.

Writing on Instagram, Simons said: “They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it.

“Honestly, I’m heartbroken. None of it makes sense. All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me… along with the World Cup.

“Representing my country this summer… just gone. It’ll take time to find peace with this, but I’ll continue to be the best teammate I can be.

“I have no doubt that together we’ll win this fight. I’ll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief, as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me. TTP. COYS.”

In a statement, Spurs added: “We can confirm that Xavi Simons has ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee.

“The 23-year-old suffered the injury during the second half of our Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. Xavi will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and, following that, will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.

“Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends Xavi our love and support – we will be with him every step of the way.”

Xavi Simons fires X-rated tirade at Wolves fan

Videos quickly surfaced on social media showing Simons not taking too kindly to the abuse thrown his way from a section of the home fans while he was clutching his knee in agony.

One supporter can be heard calling the 23-year-old a ‘f****** w*****’ as he was being carted down the touchline behind the Wolves goal.

Another fan even leaned over the railing to jab his finger at the stricken Simons and call him a ‘c***’, which provoked a reaction from the attacking midfielder.

The Wolves fan on the left started verbally abusing the Tottenham star as he was led away

X @MattyShaun

Simons bit back with an X-rated tirade of his own

X @MattyShaun

The ex-RB Leipzig star responded by repeatedly saying “f*** you” to the supporter dressed in a black tee as medical staff wheeled him away.

Simons was replaced by Lucas Bergvall in the 63rd minute, with Spurs boss De Zerbi confirming he will be assessed in the next few days.

The former Brighton head coach said: “It’s a problem with his knee. We will see in the next few days.

Tottenham’s win was also slightly soured by West Ham scoring a late winner in a 2-1 victory over Everton to ensure Spurs only climbed into 17th for a matter of minutes.

Simons’ injury looked serious and will immediately spark fears the Dutchman will miss the club’s crucial final four games as they fight to stay in the Premier League.

The Dutch star will soon undergo a proper assessment on his knee after swelling has gone down to determine the severity of any damage done.

View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/wwfc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Simons will be assessed in the next few days over his knee injury

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On Inside Spurs for talkSPORT earlier in the week, Spurs broadcaster Ricky Sacks claimed the only way they can get out of their desperate situation is with Simons.

Solanke also picked up an injury earlier in the match and left the pitch with only 40 minutes played.

Speaking afterwards, boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “Solanke a muscular injury, Xavi it’s a problem with his knee.

“We go to see in the next few days. Solanke it’s not a big problem, I don’t know how many games we lose him.

“I would like to know more about Xavi though because you know the knee, it’s always different to the muscles.

A stretcher was needed for Simons, which is a huge blow for Spurs

AFP

“He felt pain but now I spoke with him and he feels better than the beginning when he got his injury.”

Spurs finally had something to cheer in the 82nd minute as Joao Palhinha poked in from close range to put them ahead.

That briefly sent them out of the bottom three on goal difference.

However, West Ham scored via Callum Wilson in the second minute of stoppage time to beat Everton and keep them out of the drop zone.

Antonin Kinsky pulled off a stunning save at the death to keep Spurs’ lead intact, and earn them their first win of the calendar year.

Relegation battle as it stands

With both Spurs and West Ham winning on Saturday, there is no change to who’s in and who’s out of the bottom relegation zone.

At one point, the Hammers had a four-point safety gap as they led Everton and Spurs were held by Wolves.

However, with four games remaining for each side, there are just two points separating the London rivals.

West Ham are away to Brentford next weekend before a tough test at home against title challengers Arsenal.

Their final away trip this season will be at Newcastle United, with Leeds United their opponents on the final day, May 24.

Tottenham are still in the relegation zone despite beating Wolves

For Spurs, it’s Aston Villa who welcome them next, and then it’s Leeds who travel to north London.

Rivals Chelsea will host them on the penultimate weekend, with Everton the final test.

Wolves and Burnley have already had their relegations confirmed.

Cesc Fabregas asked about Chelsea job as Como chief gives him green light to take it

Lee Davey — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 15:13:33 +0000

Cesc Fabregas has issued a response after Como president Mirwan Suwarso opened the door for him to take over at Chelsea.

The Spaniard is reportedly on Chelsea’s radar following the sacking of Liam Rosenior as head coach earlier this week.

The door has seemingly been opened for Cesc Fabregas to take over at Chelsea

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With just four weeks left of the Premier League season, Chelsea bosses are unlikely to rush into a replacement with a successor set to be appointed this summer.

Former Chelsea ace Fabregas has caught the attention of his former club after leading unfancied Como from Serie B to fifth place in Serie A, while also closing in on European qualification.

Fabregas, who saw an approach from Serie A giants Inter immediately rebuffed by Suwarso last summer, has again been linked with a move away from Como with Chelsea expected to be in the mix.

But in a surprising U-turn, Suwarso appears to have opened the door to a possible Stamford Bridge arrival this summer.

Green light

On the subject of a move to Chelsea, the Como president told City AM this week: “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.”

However, Fabregas has played down the idea of a return to west London.

Asked about the possibility of succeeding Rosenior, the Spaniard replied: “Nothing to say about that.

“It’d be stupid to think about that now, my focus is on the next game against Genoa.

“I believe I will continue my chapter as Como head coach and focus on the next games.

Mirwan Suwarso is bracing himself for the exit of boss Fabregas

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“I would be crazy to think of anything else rather than these next five games and getting my team into Europe for the first time in history.

“I have not seen or heard any comments that my president said other than he told me he values me very highly.”

Fabregas has deep-rooted ties to Como after finishing his playing days at the club.

He also holds a minority stake in Como and has played a key role in their rise to prominence.

That has seen the club begin to attract a higher calibre of player including Andrea Belotti, Alberto Moreno, Alvaro Morata, and more recently Nico Paz.

Fabregas’ influence is laid bare by his side’s mean defensive stats with Como boasting the second-best record for goals conceded in Serie A this season – conceding just 28 goals in 33 matches.

Fabregas has worked miracles both as a player and a manager since arriving at Como

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And despite the interest in him, the 38-year-old reaffirmed his commitment to the Italian minnows just last month.

He said in March: “I am very committed to this project.

“You never know, but right now I think it’s very unlikely I’ll leave Como.

“Last year, I wanted to see how other clubs operated. I mentioned it to the president, but I decided to stay.

“I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to achieve. This is an important project.

“I need to feel good here. It’s important that my family is happy, and if they’re happy in Como, I’ll stay.”

Marcus Rashford tipped for mega Premier League transfer to Manchester United’s rivals

Ciaran Wiseman — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 08:39:42 +0000

Arsenal have been urged to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United this summer.

The England international’s future beyond the end of this season is currently uncertain.

Arsenal have been urged to sign Rashford from United ahead of next season

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Rashford is on loan at Barcelona, where he has scored 12 goals and added 13 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions this term.

Although his loan includes an option to buy, recent reports have claimed the clause will not be triggered.

It comes despite Rashford previously being close to agreeing personal terms with the Spanish giants over a permanent switch.

United boss Michael Carrick has also left the door open to an Old Trafford return if Rashford does not stay in Spain.

However, talkSPORT’s Angelina Kelly believes the 28-year-old could be the perfect answer for Arsenal’s attacking woes.

She put forward the potential signing during the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Fiery Fridays podcast.

Why should Arsenal sign Rashford?

Highlighting the Gunners’ ongoing issues on the left wing, Kelly explained: “They’re a big topic of conversation at the moment, but whether they’re trophyless or they bottle it or not, it’s never too early to think about recruitment.

“I think that this could be a cracking deal for them. Reason one, you look at Arsenal’s left wing options, they haven’t been the best.

“(Leandro) Trossard’s goals have dried up in 2026. (Noni) Madueke hasn’t been good enough and prefers to play on the right.

“Gabriel Martinelli, a few seasons ago 15 league goals in the 2022/23 season, but he seems to have been forced to stay wide and spend so much time running back and helping to defend.

Carrick has hinted Rashford could regain his place in the United side after his loan

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“It’s actually a shame that you’ve got such a talented forward reduced to such a simplistic role, you could argue.

“I think that Arsenal need to sign a winger who maybe doesn’t want to defend, someone who breaks the rules a little bit and makes their own decisions, rather than following Mikel Arteta’s instructions to a tee.

“Rashford could be the answer, he doesn’t like to track back. So maybe they could compromise and get a winger then who does the appropriate amount of pressing and tracking back as per what Mikel Arteta wants, but still will want to do the important job of attacking.

“Having a player that stays up field and gets into the box is always a good thing.”

Rashford, who is under contract at United until 2028, spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.

Across his time with Villa and the Red Devils, the forward has scored 89 goals and provided 53 assists in 297 Premier League appearances.

Rashford has a combined 25 goals and assists for Barcelona in all competitions this term

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‘Pressure’ on Rashford

Having graduated from United’s academy, Rashford was the subject of continuous pressure whilst playing for his boyhood club.

Kelly added that Arsenal could be the perfect club to protect him from outside noise if he were to move to the Emirates Stadium.

She continued: “I know there was a lot of pressure on Rashford, he was the poster boy for Manchester United.

“Whilst that pressure was a lot and I think the media hate that he got and the hate on social media was far too much, some of the things on and off the pitch were irritating but it did go too far.

“I understand if he’d never want to play in England again because of those things, but I just think that there’s a little part of him that would enjoy not just being the super-sub at Barcelona coming off the bench.

“I think that he’d enjoy being a little bit of a poster boy for Arsenal. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka cover it mainly, but he can just have a little bit of that cake.

Arteta and Arsenal can protect Rashford from outside noise, says Kelly

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“I think the club would protect him with some of the issues that he might face if there is controversy or unfounded attacks.”

Rashford has previously won six trophies with the Red Devils including the Europa League and two FA Cups.

He has also lifted the Spanish Super Cup with Barca this season.

Ahead of resolving his future at club level, Rashford is also set to star for England at the World Cup this summer.

It would be his third consecutive World Cup finals if included in Thomas Tuchel’s final Three Lions squad.

Rashford has scored 18 goals in 70 caps for England since making his debut aged 18 in 2016.

Champions League club opens talks with Wolves over shock swoop for £40m-rated star

Jack Cunningham — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:41:35 +0000

Atletico Madrid have opened talks with Wolves over a summer move for Joao Gomes, talkSPORT understands.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Wolves were officially relegated from the Premier League, and Gomes is a player likely to move on.

Gomes has been one brightspark in a dreadful season for Wolves

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The Championship-bound side value the Brazilian international at £40million.

They signed the 25-year-old from Flamengo in 2023 for just over £15m.

Gomes has gone on to make over 120 appearances for Wolves in all competitions.

He has made 31 Premier League appearances this season, scoring once in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Molineux.

But with a World Cup coming up, he is unlikely to want to play in England’s second tier.

And after selling Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid have a space that needs filling in midfield.

And Gomes looks to be that man for Diego Simeone.

The Spanish giants have also agreed terms with Atalanta midfielder Ederson.

However, they are yet to reach any agreement with Atalanta over a fee.

Key player

In a total season to forget for Wolves, Gomes has been battling on his own at times.

The combative midfielder ranks very highly for duels won and attempted tackles.

His success rate in said tackles is also very strong, and it is that bite that probably makes him appeal to Simeone so much.

Simeone’s teams are known for being nasty and aggressive

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He wears the number eight shirt, which after Ruben Neves, is a big responsibility, and while fingers can be pointed at his teammates, he can hold his head high.

All of the managers he’s worked under at Molineux have praised him, with Rob Edwards most recently heaping praise on Gomes.

Speaking after his goal in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa after being dropped for a few games previously, Edwards said: “He really responded.

“I think he’s a wonderful player and he’s shown real glimpses and a lot of good stuff since we arrived as well.

“But I think it’s been hard for him because in a team that has struggled at times or if you’ve not got the results, it can be challenging. You can think ‘I’ve made a big move here’ and then you question things.

“I understand it, but he really, really stepped up the other night and that’s the level that we want to see from him all of the time now.

“It’s only going to benefit him going forward if he continues to perform like that.”

Enzo Maresca already in talks with Man City as terms of Chelsea exit pave way for new job

Ciaran Wiseman — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:33:26 +0000

Enzo Maresca is free to sign for any club this summer after resigning from Chelsea, talkSPORT understands.

With a growing expectation Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City, Maresca is the clear front-runner to replace him and several well-placed sources have indicated high-level talks between the Italian and City have already taken place.

GettyCity have held talks with Maresca, who is free to join any club this summer[/caption]

talkSPORT can reveal the terms of Maresca’s exit package from Stamford Bridge are complicated, yet Chelsea cannot delay or block the 46-year-old starting a new role having accepted his resignation.

Maresca is understood to still have exit terms still in place with Chelsea and so the parties would need to come to an agreement via talks, or if required mediation. However, that process, should it need to drag on, would not stop Maresca beginning a new job while concurrently tying up loose ends with Chelsea.

Any potential compensation to Chelsea, should it be necessary, will be finalised between the Blues and Maresca, not paid by City or any other club. This means Maresca is free to take a new job, even if he fails to resolve a parting settlement with Chelsea before signing.

Chelsea believe they are entitled to a payment from Maresca when he gets a new job, but the specifics, including even if an amount is in fact owed, are up for legal interpretation from both parties.

Maresca’s Chelsea exit

Maresca left Chelsea on New Year’s Day in a parting of ways officially billed as by ‘mutual consent’, but it was the Italian who decided to exit mid-season.

“The change wasn’t the club’s decision for reasons I can’t speak about legally,” confirmed Chelsea majority owner Behdad Eghbali at the CAA World Congress of Sports conference last week.

“I think the reasons will become kind of clear in due course. But no, it’s not a change we wanted to make.

“It’s a change that’s had a bit of a negative impact on the season, when you’re changing systems and personnel. And it’s one we’ve got to fight out our way out of.”

Maresca is now understood to be optimistic on finding work this summer with a return to City likely if Guardiola decides to call time on his trophy-laden tenure.

Maresca could succeed Guardiola at City after resigning as Chelsea boss in January

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Guardiola is known for making relatively late decisions, and although City will allow him to decide his future on his own terms, a succession plan is already in place, led by sporting director Hugo Viana.

Guardiola will leave either this summer or a year later when his contract expires.

Chelsea sources say City made multiple approaches when Maresca was still at Chelsea, which is perhaps what Eghbali was alluding to in his comments, and there was a contractual obligation to declare this at the time.

Maresca also informed Chelsea when Juventus made a similar enquiry.

He also raised the prospect of extending his contract at Stamford Bridge during the same discussions but it is not thought a potential renewal ever advanced.

Maresca’s perspective is that he did not resign from Chelsea with any job, including Manchester City, in mind.

He quit because of frustrations with the project with the final straw being when Chelsea’s director of performance Bryce Cavanagh was put on the bench to enforce medical-led decisions on player workload.

GettyGuardiola could leave City this summer, with a year remaining on his contract[/caption]

Chelsea’s insiders maintain this was a normal move with the club keen to listen to medical experts and protect their squad, especially players recently back from injury, but it was viewed by Maresca as interference that crossed a line.

City’s official position is simply Guardiola is contracted until 2027.

Yet Maresca is now watching the run in to the end of the Premier League season closely and if Guardiola does depart this summer, with several industry insiders believing that’s the direction of travel, Maresca appears well-positioned to return to the Etihad Stadium to replace his mentor.

Morgan Rogers open to playing abroad as Champions League giants enter race for Aston Villa star

Lee Davey — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:10:12 +0000

Morgan Rogers has significant Premier League and European transfer interest.

Rogers, who talkSPORT previously reported is likely to leave in the summer even if Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League, is just as open to going abroad as staying in England.

Morgan Rogers has already showed PSG what he’s capable of in last season’s Champions League quarter-final double header

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PSG boss Luis Enrique and sporting adviser Luis Campos have targeted Rogers to help bolster their already explosive front line

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Paris Saint-Germain have joined Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea as the most genuine suitors for the 23-year-old.

Rogers scored against PSG in Aston Villa‘s 3-1 loss at the Parc des Princes last season in the Champions League quarter-final second-leg and is understood to have been impressed by the atmosphere.

Sources have told talkSPORT Rogers is not ruling out a move away from England and is an admirer of PSG coach Luis Enrique.

PSG are still deciding whether to proceed this summer with a new winger or No.10 given Desire Doue and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia are not for sale, and Bradley Barcola is also a player the French champions intend to keep.

PSG could instead be tempted to prioritise a striker, but Rogers is a player they are tracking strongly as well.

Rogers, who is comfortable as a No.10 or left-winger, is likely to be available this summer for at least £80m, and that number could rise if a bidding war materialises for his signature.

Villa won’t unduly stand in Rogers’ way. He has an excellent relationship with both manager Unai Emery and Villa’s hierarchy leading to a one-year extension last summer.

The fact that Rogers is still well contracted until 2031 leaves Villa in a strong position.

Yet all parties are open to parting ways even if Villa get Champions League football for next season. This is in part because a Rogers sale will help Aston Villa balance their books, and with that in mind a transfer is not discounted before the World Cup.

Prem giants keeping tabs

Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are all also serious about Rogers.

Morgan Rogers played under Man United interim boss Michael Carrick at Middlesbrough

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The former two clubs are in the market for a starting left-winger, while Chelsea want to add another creative midfielder. This could become a more urgent priority if Enzo Fernandez is sold this summer, with Manchester City recently linked with the World Cup winner.

Rogers is well-known to Jason Wilcox, since the Manchester United sporting director played a role in his development at City. Meanwhile, Michael Carrick was manager at Middlesbrough when Rogers was signed.

Arsenal are expected to part ways with Gabriel Martinelli and/or Leandro Trossard this summer freeing up squad and wage space to bring in a new winger.

The Gunners are also considering Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon and Kvaratskhelia. The former is a Bayern target, while PSG don’t want to engage offers for the Georgia winger making him a difficult signing to pull off.

Liverpool also appreciate Rogers but are not currently as active as other suitors.

Arne Slot‘s side are prioritising a right-winger to replace the departing Mo Salah, while Yan Diomande is a contender to fill the void left by Luis Diaz, who departed for Bayern this summer.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is is on Arsenal’s radar despite PSG insisting the star is not for sale

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Yan Diomande is attracting plenty of interest across Europe with Liverpool particularly interested

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PSG are also looking at the Leipzig winger, who could yet sign a new deal and stay for an extra year.

Bayern have also been linked with a move for Rogers but the German club are more focused on Gordon as it stands, although it remains to be seen whether the Bundesliga champions can match Newcastle’s valuation.

With Diaz and Michael Olise both in form, any new winger faces a battle for immediate game time.

Rogers has been an integral part of Villa’s superb season making 48 appearances in all competitions.

He has scored 12 goals and provided nine assists with fourth-placed Villa firmly on course to qualify for the Champions League via the Premier League and with a Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest to look forward to.

Rogers’ focus is on finishing the season strongly, and with silverware, ahead of the World Cup.

He has never agitated for a move away and yet he is still set to be one of the highest-profile transfers of the summer window.

Sebastian Coe gives update on Man United’s 100,000-seater stadium amid ‘uncertain’ timeline

Lee Davey — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:08:02 +0000

Sebastian Coe admits the timeline to build Manchester United’s new stadium is ‘slightly uncertain’ but moving in the right direction.

Coe, who fronted London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, is the chair of the Mayoral Development Corporation for the Old Trafford regeneration project ahead of a proposed 100,000-seater stadium.

Sebastian Coe admits the process of acquiring land for the project has not been easy

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The former IOC president chaired a task force set up by Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe in pressing forward with his plans for a ‘Wembley of the north’.

But Coe revealed that purchasing the land needed to carry out the development was proving to be challenging, with cost expected to be around £2billion.

However, he revealed that acquiring the land needed for the project was proving to be complicated.

On course

Despite that, Coe remains confident that the project is on the right path.

“I love regeneration projects and I was really pleased to be asked to get involved in that, “Coe told The Sports Agents podcast.

“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 aspirations and I’ve seen sport so often used properly, changing local landscapes and this is an exciting project.”

“Pressed on the timescale of the project, Coe added: “Well, again, it’s slightly uncertain at the moment. The stadium is being scoped and being properly scaled.

The new Man United stadium will cost in the region of £2bn

Foster + Partners

The 100,000 arena will be the biggest in England by some distance

“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.”

A multi-purpose arena

The new stadium is set to play host to other international sporting and entertainment events outside of football.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has already set out his target of the stadium hosting the Women’s World Cup final in 2035.

Manchester United’s CEO of stadium development Collette Roche told MUTV: “Our plan is to be able to host other international sporting events and entertainment events.”

“Andy Burnham, the mayor, said his ambition would be for us to host the final for the Women’s World Cup in 2035, so if we could pull that off, that would be incredible.

Coe believes that despite the early challenges, Jim Ratcliffe’s vision for a ‘Wembley of the north’ is on track

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“When we launched the idea of a new stadium 12 months ago, we did say it would take between four and five years for construction – and that’s right.

“But I think people read that as we might have the stadium ready for 2030. But as you know, with a stadium build as complex as the one that we’re going to enter into, it does take one or two years to get ready for construction.

“We want to build a stadium that’s befitting of our past, but also fit for the future. We want to make sure that we keep what’s important, the special memories that people have had, and not just for our fans, but for our players.

“So we need to create a new stadium that retains that essence – the match day routines, the emotion, the intimidating atmosphere for the away fans and make sure we build something really, really special. And we think we can do that through a 100,000-seater stadium.”

Man United would be top of the Premier League if it wasn’t for Ruben Amorim

Lee Davey — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:27:37 +0000

Ruben Amorim has cost Manchester United a genuine shot at this season’s Premier League title.

That’s the view of talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook who has cast an expert eye over the club’s chaotic campaign.

Amorim’s time at Old Trafford came to an end in January after a poor run of form and criticism of the board

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United, led by interim boss Michael Carrick, sit third in the table and are on the cusp of securing their return to the Champions League next season.

They sit 12 points behind title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal however Crook believes it could have been a three-way tussle had Amorim not been in charge of the club this season.

Out the door

The Portuguese was sacked as United head coach in January, just 14 months after his arrival at Old Trafford.

He managed just 24 wins in his 63 games in charge across all competitions, registering a 38.1 per cent win rate – the worst of any United manager since Alex Ferguson’s exit in 2013.

United won just under a third of their League games under Amorim with 15 successes from 47 games with his average of 1.23 points per game – again, the worst of any United manager in the Premier League era.

Contrast that to Carrick who has won eight of his 12 games in charge with two defeats and two draws.

And it’s United’s upturn in form which has seen them beat Arsenal, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea in recent weeks, that has prompted Crook to claim the Red Devils had missed an unlikely opportunity to mount a credible title challenge.

“If Michael Carrick was in situ at the start of the season, United would be very much part of this fascinating title race along with City and Arsenal,” Crook told talkSPORT’s Fiery Fridays podcast.

“The previous manager whose name I won’t utter was publicly flawed in terms of his tactics.

“The back three that he deployed cost United a lot of points earlier in the season.

Michael Carrick has lifted the Man United squad to the lofty heights of third in the table

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“His refusal to pick Kobbie Mainoo, who I’ve always said is a generational talent and a top midfielder, cost United points.”

Five key fixtures where United blew their title hopes

Crook then selected a host of key fixtures under Amorim where United lost points that would have put them in the driving seat in the title race.

He added: “I’ll go back to the very first game of the season – Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal.

“The common consensus after that game was that United played really well and deserved a share of the spoils.

“They would have got a point that day had the previous manager not decided to put Altay Bayindir in goal.

“Go back to the goal that United conceded.

Amorim saw his side pick up just one point from their opening two games of the season

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Crook criticised Amorim’s decision to play Altay Bayindir over Andre Onana against Arsenal

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“Now I know [Andre] Onana’s not the best goalkeeper in the world by any stretch of the imagination but that was a calamity from Bayindir that cost United not just a point but maybe the chance of all three.

“And I got stick from the club at the time because I went on a podcast outside Old Trafford. I called him a clown and somebody senior at United said I’d crossed a line with that comment so I said ‘I wish he’d commanded his line a little bit better and maybe they wouldn’t have lost the first game of the season’.

“Then they go to Fulham the next weekend. They were brilliant for half an hour, then the previous manager put the shackles on, dropping two points in that game.”

Crook continued: “Then I’ll take you forward to a couple of games back-to-back. Nottingham Forest and Tottenham away from home, both drew 2-2 and (Man United were) the better team in both of those games.

“The in-game management was appalling. They ended up going from six points to only two.

“Probably the worst of the lot, 24th November, Monday night live on talkSPORT – Manchester United nil, ten-man Everton one.

Amorim watched his side lose 1-0 to ten-man Everton is arguably his lowest point as United boss

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“That for me was the nadir of the previous manager, the absolutely lowest of the low. Lower than Grimsby!

“Their players were fighting each other and United managed to lose. It was an abomination.

“If you put all those points together and that’s just taking you up until the end of November, United would have 13 extra points. They’d be top of the Premier League if they just had a half capable manager.

“If they had Michael Carrick, United would be top of the table right now and maybe closing in on title number 21.”

Carrick’s future as Manchester United boss remains unclear although talkSPORT understands the Red Devils have not interviewed anyone else for the job.

Asked if United can continue their trajectory and win the title next season under the guidance of their former Champions League-winning midfielder, Crook believes that he expects the competition to be more fierce than this season meaning a first title since 2013 may be too much to ask of the current squad.

Carrick is waiting for news on his future as United head coach

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“Not necessarily because I think it’ll be a better league,” Crook added.

“You look at this championship. Arsenal since January have been really poor, they’ve been trying to grind their way to victory and they’ve never looked like worthy champions to me.

“Manchester City are still in transition. This is not one of Pep’s [Guardiola] great sides.

“Liverpool, the defending champions have basically taken the season off. Chelsea are a laughing stock.

“I think if United just had a proper manager with no European football and decent signings in the summer in Mbeumo, Cunha and Lammens…

“I think this was an opportunity.”

Man City should not be punished for 130 alleged breaches of FFP rules amid ‘legal minefield’

Robert Calcutt — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:31:37 +0000

Manchester City should have their 130 charges for breaking financial rules dropped, there are worse crimes in football.

That’s the opinion of talkSPORT’s chief football anchor Adrian Durham, as fans continue to wait for a potentially historic ruling.

Man City have been the dominant team in English football over the last decade

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It was announced in February 2023 that the Premier League charged City with over 100 breaches of financial rules from 2009 to 2018.

An initial 115 charges were imposed, but the total actually stands at 130, with the hearing commencing in September 2024.

Should they be found guilty, City could face a financial penalty, points deduction, loss of titles, or even expulsion from the Premier League.

Forget about it

However, when speaking on the latest episode of Fiery Fridays for the talkSPORT Daily podcast, Durham said: “Manchester City’s charges should be dropped.

“Hear me out here, all they did was put money into a football club, so they could spend money on their club, on their team to be competitive,” he explained. “To sign players to entertain the fans, and there are far worse things going on in football.

“So financially, just briefly with the history… City were miles behind other clubs when they were taken over, so they had to rapidly play catchup. It’s funny how the reaction changes from club to club when this thing happens.

“So Wrexham, for example. When the owners of Wrexham came in and injected abnormal amounts of money into a non-league club, where there were no rules down there by the way, they’re seen as cool and heroic, and it’s a great story, and there’s a Hollywood blockbuster ending.

“But they caused havoc with wage levels in the National League and in the lower leagues of the EFL.

“Even bigger than that, Leicester City, not the current problems they’ve got, but they broke financial rules on their path to the Premier League title.

“They were found guilty of FFP breaches in the 2013/14 season when they won the Championship a couple of seasons before they won the Premier League title. Everyone forgets about that, because it damages the narrative of little old Leicester achieving the dream.”

Durham believes there are worse things in football than City’s charges

The Sun

Five worse crimes than City charges

Durham even went as far as to suggest five other instances of what he perceives as football offences that are worse than the 130 charges.

“Liverpool raising ticket prices.”
“Chelsea’s owners having no respect for their fans with the way they run the club.”
“Arsenal’s time-wasting tactics killing football entertainment.”
“Burnley’s pathetic effort which they claim is an attempt to stay up every other season.”
“VAR, PGMO should be charged for spoiling the fans’ enjoyment.”

“So, these are all things far worse than Manchester City putting money into football, and that’s money that filters down into the game through the academy system, into the women’s team, City are about to win the WSL title, and to clubs in the lower leagues.

“And other Premier League clubs as well. Just this season, Manchester City have given a lot of money to Bournemouth, to Crystal Palace and to Burnley.

“Why have people got a problem with this? Because somebody made up some crazy financial rules years ago and they’re sticking to them, and they’re hammering Man City for them.

“There’s no reason, just drop them, we’re all bored of it.”

Durham even cited Arsenal’s time-wasting as an example

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What is the latest on City’s charges?

Appearing on Kick Off on Thursday night, talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs gave an update on the current situation regarding City’s charges.

“I think the difference is that City are fighting this vociferously. In terms of the volume of charges, it’s worth noting Chelsea’s, having agreed a settlement with the Premier League, was also a very large number.

“And that’s because these alleged breaches are over a number of years, so they kind of fall into buckets which means that, if Manchester City’s lawyers are to prove innocence in one category, upwards of 30 charges from the 115, it’s actually more than that now, may drop away.

“As a consequence, this is a really complex legal case. Now, the actual independent hearing finished in December 2024, which is why a lot of people are surprised we don’t have any clarity.

“The short answer why is, after the hearing, there has to be written reasons that can take time. We might be talking about thousands of pages for both parties to go through, and then there’s potential on both sides, the Premier League and Manchester City, for an appeal process.

“And City, as the defendant, have the opportunity to say, ‘Everything must be kept confidential’. And then on top of that, there’s even a possibility that it’s challenged outside of the football domain, or alternatively, the Premier League and Manchester City try like Chelsea did and come to some kind of settlement.

“So, behind the scenes, sources say there’s progress. We thought there might be some clarity in early or mid-2025, and now we’re heading towards the end of the season, and still nothing.

“What I can tell you again is, City deny any form of guilt and if there is to be a punishment, the expectation is that it would not be in place in time to be implemented this season.”

It is not yet known when a decision will be announced

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Jacobs added: “Punishments can range from, in theory, an expulsion, or an asterisk by various silverware won, but that’s not seen as likely or feasible and again, it’s defensible.

“You’ve got fines, you’ve got points deductions, you’ve got transfer bans, so it’s a whole spectrum of punishments and again, City deny any wrongdoing so they are fighting this very fiercely and have done since day one.

“They point to some of the rulings from UEFA which lean towards their argument, whereas the Premier League have brought forward other charges that were not looked at by UEFA, so we can’t entirely compare the UEFA and the Premier League case.

“And then on top of all of that, you have an added complication of the complexity, which is not really comparable to Nottingham Forest, Everton or Leicester.

“What we can say is, in terms of due process, some of those cases were expedited and as a result, clearly there was a desire to put clarity and an end point on those cases so everybody knew where they stood.

“But with Forest and Everton, it was a PSR breach that is probably only equivalent, in terms of volume, pages of documents, arguments to maybe one or two of these Man City charges and you’ve got a balance sheet, and you’ve got a clear threshold of £105million of cumulative loss over three years.

“This is about, ‘Did Roberto Mancini, when he was Man City manager, get a consultancy payment that was on the Al Jazeera books, owned also by the same parent company, but disguised from Man City’s books?’

“These are about breaches over a long period of time where the financial rules have changed dramatically and were not as robust in the early part of when some of these charges were levelled. So, it’s a legal minefield and that, in essence, is why it’s taking so long.”

Stats prove Arsenal are rubbish during squeaky bum time – and Mikel Arteta is without his only hope

Ciaran Wiseman — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:05:16 +0000

Arsenal’s injury setbacks have added to their woeful April form as their title challenge falters.

The Gunners have seen their nine point lead at the top of the Premier League disappear in the space of three weeks.

Arteta’s Arsenal have suffered more in April than any other month during his tenure

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Following the international break, Mikel Arteta‘s side appeared on their way to a first league title in 22 years.

However, they now find themselves in second just two matches later.

Arsenal went into the March international break off the back of a home win over Everton.

The victory extended their unbeaten run to eight matches, with six wins during that period.

Since the Premier League returned, though, they have failed to pick up a single point.

Sunday’s defeat to title rivals Manchester City followed a home loss to Bournemouth a week prior.

City have now leapfrogged Arsenal at the summit with a narrow win over Burnley on Wednesday night.

It is the first time since October that the Gunners have not occupied first place.

Arsenal’s April curse

Arsenal’s title wobble has coincided with the start of a month which has proven notoriously troubling for Arteta.

Since he was appointed in December 2019, the Spaniard has taken charge of 27 Premier League matches in April.

Back-to-back defeats this month have seen Arsenal’s nine-point lead disappear

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However, he has amassed just 40 points in those fixtures at a points-per-game average of 1.48.

That figure is Arsenal’s lowest in a Premier League month in which they have played at least five times under Arteta.

Meanwhile, nine of their 51 league defeats during his tenure have been in April, representing 18 per cent of their total losses.

Another reverse at home to Newcastle United this weekend would see that figure rise above 19 per cent.

Arsenal can return to top spot by avoiding defeat at the Emirates Stadium, though.

City are only ahead of them on goals scored, with the two clubs level on points and goal difference with five matches remaining.

Arteta has seen nine of his 51 Premier League defeats as a manager come in April

Arteta can take confidence from his home record against Newcastle, having never lost a Premier League meeting at the Emirates Stadium.

Their six matches in north London during Arteta’s time in charge have resulted in five home wins and a goalless draw.

Saka crucial to Arsenal success

Arsenal are set to once again be without Bukayo Saka on Saturday, though.

The England winger remains sidelined with an Achilles injury which has ruled him out of the last five matches in all competitions.

Saka is also expected to miss the first leg of the Gunners’ Champions League semi-final tie with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

A return has been earmarked for the visit of Fulham three days later on May 2.

Saka’s involvement for Arsenal is crucial to the Gunners’ success in the league this term

His importance to the side cannot be underestimated, with Arsenal yet to pick up a point during Saka’s absence.

The Gunners have a 73 per cent win ratio when Saka has started in the Premier League this season with 16 wins from 22 matches.

Meanwhile, Arteta’s side average 2.36 points-per-game when Saka is in the starting XI this term.

When the 24-year-old is absent, though, their win rate drops to 45 per cent and the points-per-game is just 1.64.

In 11 Premier League matches without Saka in the starting XI, Arsenal have picked up just five wins.

The academy graduate has also scored six goals and provided five assists in his 27 league outings this season.

Arsenal have only won five league matches without Saka in the starting XI this season

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Saka is not the only injury absence Arteta has had to contend with as Mikel Merino remains out for the remainder of the season.

Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber could both return to action against Newcastle, though.

Only one player can drag Tottenham out of Premier League relegation battle

Jake Lambourne — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:34:18 +0000

Xavi Simons is Tottenham’s most important player – the club’s Premier League status depends on him starting every game.

That’s the view of talkSPORT’s Inside Spurs panel, discussing the 23-year-old who wowed fans with his stunning strike in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Brighton.

Simons was involved in both of Spurs’ goals in their recent 2-2 draw against Brighton

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Starting his first match under new boss Roberto De Zerbi having been benched for the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, the Netherlands international ran the show.

It was his clipped in cross that saw Pedro Porro break the deadlock – before Kaoru Mitoma equalised on the stroke of half-time.

And it was then Simons who restored the hosts’ lead with a Goal of the Month contender – curling home an effort from distance into the top right corner.

His goal in the 77th minute was just his second Premier League goal all term and his first in 2026.

Simons, who has started just 18 of his 27 outings in the division this term, immediately took off his shirt as he sprinted to celebrate with the fans in wild scenes.

But ultimately, his bending effort wasn’t enough to secure all three points, as the Seagulls earned a share of the spoils through Georginio Rutter’s leveller in stoppage time.

The result leaves Tottenham two points off safety in 18th spot with just five matches to play.

And despite his dazzling display in north London, Simons has copped his fair share of stick for removing his shirt in celebration and saluting the fans, which ultimately backfired in brutal fashion.

However, the Dutchman’s antics have been defended by the Inside Spurs panel.

Discussing Simons, Spurs fan and podcaster Ricky Sacks, said: “In that moment, I don’t think he could control himself for that goal, it was like an out-of-body experience.

Simons thought he had won the match for Spurs after scoring from range late on

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But his celebration came back to haunt him as the Seagulls equalised at the death

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“I think it was so important for that moment, for the crowd and the players to share that moment, because we’ve not had that for a lot of the season.

“There’s so much anger towards the board, towards the players for the position that we find ourselves in, and in that moment, for the first time across this season alone, there was a connection there between the players and the fans.

“So whilst I can understand some fans suggesting maybe he should have held himself back for that celebration, I don’t think he could, I just think was a moment of impulse where the shirt came off, he ran towards the fans.

“And naturally, if we go on and win the game, no-one talks about it.”

Interjecting, Deputy Head of Sun Sport, Dean Scoggins, claimed his frustrations lie with previous managers not starting Simons enough.

“It’s exactly that point there which makes me so angry he has not played for most of the season under the two previous managers.

Simons has received some criticism for wildly celebrating too early

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“Under [Thomas] Frank, under [Igor] Tudor, it’s just one of those things where, he’s the only player that is going to produce something like that, that we have.

“And that’s the reason we go an watch Tottenham Hotspur, right?

“We go for those magic moments of seeing somebody cut back in and smack it into the top corner.

“And to me, he’s the only one that is going to dig us out of this hole.”

Host Abbi Summers then interjected, where she expressed her annoyance that Simons hasn’t been able to perform on a consistent basis when given game time.

She stated: “I totally agree with what you’re saying, and I think one of the biggest frustrations of the season has actually been Xavi Simons.

Simons has been directly involved in just four Premier League goals in 2026

“When you’ve had no other attacking options, no other No.10, and the only one that can create something in him, it’s incredibly frustrating that he hasn’t been able to do that.

“Yes, the managers haven’t favoured him, but I don’t think he’s helped himself as well, I get coming to a new league and adapting to the physicality of the Premier League, it does take time, absolutely.

“And I always said I will reserve my judgement until the end of the season on him, there is definitely a player in there, we all know that.

“He’s technically gifted, great eye for a pass, we see what he does in Europe, but his performances haven’t been good enough, and I don’t think a lot of the times they [Frank and Tudor] were unjustified by dropping him, if you were just a passenger.

“Tottenham haven’t been able to afford to have a passenger all season.”

Summers concluded by saying: “So I’m over the moon for him that hopefully now we’ve turned a corner and De Zerbi will get the best out of him, for sure.

De Zerbi will be looking to get the best out of Simons in Spurs’ final five games

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“But I don’t think they were wrong for not favouring him when the the performances that he had put in, weren’t good enough.”

Having the final say on Simons, Sacks then said: “The reality is, if Spurs are going to somehow miraculously get ourselves out of the situation that we’re in, it’s going to be with Xavi Simons in the team.”

Attention in the show later turned to how Spurs could fare in the Championship should the unthinkable happen and they fail to secure their status as a top-flight club.

And in the eyes of Sacks, Tottenham would struggle to bounce back at the first time of asking due to the physicality of England’s second-tier.

He added: “The reality is, we’re going to need two types of players, you’re going to need players that are going to understand what the Championship is like every week, to battle, to scrap, to fight for points.

“We’ve even seen it with Coventry, I’ve been watching the Championship to get an understanding [of the league], but every game I watch, that is a fight every week, it’s relentless.

“And not being funny, our squad is not made for that, so you’re going to have to have players that are going to understand that league and get three points, which we don’t understand how to get in the Premier League right now – translate that into the Championship.

Tottenham cannot let themselves fall away from West Ham

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“And then again, if we are lucky to come up on the first occasion if we go down, you’re going to need to rebuild again.

“So you’re looking at potentially two different types of squads – this is on the basis that if Spurs were to get relegated and were to come up on the first occasion.

“I have to share the concerns about the fact that if Spurs go down, I think we will be a cup final for every team, every single week, and I do not think there’s any guarantee [we will go straight up].

“I hear some fans saying, ‘It will be great to go down, you’ll have that winning feeling every week’ – look with Tottenham, you know we’ll be the first Friday [night], [and Saturday] 12.30pm game for a broadcaster out there.

“Wrexham away and at home, listen, for a writer’s story, we’re the best story of the summer and for next season.

“The reality is, that’s my fear, if we go down, there is absolutely no guarantee we’ll come back at the first time of asking.

“There’s also no guarantee as well this ownership is selling in the Championship or even beyond that for another two, three years.”

Summers then stated: “I agree with you, this notion that if we go down we come straight back up…

“People who support Championship teams are telling me this, but I’m like, ‘Tottenham are a different kettle of fish, we are an anomaly.'”

One-cap England international eyed by Aston Villa, Tottenham and Newcastle

Ciaran Wiseman — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:43:00 +0000

James Trafford could be on the move again, with three Premier League clubs eyeing the Manchester City goalkeeper.

talkSPORT understands that Aston Villa are seriously interested in signing Trafford this summer, while Newcastle and Tottenham are also eyeing him.

Three teams are in the race for England goalkeeper Trafford this summer

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The England international has endured a very difficult season after returning to Man City before the start of the campaign.

Trafford re-joined the club from Burnley in a £27million deal, expecting to be Pep Guardiola‘s first-choice stopper.

However, City later swooped to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma, who immediately displaced Trafford between the sticks.

He has not made a Premier League appearance since August, but he impressed against Arsenal in their 2-0 Carabao Cup final win.

Trafford also made his senior England debut against Uruguay last month.

Premier League trio interested

Now, the 23-year-old could be on his way to another new club, as Villa could make an approach for him if Emiliano Martinez leaves the club, with Manchester United and Inter Milan linked.

Meanwhile, Spurs’ interest will hinge on their survival in the Premier League amid their ongoing relegation battle.

The City academy graduate is seen as a candidate to succeed Guglielmo Vicario in goal for the north London side.

Vicario has been linked with an exit in the summer, with Italy legend Walter Zenga urging Inter to sign his compatriot.

talkSPORT understands Newcastle are also interested in Trafford.

Newcastle and Villa are interested in the England goalkeeper, along with Spurs

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Eddie Howe‘s side saw their move hijacked by City last summer after targeting the former Burnley man.

Newcastle went on to sign Aaron Ramsdale on a season-long loan from Southampton.

Although the deal for Ramsdale includes an option to buy, Nick Pope will enter the final year of his contract at St. James’ Park this summer.

As a result, the Magpies could once again look to bring in a new goalkeeper.

Other options

Tottenham have also identified Bart Verbruggen as a potential target alongside Trafford.

The Dutch international previously played under new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton.

Bringing in Trafford would be a statement signing

Bayern Munich are also monitoring Verbruggen, who has attracted interest from across Europe with his Seagulls displays.

talkSPORT understands Brighton are relaxed about the situation, though, thanks to Carl Rushworth’s form on loan at Coventry City.

Although, Coventry are set to hold talks with the Seagulls over a permanent move for the Englishman this summer.

Frank Lampard‘s side were just promoted to the Premier League, claiming the Championship title earlier this week.

BBC announces it’s scrapping iconic sports show after 52 years

Jack Johnson — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:53:01 +0000

The BBC have announced that its iconic show, Football Focus, will be coming to an end this summer after 52 years.

Football Focus was first launched in 1974 and became a staple programme on the BBC every Saturday throughout the season.

The BBC will be ending Football Focus at the end of this season

BBC

But the decision has been made to scrap the show, which provides analysis, interviews and more before the weekend’s games.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson was the first Football Focus host over half a century ago, with Steve Rider, Gary Lineker, Ray Stubbs, Manish Bhasin and Dan Walker all taking the role too.

The current and now final host has been ex-Lioness Alex Scott, with things coming to an end at the end of this campaign.

Announcing the cancellation of the programme, the BBC wrote: “Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season.

“The programme has been a staple of the BBC’s football coverage for decades, providing fans with interviews, analysis and stories from across the game ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

“But changing audience behaviours mean fans are now increasingly consuming football content in different ways and we need to respond appropriately as we face difficult decisions around how the licence fee is spent.”

Director of BBC Sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, said: “Football Focus has been a hugely important programme in the history of BBC Sport and has played a key role in telling the stories of the game for generations of viewers.

“This decision was made before last week’s wider BBC savings announcement, reflecting the continued shift in how audiences engage with football and our commitment to evolving how we deliver content to reach fans wherever they are.”

The BBC will be reshuffling its Saturday coverage following the scrapping of its iconic, long-running show.

From the start of the 2026/27 season, The Football Interview, hosted by Kelly Somers, will move to the 12:45pm slot on the channel, while Final Score will start at 3:45pm, which is earlier than this year.

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The iconic show has been running for over 50 years, since 1974

BBC

Scott staying put

Ex-England international and Arsenal defender Scott will be moving on from hosting Football Focus after the cancellation.

However, the BBC have confirmed she will be staying with them.

They wrote: “Alex Scott is one of our finest presenters, is hugely popular across the men’s and women’s game and is a big part of our present and future

“She will remain at the heart of our sports output across both the men’s World Cup this year and the Women’s World Cup in 2027.

“As well as continuing her lead role on the Women’s Super League and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

“We are also working on a very exciting new project with her – more to come on that soon.”

Scott will be staying on with the BBC after her show was axed

BBC

‘Really sad’

Former Football Focus host Walker has given his thoughts on the BBC’s cancellation of the iconic programme.

He wrote on X: “Really sad to hear about the end of Football Focus.

“I loved that show growing up. I used to watch it every week with my dad and I remember how proud he was when I got the job.

“It was such a privilege to sit in the chair for 12 years, work with an amazing team on and off air and form so many lasting friendships.

“Saturdays were always special.

“The football landscape is constantly changing and it’s disappointing that there isn’t space for a show that has meant so much to so many people for so many years.”

The BBC has announced it’s scrapping the show to stay in line with the changing landscape to how football is consumed

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Tottenham should only consider re-signing Troy Parrott if they get relegated

Amy Hamerslagh — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:56:58 +0000

Tottenham have been warned only to re-sign Troy Parrott if they are relegated from the Premier League, as he’s not good enough to be in the top flight.

The 24-year-old left north London in 2024 to join AZ Alkmaar and he has scored 50 goals over the last two seasons.

Spurs came up against Parrott in March last year in the Europa League

AFP

Spurs are looking to invest in their attacking options this summer, particularly as Randal Kolo Muani is leaving White Hart Lane when his loan expires.

Additionally, Dominic Solanke has struggled with form and injuries, netting only three Premier League goals.

Parrott, meanwhile, was integral for the Republic of Ireland during their World Cup qualification campaign as he provided six goals.

A host of European clubs are interested in the forward, including Ajax, Real Betis, Wolfsburg and AC Milan. However, reports indicate Spurs are also monitoring their ex-player.

The Ireland international came through the academy and made his senior debut at 17 under Jose Mourinho but underwhelming loan spells in the EFL led to him leaving.

Is he Championship standard?

On the latest episode of Inside Spurs, the panel discussed the prospect of the 24-year-old returning and whether he would be successful with a second opportunity at the club.

Deputy head of sport for The Sun Dean Scoggins said: “If we are in the Championship, I could see the move working out, but he is not good enough to play in the Premier League, definitely not to start.

“I know people complain about Solanke or Richarlison, but they are both streets ahead of Parrott.

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“He’s a good player, but there are a lot of those out there. He would be a cheaper option if we go down, but would he even want to come to us then?”

Parrott joined AZ Alkmaar in a £6.7million deal with Tottenham, including a 20 per cent sell-on clause for his next transfer.

If Spurs were to bring him home, they would receive the same discount within the clause, with his value estimated to be around £22million this summer.

Statistically, Parrott has scored the fifth most goals of any player across Europe’s top leagues, including on a league, cup and international basis.

Additionally, data suggests his goal threat is greater than 80 per cent of European strikers.

De Zerbi is hoping to keep Spurs in the Premier League and then get backed in the transfer market

AFP

Parrott made national headlines after being a key player who helped Ireland get far in the World Cup qualifiers

Sportsfile

Tottenham podcaster Ricky Sacks shared his concerns regarding the club’s broader strategy.

He said: “It seems like we are preparing to go down to the Championship, given the terms being made with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi.

“It happened last year when we didn’t know if we would be in the Champions League, and that certainly affected recruitment last summer which stopped getting big signings over the line.

“They can’t build a Premier League squad, so how could they build one for the Championship?”

Spurs are hoping for a summer of change after new manager, Roberto de Zerbi, signed a five-year deal, signalling his intent to create a long-term plan.

According to reports, Parrott is keen on returning to his boyhood club, regardless of their top flight status.

Man City consider Enzo Fernandez move after Chelsea star branded an ‘imbecile’ for post-match antics

Ciaran Wiseman — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:32:51 +0000

Manchester City are weighing up a move for Enzo Fernandez this summer, talkSPORT understands.

The Premier League leaders are planning to sign a new midfielder ahead of next season.

City are considering a move to sign Fernandez from Chelsea this summer

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Fernandez is an option being considered by City and could yet move up their shortlist.

The Chelsea star would become a more likely arrival if Enzo Maresca were to succeed Pep Guardiola in the dugout.

It comes after the pair worked together at Stamford Bridge during the Italian’s time in charge and Fernandez questioned the club’s decision to sack him.

However, City’s top midfield target is currently Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson.

They face a battle with rivals Manchester United for the England international, though.

As for Fernandez, the World Cup winner has made no secret of his desire to join Real Madrid.

With the Spanish giants yet to launch an approach, he has turned his attention to other Champions League clubs.

His agent Javier Pastore is now exploring potential options, with a Chelsea exit not discounted.

The Blues want Fernandez to commit to a new deal in west London and will not sell the 25-year-old for a loss.

Fernandez, who has six years remaining on his contract, was signed from Benfica for a then British record £106.8million in 2023.

Fernandez could become a higher priority target for City if Maresca is appointed

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During his time with the club, he has won both the Conference League and Club World Cup.

In 163 Chelsea appearances, Fernandez has scored 28 goals and added 29 assists.

Fernandez branded an ‘imbecile’

Fernandez has often seen his attitude questioned during his time at Chelsea amid a number of disciplinary issues.

Tuesday’s defeat to Brighton was just his second appearance since a two-match ban imposed by sacked manager Liam Rosenior.

The ex-Blues boss had banished his vice-captain following his comments on links to Real Madrid.

Having returned to the side, acting captain Fernandez appeared to stare down the travelling fans after Chelsea’s latest loss in a bizarre incident.

Fernandez was recently banned for two matches for comments made about his future

talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan and Danny Murphy reacted to the altercation during Wednesday’s White & Jordan.

Murphy responded by admitting: “It would be wrong to be categorical about what he’s doing because only he can say, but it can only be one of two things.

“It came across to me as a little bit arrogant and self-indulgent, that type of staring at them as if to say, ‘give us something’.

“Rather than maybe saying sorry, hand on your badge and just, ‘sorry, it’s on us,’ type thing.

“There was no gestures. It didn’t feel like an apology and it should have been.”

Jordan was equally unimpressed, adding: “I watched it, and I thought to myself, ‘what are you doing?’

Jordan labelled Fernandez an ‘imbecile’ for his post-match antics against Brighton

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“I think Danny would be very generous in the assessment, I think he said it himself, to suggest that he was standing there wanting to take all of that vitriol from the fans on his shoulders.

“I think it was a defiant look about what the team looks like, who he’s playing for and the circumstances in which he’s found himself in, probably in the last couple of weeks.

“I don’t know why he felt that there was anything in it. I looked at it and thought, ‘you’re an imbecile.’

“You have no reading of the room. You’re in this bubble now where players seem to believe that they’re immune from the ramifications of their contributions to an equation.

“When it comes down to it, put Rosenior to one side, the players were poor, it’s upon them to be better.”

Rosenior was sacked on Wednesday following the defeat, with Calum McFarlane taking charge until the end of the season as interim boss.

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Harry Wilson urged to snub Liverpool for ‘no-brainer’ Premier League transfer this summer

Robert Calcutt — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:02:19 +0000

Harry Wilson is approaching the end of his contract at Fulham, and Aston Villa would be an ideal next destination.

That’s the view of Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor, who advised the Welshman to avoid a possible return to Liverpool despite his impressive season.

Wilson has been superb for Fulham, but is set to leave Craven Cottage

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Wilson has been the star man for Fulham since signing in 2021, with 36 goals and 45 assists coming across 182 appearances.

He is their top scorer this season with 11 goals, and was the subject of interest from Everton towards the end of the January window.

Fulham rejected their approach, but now look set to lose the 29-year-old for nothing as his contract expires on June 30.

With his stock high, Wilson is likely to have plenty of interest from top Premier League clubs ahead of the summer.

Agbonlahor wants him at his beloved Villa, as he hinted that Liverpool, where Wilson was an academy star, would not offer enough minutes.

“Very good footballer,” he described the Welsh winger on Breakfast for talkSPORT.

“There’s talk that maybe Aston Villa, on a free transfer. 29 years of age, suits Aston Villa this summer because I’m not sure they’ll have big, big money to spend.

“Free transfer, not ridiculous wages as well. Ten goals, six assists so far this season in the Premier League, some screamers as well.

“He fits into that Aston Villa style, even if he plays off one of the wings, sometimes they come in. (John) McGinn does, as we’ve seen (Morgan) Rogers do, or (Emi) Buendia.

“Harvey Elliott will obviously go back to Liverpool, so Aston Villa will probably be left with Buendia who has had some good games but he’s not consistent.

Agbonlahor believes Villa and Wilson would compliment each other

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“So, it just makes sense to play under a manager like Unai Emery. You’re going to a club that, fingers crossed, are fighting for titles, they’re going to be in the Champions League.

“If you’re Harry Wilson, it’s a no-brainer because if he tries to look at maybe a Liverpool… Chelsea, but maybe a Liverpool, maybe he doesn’t start enough games.

“But at Aston Villa, he will get more starts. I think that move makes sense for him and Aston Villa.”

Wilson set for European debut?

As Agbonlahor mentioned, Villa are on course to qualify for the Champions League as they sit fourth in the Premier League.

Now that fifth also offers a route into the competition, they have an eight-point safety gap above the chasing pack.

Should he join Villa, Wilson could be set for his first ever appearances in the Champions League.

Wilson could be set for Champions League football at Villa

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He played six matches in the UEFA Youth League during his time in the Liverpool academy, scoring one goal and assisting four others.

However, he has never stepped onto the pitch in a senior European competition during his career so far.

Villa have five more matches left to play to secure their spot in the Champions League next season.

This run starts with Fulham on Saturday, live on talkSPORT, and it could be the perfect opportunity for Wilson to audition for the club.

Cole Palmer wouldn’t start for Man United and they ‘dodged a bullet’ with other Chelsea players

Amy Hamerslagh — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:12:13 +0000

Cole Palmer has been warned he would not just walk into Manchester United’s starting XI.

That is the view of talkSPORT’s Inside Devils YouTube show amid links back to his hometown club.

Palmer’s form has endured a noticeable drop-off this season

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Man United recently beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge for only the third time in the Premier League since 2002, putting them ten points clear of their rivals with just five games to go.

It was one of the final nails in the coffin for sacked Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior, who never saw Palmer at his best.

Under Enzo Maresca, the former Manchester City player was ranked among the Premier League’s best players, contributing 37 goals across his first two seasons in London.

However, his form has dipped significantly this season, with the 23-year-old providing only nine goals and one assist in the top-flight.

In recent weeks, rumours have intensified that Palmer is unsettled in London and could be on the move to Old Trafford, despite being contracted at Chelsea until 2033.

The player insisted he had ‘no plans to move’ even though Chelsea’s current league position leaves them fighting for a Europa League spot.

Speaking on the latest episode of Inside Devils, United fan Angelina Kelly argued that the Manchester-born midfielder would not even start for the Red Devils at the moment.

She said: “You could argue this is a basic Chelsea team that we should be beating, but they are still in competition for those European places.

“You look at Chelsea’s team, Man United were interested in signing Liam Delap last summer, and he has not been great. Alejandro Garnacho used to be at Man United and he had an awful performance [on Sunday].

“Cole Palmer keeps getting linked with Manchester United, but no one knows what is happening there. Is the grass always greener at Chelsea? I think none of them would get into Man United’s starting XI at the moment.

“There’s maybe a case for Palmer, but not in my opinion. “

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Reports suggest that Palmer has become homesick after relocating to the capital and if Chelsea miss out on Champions League qualification, it could be more of an incentive to move back to the north west.

Meanwhile, Man United are linked with multiple midfielders this summer, prioritising a rebuild in the middle of the park to replace Casemiro and potentially Bruno Fernandes.

Man United will hope for a busy summer after Casemiro confirmed he will be leaving the club in the summer

Getty

Man United rejects

Kelly also felt the Red Devils also ‘dodged a bullet’ with Delap opting for the Blues last summer – the striker has only scored three times in 42 appearances.

After only one season, talkSPORT understands Chelsea would be open to offers for the former Ipswich striker this year.

Another player Chelsea are looking to sell is former Man United player Alejandro Garnacho, who has only five goal contributions in the Premier League this season.

In the recent fixture against his old club, the Argentine struggled after replacing the injured Estevao in the 16th minute.

Kelly added: “We were happy to get rid of Garnacho, and what a great bit of business that has been.

Tensions were felt between Garnacho and his old teammates at the weekend

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“I feel a little sorry for him because he has talent, and it must be his attitude or things going on behind the scenes, but watching the game, I thought what a great move it was to get rid of him.”

Afterwards, various United stars mocked the winger on social media, suggesting he didn’t leave the club in a positive way.

Ex-teammate Luke Shaw shared an Instagram post showing Garnacho being pushed to the ground, with other players taking swipes at the Argentine in the comments.

Additionally, the 21-year-old also aggravated his current club’s fans by wiping his TikTok account clean of any content of him in Chelsea blue and reposting two clips of his time at United.

Title race permutations: Man City officially go above Arsenal but margins are finer than ever

Jack Johnson — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:42:15 +0000

The Premier League title race has officially taken its biggest turn of the season with Manchester City going top of the table.

Arsenal had spent 209 days at the top of the table this term, completely dominating the top-flight all campaign.

City are firmly in charge of the Premier League title race now

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Compare that to Man City, they’d only been top for six days, showing just how clear the Gunners have been of their rivals.

However, despite those stunning stats, it’s Pep Guardiola‘s side who will now believe they’re favourites to win the title, following a pivotal 2-1 victory over their bitter rivals last weekend.

That win put them three points off Arsenal, but City crucially had a game in hand and a better goal difference than the Gunners.

Burnley 0-1 Man City

Erling Haaland’s early strike at Turf Moor on Wednesday night was all that separated City and Burnley.

The 1-0 win for City confirmed the Clarets’ relegation from the Premier League and also saw Guardiola’s men tighten their grip on the title race.

That’s because City are now top of the Premier League.

City are level on points with Arsenal with 70 and also have a joint goal difference of +37.

However, City are top on goals scored having netted 66 times in the league to Arsenal’s 63.

The final five games will be a straight shootout.

Man City and Arsenal's remaining fixtures

Manchester City

Everton (A) – 04/05
Brentford (H) – 09/05
Bournemouth (A) – 17/05
Crystal Palace (H) – 22/05
Aston Villa (H) – 24/05

Arsenal

Newcastle (H) – 25/04
Fulham (H) – 02/05
West Ham (A) – 10/05
Burnley (H) – 17/05
Crystal Palace (A) – 24/05

Premier League title race permutations

City know that five wins in their final five games would likely be enough to win the title.

However, Arsenal would still have a chance to regain top spot on goal difference if they win every game and pull off better results.

City may feel irked they didn’t score more against the lowly Burnley given how tight it is between them and Arsenal on goals scored.

One slip-up from either team would make things interesting though, with there still being potential for more late drama.

City have tough clashes against Brentford, Bournemouth and Aston Villa to come, while the Gunners arguably have ideal fixtures.

A loss from either side would allow the other to move clear should they win or draw their game on the same weekend.

City are only above Arsenal on goals scored

AFP

Arsenal find themselves on the back foot in the title race for the first time this season

AFP

Premier League title odds: talkSPORT BET

Man City – 4/7
Arsenal – 5/4

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Liam Rosenior given brutal secret nickname as Chelsea players branded ‘bunch of wrong’uns’ for downing tools

Robert Calcutt — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:19:57 +0000

Liam Rosenior was nicknamed a ‘substitute teacher’ by a senior player at Chelsea, talkSPORT understands.

On Wednesday, just 106 days after his appointment, the Blues sacked Rosenior following a run of seven defeats in eight matches.

Rosenior was sacked after less than four months at Chelsea

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The dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton the night before meant they have lost five consecutive league matches without scoring.

Chelsea have not endured as bad a run of form since 1912, and most of the players’ performances signalled they had lost faith in Rosenior.

Having arrived from sister club Strasbourg with a good reputation for his team’s style of play, it quickly went wrong for the 41-year-old, who tore into his players publicly after the loss to Brighton.

The opposition fans mocked him, which comes on the back of reports of his own players laughing behind his back and calling him a substitute teacher.

Vice-captain Enzo Fernandez also talked up a possible move away and on talkSPORT, Sport Breakfast co-host Gabby Agbonlahor took issue with the players for downing of tools having produced such a dismal string of results, with an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United next.

“The way they were playing against Brighton, the way Chelsea, as a football club, were feeling after the game, Leeds would have beat them comfortably if there wasn’t a change.

“I feel that Liam Rosenior is a great coach, I really do. He was minding his own business at Strasbourg, doing a very good job, maybe at the level that he was at that time.

“Any one of us, if Chelsea call you would have said, ‘Of course. £24million contract, I’m guaranteed £4m if you sack me? Okay, yeah, 100 per cent, I get to come home’.

“He said that himself, his family are still in the London area, he gets to come home and be close to his family, no-brainer. Did he go about his time at Chelsea wrong? I think he did.

“The way he spoke, ‘respect the ball’, the huddle, the way he spoke to the media with all the big words that weren’t needed, yes, I think he went about it wrong.

Rosenior is understood to have been called a ‘substitute teacher’

AFP

He lost almost half of his matches in all competitions

“But, what I will say, is some of these players are absolute wrong’uns. The way that they downed tools on this manager… loads of them.

“When the going gets tough, and it was four games without scoring, four defeats in a row before Brighton, it’s amazing how certain players start to get injured.

“Cole Palmer, where are you? In the stands. Joao Pedro, in the stands. Did the physio say that you’re likely to get a little strain if you play against Brighton? ‘I’ll sit this one out.'”

Agbonlahor also took aim at Alejandro Garnacho, who has been one of a number of disappointing signings with one goal in 24 league appearances and could be sold this summer.

“I don’t want these players to get away with it. I feel that people will mock Liam Rosenior and say he was this, and he wrote on his notepad and he came out with these sayings.

“But let’s look at some of these players. Alejandro Garnacho, he’s got the ego of Cristiano Ronaldo but the ability of David Bellion who used to be at Manchester United 20 years ago.”

Agbonlahor also had some strong words to say about the Chelsea players

Getty

What next for Chelsea?

talkSPORT understands that Andoni Iraola is a leading contender to replace Rosenior at Stamford Bridge.

Iraola will leave Premier League rivals Bournemouth at the end of the season, and is highly regarded by Blues co-owner Behdad Eghbali.

Chelsea believe he would be open to the prospect of taking the job.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is also admired, whilst Julian Nagelsmann was a contender after Graham Potter left in April 2023.

Chelsea are seven points off the Champions League spots in eighth

Next Chelsea Manager Odds

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Andoni Iraola – 7/4
Filipe Luis – 3/1
Cesc Fabregas – 4/1
Marco Silva – 5/1
Frank Lampard – 8/1
Diego Simeone – 12/1
Oliver Glasner – 12/1
Xavi Hernandez – 16/1

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Soft Chelsea players need John Terry in the dugout as iconic captain snubbed again

Sean O'Brien — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:15:57 +0000

Ex-Chelsea captain Andy Townsend insists the club should have appointed John Terry as interim manager.

Liam Rosenior was sacked on Wednesday after just three months in charge following a historically bad run of form.

Rosenior had truly lost the dressing room by the end of his tenure

Getty

The Blues had lost seven of their last eight matches in all competitions, failing to score in their most recent five.

It culminated in a pathetic 3-0 defeat to Brighton which a number of Chelsea voices on talkSPORT described as the worst performance in the club’s history.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has emerged as the frontrunner to take charge this summer but the Blues still have a season to salvage with a bottom-half finish now a real possibility.

Under-21s boss Calum McFarlane has been given the reins for the second time this season and his first assignment is an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds on Sunday – live on talkSPORT.

But to many people’s surprise, academy coach Terry has been overlooked once again.

The legendary defender publicly expressed his disappointment after being snubbed for a place on McFarlane’s team when Enzo Maresca was sacked earlier this season.

And speaking on his TikTok channel last night, Terry said: “I am not sure what Calum’s backroom staff is going to look like, I have not had a call, I have not had a message.

“I will be continuing my role in the academy, I will be in the academy tomorrow, a big couple of games coming up.

“We will all get behind Calum, he did a great job away against Man City previously and we will get behind the boys because that is what we do.”

From one captain to another

Ex-Chelsea skipper Townsend believes the current set of players need someone like Terry to implement some tough love.

Many believe the problem lies within a spoilt and entitled attitude among the Chelsea squad

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talkSPORT understands a number of senior players turned on Rosenior in the final stages of his reign, even nicknaming him ‘the substitute teacher’.

And Townsend believes the Blues hierarchy, who have faced protests over their running of the club in recent weeks, must stop pandering to ‘soft’ young players.

“I would have gone right now for John Terry,” Townsend told talkSPORT. “Someone like that. To pick the fans up, to try and galvanize the players a little bit, just put a little bit of a spring back in people’s steps.

“McFarlane… I’m not sure how much that is going to really inspire those players who looked pretty empty and were staring at their own punters down at Brighton last night.”

He added: “I think it wouldn’t have done them any harm at all to have got someone in with a bit of clout, a bit of repute, a reputation.

“Someone with a voice that gets everyone to listen. Someone that isn’t afraid and someone that doesn’t pander to these boys.

“I look at that Chelsea team and I see a load of guys… I think they’re being pandered to every five minutes. I really do and I think it’s a big problem when you have the amount of players they have and the turnover of players they have.

“I think it’s been too much of this arm around shoulders trying to bring players up into a really comfortable environment.

“Top class Premier League and European football is a tough business for tough boys. Chelsea have got a lot of soft boys.”

That view was backed up on the talkSPORT Breakfast Show by Gabby Agbonlahor, who played alongside Terry with Aston Villa and England.

Agbonlahor said: “What John Terry has won at that football club… when you say Chelsea, you think John Terry.

“So it’s a no-brainer, get him in and around that squad of players, get him speaking to the players, make them understand, ‘Guys, this isn’t l a small club, this is Chelsea Football Club, liven up’.”

Meanwhile, talkSPORT’s Inside Chelsea host Olivia Buzaglo insisted Terry’s presence in the dressing room would help to stamp out the petulance among the squad.

She said: “I would get JT in the dressing room, not as a manager, but I think people underestimate his impact and these players don’t understand what it means to play for such a club like Chelsea, I don’t think they get it.

“Would Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella had come out and said what they said if Terry was in that dressing room?”

Next Chelsea Manager Odds

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Andoni Iraola – 7/4
Filipe Luis – 3/1
Cesc Fabregas – 4/1
Marco Silva – 5/1
Frank Lampard – 8/1
Diego Simeone – 12/1
Oliver Glasner – 12/1
Xavi Hernandez – 16/1

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Newcastle are Premier League’s worst team and lucky not to go down

Jake Lambourne — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:17:21 +0000

Newcastle are lucky they have not been dragged into a relegation battle – they are the worst team in the Premier League.

That’s the bold view of talkSPORT’s Inside The Toon panel, who believe that Eddie Howe‘s time in charge at St James’ Park must be soon coming to an end.

Newcastle have failed to reach the heights expected of them this campaign

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The Magpies currently languish 14th in the table having suffered three consecutive defeats in the top-flight.

Sunderland, Crystal Palace and most recently Bournemouth have all inflicted 2-1 losses on the Toon.

And things could get worse for the Tyneside outfit when they travel to Arsenal on Saturday.

Newcastle’s current form has led to fans to question whether Howe, who guided the club to Carabao Cup glory last term, is the right man for the job.

talkSPORT understands that Jose Mourinho has admirers amongst the Newcastle board, while Xabi Alonso and Oliver Glasner are two other candidates who have been tipped to potentially succeed Howe.

As it stands, Newcastle sit 11 points off the bottom three with five games to go and aren’t in any real danger of dropping down into the Championship.

And according to the Inside The Toon panel, they have Tottenham Hotspur to thank for ensuring their Premier League status for another campaign following Spurs’ 2-2 draw against Brighton last time out.

Commenting on on the club’s situation, talkSPORT’s Jack Cunningham said: “It’s very sad what’s happened this season.

“We can go back to just over a year ago, we won our first domestic trophy in 70 years.

“And now we’re here, sitting in 14th place, very likely to finish below Leeds to be brutally honest in 15th.

Howe is under pressure at St James’ Park with the Magpies losing three league games on the bounce

Getty

Newcastle have won just five out of their 14 Premier League matches in 2026

“We’re a bit lucky in a lot of ways that the season is not going on a little bit longer.

“This form has been terrible the whole second half of the season, we’re actually fortunate with [Nick] Woltemade up front that we scored a load of goals and got some points.

“Because otherwise, we would be deep in a relegation battle.”

Interjecting, host Olly Clink then stated: “Is it just me who is happy we’re over 40 points? Seriosuly, with this form? It’s ridiculous.”

Cunningham then continued: “I’m watching us, and Spurs fans will probably disagree, but I thought Spurs actually showed something against Brighton.

“I’m not going to say encouraging signs! But they showed something against Brighton.

Newcastle will be looking to bounce back against Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday

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“[And] I think watching us, I think we are the worst team in the league at the moment.

“There is nothing from anyone, there’s no energy, there’s no life, there’s no ideas coming from the side.

“It’s so lifeless, and we’re so soft! Newcastle used to be a horrible team to play against.

“You go back to that game against Arsenal in the 2022/23 season when we got that 0-0 [draw], the ball was in play for about 30 minutes.

“Arsenal fans hated that, they hated that, because we absolutely nullified them, and everyone didn’t like us.

“We were masters of the dark arts, and now we’re just a soft touch, we concede from nothing!

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“I don’t even think Bournemouth were good! Bournemouth were so much better against Arsenal, they didn’t have to be good [vs Newcastle], that’s the thing, they didn’t have to be good to win.”

Head of Sun Sport Shaun Custis then remarked: “I think if Spurs had won, we would be talking about, ‘Are we in a relegation battle or on the fringe of it?’

“I do feel we would have been because we would have been getting really alarmed because we wouldn’t have seen where the next point is coming from.

“Fortunately, they only drew, I feel that we’re far ahead now to avoid relegation, which is something you can’t believe you were ever going to be talking about.”

Attention then switched to Howe’s future at Newcastle.

But despite steering the club away from relegation in 2022, before taking the Magpies to the Champions League twice along with scooping silverware, it appears fans begrudgingly believe this term should be his last at the helm.

Howe took charge of Newcastle in November 2021 when they were battling relegation

Clink remarked: “It just feels to me, that these players are really letting down the management team.

“Look, they have made loads of mistakes, don’t get me wrong, but for me, this group of players are completely letting down Eddie Howe and his staff.

“And the affect that will have on the legacy of Eddie Howe, whether he stays or goes, I just think is a real shame.”

After Clink then stated he believes Howe has come to ‘the end of his cycle’, Cunningham said: “I’ve obviously been Eddie Howe In for a long time.

“I want him to turn it around, but I’ve got to be honest, I don’t see it, and it was the Palace game.

“As much as we’ve lost to Sunderland twice, we got hammered by Barcelona, it was that Palace game for me, because there was so long to work with the players – yes I know some of them were [involved] in the international break, but a lot of them weren’t.

Newcastle have been beaten in five of their last six Premier League home matches

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“They come back and there was nothing new whatsoever, there was no new energy, there was no anything, and it felt as if he has just run out of ideas, he looked like a defeated man.”

Before adding: “I’m now in the camp, and as sad as it is, where I think a fresh start – squad and manager – is actually the best thing for Newcastle United.”

After Clink raised the question as to whether Howe is allowed a bad season for what he has achieved at the club, Custis stated: “Not this bad.

“I think this one’s been a lot worse than we expected and you can’t feel that we could wipe the slate clean, start next season and everything will be rosy.”

When press whether he is now in the Howe Out camp, Custis reluctantly said: “I’m feeling like that’s where it’s heading, but I know it’s going to be a really sad day, but it is heading that way. There is no pleasure from it.

“I don’t want to hound him out or anything like that, I feel we’re reaching that natural conclusion, that’s what’ll happen.”

Irritated Erling Haaland tells reporter ‘I don’t know why you keep asking me that’ after Man City win

Jack Cunningham — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:33:40 +0000

Erling Haaland was confused why a reporter asked him a similar question a few times following Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Burnley.

The Norwegian scored the only goal of the game as the Citizens moved above Arsenal to go top of the Premier League.

Haaland made it two goals in two but missed several chances as well

Getty

It was a strange performance from City, who created numerous chances but couldn’t add a second. Burnley had some opportunities to score as well, but they couldn’t either.

But it’s a result that takes Pep Guardiola‘s men top of the table, above Arsenal on goals scored.

Given this title could go down to goals scored, the Sky Sports reporter in question asked Haaland if Man City could have done with more goals.

Haaland responded: “Ha! Yeah, we had a lot of chances, but I am happy we won, and anything else, I don’t think about. Just try to win.”

He was then asked if the result was more important than the performance, as he said: “It is all about winning, no matter how.

“We tried to play our football, and just try to win. That is what you have to have in your mindset, and now, we focus on Saturday (Southampton in the FA Cup).”

The reporter then asked about the difficulty in scoring goals.

Haaland was starting to get frustrated at this point and said: “Don’t think about other goals. Think about winning, as I’ve said now three times.”

The next question was about the FA Cup semi-final, and Haaland said: “It’s been a good month so far, so we need to keep going. First, Southampton, and then, Everton.”

Finally, Haaland snapped when the scoreline was mentioned again.

Haaland is starting to find the back of the net at the right time

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He wasn’t a fan of the questions he was being asked post-match, however

AFP

It was a dominant but not clinical display from Man City

The irritated striker said: “1-0 is amazing. I am super happy. I don’t know why you keep asking that – I am super happy.

“We won and we got three points, and as they (Man City) fans sing, we are top of the league.”

It all ended positively, though when Haaland was awarded the Man of the Match award and said: “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Top, but not convincing

When Haaland chipped home from Jeremy Doku’s pass five minutes in at Turf Moor, it looked like a routine win was on the way.

But in the end, it was anything but due to a baffling lack of clinical finishing.

Manchester City rifled in 28 shots and had nine on target, but they couldn’t get past Martin Dubravka after Haaland’s goal.

After months and months, Man City are sitting at the top once more

The former Newcastle United goalkeeper pulled off two particularly stunning stops to deny Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly.

Haaland also hit the post, while several other players fired wide from good positions.

Down the other end, Zian Flemming wasted two golden chances in the first half with wild efforts.

It is now over to Arsenal on Saturday against Newcastle United to respond.

How much has Liam Rosenior cost Chelsea? Wages and record as Blues boss sacked

Jack Cunningham — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:04:22 +0000

Liam Rosenior has received a multi-million pound pay-off after being sacked just three months into his six-and-a-half year contract at Chelsea.

The Blues took the decision to relieve the Englishman of his duties following five straight Premier League defeats.

The final straw was a 3-0 defeat to Brighton

AFP

It culminated in a shocking performance against Brighton on the south coast, losing 3-0 in a Tuesday night display Jason Cundy called, ‘gutless and spineless.’

And on Wednesday afternoon, in a club statement, it was confirmed that Rosenior had been sacked by Chelsea.

The west London club said: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Liam Rosenior.

“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, we would like to place on record our gratitude to Liam and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the club.

“Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following his appointment mid-way through the season.

“This has not been a decision the club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season. Everyone at Chelsea FC wishes Liam every success in the future.

“Calum McFarlane will take charge of the team as interim head coach until the end of the season with support from existing club backroom staff, as we strive to achieve European qualification and progress in the FA Cup.

“As the club works to bring stability to the head coach position, we will undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment.”

McFarlane is in charge until the end of the season with European football the aim

Getty

There were reports that Rosenior would be entitled to the full £24million of his contract, but talkSPORT understands that isn’t the case.

Here, we look into the pay-off and his record.

How much has Rosenior cost Chelsea?

As part of his whopping contract at Stamford Bridge, there was a break clause included.

That means the Blues are set to pay him one year’s worth of his salary, which comes to £4million for just over three months of work.

Chelsea also paid compensation to sign Rosenior from their sister club Strasbourg.

Both sides are owned by BlueCo, and though a fee hasn’t been revealed sources told The Times that the club paid the ‘market rate’ for Rosenior to leave France and head to west London.

Rosenior’s final match as Chelsea manager will be one that lives long in the memory for the wrong reasons

Getty

Rosenior’s record

The former Hull City manager was appointed on January 8 by Chelsea to replace Enzo Maresca, following the Italian’s departure from the club.

Rosenior was in charge for just shy of four months, overseeing 23 matches.

Incredibly, despite how badly it has ended, things actually started pretty well.

The Blues won six of their first seven matches in all competitions, including comeback victories over Napoli and West Ham.

The only defeat in that period was a narrow 3-2 loss to Arsenal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

A second defeat to Arsenal in the return leg sandwiched a 3-1 win over Wolves, and things looked relatively good.

Chelsea’s win over Napoli was a real boost for Rosenior and proved to be one of the only highs

AFP

Liam Rosenior's Chelsea reacord in all competitions

Premier League

Played: 13
Won: 5
Drawn: 2
Losses: 6

Champions League

Played: 4
Won: 2
Drawn: 0
Defeats: 4

FA Cup

Played: 4
Wins: 4
Draws: 0
Defeats: 0

Carabao Cup

Played: 2
Wins: 0
Draws: 0
Defeats: 2

A 2-2 draw against Leeds, with the Blues throwing away a lead indicated a poor result, but it was followed by a 4-0 win in the FA Cup over Rosenior’s former side Hull.

A disappointing 1-1 draw with Burnley came before a defeat to Arsenal again, this time in the Premier League.

Rosenior’s side then answered some questions with a brilliant 4-1 win over Aston Villa at the start of March.

That turned out to be the last goal they scored in the top-flight under Rosenior because since then, it’s gone horribly wrong.

The Blues have just one win since then – a 7-0 victory in the FA Cup quarter-finals against Port Vale.

They’ve lost every other game, and now, it’s over.

Chelsea sack Liam Rosenior after just three months as detail of embarrassing ‘substitute teacher’ nickname emerges

Robert Calcutt — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:23:22 +0000

Chelsea have sacked Liam Rosenior, just three months after he signed a six-and-a-half year deal to become their manager.

The Blues have cut ties with the former Strasbourg boss after their shambolic 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday night. Calum McFarlane has been placed in interim charge of the team.

GettyChelsea have sacked Rosenior after a dreadful run of form[/caption]

Chelsea’s sporting leadership team held crisis talks in the wake of Tuesday’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton as revealed by talkSPORT.

It is thought several senior players were disappointed by the exit of Enzo Maresca on New year’s Day and preferred his training methods to Rosenior.

They were also said to be confused by the 41-year-old’s messaging and team selections.

It is also thought the squad were divided over the decision to ban Enzo Fernandez and were confused when he returned to the playing squad against Manchester United without being made captain only to be handed the armband for the Brighton debacle.

This was seen by some inside the dressing room as an example of Rosenior being indecisive, with one senior player understood to have nicknamed Rosenior as the ‘substitute teacher’.

talkSPORT can also reveal Rosenior’s pay-off is around £4m.

Rosenior joined in January as their successor to Enzo Maresca, and had a strong start at the club with six wins in his first seven matches.

However, Chelsea have lost seven of their last eight in all competitions and are likely to miss out on qualifying for European football.

They face Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, live on talkSPORT, with the competition their last hope of winning a trophy this term.

BlueCo, who took over Chelsea in 2022, will now be looking for their fifth permanent appointment in the dugout.

Rosenior lost ten of his 23 matches in charge

AFP

McFarlane was in interim charged before Rosenior was appointed in January

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Chelsea confirm Rosenior sacking

A club statement read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with head coach Liam Rosenior.

“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, we would like to place on record our gratitude to Liam and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the club.

“Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following his appointment mid-way through the season.

“As the club works to bring stability to the head coach position, we will undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment.”

talkSPORT understands there wasn’t much of a click between Rosenior and the players

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Rosenior’s final game

The 3-0 defeat at Brighton was Chelsea’s fifth consecutive league defeat with the Blues also failing to score a goal during that barren run.

The last time Chelsea were in such bad form came all the way back in 1912.

Chelsea have one win in their last eight matches in all competitions, a 7-0 thrashing of League One strugglers Port Vale in the FA Cup.

Defeats have come against Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, Everton, Manchester City and Manchester United during the streak.

Brighton have become the latest side to pick up three points against the Blues, who look destined for another trophyless season.

One of Rosenior’s final acts as Chelsea boss saw him tear into the players, as he told talkSPORT: “Unacceptable, unacceptable in every area. The complete opposite of anything I want to see on a football pitch.

Chelsea are in serious danger of no European football next season

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“I feel numb. I’m angry, frustrated. It has to turn around very, very quickly.”

When asked how he can convince his players to turn their form around, Rosenior added: “At this moment, it’s not even about convincing.

“I apologise to the fans after the game for them to travel this way, for the fans who watched at home.

“That’s unacceptable. I can’t dress it up any other way. To represent this football club with the history and traditions that it’s got and for us to go and put in a performance like that.

“I can forgive mistakes of giving the ball away, I can forgive missing shots, but what I can’t forgive is losing 50/50 duels, ducking out of headers. It’s embarrassing.

“I’m really, really devastated. Not even at the result, but at the manner in which we lost this game.”

Succession plan

talkSPORT understands Andoni Iraola is a leading contender to replace Rosenior.

Iraola will be available as a free agent when his Bournemouth contract expires at the end of the season and is highly regarded by Blues co-owner Behdad Eghbali.

Chelsea are adamant they have not yet approached any candidate but believe the Spaniard would be open to the prospect of taking charge at Stamford Bridge.

Iraola is highly sought-after having turned Bournemouth to the brink of a European place for the first time in their history and on a club record unbeaten run in the Premier League.

He is thought to have rejected the advances of Crystal Palace as they hunt for a successor for Oliver Glasner.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe also has admirers among the Chelsea hierarchy while Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann was a contender after Graham Potter was sacked.

Iraola turned down the biggest pay deal the Cherries have ever offered any player or manager having spent three years in charge on the Dorset coast.

Iraola will be a free agent at the end of the season when he leaves Bournemouth

Why there are no Premier League games this Sunday with Matchweek 34 paused

Jack Johnson — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:37:58 +0000

The Premier League schedule had a shake-up this weekend, with no games taking place on Sunday afternoon.

Typically, there will often be at least two matches planned, as football fans usually settle down for some top-flight action.

There is no Premier League football planned for this Sunday

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But this weekend is an anomaly, at least when it comes to the Premier League, as there aren’t any fixtures scheduled on Sunday.

And here’s a look at why a strange change has been made…

Why are there no Premier League games this Sunday?

There has been a switch to the usual Premier League schedule this Sunday due to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Originally, Burnley vs Manchester City and Brighton vs Chelsea were planned to take place, live on Sky Sports.

Man City announced on March 4: “Our visit to take on Burnley switches to Sunday 26 April, with the Turf Moor encounter kicking off at 14:00 (UK) again for Sky Sports.”

Chelsea confirmed on the same day: “Our trip to Brighton has been pushed back a day to Sunday 26 April, although that is subject to change should we progress to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.”

And that caveat has led to both teams’ fixtures being changed.

Man City and Chelsea both reached the FA Cup semi-finals, with City thrashing Liverpool and the Blues thrashing Port Vale.

The semi-finals were then scheduled for Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, meaning their league fixtures were moved forward.

And therefore, it meant the Premier League’s two planned Sunday games were moved and not replaced, with the rest of the matches taking place on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

The FA Cup semi-finals forced the Premier League schedule to change

Getty

Busy weekend of football on talkSPORT

So, it’s the FA Cup that has enforced the Premier League schedule switch, but having both competitions means more football.

Man City beat Southampton on Saturday evening at Wembley, surviving a major scare.

City will face Chelsea in the final on May 16 with the Blues edging past Leeds on Sunday.

The Premier League has been continuing alongside the FA Cup, with games already happening on Friday and Saturday.

On Monday, Manchester United vs Brentford will be live on talkSPORT, with coverage coming to you from Old Trafford.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

This weekend's football schedule

FA Cup semi-finals

Man City 2-1 Southampton
Chelsea 1-0 Leeds

Premier League

Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest
Fulham 1-0 Aston Villa
West Ham 2-1 Everton
Wolves 0-1 Tottenham
Liverpool 3-1 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
Man United vs Brentford

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Transfer notebook: Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris not safe, Curtis Jones eyed by two clubs, Michael Carrick closer to Man United job

Sean O'Brien — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:18:57 +0000

In a summer of many managerial changes, the future of Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris is one to keep a close eye on.

Le Bris defied the odds to lead the Black Cats to promotion from the Championship and they have enjoyed a strong first season back in the Premier League.

Le Bris would be a shock managerial casualty after what most considered to be overachieving at Sunderland this season

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However, sources have told talkSPORT that a change in the dugout is not to be discounted if they miss out on Europe.

The Wearsiders’ ambitious owners, Swiss businessman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and partner Juan Sartori, have not ruled out looking at possible replacements for Le Bris.

Sunderland are 11^th in the table, but only four points outside the top six.

Curtain call?

Curtis Jones is strongly considering bringing his 16-year Liverpool career to an end.

Jones, 25, who joined the Premier League champions aged nine, is understood to have become frustrated after starting only 13 Premier League games this season.

The England international was subject of strong interest from Italian giants Inter Milan in the January transfer window.

Aston Villa have also added Jones to their list of summer targets while Tottenham would be keen if they avoid relegation.

Liverpool are planning a summer rebuild after putting their faith in manager Arne Slot, who, as previously reported by talkSPORT, retains the backing of the board.

Jones is about to enter the final year of his contract so the Reds either need to sell or offer a new deal.

Jones filled in at right-back for Liverpool in their 2-1 win over Everton

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Carri on?

Michael Carrick’s hopes of getting the Manchester United job full-time have been boosted by Old Trafford sources playing down a potential move for Julian Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann has been touted for the United job owing to his close relationship with Red Devils’ recruitment guru Christopher Vivell.

However the Germany boss is not currently seen as a genuine candidate, not least because he is tied up at least until after the World Cup.

United chiefs are reluctant to wait until the tournament ends in July, knowing this is a big summer for the club.

The 20-time English champions are planning a rebuild of their midfield with Casemiro leaving and Real Madrid’s Aurelian Tchouameni on a list with the likes of Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali as potential replacements.

Carrick can all but secure Champions League qualification with victory at home to Brentford live on talkSPORT on Monday and is in the box seat to be given a permanent contract.

While not wanting to rush the appointment, a final decision is expected before the end of the season once a place in the top five is sewn up.

Carrick has turned around Man United’s form since taking over from Ruben Amorim

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Old Firm battle

Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic are among the clubs eying Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles, talkSPORT understands.

Northern Ireland international Charles will leave Hillsborough this summer following troubled Wednesday’s relegation to League One.

Rangers boss Danny Rohl worked with the 20-year-old during his time in charge of the Owls.

Celtic are also in the hunt for a new number one to replace veteran Kasper Schmeichel.

‘Pitiful’ Liam Rosenior in fight to save Chelsea job with position now ‘untenable’

Alex Conrad — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:40:57 +0000

Liam Rosenior is facing a fight to save his job in the wake of Chelsea’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton.

talkSPORT understands the Chelsea leadership are discussing a plan of action after the Blues slumped to a fifth straight league defeat without scoring for the first time since 1912.

Rosenior is in a serious battle to keep his job

AFP

It is also understood several senior players have been left unimpressed by Rosenior’s tactics and training methods.

The Stamford Bridge hierarchy have backed Rosenior to this point and the plan has been to judge him after a full season in charge next term.

However their recent run of poor form coupled with anger from fans is believed to have left the former Strasbourg chief on a less stable footing.

News of Chelsea’s change in feelings towards Rosenior comes as Danny Murphy labelled the Blues boss’ position as untenable on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan.

“Unfortunately for him, I think it’s irreversible when the fans are singing what they are singing,” Murphy said.

Simon Jordan’s verdict on Rosenior’s outburst

Meanwhile, ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan said he felt ‘pity’ for Rosenior – which has to be considered a ‘bad sign’.

“I felt he said too much last night,” Jordan added.

“I watched it thinking, ‘No, Liam.’ The journalists must be rubbing their hands. Not because they shouldn’t be, but because they got bolder and bolder and pushed him more and more. The more he said, the more forlorn he looked, the more lost he looked.

“If I was his owner, with respect, I’d have grabbed him before the interview. I’d have gone downstairs and said, ‘We saw what we saw, we’ll deal with that in a different conversation, but keep it on the up and up.’

“He probably needs a bit of guidance and counselling. I know he shouldn’t for this job because it’s a big job and there’s an element of the fact that if you put a guy into a job, he should be big enough to do it.

The 41-year-old has lost 10 of his 23 matches in charge of Chelsea

AFP

“But all of us have accepted that there is a learning curve that he’ll have to go through, that this job was always going to be him learning on the job. Chelsea were obviously prepared for that to be the case in this ownership model.

“In that circumstance, I think he needed a wise head, whether it’s a number two… a wise voice beside him saying, ‘Keep your head on.’

Jordan’s comments were in reference to Rosenior’s scathing review of his own side’s performance during the 3-0 loss to Brighton on Tuesday.

Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, a ‘numb’, ‘angry’ and ‘frustrated’ Rosenior labelled the display as ’embarrassing’ and apologised to the supporters who had travelled south.

Rosenior and Chelsea will need to quickly hit the reset button though as they face historic rivals Leeds in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, with talkSPORT providing live commentary for the crunch clash.

Unlike the Blues, Leeds enter the contest on the back of a six-game unbeaten run across all competitions, including a gritty 2-1 victory over Manchester United.

The Blues are hurtling down the Premier League ladder at an alarming rate

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Aside from the FA Cup, Chelsea’s nosediving results has left the club at serious risk of missing out on European football next season.

Tuesday’s defeat to Brighton helped the Seagulls leapfrog the Blues into sixth place.

Serious sporting and financial dilemma awaits

However, once this round of Premier League fixtures are complete, Rosenior’s side could find themselves as low as 11th.

Chelsea sit seventh on 48 points with 34 games played, meaning 11th-placed Sunderland, who boast 46 points, can nudge ahead of them, as can Brentford, Bournemouth and Everton, who are all sandwiched in-between.

Despite the sporting effects of not qualifying for the Champions League next season, let alone any European competition, it may be in Chelsea’s interest to spend a campaign away from the marquee tournament.

Football finance expert Stefan Borson explained to talkSPORT that Chelsea are under serious pressure from UEFA to meet the terms of their settlement regarding the balance of spending in line with sufficient revenue and player sales.

Borson even speculated that the pressure is so great, Chelsea could volunteer to take a one-year ban from European competition, especially if their Premier League finish is good enough only for the Conference League.

Next Chelsea Manager Odds

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Andoni Iraola – 7/4
Filipe Luis – 3/1
Cesc Fabregas – 4/1
Marco Silva – 5/1
Frank Lampard – 8/1
Diego Simeone – 12/1
Oliver Glasner – 12/1
Xavi Hernandez – 16/1

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Devastated Liam Rosenior tears into ’embarrassing’ Chelsea players as ‘disgusted’ Jason Cundy calls it their worst ever performance

Ciaran Wiseman — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:32:06 +0000

Liam Rosenior gave a brutally honest assessment of Chelsea’s ‘unacceptable’ performance following their latest defeat.

The Blues were beaten 3-0 away at Brighton on Tuesday night in a blow to their Champions League hopes.

Rosenior labelled his side’s display at Brighton ‘unacceptable’ as Chelsea’s woes continued

AFP

Chelsea now find themselves seven points adrift of the top five with four matches remaining.

Their opponents also leapfrogged them in the table, leaving Rosenior’s side in seventh place after five consecutive defeats.

They have failed to score in any of those outings, making it their worst run of results since 1912.

Meanwhile, the five sides immediately below all have a game in hand on Chelsea.

Brentford, Bournemouth, Everton, Sunderland and Fulham can all climb above the Blues in the table before they next play in the league.

Rosenior takes his side to Wembley Stadium for an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United on Sunday.

‘Unacceptable’ performance

The Chelsea boss slammed the performance of his players at full-time on Tuesday.

Following the match, Rosenior spoke exclusively to talkSPORT and said: “Unacceptable, unacceptable in every area. The complete opposite of anything I want to see on a football pitch.

“I feel numb. I’m angry, frustrated. It has to turn around very, very quickly.”

When asked how he can convince his players to turn their form around, Rosenior added: “At this moment, it’s not even about convincing.

Chelsea have lost their last five Premier League matches without scoring a goal

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“I apologise to the fans after the game for them to travel this way, for the fans who watched at home.

“That’s unacceptable. I can’t dress it up any other way. To represent this football club with the history and traditions that it’s got and for us to go and put in a performance like that.

“I can forgive mistakes of giving the ball away, I can forgive missing shots, but what I can’t forgive is losing 50/50 duels, ducking out of headers. It’s embarrassing.

“I’m really, really devastated. Not even at the result, but at the manner in which we lost this game.”

talkSPORT verdict

Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy is fearing the worst ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final.

The talkSPORT co-host shared his views on the performance on The Sports Bar on Tuesday night.

Rosenior apologised to the Chelsea fans for his side’s ’embarrassing’ display

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Cundy explained: “It was a gutless and spineless performance. I’m trying to use my words but I’m so angry and I’m so disgusted with that performance.

“That is, first off, I don’t know what that was. That was absolutely turgid. Disgusting. And do you know what? It’s getting worse. It’s getting worse.

“Brighton are a good side, they caught us at a good time, but that is unacceptable. That is unacceptable.

“We’ve got Leeds at the weekend and I’m telling you now, we ain’t winning that game. We are not winning that game. We’re getting dumped out of the FA Cup.

“I don’t know where the next victory is going to come from. I don’t know where the next shot on target is going to come from. Absolutely disgusted.

“I think it’s the worst performance I’ve ever seen, and I’ve played in a few, from a Chelsea side.

“I genuinely can’t think of a worse performance than that, I genuinely can’t. I cannot think of a worse, gutless, spineless performance. I just can’t think of a worse performance.”

Next Chelsea Manager Odds

Odds provided by talkSPORT BET. 18+ gambleaware.org

Andoni Iraola – 7/4
Filipe Luis – 3/1
Cesc Fabregas – 4/1
Marco Silva – 5/1
Frank Lampard – 8/1
Diego Simeone – 12/1
Oliver Glasner – 12/1
Xavi Hernandez – 16/1

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Chelsea face potential European ban if they fail to qualify for Champions League

Jack Cunningham — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 22:37:00 +0000

Football finance expert Stefan Borson has speculated that Chelsea could take a European ban if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The Premier League is set for five places in UEFA’s premier competition next season – and the Blues are currently seventh.

It has been a season to forget for Chelsea

AFP

They are seven points behind Liverpool in fifth, and have played a game fewer than the Reds, and only six points clear of Newcastle in 14th place.

Therefore, the prospect of no European football, including the Europa League or Conference League, is very much a possibility for Liam Rosenior‘s side – who have lost seven of their last eight games.

The club have been forced to reach settlements with the Premier League and UEFA in recent years over breaches of financial rules.

So the prospect of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League – and the financial implications that come with it – has raised questions.

The Blues are under heightened UEFA pressure to meet the terms of their settlement when it comes to ensuring spending is balanced by sufficient revenue and player sales.

Digging into the details on White and Jordan, Borson suggested the club could voluntarily breach their settlement with UEFA and accept a year-long ban from European competitions.

He said: “The Champions League thing is obviously a very significant issue for a club with their [Chelsea’s] cost base and with their losses.

“And they are telling everyone who is asking that they’re operationally profitable right now.

“It seems to me that you have to strip out all of the player amortisation, which is about £216million this year, so sure, if you strip out one of the biggest lines in your profit and loss, then maybe, you’re operationally profitable.

“But even then, it’s a challenge going forward as they won’t have the Club World Cup money, and if they drop out of the Champions League, obviously they’ll also drop £80m of UEFA prize money…

Chelsea fans protested ahead of the defeat to Manchester United

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“It might be mitigated by a Europa League final, that could give them £40m. Can they still sell Stamford Bridge out in the Europa? Probably pretty close, so they will do £100m matchday if they’re in Europe.”

He continued: “The big issue they’re going to have is if they fall into the Conference League.

“They’ve got a very, very challenging situation with the settlement they agreed with UEFA, if they’re not in the Champions League.

“That is a settlement agreement, which I’ll just speculate now… I think there’s a chance that if they fall into the Conference League, or even Europa League, that they take the decision to breach the settlement agreement and to take a ban like Juventus did in 2023.

“So they’d admit the breach by more than €20m, they pay the fine, the settlement agreement is ripped up, they drop out of Europe for a year, because who wants Conference League anyway, and they reset the settlement agreement going forward.

“Because to me, the settlement agreement that’s currently drafted looks extremely challenging for the next season, particularly if they’re not in the Champions League, but even if they are, it’s the season after.

Rosenior has looked increasingly frustrated as Chelsea’s season is on verge of collapse

AFP

“When you keep kicking the can down the road as Chelsea have done, and you find that the rules are changing to exclude the loophole busters that they have – the hotels, the carparks, the women’s team – once you run out of those things, you’ve got to sell players and you’ve got to sell players for profit.

“That’s going to be a big challenge for them, aside from the players they don’t want to sell. Of course they can sell Palmer for a profit…but they don’t want to do that, what they want to do is sell players they’re happy to sell, but there’s no profit in them.”

Champions League done

There is a way that Chelsea can make it into the Champions League by finishing sixth, but they need a big favour from Liverpool and Aston Villa.

First, they need Villa to win the Europa League and finish fifth rather than fourth.

If that were the case, sixth would seal a Champions League place.

However, on the latest edition of Inside Chelsea, Sports Bar host and massive Chelsea fan, Jason Cundy revealed a place at Europe’s top table isn’t on his mind.

He said: “All the teams are stacked up behind us, and they are all playing well.

“I can’t believe we are sixth that is the most astonishing thing when you think about the run we’ve been on, it tells you a little bit about the standard.

“But there are teams tucked in behind us that have their eyes on the prize. They are thinking if they finish sixth, Villa finish fifth and win the Europa League, then they will get Champions League football.

“My concern is we tailspin. All it takes is two bad results, and we will be ninth.

“It’s not impossible to think that if we carry on like this, we might end up bottom half of the table.”

Problems on and off the pitch

Amid the potential chance of no European football or a spot in the Conference League, things aren’t good away from the pitch either.

Inside Chelsea on talkSPORT

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Chelsea fans held a large protest against BlueCo before the defeat to Manchester United last weekend.

Since they bought the club, the Blues have become Club World Cup champions, but have also sacked Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, while Enzo Maresca has left.

They have spent over £1billion on players and are now facing a bottom-half finish, while players like Marc Cucurella have publicly called out the club’s ambition.

And Chelsea broadcaster Matisse Armani was very scathing of the owners.

He said: “My concern is they are treating Chelsea as an experiment. High-risk, high-reward strategy, where they have all these other assets they can sell.

“The way they are running things doesn’t look like to me, they have Chelsea Football Club, it doesn’t feel like they’ve got the best interest.”

On the protest, Matisse, who was there, said: “I thought it was a great step. That is the biggest protest there has been since the Super League.

“It was much more concentrated in terms of the messaging as everyone knew why they were there.

“It was very clear. We want the ownership to go.

“They’ve been given ample opportunity to take responsibility. The manager’s situation – they are clearly inept in appointing the best in class or at least trying to be ambitious.

“I thought it was a great protest, and hopefully, there will be more.”

Next Chelsea Manager Odds

Odds provided by talkSPORT BET. 18+ gambleaware.org

Andoni Iraola – 7/4
Filipe Luis – 3/1
Cesc Fabregas – 4/1
Marco Silva – 5/1
Frank Lampard – 8/1
Diego Simeone – 12/1
Oliver Glasner – 12/1
Xavi Hernandez – 16/1

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Liam Delap shown perfect Chelsea escape route this summer after nightmare season

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 22:19:00 +0000

Chelsea striker Liam Delap has been tipped to rejoin Ipswich Town this summer if the Tractor Boys get promoted.

The 23-year-old swapped Portman Road for Stamford Bridge last summer in a £30million move.

Delap was handed a rare start for the visit of Man United but failed to deliver

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But his first season with the Blues has been a nightmare.

Delap has scored just three times in 42 appearances, most recently drawing a blank while playing during Chelsea’s humiliating 3-0 defeat at Brighton on Tuesday night.

While the Englishman has been hampered by injuries, our Inside Chelsea panel has already seen enough.

Speaking on this week’s episode, Blues broadcaster Matisse Armani said: “It’s difficult. He is not of the level to be at Chelsea and he’s taken a massive step too far forward, which is our fault taking him from Ipswich all the way to Chelsea.

“He could’ve easily fit into a team like Brentford. As a striker at that age, you need consistent minutes. You need momentum, confidence, touches, chemistry.

“When I look at our previous ‘depth’ strikers, like Loic Remy, Demba Ba, Didier Drogba when he came back – they were seasoned. They had been around the block and scored a lot of goals in their career.

“Coming off the bench and impacting games when you’ve not been in the swing of things consistently, that’s a special role to play.

“To ask him to play that role, when he’s never played it, is ludicrous.

“He needs to be moved on this summer and play regular football.”

Back to Portman Road?

talkSPORT understands Chelsea are open to offers for Delap this summer, with Newcastle showing an early interest.

Delap was wanted by a host of Premier League clubs following his breakout season with Ipswich

And Inside Chelsea host Olivia Buzaglo suggested Delap could make a return to Ipswich this summer.

Delap, who began at Man City before his Ipswich transfer in 2024, was a shining light for the Tractor Boys during their 2024/25 Premier League campaign, despite relegation.

Ipswich are currently second in the Championship with four games to play, leaving automatic promotion very much in their hands.

Buzaglo said: “If Ipswich do come up to the Premier League, that may be a loan move Chelsea look at.

“It may be that Delap needs to go and play football.”

No depth

Meanwhile, ex-Blues defender Jason Cundy argued the problem lies at the heart of Chelsea’s recruitment strategy, suggesting the club have failed to build strength in depth.

Inside Chelsea on talkSPORT

talkSPORT does Chelsea like nowhere else.

Stay ahead of every tactical shift, manager sacking and transfer rumour by making talkSPORT’s Inside Chelsea show your weekly go to for all things Blues.

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Cundy said: “The squad has holes, and moving forward, the recruitment team need to look at who can step up and replace first-team players.

“Who is our back-up No.9? It’s Delap. And he’s struggling.

“I feel for him – he’s had injuries and he’s come in to a big club.

“But it’s a very different set-up to when he was at Ipswich in the Premier League.”

Brighton fans mock Chelsea with Liam Rosenior chant as Blues suffer humiliating 114-year low

Robert Calcutt — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:00:19 +0000

Brighton fans jokingly chanted Liam Rosenior was one of their own as Chelsea lost 3-0 with another sorry performance.

The Blues were second best as goals Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck goals sent the Seagulls above them into sixth.

Chelsea’s season has hit a new low

Getty

Chelsea head coach Rosenior returned to the club that he used to call home whilst facing immense pressure three months into his tenure.

Many of the Brighton faithful took the opportunity to mock the west Londoners during the second half on Tuesday night.

Chants of ‘Liam Rosenior, he’s one of our own!’ could be heard coming from the stands in the latest low point for Chelsea’s season.

They have now lost five consecutive league matches without scoring. Chelsea haven’t been on as bad a run of form since 1912.

Chelsea's last eight results

April 21 – Brighton 3-0 Chelsea – Premier League

April 18 – Chelsea 0-1 Manchester United – Premier League

April 12 – Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City – Premier League

April 4 – Chelsea 7-0 Port Vale – FA Cup

March 21 – Everton 3-0 Chelsea – Premier League

March 17 – Chelsea 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain – Champions League

March 14 – Chelsea 0-1 Newcastle United – Premier League

March 11 – Paris Saint-Germain 5-2 Chelsea – Premier League

Chelsea have one win in their last eight matches in all competitions, a 7-0 thrashing of League One strugglers Port Vale in the FA Cup.

Defeats have come against Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, Everton, Manchester City and Manchester United during the streak.

Brighton have become the latest side to pick up three points against the Blues, who look destined for another trophyless season.

They face in-form Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, live on talkSPORT.

It remains to be seen if Rosenior will remain in charge of Chelsea by the time they kick off at Wembley Stadium.

Once the full-time whistle was blown, the Blues squad faced up to the angry travelling support.

Rosenior was the subject of jibes from Brighton fans

AFP

The Blues head coach faces an uncertain future at the club

A large flag that read ‘BlueCo Out’ was spotted, days after a protest against the ownership.

Chelsea did not manage a single shot on target on the south coast, a damning indication of how low their confidence is at the moment.

Co-owner Behdad Eghbali was in the stands to watch the defeat in person, one of the worst of the ownership’s reign.

After the cup match against Leeds, Chelsea still face to face Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the league.

Now seventh in the table, they look set to miss out on qualifying for European football.

Next Chelsea Manager Odds

Odds provided by talkSPORT BET. 18+ gambleaware.org

Andoni Iraola – 7/4
Filipe Luis – 3/1
Cesc Fabregas – 4/1
Marco Silva – 5/1
Frank Lampard – 8/1
Diego Simeone – 12/1
Oliver Glasner – 12/1
Xavi Hernandez – 16/1

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One-cap England international has World Cup hopes in jeopardy with injury

Jake Lambourne — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:59:00 +0000

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite has been ruled out for around four weeks, talkSPORT understands.

The 23-year-old went off with a hamstring injury during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Branthwaite suffered a potentially season-ending injury in Everton’s derby defeat to Liverpool

AFP

Branthwaite could be seen in tears as he left the pitch on a stretcher in the 87th minute.

The ex-PSV Eindhoven loan star has endured an injury-hit campaign having missed the first half of the season due to a hamstring knock.

He required surgery in October to fix his issue, but the centre-back has now been rocked by another setback.

While his fresh injury is in the right leg which was operated on, it is not believed to be in the same exact area.

Toff luck

Still, he is expected to play no further part this term as Everton look to secure European football for the first time since 2018.

The Toffees currently sit in tenth place with five matches to play – with just three points separating Chelsea in sixth and Fulham in 12th.

And in another bitter pill for Branthwaite to swallow, his dream of playing in this summer’s World Cup is in jeopardy.

Branthwaite should be fit in time for the start of the tournament, however, his lack of minutes this season – the centre-back only making his first Premier League appearance of the season in January – may make Thomas Tuchel believe it’s too big a risk to select him in his England squad.

In total, he featured ten times in the top-flight this term – starting on seven occasions.

His solitary England cap came in June 2024, where he was brought on from the bench in a 3-0 friendly win over Bosnia and Herzegovina prior to Euro 2024.

GettyBranthwaite is set for another spell on the sidelines having already missed five months of action this term[/caption]

England boss Tuchel may not be able to count on Branthwaite at the World Cup this summer

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Since that fixture, Branthwaite has struggled to be fit on a consistent basis, with three separate knocks seeing him miss 20 games for club and country last term.

He has not been named in a Three Lions squad since making his international debut.

Speaking after Everton’s defeat to Liverpool, boss David Moyes expressed his fear that Branthwaite could be set for another spell on the sidelines.

He said: “Jarrad was probably the best player on the pitch.

“I thought he played so well, I’m worried it could be serious, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Moyes then added in his post-match press conference: [There’s no update] but I’m worried, though. We’ve not had any results.”

Everton’s first match without Branthwaite will be against relegation-threatened West Ham on Saturday.

They then welcome Manchester City to Merseyside on Monday, May 4, in a fixture that could prove pivotal in the title race.

£52m Tottenham star would be ‘pretty good’ at Arsenal if he made unthinkable transfer after relegation

Martha Riley — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:36:01 +0000

Tottenham may have found an extra bit of motivation to avoid relegation – it could prevent Xavi Simons from joining bitter rivals Arsenal.

That is after European football journalist Andy Brassell sensationally claimed the Dutchman could be a good fit in the red half of north London should Spurs succumb to the drop.

AFPSimons scored and assisted as Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton at the weekend[/caption]

Roberto De Zerbi‘s men are in real danger of an embarrassing relegation to the Championship as they sit 18th in the Premier League with five games left to play.

And if Spurs are unable to stay in the top-flight, they look destined to lose many of their big-name players in the summer.

Among the stars set for an early exit could be Simons, despite the playmaker only joining the club for a £52million fee last summer.

Tipped to shine after impressing with former club RB Leipzig, the 23-year-old has struggled to make his mark in the Premier League.

With just two goals and five assists in 27 top-flight games, Simons has been in and out of the starting XI in a chaotic season which has seen Tottenham change management three times.

It looked as though his breakthrough moment had finally come at the weekend, when he scored a superb goal to put Spurs 2-1 up against Brighton, only for his side to concede a heartbreaking late equaliser.

Crossing the divide?

While Simons may finally have lift-off in north London after one of his best displays so far, his days in a Spurs shirt could be numbered.

European football expert Andy Brassell named the Netherlands star as one of three first-team players who could depart the club should they get relegated, alongside James Maddison and Micky van de Ven.

Discussing where Simons could move in this scenario, Brassell told talkSPORT: “There’s a high chance of him staying in the Premier League, I would think.

“I looked at the sort of club that could do with him, and obviously he was relatively close to Chelsea before, but it’s hard to know what Chelsea’s plan is in the medium or indeed short term.

Simons has just six goals and seven assists in all competitions this season

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The Dutchman has been billed as a good fit for Newcastle, who could lose Anthony Gordon this summer

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“I think Newcastle really need a number ten. I think he’d be really good for them.”

Then came Brassell’s bombshell tip, who claimed he could picture Simons donning the colours of Spurs’ sworn enemy, Arsenal.

A move across north London would of course prove highly controversial among both sets of fans, with Sol Campbell the last player to go directly to the Gunners from Tottenham in 2001.

However, this wasn’t the only stumbling block to a potential switch, with Brassell pointing out Arsenal will soon have talented teenager Ethan Nwaneri available again as an option in Simons’ position.

On Simons’ options, Brassell continued: “I actually think he could be pretty good for Arsenal.

“But obviously people would respond quite negatively to that – probably Tottenham and Arsenal fans, given the season that he and Spurs have had.

Sol Campbell joined Arsenal from Tottenham in 2001 and landed some huge trophies

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“The other issue with him being an Arsenal player – apart from the obvious – would be that he would block the pathway for Ethan Nwaneri, who’s obviously not had the loan spell that he would want at Marseille so far.

“But someone who’s that dynamic, who can create and score at a high pace, is a fit for the Premier League.

“And he would be good for, I think, any number of teams in the top part of the table.”

Simons a ‘victim of the situation’ at Spurs

Despite arriving in England with a huge reputation, Simons is yet to truly showcase showcase the creativity and flair that saw him become a highly sought-after player whilst at RB Leipzig.

However, Brassell has insisted it is far too early to write Simons off, and claimed he has not been helped by a turbulent period at Spurs.

Highlighting Simons’ qualities, he said: “Xavi Simons is just about to turn 23. He’s got all the ability in the world.

GettySimons was named in the 2023/24 Bundesliga Team of the Season whilst at Leipzig[/caption]

A switch to north London rivals Arsenal would be tempting if Championship football is the alternative

AFP

“There’s been times in his time at RB Leipzig that he was the best player in the Bundesliga. Not the whole time he was there, but for little spells.

“Someone who could take a game by the scruff of the neck, who was incredibly hard-working, that could score, create, go past players.”

Despite a trying debut season in north London, Brassell insisted Simons has not been helped by the situation at Spurs and pointed out that he has showcased his quality in Europe – impressing in a last 16 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.

He added: “I have a little bit of sympathy for his predicament this season. Because really he’s coming to a not particularly great Tottenham side, I think it’s fair to say.

“He’s adapting to the Premier League. Magic is expected of him. And he’s not really been given the time to adapt because he’s been taken off a lot – he’s been subbed fairly often as well in the recent past.

“Now, look, people are going to say: ‘Well, it’s about performances and Spurs need results’.

“But really I think he’s been a victim of the situation. They haven’t been able to give him time to really develop.

“And he’s shown, particularly in the Champions League, that he’s got the ability to do it.”

Manchester United attempt to sign £34m Brazilian wonderkid – but he’s not ready for Premier League

Alex Conrad — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:47:19 +0000

Manchester United are reportedly preparing a bid for a budding Brazilian talent, yet there’s one major issue.

According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are formalising efforts to sign 16-year-old Palmeiras winger Eduardo Conceicao.

Conceicao appears to be the next big talent to emerge from Palmeiras’ production line

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However, the youngster is yet to register a single appearance for Palmeiras’ first team.

Instead, Conceicao has quickly earned admirers from across Europe thanks to impressive displays for Palmeiras’ Under-20s as well as Brazil’s Under-17s.

The 16-year-old has scored twice in five appearances for Brazil’s U17s while he has chalked up eight goal contributions from 13 games across all competitions with Palmeiras’ U20s.

How much is Eduardo Conceicao expected to go for?

Given the potential gem on their hands coupled with heavy interest from some European heavyweights, Palmeiras are intent on driving a hard price for Conceicao.

It’s why the Daily Mail reports United are readying a bid of up to £34million, with bonuses yet to be determined.

However, the Red Devils are expected to face competition for the 16-year-old talent, with Manchester City and Barcelona also reported to be heavily interested in Conceicao.

Regardless of whether United push a deal through, South American football expert Tim Vickery expressed fears whether spending so much on, at least at this stage, an unproven talent, is a wise move.

Tim Vickery’s verdict on United’s interest in Conceicao

When asked on talkSPORT’s Hawksbee and Jacobs if Conceicao was worth the money and what he knew about him, Vickery bluntly replied: “Very little, because he’s not a first team player.

“This is really ripping him out the womb.

“For every Estevao, there is a Luis Guilherme. West Ham spent a fortune on him, couldn’t use him, went to Sporting and didn’t even see him on the bench against Arsenal.”

Carrick could have a Brazilian prodigy on his hands if he is given the permanent job

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As Vickery outlined, Guilherme is a cautionary tale for burgeoning Brazilian talents receiving their big move when they are not ready.

The 20-year-old moved from Palmeiras to West Ham in June 2024 for just over £25m in what was then-Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui‘s first signing.

However, Guilherme, a winger, failed to make an impact in east London as he was shipped off to Sporting Lisbon in January without scoring in any of his 18 appearances for West Ham.

Dangers of ‘premature move’ laid bare

Given how poorly Guilherme’s English adventure turned out, Vickery believes players need to be wary of going down a similar path.

“As a general rule, I’m very, very concerned by the premature move,” Vickery said.

“I think more careers get lost as a consequence of the premature move.

Estevao has given Chelsea fans several tastes of his vast potential this season

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“Some are boosted by it. How many are Estevao? Not many.”

Like Vickery hinted, Estevao may be more of an exception rather than the rule.

Chelsea struck a deal with Palmeiras to sign Estevao in June 2024, with the fee reaching up to £56m, but had to wait until last summer before he was officially a Blue.

It hasn’t taken long for Estevao to win over Chelsea supporters thanks to his history-making feats and fleet-footed dribbling which has helped the teen chalk up 12 goal contributions across all competitions.

Unfortunately it appears the 18-year-old’s season may be done given he sustained a hamstring injury during Chelsea’s 1-0 loss to Manchester United last weekend.

Visibly delighted Erling Haaland celebrates his goals against Arsenal on FC 26 48 hours after win

Alex Conrad — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:45:16 +0000

Not even in the virtual world can Arsenal’s defenders escape Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian superstar was the hero in real life on Sunday as his winner helped Manchester City secure a 2-1 win over the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium.

Haaland bagged his 23rd goal of the season against Arsenal but it could be his most important

City’s win had major implications on the Premier League title race as Pep Guardiola’s side moved just three points behind league leaders Arsenal.

The margin could be wiped out entirely on Wednesday when City travel to 19th-placed Burnley for their game in hand, where a win would draw the visitors level on points with the Gunners.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, City could also steal a march on goal difference as Burnley are the league’s worst defensive team having shipped 67 goals this term.

Wednesday night’s contest is one that will certainly have goal machine Haaland licking his lips as he looks to add to his 23 Premier League goals this term.

Living in Haa Haa Land

To get himself in the mood, and twist the knife even further into Arsenal amid their significant title blow, Haaland hopped on his Xbox to play EA Sports FC 26.

Haaland’s gaming session was part of his latest YouTube video, titled ‘Day in the Life of a Pro Footballer’.

In the video, Haaland takes fans through his daily routine at City’s vast training complex.

He receives a massage from one of the club’s physiotherapist before being brought a rather unique coffee.

Haaland requests his coffee be made by the team’s barista using collagen, maple syrup and his own coffee beans.

The Norwegian superstar then takes part in a training session before the team gathers for lunch.

Arsenal fans were seeing double with Haaland scoring against them on EA FC 26

talkSPORT

It’s then time for Haaland to head home, where he fires up the Xbox and plays EA FC 26.

Deja vu

Given their match was only a few days old, it seemed fitting Haaland chose to play as City against Arsenal.

It wasn’t long before history repeated itself, as Haaland bagged a goal in the 13th minute of the virtual game.

“Yes!” Haaland roared, before telling the cameraman to ‘look at the celebration’.

The video then cuts to Haaland’s monitor, where he is shown celebrating by sitting down in his cross-legged position and imitating a yoga pose.

Haaland decides to copy the celebration on his couch, rubbing further salt into the wounds of Arsenal supporters.

Haaland wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to score against Arsenal again

YouTube/Erling Haaland

Sadly for any Arsenal supporters who are still left watching the video, Haaland bags a second goal for City on the game.

He celebrates with his arms outstretched and adds: “What a time to be alive.”

The video is the latest on Haaland’s YouTube channel, which already boasts over 1.5million subscribers.

Haaland to join the Sidemen?

Along with his ‘Day in the Life’ series, Haaland has uploaded videos of him playing golf, going undercover as Santa in Manchester and reacting to old football equipment.

But one of his most watched videos is a collaboration between him and the Sidemen, who are a group of content creators and boast a staggering 23million subscribers on YouTube.

The Sidemen are also renowned for hosting an annual charity football match, with this year’s edition taking place last Saturday at a sold-out Wembley.

The Sidemen Charity Match was played in front of 90,000 people on Saturday

Although the teams aren’t brimming with the same type of celebrity status as those who play in SoccerAid, the Sidemen game is immensely popular with the younger generation and tickets for their charity match sold out in two hours.

Central to participation in the Sidemen’s charity match is that all players must be content creators, something which darts superstar Luke Littler, who previously expressed his desire to get involved, is not.

But with Haaland now a budding YouTube star along with being one of the best strikers in the world, could he be eligible for an invite to the next Sidemen charity match?

Unfortunately that doesn’t appear to be the case, with Vikram Barn (Vikkstar) and Ethan Page (Behzinga) explaining to talkSPORT why Haaland wasn’t drafted in.

“We didn’t want to show him up,” Vikkstar said.

Behzinga added: “A couple of FPL blanks, wouldn’t want him to blank here as well.”

EFL boss almost missed son’s Liverpool debut a day after his team were promoted

Joe Brophy — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:33:49 +0000

Andy Woodman has lifted the lid on a historic weekend for his family after his son Freddie made his Premier League debut for Liverpool.

The 54-year-old was already on cloud nine after Bromley sealed League One promotion for the first time in club history a day before.

Woodman kept a clean sheet during his time on the pitch

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Woodman was due to toast his success at Sunday’s EFL Awards, in which he was ultimately named League Two manager of the season.

However, the Bromley boss had cause to celebrate early when his son was thrust into the heart of the Merseyside derby that afternoon.

Prior to Liverpool’s 2-1 win over rivals Everton, Freddie Woodman had only played for Liverpool once – in the Carabao Cup in October.

The Reds’ third-choice goalkeeper – an arrival on a free-transfer last summer – made his Premier League debut for Arne Slot‘s side at Hill Dickinson Stadium following an injury to Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The 29-year-old will now be needed between the sticks with the Georgian sidelined for several weeks, and No.1 stopper Alisson Becker already in the treatment room.

Bromley boss on son Freddie’s Liverpool league debut

Dad Andy joined talkSPORT on Monday and told Ally McCoist that his EFL awards commitments almost kept him from watching.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” the Bromley boss said on Breakfast. “I was at the EFL Awards, just about to get ready to put my suit on. So I must have jumped in the shower.

“I was watching the game. I must have jumped in the shower and come out. And I hadn’t taken a lot of notice.

“Then suddenly the ball went down on his head. And all of a sudden, that was it. I was frozen solid.

Bromley have been promoted to England’s third-tier for the first time in their history

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“Super proud,” Soon-to-be League One head coach Woodman continued. “Super proud for Freddie. Anyone who knows him.

“There’s a lot of people who have helped him on his journey. But he’s an ultimate professional. And he works and grafts hard.

“For him to play for Liverpool is fantastic. For him to play in a derby match was brilliant.

“I just spoke to him earlier this morning. And yeah, he’s absolutely made up and delighted with how it went.”

Freddie Woodman made one save during the half-an-hour he was on the pitch, but the one heart-in-mouth moment came with a near mix-up with Virgil van Dijk just outside the Liverpool box.

Fortunately for Liverpool, their homegrown goalkeeper coolly headed away the danger without using his hands.

Woodman dealt with his one potentially hairy moment well

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‘My heart was in my mouth’

Woodman Sr was jokingly asked by Jeff Stelling whether he would have a word with Bromley No.1 Grant Smith in the same circumstance.

And the ex-Arsenal goalkeeping coach laughed and replied: “Listen, I’ve told Freddie for years. Stay right on your line. Don’t get involved.

“As a goalkeeper, I mean, if you’ve played in goal, you know that that’s that tricky moment. Yours, mine. Yours, mine. What happens here?

“My heart was in my mouth. And I’ve seen Freddie do this so many times. He’s just calm. Whereas I’m like, ‘Oh my God, just put your boot through it.’

“He was fantastic in that moment. It was a horrible moment, that, for a goalkeeper. But thankfully, he dealt with it in the right way.”

Liverpool fans and players all heaped praise on their third-choice goalkeeper

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Reaction to Bromley promoted

As mentioned, Andy Woodman had even more cause to celebrate with his own side guaranteeing an automatic promotion place.

The Ravens’ goalless draw at home to Cambridge United had put the League Two leaders on the cusp of a place in the third tier.

Their fate was confirmed after Notts County lost 2-1 to Barnet, leaving them with an unassailable seven-point lead over fourth place.

Three seasons ago, Bromley were playing Oxford City and Kidderminster – next year, they look destined to face Leicester City.

“It’s starting to sink in, especially when I’m hearing the sort of budget I might have against those big boys,” he continued.

“Yeah, it’s great for the football club. The excitement around the place for everyone to start thinking about going to those big clubs is brilliant and a little daunting as well.

“But look, this is why we’re in it. We want to get this club as high as we can, and it is a little bit of a Cinderella story at the moment for Bromley.”

“Ally, I really did [think promotion was possible at the start of the season],” Woodman added.

Woodman previously had coaching experience at West Ham, Newcastle and Arsenal

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“I set out a meeting at the beginning of the season back in July, and I called it Project 73 and broke down every month, every game and what we’ve got to hit every month to hit 73 points to get in the playoffs.

“And the lads really brought into that, and it became our strapline where 73 points would get us in the playoffs.

“We got to Christmas, and the guys just churned through the Christmas month.

“I made a real big thing about the Christmas month, which is where a lot of teams and players and managers lose focus.

Bromley’s draw with Cambridge meant they were promoted off the pitch

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“And these boys didn’t lose focus, and they won all their games over Christmas, and we hit January 1st in first position.

“So then, literally at that point, I called it Project Champions, and the lads just bought into it.

“We’re not champions yet, but we certainly went on a run of games, and we found ourselves where we are.

“And credit to all my staff and major credits to my players, who are an excellent bunch.”

Every Arsenal and Man City result predicted as Premier League title race goes to the wire

Jack Cunningham — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:26:00 +0000

Man City blew the Premier League title race wide open with a 2-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday.

And talkSPORT pundits have been predicting how they see it ending with just a few games to play.

Man City are purring now, and we are all set for a proper title race

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The Gunners arrived at the Etihad with a six-point lead over City and left with that being cut to three.

But Pep Guardiola‘s side have the chance to leapfrog Arsenal in the table on goal difference should they beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night – live on talkSPORT – before the north Londoners welcome Newcastle to the Emirates on Saturday.

That is a far cry from a few weeks ago when the Gunners were ten points clear after a 2-0 win over Everton – and had the chance to go briefly 12 clear should they have beaten Bournemouth after the international break.

Since then, Man City have found a rhythm and have capitalised on Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to the Cherries.

If Mikel Arteta‘s men win all of their remaining fixtures, they can reach 85 points, which City can only manage if they win all of their matches as well, including their game in hand against Crystal Palace.

So, it’s looking like it is going right to the wire, and talkSPORT pundits have been casting their predictions for the remainder of the campaign.

McCoist and Stelling

First up is the dynamic duo of Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist.

The Scotsman believes that win for City at the Etihad has swung the momentum back in their favour despite Arsenal still being top.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, he said: “I think City are favourites just because of the momentum, but City probably slightly edge it in terms of tougher games.

“But the form they are in, and the momentum they are carrying, and the belief makes them the favourites.

Arsenal go into Saturday’s clash against Newcastle having lost their last two league games

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“Arsenal will be disappointed, but I thought their overall performance wasn’t too shabby.”

Later on Breakfast, McCoist and Stelling sat down and worked out how many points the two giants will get in their remaining Premier League games.

McCoist went first, reeling off City’s fixtures, as he remarked: “Burnley away – three points. Everton away – a point. Brentford at home – three points. Bournemouth away – one point. Crystal Palace at home – three points. Aston Villa – three points. That means they are going to get 14 points.

“Arsenal: Newcastle at home – three points. Fulham at home – three points. West Ham away – one point. Burnley at home – three points. Palace away – three points. Arsenal are winning it by two points. Let’s move on.”

Stelling asked McCoist to go back through his list before: “I’ve given Arsenal 13 points, but I’ve given City 16, so it would go down to goal difference.”

McCoist then added: “It could. I definitely accept that the momentum has swung with City – I don’t think there is any doubt about that, but it’s going to go all the way.”

Man City could be top of the table by the time Arsenal face Newcastle on Saturday

Arsenal are wobbling at the wrong time, but they now have a very clear idea of what to do

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Perry Groves and Adrian Clarke

So, McCoist can see Arsenal just pipping City to the title, and that is exactly what Perry Groves thinks will happen to.

The Gunners legend, who won two First Division titles at Highbury, believes his former employers will come out on top by two points.

Speaking on talkSPORT’s latest episode of Inside Gooners, the panel discussed both Arsenal and City’s remaining games.

And for Groves, and fellow ex-Arsenal player Adrian Clarke, Arteta’s men have been tipped to win their final five fixtures.

Highlighting how important the Burnley match is for both teams, Groves said: “Burnley, they could have a massive impact on who wins the title this year.

“Because obviously, City play them on Wednesday, we play them at home, it could come down to goal difference or goals scored.

Remaining fixtures

Arsenal

Newcastle – H – April 25

Fulham – H – May 2

West Ham – A – May 10

Burnley – A – May 17

Crystal Palace – H – May 24

Man City

Burnley – A – April 22

Everton – A – May 4

Brentford – H – May 9

Crystal Palace – H – TBC

Bournemouth – A – May 17

Aston Villa – H – May 24

This is crunch time now for Guardiola and Arteta

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“So when you’re playing Burnley, if you’re hopefully not sticky and you’re about two or three up, you’ve got to keep going and hope you beat Burnley by five or six, because that could have a massive impact.”

Interjecting, Clarke then stated: “They aren’t down when they play City, but when they play us, they’ll be down.”

Both Groves and Clarke then commented on the potential title-defining fixture between Bournemouth and City at the Vitality Stadium.

Pinpointing this to be the only game that the Citizens drop points in, Clarke quipped: “They’re getting spanked at Bournemouth.”

Before adding: “It’s the game that gives me optimism.”

Groves meanwhile said: “Bournemouth will be all over them like a bad rash.”

None of Arsenal’s last five games come against teams currently sitting in the top half of the table

AFP

He continued: “At the moment, Bournemouth are in great form [no losses in 13 matches], so you can play teams at the wrong time.

“And there’s a team that you saw against Newcastle [2-1 win for Bournemouth at St James’ Park] that even though their manager [Andoni Iraola] is leaving, they are playing for the manager.

“And you know when you don’t really enjoy pressing situations, the Bournemouth players are enjoying playing, because of the way that they play.

“So that could be a little draw.”

On his prediction that Arsenal will win the title by two points, Groves concluded by saying: “Logic doesn’t work like that in football, but honestly, I think we could be back to 1989.

“It could go back to, we won it on goals scored or goal difference, so it just means when we’re on top in every game, you can’t just go, ‘We’re comfortably winning 2-0 or 3-0,’ if you are 2-0 or 3-0 up, you’ve got to keep going, because that could be a massive difference.”

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Martin Keown

And another Gunners legend in Martin Keown still believes Arsenal can do it.

He feels Man City have momentum, but the pressure will now be back on them.

Speaking on White and Jordan, he said: “Arsenal can win this. They can still win it. I know they’ve opened the door…

“The League Cup final impacted the players, and I thought they were second best, but they weren’t second best yesterday. I didn’t really see it.

“I don’t like using that word (bottle), and I think it is far too early to be talking about that. I saw everybody giving their best yesterday, I didn’t see anybody struggling.

“If [Kai] Havertz scored in the last minute, I see that as a fair result, so we still go to war.

Havertz missed two massive chances in the second half at the Etihad

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“If Arsenal had got a draw, we would be bang on favourites.

“But they (Man City) are coming together at the right time. They’ve found a rhythm.

“But the pressure must swing because Man City are on for a treble.”

Listen to Man City’s clash with Burnley on Wednesday exclusively live on talkSPORT.

Liverpool urged against selling squad player who is crucial to club’s identity

Jack Cunningham — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:16:14 +0000

Liverpool have been told they must keep Curtis Jones at the club next season because of his connections to the city.

The Inside Liverpool panel believe the Reds should always have one local lad in the team.

Jones was everywhere for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby

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Jones is a player who isn’t guaranteed to start the majority of games, but turned in a very good display at right-back in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over inner-city rivals Everton on Sunday.

Virgil van Dijk scored a last-minute winner as the Reds beat the Toffees at Hill Dickinson Stadium to put themselves in a great position to qualify for the Champions League, while also claiming bragging rights for another year.

However, reports have suggested that Jones could be one of several Liverpool players on the move this summer.

Former professional boxer and massive Reds fan Paul Smith thinks a Scouser should always be in the Liverpool team.

On the latest episode of Inside Liverpool, he said: “He will have to up his game, and he would argue you need continuity to up your game, and that goes for every sport.

“If you are not competing regularly, you are not going to reach your full potential.

“Mac Allister has proven quality, he just hasn’t been at it this year, along with several other players, he has been quite poor.

“I was standing next to a bloke before the game, and he said there had been a big fallout between Mac Allister and Slot, and Mac Allister has looked angry the last few games I’ve seen him.

“And he’s not been at his best lately. Jones is the local lad, and we need a Scouser in the team all the time, in my opinion.

“Definitely in the squad to keep that identity of what it means, and the players who have been there for a few years get it now, and they understand what it means for local fans.

Jones filled in at right-back and performed admirably against Iliman Ndiaye

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“For Liverpool, it is always good to have a local lad in the team.”

The conversation started with host Sam Ellard praising Jones’ display.

He said: “I just wanted to pick up on Curtis Jones, as well as completing the most passes and having the best passing accuracy, he also made the most recoveries and won possession nine times in the Everton defensive third.

“I really rate Curtis Jones as a player. I have a little bit of sympathy for him because it’s not just under Arne Slot, but even under previous Liverpool managers, he has never really been a mainstay in the team, has he?

“I look at him, and he’s got so much ability, but he’s never been able to kick on and reach the most of his potential. But when you are a player who starts one in every four or five, it must be really hard to do that.

“How do you see him developing as a player? Can you see him ever being a guaranteed lock in the starting XI or is he better being a squad player?”

Slot has elected not to use Jones as much as he possibly could have

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Pennant responded: “It’s clear to see that he’s got ability, and it’s no secret that in the derby, the only Scouser in the team was Curtis.

“He knows this derby and was probably Man of the Match for me. He played amazing at right-back.

“He was composed on the ball. I thought he was fantastic, and he’s got that ability.

“I just think sometimes you just need continuity to get into a regular rhythm to get your confidence up.

“Sometimes, chopping and changing positions and coming in and out of the team is hard, and he gets judged week in, week out.

“For some reason, he doesn’t get the same chances that the others get. Mac Allister has been way off it, but Slot is still playing him ahead of Jones.

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“I would like to see him there next season because he can do a job all over the pitch.”

Future unclear

Despite the Inside Liverpool panel being unanimous on their view that Jones should stay, the reality is a bit different.

The 25-year-old will have just one year left on his contract in the summer, and though he’s played a lot of games this season, not many of them have been starts, with just 13 starts in the Premier League.

And there are reports that suggest the former England international is unhappy, so with Liverpool looking to re-energise their squad, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Jones is in the final weeks of his time at Liverpool that started in the academy.

Arsenal made Premier League title statement despite defeat to Man City – and they were robbed

Jake Lambourne — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:14:14 +0000

Arsenal may have squandered their Premier League title advantage – but their defeat to Manchester City shows they are well in the fight.

That’s the view of former Gunners duo Perry Groves and Adrian Clarke, who loved what they saw in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at the Etihad.

Arsenal’s chances of winning a first Premier League title in 22 years hang in the balance

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Mikel Arteta‘s men had the chance against Bournemouth in the fixture prior to briefly go 12 points clear at the top with six games to go.

But having lost by the same scoreline to the Cherries and the Citizens in back-to-back matches, the Gunners are now just three clear of Pep Guardiola‘s men.

And the North London outfit could now be knocked off first place should City, who have been top of the table for just six days this season, win away at Burnley on Wednesday night – live on talkSPORT.

Gooners around the globe are already fretting they have blown their best chance to win a first top-flight title since 2004.

However, talkSPORT’s Inside Gooners panel remain more than hopeful that Arsenal can end 22 years of pain – despite the tide appearing to turn in City’s favour.

Arsenal have been accused of boring, negative football in recent months – with there being the expectation that they would play for a draw at the Etihad.

But the visitors would have walked away feeling hard done by with the result having hit the woodwork twice in the second half through Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes.

Meanwhile Kai Havertz, who scored the opener, missed two gilt-edged chances as Arsenal took the game to the Carabao Cup holders.

It was Arsenal’s shift in mindset in being on the front foot rather than sitting back that left Groves and Clarke confident of an upturn in form.

Speaking in the latest episode, Clarke said: “I’m feeling like it’s not done [title race], I’m feeling as if there’s plenty more life in the season yet.

The Gunners have lost back-to-back games in the Premier League for the first time this season

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“And weirdly, even though the result was not what any of us wanted, I feel slightly more positive about our prospects of winning the league, now, than I did ahead of the game.

“And I know that doesn’t make sense, but there were definitely good bits that we can sort of hang on a little bit moving forward, so I’m feeling OK.”

Groves then remarked: “I’m feeling a lot more positive than what I was on my five-and-a-half-journey from the Etihad!”

Echoing similar thoughts, Arsenal fan and broadcaster Clive Palmer then stated: “In a strange way, these games are quite clarifying, because you see what you’ve got, and you maybe see a little bit of what you haven’t got.

“Walking into this game, maybe I actually underplayed how important performance is, we’ve had some really good results with poor performance, we didn’t have a good result [at City], but the performance was really encouraging.

“Looking forward now, I can see plans in my mind about how we’re going to play, what we’re going to do, whereas before this game, I felt we lost ourselves a little bit on the pitch.

Man City could be top of the table by the time Arsenal face Newcastle on Saturday

“But we definitely refound ourselves, everything about who we are was rediscovered, and so from that basis, your next step is really simple, just get one win, that’s what it’s all about.

“Get one win, and then we can plan after that, and that’s what the focus this week should be.”

For Groves, who won two First Division titles at Highbury, he believes that Arsenal’s display at the Etihad was a statement that they can go all the way.

He said: “The whole game changed on the minute-and-a-half to two minutes where Havertz goes through, brilliant pass from [Martin] Odegaard, he should score, brilliant save from [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, and then the follow-up save from [Gabriel] Martinelli.

“And then with Eze hitting the inside of the post, if that goes in at 1-1 and we go 2-1 up, it’s a different game and then the Etihad then quietens completely down.

“I had a 20-minute walk [after the game] which was the worst walk of my life, but then I had the think tank car journey home where you actually have time to reflect, and the longer the journey got, the more my mood changed and the more positive I got.

None of Arsenal’s last five games come against teams currently sitting in the top half of the table

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“And I thought, ‘Actually, we’ve made a statement here,’ if you was a neutral [fan], that would have been a brilliant game to watch, because we actually created mayhem in their backyard.

“That’s what we’ve got to do at the Emirates [in upcoming game against Newcastle], and the players should be sitting there, disappointed they got beat, but proud of their performance.

“And thinking, ‘Actually, we can go and roll over teams now,’ that’s what we’ve got to do.”

Later in the show, Groves added: “You can’t criticise Arteta for the philosophy that he went out with, he thought, ‘Right, we’re going to make a statement here.’

“From now until the end of the season, he’s got to go bold with his team selections, where people were surprised he had Eze and Odegaard in the same side.

“He’s got to do it at home, he’s got to make substitutions earlier, which he has been [doing].

Arteta is still waiting for his first win over Guardiola at the Etihad

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“It’s a weird thing, getting beat 2-1, but I still think there is a momentum that you can find from losing 2-1.

“Because we all did the show [before City match], and we all said, ‘If we ain’t going to get a result, you need a performance to hang onto something.’

“We can look at that performance and go, ‘Yeah, actually, Arsenal fans have got something to hang on to.'”

It was Erling Haaland who once again proved to be Arsenal’s thorn in their side, having now scored in four consecutive league games against them.

Though his eventual winner wasn’t without controversy, as he was spotted grabbing the shirt of Gabriel to make space for the shot as he slipped his low strike beyond the outstretched arm of David Raya.

But despite Gabriel also being involved in the physical tussle, Clarke has stated that VAR should have intervened and ruled out the goal.

Haaland could be seen pulling Gabriel’s shirt as he tucked the ball into the bottom left corner

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Despite Groves believing the winner was fair, Clarke raged: “I think it’s 100 per cent a foul.

“The reason I say it, they’re both pulling each other initially, so that’s why people are saying, ‘It’s 50/50.’

“But Gabriel had actually stopped pulling him, and at that moment, he [Haaland] has grabbed the shirt of Gabriel, and it’s virtually coming off his neck.

“If you pause it, there is only one player holding the shirt of the other.”

He concluded his argument by saying: “It’s great centre-forward play, but I’m telling you now, if a defender pulls the shirt of a forward like that, it’s a pen.

“But I’m not crying about it, it’s one of those.”

Premier League club forced to close stand for entire season in effort to meet crunch Euro 2028 deadline

Alex Conrad — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:12:50 +0000

Aston Villa have announced it will close the North Stand for the entire 2026/27 season.

In a club statement, Villa said the decision was made as part of an ‘accelerated timeline’ that is anticipated to reduce costs.

Villa Park will look a little different in 2027

Aston Villa

More importantly, the revamped North Stand will increase the capacity of Villa Park to an estimated 52,500 in time for Euro 2028.

Why is Villa revamping the North Stand?

“The redevelopment will also deliver substantial football infrastructure benefits, including the creation of approximately 500 square metres of new first-team changing, medical and physiotherapy facilities, alongside the upgrade of all player competition areas,” the statement continued.

“These improvements will ensure the club is fully compliant with UEFA and Premier League regulations, while supporting the ongoing development and performance of the first-team environment.”

Francesco Calvo, Villa’s President of Business Operations, insisted the decision to remove an entire stand, which will reduce Villa Park’s capacity to just over 37,000 and temporarily displace dozens of season ticket holders, was not one ‘we take lightly.’

“However, it is the right decision and one that we have made with our supporters and the long-term future of the club at the heart of our thinking,” Calvo said.

“By completing the redevelopment in one season, we reduce disruption, improve the Villa Park experience more quickly and ensure we are investing responsibly while remaining compliant with financial regulations.”

Villa commenced work on the new-look North Stand, which will wrap around into the Trinity Road Stand, during the March international break.

The revamped North Stand will be the latest in a string of improvements recently made at Villa Park.

Upgrades galore

In December, Villa launched ‘The Warehouse’, a live entertainment venue on the grounds of Villa Park which boasts a 3,500 capacity.

It experienced its soft opening on December 21, when Villa beat Manchester United 2-1 thanks to two stunning strikes from Morgan Rogers.

Villa Park will soon boast a capacity of over 50,000

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Aside from being a destination for Villa fans to meet up before and after home matches, The Warehouse is designed to host a wide range of live events including music, comedy, theatrical shows, exhibitions and other sporting occasions such as boxing and darts.

The Warehouse will also play host to talkSPORT’s Fan Zone for the 2026 World Cup, with the venue to show all of England’s fixtures throughout the tournament.

Villa legend and talkSPORT’s very own Gabby Agbonlahor will be there to host proceedings for England’s first World Cup match against Croatia on June 17.

Villa’s European dream intact

Villa’s decision to close the North Stand for the entire 2026/27 campaign comes as Unai Emery’s side look set to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Villans sit fourth in the Premier League with 58 points, ten clear of sixth-placed Chelsea with five league fixtures remaining.

Villa could secure their spot in next season’s Champions League as soon as Saturday should Chelsea lose to Brighton on Tuesday and Emery’s men beat Fulham in the early kick-off.

Villa are on the brink of reaching the Champions League for the second time in three seasons

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Barring a complete capitulation in the Premier League, Villa could also qualify for the Champions League by emerging victorious in the Europa League.

Villa are in the semi-finals of the competition, where they face English rivals Nottingham Forest.

Should Villa get past Forest, they await the winner of Braga or Freiburg in the final, which is due to be played on May 20.

Karren Brady leaves West Ham with immediate effect in surprise announcement

Jack Cunningham — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:45:43 +0000

Baroness Karren Brady has stepped down from her role as West Ham United’s vice-chair.

The Times report that the British businesswoman has left the club after 16 years.

Brady was a key player in West Ham’s move to the Olympic Stadium

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Brady, also known for being one of Sir Alan Sugar‘s assistants on The Apprentice, was a huge reason West Ham left Upton Park and went to the London Stadium, a move that has proven to be very unpopular.

Her departure marks the end of her business relationship with West Ham’s owner David Sullivan.

Brady first started working Sullivan nearly 40 years ago when she persuade him to buy Birmingham City and became managing director in 1993.

In a statement released to The Times, Brady said: “It has been a privilege to work alongside the board, management, players, staff and supporters at West Ham United.

“Together we have achieved remarkable milestones, but the highlight for me will always be lifting the Uefa Europa Conference League trophy — a moment that will stay with me forever. I am deeply grateful for the relationships, challenges and opportunities that have shaped my time at the club.

“While this chapter closes, my passion for football and commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders remains undiminished. I wish West Ham United every success for the future and look forward to following their continued achievements with pride.”

Sullivan also provided a statement in which he said: “Karren has been an exceptional leader and a key figure in the club’s development over the years. We wish her every success in her future endeavours and thank her for her outstanding contribution over the past 16 years.”

The joint-chair, Daniel Kretinsky, added: “I want to thank Karren most sincerely for our collaboration since 2021, and for all the work she has done in the past for the club. Her contribution to West Ham United’s growth, such as the long-term contract for the London Stadium, shareholders transition and the British record transfer of Declan Rice, has been absolutely essential and not always fully appreciated.

“Karren is also very highly appreciated in the Premier League leadership community and was an excellent representative of our club there. I wish her the best of luck in all future activities.”

Sullivan and Brady worked together from their time at Birmingham

Brady’s departure will please some West Ham fans, who have been asking for her to leave for some time

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West Ham are still fighting for their Premier League survival with five games left to go.

The Hammers are two points clear of Tottenham in 18th.

talkSPORT verdict

talkSPORT’s Chief Football Correspondent Alex Crook jumped onto Breakfast this morning to discuss Brady’s shock departure.

He said: “I first started to hear whispers about this a couple of months ago – it was denied by the club. They said it was very much business as usual.

“But this has been a decision that has been in the offing for some time now – 16 years Karren Brady has been at West Ham United as vice-chair.

“I guess her legacy will be overseeing the controversial move from Upton Park to the London Stadium. They have won a European trophy.

“But she has been a divisive character, alongside David Sullivan. There have been big protests from West Ham fans against the two outside of the stadium this season, and I guess she’s decided she’s had enough of those protests.

“I think her departure will be celebrated by West Ham supporters, but there is no question she’s been a standard-bearer for women in football and has held a very senior position at a top Premier League club for a long time.”

Regarding the timing with the Hammers embroiled in a relegation battle, Crook said: “I’ve not yet got any clarity from the club regarding the timing.

“But they are in a better position now than they were a few weeks ago when these rumours first surfaced – it was February when someone first gave me the nod when they were very much deep in relegation danger at that point.

“They’ve climbed out of the bottom three, though, it wasn’t the most inspiring performance last night, but they are two points clear of Spurs, so maybe she is thinking it is better to walk away when they are out of the relegation zone than when they are bang in trouble.

“It’s still going to be a fight for West Ham, it looks like a shootout between them and Tottenham for that final relegation place.”

talkSPORT understands that West Ham will wait to confirm her replacement until they find out what division they are in.

Brady has increased revenue at West Ham, but became an increasingly divisive figure

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What’s next for Brady?

In an official statement from West Ham, the club confirmed that the 57-year-old would focus on her own business interests.

She also has a place in the House of Lords and plenty of non-executive roles away from football.

In the statement, the club praised her for securing the move from Upton Park to the London Stadium.

They also mentioned the fact the club has more than 50,000 season ticket holders and regularly boasts one of the biggest attendances in world football.

Leicester transfer harmed my career but I was part of unlikely 5000/1 Premier League title

Jack Johnson — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:29:02 +0000

Life as a Leicester City player or fan has never been straightforward and it often brings a rapid rollercoaster of emotions.

And the last decade has been the perfect example, with the Foxes relegated to League One next season as cheers in the stands have turned to jeers.

Leicester won the Premier League title in 2016 in one of the sport’s greatest stories

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Leicester, though, have suffered another relegation and will now play in the third tier

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Their drop to the third tier of the English football pyramid has come ten years on from their iconic Premier League title-winning campaign in 2016.

Many fond memories will return to the forefront of the minds of all those involved with Leicester for the historic achievement.

One of those lucky people was Gokhan Inler, who had joined the club from Napoli the preceding summer before becoming a title winner.

But that ever-present Leicester-themed rollercoaster of emotions didn’t keep away, even in a year that everything seemed perfect.

In fact, a large part of Inler’s career ended up being ruined during his time as a Foxes player, putting a dampener on his experience.

‘The most difficult season in my career’

“I had the chance after Napoli to go to Leicester,” he told talkSPORT.com during Udinese’s international media days event. “[Manager] Claudio Ranieri wanted me a lot…it was an amazing experience.

“But personally, for me, it was the most difficult season, year, in my career.”

He went on to explain: “First of all, Leicester City, nobody [around the world] knows. But I knew it from the coach, Ranieri and some players.

“I was going there to be a leader, to help the team, to help and add my experience with the team. But personally, it was not easy.

“Why not easy? Because we had all great players. Before, nobody knew them and we created a great team spirit under Ranieri.

Inler’s career took a downward turn after he signed for Leicester

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“We saw him, Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater, Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, Christian Fuchs, Danny Simpson, Marc Albrighton, Shinji Okazaki and more – fantastic players.”

It came at a tough time for him personally, losing the captain’s armband at international level and missed out on Switzerland’s Euro 2016 squad.

“I suffered a lot. That’s why, for me, it was really hard because as a national player, I played 89 games [for Switzerland] and was not in the Euro 2016 squad. I was sad because I invested a lot.”

Inler never represented his country again. Their manager, Vladimir Petkovic, said at the time: “I am truly sorry for Gokhan. He is a great player, a great character, but I had to remain faithful to my ideas and my actions.”

His Swiss snub came amid his lack of gametime at Leicester, with him only making five Premier League appearances throughout his spell at the club, failing to displace Kante and Drinkwater’s partnership.

The midfielder lost his place in the Swiss national team due to his spell at Leicester

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Tough to accept

The former midfielder found it very tough to accept that his national team were going to play in a major tournament without him.

“The coach told me if I’m not playing regularly it’s difficult for him to take me to Euro 2016.

“But it’s his decision, it was his decision. For me, it was too hard.”

But he had no choice but to continue working hard and trying to influence from the sidelines.

Inler pushed past his disappointment to try and help Kante and his other teammates

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Inler may not have played for Leicester often, but he understood his role and how he wouldn’t be starting over the Foxes’ stars.

“I couldn’t say anything because really the competition was high,” he admitted. “The players were great. They respected each other.

“They respected me because I was in training every day [despite the lack of minutes]. I pushed them. I pushed Kante, I pushed Drinkwater.

“Also, Andy King was in the midfield. We had a great competition. I can’t say anything. Everybody gave their 100 per cent.

“Our training was always high-intensity…it was not only 11 players, the whole team, all staff. We had really a great spirit.

“But this suffering is, in the end, what earned me a Premier League title.”

Despite his troubles, Inler became a part of a historic story

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And he will forever be known as a member of Leicester’s title-winning squad

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A part of Premier League history

On the amazing 5000/1 title victory, Inler recalled preparing himself mentally.

“Look, I see the football now from outside. Because playing eight years consistently in Italy then going to Leicester and only playing five games was a huge shock.

“But because mentality is one of my strengths I said I want to fight back,” he added, saying he relished training every day with the group of players.

“But we never lost, we lost only rare games…and Ranieri said to me: “How can I change a winning team?”

“I accepted that I respected the experience, which will stay with me for my life. This will always be in my heart. Many, many players couldn’t have this experience.

“And this helped me also after the career. It’s not easy, but I can explain to the players that football is not just now, you need to perform every day.

“That’s why the Premier League, I enjoyed. I enjoyed it. It was a hard time, but in the end, I was also in the boat, part of the history.”

VARDY PARTY

Inler now gets to watch Vardy in Italy where he is part of the Cremonese side.

“He was the spirit of the side,” he recalled of the 24-goal hero who had a house party to watch the Battle of Stamford Bridge between Tottenham and Chelsea where a 2-2 draw handed Leicester the title.

“You saw him on the pitch, you saw him in the games, he’s scoring, he was a leader, he invited us to his house.

“All these things make him Jamie Vardy. That’s why the spirit was really strong.

“We had a different culture of players, and everybody went in the right direction. That’s why we had a great base, a great, strong base.”

He added: “He was also a great leader, a funny guy, a crazy guy, but on the pitch, he was on fire.”

West Ham relegate Wolves and keep Tottenham in trouble with draw at Crystal Palace

Ciaran Wiseman — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:54:44 +0000

Wolves have been relegated from the Premier League after an eight-year stay in the top flight.

Their fate was sealed by West Ham‘s goalless draw at Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Wolves have been relegated to the Championship after West Ham’s draw with Palace

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The result leaves Rob Edwards’ side 16 points from safety with just five matches of the season remaining.

They could be joined in the Championship by Burnley, who will be relegated if they lose to Manchester City on Wednesday, live and exclusively on talkSPORT.

It could prove to be a crucial result for the Hammers, though, in their own fight for survival.

West Ham have now lost just one of their last five Premier League matches following the stalemate at Selhurst Park.

The result leaves Nuno Espirito Santo’s men two points above the bottom three in 17th.

Meanwhile, it is also a blow to Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of escaping from the drop zone.

Spurs had cut the gap to their London rivals on Saturday despite being denied by a stoppage time equaliser against Brighton.

However, the Hammers have now restored the two-point gap between them and Spurs.

Wins for Leeds United and Nottingham Forest at the weekend mean they are now eight and five points above Spurs, respectively.

Tottenham visit already-relegated Wolves on Saturday, whilst West Ham are at home to Everton on the same day.

The Hammers have re-established their two-point advantage over Spurs

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Spurs have not been relegated from the top-flight for 49 years, having secured an immediate return after their last demotion in 1977.

As for the Hammers, they have spent 20 of the last 21 seasons in the Premier League, with their current stay extending back 14 years.

Wolves relegated

Monday’s result means Wolves will play Championship football for the first time since 2018 next season.

Following their promotion as champions seven years ago, the club have achieved three top half finishes in the Premier League.

As well as back-to-back seventh place finishes in their first two seasons following promotion, Wolves also reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League in 2020.

However, they have not qualified for Europe since, instead finishing in the bottom half in four of the last five campaigns.

Wolves’ eight-year stay in the Premier League is over after a forgettable campaign

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This season saw the club fail to win a match until January 3 as they finally beat West Ham on matchday 20.

It followed a run of just three points in 19 matches during the first half of the campaign.

In doing so, Wolves broke the record for the most consecutive games without a victory at the start of a Premier League season.

Edwards replaced Vitor Pereira in the dugout in November, and despite improved performances, the former Wales international has won just three of his 22 league matches in charge.

In a statement after relegation was confirmed, interim chief executive Nathan Shi said: “Confirmation of our relegation is a difficult moment for everyone connected to Wolves.

“While this is a deeply disappointing outcome, work has been under way since my arrival in December to ensure we are ready to respond with clarity and conviction.

“We are clear on what needs to improve, and our focus is now on strengthening the club, building momentum and creating a team our supporters can believe in. We know what is required and will approach the months ahead with purpose.

“We know this season has tested your loyalty and patience. Your backing, home and away, has not been taken for granted.

“You deserve better and giving you a club you can genuinely be proud of is what drives everything we do from this point forward.”

Newcastle handed warning over Jose Mourinho links to replace Eddie Howe

Ciaran Wiseman — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:44:53 +0000

Newcastle United have been told Jose Mourinho is ‘probably not’ the man to bring the biggest titles to St. James’ Park.

The three-time Premier League champion has emerged as a potential candidate to replace Eddie Howe in the dugout.

Newcastle have been warned over Mourinho’s capability to still win major trophies

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talkSPORT understands Mourinho has admirers amongst the hierarchy at Newcastle.

The Magpies’ owners are enticed by the idea of bringing in a big name appointment if Howe leaves the club this summer.

Roberto Mancini and Andoni Iraola are also contenders for the role.

However, Newcastle have been handed an honest assessment of Mourinho’s current capabilities as an elite manager.

The 63-year-old has been in charge of Benfica since September, having signed a two-year deal with the club.

It follows previous spells at Fenerbahce and Roma since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in 2021.

Huth on ‘hero’ Mourinho

His former defender Robert Huth has reflected on their time together at Chelsea.

The German made 36 appearances for the Blues under Mourinho, winning two Premier League titles and the League Cup.

Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT for Casino.org, Huth detailed what the Portuguese was like as a manager.

He explained: “(Mourinho was) an absolute hero. He was incredibly tough on you, not just me, but everyone.

Mourinho has admirers at Newcastle with Howe’s long-term future in doubt

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“He had really high standards, but he also treated you like a son. He was tough, honest, it wasn’t always pleasant, especially when you had a bad game or made a mistake.

“He would call you out, brutally. But at that time in my career, that’s exactly what I needed. I was 18 or 19, and at that age you think you’re the best player ever. You need that tough schooling.

“I didn’t play as much as I wanted, obviously, but he was brilliant. From the moment I arrived until I left, he was exactly what I needed.

“His standards were incredibly high. There were no days off. Preparation was top, team talks were great, training was tough but really enjoyable.

“When you don’t play much, training needs to be spot on, because otherwise it can become a slog but it never was. It was brilliant. I loved it.

“I can’t say anything bad about him, apart from not playing as much but when you look at the team, with players like John Terry, you realise you were learning from top players. Looking back now, I just appreciate it.”

Huth made 36 appearances and won two league titles under Mourinho at Chelsea

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Newcastle warning

As for whether Mourinho can still do it at the top level, Huth added: “Probably not, based on the last few years.

“Everyone has their peak, players, managers, everyone. That doesn’t mean he can’t still do a job, but winning the biggest titles again? Probably not.

“That’s not disrespect, I love the guy but we all have our cycles, and maybe his time has passed. He’s still done well with most clubs he’s been at, but in recent years it’s been tougher.

“That doesn’t take away from what he achieved. There are just coaches now who are probably pushing the game forward more at the moment.”

Mourinho has won 27 trophies as a manager, including league titles in England, Spain, Italy and his native Portugal.

His most recent piece of silverware came with Roma in 2022 as they won the first edition of the Conference League.

Howe has been Newcastle boss for just shy of five years but could leave in the summer

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Despite his trophy drought, Mourinho is yet to lose a league match since returning to Benfica earlier this season.

Across 26 league matches under him this term, the club have won 18 and drawn eight.

Noel Gallagher clashes with talkSPORT host on Man City win and aims cheeky dig at Arsenal fans

Ciaran Wiseman — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:08:55 +0000

Noel Gallagher has hit back at Arsenal fans’ reaction to their defeat against Manchester City by claiming ‘everybody looks good against us’.

The Gunners were beaten 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as the Premier League title race took yet another twist.

The positives from Arsenal’s defeat to City have been rubbished by Oasis star Gallagher

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City are now just three points behind the league leaders with a game in hand.

Pep Guardiola’s side will go top of the table for the first time since the opening weekend of the season by beating Burnley on Wednesday, which is live and exclusive on talkSPORT.

However, Arsenal fans have taken positives from their performance despite the result after an attacking display from Mikel Arteta’s men.

Gallagher has shut down their argument, though, as he joined Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent on talkSPORT Drive.

Gallagher reacts to City win

The Oasis superstar explained: “It’s a funny thing because Arsenal, you listen to everything now over the last 24 hours about how they played and Arsenal fans are funny.

“When they got beat by Bournemouth, they say, ‘it’s over, it’s finished, that’s it, it’s done.’ When they get beat by City, they say, ‘oh, well, we can still win.’ Well, what is it?

“Arsenal did play well because City let everybody play well. I don’t mean to rain on anybody’s parade here, but Forest looked good against us, West Ham looked good against us, Tottenham looked good against us. Everybody looks good against us.

“Arsenal against Newcastle in a couple of weeks will be a vastly different game and we’ll see what they’re made of then, when they’ve got to play in front of their own fans and Newcastle are parking the bus.”

Gallagher and Bent clash

Bent agreed with his fellow Arsenal fans that there were positives to take from the performance, though.

However, Gallagher disputed his argument as the pair became involved in a good spirited back-and-forth live on air.

Gallagher joked ‘everybody looks good against us’ as he clashed on air with Bent

Discussing the visitors’ approach to the game, Gallagher added: “I think that they listen too much to what people are saying.

“All that mob, ‘we’ve got to go there and we’ve got to win, they don’t want to park the bus.’

“They could have parked the bus yesterday. I mean, fair play that they didn’t, great and all that, they made for a great spectacle, but you haven’t won anything in 20-odd years.

“I was expecting them to park the bus, but they wouldn’t be able to do that because if somehow they got beat 1-0, then there’d be hell to pay for them.

“It was Liverpool-esque, that performance by them. When Liverpool come to the Etihad and there’s a title race, they come to win. Arsenal came to win and fair play to that.

“But the only thing is, they got beaten. There are no positives to take from it because the last six games leading up to the City game, they’ve been dreadful. That’s what they’ll be like the week after next, fact.”

City beat Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a boost to their title hopes

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Bent responded by admitting: “I disagree, because I think Arsenal turned up yesterday and they played better than they’ve played in months.”

Gallagher was having none of it, though, replying: “Yes, because we allowed you to. Listen, Nottingham Forest are like European champions when they play us.”

The talkSPORT co-host hit back as he continued: “Honestly, watching Arsenal week in, week out, I was happy with the way they played. I didn’t want them to park the bus.

“Arsenal can’t park the bus, so City would have still probably beaten them anyway.

“I’d rather watch what they did yesterday. In the end they got beat by the better side and fair play, but it’s the most chances I’ve seen Arsenal create in I don’t know how long.

“I don’t want to see them park the bus. At the minute Arsenal are not good enough to park the bus against anyone.”

Arteta’s side took an attacking approach against City but were ultimately beaten

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A positive performance in defeat will be meaningless if the Gunners fail to win the title, though, Gallagher explained.

He said: “But you say that. We all want to see that, we all want to see great games of football, but in six weeks when it’s done, would you rather not see the trophy in the cabinet?

“No one’s going to say, ‘well, that was a c**p game,’ are they? No one’s going to say that.”

Bent refused to budge on his stance, revealing: “I still think even if Arsenal parked the bus, City probably still would have won and then we still would have moaned about it.

“So I’d rather Arsenal play what they did yesterday and try and win the game, create chances. If they get beat, you get beat.”

As Gallagher asked what the positives were from Sunday, Bent continued: “Honestly, watching Arsenal the last few weeks, we have not created any chances.

Gallagher could not resist a cheeky dig at the expense of Arsenal supporters

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“So to get four or five clear-cut chances we probably should have scored.”

The musician quickly rebutted: “But you didn’t score any of them,” only for Bent to point to Kai Havertz’s equaliser.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error gifted Arsenal the chance to draw level just two minutes after City had taken the lead.

Gallagher sarcastically replied: “Well, alright, nice one. We gave you one, what happened after that?”

Fortunately for Donnarumma, Erling Haaland was on hand to score what proved to be the winner in the second half.

Arsenal will be able to regain top spot if City leapfrog them in midweek.

The Gunners face Newcastle United and Fulham at home before their title rivals return to Premier League action against Everton on May 4.

Harry Kane ‘misunderstood’ as he chases more Bayern Munich history

Jack Cunningham — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:37:16 +0000

Harry Kane’s pursuit for the Premier League top goalscoring record is a ‘misunderstanding’.

This is the view of talkSPORT’s Kevin Hatchard, who believes team awards mean more than individual glory to the England captain.

Kane can become a Bayern legend if they win the Champions League this year

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Bayern Munich and Kane made it back-to-back Bundesliga titles on Sunday with victory over Stuttgart on Sunday.

That means after not winning a senior trophy in his career until his second season at Bayern, Kane now has two Bundesliga titles to his name, and the Champions League is alive as well.

The German giants face Paris Saint-Germain in a mouth-watering encounter in the semi-finals, with the winners facing either Atletico Madrid or Arsenal.

He has been linked with a return back to the Premier League this summer to try and break Alan Shearer‘s all-time goalscoring record.

But Kane insists he’s happy in Bavaria, and talks over a new contract are underway.

And Hatchard wouldn’t be surprised to see Kane prolong his stay with the German giants.

Speaking on Trans Euro Express with Andy Brassell and Lars Siversten, he said: “I always think when the debate comes up about him wanting to break the Premier League goalscoring record, I think that is a fundamental misunderstanding of the man.

“He is very focused on winning trophies. He is much more focused on winning trophies than individual records.

“He would happily score ten or 15 goals fewer if Bayern were guaranteed to win the treble.

“So, I think that plays into it too.”

Kane has seen his minutes shrink this season to the benefit of him and the team

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Vincent Kompany has effectively managed Kane’s minutes this season

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Fitter than ever

While plenty of other players around Europe and the Premier League appear to be burning out, Kane isn’t.

The 32-year-old has made 43 appearances in all competitions for Bayern this term, but in the Bundesliga, his game time has come down.

That is partly due to the odd niggly injury, but also because Vincent Kompany is managing him.

This has been happening all season as well, with Kane sometimes playing around 30 minutes of matches.

And he’s still scored 51 goals in all competitions, including two across the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.

And with the World Cup approaching, Hatchard feels as if Kompany has dealt with the situation perfectly.

Kane is still on course for a potential treble

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Hatchard added: “I think it’s a really good thing because going into the Euros, he had a back injury – I don’t think he looked fit. I think this is different.

“They are able to take him out of the firing line when they need to. Nicolas Jackson got a goal and played perfectly well, even though Jackson won’t be there next season, it does show that Kompany has the gravitas and he has the pull to say to Kane, ‘Mate, I know you want to play every game, but you can’t.’

“Kane will accept that from Kompany, and he will accept being stood down.”

Kane’s future

Talks over a new deal at Bayern are underway with Kane, but negotiations over wages and terms are yet to start.

That is according to the club’s director of sport Max Eberl, who provided an update on the situation in February.

Kane’s current deal expires in 2027, so a cut-price move could be on the cards if a new deal can’t be agreed.

And on the contract, Eberl said: “We are talking, that doesn’t mean negotiations have started. We are in intensive talks with Harry, then the next steps will follow.

“I can’t comment on the rumours circulating that someone is preparing anything (on a transfer bid for Kane).

“All I can say is that we are in close contact with Harry regarding him and our success.”

Bournemouth announce new manager just days after confirming Andoni Iraola exit

Robert Calcutt — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:04:59 +0000

Bournemouth have officially announced Marco Rose as their new manager.

The former Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig boss will succeed Andoni Iraola in the Cherries hotseat from this summer onwards.

Rose has been officially announced as Iraola’s successor at Bournemouth

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Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of this season – three years after he joined the Premier League side.

News of his pending exit was communicated last Tuesday afternoon, and the club have acted quickly to find a replacement.

They have turned to Rose, who has signed a three-year deal at the Vitality Stadium.

The 49-year-old is seen as a strong fit within the club’s model.

Cherry picked

A club statement read: “AFC Bournemouth is delighted to confirm the appointment of Marco Rose as the club’s new head coach on a three-year contract, which will begin following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.

“The 49-year-old arrives on the south coast with a wealth of experience at the highest level of European football, having managed Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig.

“The club’s immediate focus remains firmly on finishing the current campaign as strongly as possible, with the players and staff continuing to show full commitment to achieving positive results and building on the current 13-game unbeaten run.

“Everyone at AFC Bournemouth looks forward to welcoming Marco to Vitality Stadium as he begins his role as head coach in the summer.”

talkSPORT understands Bournemouth did not want his arrival to overshadow Iraola and his preparations for the end of the campaign.

Bournemouth were impressed by the philosophy and experience of Rose, who has spent five previous seasons in the Champions League.

Rose will begin his tenure at Bournemouth in the summer

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View Tweet: https://twitter.com/afcbournemouth/status/2046257583540097218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Rose also has a track record of working with young talents, such as Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Dominik Szoboszlai

He will be taking over a Bournemouth side who could be competing in Europe for the first time next season.

The south coast outfit are currently sitting eighth in the table with just five games to go.

As it stands, they are level on points with sixth-placed Chelsea – and just seven points off the Champions League spots.

Bournemouth have the chance to leapfrog the Blues in the table should they get at least a point against Leeds on Wednesday night.

The club currently boast the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League having failed to taste defeat in their last 13 matches – with their last loss coming against Arsenal on January 3.

Back-to-back wins away at Arsenal and Newcastle in the last two weekends have Bournemouth on course to amass their highest points tally in the division

Their record currently stands at 56 points, which they achieved last campaign.

Chelsea academy star played with Cobham’s best and is now on inspiring weight loss journey

Joe Brophy — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:08:34 +0000

Chelsea academy star Jordan Buck will recognise the irony in that the main issue hampering his weight loss journey is a literal Achilles heel.

Yet, inspiringly, the ex-Blues youth ace still boasts tales of strength rather than any weakness despite undergoing multiple surgeries.

Jordan Buck has found his way back into the football world after a decade in IT

Buck’s whirlwind journey into football started with his local Sunday league team from under-nines, and within three seasons, he had signed for Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur‘s Development Centres.

And it wasn’t long before the pair’s London rivals, Chelsea, had sent scouts to watch the emerging left-back at Spurs.

“It was a really big thing,” Buck told talkSPORT.com during our exclusive interview at talkSPORT Towers.

“Chelsea sent scouts to watch me at Tottenham’s Development Centre. That’s where I got scouted. So a bit of cheekiness there from Chelsea.

“Moving to Chelsea, I could just feel, just based on the reactions from mum, dad, family – People in school didn’t believe me.”

In modern academy football, Arsenal’s Max Dowman was being fast-tracked as a 14-year-old into the first team, while Liverpool fans already knew what to expect when the club poached Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea.

However, in Buck’s era two decades earlier, the lights from the outside world were a lot dimmer, which came with its own challenges.

“I’d say I’m on trial at Chelsea, ‘No, you’re not’, I just signed for Chelsea, ‘No, you didn’t.’ And there’s no way for me to actually prove it back then as well, apart from actually being good.

“Saying that you’re at Chelsea is a big thing. It’s one of the biggest academies in the country, especially at that time, arguably one of the top two, them and Arsenal. It was major news.

“Back then, it was almost impossible [to find footage or photos]. I remember when, specifically when they started to record games.

Buck joined Chelsea’s academy from Tottenham’s Youth Development Centre

“Parents weren’t allowed to bring cameras, take pictures, camera phones, none of that stuff on the sidelines.

“So finding footage from people back then, big ask, because it didn’t exist. Whereas now, all the games are recorded.

“I think clubs actually make a conscious effort to give feedback and actually clip up parts of games, send that back to the parents at all age groups to provide that feedback and develop the players even further.”

Buck was part of the Golden Generation of the Cobham production line that produced over £250m worth of sales in three years.

That doesn’t even factor in the talent lost by the Chelsea academy, from Jamal Musiala to Arsenal’s £100m Declan Rice.

“It’s nuts,” Buck added to talkSPORT. “I look back at a picture of our 09-10 entire academy – It’s almost like a school photo, and I always find a new player who’s gone on to… See, oh, who is it that I found? [Michael] Olise, right at the bottom, about three rows down from me, sat at the bottom, legs crossed. Must have been seven.

How just one of the ‘three’ Cobham XI’s that Chelsea could build could look – ‘It’s absolutely insane’, says Buck

“What he’s gone on to achieve is just nuts. He’s just getting better as well, every season. Frightening.”

Olise, who was released by Chelsea, became a star in the Championship and is now one of the world’s best at Bayern Munich.

And ironically, that’s a trajectory Buck envisaged for two of his Cobham teammates now playing in the EFL’s second division.

The most talented of which was Lewis Baker, now of Stoke City, who Jose Mourinho once tipped as a future England international.

“Lewis Baker, Izzy Brown and Dominic Solanke. [Mourinho] said, ‘If those three don’t make it as England or Chelsea stars, blame me.'”

None of that trio holds the title for the best academy player Buck played with; that’s a title belonging to Nathaniel Chalobah.

Stoke City captain Baker was hailed as the most talented academy player Buck played with at Chelsea

But Nathaniel Chalobah was crowned the best

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His younger sibling, Trevoh, is now a Stamford Bridge regular

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The 31-year-old has made 10 Championship appearances for relegated Sheffield Wednesday this season.

His younger brother Trevoh is currently a Chelsea regular, hoping to make Thomas Tuchel‘s World Cup five years after making his senior Blues debut under the now-England boss.

Buck summised: “Timing and personnel are two of the biggest factors, I would say, in terms of how far a player can go.”

It was timing that played its part in Buck’s Chelsea exit, saying: “I think I was aware, and it wasn’t a big shock with me.”

“13s, the trajectory was good. 14s, again, improvement was good.
Started to play up a year as well in the 15s. That’s always a telltale sign. If you get opportunities to play up a year, then the club’s kind of pushing you.

“So that was happening quite a lot as an under-14. And then it was under 15s where the injury struck…”

Buck enjoyed a stint at QPR after leaving Chelsea

The R’s got promoted into the Premier League the season that the defender signed his contract, although he never made a senior appearance

Buck sustained a stress fracture in both his glutes during his growing pains, similar to Osgood-Schlatter disease, which shaped players like Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney.

“My hamstrings were growing at a rate way faster than the bone was, and it was pulling at something, and they actually chipped off two small bits of bone,” he revealed.

“So I had an MRI scan back then, and there were just two kinds of floating bits in my glutes that were bone that had chipped off.”

It was Buck’s dad who, having spotted a lack of gametime, had left his son behind the curve, proactively approached Chelsea about an early release so that a new club could be found.

His father, again, was responsible for helping him find his way back into football when Buck stopped playing altogether aged 19, following a spell at QPR.

The now-Account Director at Crayon, who has spent the past 12 years working in IT, set up his hugely popular Instagram and TikTok pages last Autumn to share stories from his academy career while charting his weight loss to 85kg.

View this post on Instagram

“When I stopped playing, my interest in football went to literally zero.
I didn’t associate myself with football for about five years,” Buck said.

“Didn’t watch any games. I didn’t play five-a-side, Sunday league. I was just, I was so done with it.

“After I stopped playing, the calories were flying, and year after year, I could just slowly see myself getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

“It was Dad’s idea about two years ago. He said, ‘Why don’t you start a page,’ because you’ve got a bit of a profile in the industry from the clubs that you play for, tell some old football stories and go on a weight loss journey publicly, because then you’d have a few eyes on you and you’d be forced to post your results and get it done.

“He’d seen his son be an athlete, quick, strong, lean, for my entire life. And then at 19, he’s a stone heavier, he’s another stone heavier, he’s another stone heavier.

“So we’d speak about it as the years went on, and then it got to a point where it was like, right, I just, I want to see my son again.

“I want you to be as healthy as you can possibly be. I want you to live for as long as you can, and things were going really well.

“It’s inspired a lot of people” – And thankfully so, with the new football community Buck has built, then coming to his aid last month.

Buck now has thousands of followers invested in his weight loss journey

Jordan Buck on his weight loss journey

85 kilos, that’s the goal. There’s no timeline on it. As soon as possible, basically, but doing it the right way.

“My approach was the OMAD diet, which is one meal a day, one large meal that consists of all the nutrients that you need.

It’s quite a large meal, lots of protein, and that creates a decent-sized fasting window. So your body’s got time to not only use the food that you’ve just consumed, but burn fat off of your body as well to make up the rest of the energy that you need for the day.

I’m not going to change. And the goal is still 85 kilos. I’ve not restarted my efforts yet, and it will be back to the beginning.

It’ll be week one. This is where I’m at.

This is what I’m weighing. Same goal, just approaching it in a different way, because I can’t run, can’t sprint, can’t jump. So I guess I’ll need to do bike or arm bike or something else in conjunction with a clean diet

Buck devastatingly re-ruptured his Achilles just seven weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the same injury suffered in January.

“It was a lot, a double rupture, I was just thinking, man, it’s going to be so hard to build strength back up in my leg again, in my calf.

“It’s going to be a year before I can do explosive stuff like jumping, sprinting. So how am I going to get this done?

“The fact that I’ve built a bit of following now, and there are people that are supporting me, leaving lots of positive comments, ‘You’ve got this, you can do this, don’t worry about it, bump in the road’ sort of thing. It’s definitely helped, for sure.”

Rayan Cherki rejected Man United proposal and is now player of the year for Man City

Joe Brophy — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:55:49 +0000

Rayan Cherki has announced himself as the Premier League player that a club from Manchester always knew he was destined to be.

The 22-year-old underlined why he was talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham’s pick for Player of the Year with his goal in Man City’s win over Arsenal.

Cherki is proving the difference maker for Man City in the title race

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Cherki opened the scoring in the 2-1 victory over the table-topping Gunners to swing the title race in Pep Guardiola’s side’s favour.

Cherki reaches 10+ goals and 10+ assists

The Frenchman’s moment of magic saw him become the first player to reach double figures in BOTH goals and assists for a Premier League club in all competitions this season.

In fact, Cherki has become just the fourth member of the 10+ goals and 10+ assists club in Europe’s top-five leagues, alongside Lamine Yamal, Vinícius Júnior, and Michael Olise.

As the playmaker continues to go from strength to strength, City’s neighbours, Manchester United, will always be thinking, ‘What if?’

Cherki could have first moved to England after having a trial at Chelsea as a 12-year-old in 2015, before he opted to stay at Lyon.

talkSPORT understands that when he was at U15-U16 level, Man United held a strong interest and even made a proposal to Cherki.

However, City’s No.10 ultimately preferred to start his career at his boyhood club and made his senior debut in 2019.

The 5 ft 10 in star had emerged on the club’s radar after becoming the then-youngest goalscorer in the UEFA Youth League, aged 15 and 33 days – ironically in a defeat to Manchester City Under-19s.

That record is now held by Max Dowman, who was an unused substitute watching on as Cherki dazzled at the Etihad on Sunday.

Guardiola is proving that mavericks can flourish in his Man City system with his love of Cherki

The pair’s rise to the top could not be starker in comparison, with Dowman already being labelled as a ‘future Ballon d’Or winner’.

Cherki, meanwhile, dubbed by former Arsenal player Maitland-Niles as the best natural talent he’s ever seen, had a much less smooth ride.

But praise from his teammates has been a constant throughout his career, which began with Kylian Mbappe’s seal of approval.

Magical Cherki hailed by City

And now Nico O’Reilly has been the latest to wax lyrical about Cherki, having paid tribute to him during an interview with City Studios.

“It makes life easier for all of us when he can go out and do that magic.

Miles Leaburn was on trial with Cherki at Chelsea over a decade ago

“We all know how good of a player he is and when he can go and show it in these big games.

“He’s massive for all of us.

“I enjoyed it a lot. A great win, the crowd were amazing today. I’m buzzing with everything.”

Liam Rosenior warned he faces sack if Chelsea lose to Leeds in FA Cup

Jack Cunningham — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:44:51 +0000

talkSPORT’s Jeff Stelling ‘fears’ for Liam Rosenior’s job should Chelsea lose to Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend.

The Blues are on a dreadful run under the Englishman, losing six of their last seven in all competitions.

Rosenior’s men are struggling for results

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In the Premier League, they are winless in their last four and are in real danger of finishing outside of the European places.

A defeat on Saturday to Manchester United, followed by Liverpool beating Everton in the Merseyside derby, leaves Chelsea seven points off the Champions League places.

But they could still claim silverware with FA Cup success.

However, Leeds are unbeaten in six and are full of confidence heading to Wembley.

Stelling feels as if Rosenior will be in trouble should the Blues lose to Leeds at Wembley on Sunday, live on talkSPORT.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast with Ally McCoist and Early Sports Breakfast host Olivia Buzaglo, he said: “I feel for Liam Rosenior. I feel the FA Cup is keeping him in a job.

“If they were to lose to Leeds, I would fear for him, but it’s an incredibly difficult situation.

“But one thing that worries me is that they haven’t got a massive number of injuries, but I am looking at the squad that has been assembled there and how poor it is and wondering could Chelsea be next season’s Tottenham?”

In response, Buzaglo said: “I think it is a very, very dangerous road that Chelsea are going down, and every summer feels huge.

“This one, maybe more than the last couple, because you wanted to build off the Club World Cup.

“Do they accept that they got it wrong? And do they go for a big-name manager? Or do they stick with Liam Rosenior because they think he can be the manager to turn it around.”

Rosenior has cut a frustrated figure in recent weeks

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McCoist also chipped in on the manager’s future.

He said: “I don’t know what they are thinking because they are all over the place.

“The Maresca situation baffled me. Generally, you get rid of a manager because they aren’t doing well, but that hasn’t been the case at Chelsea.”

Deep problems

On the face of it, Chelsea are still likely to get Europa League football, but the teams below them are in form.

And Newcastle United, in 14th, are only six points behind them, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the Blues finish outside of the top ten.

And as well as discussing Rosenior’s future, Stelling broke down some of the shocking statistics behind Chelsea’s form.

He said: “They are winless in four Premier League games, but the situation is much, much worse than that.

“They are tumbling down the table. The prospect of them not having any form of European football next season is realistic.

“They have the same number of points as Brentford and Bournemouth, and Spurs have had three managers since Chelsea last kept a Premier League clean sheet.

“How can it get any worse, Olivia?”

Champions League football is further away than a midtable finish

She responded: “I don’t know. Maybe going out to Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday?

“But actually, given how the two teams are playing right now, Leeds will be going into that game very confident they can get through to the FA Cup final.

“When you look at Chelsea’s spending…

“It’s a classic example of just spending money because if you aren’t getting your recruitment right, it doesn’t always go to plan. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend.

“I say this because I didn’t think Chelsea played too badly against Manchester United, but they were clinical.

“Estevao went off injured, so you look to the bench, and this isn’t any disrespect to the players on the bench because it’s not their fault, but let me just read you the players that were on Chelsea’s bench.

“Josh Acheampong, Trevoh Chalobah, Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Marc Guiu and Alejandro Garnacho.

“When you look at the amount of money that Chelsea have spent how is a club like Chelsea going into a game against Manchester United with those players on the bench?”

talkSPORT understands Chelsea are willing to sell Garnacho

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McCoist responded: “Yeah, you are right.

“I thought Garnacho looked like a wee boy. I thought he really, really struggled.

“But for Chelsea, I think it’s deeper than that. The bench is a problem because it’s not strong enough, but I think the problems are running a lot deeper.”

Buzaglo then aired her thoughts.

“We know about the Premier League record, but Chelsea have lost six of the last seven – the only win was 7-0 against Port Vale.

“Liam Rosenior is under a lot of pressure – I don’t think it is entirely his fault, but he has to take some responsibility for the run of form his team are on.

“One of the reasons Maresca had issues because he wanted a centre-back, and he didn’t get it.

“When you look at the managers under this ownership; Tuchel, Maresca and Pochettino – they all did well, and there were reports they couldn’t work under the ownership.

“That is a huge problem.”

So, the issues at Chelsea are clear from off the pitch to on the pitch, and there is a real possibility that this season gets worse before anything improves.

Liverpool sent clear message on Arne Slot future after last-gasp Merseyside derby win

Alex Conrad — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:03:45 +0000

Virgil van Dijk’s forehead may have saved Arne Slot his job.

The towering Dutchman rose highest in the tenth minute of second-half stoppage time to secure Liverpool a 2-1 win away to Everton in the latest instalment of the Merseyside derby.

The Reds skipper was the hero yet again as Liverpool earned their 16th win this term

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It was also a much-needed result in terms of the Champions League race.

The win over the Toffees kept Liverpool fifth in the Premier League, a placing which will be good enough to book a spot in next season’s edition of the Champions League.

Crucially, it created a seven-point buffer between them and sixth-placed Chelsea, who slipped to a fourth-straight defeat in the league on Saturday evening against Manchester United.

With just five league games remaining this term, Liverpool are just about over the line in the Champions League race.

Slotting right in

And, according to talkSPORT’s Ally McCoist, achieving the feat will be enough for Slot to remain in his post.

When asked by co-host Jeff Stelling on the Sports Breakfast whether qualification for the Champions League ended questions of Slot’s future, McCoist replied: “I would think so.

“I do think it was a big result for them. I still think the Champions League places are absolutely vital for Liverpool.

“There would have been questions if Liverpool had not, and they’re not there yet obviously, guaranteed Champions League football. I still think they’ll get there.”

Liverpool did not have it all their own way on Sunday though, as Everton, who are only one point behind Chelsea, put in a spirited display and came agonisingly close to earning a point.

But McCoist pointed out that the Reds simply ‘had that little bit of quality’ that Everton did not.

Slot won the Premier League in his first season but has overseen a torrid title defence

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McCoist added: “I think there will be one or two Liverpool fans understandably concerned about the way the team has performed recently.

“But from Arne Slot’s point of view, I think he will be given the chance to get his team back together for the start of next season and to go again.”

Summer of spending… again?

Should that prove to be the case, there’s every chance Slot will be backed heavily in the transfer market to turn Liverpool’s fortunes around next season.

talkSPORT understands Liverpool have entered the race for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who is expected to fetch £80million.

Wharton looms as part of a serious midfield refresh at Anfield as Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister face uncertain futures.

Jones had been linked with a switch to Inter Milan in the January window while Mac Allister has endured a noticeable dip in form.

Wharton could take Liverpool’s midfield to the next level

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Should Liverpool swoop for Wharton, it would take their spending well over the £500m mark in the last two seasons.

The Reds broke the British transfer record twice last summer to nab Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, who are yet to live up to their nine-figure fees since arriving.

But now that they have had a season learning Slot’s ways, they could stand to benefit from the continuity of the Dutchman remaining at the helm next season.

Morgan Gibbs-White told he can still force out England rivals for World Cup spot

Jack Cunningham — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:19:26 +0000

Morgan Gibbs-White was told he can still make England’s World Cup squad.

The Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder scored a hat-trick on Sunday to beat Burnley 4-1 and move five points clear of the drop zone.

Gibbs-White has been a star for Forest in a difficult season

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The 26-year-old has 12 Premier League goals this season, but currently is not in Thomas Tuchel’s plans for this summer’s tournament in North America.

He wasn’t called up in March despite a group of 35 being picked.

Trent Alexander-Arnold also missed out, with the feeling that if you weren’t in that squad, you wouldn’t be going to the World Cup.

Given England lost to Japan and only drew with Uruguay, with some underwhelming performances, Gibbs-White might just sneak in.

And Rangers and Scotland legend McCoist feels the former Wolves man shouldn’t forget about the World Cup just yet.

Speaking on Breakfast with Jeff Stelling, McCoist was asked if the 26-year-old’s chances of making the World Cup squad were gone.

He said: “No, not at all.

“His hat-trick was excellent, particularly goals two and three – the header and the volley at the back post were superb.

“How many times have we said it? Those two games ended up being good ones to miss because no one impressed.

“I think three or four of them did themselves more damage than good, so I genuinely don’t think it is too late.

Gibbs-White celebrated his first career hat-trick against Burnley

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“I understand the clamour for him to be in that squad.”

Stelling then asked McCoist if he believes that the attacking midfielder will make it.

He said: “If I am going to be brutally honest, I don’t think he will be.

“But I can understand the case for him to be in it, and the only thing he can do is what he’s doing right now, scoring goals, playing well and keep Forest in the Premier League.

“Then, you give Thomas Tuchel a real dilemma. That is all you can do, pose him a problem.”

Surpassing the competition

The attacking midfield spot in Tuchel’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system is definitely up for grabs.

Morgan Rogers has been playing there quite often but his form has been up and down for Aston Villa.

Gibbs-White and Rogers will go head-to-head in the Europa League semi-finals later this month when Forest meet Villa for a place in the final.

Jude Bellingham is only just returning from injury, while Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are really struggling.

Foden hasn’t started a game for Manchester City since the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest, with Antoine Semenyo emerging as the preferred option on the right and Jeremy Doku on the left.

Foden’s place in the England squad has to be in doubt

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Palmer is another attacking star not in form

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He hasn’t scored in the Premier League since December either, and for England, he failed to impress.

Meanwhile, Palmer is another player not really in form, scoring just once in his last seven league games.

Chelsea’s form has also dropped off a cliff as well.

And there are fears he could look to exit Stamford Bridge, though the player himself has quashed those.

Speaking recently about his future, he said: “I’ve got no plans to move from Chelsea. We’ve still got a lot to play for.

“We’ve got the FA Cup semi-final [against Leeds] and if we finish in a Champions League spot it puts us in a good position to sign players that we need.

“We spoke to the owners and they’re sure of the players that are gonna do it. Reece [James] won’t sign a six-year contract if he’s not spoken to the owners and the directors.

“Me and Reece spoke a lot. About things we need, players we need to sign and how things need to be. He wouldn’t sign a new contract if he didn’t know what was going on.”

Chelsea want to sell Alejandro Garnacho after just a year as attitude branded a ‘disgrace’

Alex Conrad — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:32:57 +0000

Chelsea are willing to sell Alejandro Garnacho this summer, talkSPORT understands.

There is an acceptance among the Stamford Bridge hierarchy the £40m signing of Garnacho is not working out.

It’s been a forgettable debut campaign at Stamford Bridge for Garnacho

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Chelsea’s stance represents a staggering fall in grace for Garnacho given he only joined the club last August.

The Argentinian arrived at Stamford Bridge from Manchester United, where he had showed plenty of promise but was deemed unsuitable for then-manager Ruben Amorim’s rigid tactical structure.

Garnach-woes

But since moving, the 21-year-old has struggled to live up to his price tag.

Although he has eight goals and four assists across all competitions for the Blues this term, only five goal contributions have come in the Premier League.

Additionally, four of his goals were spread across FA Cup and League Cup fixtures against Wrexham, Port Vale and Cardiff City, who are all in divisions lower than Chelsea.

Chelsea’s brutal stance on Garnacho comes just days after he struggled against his former employers in a 1-0 defeat last Saturday.

He began the contest on the bench but had to come in the 16th minute after Estevao went down with a hamstring injury.

Attitude problems

Nicky Butt has branded Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude during his time at Manchester United a ‘disgrace’ and says selling him was the best thing the club could have done.

Speaking on ‘The Good, The Bad and The Football’ podcast, Butt said: “The best thing for me that Manchester United did was sell him because, forget his ability, I don’t think he’s that great anyway.

“However, his attitude for me was a disgrace when he was at United.

There was no love lost between the two on Saturday

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“That’s why that happens when people post things like that (Shaw on Instagram). If you are in a changing room and you leave and completely disrespect your teammates and football club.

“He’d have been taken out every single day in training. He’d have been put in his place very quickly with the likes of the players we got brought up with. Swatted down, taken out.

“He would’ve been treated really badly if he behaved like that, but he’d have learnt from it and got better.”

Are you Shaw you’re having fun?

Unfortunately Garnacho would not get the last laugh over United, as Matheus Cunha’s strike proved to be the difference.

If the result wasn’t brutal enough, Garnacho appeared to be mocked by former Red Devils teammate Luke Shaw on social media following the game.

Shaw uploaded a carousel of images celebrating the win, but the first image he shared was one of the left-back pushing Garnacho to the ground.

Rosenior may be forced to offload Garnacho in the summer

AFP

A number of Red Devils stars added their voices to the mockery in the comments section underneath Shaw’s post.

United skipper Bruno Fernandes, who delivered a man-of-the-match display, shared a GIF that included in the text: “That’s a violation.”

Centre-back Ayden Heaven shared a GIF relating to firing shots at the Chelsea winger and out-of-favour attacker Joshua Zirkzee commented: “Nice one mate.”

Shaw even liked a comment from social media sensation and devoted United supporter Angry Ginge that said, ‘Who’s that **** from Argentina?’, in reference to a chant towards Garnacho.

The ruthless swipe from Shaw continued a frustrating few weeks for Garnacho who risked being sanctioned by Chelsea after some unusual behaviour on social media platform TikTok.

Fans were quick to notice that, at one stage, Garnacho had wiped his TikTok account clean of any Chelsea content but reposted two United clips dedicated to him.

Garnacho and his Chelsea teammates will look for an immediate response on Tuesday when they travel to Brighton, who scored a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw away to Spurs.

It is a must-win match for the Blues as they sit seven points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, who occupy the final Champions League spot on offer in the Premier League, with five games remaining.

Chelsea’s clash with Brighton gets underway at 8pm.

Man City star guaranteed England World Cup starting spot – and tipped to scoop rare double award

Jack Johnson — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:15:32 +0000

Nico O’Reilly is certain to start for England at the World Cup – he can win Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year this season.

That’s the opinion of talkSPORT’s Ally McCoist, who could not speak highly enough of the 21-year-old Manchester City star.

O’Reilly continues to star for Man City in his breakout season

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O’Reilly has had a breakout year for Man City, making 47 appearances across all competitions and quickly becoming a key player.

He appears to have found his home under Pep Guardiola as a left-back that is free to roam forward into more attacking positions and cause problems for opponents in the final third.

And yet again on Sunday, he stood up when it mattered most for City, providing the assist for Erling Haaland‘s winning goal against Arsenal in their Premier League title battle.

That was the second time O’Reilly has sunk the Gunners, following his game-deciding double in the Carabao Cup final in March.

The rising star’s form has made him one of the standout stars in the top-flight, so much so that McCoist thinks he deserves to pick up a very rare double award at the end of the season.

O’Reilly has also been tipped to start at the World Cup for England over the last few months, with that decision now a very easy one for Thomas Tuchel, according to the talkSPORT Breakfast co-host.

Speaking alongside Jeff Stelling, McCoist said on Monday morning: “He’s a shoo-in for Young Player of the Year, so he should be.

“I also think that he’s a certain starter at the World Cup.”

He then added: “If they continue the way that they’re going and City do win the domestic treble, and he does as he has been doing, chipping in with incredibly important goals…

“I think he can win both awards. I think he could win Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.”

McCoist thinks O’Reilly is certain to be starting for England at the World Cup

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He has become a key player for City in all competitions this season

Has anyone else ever won both awards?

Should O’Reilly win both the Premier League Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year, he’d become the second ever to do so.

His teammate, Haaland, is the only player to do it before.

Haaland achieved the feat in 2023, aged 22, scooping both trophies after an incredible debut season that saw him score the most goals ever in a single campaign, beating Alan Shearer‘s record.

When it comes to the PFA awards, should O’Reilly claim both, he’d be just the fourth player in history to do so.

Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Andy Gray are the only players to date to have won both PFA crowns in the same season.

So, it would be an unbelievable achievement for O’Reilly if he were to go on and pull off the rare feat at the end of the campaign.

Haaland is the only player ever to win both Premier League awards

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Guardiola thinks his left-back deserves to win at least one award for his performances

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Pep in agreement

McCoist believes O’Reilly will be winning an award this summer and that’s something that City boss Guardiola agrees with.

“He’s incredible, defensively, offensively, in set pieces…what a player he is becoming!” an ecstatic Guardiola said following his assist in the win against Arsenal on Sunday.

“Playing in different positions. He’s exceptional.

“Nico, today, has been [top] defensively, offensively, with the pace, keeping the ball, having the composure to take it.

“Again, arriving in the final third, provoking the second goal. What a season!

“I don’t know if he’s the best Player/Man of the Season, but the Young one?! Guys! It has to be!”

How O’Reilly’s stats stack up against Fernandes and Rice this season

O’Reilly’s form is sure to lead to a starting spot for England this summer

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O’Reilly a shoo-in for World Cup

O’Reilly is now the favourite to start at left-back for England this summer at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

His form is certain to be rewarded with a place in the squad, with Tuchel already handing him his first Three Lions caps.

He’s played three times under the German, making his debut in November of last year following his maiden call-up.

Versatility is key at major international tournaments and having O’Reilly in the squad will provide that option for Tuchel.

Lewis Hall is likely to be his competitor, while Djed Spence also featured in the final friendlies ahead of the World Cup.

However, the position is expected to be his come summer.

Declan Rice spotted shouting defiant three-word message at Arsenal teammate after Man City defeat

Jack Johnson — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:53:11 +0000

As the full-time whistle blew at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday evening, Arsenal’s players dropped to the turf in disappointment.

The Gunners’ Premier League title hopes appear to have potentially slipped away yet again following their 2-1 loss to Manchester City.

Arsenal’s chances of winning the title took a major hit on Sunday

AFP

However, despite Man City having a game in hand that can see them leapfrog their rivals to the top of the table, all hope is not lost.

And Declan Rice made sure to point that out to his teammates.

With heads dropped and confidence defeated after the loss, Rice did his best to lift Arsenal‘s skipper Martin Odegaard and the team.

Footage shared after the match showed the England international shouting a defiant message towards Odegaard on the pitch.

He could be seen saying: “It’s not done, it’s not done.”

Rice shook his head and looked to have fight in his eyes as he rose back to his feet and spoke to his teammate.

The Arsenal star is not wrong that the title race remains on, with a slip-up from Man City handing the Gunners the advantage again.

But should City beat Burnley on Wednesday night, live on talkSPORT, then Pep Guardiola‘s side will feel they can go all the way.

A victory for the Citizens would move them clear at the top on goal difference with just five games to play this season.

And with Arsenal losing four of their last six in all competitions, they would feel that the Gunners would be unlikely to challenge.

View Tweet: https://t.co/XHITjrssy9

Rice still believes Arsenal can go on and win the Premier League title

Arsenal still believe

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta echoed the post-match thoughts of Rice when speaking in his press conference at the Etihad.

When asked whether he believes his side can still win the Premier League, Arteta said: “I believe today, I believe on Wednesday a week ago, because I see them every day and I know the level that we have.

“But today, if they need to be more convinced, I think they are now more convinced. They were talking about it in the dressing room.

“It’s a new league now. They have a game in hand. We have three points of advantage and five games to play.

“Everything is still to play for.

“We know how much we want it and we’re not going to stop and we’re going to go again, that’s for sure.”

Rice and Arteta have tried to stay positive despite the defeat making Man City favourites

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Man City now favourites

talkSPORT’s Ally McCoist now thinks that Man City are the new favourites to win the Premier League title after their victory.

However, similarly to Arteta and Rice, he pointed out that there is still plenty of time for things to change in the final stages of the season.

McCoist said on talkSPORT Breakfast: “The game went as I thought; City looked more comfortable on the ball.

“You could argue that, particularly in the second half, Arsenal had better chances, some brilliant efforts, one off the post.

“On another day, Arsenal could have got something, but the game went with the way the last three or four weeks have gone.

“The momentum has continued to be with City and I feel that’s the game went and yes, City are probably favourites now with the momentum…but there’s still a lot of football to be played.”

£23m Premier League star set to leave after being aggressor in dressing room bust-up

Ciaran Wiseman — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:51:00 +0000

Tolu Arokodare is expected to leave Wolves this summer after a dressing room bust-up, talkSPORT understands.

The striker clashed with teammate Mateus Mane following their side’s defeat to West Ham earlier this month.

Arokodare is set to leave Wolves this summer after a dressing room bust-up

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Arokodare was the sole aggressor in the bust-up, which took place following the match.

Wolves were thrashed 4-0 at the London Stadium on April 10 to accelerate their inevitable Premier League relegation.

Arokodare made a 19-minute cameo off the bench during the defeat.

He was then an unused substitute as Wolves were beaten 3-0 by Leeds United on Saturday.

His time at Molineux now appears to be up despite having four years left on his contract.

The 25-year-old was signed from Belgian club Genk last summer in a deal worth £23million.

Upon his arrival, he penned a contract through to the summer of 2029, with the option of a further year.

Club sources have told talkSPORT that the matter has been dealt with following Arokodare’s clash with Mane.

He was joined on the bench by Mane at Elland Road, with the teenager replacing Angel Gomes during the first half.

Arokodare has scored three goals in 28 Premier League appearances for Wolves this season.

Mane was involved in the altercation, but Arokodare is said to have been the sole aggressor

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The last of those strikes came in their 2-2 draw with Brentford on March 16.

However, it appears the Nigeria international will not be part of the Wolves squad in the Championship next season.

Wolves on the brink

Rob Edwards’ side are on the brink of relegation following back-to-back defeats.

Wolves are 15 points from safety with just five matches remaining this season.

Their relegation will be confirmed on Monday night if West Ham avoid defeat against Crystal Palace.

It would end the club’s eight-year stay in the top-flight following promotion back in 2018.

Wolves will be relegated on Monday if West Ham avoid defeat against Palace

Shutterstock Editorial

During that time, they have twice finished seventh as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League during the 2019/20 season.

Wolves host Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland in their next two matches before travelling to Brighton on May 9.

Their final home fixture of the season comes against Fulham eight days later.

They then conclude the campaign away to relegation rivals Burnley on Sunday, May 24.

Unseen footage shows Man City star Gianluigi Donnarumma jump into crowd after huge win over Arsenal

Ciaran Wiseman — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:07:57 +0000

Gianluigi Donnarumma was mobbed by Manchester City fans following their 2-1 win over Arsenal.

The Italian goalkeeper jumped into the crowd behind his goal at the Etihad Stadium to celebrate with the supporters at full time.

Donnarumma’s wild celebrations at the final whistle were caught on camera

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Donnarumma had a dramatic afternoon after his error allowed the Gunners to equalise just moments after City opened the scoring.

Rayan Cherki’s scintillating solo goal was cancelled out two minutes later by Kai Havertz.

The Arsenal forward capitalised on a moment of hesitation on the ball from Donnarumma.

Havertz closed down the City stopper as he attempted to play a pass across his penalty area.

As the pass was cut out, the ball deflected into the net for the Gunners’ leveller.

Donnarumma redeemed himself after the break, though, as he raced off his line to deny Havertz a second goal.

His blushes were then spared by Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian scoring what proved to be the winner on 65 minutes.

The crucial victory prompted jubilant scenes inside the stadium at the final whistle.

Footage from inside the ground captured Donnarumma’s reaction as he leapt into the crowd behind his goal.

He quickly disappeared, though, as he was immediately mobbed by supporters before returning to the pitch to join his teammates.

Donnarumma jumped into the crowd to celebrate with the City fans at full-time

X/FabrizioRomano

View Tweet: https://t.co/w7nkAjXGHB

Guardiola on Donnarumma error

Pep Guardiola played down Donnarumma’s error after the match as he praised the reaction of his players.

The City boss told Sky Sports: “(Abdukodir Khusanov) has to block better and the aggression of Havertz. But I liked the reaction of his mates, they were there to help him.

“When I see teams when they concede a goal and everyone is complaining, I don’t like that.”

Donnarumma, who joined City from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, has made 29 Premier League appearances this season.

Across those outings, the 27-year-old has kept 12 clean sheets and conceded just 25 goals.

His side’s latest win has handed them a major boost in the title race as they cut Arsenal’s lead to three points with a game in hand.

The City keeper atoned for his earlier error by denying Havertz a second goal

AFP

Donnarumma is dreaming of Premier League glory in his frst season in English football

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City will go top of the table if they beat Burnley on Wednesday night, a match which is live and exclusive on talkSPORT.

It will be the first time they have found themselves at the Premier League summit since the opening weekend of the season.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have occupied first place since October in their bid to end their 22-year title drought.

In contrast, City have won the league in six of the last eight seasons.

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