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Moisés Caicedo signed a new contract at Chelsea as Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta previewed their title clash Right, that’s all from me. Thanks for reading and may your weekend be filled with goals, goals, goals. Including a few lengthy injury lists. The PFA Scotland Premiership team of the year has been announced: Calum Ward (Motherwell), Paul Mc Ginn (Motherwell), Craig Halkett (Hearts), Emmanuel Fernandez (Rangers), Harry Milne (Hearts), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic), Elliot Watt (Motherwell), Elijah Just (Motherwell), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Cláudio Braga (Hearts) There are no representatives from last year’s team, which featured seven Celtic players. Daniel Farke’s Leeds enjoyed a momentous Monday night, getting three points at Old Trafford. They’ve got Wolves up next as they look to pull further away from the relegation scrap. Quotes from Farke courtesy of PA: double quotation mark We know how difficult this game will be, especially because after such an amazing win, then a home game against a side who is not in the best position in the table, expectation is unbelievably high and these games are the most difficult. If you have a deeper look into the performances and results of Wolves, there is no reason not to stay humble and think it will be, in any aspect, an easy game. Pep Guardiola believes if Manchester City replicate their Carabao Cup final display against Arsenal in Sunday’s pivotal title meeting with Mikel Arteta’s side they will win, though the manager expects his opposite number to make adjustments for this key clash. Arsenal dominated initially when the teams met last month at Wembley before City gradually became ascendant, Guardiola’s side in control after the break as two goals from Nico O’Reilly claimed the trophy. Guardiola was asked if City would prevail again at the Etihad Stadium if they perform as they did at Wembley. “If we play like we did for 95 minutes and they do what they did, we are going to win, ” said the manager. Ahead of the big one on Sunday, Niall Mc Veigh has looked back on a few heavyweight bouts. Feel free to drop me a line and share your footballing plans for the weekend. I’m off to the Gtech tomorrow, with Fulham visiting Brentford. Have just clocked Harry Wilson’s ridiculous record in that fixture – he’s got four goals in his last 118 minutes against Brentford. “On the one hand it’s only been 500, but at the same time – oh my God – it’s 500 games. ” Lucy Bronze, with 146 caps, speaks in Reykjavík. The meeting with Iceland will be the Lionesses’ 500th game. Sheila Parker and Wendy Owen, interviewed in this piece from 2022, were there at the start. The Lionesses take on Iceland tomorrow in World Cup qualifying. Sarina Wiegman’s side are top of their group with a 100% record and, while it’s still a while away, Tom Garry has had a look at the selection race for the tournament. Seven years ago, on this day, a Champions League classic. It probably feels longer for Spurs fans. Hello, wonderful people. Here’s today’s Football Daily … there’s a new Top Gun in the works, too. Moyes on Liverpool’s form: double quotation mark I don’t watch Liverpool’s results really. I look after Everton. My job’s to see we do as well as we can. I can only focus on us. David Moyes has been talking all things Merseyside derby: double quotation mark That was amazing, the last game at Goodison. A bit sad to leave, because it was so important to me and my family, but leaving it in a good way was pleasing. Look, we’re in the Hill-Dicky now and we’re enjoying it. All we can do is try and catch whoever’s above us. I think Brentford are above us at the moment. We’ve got to attempt to get whoever we can, but probably most important is to try to prevent whoever’s [trying to] catch us. The biggest thing for me is we’ve six games to go, we’ve got something to play for. Over the last few years it’s been the wrong thing we’ve been playing for. We’re hoping we can keep that dream alive, and see what happens. On talk of a new contract for himself, Moyes says: double quotation mark There’s no need to start talks now, because I’ve got too much on my mind. I want Everton to be in this position every year, with a chance of the top places. So it’s not too important to me now. Moisés Caicedo has committed himself to Chelsea, signing a new contract that ties him to the club until August 2033, which would be a decade after his arrival from Brighton. “I am so happy to have extended my contract at Chelsea, ” Caicedo told chelseafc. com. “I believe in this team, this club and I know we’re going in the right direction. We’ve only just begun together. “There is still a lot more to achieve, and I’m very hungry to keep improving every day. I want to win more trophies with Chelsea and give everything for this club and for the fans. We have enjoyed some great times together already and my dream is to become a Chelsea legend, and I will work as hard as possible to make that happen. ” Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed Tottenham captain Cristian Romero will not play again this season – but he remains positive the club can stay up, saying his team “can win any way and we want to win any way”, and promised more dinners out if they beat Brighton. Romero suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s 1-0 loss at Sunderland, De Zerbi’s first fixture in charge of Spurs, and the defender will miss the final six games of a disastrous Premier League campaign. Tottenham have spent the last week in the relegation zone and De Zerbi took his 18th-placed squad out for a meal in Mayfair ahead of Saturday’s visit of his former club Brighton in an attempt to build relationships for a crucial final stretch of the season. “Yes, I don’t know if we win the game for dinner. I know we eat very well. The food was amazing and if we win, I am ready to pay every week for one dinner, ” De Zerbi smiled. “I am positive, I am ready to fight and I believe to keep Premier League [status]. I believe in my words that I said last week. The focus is to win one game. “Yes, I think it is crucial to win a game not just for the table. Of course one part [is] the table for sure, but we have to feel again what is nice to win a game and what it can do. I have no doubts about the quality of the players. ” De Zerbi declined to confirm who would take the captain’s armband in the absence of Romero, but revealed Rodrigo Bentancur was available for Saturday’s critical fixture after a three-month lay-off with a hamstring injury. Yves Bissouma is “100 per cent fit” after being an unused substitute at Sunderland but first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is still not ready for action after he had minor hernia surgery last month. Arteta denies that, as Pep Guardiola put it a little earlier, “it’s over” if Arsenal win on Sunday: double quotation mark There are six games to go. Obviously it’s a really important one for both teams. After this one there will be some very difficult matches for all of us. We will have to wait, and continue, whatever happens. Mikel Arteta has held his press conference to preview Sunday’s game at Manchester City. Here’s a snippet: double quotation mark We have the opportunity to win on Saturday, arguably against the best team and the best manager this league has ever seen, and this is a huge privilege. We’re not going to spend a single second talking about [the possibility of losing]. We will have a very strong opponent, we know that. But we have played a lot of games against them and we know what we have to do. Michael Carrick has admitted to being frustrated by recent refereeing decisions which have created a centre-back crisis at Manchester United. Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are suspended for Saturday’s visit to Chelsea after recent sendings off. United sit comfortably in third, seven points above Saturday’s opponent sixth-placed Chelsea but will not want to see the gap close come full-time at Stamford Bridge. After two seasons without Champions League football, returning to Europe’s top table is vital for United. Carrick will want to see his team bounce back from Monday night’s defeat at home to Leeds. He will once again be without Maguire who received a further one-match suspension in response to his behaviour to the fourth official after being sent off at Bournemouth. He will be joined by Martinez on the sidelines after his dismissal for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair in the defeat to Leeds, to leave Carrick short of centre-backs, while Matthijs De Ligt is a long-term absentee. “There’s not much we can react to, ” Carrick said of Maguire’s suspension. “Massively disappointed, of course. I think I had a few reasons to be disappointed in a big way over those type of situations over the last couple of weeks, or three weeks, but obviously now we’ve got to move on. The decisions that have been made are something that we’re really disappointed with in many ways, but that’s it now. We’ve got to move on and we will do Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are the only two senior centre-backs available to Carrick but he could use Casemiro or Luke Shaw, if he wanted more experience. He could be boosted by the return of Kobbie Mainoo, who is back in training after being absent on Monday through injury. Nick Ames has an update on the Championship promotion race, and a defining weekend in the season for Middlesbrough in particular: At the end of July, Ipswich and Middlesbrough reached an agreement. If the Boro midfielder Hayden Hackney agreed personal terms he could join the Suffolk club, freshly relegated and awash with ready funds, for a Championship record fee of around £20m. Kieran Mc Kenna knew he would be getting the best schemer in the division if his target said yes; a player who could make the difference in a 46-game grind. Perhaps with half an eye on Premier League interest, Hackney heard Ipswich out but turned the transfer down. He would end up staying on Teesside and propelling an often exhilarating promotion chase. There is little chance of a mutually beneficial outcome when the sides meet at Portman Road on Sunday. Hackney has missed the past four games with a calf injury and it is unclear whether he will be ready in time for a game of potentially seismic consequence. Boro, out at the front with Coventry for so much of the season, have faded without their talisman and drifted to fifth. Their hosts, slow starters but menacingly consistent since September, occupy second place and have played a game less. Goal difference also works in Ipswich’s favour and the equation is simple: Boro must become one of vanishingly few visiting sides to win in Suffolk if they are to retain realistic hopes of going up automatically. Much more here: Fulham won 54 points last season, their best ever Premier League total. This year they’re on 44, so need to win three of their last six games, starting at Brentford in tomorrow’s early kick-off, and draw one of the others, if they’re going to match it. But does Marco Silva believe they can do it? You’d better believe it! double quotation mark We believe. Probably 10, 11 months ago I didn’t have any doubts. I didn’t know what is going to be the squad, what type of investment we were going to have. I was the first one, I spoke in the dressing room and I set the standards for the season after, without knowing anything that was going to be, which players we were going to lose, I stood up and set straight away the standards. For something the club in the past never achieved. There are six games to be played, points to be fought for, and we are going to fight very, very hard. Some words from Michael Carrick on the suspensions of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez, both of whom will miss Manchester United’s trip to Chelsea. Safe to say he’s not a fan of either decision. On Maguire: double quotation mark We’ve got to move on. The decision have been made, something we’re really disappointed with, but that’s it now. … and on Martinez: double quotation mark The decision is what it is. We’ve been hit by some decisions and we’ve got to move on whether we like it or not. Sky Germany are reporting that Marie-Louise Eta, the 34-year-old who this week became the first woman head coach of a team in Europe’s five top leagues, will definitely not remain in charge of Union Berlin’s men beyond the end of this summer. “To accompany her with this discussion would do her, and women’s football as a whole, a disservice, ” the club’s president, Dirk Zingler, told Sky. “Marie-Louise Eta will be in charge here for five games, and after that she will take over the women’s team. ” Some international news, and Frenchman Hervé Renard has told AFP that he has been relieved of his duties as Saudi Arabia coach, less than two months before the start of the 2026 World Cup. Renard, 57, had returned for a second spell as Saudi coach at the end of 2024, having led them at the last World Cup in Qatar. We’re suffering through a slight and temporary lull in football news. So, here’s something about a wolf. Pep Guardiola is holding his press conference ahead of the rather large meeting with Arsenal. Here are a few snippets: Is this a final? double quotation mark Yeah, obviously. If we lose, yeah, it’s over. But the other two results, we still have games to play and six games is a lot, many things to do. Are City underdogs? double quotation mark Maybe they are not at their best, but they are the only English team in the Champions League and they have been the best so far. We want to challenge them. I said to the players, it’s just a football game. We have to approach it like a football game. Really important, of course. We have to perform well. Does he like watching Arsenal play? double quotation mark Yeah. People are so demanding. The media, the supporters, everyone. I enjoy watching them. I learn a lot, many things. Eddie Howe says Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes could be back from a hamstring injury to face Bournemouth, after more than two months out. Guimaraes, who is Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with nine goals, has been pushing to come back as soon as possible, Howe told reporters on Friday. This just in from Reuters: “The medical team are trying to hold him back . .. I say hold him back, there’s always that tug because the player is desperate to play and I love that with Bruno, ” the manager said. “I’ll make a decision based on what I see in training today, but there is a chance. “ The Brazil midfielder’s form before his injury has sparked media speculation of a potential move to Real Madrid or Manchester United in the close season. Newcastle’s England forward Anthony Gordon, who has 10 goals in the Champions League this season, has also been linked with several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Arsenal. But Howe said he wanted players fully committed to the club and Newcastle’s future despite the transfer talk around them. “The biggest thing I look for is the commitment to training . .. I won’t play a player if I don’t think they are 100% committed to the club and its future. I’m not talking about Anthony here, I’m talking generally across the board, ” he said. “When they’re high profile, like the ones we have here, they’re in the news all the time for lots of different reasons. It comes with the territory. You have to adjust and adapt to it, and try to play to your best level with the noise around you. I don’t think you get to this level without the ability to do that. I don’t think any player can use that as an excuse towards lower performances. The lads internally aren’t. ” Good news for Arsenal! They are still favourites to win the league, says Oliver Hopkins of Opta Analyst, and here’s why: Hello everyone! Let’s get the ball rolling with an update from Andoni Iraola’s press conference ahead of Bournemouth’s trip to Newcastle. Here’s PA Media: Andoni Iraola insists his decision to leave Bournemouth was “not about any other club”. The 43-year-old’s impending departure was announced on Tuesday following three years with the south coast side. His contract was set to expire in the summer and, following reports linking him with other clubs including Athletic Bilbao, Iraola revealed he does not know what his next move will be. “The decision was not about any other club. There has been no other club involved, it was about continuing here or not continuing here, ” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next season. I don’t know if I’m going to coach a team, a club, coach a national team, coach in this continent, I’m not going to coach. I have no idea what’s going to happen. “I don’t have any rush to know it. I’ve taken a big decision for me now in this moment. Now I want to focus on what will happen in these six games. It’ll be massive for us. There’s going to be time to think, if we have to think, on something else. ” Andoni steered the Cherries to a ninth-placed Premier League finish last season and they are currently 11th with six games left in this campaign. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Newcastle, Iraola added: “It has been a decision that has taken me a lot of time to take, it hasn’t been a clear decision. “Always during this process, this season, I’ve been talking to the club about the situations, they were very aware this could happen. There is not always one main reason. The decision I’ve taken is because probably I don’t want to risk the feeling I have right now of satisfaction of these three seasons. “You try to envision yourself in a possible fourth season, a possible fifth season and everything costs more. We as human beings get tired of watching the same phases. I suppose I decided this was the right moment to put an end to this journey that for me has been really special. ” Right that’s the end of my short stint. Simon Burnton is here to take the reins through Friday lunchtime and beyond. Northampton Town had their relegation from League One confirmed earlier this week, but the club have just revealed they have signed an early agreement with a new group of investors. The club’s chair, Kelvin Thomas, said “We have been very open for a while about the need for fresh investment and have been working hard behind the scenes to hopefully make that happen. “We are excited as we feel we have found the right group of people to support the club going forward who are very football focused and are excited about the potential. If this process is ultimately successful, we expect the club will be debt free which is a goal we have always hoped for. ” Colin Calderwood has been in temporary charge of the Cobblers of late, but the new investment group is expected to appoint a new permanent manager, most likely at the end of the season. This bonkers football match happened exactly a year ago today. Enjoy it, if you can stand the pure chaos of it all. Robbie Savage’s “I told ya! ” is particularly brilliant at the end. A few media outlets are pointing out that if Manchester City v Arsenal finishes 1-1 on Sunday – matching the score at the Emirates earlier in the season – it opens up the possibility that the title could go to a play-off. It remains hugely unlikely because it would mean City catching up the required points, finishing level with Arsenal, and the teams also being equal in terms of goal difference and goals scored. They are only one goal apart in terms of output, with the Gunners holding the advantage by four on goal difference. But just imagine … Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali gave his backing to Liam Rosenior and said he still believes the head coach can be successful despite recent results that have threatened the club’s Champions League qualification hopes. The team have won one of their last seven games in the Premier League and have slipped four points outside the top five ahead of Saturday’s fixture at home to Manchester United. Rosenior, who was appointed in January following the abrupt sacking of Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day, enjoyed a promising start but a downturn began when the Blues were beaten 5-2 away by PSG in the Champions League in March, and so far the former Hull and Strasbourg boss has been unable to arrest the slide. Speaking at CAA’s World Congress of Sports conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, Eghbali said: “On Liam, we had the opportunity to work with him daily for 18 plus months, so we knew what we were getting. We think he has every attribute to be successful here. He got off to a great start. We’ve had a tough past five, six matches, but I think we’re behind Liam. Of course, it’s a results business, but we think he can be successful long term. ” You can always count on The Guardian’s Paul Campbell to serve up the goods when it comes to quiz and this is a solid one. Very happy with my score of 12/15. Have a go. Forgive me for getting giddy about football … but De Zerbi’s Spurs taking on Brighton at 5. 30pm on Saturday, then Chelsea v Manchester United at 8pm later the same night, before the Merseyside derby and Manchester City v Arsenal on Sunday … this weekend should be a real treat. Erling Haaland believes Sunday’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal will be “like a final”. The game between the top two Premier League teams could have major ramifications in the race for the title. The Gunners’ lead currently stands at six points, and a win for either team would be a major boost in the hunt for Premier League glory, with City having a game in hamd. “It’s always a nice fight and it’s always good to, as I said, to play against the best because that’s something you want to do, ” Haaland told Sky Sports. “It’s a massive game without a doubt. We all know the importance of this game. It’s like a final. Like last weekend was against Chelsea, it was a final as well. Let’s be honest and say that. “We have a final every single weekend now for the next six weeks. It’s a massive game, it’s probably the biggest and the best game there will be, so hopefully it can be an amazing game. These are the games you want to play and these are the moments you want to be in. ” Howe must also be perturbed that so many of his players are being linked with moves away from Newcastle. Stories this week suggest Anthony Gordon is the latest to become disgruntled, joining Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall and Bruno Guimarães as a possible departee from St James’s Park this summer. (Although they surely will not all be sold) “I don’t necessarily address transfer speculation unless it gets to the point that I feel I have to, ” said Howe, addressing the transfer speculation. “After I had the chat with Sandro, the biggest thing I look for is the commitment to training. That will be the same with Anthony and every player. I won’t play a player if I don’t think they are 100% committed to the club and its future. I have to do what I think is right for the team. ” All eyes, then, on whether Gordon is included in the starting lineup against Bournemouth. Eddie Howe has come out fighting in his press conference this morning, saying Newcastle are feeling “angry” and want that winning feeling back, after a run of just one victory in their past six in all competitions. double quotation mark We need that feeling back. It’s been too long. We’re desperate to win and play well. This week we have had a mix of emotions. We had the disappointing result against Crystal Palace and there was a bit of anger, all those emotions which can be really positive for you, so we’ve tried to use them. There haven’t been too many smiling faced around the training ground but I think the feeling is one of steely determination to put it right. It’s been a strange year in terms of the Premier League table, it’s been very tight all season. We need a run of wins that we’ve needed all season. We can still end up with a really successful season so that has to be our aim. All is seemingly not well at Newcastle, who are ending their season with a whimper as Eddie Howe prepares to welcome his former club, Bournemouth, to St James’s Park on Saturday. The spectre of Andoni Iraola – to leave the Cherries in a month or so – is one of a few looming large over Howe right now. Louise Taylor wrote this piece on Howe’s future on Tyneside as the grumbling gets ever louder. Thanks Dave. I’ll begin my stint with some Newcastle news/chat … It’s time now to hand the blog over. Take it away, Dominic Booth. The two members of the Iran football team who remained in Australia after the Women’s Asian Cup are beginning their new lives away from the spotlight, even if their dream is to return to elite football. Here’s Jack Snape on the story of Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, who issued a statement on Friday saying they “respectfully ask” for “privacy and space”. The slight consolation for Liverpool and Slot is that Alexander Isak is back in action again after the fibula fracture he suffered against Spurs in December. The Swedish striker has had minutes in both quarter-final legs against PSG and the home win over Fulham last weekend although the Reds are being careful with their record signing’s comeback. Here’s Slot. double quotation mark It’s a good thing we signed two number nines. Lots of people were debating why we signed two, but now it looks like a good idea. Now people are saying we should sign another in the summer! Someone said to me the day after [the Ekitike injury] that you cannot write the script that on the day Alex is back on first start the other leaves the pitch with a long-term injury. Even more a good thing that Alex is back but wouldn’t be the first time I didn’t have someone available in a certain position, such as right-back. Alex, we know, is not ready to play 90 yet. Talking of right-back, Slot has confirmed that Joe Gomez will miss the trip to Everton due to the injury which forced him off against PSG. Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby. Here he is on Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles tendon injury which has ruled the Frenchman out for the rest of the season and this summer’s World Cup. double quotation mark He hasn’t been operated on yet. Devastating for him coming to a new club having so much impact straight away. Playing against your former club in the Champions League quarter-final with so much to come for him in the summer. My first thoughts are with him being out for such a long time, missing out on so many special moments. But it is not the first and not the last player who experienced something like this at the start of their career, and there are so many examples of players coming back even stronger. Hundred per cent he will be one of those say maybe this injury makes me even more strong and more ready to play at an even higher level. Back to Europe for a bit and let’s confirm the last teams standing. These are the potential finals: Champions League
PSG/Bayern v Arsenal/Atletico Madrid Europa League
Aston Villa/Nottingham Forest v SC Freiburg/Braga Conference League
Crystal Palace/Shakhtar Donetsk v Rayo Vallecano/Strasbourg Manchester City v Arsenal will attract incredible worldwide viewing figures. Ahead of Sunday’s showdown at the Etihad, John Duerden has been talking to Gunners fans from around the globe. It seems there’s panic on the streets of Thailand ahead of the trip to Manchester. Arsenal are six points clear in the Premier League and into the semi-finals of the Champions League. And yet, in cricketing terms, they seem not to be going for their shots anymore, trying to get over the line by nudging singles. Has Geoff Boycott given his approval to such a method? Boycs, confusingly, supports Manchester United so probably isn’t the man to ask. Much of the negativity around the Gunners centres around style though and clamming up at this crucial stage of the season could backfire. Here’s Rob Draper with a look at how Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola are taking different paths despite both being disciples of Johan Cruyff. No doubt which game takes top billing this weekend. Let’s start with some Manchester City v Arsenal build-up in our Premier League: 10 things to look out for column. Here’s how Jamie Jackson frames it: “If Arsenal are victorious, they motor back to London with a nine-point advantage and the 22-year wait for the title is surely over. If City win, then it is time to break out the popcorn as the title race will surely go down to the wire. ” After taking just five points from the last 42 available, Tottenham are heading towards relegation. Can new boss Roberto De Zerbi stop the ninth richest club in the world falling into the Championship? Harry Paterson from Who Scored examines their plight. Crystal Palace will face Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk for a place in the final of the Conference League. Here’s how the Eagles completed the job against Fiorentina in the quarter-finals. Nottingham Forest have reached their first European semi-final for 42 years. It was a nervy night at the City Ground but Morgan Gibbs-White’s 12-minute strike proved just enough to get Forest past 10-man Porto. Villa up next. Let’s start with Aston Villa cruising past Bologna. Ollie Watkins reached a couple of landmarks in the 4-0 win and perhaps gave Thomas Tuchel a nudge. Good morning! Aside from Liverpool’s predictable exit to PSG, it’s been a rather excellent week for English teams in their respective European quarter-finals. Arsenal limped made it through against Sporting in the Champions League, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest set up an all-English Europa League semi-final after seeing off Bologna and Porto respectively and Crystal Palace, despite defeat on the night at Fiorentina, went through 4-2 on aggregate to reach the last four of the Conference League. We’ll reflect on those successes and then turn to a Premier League run-in where there’s all sorts on the line this weekend. Will in-form Brighton bash another nail into Tottenham’s relegation coffin? Who will have bragging rights after the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium? And will Manchester City send already highly tetchy Arsenal fans apopletic by playing sexy Cherki football and winning Sunday’s title showdown at the Etihad? All that, plus team news, features and much more. Let’s go!