Article body analysed
The Premier League is approaching its conclusion for the 2024/25 season, and talk SPORT is here to bring you all the latest. Manchester United and Tottenham are looking set for a clash in Spain in the Europa League final after they won the first legs of their respective semi-finals. The winner will be in the Champions League next season despite both being on course for a bottom-half finish. Elsewhere, Manchester City beat Wolves on Monday night, with Pep Guardiola's side moving back up into third place. Friday, May 2 Saturday, May 3 Sunday, May 4 Monday, May 5 Marcus Rashford appeared to have already played potentially his last game for Aston Villa this season. The Man United loanee picked up a hamstring injury that looked to have put him out of the entire run-in. However, despite ruling Rashford out of Villa's game against Fulham, Unai Emery is hopeful he can return in the coming weeks and feature again for the club. "For tomorrow, he is not available, " Emery said. "He is working his comeback as soon as possible, but it is still weeks to be available or not with us for the rest of the season. "Of course, there are four weeks and hopefully he will play with us in one or two matches. " On Rashford's potential permanent future at the club, he said: "Tomorrow, Fulham. We don't want to finish the season. We don't want a holiday. We want to play. "Hopefully, he can help us. Of course, he's recovering with us here. "I want to see him happy. Play, get our objective and then, of course, we will speak about everything. " Kevin De Bruyne is set to depart Man City at the end of the season, but he still feels he can play at the top level. Speaking to Sky Sports this evening, he said: "I try to play as much good football as I can. "I know that I only have one home game left but I just try to do my job and that's what I did today. "A lot of teammates have said that it's sad I have to go too, but that's just how it goes sometimes in life. "I don't know what the future will be, but I know that I can still play here. " De Bruyne added: "I am still enjoying it, and we still have a job to do. It was a hard game today but we found the way to win. "Now we can just relax a bit and see what the other teams do. " This will be a memorable night for Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian has one more game left at the Etihad before he leaves the club, and he did a lap of the pitch at full-time. After his winning goal against Wolves, he has now scored 30 Premier League goals since turning 30. The only players to score more times for Manchester City aged 30+ are Yaya Touré and Sergio Agüero (41 each). De Bruyne has also now had a hand in 11 goals in 10 Premier League appearances against Wolves (6 goals, 5 assists). That's the joint-most by any player in top-flight history alongside Mo Salah, who also has 6 goals and 5 assists. It's all over at the Etihad! Manchester City hang on to beat Wolves 1-0, ending the visitors' six-game winning streak in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's side kept up their brilliant form and moved back into third place to boost their Champions League hopes. It was Kevin De Bruyne's goal that got the job done in what was his penultimate home game in a City shirt. Wolves hit the post twice and had a shot cleared off the line, but they just couldn't find a way through. Man City are closing in on a huge three points. With time ticking, Wolves are struggling to create any chances. They're having to throw bodies forward, but they look tired, and City are keeping the ball to make them work. The hosts had 75. 7% possession from the 60th minute to the 75th, showing their dominance in the second half. Even Pep's managed to get a touch in. .. We've only seen three shots in this second half so far. And we're just entering the final 20 minutes of the game. The most recent effort came from Mateo Kovacic, who scuffed wide after Omar Marmosh struck over from inside the box. Wolves have looked threatening just as they did in the first, and that has left Man City holding on at times. However, the hosts remain comfortable in possession and look as if they may be able to get this win over the line. Erling Haaland has been warming up, will we see him tonight? Stuart Pearce live on talk SPORT: "You can't underestimate how well City have played. "This is as good as I've seen them play for a long time. " Wolves hit the post for the second time tonight! It's Matheus Cunha's strike that comes back off the woodwork this time after Rayan Ait Nouri in the first half. And what a strike it was, as the Brazilian unleashed a powerful effort toward the near post, catching Ederson off guard. It looks destined to fly into the top corner, but the ball ricochets off the post and away. Man City survive another scare just before the hour mark. Stuart Pearce live on talk SPORT: "I didn't even think a shot was on there! " We're into the second half at the Etihad. Manchester City have lost just one of their last 49 home Premier League games when ahead at the break (W42 D6). That leaves them in a great position in this game. Should they end up claiming three points, it would move them four points clear inside the top four. A Champions League place would be getting closer. .. The half-time whistle blows in Manchester. Kevin De Bruyne's strike has Man City in front after a half that saw Wolves have the better chances. Rayan Ait Nouri had one shot hit the post and another cleared off the line just before his side conceded. And that came after Marshall Munetsi came inches away from tapping in a square pass from Jean-Ricner Bellergarde. The visitors have been impressive, but they have nothing to show for it and they seemed to struggle when 1-0 down. De Bruyne's goal added a lot of confidence to City, so they'll hope to restart the second half as they ended the first. AND NOW MAN CITY TAKE THE LEAD! Kevin De Bruyne smashes in the opener! After all of Wolves' pressure, it's the hosts who go in front and what a roar it is from the home crowd. De Bruyne may have just scored his last goal in a City shirt. His name is sung around the Etihad as the game restarts. The goal comes from Jeremy Doku's break down the left, as he gets into the box and pokes a ball across goal. Doku's pass ends up finding De Bruyne who finishes brilliantly after arriving into the penalty area. WOLVES MISS ANOTHER TWO HUGE CHANCES! Rayan Ait-Nouri strikes the post and has a shot cleared off the line in a matter of seconds. The wing-back charges into the box and after a neat move his low effort comes back off the woodwork. He then finds the ball at his feet for a rebound but he has that shot then kept out by Josko Gvardiol. Wolves should be in front but Man City survive. Stuart Pearce live on talk SPORT: “I think if this turns out to be 0-0 after that, it would be incredible. “Wolves, absolutely magnificent on the counter-attack. ” Oh wow, Wolves should be one up. Matheus Cunha slides Jean-Ricner Bellegarde through and four players beat Man City's offside trap. Bellegarde is clean through, but rather than shooting, he tries to pass across to Marshall Munetsi for a tap-in. It's slightly too heavy though and Munetsi misses the ball despite sliding to try and open the scoring. Stuart Pearce live on talk SPORT: "That was just too unselfish, it was too much on the pass. " Wolves have come out fighting tonight. Vitor Pereira has his side playing with so much confidence and that's clear to see, as they press high. They've had a shot balloon over from Matheus Cunha while also having a couple of other half-chances. But Man City are starting to gain some control of the game at the Etihad, which has plenty of empty seats inside. The lack of fans in their seats is due to a protest, with many not entering the stadium until after the sixth minute. The demonstration was against Man City's ticket prices and new season ticket plans at the club. Here we go then, Wolves vs Man City is underway. Can Pep Guardiola's side move back up into third? Or will Wolves continue their incredible winning streak to shock City and damage their Champions League hopes? We'll find out over the next 90 minutes. If you want to tune in to the action, we have live and exclusive coverage of the game on talk SPORT. Commentary is coming from Mark Wilson and Stuart Pearce. To tune in to talk SPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talk SPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM. Pep Guardiola has revealed that he will 'take a break' when his time at Manchester City ends. The Spaniard signed an extension in November that meant he has a contract as City boss up until 2027. But after that, he isn't expecting to instantly join another club and could even end his management career. "After my contract with City, I'm going to stop. I am sure. I don't know if I'm going to retire, but I'm going to take a break, " he told ESPN. "There are new challenges as a coach. I don't know what will happen in the future and in the end that doesn't matter. " Guardiola then clarified his comments speaking to Sky Sports, saying: "I didn’t say I'm leaving now, or the end of season or the end of contract. "I said when I finish my time here, be it one, two, three, four, five years I will take a break. "I won't retire but I will take a break. What I am saying is when I am finished here I will take a break. " Erling Haaland is back in the Manchester City squad for the first time since late March. The Norwegian returns on the bench, with Omar Marmoush keeping his place up front for now. Kevin De Bruyne starts again in one of his final games for the club while Ederson returns in goal. Jack Grealish, Savinho and Rico Lewis all drop to the bench after starting in the FA Cup semi-final last time out. As for Wolves, they make one change, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde replacing Jorgen Strand Larsen who is absent from the squad. Wolves XI: Sa, Semedo, Doherty, Agbadou, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Andre, J. Gomes, Munetsi, Bellegarde, Cunha. Subs: Bentley, Bueno, Hwang, R. Gomes, Doyle, Sarabia, Guedes, Djiga, Lima. Man City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Doku, Marmoush Subs: Ortega, Haaland, Grealish, Nico, Akanji, Savinho, Foden, Lewis, Mc Atee. Pep Guardiola doesn't want his Man City side to lose their focus on the Premier League run-in. City are in the FA Cup final and that is their only hope of silverware this season, so it will be a huge clash. However, Guardiola is only looking at each game coming for his team, not thinking about what's to come in two weeks time. “Now we can’t be distracted for anything else, ” he said ahead of City's meeting with Wolves this evening. “It’s Wolves, Wolves and Wolves. The rest we have time to think about it and day by day, see in the training sessions, [speak with] the physios, doctors. “Now, it’s a final every single game. We make an incredible effort. The last eight games unbeaten since Nottingham Forest away, we make just two draws against United and Brighton. “I’m pretty sure all of them want to play [in the final]. When you reach a final of the FA Cup, everyone wants to be involved. “It depends how they feel and how they recover. Now it’s a period we have to have certainty. It’s not already qualified here. “What we are going to say is we are going to make the right decisions. ” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hopes that the Gunners could receive a triple boost for their second leg against PSG. A defeat at home in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final leaves them on the brink of a heartbreaking elimination. However, having some key players back could help their chances of pulling off a comeback in Paris next week. Arteta revealed that he could see a trio return for the game. On Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Riccardo Calafiori, he said: "I wouldn't rule all of them out. "Let's see in the next few days how a few of them react. " Jorginho hasn't played since the start of April with a reported 'punctured lung' while Havertz may be set for a return after undergoing surgery on his hamstring. On whether confirmation of Liverpool's title win has hurt, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: "Big time. In my tummy. "But I understand that it is a team that have been a lot more consistent. "It is not that simplistic [that it was meant to be Arsenal's year]. "We have so much to play for still in the Champions League and Premier League, and our focus is there. "At the end of the season, we have many weeks to reflect. " Swansea City and Wales midfielder Joe Allen has confirmed he will retire after tomorrow's final game of the Championship season. The 35-year-old is out of contract at the Swans this summer and has opted to call time on his career after the match against Oxford. Allen was infamously dubbed 'the Welsh Xavi' by former manager Brendan Rodgers during their time at Liverpool together. He hangs up his boots having made almost 600 club appearances and won 77 international caps. "This is incredibly difficult. This is not something I've taken lightly, I've spent a lot of time pondering it, " said Allen. "The timing's right. I made the decision, got to 100 percent about a month ago. I wasn't sure how the last few weeks would go, how I'd find things, but it's actually been a good spell really. I've enjoyed it. " "I've had a chance to reflect and take it all in. I'm really looking forward to what's going to be my last game on Saturday, " he added. "I'm very proud. I didn't think I'd be sat here playing as many games as I have for clubs I have done at that level and for Wales as well. "I've been incredibly fortunate and as I've reflected over the last few weeks very grateful and thankful to everyone who has helped me on my way to have these amazing experiences. " West Ham manager Graham Potter has lifted the lid on last week's viral post-match press conference. The former Brighton boss said he was 'upset' after conceding two late goals to lose against his old club. Speaking today, Potter said: "As you can see, I'm better now. "It would be surprising if I wasn't upset after how the game had unfolded. It's about accepting the human being that we all are and moving forward. "As you get older, I care less about what you guys (the media) think. "I'm happy to be myself - if myself is being annoyed after we've conceded two goals in three minutes, I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. "My reaction was a human reaction. I would be surprised if there's many football managers that gave a different reaction to what I had. " Celtic winger Jota will be sidelined for between six to nine months, manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed. The 26-year-old, who returned to the Scottish champions from Rennes in January, suffered a cruciate ligament injury on Saturday. Jota was taken off in the first half of the 5-0 win over Dundee United, as Celtic sealed a fourth consecutive SPL title. A nine-month layoff would see Jota sidelined through to February. "Sadly, it's not good news for him or for us really, " Rodgers said. "It didn't look as bad, but when he had the scan, it looks like he'll probably be out for six to nine months. "So he's done his cruciate and a little bit of other damage in there. He's quite upbeat and philosophical about it. " "He's had a challenging couple of years really after his move away from here to Saudi [Arabia], but this will give him a chance to come back even stronger and grow. " Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has given a fresh update on Marcus Rashford's situation following the England star's recent injury. It was reported last week that the Manchester United loanee was expected to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring issue. Rashford was forced out of Villa's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday, and won't play against Fulham tomorrow either. Ahead of that match, live on talk SPORT, Emery said: "For tomorrow he is not available but he is working to comeback as soon as possible. "But [it will still be] weeks until he is available. Hopefully he will play with us [for] one or two matches [before the end of the season]. " Mikel Arteta says he is hopeful that Jorginho 'will integrate into the team for the last few games'. The Arsenal boss also surprisingly revealed that Kai Havertz could also be back before the end of the season. Speaking ahead of the Gunners' clash with Bournemouth, Arteta said: "I will assess how the squad is tomorrow and see who I have available to start and as subs. " On Havertz: "I think so [could return before end of season]. "If everything goes the way it is at the moment, then he will have a chance. " Arteta also confirmed Riccardo Calafiori remains unavailable for Saturday's game, as do Jorginho and Havertz. Lucas Bergvall's season is likely over after picking up an ankle injury, as talk SPORT first revealed last night. The teenager was spotted on crutches and in a protective boot pitchside at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening He was a shock omission from Ange Postecoglou's squad for the Europa League semi-final first-leg win over Bodø/Glimt. Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon ahead of Sunday's trip to West Ham, Postecoglou said, "With Lucas, it looks like the injury is significant enough to probably keep him out now for the rest of the season. He tweaked his ligaments in his ankle so he is out. " Asked later how the injury came about, Ange said: "It's something you see all the time. "It wasn't a tackle, he was on his own, he just went to turn, and his ankle gave way. "It's one of those things, similar to Dom (Solanke, earlier in the season) and others we've had in training. These things happen. " © 2025 talk SPORT Limited
Registered in England No. 2806093. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF
talk SPORT is a registered trade mark of Wireless Group Media (GB) Limited.
This service is provided on talk SPORT Limited's Terms of Use in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy.