For the first time since 2014, the Warriors have exited the postseason before reaching the finals. Here are some players to blame."It was fun while it lasted" was all any true Golden State Warriors fan could say after the team's disappointing Game 6 defeat to the Los Angeles Laker...

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Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson refuses to step on Gareth Southgate’s toes when it comes to Eberechi Eze despite a two-goal afternoon from the England hopeful. The 24-year-old netted either side of half-time at Selhurst Park to lift his side to a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth, who could still secure their mathematical Premier League safety this weekend depending on results elsewhere. Eze was believed to have been amongst the names on England boss Southgate’s long-list ahead of the World Cup, but former national team manager Hodgson made clear he would not try to influence any decisions about his midfielder’s international future. He said: “It’s a question for Gareth I’m afraid, Gareth and [assistant manager] Steve Holland. I know they follow the team, our team closely, they follow the players, so what I’ve seen they will have seen and it will be totally and utterly up to them if they decide if what they’re seeing is what they’re looking for. “No one would be happier for Ebs if he got selected, but I’m certainly not going to be the person who starts making those suggestions and telling the national team coach what he should do. “I had four years of people telling me what I should be doing, so I made a definite rule that if I ever got back into club football no one is every going to pick up a newspaper, Gareth Southgate, and hear ‘Roy Hodgson thinks’. “Roy Hodgson thinks what he thinks, and if Gareth ever wants to know what I’m thinking he knows where to find me, and we’re close enough friends for him to ask me.” Eze, who has now netted 10 times for Palace this season, has thrived since Hodgson’s arrival in March and has credited the 75-year-old manager for an uptick in performance. His first goal against the Cherries came as a result of some fine work from Wilfried Zaha, who evaded his marker and sent the ball in the direction of Jordan Ayew, who flicked the ball backwards to his team-mate for a neat finish after 39 minutes. Michael Olise then became the first player in Palace history to pick up 10 assists in a single Premier League season when his long ball found Eze after the restart to set up a mazy run ending in an impossible save for Neto in the top right corner. O’Neil’s side have all but assured themselves top-flight safety, but Saturday’s result means they may not have the chance to secure it on the pitch if results at Everton and Leicester, on Sunday and Monday respectively, go in their favour. It will still be another week before Bournemouth can take their campaign to 40 points, but O’Neil himself will be turning the big 4-0 on his birthday this Thursday. He said: “I won’t be celebrating. We’ll get to the end of the season and reflect on everything. I’ll have a clearer picture on what we have achieved, what we had and where we fell short, where we need to improve, what we’ve done well. “In the summer I’ll give myself a small amount of time before we get ready for next season. “Hopefully it’s mathematically done. We were looking to take care of ourselves today, but I think the fact that we were all but safe with four to go is a big achievement for the group and they should be very proud of what they have achieved. “But a nice little reminder for them today that if you take your foot off the gas and you try and stand still then things can go past you very, very quickly.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Frank Lampard urges Chelsea to be more ruthless after Nottingham Forest draw Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation Notts County back in EFL with sub goalkeeper Archie Mair the shoot-out hero

For Erik ten Hag, the soundtrack to an afternoon on the touchline consisted of plenty of choruses celebrating a predecessor. And not even his most celebrated predecessor, even though Sir Alex Ferguson watched on from the directors’ box as Ten Hag secured a first victory in three games. But it took Manchester United a step closer to the Champions League, a competition that defines Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. And as Solskjaer made his first return to Old Trafford since his sacking 18 months ago, memories of 1999, of the Nou Camp and of Bayern Munich being beaten in injury time, lingered. His legendary status has not been diminished by his disastrous final few months in the dugout. Ten Hag has rejuvenated and roused United after inheriting a mess and yet, Solskjaer is entitled to argue, he is only on course to emulate him. The Norwegian twice secured Champions League qualification as a manager; Ten Hag only needs two more wins to follow in his footsteps after a victory that stemmed from the inspiration offered by Solskjaer’s finest signing. Anthony Martial, a Louis van Gaal capture, got the first goal to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers. Antony, Ten Hag’s own biggest buy, earned the assist. But the catalytic contribution, the key pass, came from Bruno Fernandes. The injury-time second, scored on his comeback by Alejandro Garnacho, came after Fernandes released him. Many a Solskjaer favourite has fallen by the wayside – only four of his final starting 11 began for Ten Hag here, while his anointed leader, Harry Maguire, got a late cameo – but Fernandes has retained his prominence. On a day when United were without the injured Marcus Rashford, they required some inspiration. Fernandes obliged when it felt few others could for a goal-shy side. So they recorded a 25th home win of the season, a feat they last achieved under Ferguson. Solskjaer’s past tended to invite comparisons with the great Scot. The post-Ferguson United managers, however, are perhaps best assessed against each other and, with 66 points, Ten Hag’s United have equalled their tally in two seasons when Solskjaer was at the wheel, whether for part or all of it; they could yet top his best total of 75. The Norwegian’s legacy is undeniably mixed – three years offered evidence of progress only for United to regress alarmingly in the autumn of 2021 – and the sense is that the Ten Hag revival is built on sounder foundations, but defeats to Brighton and West Ham threatened the kind of end-of-season slide that would question that analysis. Right now, United could do with the services of Solskjaer; but the potent striker rather than the well-meaning manager. Martial’s goal was their first in three games; in all competitions, Garnacho’s strike was just their fifth in seven. They lack the ability to blow teams away and victory became a grind. They were minus the injured Marcus Rashford, whose absence underlined the need to sign a high-class forward in the summer, but Martial ended an eight-game goal drought with an opportunity he could scarcely miss. It was just his fifth league goal of the season, a statistic explained in part by his frequent absences. It came from an incisive move, with Fernandes dissecting the defence with a pass, Antony showing the unselfishness and awareness to roll the ball into Martial’s path and the striker getting a tap-in. It was a rarity from Antony in various respects; a right-footed assist and, indeed, an assist of any kind. The Brazilian was nevertheless the brightest of the forwards, if also the most profligate. He spurned a glorious early chance after Max Kilman slipped. He headed wastefully wide from Luke Shaw’s cross; somehow, a particularly one-footed footballer even seemed to use the left side of his head. He had a late shot clawed away by Dan Bentley. He was, at least, persistent. But the debutant goalkeeper Bentley, who was deputising for Jose Sa, went untested for too long. Too often United were betrayed by a stray touch here and a moment of indecision there. Their decision-making was faulty at times, their confidence missing. Eventually Bentley made a fine save from Jadon Sancho, who darted in off the left. When Casemiro whipped in a shot, Bentley tipped it away. But he was helpless when, with Wolves pushing forward in their search for an equaliser, Fernandes sent the substitute Garnacho sprinting clear. He marked his recent five-year contract with a fifth goal for the club, and it is likelier that he, and they, will spend next season in the Champions League. Read More ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in Players really want to come – Erik ten Hag optimistic for transfer window Rashford a Man United injury doubt but Ten Hag handed defender boost Erik ten Hag faces race against time to solve Man Utd’s clear failings ‘It’s in our hands’: Erik Ten Hag not panicking over Man United’s top-four hopes Erik ten Hag reveals David De Gea contract stance after costly mistake at West Ham

The St. Louis Cardinals are moving Willson Contreras back to catcher on a part-time basis, for some reason.The Cards moved Willson Contreras to a full-time designated hitter role about a week ago. It seemed crazy at the time, especially since Oli Marmol and the front office were making Contreras...

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Trai Hume headed Sunderland to a comeback victory over Luton to ensure they have a priceless lead to defend in the second leg of their Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final. Hume’s 63rd-minute effort secured a 2-1 first leg victory at a packed Stadium of Light after on-loan Manchester United midfielder Amad Diallo had cancelled out Elijah Adebayo’s early opener with a stunning strike. It was no more than Tony Mowbray’s men deserved from a game for which they once again lined up without a recognised central defender, yet kept alive their hopes of a second successive promotion via the play-offs. Luton, who finished 11 points better off than the Black Cats at the end of the regular season, will nevertheless feel confident they can overturn the narrowest of deficits at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night – although they will have to do so against opponents who won 11 of their 23 fixtures on the road. Early blows were traded as Hatters frontman Carlton Morris headed tamely into Anthony Patterson’s arms before Jack Clarke rifled a shot into the side-netting at the other end in an open start. The visitors, who lost in the semi-finals 12 months ago, were fortunate to escape unscathed when keeper Ethan Horvath palmed Patrick Roberts’ curling attempt into the path of Joe Gelhardt, who was unable to adjust his feet quickly enough to convert the rebound. The Hatters took advantage of the escape almost immediately. Sunderland failed to deal with an 11th-minute corner and, after Patterson had bravely blocked Alfie Doughty’s shot at the back post, Adebayo pounced on the loose ball to score. Momentum shifted with the goal and Adebayo might have doubled his tally with 24 minutes gone had Hume not thrown himself into the path of his goal-bound effort, and Patterson had to be alert to field Doughty’s near-post free-kick. But Sunderland were back in it six minutes before the break when, after Pelly Mpanzu had been booked for a crude challenge on Roberts, Alex Pritchard rolled the resulting free-kick to Amad, who curled an unstoppable shot past Horvath. Gelhardt steered Pritchard’s cross wide under pressure from Gabe Osho as the Black Cats resumed in determined fashion, although the game became increasingly scrappy with both teams guilty of turning over possession cheaply. It was the home side who finally summoned up the quality to make a difference when Hume met Clarke’s 63-minute cross with a firm header and steered the ball into the bottom corner to spark delirious celebrations among a crowd of 46,060. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Roy Hodgson: I won’t be telling Southgate to pick Eberechi Eze for England Frank Lampard urges Chelsea to be more ruthless after Nottingham Forest draw Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation

There was a wide range of emotions that the Florida Panthers all enjoyed in the immediate aftermath of securing their first conference finals trip in 27 years

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Dion Charles denied Barnsley a vital first-leg advantage with a second-half equaliser to earn Bolton a 1-1 draw in their Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final. The Northern Ireland international scored his 21st league goal just four minutes after Nicky Cadden threatened to put Barnsley in the driving seat for Friday’s return at Oakwell. The eventual winners will meet Sheffield Wednesday or Peterborough at Wembley for the right to join Plymouth and Ipswich in the Championship next season. Unlike Posh’s 4-0 hammering of the Owls, this second semi-final - played in front of a crowd of 23,450 - was far cagier. Barnsley finished one place and five points in front of their hosts after the regular season. But Wanderers enjoyed a more profitable end to the campaign and showed their resilience after falling behind. The return of captain Mads Andersen after a two-game injury absence boosted Barnsley in this fourth and penultimate meeting between the teams this season. The corresponding home league fixture ended in a sterile 0-0 draw, Barnsley won the FA Cup duel while Wanderers romped to a 3-0 win at Oakwell on January 2. Barnsley hope to return to the Championship after just one season away while a Jack Grealish goal for Aston Villa contributed to Wanderers dropping from the second tier in April 2019. Charles fired high and wide from Elias Kachunga’s cross as Wanderers looked to replicate the whirlwind start from their Papa John’s Trophy triumph against Plymouth. Liam Kitching blocked defender George Johnston’s effort but it was Barnsley who looked most likely to break the first-half stalemate. Luca Connell, a former Bolton academy midfielder, drilled a lot shot from distance that James Trafford - in his farewell home appearance - did not hold first time. Adam Phillips thumped another effort over the crossbar while Manchester City loanee Trafford blocked Slobodan Tedic’s flick. Devante Cole turned Ricardo Santos but could not direct his attempt on target while Trafford was called into action to save from Cadden. And it was Cadden who put the Tykes in front with his sixth goal of the campaign after 63 minutes. Wanderers failed to clear a Phillips corner and Cadden fired home from the edge of the area after Cole played the ball back into his path. Bolton boss Ian Evatt immediately introduced substitutes Dan N’Lundulu and Kieran Lee for Kachunga and Josh Sheehan and within four minutes the home side were level. Harry Isted had not had a shot to save but when called upon to deal with Randell Williams’ left-wing centre, he could only push the ball towards Charles for the equaliser. Barnsley shrugged off the disappointment and Bobby Thomas twice went close to restoring the visitors’ advantage. Andersen then showed his qualities with a vital block from N’Lundulu but neither team could find a crucial second goal. PA Read More When are the play-offs? A closer look at this season’s play-off contenders as promotion battle resumes The sporting weekend in pictures EFL clubs agree record £935million broadcast deal with Sky Sports Play-offs, promotions and safety – who needs what on last weekend of EFL season? ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in

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Frank Lampard called on his players to be killers in attack if they are to emulate Raheem Sterling’s two goals in the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest and finally vanquish the team’s scoring woes. Chelsea were booed off at the break against struggling Forest, trailing to Taiwo Awoniyi’s header after Edouard Mendy had flapped at a cross on his return to the side. It then took just seven second-half minutes for Sterling to turn the game on its head and remind those same supporters of the potential the England forward still has to transform a match single-handedly. His first he owed to good work from Noni Madueke and Trevoh Chalobah down the right and to a fortunate deflection off Ryan Yates who lay stricken on the turf, but his second was a sublime solo effort, ramming the ball into Keylor Navas’ bottom corner after finding space inside the box. Lampard said Sterling’s example was one the whole team would need to follow going into next season if Chelsea are to put this miserable campaign behind them. “Raheem’s a player that has the credit in the bank, he’s been a regular scorer in the Premier League and for his country,” said the Blues boss. “To see him score there (the first goal) was Raheem. Arriving for a cross, and then individual brilliance to score the (second) goal. I’m very happy for him. It’s what we need across the top end of the pitch. “Raheem has done it and he’s produced it again. If you’re going to win games when you have 76 per cent possession, you need to be killers at the top end of the pitch, and Raheem is proven to be that. At the moment we don’t have enough of that.” The draw means Chelsea are still without a home win since Lampard returned as interim manager on April 6 and saw them slip back into 12th place with Crystal Palace’s win over Bournemouth. Aside from Sterling’s solo intervention, there was little to suggest the goalscoring troubles that have derailed their season have an end in sight. Lampard added: “What pleased me was not so much the week’s training, it was more the idea of what the plan is before the game that we were going to have a lot of ball in their half, so we have to be really dynamic to move their back five, we have to make sure our counter-press positions are good, which they are to be fair. “What displeased me was that in the first half we didn’t do it with enough urgency to break the back five; sideways, safe. Then in the second half when we did, we underlapped them and get a goal and we showed urgency in our running forward and we get another goal.” Forest kept themselves at the head of the Premier League’s four relegation-threatened sides with Awoniyi’s second goal of the game in the second half stealing a point, ensuring the gap to 18th-placed Leeds remained at three going into the season’s final two games. “Probably a mix really of some disappointed guys in the dressing room, and I like that, because although we had to work really hard for what we got today, we could easily have got a little bit more,” said Forest boss Cooper. “It’s the mixed feeling really of that, and also knowing that we gave everything, we stuck to the plan, we showed good resilience from going 2-1 down when really, I wouldn’t say we gifted it to Chelsea but we could have done so much better with them goals. “We knew Chelsea were going to have the ball, we were away from home. But the game was going exactly as we wanted it to go. So to quickly turn it to go to 2-1 down and then to get something out of the game I think is a positive as well. There’s loads to take out of the game. “It feels like we’re giving away goals more easily than how we’re scoring them. Look at the two goals today, great strategy in terms of the set-piece for the second one, good technique for the cross and the head for the first. “I’ve never had to question the attitude, desire, resilience, commitment, that part of the mentality. At times a little bit of belief, and concentration and a bit of confidence away from home. “That’s why at times we’ve had what we’ve had. It was good really after going 2-1 down to get something out of the game because I don’t think many would have backed us to get anything today.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation Notts County back in EFL with sub goalkeeper Archie Mair the shoot-out hero ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in