List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Chelsea are closing in on Mauricio Pochettino as they attempt to land a long-term replacement for Graham Potter. The PA news agency understands the Blues are in talks with the 51-year-old former Tottenham and Paris St Germain boss over the vacancy created by Potter’s untimely exit last month, but that an agreement is yet to be formalised. Frank Lampard has been in interim charge since, but the team have won just one of the eight games they have played under him in his second spell at the helm, a run which culminated in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have three Premier League fixtures remaining – against Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle – and want their new boss in place once the campaign is over. The Blues have endured a desperately disappointing season despite substantial investment in the playing squad and sit in 11th place having managed just 11 wins in 35 league games. Julian Nagelsmann was the initial favourite to replace Potter, but they turned to Lampard, who was in charge from July 2019 until January 2021 following a glittering playing career with the club, to see out the rest of the season. Potter was jettisoned just seven months into a five-year contract, but Chelsea have also struggled under their former midfield general, who at one stage oversaw a six-game losing run in all competitions. Former Argentina international Pochettino enjoyed a five-year spell at Tottenham, guiding them to the Champions League final in 2019, but has been out of the game since being shown the door by Paris St Germain last summer. If – as expected – he is appointed by Chelsea, he will inherit an expensively assembled, but under-performing squad who will not have European football next season. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou and striker Kyogo Furuhashi have enjoyed a double success at the PFA Scotland Awards. Postecoglou was named Manager of the Year by his peers at the ceremony on Sunday evening, during which a special merit award went to former St Mirren, Aberdeen and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The Australian was honoured after guiding his club to back-to-back top-flight titles as they chase a domestic treble. He saw off competition from fellow Premiership boss Stephen Robinson of St Mirren, Dunfermline’s James McPake and Stirling Albion’s Darren Young. Kyogo took the cinch Premiership Player of the Year title after scoring 30 goals in all competitions, 24 of them in the league to sit at the top of the charts. He was one of three Bhoys men nominated along with Japanese team-mate Reo Hatate and last season’s winner Callum McGregor after the club surged to a second successive title, with Motherwell striker Kevin van Veen completing the shortlist. In addition, Celtic frontman Jota claimed the Goal of the Season prize for his sublime chip in the 4-0 home victory over Old Firm rivals Rangers in September. The Ibrox club’s midfielder Malik Tillman, who has scored 10 league goals this season, was named Young Player of the Year. Tillman was nominated along with Celtic duo Liel Abada – last year’s winner – and Matt O’Riley joined by Rangers midfielder Malik Tillman and Albion Rovers’ Charlie Reilly, who scored 24 goals despite the Cliftonhill side finishing bottom of League Two. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

It is the 36th game of their Premier League season and Liverpool, on a late charge towards the Champions League places, are away in the Midlands. Needing victory, they are drawing as the game enters the 95th minute. And then goalkeeper turns goalscorer. West Bromwich Albion suffered the indignity of conceding to Alisson in 2021. History is unlikely to repeat itself at Leicester on Monday, even if it falls on the eve of the second anniversary of the only goal ever scored by a Liverpool goalkeeper. But, once again, they are aiming for the improbable, encouraged by their memories. “A lot of times when I look on Twitter for news, that goal appears in my timeline,” Alisson said. “This week I watched it already. It’s good, it made me feel good. It makes me think how crazy it is that I scored a goal. It was kind of a sign for us that something special was coming. Because I can be 100 times in the box, I don’t know if I will score again. I know now I can head a ball in a good way, but hopefully we are not going to need it again. I think this season we are having special moments, [Diogo] Jota’s goal is a really special one against Tottenham; last minute as well.” Finish in the top four and Alisson may go down as the architect of another great escape, albeit in more conventional fashion. He has been overworked and outstanding. He entered the weekend with fifth most saves in the division and having prevented the most goals, according to goalkeeping statistics relating to the quality of opportunities. “Sometimes the goalie performances comes when the team is not playing so good and conceding more chances,” he reflected. That has been the case this season; he is the frontrunner to be named Liverpool’s player of the year. He already has one memento; he was presented with a shirt with ‘100’ on the back by Jurgen Klopp, marking his century of Liverpool clean sheets. “The goal is special but the clean sheets are better,” Alisson said. There are, he hopes, many more to come. “One hundred is a lot for me now but in comparison to the great goalies in Liverpool’s history it is not even 50 per cent of what they achieved. They got over 200 clean sheets.” He is the seventh goalkeeper to register 100 for Liverpool, but it may be a table even he cannot top. Not when Ray Clemence recorded 323 shutouts and Bruce Grobbelaar a further 267; it helped that Anfield greats made 665 and 628 appearances respectively. “I don’t know if I can play as many matches as them,” said Alisson, currently on 229. “I think Ray had over 600 matches for Liverpool, but I’m already looking forward to the next 50 or 100 clean sheets, and for the next one in the next match we have. It would be special to be alongside them or to beat them, I admire a lot what the great goalies did, but I’m writing my own story here at Liverpool.” That story is nowhere near its final chapter. Alisson is still only 30 and with a deal until 2027. His commitment stems from much more than a contract, however. Alisson’s father, Jose Agostinho Becker, drowned in 2021. Lockdown restrictions meant he was unable to return to Brazil. His Anfield family instead offered support. “I never imagined to go through a moment like that in my life,” he recalled, a tear in the eye. “Nobody thinks about losing their Dad or Mum suddenly but so many people at that moment were losing loved ones in Covid times and I think the world was in a place where everybody was ready to show love for people. Not only at Liverpool, though the boys here at the club were amazing: I think they felt my pain together. “I took three days at home after my dad passed away and I was looking forward to coming back here, to this place, because I felt already the love. Not only here but from the football world, I was really touched. I received so many letters from managers, from clubs that I never imagined I would receive.” A couple of months later, Alisson emerged in the West Brom box to score a goal that led Liverpool on a path that ended in the 2022 Champions League final, that almost brought a quadruple. Now, once again, there is the hope a difficult campaign can end on a high. “We are having similar challenges,” he said. And if there is unlikely to be a similar solution, another Alisson header, his shutouts offer the prospect of further success. “Keeping clean sheets keeps you closer to victories,” he said. So, too, does his bond with Liverpool. “When I signed a long-term deal at this club, I thought a lot at this moment that everybody was there for me and I have this feeling that I want to be here for the club as well,” he said. “To keep making history, keep this atmosphere that we have as a family.” Read More Jurgen Klopp backs Liverpool to revive title rivalry with Man City next season No identity, no intensity: How Southampton were relegated from the Premier League Erik ten Hag finally within sight of matching a past Manchester United great... no, not that one

Bruno Fernandes has been delighted by Alejandro Garnacho’s progress but warned the Manchester United teenager that he cannot relax if he is going to fulfil his potential. A year and two days after his starring role in the club’s FA Cup Youth Cup triumph against Nottingham Forest, the 18-year-old was once again in goalscoring form at Old Trafford on Saturday. Garnacho had been out for two months with an ankle injury and he returned with a bang against Wolves, with the substitute scoring a fine, late goal in front of the Stretford End to wrap up a 2-0 win. Skipper Fernandes threaded through the Argentinian to score and hopes the nascent talent can “score much more until the end of the season.” “Obviously, we know Garna can change games,” the Portugal midfielder said. “He plays with pace, he can take players one against one. “But he’s still developing himself, so we don’t have to go and push so much to him because he’s still a young kid. “He can do great things, but in the future he has to do much better than actually he is doing because he has more than the capability to be even better than he is actually (right now). “He’s been doing amazing for the first season he’s been playing in the Premier League, with more minutes, with more consistency. He’s doing great, but we all know he can do much more for us.” Garnacho recently signed a new deal keeping him at Old Trafford until 2028 after impressing in his first full season as a first-team player. He has also won around Erik ten Hag having irked him during pre-season, with Fernandes claiming he “didn’t have the best attitude” during that period. “That message was from the manager, it was not from me,” Fernandes said. “I just heard what the manager said. “What I have to say to Garnacho, I tell him at the training ground, whenever we are eating, on the training ground or wherever. “If he wants to hear, he hears. If not, he doesn’t but I try to help. “I think he did an interview talking about me trying to help him a lot of times, and that’s what I’m trying to do. “But, obviously, as I said, he’s still young, and I don’t want to give too much compliments because you know when you’re young, you get too many compliments, you can get a little bit relaxed and everything. “We need this Alejandro coming on and making goals, making assists, getting back to recover balls – everything. “But I think if he wasn’t doing what he needed to do, he wouldn’t be playing. We need this Alejandro coming on and making goals, making assists, getting back to recover balls – everything Bruno Fernandes on Alejandro Garnacho “At the beginning of the season, the manager didn’t give him any chances because he thought that he wasn’t being the best, and now he’s getting his chances. “He’s been playing a lot this season because he’s training well, he’s doing what he has to do and he’s getting his rewards – and the team are getting the rewards as well, and that’s the most important thing.” Garnacho’s adaptation from youth football to the top end has also impressed Fernandes, saying his team-mate is reaping the rewards of his hard work. “I think he’s doing very well and he’s training every time with us, so that makes him be more prepared for the games,” he said. “But mentally he’s being much better also because I think he understood what it takes to be a professional player. “He is doing that, taking that and he is working a lot also in the gym with the coaches, so he is getting his rewards. “He’s getting his rewards because he is training well because if he wasn’t he is not even playing I’m pretty sure.” Garnacho’s return is a welcome boost for United with three Premier League games left in the race for the top four before the FA Cup final against Manchester City. “We know it will be tough to get the top four but it depends on ourselves and everything is in our hands so we have to do our job,” Fernandes added. “I’m not worried about Liverpool – I’m worried about us doing our job because it’s about ourselves. “Like I said, if we do our job properly, if we win our games, we will be in the Champions League so we don’t need to look at the table or look at other teams.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Geraint Thomas assumes Giro lead as Covid dashes Remco Evenepoel’s hopes James Anderson suffers ‘mild’ groin strain one month out from Ashes Cameron Norrie advances at Italian Open to set up Novak Djokovic last-16 clash

A frustrated Mikel Arteta apologised to the Arsenal supporters after a crushing 3-0 loss at home to Brighton all but ended their Premier League title hopes. Second-half goals from Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan earned the Seagulls a deserved victory at the Emirates that means Manchester City need one more win from their final three games to defend their crown. City could be champions on Saturday night if Arsenal lose at Nottingham Forest with the gap between the top two now four points, and Pep Guardiola’s side holding a game in hand on the Gunners, who have failed to win five of their last seven matches. “A really different feeling to the feeling that we all had last Sunday (at Newcastle) when we felt proud and we felt that we really did what we needed to win in certain moments. Today is completely the opposite,” Arteta admitted. “We have to apologise to our people, especially for the second half. “What I have to accept first is what happened in the second half and digest it. “After that until it’s mathematically over… the second position is secure. That’s not going to change. We have to digest and that will take a few days. “At the moment it’s just frustration. The feeling that we gave the game away in the second half. We fought really hard to be in the position that we are in and today we were in a critical moment to keeping hoping and digging for that dream. “When you have to play in these moments you cannot do what we did in the second half. “Then we have to look. If a team is capable of doing that when it comes to the biggest stage, there’s a lot of things to analyse and think about because it cannot happen.” Manchester City’s 3-0 victory at Everton earlier in the day had ramped up the pressure on Arsenal but they started strongly despite losing Gabriel Martinelli to an ankle injury after 19 minutes. Gabriel Jesus tested Jason Steele midway through the opening 45 and Leandro Trossard clipped the crossbar with a swerving effort before Bukayo Saka dragged an effort wide from 14 yards at the end of a stop-start half. Brighton punished Arsenal’s profligacy straight after half-time when Estupinan followed up his blocked cross with a scuffed centre that Enciso headed home for his third goal of the season. Arteta made a raft of changes after but the visitors stayed in control and picked off the hosts with Undav able to lob Aaron Ramsdale in the 86th minute before Estupinan grabbed a deserved goal with a close-range finish in stoppage-time. A reflective Arteta added: “Obviously what the team has done over the last 10 months is very different to what anybody expected and that generates a lot of expectation as well enthusiasm, happiness and joy. “That’s something that has to be managed in the right way and after we have the responsibility to make sure the team performs and I am responsible for that. “So, I hate the feeling of letting people down when they are expecting something. That’s the biggest regret I have today and I have to apologise for that.” It was a different set of emotions for Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, who laughed off comparisons with Jose Mourinho after he wheeled off down the touchline to celebrate Undav’s goal. He did insist, however, that nothing had been achieved by his sixth-placed side. “Yes I am very delighted for the performances. I think we deserved to win but then really happy, really proud because the last five days were very difficult after the defeat on Monday (against Everton),” De Zerbi stated. “We have 58 points and not enough to qualify for Europe. “We have another four games, tough games, Newcastle, Southampton, City and last game Aston Villa and we have to fight to deserve to qualify because 58 points is not enough to play Thursdays next year.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Man City brush aside Everton to close in on title as Brighton stun Arsenal Craig Overton defends Somerset’s non-declaration tactics in draw with Lancashire Brighton win puts Manchester City on title brink – 5 things from Premier League

Ilkay Gundogan helped himself to a superb double as Manchester City edged closer to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons with a 3-0 win at Everton. As a result of their victory on Merseyside and Arsenal’s 3-0 home defeat by Brighton, a maximum of three more points from their remaining three matches, the first of them at home to Chelsea next Sunday, will secure the trophy once again. Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men could be crowned champions on Saturday evening should the Gunners lose at Nottingham Forest, and even a draw at the City Ground would effectively end the race as a result of City’s superior goal difference after a straightforward afternoon at Goodison Park. Gundogan took his tally to four in two matches with an expertly-executed over-the-shoulder volley and an exquisite curling free-kick. In between, Erling Haaland scored his almost mandatory goal to make it 52 for the season, with former Everton centre-forward Dixie Dean’s record of 63 still realistically within his reach. Arsenal, however, could not follow suit in a game boss Mikel Arteta admitted before kick-off was a must-win affair as second-half goals by Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan earned Brighton a stunning win at the Emirates Stadium. After a keenly-contested first half, Arsenal fell behind to Enciso’s 51st-minute header and, as they desperately sought a way back into the game, the hosts were picked off by Undav and then Estupinan in a devastating display by the visitors, who are themselves on the brink of qualifying for Europe for the first time. Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa ensured West Ham are still not mathematically assured of their place in next season’s top flight after Brentford eased to a 2-0 victory. David Moyes made nine changes ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar but saw his side come up short against a Bees line-up deprived of the services of 20-goal striker Ivan Toney by injury, with Mbeumo and Wissa both scoring before half-time. Danny Ings thought he had reduced the deficit after the break, but his tap-in was controversially disallowed for handball by Divin Mubama following a VAR review. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

As Roberto De Zerbi blew mocking kisses at someone in the crowd, with them goes the 2022-23 Premier League. Manchester City are now just one win from a third successive title but that is almost immaterial because Arsenal have lost all will, as well as this potentially decisive game. A supposedly tight title race could well end next weekend with more than two games to play. It is almost extra cruel on Arsenal that one of those remaining games for City is against this Brighton. On the evidence of this impressive 3-0 victory in north London, to go with almost the entire season, De Zerbi’s side could have offered a real challenge. European football is within their grasp. Brighton’s own 5-1 defeat to Everton on Monday now feels almost as illusory as the idea there was ever a title race at all. City have just powered on through, against a relatively callow side. That is not necessarily to criticise Arsenal given that is what happens to young teams in such situations for the first time - you only have to look at Tottenham Hotspur in 2015-16 - but this was one of those games where the fight had gone, where they had no more to give. The submissive nature of the last two goals summed it up. Aaron Ramsdale has done as much as anyone to keep Arsenal in it for this long, but he will want to forget this day quickly. Brighton themselves so quickly got over that collapse against Everton. This win was all the more impressive for that, as they had all the fight of a manager who so abrasively celebrated every goal. For the last two, he was running down the line and leaping onto the pitch. How Arsenal could have done with such energy by then. Brighton had done a number on them. It was still hard not to think another match involving Everton influenced this more. City’s earlier 3-0 win at Goodison Park felt like it sapped this of all intensity. There was just that sense it was the last chance for a slip, and the ease of the champions’ win seemed to sap this occasion of its energy - at least from Arsenal’s perspective. Even in a better first half for Mikel Arteta’s side, it had the feel of an end-of-season dead rubber more than one from a title run-in, at least off the pitch. That will gradually affect what happens on it, even if Arteta will of course have been sure to make his players stay focused on the job at hand. The awareness of the state of play will always have that subconscious effect. There’s also the fact this was never going to be an easy game. There was no way De Zerbi was going to let Brighton be as porous as they were against Everton, a match that now looks even more like it was the most unlikely of the season. There was a response here, and real bite. There was edge to a lot of the challenges throughout the game. Brighton might fairly say that Gabriel Martinelli started it with what would generously be described as a leap into Kaoru Mitoma, but that spell ended with the Brazilian going off after a raw tackle from Moises Caicedo. Leandro Trossard came on for Martinelli and did clip the bar with an opportunity he might have scored from, as Arsenal still had the better of the first half, but it was lacking that conviction that has defined most of their season. It would be unfair on both sides to say it was going through the motions, but it was going to take so much more to move the dial here. Brighton were standing up strong, and causing problems on the break. Mitoma did superbly to set up Julio Enciso, but a defensive touch just took it away from the Paraguayan. It was nevertheless a warning Arsenal didn’t heed. With the second half so much flatter from Arteta’s side, Brighton sensed opportunity. Mitoma began to run at Ben White and frequently got past him. Arsenal were getting overrun in midfield. Pace-setting Jorginho had to be brought off for Thomas Partey. Pace was precisely the problem. Brighton were now playing with so much more of it. They eventually got around Arsenal on the flank, and the ball was clipped in for Enciso to finish. It didn’t help that Jakub Kiwior went down with an injury as it happened, but that was almost symbolic of the second half. Arsenal were down. Brighton were on it, sharper to everything. Ramsdale played one short back pass out, and Pascal Gross was straight on it, setting up Deniz Undav for a sumptuous lift to seal it. Worse was still to come. Ramsdale was soft on one save, Purvis Estupinan had the hard edge to turn a torrid afternoon for Arsenal into a chastening evening. It shouldn’t define their season. It has, however, decided it. Read More Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal focus to be on title charge instead of player futures Man City being driven to title by man of the moment – and it’s not Erling Haaland Brighton win puts Manchester City on title brink – 5 things from Premier League Servette fan plays key role in Gael Clichy’s stunning long-distance strike Arsenal won’t stop digging for Premier League title, Mikel Arteta vows

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes praised striker Sam Kerr as she dedicated her side’s third consecutive FA Cup victory to Blues fans in a year in which she feels the wider club has “suffered”. Kerr struck the winner past England goalkeeper Mary Earps to fire Chelsea to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in front of a crowd of 77,390 at Wembley, a new world record for a women’s domestic club fixture. It was the fifth time in nine years Chelsea have triumphed in the showpiece and another game-changing moment from Australia international Kerr, who latched on to substitute Pernille Harder’s pinpoint pass to steer home the winner in the 68th minute. “I’ve never coached a player like her,” said Hayes. “For a player to have such convictions, such confidence, such courage, the way she attacks everything. “What I love about Sam is she is willing to take responsibility for the team at the top end of the pitch, but I think it’s important to mention Pernille Harder, because without Pernille Harder she wouldn’t have got that goal. “So congratulations to the team, the squad. It will bug me if I don’t say this – I’m a football fan and I’ve watched how much my club has suffered this year. “We’ve had ownership changes, the men’s team hasn’t been brilliant, Chelsea fans this is for you. I hope we had a little bit of joy tonight. I hope we gave you something where you can smile about it this year. The whole club, owners included.” We've had ownership changes, the men's team hasn't been brilliant, Chelsea fans this is for you. I hope we had a little bit of joy tonight Emma Hayes It ultimately came down to fine margins for Marc Skinner’s United side, who had reached a major final for the first time since their promotion from the Championship in 2019. They started brightly and largely controlled a first half in which they had a goal chalked off for offside and a penalty appeal by Nikita Parris turned down, officials ultimately determining she had been brought down by Niamh Charles outside the area. Second-half substitutions saw Chelsea spring back to life after a first period that led Hayes to agree with assistant manager Paul Green, who branded it the “worst first half of FA Cup football we’ve ever had”. Her mood had shifted by the time the final whistle blew and the Prince of Wales draped a medal around her neck. She said: “I think our team has been in transition, with six different players in the starting line-up to last year’s final. My big thing is, ‘How can we still keep winning while transitioning?’ “So this year of trying to get as many players as many opportunities and keep developing their experiences in all areas of the pitch and to win knowing we’re in that stage, this is far and away my most memorable FA Cup final.” Skinner’s side still lead the Women’s Super League, although second-placed Chelsea, with a game in hand, are just one point behind. It has been a year of firsts for his team, who are tantalisingly close to clinching a first ever Champions League berth. Skinner said: “I’m not going to stop and this team’s not going to stop. If anyone thinks we’re going away, we’re not going away. “These are just moments you have to win and we haven’t done that today, but we’ve got a really good account of ourselves and we’ll be back, no doubt about that. “We know how special our club is and how we need to be synonymous with success. Along the way you get a few bumps and today is one of them.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Brighton win puts Manchester City on title brink – 5 things from Premier League George Ford ‘a little pocket of calm amid the chaos’, says Alex Sanderson Owen Farrell adamant Saracens have always played with adventure in attack

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was unhappy with Everton defender Yerry Mina for what he implied were underhand and unsporting tactics during their 3-0 win at Goodison Park. The Colombia international was involved in one visible incident with Aymeric Laporte at a corner in the first half in which the City centre-back slapped his opponent in the stomach following an altercation and Mina fell to the floor. But at the final whistle Guardiola confronted the Everton defender and remonstrated with him as he followed him off the pitch. All City’s players also refused to shake Mina’s hand. While Guardiola refused to say what Mina had actually done, his unhappiness appeared to centre on the Colombian’s handling of opponents. “Mina? It’s not necessary what he does. Away from the football, it is not necessary to do what he does every single game,” said Guardiola. “And I told him, ‘You are a good enough player to avoid these kind of things’.” Asked to elaborate on his complaints, the City boss added: “He knows. Ask him. This is not physical, this is not mental. “There are things that are not necessary to do that he does. This time with Aymeric, Jack (Grealish), everybody. Ask him. Invite him to the press conference.” The row detracted from the ease with which City dealt with Everton, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring twice for the second game running either side of the obligatory goal – his 52nd of the season – from Erling Haaland. Gundogan is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but Guardiola is more than happy for him to captain the side, as he did at Goodison where he led from the front with two superbly-taken goals. “He can show again and again and again the quality and importance and his commitment, to all of us, to the club, not just scoring goals, now he has his momentum,” said Guardiola, who wants the Germany international to extend his stay. “He doesn’t talk much, but when he talks everyone listens and this is the power of the leader. He show his leadership in every training session – arriving on time, living 24 hours your job and play like he is playing. “He is a player that when he gets close to the box he has an incredible sense of goal. He can play as a holding midfielder no problem, he proved it years ago when Fernandinho was injured, he played in games like Burnley, long balls, you think you need a physical player, but he is so clever and he is a guy who handles the pressure well.” Everton manager Sean Dyche said he was unaware of any allegations against Mina and the player had not mentioned anything to him. “If he did it all the time, I wouldn’t know where he had seen it because he (Mina) hasn’t been on the pitch for weeks,” he said. City’s 11th successive league victory leaves them requiring a maximum of six points for a fifth title in six seasons. They inflicted a record 10th home league defeat of the season on Everton, who remain 17th and a point above Leeds, but of equal concern was the withdrawal of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin at half-time. While the England international has scored only one goal in five games since returning from two-and-half months out with a hamstring injury, he has provided a much-needed focal point and performances have improved as a result. Dyche, who realistically has to find one win from their two remaining matches against Wolves and Bournemouth, said he took the injury-prone striker off as a precaution. “I had to make a call because he felt his groin and tight groins can lead to damaged groins,” he said. “It would have been harder at 0-0 than 2-0. He wanted to carry on, but I said, ‘Dom, you are coming off’.” On his side’s display, in which they did not trouble City, he added: “A lot of the performance was right against a top side, but you get punished if you make the slightest mistake. “We arguably had the best chance with Mason Holgate (who missed a difficult close-range opportunity at 0-0). “There were some outstanding performances, Dwight (McNeil) was outstanding, Doucs (Abdoulaye Doucoure), Conor (Coady) came on and affected it in a change of shape (to a 5-4-1).” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live West Ham boss David Moyes questions ‘strange’ VAR decision to rule out goal Sale reach first Premiership final in 17 years after edging out Leicester Everton’s Jordan Pickford is not a top goalkeeper – Roy Keane

David Moyes believes West Ham have been on the wrong end of too many strange VAR decisions. Having been denied penalties for handballs against Liverpool and Manchester United in recent weeks, the Hammers had a goal contentiously ruled out in their 2-0 defeat at Brentford. When Said Benrahma’s cross came back off a post it hit Divin Mubama, who had put his hand up to prevent himself from crashing into the woodwork. Manuel Lanzini swept the ball back into the box to leave Dany Ings with a tap-in to halve the deficit with 25 minutes remaining. But referee Michael Oliver went to the pitchside monitor and ruled that young striker Mubama had handled the ball. “Very strange,” said Hammers boss Moyes. “The Premier League have come out and called it deliberate handball. I think we need a bit of explanation on that. “The first thing I would say about it is it is inconclusive. If anything I think it hits his shoulder, right on his collarbone. “If it’s a handball that leads to a goal we all know that rule, but I certainly don’t see deliberate. If anything he might be protecting himself from going into the post. I’m amazed it was chalked off. “But, let’s be fair, if this was the first one we were talking about in recent games I would say it can happen, but we’re now talking about three of these. “It’s getting regular. It really is. I don’t want to get in trouble but we’ve had three real ones that could have altered things, and if you said we’ve had our fair share, I’m saying I don’t think we have.” In truth Brentford, leading through first-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, could have been four or five up by the time Ings’ goal was disallowed. Moyes’ priorities clearly lie elsewhere despite not being mathematically safe from relegation, with the Hammers boss making nine changes to his side ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar. However, if Moyes was hoping to be given some selection dilemmas for the trip to the Netherlands, he was left sorely disappointed. Mbeumo pounced after a mistake by Nayef Aguerd and Wissa headed the second after West Ham failed to deal with Mathias Jensen’s long throw. “I didn’t enjoy the performance. I thought we were soft, easy to play against. It was so poor,” added Moyes. “We did some work on defending long throws, but you wouldn’t have thought it watching that today. I’m so disappointed the players didn’t deal with it.” The Bees are now assured of a top-10 finish, proving there is no such thing as second-season syndrome in this corner of west London. “I was asked before the season about that,” said boss Thomas Frank, “and without sounding too smart we tried to analyse things, looked at the players, the other teams, our performances, our culture, and we thought why shouldn’t we be able to do well in our second season? “Now we are 100 per cent in the top 10, which is a brilliant achievement.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sale reach first Premiership final in 17 years after edging out Leicester Everton’s Jordan Pickford is not a top goalkeeper – Roy Keane Emotional Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow over finish line at Leeds Marathon

Ilkay Gundogan isn’t leaving it quite as late this year. Twelve months ago, his goals won Manchester City the title: a comeback-clinching 81st-minute decider against Aston Villa on the final day of the season sealed the trophy. Now City’s May has consisted of more Gundogan goals to set up another coronation. After the captain’s brace against Leeds came a still better double at Everton, a volley of improvisational brilliance and a free kick he made look enviably easy, sandwiched by an assist. His 300th City appearance ranks as one of his finest. Having not struck twice in a game since last May, he has done so in successive league matches. When the business end of the season arrives, Gundogan becomes more purposeful. It is inspirational leadership but with a velvet touch. His excellence could render Arsenal’s results irrelevant. He is keeping the Gunners at bay while the newly anointed Footballer of the Year, Erling Haaland, is instead waging war on Everton’s past. His 52nd goal of the campaign means he now needs 11 to equal Dixie Dean’s record for a top-flight English club, set almost a century ago. Although, as he only has one goal in his last three games, the equation is weighted in favour of Everton’s greatest goalscorer. In one respect, Haaland produced a performance of extreme efficiency: when, in the 39th minute, he met Gundogan’s deft cross with a towering leap and an emphatic header, it was only his third touch of the afternoon. But he had scored from 33 per cent of them. He ended up with 13 touches and one goal. In a sense, City reflected Haaland: nothing much happened for quite some time and then they were deadly. Half an hour of nothingness at the start suited Everton, with the league leaders not even registering a shot on target until the 35th minute, but The Toffees conceded three goals within a quarter of an hour either side of the break. They were preceded by a glaring miss, with Mason Holgate hoofing the ball over the bar from four yards, and Everton’s chances of a shock came and went with one wild swing of his right foot. If City had lacked a little incision at the start, it was unsurprising. Pep Guardiola had rested much of his preferred midfield with Real Madrid in mind, taking out Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish and the quasi-regista John Stones. But his captain was constant and a catalyst. City’s 11th straight league win stemmed from a couple of touches of class: first with Gundogan’s knee, to control Riyad Mahrez’s cross, and then with his right boot, as he hooked in a volley in a way few others could envisage, let alone execute. The paradox of City is that they have a robotic air, as though putting training ground routines into practice on the pitch, but can sometimes rely on individual virtuosity: five days after De Bruyne’s spectacular strike in the Bernabeu came a different kind of wonder goal. And, a couple of minutes later, a far more familiar one. Haaland’s giant leap has added another dimension to the City attack and he headed in Gundogan’s cross. When the German’s free-kick flew past Jordan Pickford, the goalkeeper perhaps ought to have done better. It was, though, a throwback to past title-clinching exploits. Gundogan had only scored from one previous free-kick in the Premier League: at Brighton, in May 2019, as City finished one point ahead of Liverpool. For Everton, the quest is to end up ahead of two out of Leeds, Leicester and Nottingham Forest, and earn a 70th successive season in the top flight. Last week’s five-goal demolition of Brighton felt like a mirage even if elite opponents called for a very different approach. They began with nine outfield players in a narrow box just outside their own area and were camped behind the ball. The eventual scoreline represented one kind of improvement. At Burnley, Sean Dyche had a habit of losing 5-0 to City, usually playing 4-4-2. Here the gameplan was different: a scorer of two goals against Brighton and involved in four, Dwight McNeil was an auxiliary defender, dropping in at left-back to make five at the back. Dyche ended with a 5-4-1 shape, too, rather than risking any further damage. Which, as his record now stands at 15 defeats in 16 games against Guardiola, with no wins, five goals scored and 54 conceded, is perhaps understandable. There might have been a sixth goal when Ederson tipped Amadou Onana’s header on to the bar. Everton could question if Aymeric Laporte deserved to escape unpunished when he seemed to lash out at Yerry Mina. But they have two games now, against Wolves and Bournemouth, to ensure they evade the drop. For Gundogan, and City, the season may yet bring three trophies. Read More Arsenal won’t stop digging for Premier League title, Mikel Arteta vows Jurgen Klopp backs Liverpool to revive title rivalry with Man City next season Guardiola hails ‘incredible’ Kevin De Bruyne as his stunning goal keeps Champions League tie in balance

Sam Kerr’s second-half strike was all it took to win the FA Cup for Chelsea as they beat Manchester United 1-0 in front of a world record crowd of 77,390 at Wembley. The sold-out fixture smashed the previous best tally for a women’s domestic club match, 60,739, set when Atletico Madrid hosted Barcelona in 2019. United, who started brightly, were hoping to win their first major silverware, but the Blues instead made it three consecutive victories in the 439-club competition. Emma Hayes’ second-placed Women’s Super League side, who have a game in hand over league leaders United, are now well-placed to do the double when the campaign concludes this month. Perhaps what was most noteworthy about the roar that erupted as the team banners were unfurled – under the watchful eye of Football Association president the Prince of Wales – was that it was beginning to feel like a regular occurrence – a packed-out Wembley for a women’s football match in England. United thought they had gone ahead inside the first minute through Leah Galton, but it was chalked off for offside without turning to VAR – also available for the first time for a Women’s FA Cup final. Marc Skinner’s side were in control throughput the opening 15 minutes and benefitted from a sloppy turnover in midfield that set up Nikita Parris for another chance but Ann-Katrin Berger was alert to her effort from Ella Toone’s backheel. Both sides settled in but created few chances until United captain Katie Zelem sent a free-kick into Chelsea’s area. A scramble ensued, the ball eventually landing at the feet of Millie Turner, who twisted and forced a good diving save from Berger to keep out the deflected effort. Galton skied an attempt before Chelsea looked to get something started, which they nearly did when Lauren James’ long-range header came within inches of turning into an opener but was instead tipped away by England goalkeeper Mary Earps, the ball catching the left post before it went out. It remained level at half-time, despite a late free-kick awarded to Skinner’s side after Niamh Charles brought down Parris, who had appealed for a penalty. Zelem’s resulting delivery was headed over the top by Turner. Kerr, the competition’s leading scorer, called Earps into action at the start of the second half before United quickly replied on the counter as Alessia Russo shot straight at Berger. The Blues then had one of their best chances to break the deadlock when Kerr drove down the left and squared to substitute Pernille Harder, in space inside the area, but the Denmark international rolled her effort straight to the waiting Earps, who denied her again moments later. The momentum, which favoured United for so much of the opening period, began to shift the Blues’ way as Harder sent a pinpoint cross to Kerr, who fired in the 68th-minute opener. Skinner’s side had their chances to level but were frustrated by a determined Chelsea back line. United staged an onslaught in the final seconds of stoppage time, but Berger somehow managed to survive the scramble with two saves to seal victory. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sale reach first Premiership final in 17 years after edging out Leicester Everton’s Jordan Pickford is not a top goalkeeper – Roy Keane Emotional Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow over finish line at Leeds Marathon