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Scottish title finale latest, Farke casts doubt on his future, Boro want Saints thrown out – football live | Premier League
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Erling Haaland to play Viking called Haaland in animated movie
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is to make his feature acting debut, in an animated film as the voice of a Viking – called Haaland. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Norwegian international is to play “an animated version of himself” in Viqueens, directed and co-written by Harald Zwart, the Dutch-Norwegian director of The Karate Kid and Agent Cody Banks.
Zwart said: “Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless and uniquely Norwegian. Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy and authenticity that felt completely right for this story.”
More here:
The baton is back with Simon Burnton.
Here’s today’s Football Daily, written by me, actually.
Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt has revealed his ongoing back problem has required surgery. He last featured in November and is yet to play for manager-elect Michael Carrick.
“After 6 months of treatment and working hard to get back, surgery was the only option left. I’m disappointed i couldn’t help the team the last 6 months and obviously missing out on World Cup but I’m looking forward to doing everything to get back in front of the fans and feeling better again!“
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More from Middlesbrough’s statement: “We remain hopeful that the EFL, as regulator, will pursue such a sanction before the Disciplinary Commission in order to protect the integrity of the game, safeguard all member clubs, and deter any attempt in the future to obtain an unfair and unlawful advantage in pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.
“The club reserves all its legal rights.”
Middlesbough want Southampton to be thrown out
Statement from Middlesbrough confirms intentions to have Southampton expelled from playoffs after “Spygate”.
Boro confirmed on Friday seeking to be a party in the independent commission hearing, only to be denied the opportunity.
“The club regrets that outcome, given we are directly affected by the matters under consideration and hold relevant factual evidence as to the events in question and their competitive impact,” a statement from the Teesside club read.
“The conduct at issue, namely the observation and recording of our training session ahead of a fixture of such significance, goes to the heart of sporting integrity and fair competition.
“In these circumstances, the only appropriate response is a sporting sanction which would prevent Southampton FC from participating in the EFL Championship play-off final.”
Farke wants Leeds to match his ambitions
Louise Taylor
Here’s a curveball from the Leeds manager, Daniel Farke, who has suggested he could chose to leave Leeds if the club’s hierarchy fail to match his ambition.
The manager is due to discuss extending his contract at Elland Road – currently set to expire next year – with the San Francisco based 49er Enterprises but has made it clear his vision will need to be synchronised with the ownership’s ambitions.
“I understand the questions about the future, I don’t want to hide away,” said Farke who, a year after leading Leeds to the Championship title has secured Premier League survival and also reached an FA Cup semi final. “But I won’t speak about possible outcomes. We will discuss things internally.
“I can allow myself to be picky. I will only take on projects I believe in. I am ambitious. I love attacking football and I want to have something to play for. I’m not the right choice if it’s about maintaining the status quo. I have to be convinced of the project.”
Farke is well aware that certain influential figures at Leeds pondered parting company with him following last summer’s promotion and then after a sticky spell in the Premier League during late autumn. Now though he is a hot property whose potential availability would undoubtedly attract interest from across Europe.
“I’m full of belief and energy but we have to speak about next steps,” he said. “We have to have another three to five year plan. I won’t want to take over a club if I don’t think we are going in the right direction. You have to set new goals. I know what is possible but it’s important that we are 100 per cent on the same page.”
Ewan Murray
Here’s Ewan Murray on that Celtic v Hearts meeting that we will all be watching.
Gary Mackay’s terrific goal for Hearts against Clydebank in the penultimate game of the 1985-86 league season triggered a verse of “Championees” from the Tynecastle terracing. There has been no repeat of the chant, especially this season. No one wants to tempt fate. On the following Saturday 40 years ago, Hearts’ dreams were shattered by two Dundee goals in the last seven minutes at Dens Park. Then, as now, Hearts needed a draw to be champions. Then, as now, Celtic were the other team in the title frame in the midst of an excellent run of form. There is a reason Hearts had a long-running fanzine named Always The Bridesmaid.
As the climax to the Scottish Premiership nears, here’s Colin Chisholm, singer of *that* Hearts song, with his band Bilbo, former running mates of the Bay City Rollers. This one got to number 42 in the hit parade in 1978.
David Moyes on the departing Seamus Coleman, signed in his first Everton spell, back in 2009: “I get the praise for it but I have to praise the recruitment team who spotted him at the time and got him over from Ireland. We decided to take him and he’s been a great servant to the club.
“You want to bring in players who will be good for the team. To stay at the club for 17 years, and I’ve missed quite a part of it, but more recently he’s been the glue that’s held an awful lot together.
“When it’s difficult, he’s the one who comes out and speaks and steps up to galvanise the team as well. He deserves a lot of credit as a human being for what he’s done for Everton.”
Rick Harris gets in touch: “PL Player of the season is usually (but not always) one of the title winning team, so Gabriel, Declan Rice and David Raya are potential contenders. The stand out player of the season for me however is Bruno Fernandes who has created twice as many chances as his nearest rival and 19 or 20 assists (I would argue the Sesko goal against Liverpool was a Fernandes assist) and 8 PL goals.
“Manager of the season I would give to Arteta assuming Arsenal win the title as maintaining focus and desire after three successive second place finishes is outstanding.
“Young PL player of the year is a toss up between Nico O’Reilly and Alex Scott but I would say the Bournemouth youngster edges it because of the number of times he has been their best player in games I’ve seen.”
Guardiola wants a stand at Wembley
Jamie Jackson
On the eve of Pep Guardiola leading Manchester City for a 24th time at Wembley (excluding league games with Tottenham) in Saturday’s FA Cup final, the manager had a nice line about the achievement. “I’m so disappointed that they don’t make a stand for Pep, the number of times I’ve been there at least a lounge or a box,” he said.
“Maybe I go 24 more times. It’s been a special place, with Barcelona in 1992 [winning the Champions League as a player] and after against Manchester United with Barcelona winning the Champions League as head coach in 2011] for the second time and many times since I am here with semi-finals and finals. It’s really good to go to Wembley again. Top.”
Some more Pep Guardiola: “It depends on the trophies you lift. Sometimes you don’t lift trophies and the season has been successful. Sometimes, you lift and the truth is the season has been really, really bad. I said a few weeks ago this season has been good. Really, really good.”
There’s been the usual riffing on the will he/won’t he, on Wembley: “Maybe if I go 24 more times.”
On fitness coaches Lorenzo Buenaventura and goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor, reportedly set to leave the club: “I extended the contract with them three more years.
On the requisite question on whether that says anything about his future: “Nope.”
Manchester City have played in the last four FA Cup finals but lost the last two, Pep Guardiola has been speaking: “There’s excitement, of course. I hope we can do better than the last two times. It’s new players and it’s forgotten. A new game against Chelsea. We are in the final and we have to try to win the trophy.”
More Carrick, on his assistant, Steve Holland: “Steve has been fantastic. He’s got an awful lot of experience, he’s seen everything before, gone through it, some good times and more challenging times.
“He’s a very wise man, he says things that are important at the right time. Just general calmness and composure, for me and my staff, the players as well, the dynamics of bringing something a bit different. Steve is in that role where he has the experience to lean on. There’s absolutely no shame in that at all.”
More chaos surrounding that Southampton Spygate story, via PA Media.
“A Hull supporter who spent around £2,000 to attend the Championship play-off final from his home in Australia says the EFL has “no regard for fans” after allowing the ‘Spygate’ drama to plunge the game into uncertainty.
“Jack Gorbert is a former Tigers season-ticket holder who has relocated to Melbourne and the 27-year-old rushed to secure a flight home to see his side at Wembley following their win over Millwall earlier this month.
“With a price tag of almost £1,300 for the return journey, plus an additional £700 in other hotel and travels costs, the ongoing uncertainty has left Gorbert with a major expense and no guarantees that the fixture against Southampton will even go ahead as planned on May 23.”
Michael Carrick has been speaking at Manchester United’s press conference: “The future for me is going to be decided pretty soon, we knew that it was going to be towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season.
“Nothing has changed, there is no big swing on that. That is what it is. Whatever is beyond that is pretty close around the corner anyway.”
Here’s the full story on that Carrick coronation.
Manchester United to appoint Carrick on two-year deal
Will Unwin
Michael Carrick is close to being appointed as Manchester United’s new head coach on a permanent basis after being offered a two-year contract by the club. The former midfielder has overseen a run of 10 wins in 15 Premier League matches and securing a return to the Champions League next season.
Good afternoon, football. What’s the scores on the doors?
One of the photos of the day: Cantona, the film about, um, Cantona, is being premiered at the Cannes Film Festival today. And here’s the man himself arriving:
And here’s me departing, at least for now. John Brewin will sit in the hotseat for a bit. Bye!
Belgium name World Cup squad – Lukaku and De Bruyne included
Romelu Lukaku’s efforts to recover from injuries seem to have paid off after the Napoli striker was included in Belgium’s World Cup squad Friday, AP Reports.
Lukaku, midfield great Kevin de Bruyne and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are set to play their fourth World Cup campaigns.
Lukaku has 124 games for Belgium, de Bruyne 117 and Courtois 107, making them some of the most experienced players on any team at the World Cup. They all trail 37-year-old defensive midfielder Axel Witsel, also heading into a fourth tournament. He has played for Belgium 136 times.
Lukaku hasn’t played for Belgium in almost a year since scoring against Wales in World Cup qualifying in June. Injuries have limited the 33-year-old striker to just five Serie A appearances for Napoli this season, all as substitute. He was selected for Belgium’s most recent friendlies in March and April but withdrew from the squad over more fitness concerns.
Courtois’ last game for the national team was in October and he was left out of Belgium’s most recent squad over injury issues, but he’s been a key player for Real Madrid this season. Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard and Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku bring Premier League experience up front.
Coach Rudi Garcia hasn’t selected 17-year-old midfielder Nathan de Cat, who would have been one of the youngest players at the World Cup. De Cat made his Belgium debut in a 5-2 win over the United States in March. Forward Lois Openda also misses out after spending much of the last few months on the Juventus bench.
Belgium starts its World Cup campaign in Group G against Egypt on June 15 before facing Iran six days later and New Zealand on June 27. Belgium placed third at the 2018 World Cup but is looking to improve on a group-stage exit in 2022.
Belgium World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders.
Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim de Cupyer, Koni de Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate.
Midfielders: Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel.
Forwards: Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard.
An email pings in about that Celtic penalty. “In light of the increasingly hysterical coverage of the VAR decision which went in Celtic’s favour on Wednesday, it might be nice if some of the supposedly impartial and independent journalists and pundits acknowledged the blatant penalty not given to Celtic earlier in the game when Daizen Maeda was walloped from behind by Motherwell’s keeper,” writes Stephen McCrossan. “Similarly, in one of Celtic’s earlier post-split games Hibs were given a goal despite their player clearly handling the ball and Celtic were not given a penalty when Nygren was given a two-handed shove off the ball in the box. Balance would be nice.”
Opinions, eh? But the thing is, this year the Scottish title race will either end in a brilliant, unexpected and historic victory for a team that hasn’t done it for 66 years, with Hearts becoming the first team outside the Old Firm to win it since 1984, or it will end in Celtic winning it for the fifth year in a row and the 14th time in 15 seasons. Balance ain’t happening.
Derek McInnes, the Hearts manager, has spoken again about that Celtic penalty decision, and about what’s in store this weekend:
It’s the last couple of games we feel a real grievance and I think questions need to be asked, but today’s not the day for it. It’s just a total focus on Saturday’s game. It’s disappointing that there’s been such a spotlight on the Scottish game this season, and for us to have so much chat about refereeing decisions is a bit unfair to be honest, because the season has been so good, so many positives. Whether it’s Motherwell, Falkirk, ourselves, Celtic under Martin O’Neill.
For us now it’s about finishing off what’s been a brilliant season for us. It’s perfect in the sense that it’s the full outcome of drama, the two teams who could win the title head to head. But I think for us, at the start of the week we wanted to make sure we were in this position, with a chance to win it on Saturday. We’re in the position we wanted to be in. It’s a big performance that’s needed from us, it always is at Celtic Park. They’ll think probably everything’s back on script, a home game to win the title. But it’s up to us. Can we keep ripping the script up? And we have ripped the script up this season. We go there bullish, and confident that we can get the result.
Andy Hunter has now opened his laptop and sent over a story on Séamus Coleman’s imminent departure from Everton, or at least from Everton’s playing roster:
Séamus Coleman will end his distinguished 17-year career with Everton when his contract expires next month, but he has yet to decide whether his playing days are over.
The Everton captain, famously signed for £60,000 from Sligo Rovers in January 2009, has been hampered by injuries in recent years and has announced that this season will be his last as a player with the club. Everton have offered the 37-year-old a coaching role from this summer but he is considering continuing with another club and with the Republic of Ireland.
Coleman has made 433 appearances for Everton, including a club-record 372 in the Premier League. He will overtake the legendary William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean and Leon Osman into 10th place on the club’s all-time appearance list should he feature in the final home game of the season against Sunderland on Sunday.
Much more here:
I guess we’re now in peak ruled-out-of-the-World-Cup-through-injury season. The Jordanian FA have just revealed that defender Issam Smeeri will miss the tournament because of a ruptured Achilles tendon, Reuters report.
The 26-year-old sustained the injury during individual training with the national team, the association said in a post on X, and will now miss the tournament, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The right back joins Yazan Al-Naimat and Adham Al-Quraishi on the list of absentees, after both players were also ruled out of the World Cup after failing to recover in time from anterior cruciate ligament injuries sustained while representing Jordan at the Arab Cup last December.
Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, has warned that Alphonso Davies is struggling to be fit for the World Cup, but pledged that the club will do everything they can to give him a chance to be play for Canada on home soil, reports AFP.
“Our hope is that we can all work together to do what’s best for Phonzy,” Eberl told a press conference before Bayern’s final Bundesliga game of the season against Cologne.
Canada play all three of their group games at home starting with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12.
“It’s tragic enough that he’s picked up an injury ahead of the World Cup on home soil,” said Eberl. “We’ll all work together to ensure he might have a chance – but for that to happen, he needs to get fit. He has to accept that, and he does.”
Since returning in December following a long absence after a knee ligament tear, the 25-year-old has suffered a series of muscle injuries, the most recent after he came on as a substitute as Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on May 6.
Davies suffered an injury to the back of his left thigh, which will keep him out for “several weeks”, said Eberl, meaning he will miss not only Saturday’s home game against Cologne but also the German Cup final against Stuttgart in Berlin on May 23.
Canada plan to announce their 26-man World Cup squad on 29 May.
China’s CCTV to show 2026 and 2030 World Cups
Morning! We start with an update to a story we ran on Tuesday about Fifa’s troubles shifting World Cup TV rights in India and China:
Well a deal has now been agreed with China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, for them to show both this year’s World Cup and the 2030 tournament in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. They will also show the next two Women’s World Cups, in 2027 and 2031.
The agreement between FIFA and CCTV’s parent company, China Media Group, covers TV, internet and mobile broadcasting, it added.
The time has come for me to hand over the Friday football blog reins to Simon Burnton. I’ll leave you with The Talk – our rundown of the latest Premier League news as it stands.
Over to you, Simon!
Hearts: Derek McInnes took home the Scottish Football Writers Association manager of the year award last night and will collect the award on Sunday … but I suspect it will mean very little to him if Hearts cannot get over the line and win the Scottish Premiership.
There will be just 752 Hearts fans at Celtic Park tomorrow hoping to see their side grab the draw or victory that will be enough to clinch a historic title success… the first time (potentially) a club outside the Old Firm has won the Scottish top tier since Aberdeen in 1985 under Sir Alex Ferguson. Hearts lead Celtic by a single point going into the final game.
“We’re going to have to put in a big performance against Celtic,” said McInnes. “Because they aren’t title winners who win titles year after year without reason. We’re going to have to beat what has been the best team for the last wee while. Not beat them on the day, but beat them to the title.”
And his message to those travelling fans from Edinburgh?
“Sing as loud as you can. It’ll be hard to hear them, but we know they’re there. We know who we’re representing. We know how many people will be watching. It’s not just about who’s there but actually getting into that lion’s den still being an underdog. Even though we’ve been top of the league since September, we’re still the underdog. For us to be competing with Celtic, with the money they’ve got and everything they’ve got at their disposal, it’s a huge effort for our team. We look forward to it.”
Sound the transfer klaxon: Brentford have announced their first summer signing in the shape of teenage defender Jannik Schuster.
The Austrian has agreed a deal from RB Salzburg on a contract until June 2031 with Keith Andrews calling Schuster, 19, “a player with a lot of potential… we see that as something we can develop.”
“I really like him as a young man; he’s determined to maximise his potential. He’s going to fit in well with the first-team squad.”
Schuster, who will arrive once the summer window opens, said of moving to Brentford: “It’s maybe the best club in the world at developing players. Every conversation I had gave me a good feeling and confidence about the transfer.”
Speaking of nervous fans, as per Krishnamoorthy’s earlier email anyone top Martin Cordiner?
Any fellow fans of both Arsenal AND Hearts out there? It has so far been simultaneously incredible and excruciatingly nerve-wracking to have both (pretty unexpectedly) going for it and now both being so close.
Might have to have a year off next year, a fallow year so I can do whatever soil does in a fallow year.
You fear for Martin’s fingernails, you really do.
Coleman to end 17-year playing stint with Everton
Seamus Coleman has announced he is bringing his 17-year stint as an Everton player to an end.
The Republic of Ireland international joined Everton as a 20-year-old from Sligo Rovers for just £60,000 but has become a legend with the Toffees. He will now leave the club when his contract expires before taking a break and then deciding on his next move.
“The club have been unbelievable with me,” he told Everton’s website. “They’ve offered me an opportunity to stay on at the football club. The manager and staff have been great, and I think with it being such an important decision over my future, I’m going to take a nice, long holiday and look back on what has been an amazing time as an Everton footballer.”
If Coleman features in his final home match for Everton against Sunderland on Sunday, it will take his tally in all competitions to 434 appearances for the club.
It it thought he may move into coaching, either with Everton or Ireland, although it remains to be seen what the 37-year-old does in the summer and beyond.
Who are we backing to win the race for Senesi, then? Spurs will have to avoid relegation to stand a chance of landing the 29-year-old. Liverpool have long needed a ball-playing central defender of course …
Bournemouth confirm Senesi to leave this summer
Bournemouth have announced that defender Marcos Senesi is to depart the club when his contract expires in the summer.
The centre-back has spent four seasons with the Cherries since arriving from Feyenoord and there will likely be a scramble for his signature on a free transfer, with Liverpool and Tottenham linked with a move.
Senesi has made 124 appearances for Bournemouth and has become a mainstay under Andoni Iraola.
Speaking to the club’s website, the Argentina international said: “AFC Bournemouth will always hold a special place for me and I will look back at my time here with fond memories. For now, there are still two big games left of the season and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
Nominees for major Premier League awards
The Premier League revealed the nominees for three awards yesterday, namely the Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season and Manager of the Season. The young player award still allows those aged 23 to enter, which is a bit silly, but here are the nominees.
Player of the Season
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Bruno Fernandes
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Gabriel
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Morgan Gibbs-White
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Erling Haaland
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David Raya
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Declan Rice
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Antoine Semenyo
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Igor Thiago
Young Player of the Season
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Rayan Cherki
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Matheus Fernandes
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Lewis Hall
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Michael Kayode
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Eli Junior Kroupi
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Kobbie Mainoo
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Nico O’Reilly
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Alex Scott
Manager of the Season
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Keith Andrews
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Mikel Arteta
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Michael Carrick
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Pep Guardiola
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Andoni Iraola
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Régis Le Bris
If you’re asking for my personal picks, I’m going: Fernandes, O’Reilly and Andrews. Drop me an email with yours.
It’s Friday quiz time. Can you beat my score of 10/15? Probably.
The Hull City Supporters Club have released a statement regarding the ongoing and unresolved ‘spygate’ allegations hanging over Southampton. Hull are due to meet Saints in the Championship playoff final on Saturday 23 May, but no decision has yet been taken over the punishments the south coast club may face for allegedly spying on a Middlesbrough training session.
The EFL warned “disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the [playoff final] fixture”, with Hull and their fans unhappy over the uncertainty. Here’s what they said:
The Hull City Official Supporters Club are currently liaising with other supporters groups to register our concern over the possible moving of the playoff final with the EFL.
This is a situation in which we have had no influence but in which we are, both as a football club and supporters, being penalised. Any decision to move the date of the final will result in many of our supporters not only losing out financially but then facing the prospect of being unable to attend the rearranged fixture.
Given that this is a situation which has largely resulted from the EFL’s own error in failing to publish the sanctions for a breach of the rule regarding ‘spying’ on opposition teams we feel this is manifestly unfair.
A couple of Scottish Premiership bits for you to read here. Surely Celtic cannot snatch the title from under Hearts’ noses on the final day? Surely not? That’s not the outcome the neutrals want to see, anyway.
A first email of the morning has dropped from Krishnamoorthy:
I often feel the supporters of the mid-table teams have a simpler life. Imaging being a Gunner this season. The usual euphoria around Christmas times, fate lurking behind you with a lead pipe in February and March, the insane capacity to self-implode in April and the nerve shredding May where a bald assassin hangs you upside down and inflicts one small cut after another till you drain out completely. Reset and repeat all over again next season. Better be a Leicester fan who can celebrate a random Premier League win and then vanish happily into the Championship and go further down.
I was going to say, Leicester have been anything but mid-table in recent years. And some Foxes’ fans might disagree with that notion.
Mbappé denies Arbeola rift but says he is ‘fourth choice’ at Madrid
Kylian Mbappé says he is now the fourth-choice forward at Real Madrid after manager Álvaro Arbeloa left him out of the starting lineup for their 2-0 win over Real Oviedo last night. The Frenchman, who missed Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Barcelona and was booed by his own fans on his return from a hamstring injury, came off the bench in the 68th minute after Arbeloa opted to play Vinicius Junior and Gonzalo Garcia in attack.
Mbappé told reporters fitness was not an issue. “I’m 100% fine. I haven’t played because for the coach I’ve been the fourth striker in the squad behind [Franco] Mastantuono, Vini and Gonzalo,” he said. “I was ready to start, it’s his decision and it always has to be respected. I have no problem at all with Arbeloa. You have to accept the coach’s philosophy and I have to do better to play ahead of Vini, Gonzalo and Mastantuono.“
Mbappé has faced criticism from fans for travelling to Sardinia while recovering from his injury, though he said Real authorised that trip. Arbeloa said there was no way he could start Mbappé after he missed the Barcelona match and dismissed the suggestion he had told the Frenchman he was fourth choice.
“I had a conversation with him before the game and I don’t know what he could have interpreted,” said Arbeloa. “For me it is very clear that a player who four days ago could not be on the bench [against Barcelona], today should not start. Especially because it’s not a final, it’s not a game of life or death.” Arbeloa added that Mbappé would start Real’s next match at Sevilla on Sunday.
Fletcher slams FA Youth Cup final as ‘Man City parade’
Manchester United under-18s manager Darren Fletcher has launched a fresh complaint over the staging of the FA Youth Cup final, describing the post-match trophy celebration as a “Man City parade”.
United were already deeply unhappy that the game, which City won 2-1 last night, was played at the Joie Stadium, home of City’s women’s team and academy sides, with City saying the Etihad Stadium was unavailable due to construction work. And after seeing his side lose to a late Reigan Heskey strike, Fletcher was seen complaining during the trophy presentation as City revelled in their fifth FA Youth Cup success.
City’s backroom staff were invited to step up to the podium before the players were individually introduced to the crowd as they went to collect their medals. Fletcher felt it went too far. Responding to a question over the lessons his players will take from watching rivals celebrate, he said: “Not only to watch a team lift a trophy, but to be a Man City parade when it’s an FA Youth Cup final.
“I’ve never heard individual coaches be shouted out, every individual player be shouted out. That doesn’t happen in Cup finals. So I’m disappointed in the FA for everything that’s gone around this game, for the location, for everything. And then our players having to deal with that. But as you say, it’s disappointing. You have to stand there. You have to respect the opposition. But not when Man City take over an FA Youth Cup. It’s an FA competition. It should never have been like that.”
Asked if the FA needed to take more ownership of this 74-year-old competition he said: “It’s an FA competition and it felt like it was a Man City competition for this whole buildup to the game in terms of how we had to deal with that at the end there.”
We’ll start with a plug to our 10 things to look out for this weekend, which of course includes the FA Cup final. Manchester City have lost the last two cup finals, while Chelsea were runners-up on three successive occasions in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Something’s got to give.
Preamble
What a week it’s been in football. We’ve got the playoff ‘spygate’ scandal, some genuinely superb on-field playoff drama in the EFL, and the small matter of the closest Premier League title race in years going on as well, by the way.
Last night Bolton booked their spot in the League One playoff final after beating Bradford 2-0 over two legs; they’ll face Stockport in an all-Greater Manchester Wembley showpiece. Who knows who Hull will face in the Championship equivalent …
Tonight in the top flight, Aston Villa host Liverpool in a game that may determine who finishes fourth, while Newcastle v West Ham and Arsenal v Burnley on Sunday are games that will have huge ramifications at the top and bottom ends of the Premier league table. Sandwiched between on Saturday is the small matter of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City, while the Scottish Premiership is primed to come to a thrilling denouement with an effective title playoff between Celtic and Hearts. Good grief that will be some game.
As always on Fridays, we’re here with all your buildup, which includes team news, press conference bits and bobs and all our preview pieces. Please do drop me an email to join the conversation. It should be a busy ol’ day.
The family of Shaun Burton, say they are “devastated” by the loss.
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Key events
In the opening half an hour against Cape Verde, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch.
Kyle Green gets in touch: “Your highlighting of Lalas and his absurdity is something that has prevented me from wanting to watch the coverage on Fox. While every channel has its pros and cons I just can’t.
“I’m 45 and probably the youngest of anyone who remembers him as a player instead of an opinionated insert insult here. As for the match this could be more competitive than it looks on paper Spain need a win the pressure is on them. Saudi Arabia could hold out for a draw and see what happens in their last match. “
News from the England camp, and it seems to be good news on Declan Rice.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70-minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
Alex Reid has penned today’s weekend special Football Daily.
Portugal v Uzbekistan on Tuesday enticingly pits the incredibly nice, incredibly 41-year-old-superstar-tolerant Roberto Martínez against Fabio Cannavaro, who’s won a Ballon d’Or as a player and the Chinese Super League as a coach. While the fixture following that game really does see the dream of Thomas Tuchel – in his first international job with England – taking on Queiroz, who is in charge of his ninth national side with Ghana.
The expected formations are 4-2-3-1 for Spain, and 5-3-2 for the Saudi Arabians.
The Saudi team features two Donis changes: Ali Lajami, a defender, and Nasser Al Dawsari, a midfielder, are preferred to Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Mohamed Kanno. You may recall Salem Al Dawsari, the Saudi captain, as the man who scored the winner against Argentina.
An entertaining read, even for those of us who have just seen the clips.
In a conversation where his co-panelist is casually reminiscing about his days playing alongside Messi or exchanging shirts with Ronaldo Nazário at the World Cup, what exactly is Lalas going to talk about – coming on as a second-half substitute for Earnie Stewart in a friendly against Scotland in 1998? Helping the Kansas City Wizards finish last in the 1999 MLS Western Conference? Did Lalas enjoy an elite playing career? No. But does he do the background reading that could compensate for his relative lack of standing in a conversation with titans like Henry and Zlatan? Also no. But is he charming or funny or charismatic or otherwise magnetic on screen? Eh, no.
For the record, I once interviewed Alexi Lalas on the challenge of playing against Romario in the 1994 World Cup. He had this to say:
“He could kill you in so many different ways. If you remember from that World Cup, he scored so many types of goals. That ranged from solo adventures to an outside-of-the-right-foot half-volley off a corner kick. Romario was both the most difficult to play against and the best that I have faced.
“Roberto Baggio was doing his thing, but in terms of consistency and living up to the hype, he [Romario] was the best. As with all stars, there was a moment when the fans sit up in their seats, and that was a feeling I got with Romario. When it got close to him and the potential for his involvement in a play was there, everybody sat up in their seat. They knew that something spectacular would be happening.”
Saturday’s match reports here.
The Saudi Arabia coach, and Blackburn legend, Georgios Donis, spoke about the challenges facing his team: “Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench.
“While they still have plenty of possession, they lack the individual one-on-one penetration when these two are missing. I’m not saying it’s a problem for Spain, but when those players are missing, they play in a different way. We saw this very clearly against Cape Verde.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and it’s very important that when you play against these kinds of teams, you should enjoy the experience and respect the opponent, but not too much.
“It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession. So what we must do is to be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.
“It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. Of course, it’s great for Saudi football to have a great memory of the result against Argentina, but we aren’t drawing anything from that.
“I think we’ll feel more pressure in that [Cape Verde] game than we will against Spain.”
The Spain coach, Luis De La Fuente had this to say in his Saturday press conference: “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Four changes for Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also come into the side with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi dropping out.
The teams – Lamine Yamal starts
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Saudi Arabia: Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, Salem Al Dawsari. Subs: Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, Abu Al Shamat.
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Perhaps one of the Saudi -players can write themselves into this high-grade selection?
Perhaps it can be their goalkeeper.
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Can Saudi Arabia repeat the magic of 2022?
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.
Unai Simon over David Raya is a controversial choice for De la Fuentes. The Arsenal keeper could lay claim to being Europe’s best this season.
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,” Raya says. “I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
A high pressure game for the European champions, as Sid Lowe reports.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
We wait to see what role Lamine Yamal will play today. His coach would surely like to be able to use him.
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.
Preamble
Spain’s campaign did not get off to a flying start, and Luis de la Fuentes may wake up in the night to visions of Cape Verde’s Vozinha. He will have Georgia on his mind ever since Monday. Saudi Arabia are no pushovers and gave Uruguay a scare in their opening match. Memories of downing Argentina four years ago still abound, and so Spain might beware. They can ill afford to go into the final game with Uruguay at a disadvantage. All eyes on Lamine Yamal, whose fitness situation remains opaque, though Spain need their other forwards to come to the party.
Kick-off 5pm UK, 1pm ET, 2am AEST. Join me.
A topless man can be seen driving erratically in Edinburgh before abandoning his car and attacking a black man and a delivery rider.
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