World news

Manchester City will look to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal this evening when they visit Leeds United.

The Gunners have played a game more than City, who are currently six points off the top.

In the early kick-off, Sunderland will hope to put an end to their recent dip in form when they travel to take on Bournemouth.

Burnley have the chance to mix things up in the relegation battle when they play Bournemouth at 3pm knowing that a win could move them to within five points of safety.

Elsewhere in the top flight, Liverpool, who seem to have found their groove in recent weeks, take on relegation-threatened West Ham, while Newcastle host Everton.

Beyond the Premier League, Championship leaders Coventry City take on Stoke City as they aim to end the day six points clear at the top, while Wrexham’s push for a play-off spot continues as they face Charlton Athletic.

Follow The i Paper’s live updates below

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/Zfy4UpF

My Sporting Life is The i Paper’s look behind the curtain at what drives sports stars to greatness. This week we speak to former Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp about the becoming a dad again later in life, having to turn into a comedian in his broadcasting role and how he might have managed injuries differently

I should have been a lot more selfish in my football career

Just to look after myself better. I was too eager to please everybody, coming back from injuries too quickly. I had my meniscus (knee cartilage) taken out when I was 18 or 19 and I played again 12 days later, which was just completely ridiculous.

I retired at 31 but I should have retired at 26 or 27.  At the end it was just almost mercenary, doing it for the money and I didn’t enjoy it – I couldn’t play to the level I wanted. I was doing it for the wrong reasons, but you think you’ve got a family and you’re a long time retired. You don’t know what your career is going look like, I didn’t know what I was going to do next.

There aren’t any other regrets, my life has been amazing

If I started saying I wished I’d done this and that people would think ‘what a greedy git’! I did everything I wanted to from being a kid – playing in the Premier League, playing for and captaining Liverpool, playing for my country, I had an amazing time. That brought me to TV. I’m so lucky. It would be remiss of me to say I’ve got regrets when I’ve been so fortunate.

I had a perfect upbringing

My grandad was such a fantastic footballer, so I’d just watch him. We’d go on holiday to Isle of Sheppey, at a caravan site, and we’d be playing football for hours and hours.

In Bournemouth I obviously had my dad to look up to, but having a brother three years older than me who was a talented footballer was ideal preparation for life in the game. Every single picture I have a football in my hand. Those days in Bournemouth as an apprentice, on £27 a week, were as much fun on the pitch as I have ever had.

Me and my dad would get up in the middle of the night and watch boxing

Any sport. It didn’t matter what it was, we would watch it and play it. I’m quite good at some many sports: two-handicap at golf, snooker, tennis. All because my dad would have us playing all sorts.

I am probably most proud of what I’ve done since football, having different careers

Working for Sky was one of the best decisions I made. Sport has always been a big part of my life, so to align myself with the best in the business has been amazing. I never fancied management, just wasn’t for me. I knew how difficult it was!

Getting into punditry and doing A League of Their Own properly took me out of my comfort zone

I always liked a laugh but in privacy. I learned a lot about myself doing that, 20 series, it gave me confidence in other areas. And then mixed in with the fashion range, Sandbanks, that I co-founded, I am pleased with myself for all these different things!

I’ve never been as funny as my dad, but I can hold my own

I’ve never taken myself seriously. No matter what people say, they can say whatever they like about me. I always say some people like you and some don’t. People made their mind up about me a long time ago. I’m not going to change that.

I always have a laugh, but I’ve never been too cool not to laugh at myself. I think that’s the key. With A League of Their Own, you’ve got to take it on the chin, because every now and again you’ll be the butt of a joke. I’ve always been pretty good at that.

My dad doesn’t try hard to be funny, it’s just natural

He has great comedic timing. My grandad was hilarious. We’ve always had that sort of comedian in my family without actually knowing it, I think that comes with that East End sort of humour. I wouldn’t say I’m a comedian myself but I can hold my own.

Being a dad again has its challenges but there is nothing better

I am settled in my life, which is an incredibly fortunate position to be in. And an important one too. I’ve met an incredible person in Frida and we’ve got a beautiful little boy. Like playing football, there are ups and downs, but the good days are so worth it.

Being a good dad is probably my greatest achievement. I have a great relationship with all my kids, I have always made sure I was there for them whenever they needed me. I have a great relationship with my parents, so could learn from the best.

A suit John Barnes forced me to buy in Singapore made that famous Liverpool cup final suit look like a work of art

It cost me two grand. I couldn’t afford that at the time, I’d just got into Liverpool’s first team. Me and John loved each other. He looked after me and took me to get suit made. It was purple, like a shiny silk. It was horrendous, like a MC Hammer look. My mum was like ‘you can’t go anywhere in that, take it off’. Hopefully it is somewhere still in a box and I’ll find it one day.

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/QFnC90j

Mike Ashley is back among the contenders to buy Sheffield Wednesday after the collapse of their takeover.

at Hillsborough after the collapse of the Sheffield Wednesday collapse.

But what could you expect from the former Newcastle United owner if he got the keys?

EFL history

First the good news: Ashley had a perfect record in the EFL. Two campaigns, two titles. In 2019, when Newcastle were relegated, he sanctioned a sizeable spend and Rafa Benitez’s Magpies were able to blow away the opposition.

The reason? Insiders said at the time Ashley was never going to allow Newcastle to “rot” in the second tier. It just didn’t make sense. Newcastle needed the best players in the Championship and the message from the top was “get on with it, then”.

You could expect similar in SW1. With the challenges of building a squad from scratch, there would be a decent transfer budget, good players would come in. An immediate promotion – even with a possible 15 point deduction – would be expected.

But Ashley kept a transfer ledger at St James’ Park. A big spend in 2019 was followed by the purse strings tightening the year after. In January, when Benitez wanted more spending to get Newcastle over the line, Ashley asked why.

Hopes that he’d invest some of his personal fortune to bankroll them back into becoming a Premier League need a dose of realism. He got out of Newcastle partly because he wouldn’t – and, he says, couldn’t – compete with the deep pockets of those bankrolling the big clubs.

Relationships

Ashley was resented on Tyneside for the club’s decline but the picture from people who worked with him day-to-day was different. Watch Andy Woodman talk about him on the Under the Cosh podcast, for example.

Ashley seemed to like managers he could get on with socially. He jousted with Alan Pardew regularly but was fiercely protective of him when fans turned. Steve Bruce managed to convince him to buy Callum Wilson and the signing probably kept Newcastle in the Premier League. And he was loyal to those who were loyal to him.

Henrik Pederson has already proved a master diplomat navigating a season from hell at Sheffield Wednesday. Those skills would probably help him if Ashley did take over.

The numbers

His initial offer for the club showed what underpins Ashley’s philosophy. He’s got a price and won’t pay a penny more. Take it or leave it.

In a football world where investors seem resigned to losing money, that approach jars. But given how low Wednesday have sunk, do they need false promises right now?

It’s not a lottery win but Ashley will bring total financial stability. There will be no missed wage payments, no administration mark 2.

Ambition? To an extent

Did Ashley actually want to win things? When negotiating player bonuses he once put a massive incentive in there to win the FA Cup. But that came after years of neglecting that – and the League Cup – on his watch.

Ashley prized sustainability above everything else.

Has he learned his lesson?

The frustration with Ashley was often that he didn’t learn, or want to learn, from his mistakes.

He did some big things at Newcastle: brought back Kevin Keegan, got Alan Shearer as manager, appointed and then kept Rafa Benitez. They were a whisker away from the Champions League at one point and had a smart recruitment blueprint in France.

But he messed up many more times and was utterly tone deaf. If he has recognised his shortcomings and is prepared to shelve the mistrust of football people and empower knowledgeable executives with an ear to the ground he’s got a chance.

Sheffield Wednesday is a great institution and Ashley can rehabilitate his reputation as a club owner but everyone would need to go into it with their eyes open.

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/ExClLU3

Newcastle United will face Barcelona in the Champions League last 16 and Manchester City play Real Madrid once again with Friday’s draw paving the route to the final for all six English clubs.

Chelsea have a Club World Cup final rematch against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.

Premier League leaders Arsenal have been drawn against Bayer Leverkusen, while Liverpool face Galatasaray and Tottenham Hotspur play Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea and Liverpool could meet in the quarter-finals, likewise Newcastle and Spurs.

With all six English teams making the knockout stages of the competition, the only possible last-16 meeting before the draw took place was Newcastle meeting Chelsea.

However, the Toon Army face a trip to Barcelona instead, having already met in the league phase of this Champions League campaign. Barca won 2-1 at St James’ Park.

Chelsea meanwhile take on PSG for the first time in the Champions League since 2016, while the Blues beat the French side 3-0 in last summer’s Club World Cup final.

And what has been dubbed the new derby of European football sees City face Madrid once more.

The two sides meet for the fifth consecutive season in the knockout stages, and have already played one another in this campaign too – City winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu in the league phase.

More to follow

Champions League last 16 draw in full

• Real Madrid vs Manchester City
• Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP
• Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
• Newcastle United vs Barcelona
• Galatasaray vs Liverpool
• Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur
• Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
• Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

Champions League knockout key dates

Round of 16: First leg 10-11 March, second led 17-18 March

Quarter-finals: First leg 7-8 April, second leg 14-15

Semi-finals: First leg 28-29 April, second leg 5-6 May

Final: Saturday 30 May at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/dBltF6G

SELHURST PARK — It seemed Crystal Palace had dodged a bullet when Evann Guessand made a whimpering introduction to English football after his move to Aston Villa in the summer. Yet his struggle in the Midlands has now left Palace reaping the rewards, benefiting from an opportunistic loan move at the end of the winter transfer window.

Palace disregarded the warning signs demonstrated at Villa and backed their prior scouting report on the 24-year-old, who they tried to sign last summer to replace the maverick quality of Eberechi Eze. Nevertheless, their faith has proved advantageous, with Guessand scoring decisive goals in consecutive matches to overcome a pressurised spell of the season.

Guessand all but batted away Palace’s relegation concerns on Sunday, helping them climb 10 points clear of the drop zone with an instinctive 90th-minute winner from the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Four days later, he inspired Palace to the last 16 of the Uefa Conference League after an awkward play-off tie against Zrinjski Mostar.

The season was unravelling, and Oliver Glasner’s immediate future was under consideration just last week. But two crucial goals from Guessand, securing two crucial wins, have allowed the buoyancy to return. The Frenchman joined Palace to regain his confidence, which seems to have been restored and boosted the entire squad. His two goals in five appearances since joining Palace match his output in 21 matches at Villa.

In Palace’s 3-4-3 system, he roamed, drifting wide and slotting inside to play off club-record signing Jorgen Strand Larsen. A role he is comfortable in, having played there at Nice last season — registering 23 goal contributions in 42 appearances.

He has offensive initiative and steely determination to put the team on his back, a quality Palace have missed this season. Carrying the ball into the Zrinjski half, he lured Neven Durasek to yank his shirt and prevent him from dribbling any further. From the resulting free-kick, he carried possession further down the line before again drawing a foul. Adam Wharton’s whipped delivery was on the money and found Maxence Lacroix free to head past Goran Karacic from close range.

“We talked to him in the summer,” Glasner said after Thursday’s 2-0 win. “I had a long Zoom call with him. Unfortunately, we couldn’t realise the deal then, but now he’s here. When Ebs left, we knew we would need somebody who could score, assist, and dribble past someone, as Ebs was more or less the only one doing this last year. Evann is getting better and better in this position.”

Palace have been profligate in front of goal in Europe, with an expected goals underperformance of 3.8. They had hoped their quality would begin to tell over two legs after an inconsistent league phase campaign, but once again underperformed their xG by more than a goal on Thursday night – until Guessand stepped up in the 93rd minute, combining with substitute Brennan Johnson before drilling low from inside the box.

Guessand is efficient in carrying the ball, which has been noticeably missing since Eze’s departure. He does, however, possess a heavy touch, and there are occasions when he takes too many touches. His sharpness allowed him to pounce on a poor touch and dribble into the penalty area, but he pulled the ball too far to the left with an extra touch before taking a shot, which allowed Karačić to smother. It is an area he must target for improvement.

Meanwhile, Glasner opts for functional attackers who conform to his ideals both in and out of possession, but being hellbent on his offensive players mastering his defensive ideals has restricted their invention in attack this season. It was his freedom against Zrinjski that made him dangerous.

Guessand may not put in the defensive hard yards as well as others, but his unpredictability and attacking class are what Palace have missed this season. They have been a mix of turgid and toothless this term — Guessand proved he can be the solution.

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/6DHXLqQ

It is the behind-the-scenes battle that most Everton fans probably don’t know is taking place.

While David Moyes is targeting Europe in the first season of a new era, off the field the club is scrambling to secure a marquee sponsor to replace online casino Stake.

The rush follows new Premier League legislation banning gambling companies from front-of-shirt sponsorships, leaving about half of the top flight seeking new deals.

But the good news for Everton is that it coincides with an off-field revolution that they believe will fast-track their ambition to compete for trophies.

Thanks to the Friedkins’ commercial savvy and a transformative new stadium, the club is in advanced negotiations with major brands willing to pay record fees. A deal is understood to be close.

“You talk about the transformation of the football club, we’re seeing it with the brands that are taking conversations with us,” Everton’s chief partnerships officer Mark Rollings tells The i Paper.

“I believe we’ve got one of the best stories in the Premier League. You’re buying the next three, four, five years and imagine the journey you’re going to go on with this new stadium.

“That’s really cut through in the market and we’ve been able to have conversations with brands that honestly, I don’t think we’d have been able to previously before the Friedkins took over and we moved to the new stadium.”

All of this stuff matters because revenue is king for ambitious clubs in the coming years.

New financial fair play rules coming into force next season will allow clubs to spend up to 85 per cent of their revenue on “squad costs” – a catch-all term that includes transfer fees, player wages and agent fees.

That is a step change from profitability and sustainability rules, which dealt with profit and loss, and the change is viewed internally as a good thing for Everton.

This is largely down to the way the Friedkins – who have become personally involved in efforts to drive new partnerships for Everton – are now running the club.

“I can’t overplay the significance of the Friedkins,” Rollings says.

“What they’ve brought is clear strategic direction, vision, alignment, clarity and they’ve given us stability.

“The club hasn’t been a stable asset. It’s not a glamorous term but it’s really important when we’re talking about brands making a long-term commitment to the club.

“The way I talk about the Friedkins is they’re an ownership group founded on partnerships. Generations ago the partnership they struck with Toyota is the basis of what they have built.

“Our opportunity isn’t just Everton and the stadium, it’s also to be part of this massively connected, hugely impressive ownership group.”

What does all this mean for transfers? The Friedkins’ view is clear: every single penny banked through new sponsors will be invested back into the club.

Last summer the owners were still finding their feet but spent just over £100m on incomings.

With amortisation of transfers and vastly improved revenue streams taken into account, there is potentially scope to spend double that.

The i Paper understands next month’s accounts will include record commercial revenue figures.

Rollings says the Hill Dickinson Stadium has been a game-changer.

“It was a chance for us to reset what we stood for as a football club, a brand platform, reset commercially, reset the fees and investment we could command,” he explains.

A smart decision to create a family of founding partners for the Hill Dickinson Stadium – with companies like Pepsi and Budweiser partnering with Everton – has paid off and another tie-in with another multi-billion firm is to be announced within weeks.

There have been other benefits, too. The stadium is building a reputation as a new “go to” venue across multiple sports, with England rugby union and Lionesses World Cup qualifiers announced this week.

There are also ambitions to bring a major European club final – realistically the Europa League or Conference League – to the new venue.

Every revenue stream is being looked at. Everton want a training ground sponsor and the Friedkins are encouraging the club to tap not just the US market but also the Middle East, Oceania and Apec (Asia-Pacific) regions.

Globe-trotting joint men’s and women’s team pre-season tours are viewed as a possibility in the future.

“We’ve really only just scratched the surface,” Rollings says.

“The stadium is the launchpad for the club competing at the top end of the league and being really competitive again – I’m convinced by it.”

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/TXAr21q

Newcastle United are finally ready to invest in a long-term solution to the club’s pressing need for a goalkeeper.

As far back as 2024 Newcastle have wanted competition for Nick Pope, who remains Eddie Howe’s No 1 and is in contention for a World Cup place with England.

But two failed moves for James Trafford – who is tentatively back on the club’s radar after indicating displeasure with his situation at Manchester City – have left them with a lot of work to do.

Newcastle like Pope, who is a part of the influential leadership group, and the point in December where his place in the team was under scrutiny after a high-profile error in Marseille feels like a long time ago.

But he is 33 and the Magpies are acutely aware they need to plan for the future.

No firm decisions have been made but Aaron Ramsdale, a summer Plan B who cost the club a sizeable £4m loan fee and is on hefty wages, does not feel like that.

He has proved a perfectly capable understudy when called on – and Tuesday’s Champions League win over Qarabag was his 15th of the season – but Newcastle have other irons in the fire.

Trafford’s admission that his return to the Etihad was not what was he expected has set tongues wagging and prompted talk of a third pursuit of the England U21 international, who had all but agreed to move to St James’ Park last summer.

It feels almost certain he will move on from City at the end of the season but Newcastle sources regard the situation as “complicated”.

For that deal to happen an agreement on price and wages would have to be found and the player would have to recommit to Newcastle. None of that feels certain.

The i Paper understands that Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen, who has been linked with Chelsea and Bayern Munich in recent days, is one alternative under consideration, while it will not have escaped anyone’s notice that Robin Roefs and Senne Lammens have excelled since joining Sunderland and Manchester United from the Netherlands and Belgium respectively.

Newcastle certainly want to cast the net wider when it comes to recruitment and bringing in a young keeper is a priority.

Could the solution be a player they already own?

£20m signing Odysseas Vlachodimos has excelled on loan at Sevilla this season and the Spanish side have indicated an interest in turning the deal into a permanent one, but sources have described that as “virtually impossible”.

Newcastle essentially did Sevilla a massive favour by agreeing favourable terms for the Greece international to leave on loan last summer.

It is understood they are paying just 20 per cent of his wages for the duration of the season.

Finding the money to cover his personal terms and whatever fee Newcastle might want feels unrealistic.

Does that mean a return is possible? Don’t hold your breath.

Vlachodimos told The i Paper in December that he would be happy to return but he is not in the club’s thinking as a long-term solution.

While well-thought of inside the club and in regular contact with goalkeeper coaches and loans manager Shola Ameobi, who watched him keep a clean sheet at Getafe on Sunday, efforts are more likely to focus on capitalising on his stellar loan spell in Spain and finding a good price for him in the summer.

For his part, there is puzzlement at his lack of opportunities after being given a sales pitch where he would compete with Pope.

But it was a PSR-driven move brokered when Newcastle were panicking and expected Martin Dubravka to leave.

The goal this year is to make sure their next big investment in the goalkeeper department is for keeps.

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/vNbswJI

Jealousy of footballers is nothing new. They are living out the childhood dreams of millions, while being paid more than world leaders and chief executives of the biggest companies in the world.

Time spent with Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens elicits a very different kind of envy.

“I try to show the world that I’m just a normal guy,” Lammens tells The i Paper.

“I want to show these children here that everyone can make it. There’s nothing wrong with it, but sometimes there are people who have a different mindset and lifestyle to me.

“But that also makes it feel, for the children, that it’s more difficult to get there. I don’t only want to be looked at as a football player, but also a normal person with his own beliefs.”

Interacting with children at Partington Central Academy Primary School, ahead of World Book Day, Lammens looked as at home taking part in a surprise Q&A and sports hall curling as he does in one of the most pressurised positions in world football.

Aged 23, having only ever plied his trade in Belgium – a footballing backwater compared to the scrutiny he is under now – the hugely impressive keeper has become an instant hit among a United fanbase desperate for some stability after several of Lammens’ calamitous predecessors.

Catching crosses has been met by roars from the Old Trafford terraces similar to winning goals in derbies or European semi-finals.

‘I still have to prove myself every week’

In six months, Lammens has been compared to the club’s two greatest-ever goalkeepers – Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar – just from not making mistakes.

Enviable composure that instantly comes across when explaining how it has gone so well thus far, even when perching his six-foot-four build on classroom chairs designed for much smaller frames.

“I take pride in being an all-round [keeper], not really having any flaws,” he continues.

“Not really forcing errors trying to chase the game. I spoke a lot with [United keeper] Tom Heaton, who’s helping me. He says goalkeeping is about not giving things away and keeping your team in the game.

“Here you don’t always have the biggest things to do, it’s about staying focused and not giving anything to the opponent, not easy things at least.

“If you want to have a long career, especially in these kinds of clubs, you must be dependable. That’s also something a goalkeeper has to have. Not always the box office stuff or the things people look at first. If you know a little bit about goalkeeping, that’s probably sometimes even as important for your team-mates to trust in you.

“I couldn’t really imagine it going any better than it has so far. But I don’t really want to look back. It’s been great but I still have to prove myself every week. Of course the quality is better, you have to trust in yourself. There’s a reason I’m here, that I made the move.”

The driving factor behind his move

United fans very nearly didn’t have Lammens to take them to their current safe place. Ruben Amorim pushed for the club to sign enigmatic Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa last summer, someone who understood the demands of the Premier League.

The decision went right down to the wire, but senior figures in the United hierarchy opted for someone with potential, one who they believed had the temperament – something predecessor Andre Onana struggled with – to handle the pressures that come with being United No 1.

Goalkeeper scout Tony Coton, who was not consulted over Onana, played a pivotal role in Ineos’s continuation of its impressive recent transfer market record, after billions wasted through its previous scattergun approach.

“I’d had contact with United for a while,” Lammens says.

“I think Tony Coton was probably one of the biggest influences. I had a good relationship with him from the beginning, so he was always honest with me. I mean everything he said has come true! So he can also have some credit.

“There wasn’t really a clear path [to being No 1] for me. I just had to trust myself. I needed a little bit of time to get used to it and adapt, especially to this league. I knew the chance was going to be there, if it was in the league or in the cups. The way it went was probably – I got my chance, I took it and since then I haven’t really looked back.”

Embracing the physicality of the Premier League

Other than being taken aback by how articulate, in his second language, and self-confident, without showing a hint of arrogance, Lammens is, what is most impressive about the young keeper’s first six months in Manchester is how he has prevailed in the most challenging circumstances.

It has been another tumultuous few months at Old Trafford in the aftermath of Amorim’s acrimonious departure. On the pitch the Premier League has shifted from tiki-taka to set-piece mayhem, with six-yard boxes crowded like never before. There have been calls for greater protection for goalkeepers – the sanctity of the game is at stake.

Like with his quieter and humble lifestyle, where he prefers to read books – his favourite title being Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist – than stumble out of nightclubs, Lammens instead relishes the challenge.

“Physically, it is a bit of war in the 16 [penalty area],” Lammens adds.

“It’s also one of my strengths, I like the challenge. Naturally, I’ve always been a bit bigger, it’s also a positive thing for me the way the Premier League is.

“That’s why United were interested in me because they knew how it was going to be. Fitness-wise is one thing, but also in training, just visualising the things and all those bodies next to you trying to navigate.

“I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone a little bit and dealing with those situations because even though there were a lot of bodies next to me, I still came for crosses. That gives me a good feeling.”

Manchester United Foundation is hosting a children’s book appeal throughout March, encouraging fans to donate new and pre-loved books to children in need

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/P8NOx2Q