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With their title hopes now all but gone, Arsenal will still be looking to finish the Premier League season with a flourish as they face Nottingham Forest in their penultimate fixture. The defeat to Brighton means Mikel Arteta’s side know that one more Manchester City win will be enough to end their chase for the title. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, are still in need of points to make sure of their safety. Steve Cooper’s squad start the weekend three points and two places clear of Leeds in 18th - they play Crystal Palace on the final day. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal? Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal is due to kick off at 5.30pm BST on Saturday 20 May at the City Ground in Nottingham. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage from 5pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via the Sky Go app. Team news Steve Cooper will be fretting over Danilo’s fitness, with the midfielder a doubt after coming off with an issue against Chelsea. Having utilised a three-at-the-back formation to combat Frank Lampard’s side, it may be that Cooper opts for a four defensively, which would accommodate a return for Brennan Johnson. Arsenal have suffered another late-season injury blow with Gabriel Martinelli ruled out with an ankle injury. The forward limped off against Brighton and joins William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko - who are both expected to miss the club’s last two fixtures - on the sidelines. Predicted line-ups Nottingham Forest XI: Navas; Aurier, Felipe, Niakhate, Lodi; Yates, Mangala, Danilo; Gibbs-White; Johnson, Awoniyi. Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Trossard; Jesus. Odds Nottingham Forest win 23/5 Draw 18/5 Arsenal win 3/5 Prediction Arsenal keep at least some pressure on Manchester City with an away win. Nottingham Forest 1-3 Arsenal Read More Forest fined over pitch invasion after 2022 play-off semi against Sheff Utd What do Manchester City need to win the Premier League title? A closer look at the battle to beat the drop in the Premier League Sam Allardyce says West Ham game is ‘do or die’ in Leeds’ survival fight Steve Cooper says Forest must take care of their own business Lyon maintain push for Europe as Freiburg keep flying high in Bundesliga

Erik ten Hag isn’t quite Erik ten tens. But in a season when Bruno Fernandes has started 54 of United’s 58 games and when, as the de facto captain, he has become even more pivotal, the Manchester United manager has shown an experimental streak, seeking to reinvent others as No. 10s and using the Portuguese in a variety of other roles. If one conclusion may merely echo an opinion at the start of the season – that Fernandes is by far and away United’s best option in the position – Ten Hag’s other gambits have offered intrigue. 1. The Ajax No. 10 Given Donny van de Beek’s excellence for Ten Hag’s Ajax, it was easy to assume his United career could be revived by the appointment of an old ally. Even before the Dutchman’s season was curtailed, however, he had been a bit-part figure. He only made two league starts: one ineffectually in defeat at Aston Villa when Fernandes was suspended and the other against Bournemouth when he suffered a knee injury. The instructive element is that Fernandes operated off the right wing then; it has been a recurring theme. 2. The winger as a No. 10 Jadon Sancho’s outings have tended to come on the flanks but, particularly when he returned to contention in February, Ten Hag showed a willingness to use him in a central area. When Sancho scored against Leicester, with a goal Fernandes set up, it was notable the Portuguese provided the ball from the right for the Englishman in the middle: there was a seeming role reversal then, with Fernandes playing as a winger. Then Ten Hag argued United’s ability to play higher up the pitch would help Sancho; certainly using him in the middle capitalises on his ability between the lines whereas, for a winger, he can lack raw pace. Sancho also operated as No. 10 against Nottingham Forest, Barcelona and Southampton, though Casemiro’s early red card forced a change of plan then. If a striker is signed in the summer and Marcus Rashford can spend all of next season on the left or Alejandro Garnacho kicks on, perhaps Sancho’s future may have to lie more in the middle. 3. The No. 10 who sometimes doesn’t play as a No. 10 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fielded Fernandes almost exclusively as a No. 10. Ralf Rangnick famously, if unsuccessfully, used him as a false nine in a Manchester derby and occasionally tried him off the left, but largely put the Portuguese in his preferred position. It was, nevertheless, a time of diminishing returns from Fernandes, previously hugely productive. Statistically, Fernandes has been less effective as a scorer under Ten Hag, with a mere six league goals, but he has excelled otherwise, fashioning the joint most big chances in the division and ranking top for shot-creating actions; largely as a No. 10, but also in a variety of different ways. Fernandes has exerted an impact when coming off the right, sometimes permitting Ten Hag to field three central midfielders; there are points when he has played more as a No. 8, particularly when Christian Eriksen was injured. Most remarkably, his passing range was used as a quarterback when Casemiro was suspended, especially in victory against Everton. The problem for Ten Hag, perhaps, has been that he ideally needed two Rashfords – one as a left winger, one a centre forward – and two Fernandeses, one as a No. 10 and the other in a deeper or wider role, so he has been compromising. But Ten Hag has appreciated having a risk-taker as a No. 10, a player prepared to lose the ball in a bid to make something happen. If Fernandes has proved more versatile than expected, he has nonetheless remained United’s preeminent fantasista. 4. The defensive midfielder as a No. 10 It didn’t work. Ten Hag rearranged his midfield at Newcastle, putting Scott McTominay at the tip of it, partly to use his energy and tackling prowess to halt Bruno Guimaraes. United produced one of their worst performances of the season. But McTominay believes he is an attacking midfielder and there was greater evidence of the general concept working, albeit with the Scot as a No. 8, when he burst forward to score against Everton, while Fernandes played at the base of the midfield. He has been sidelined since then but the use of McTominay against Newcastle has the feel of a one-off. 5. The loanee as a No. 10 Marcel Sabitzer was hastily borrowed from Bayern Munich when Christian Eriksen was injured. His United career nevertheless peaked, albeit eventually in vain, in Fernandes’ position. A seven-minute, excellent brace against Sevilla seemed to position United to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. The Austrian was altogether less effective in the return fixture, when Fernandes was suspended. Sabitzer does have a background as a scorer when he has got licence to attack – he struck 16 times for Leipzig in 2019-20 – and, against Sevilla, he showed ability to run in behind defences. 6. The strangest No. 10 in Manchester United’s history Few get to start as a No. 10 at the Nou Camp and Anfield in the same season. Fewer still do so in a United shirt, and the logical assumption is that they must be a celebrated talent. Instead, and rather oddly, a status often reserved for the most inventive player in the squad has been granted to Wout Weghorst. A non-scoring striker has largely been a non-creative creator, sometimes offering a nuisance value with the pressing Ten Hag values – to the extent he once praised his fellow Dutchman for his “backwards pressing” – and, all arms and legs, bringing a disruptive element. But if Weghorst’s lack of goals – and, given his height, lack of aerial ability – have attracted attention, it is also notable he has a lone assist in the Premier League. While Weghorst did a decent job against Barcelona, the sight of him as 10 felt an indictment. 7. The No. 10 who hasn’t played as a No. 10 For much of his career, Christian Eriksen has seemed a quintessential No. 10, even if, for much of his time at Tottenham, he was drifting infield to create from a starting role on the right. He adopted a deeper role for Inter Milan and, after a deceptive debut as a false nine in defeat to Brighton, has established himself as Casemiro’s regular partner. Sometimes Eriksen has played more as a No. 8 in what can be a lopsided triangle in midfield. But Eriksen’s diminishing goal return – just one in the Premier League – and shot numbers, compared to his Spurs days, are signs he has been reinvented. He is the former No. 10, now more of a central midfielder. Read More Manchester United’s Charlie Savage wants to make his own name in the game Man United eye Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel amid David de Gea contract talks Bruno Fernandes warns Alejandro Garnacho he cannot relax at Manchester United Christian Eriksen pleased to see Man Utd deal with extra pressure against Wolves ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in Ten Hag finally within sight of matching a past United great... no, not that one

West Ham know an away draw will be enough for them to progress to the Europa Conference League final as they visit AZ Alkmaar. The London club take a 2-1 advantage through to the second half of the tie, fighting back from behind to emerge on top in a relatively even first leg. With Premier League safety almost certain, David Moyes elected to rest some of his first-choice side in the weekend defeat to Brentford to afford them fuller focus on this encounter. But the veteran Scottish manager will be wary of a good AZ team who showed their scoring prowess with a 5-1 victory in the Eredivise between the two legs. Here’s everything you need to know. When is AZ Alkmaar vs West Ham? The second leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final is due to kick-off at 8pm BST on Thursday 18 May at the AFAS Stadion in Alkmaar. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BT Sport 1, with coverage on the channel from 7.15pm BST. Subscribers can also stream the action via the BT Sport app or online player. Confirmed line-ups AZ XI: Ryan; Sugawara, Beukema, Hatzidiakos, Kerkez; Reijnders, Mijnans, Clasie; Odgaard, Pavlidis, Van Brederode. West Ham XI: Areola; Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Antonio. Odds AZ win 32/19 Draw 28/11 West Ham win 17/10 Prediction This one could go all the way to penalties - and end in another European semi-final exit for West Ham. AZ 2-1 West Ham (3-3 agg. - AZ advance on penalties) Read More Luton Town one game from the Premier League after comeback win over Sunderland Inter Milan have already made it clear how they’ll aim to win Champions League final Lioness Leah Williamson invests in Toca to inspire women’s football West Ham boss David Moyes looking to conquer AZ Alkmaar again West Ham won’t consider any Declan Rice bids until season is over Man City brush aside Everton to close in on title as Brighton stun Arsenal

Both Newcastle and Brighton will be looking to finish their campaigns strongly as the two meet with the Premier League season nearing an end. The home side had looked in good position to make certain of a top four finish, but a defeat to Arsenal and draw against Leeds means Eddie Howe’s team cannot afford to stumble home with Liverpool closing fast. Newcastle have a game in hand on the fifth-placed side, but are now only one point ahead in third. Brighton, meanwhile, have European ambitions of their own - they still have four games to play and a win here would solidify their place in a Europa League qualification spot. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Newcastle vs Brighton? Newcastle vs Brighton is due to kick off at 7.30pm BST on Thursday 18 May at St James’ Park in Newcastle. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on the channels from 7pm BST. Subscribers can also stream the action via Sky Go. Team news Newcastle are not thought to have any fresh injury concerns, with Matt Ritchie, Emil Krafth, Sean Longstaff and Jamaal Lascelles the current absentees from Eddie Howe’s squad. The manager paired Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson together against Leeds and could again deploy the pair in forward tandem. Roberto De Zerbi is dealing with a number of injuries, with the Brighton manager particularly short of options on the right side of his defence. There are no new complaints following the win over Arsenal, though, with Julio Enciso’s issue that forced his late removal in that fixture played down by De Zerbi at the conclusion of the match. Predicted line-ups Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Joelinton, Guimaraes, Willock; Almiron, Wilson, Isak. Brighton XI: Steele; Caicedo, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan; Gross, Gilmour; Mitoma, Mac Allister, Enciso; Ferguson. Odds Newcastle win 21/20 Draw 3/1 Brighton win 5/2 Prediction A score draw. Newcastle 2-2 Brighton Read More Liverpool won’t let up in battle for top-four spot, says Jurgen Klopp Howard Webb keen to air more conversations between match officials and VARs Mikel Arteta apologises for Arsenal’s Brighton disaster - ‘You cannot do what we did’ From Netflix disaster to the Premier League? Sunderland seek to leave chaos behind Police charge Leeds fan with assault over Eddie Howe confrontation Fan confronts Howe in technical area during Newcastle’s draw at Leeds

Manchester City produced a sensational performance to defeat Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad and reach the Champions League final. Bernardo Silva scored twice as Pep Guardiola’s side blew the holders away in a breathtaking opening half. Eder Militao’s own goal late on ensured there would be no comeback this time from Real Madrid, before Julian Alvarez added a fourth in stoppage time. Here are how the players rated as City booked a final date with Inter Milan on June 10. Manchester City Ederson, 9 The goalkeeper had been a spectator until Toni Kroos hit a stunning drive from distance that Ederson managed to tip onto the bar. It was a crucial touch - and Bernardo doubled City’s lead moments later. Ederson’s save from David Alaba’s free kick in the second half was just as good. Kyle Walker, 9 The best defensive full-back in the world? On this evidence, absolutely. The right back was sensational against the wonderful Vinicius Junior, particularly with a key piece of tracking back in the first half. Ruben Dias, 9 Has Karim Benzema ever had a quieter game in the Champions League? Dias dominated the Real Madrid striker and clearly won their battle. Manuel Akanji, 9 Erling Haaland aside, he has a case to be the signing of the season. Just so solid defensively and comfortable on the ball. A superb individual defender and Rodrygo was anonymous. John Stones, 8 It’s just so audacious, really, for a centre back to step into a midfield of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos and not just hold your own but be a level above. Stones was magnificent. Rodri, 8 Just so good at making lots of very complicated passes and runs through midfield look so effortlessly simple. Seemed to have the most touches in the game, especially during City’s early dominance. Bernardo Silva, 9 Everywhere and excellent all at once. One of the performances of the season with and without the ball, terrorising the poor Edouardo Camavinga and never allowing Madrid a moment to settle. Two goals as well? An incredible player. Kevin De Bruyne, 9 Picked out a stunning pass for Bernardo’s opener and was as dangerous as you would expect from pretty much every position and angle on the pitch. His vision is out of this world and he produced a second assist of the night with his free-kick that went in off Militao. Ilkay Gundogan, 8 His awareness, particularly when close to his own goal, is wonderful. Cruised through a lot of the game. Booked for a lunge on Vinicius. Jack Grealish, 7 The winger gave Davi Carvajal a torrid time and his work rate was excellent once again. His delivery was perhaps not as dangerous as it could have been. Erling Haaland, 7 Should have had the opener but was denied by the brilliant Courtois - twice, and then for a third time in the second half! Haaland was ultimately denied even if he repeatedly troubled Eder Militao before then. Manchester City were still superior. Substitutes Riyad Mahrez: Added fresh legs with the tie beyond Madrid. 6 Phil Foden: Like Mahrez, brought on to cause similar discomfort and provided the assist for City’s fourth. 6 Julian Alvarez: A late run around quickly turned into a fine, low finish to make it 4-0. 6 Real Madrid Thibaut Courtois, 9 Produced a stunning save to deny Halaand’s header from close range - and then came up with an even better one to again stop Haaland’s header. One of the best saves you’ll see. Dani Carvajal, 4 The right back looked terrified of Grealish and dealt with him by backing off. Eder Militao, 4 Looked to match Antonio Rudiger’s intensity and aggression in his duel against Haaland, but struggled to get the balance right. Often left gaps in behind. David Alaba, 5 The versatile defender had to make a couple of last-ditch headers at the back post but the problems stemmed from in front of him. Forced an excellent save out of Ederson with a dipping free-kick. Eduardo Camavinga, 4 Involved in an intense battle with Bernardo that he would probably rather forget. City targeted his side. Federico Valverde, 3 Completely anonymous in the first half and barely had a touch. Toni Kroos, 4 The midfielder had Madrid’s first shot and he was unlucky with what was a brilliant effort from range. Struggled with the movement around him in midfield. Luka Modric, 4 A difficult night for the peerless Modric - who like Kross was overwhelmed by City’s pace and passing. The fact he was taken off after an hour was telling. Rodrygo, 3 Another Madrid no-show. The hero from last year’s semi-final was barely involved, but he was not the only one. Karim Benzema, 2 No chances, no threat, no comeback from Madrid’s talisman - the difference from last season is quite remarkable. Vinicius Junior, 4 The dangerous winger spent too long being forced back towards his box in the first half and then couldn’t break free from the excellent Walker when he was afforded space. Substitutes Antonio Rudiger: Surprisingly dropped to the bench, the damage had been done when he came on. 6 Marco Asensio: Did little of note. 5 Aurelien Tchouameni Fresh legs in midfield as Carlo Ancelotti looked to stymie City. 5 Lucas Vazquez: In for booked Carvajal against slippery Grealish. 5 Dani Ceballos: Part of triple change aimed at damage limitation. 5 Read More Man City reach perfection with Real Madrid humiliation that raises complicated questions Bernardo Silva’s unique talents lead Man City’s evisceration of Real Madrid Man City’s greatest Champions League night, Real Madrid need Jude Bellingham and five things we learned Real Madrid at critical juncture after impotent Champions League exit Man City reach perfection with Real Madrid humiliation that raises complex questions We had to swallow poison – Pep Guardiola delighted to get revenge on Real Madrid

Two games down, one point earned, two fixtures remaining. Sam Allardyce’s task at Leeds United was never going to be an easy one, and now looks harder still despite doing what he had hoped for prior to hosting Newcastle United on Saturday - namely getting some type of result. An eventual 2-2 draw only scratches the surface of a match of a madness, on the pitch and beside it. Three penalties, two scored; one fan, confronting Eddie Howe; deflected goals, missed chances, one comeback and then another. The build-up to the game had been faux-dominated by the touchline presence of Newcastle’s assistant, bizarrely; Jason Tindall might have made tongue-in-cheek headlines ahead of kick-off but this fixture was only ever likely to be about what Allardyce could get out of his players, instead. And, it’s fair to note, he got plenty out of them. Hard work, an energetic start, good organisation through the centre of the park, runners up in support of the forward: it’s likely Allardyce feels he saw enough of his own instructions carried out to have warranted a victory for his team. Except, there’s another side to Leeds. The reason they were fun to watch at first, and then a nightmare. The reason they are in the Premier League relegation zone with two left to play. They are a team of absolute madness, of chaos and ill-advised decisions, and it is this more than anything related to Newcastle’s own quality which meant the three points didn’t stay at Elland Road. Leeds have had three very different managers with very different approaches in the last couple of seasons, even before Allardyce’s appointment. His is a routine and obvious one: plug gaps in double-quick time. Make the team difficult to beat. Scrape points to survive; in other words, perform his firefighting routine but with even less room to manoeuvrethan usual. An easy job description, but a supremely difficult job. And that would be in the normal course of events. But this is Leeds. This is a team built on instinct and adventure, on emotion, on trying to learn new coaching and tactical instructions every few months this season. All of that combined has only added to the chaotic nature of the squad, which is already a mentally brittle one which lacks composure or control. How else to explain a match in which not losing is of paramount importance, yet a team still manages to give away two penalties, miss one of their own and receive a red card between them? That’s even without going into the minutae of the game. Weston McKennie could have conceded another spot-kick for an aerial barge. Junior Firpo could have been dismissed long before he actually was. Then there’s the off-pitch comments from the boss himself. It’s tough to know what the real gameplan here from Allardyce was, and whether or not it worked. Comparing himself to Pep Guardiola and the like was never likely to be more than a sideshow, and he says it worked as it relieved pressure from his players. So would they otherwise have been beaten by more goals in that match than they were? Allardyce didn’t match, or out-coach, Guardiola. His team didn’t earn a shock result as a consequence of being freed from scrutiny. And another game later, they’ve brought even more focus back on themselves as a result of further poor decision-making. Even so, it’s hard not to make a case that a step forward was still taken against Newcastle, not just because of the point earned, but because they started the match in positive fashion and ended it by earning a point they looked to have thrown away themselves. Getting more men ahead of the ball and into the area was a notable alteration. The use of McKennie further forward, the aggressive stepping out of defence when needed, the quick switches through midfield - these all benefited Leeds during the match. But the madness didn’t this time. The silly challenges, the unnecessary aggression in non-threatening positions, the wasted moments of panic in the final third - Leeds cannot afford them any longer. For Allardyce, a pragmatist with little rope right now, it might simply be a case of not having certain players in the team is the only way to fix it in the time he has. Some of this is already happening: Illan Meslier has been removed from the side. Firpo will now be forced to follow suit through suspension. Results have to come and while Allardyce looks to have put a few elements in place which can help secure them, Leeds’ own habit of shooting themselves in the foot is not one he has time to rectify. Individual sacrifices, rather than cultural turnarounds, will need be the order of the day if they are to survive. Read More Ex-Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa gets new coaching job Police charge Leeds fan with assault over Eddie Howe confrontation Fan confronts Howe in technical area during Newcastle’s draw at Leeds Leeds keep chaotic season alive with late draw against Newcastle Leeds vs Newcastle LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Leeds win over Newcastle would leave Allardyce ‘50 per cent’ sure of survival

It’s 22 years and counting since Coventry City last graced the Premier League, over two decades of ups and downs, necessary ups as a result of downs, a whole chapter and more of club history written outside of the game’s elite. Once, the Sky Blues were synonymous with top-flight football, iconic Nineties names – if not always quite among the elite – throughout the team. They lined up for the first Premier League campaign, in 1992/93, and stayed a part of that fledgling top flight for the first nine years, finishing in the bottom half each term but always there, always a tough opponent, always carrying players with a backstory, a big future, or both. But an entire generation of football fans have never seen Coventry among the top clubs. A sea change has happened at England’s highest level since they were on the scene; they departed in 2001, two years before Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea and could now return one year after he sold it. While billions were moved around in the transfer market and in broadcast deals in Coventry’s absence, they embarked on an altogether more painful journey; should they complete the comeback on 27 May and win the EFL Championship play-off final they will become the first team to go from the Premier League all the way down to the fourth tier... and come all the way back up again. Before they can dream of all that, though, they must overcome Middlesbrough in the second leg of a two-legged semi final. The first leg, on home soil, was a goalless draw. A generation back, that would have been Highfield Road. For those who haven’t followed the fortunes and failings of Coventry’s ownership since then, that memorable old ground – where they played for over a century – was demolished in 2005. They moved to the Ricoh Arena, but less than 10 years later there were leasing issues and disagreements, resulting in the team spending a season at Sixfields in Northampton, 33 miles away. A return to within the city limits lasted only another few years, with the 2019/20 and 20/21 campaigns spent playing home games at Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s stadium – this time 23 miles away, and in the opposite direction to Sixfields. Two seasons back at the renamed Ricoh (now the Coventry Building Society Arena) have followed, with a 10-year deal to play there seemingly securing the club’s future at the ground – but the stadium owners have since been bought out and Coventry now only have an agreement to stay at the stadium until the end of this campaign. Investment group Sisu Capital bought the Sky Blues in 2007 to stop them going out of business, but under Ray Ranson’s chairmanship the club floundered on and off the pitch. Liquidation and relegation to League Two painted a bleak picture; the EFL Trophy in 2017 and promotion back to League One in 2018 offered a glimpse of hope. Doug King, a local businessman, finally completed a full takeover just a few months ago and immediately insisted on a future of “transparency and clarity”, noting there was no debt on the club and no interest would be payable on loans provided to it. However, he was unable to secure the purchase of the stadium, leaving work to do there for next season. Yet even that question mark only becomes cause for excitement if Coventry can pull off the most improbable of finishes to this campaign. When King took sole ownership on 27 January – just four months to the day before the play-off final – Coventry sat 15th in the Championship. They had won nine games all season, and lost 10. They had a negative goal difference. Their first game of the new era took place the next day and they won – and they have done so, again and again, in nine of their last 19, losing only twice. Mark Robins has managed a minor miracle in that most mad-cap of leagues, while it’s worth noting that the final day of the regular season saw them play away at the team they now face twice more in the play-offs. A 1-1 draw at Boro didn’t give much away for either side, while Coventry won the early-season meeting on home soil. Robins, of course, is the former striker who – as myth, legend or partial truth tells it – saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s career at Manchester United in those pre-trophy early seasons, scoring a goal in a must-win FA Cup clash which might otherwise have seen the Scot sacked. Robins went on to play for Norwich and Leicester, before a nomadic final decade or so in the game. This spell with Coventry, his second with the club, is his sixth coaching job. He is just three games away from giving the fans their best occasion in decades. And they have had plenty of those memorable occasions before. This is the club of Dion Dublin, Noel Whelan, Darren Huckerby, Robbie Keane. And before that, of Steve Ogrizovic, Roland Nilsson, Roy Wegerle, Gary McAllister and Peter Ndlovu. They were genuinely exciting, talented, committed players who could certainly have played for the biggest sides – some indeed went on to do so – had that era been like this one, where top clubs swoop continuously on any of those below them who fare well. Now it is instead to Viktor Gyokeres, Gustavo Hamer and Callum Doyle the fans will look, in hope and in anguish, that a long and difficult road might be just weeks from the final corner. What lays around it is almost entirely unknown, yet it could also in many ways mark the most incredible full-circle journey the Premier League era has seen. Read More Michael Carrick on the brink of managerial success with Middlesbrough, unlike old England teammates Coventry’s Mark Robins feels pressure is on Middlesbrough in play-off second leg How to watch Championship play-offs Coventry and Middlesbrough fail to land early blow in Championship play-off semi-final Coventry and Middlesbrough fail to land blow in Championship play-off semi-final Kitman Chris Marsh overcomes illness to help support Coventry’s promotion push How to watch Championship play-offs

The Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has raised his bid for Manchester United by making a fourth and last-ditch offer for the club, which is understood to be closer to £5 billion. The businessman has made a late intervention after the lifelong United fan, and petrochemicals billionaire, Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted his third bid which valued United at a higher figure. As with all of Sheikh Jassim’s previous proposals, he is trying to buy 100 percent of the club, where the Glazer family are current majority shareholders. The Qatari has also pledged to clear United’s debt of £536 million and has promised a separate fund directed at the club and the community. Ratcliffe’s most recent bid allowed Joel and Avram Glazer, two of the six siblings whose father, Malcolm, bought the club in 2005, to retain a stake while aiming to complete a takeover in the next few years. The American merchant bank the Raine Group are overseeing the process for the Glazers. There have been three previous rounds of bids, without seeming to meet the Glazers’ valuation, though Ratcliffe had emerged as the favourite to complete a deal. Read More Eddie Howe: Football must learn from my confrontation with fan Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving You’re asking the wrong person – Emma Hayes not interested in title permutations

Long after the final whistle blew at San Siro, that welcome sound gave way to a more wondrous noise as the old ground shook and the celebrations showed no sign of abating. The curva nord was still full with ultras, belting out club anthems. That was all to serenade the extended squad, club hierarchy and their families, who were all still on the pitch. In classic celebration scenes, the children of the players were at the other end having a game among themselves. You could have been forgiven for thinking they’d won the final itself. A cynical view would be that was precisely what this was, since they eliminated their greatest rivals, and the expectation is that either Manchester City or Real Madrid will just cruise to victory in Istanbul. The defiant nature of Inter’s performance might indicate such complacency would be a mistake, but it’s still hard to deny that as much of this was just about getting there again: a victory in itself. Inter have had far longer waits to get back to the European Cup final, going 38 years between 1972 and the treble of 2010, but those periods never felt like they would be endless. Not when you could parade some of the best stars in the world, among them Ronaldo. They were always close. That hasn't been the case since 2010, especially as the elite end of the Champions League has got so much narrower. There have been times in the last few years - and never more than right now - where it has felt like the list of realistic potential champions gets smaller every season. In this campaign, it is as if that group consists of only the English clubs, as well as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and maybe Paris Saint-Germain due to Kylian Mbappe and Qatari wealth. Internazionale just wouldn’t have been included, not least because their financial scope has got smaller. It isn’t exactly a fairytale, mind. The ownership has changed twice since 2010, with ongoing questions over the current situation under Suning. That period has also seen the club overspend in a manner that now requires significant sales in the summer, not to mention European qualification itself, and has echoes of the club’s recent past. It's all been to keep up with a financial arms race constantly getting further away. As if to sum up so much, the Inter shirt doesn’t currently have a sponsor because the club say the cryptocurrency brand that previously adorned the black and white stripes did not pay them. And yet that situation, a little like this whole campaign, offered a throwback that almost came about by accident and adaptation rather than design. It’s an old-fashioned look for an old-fashioned sort of victory. The sense of history to all of that was also unmistakable. You can feel it right around the stadium and in all those celebrations. By winning this tie, Inter have reached their sixth European Cup final. That puts them just above Manchester United again. It leaves them well ahead of Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain, all of whom would see themselves as prospective challengers for this historic competition going forward. The trophy tends to follow the money, after all. That is also why, for all these complications, there is something compellingly thrilling about this. It is not to say that the truest value in sporting triumph comes when the grand old institutions win. It is more that something has gone wrong if a club like Inter - let alone 99% of the continent - can be locked out of the top level. Their previous glory does restore a prestige, though, that could be felt around the city in the hours after the game and well into the early morning. When the ultras and families finally left San Siro, it just ensured the sound of deafening firecrackers nearby. Raucous singing could now be heard all around the stadium and the city. Only a half of Milan was celebrating, but it oddly made European football feel that bit bigger again. Read More Inter Milan have already made it clear how they’ll aim to win Champions League final Budget building and back to the future tactics have Inter Milan among the elite once more Inter vs AC Milan player ratings: Lautaro Martinez and Francesco Acerbi star for Nerazzurri Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving Back to the future tactics have Inter Milan among the elite once more Inter Milan have already made it clear how they can win the Champions League

Before every home game, Luton Town’s club shop is teeming. The little building perched outside Kenilworth Road is like a temporary prefab classroom and inside it’s cosy: once you’ve bought a shirt or a mug or a woolly hat then you best be on your way to make room for someone else. It is a different world to the extravagance of the Premier League. Tottenham, for example, boast the largest club shop in Europe: half an acre of sheer Spursy-ness, selling everything from Spurs-encrusted party bowls to the Spurs Monopoly board game, complete with a 100-seat auditorium to consume even more Spurs from the comfort of a soft chair. These two clubs seem to exist on different planets, and yet they could well be rivals in the same league next season. Luton have climbed here by consistently punching above their weight. The club’s entire wage budget, around £6m, would buy one Manchester City sub. They are always swimming against the tide and the small but mighty Kenilworth Road is a monument to that – intimate and intense, like a particularly atmospheric cow shed, with 10,000 seats that sound like 50,000 when the linesman fails to spot a foul throw. Luton’s long-awaited move to a new venue at Power Court is still a couple of years away. So should they win promotion – having advanced to the play-off final after victory over Sunderland, this is a distinct possibility – what on earth will the Premier League giants make of a ground where away fans file through an alleyway and up a metal staircase that hangs over neighbouring gardens? “They will think it’s a tip,” smiles Alex, a Luton season-ticket holder in the club shop. He has been coming here since 2005, sitting in the same seat since he was three years old. “But it’s our tip.” *** Despite his reputation as one of the brightest managers in the Football League, Rob Edwards was expecting some hate from Luton fans when he took charge in November. He had only recently left Watford, their bitter rivals, and so when he sat down for his first press conference as the new man in charge of Luton Town, all he could do was try to defuse a potentially volatile situation. “It’s not as if I left Watford a club legend,” he joked. Edwards was referring to the way he was spat back out by Watford after only 11 games, a familiar story for managers who dare work for the trigger-happy Pozzo family. But far from holding a grudge, Luton fans seemed to get a kick out of sticking one to their rivals. “Welcome Rob,” read a banner at his first game away at Middlesbrough, which soothed some anxiety. His first home game at Kenilworth Road, a Boxing Day win over Norwich City, finished with the entire ground singing his name. It would prove to be the first win of many, with only two league defeats for the rest of the campaign meaning Luton finished third in the Championship and got themselves into the play-offs for the second successive season. A club with a tight-knit staff and limited funds have improved their league position every year for eight in a row, climbing from the Conference in 2014 to the upper echelons of the Championship, and now they are within touching distance of the top tier for the first time in 30 years. At the heart of their rise is continuity – midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu has been with the club from non-league – and careful planning. Losing manager Nathan Jones to Southampton was a sudden bruise, but Edwards was already on the radar. Luton had analysed his League Two-winning year in charge of Forest Green Rovers and found it was no fluke – the underlying numbers showed a manager deploying the kind of fast, aggressive football that Luton themselves used to dominate Leagues One and Two. They analysed his 11 games at Watford too, and discovered some good things in the team Edwards was building, despite the quick sacking. Preparation has been key in the transfer market too. Led by club legend Mick Harford, chief scout Phil Chapple and analyst Jay Socik, Luton have made a habit of identifying smart signings from across the Football League and some inspired loans from the Premier League too. Right-back James Bree left the club in January but Luton seamlessly replaced him with Cody Drameh on loan from Leeds, and the addition of Aston Villa’s Marvelous Nakamba has brought solidity in midfield. Buying Carlton Morris from Barnsley last summer was crucial, and he has racked up a career-best 20 league goals. They recruit a specific Luton type: as well as being technically sound and a good character, they have to be athletic, able to withstand a high tempo for 90 minutes and out-run their opposition. After all, this is what Luton are: a club who extract every last drop from whatever they have. No Championship side have won more tackles in the final third than Luton this season, and the result is a team that are often hard and horrible to play against. Edwards has found a balance between a pragmatic approach and a team who can play football too. A direct route to goal is always an option with the power and strength of Morris and the imposing Elijah Adebayo up front, and Luton have found they don’t need to dominate possession to win games. That might be a useful trait in the Premier League. But what really stands out is how Luton are run off the pitch. There is no billionaire benefactor here: the club were saved by their own fans and now they are supporter-owned, and the people in charge – chief executive Gary Sweet, chairman David Wilkinson and majority stakeholder Paul Ballantyne – are deeply invested in its future. As one member of staff told The Independent: “Our owners give a s**t, and that isn’t always the case in football.” *** One staff member, Bill Cole, has worked for Luton for five years and has been visiting Kenilworth Road for 76. He will miss it, but he won’t shed a tear when it’s gone. He reels off more than half a century’s worth of new stadium plans that ended in disappointment, and says Power Court is exactly what the club has been crying out for, for far too long. “I hope they build a metal pillar in front of the press box to remind us of The Kenny,” he smiles. At full-time of a late-April clash against fellow high-flyers Middlesbrough, buoyant Luton fans poured out into the narrow streets that run down the hill to town following a 2-1 victory. It was a crucial moment in ensuring Luton finished third, and Boro fourth to face Coventry. If these two sides are to contest the play-off final – the so-called richest game in football – then perhaps this win has set the tone. Cole has seen it all before, though, and has a warning. “In 1959 we played Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup final,” he remembers. “Two weeks earlier we’d played them here at Kenilworth Road and we stuffed them 4-0. But at Wembley, we never showed up.” But win or lose the play-offs, Luton are unlikely to change too much. They are going in the right direction and their progress is a result not of vast investment but of sound stewardship. Amid the game’s financial bonanza benefitting a few elite clubs, Luton are showing that there is still a place for a little meritocracy in football. Read More Luton Town one game from Premier League after comeback win over Sunderland How to watch Championship play-offs Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving I don’t blame English fans for cynicism over US investment – Burnley’s JJ Watt Arsenal and Leverkusen in ‘advanced talks’ over Granit Xhaka deal

Inter Milan are the first club set for the 2023 Champions League final, after knocking out city rivals AC Milan with a 1-0 victory in the second leg. The goalkeepers were the stars of the show in the first half, both making fine stops, but the breakthrough finally came with just 15 minutes to play as Lautaro Martinez hammered in at the near post to seal a 3-0 aggregate win. Here are the player ratings from the second leg in the San Siro: Inter Milan Andre Onana - 7. Big save early on from Diaz. Not too troubled thereafter and always a safe pair of hands. Matteo Darmian - 7. Dealt comfortably with any threats down his side of the defensive trio. Francesco Acerbi - 8. Rugged, aggressive and dominant. Beat Giroud in the air every time. A little fortunate not to get caught purposely stepping on an opponent’s foot, though. Alessandro Bastoni - 7. Solid enough at the back. Wasn’t really called upon to do a huge amount of one-v-one work but his positional play, strength and passing from deep all meant Milan just couldn’t get through easily. Denzel Dumfries - 7. Again an impressive outing as he covered ground, dragged play upfield and shut down Leao when he needed to. Nicolo Barella - 7. The usual mix of aggression, bursts into the channel and good work to support the attack. A bit hot-headed, picked up a booking and caused a few ructions. Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 6. Carried the ball well a few times and got into a couple of dangerous positions but went off injured before half time. Hakan Calhanoglu - 6. Neat in possession, sensible with his forward runs. Mostly played a protective game in the centre and let Barella break beyond him. Federico Dimarco - 6. Not his best game on the ball but had plenty of times where he was a good outlet for the team and drove upfield at pace. Lautaro Martinez - 8. Full of running and clever touches in deep areas. Went close in the first half and then found the breakthrough with a drilled, low shot which beat Maignan at the near post. Edin Dzeko - 6. Hard-working and had a couple of sighters, but more about his hold-up play than penalty box prowess this time. Subs: M Brozovic 6, R Lukaku 8, R Gosens 6, J Correa n/a, R Gagliardini n/a AC Milan Mike Maignan - 7. Two excellent first-half saves highlighted his shot-stopping ability and good positional work. Beaten near post for the goal but it was a rocket from close range. Davide Calabria - 5. Started the game well but never really had much impact going forward. Malick Thiaw - 6. Fared better than Simon Kjaer did in the first leg with better power and speed in the channel, but after a booking had to be replaced. Fikayo Tomori - 7. Again, better than he played in the first fixture but the damage was already done there. He had a pretty decent outing but still couldn’t help keep a clean sheet. Theo Hernandez - 6. One of Milan’s biggest underperformers across the two legs, given what he’s capable of. Had an early shot and tracked back well plenty of times but ultimately got nowhere going forward. Sandro Tonali - 7. One brilliant driving run down the left created Milan’s best early opening. Was the one really trying to drive the team forward for most of the match but too few matched his endeavour. Rade Krunic - 6. Harder-working than last week but no better with playing forward. Left massive gaps which Barella just rampaged through. Junior Messias - 5. Like the rest of the attack, the Brazilian had a couple of decent individual moments but nowhere near enough positive team play or combinations. Brahim Diaz - 5. Massive chance in the opening minutes, on target but saved. Other than the first 15 minutes he was largely anonymous. Rafael Leao - 5. In and out of the game first half but fired one great strike across the face of goal. Totally marginalised second half and faded away. Olivier Giroud - 5. No service, no real hold-up play, no chance of beating Acerbi and no threat on goal. Subs: P Kalulu 5, A Saelemaekers 5, D Origi 5 Read More Inter Milan have already made it clear how they can win the Champions League Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid unfazed by airport delay before Man City clash Inter Milan vs AC Milan LIVE: Result and reaction Being confronted by fans and returning star driving AC Milan bid to reverse history Bundesliga title battle continues as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund ease to wins On this day in 2006: Liverpool win thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham

Inter Milan are on course to reach the Champions League final after taking a two-goal lead in their semi-final tie against local rivals AC Milan. A strong first-half performance saw Simone Inzaghi’s side secured their advantage thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. As both teams play their home matches at the San Siro tonight’s encounter is an almost carbon-copy of the first leg. The difference being that most of the crowd inside the San Siro will be Inter fans as they are the designated hosts this evening. Based on their performance in the first leg AC Milan have serious work to do. Though they improved in the second half Milan were short of threat in front of goal all evening and with them needing to cut a two-goal deficit they cannot afford to be as wasteful tonight. Stefano Pioli will be overjoyed by the return of Rafael Leao. The forward has been passed fit to play after recovering from injury and will be required to play a key role if his side are to reach the European showcase. Follow all the action as Inter and Milan clash in the Champions League semi-final: Read More Being confronted by fans and returning star driving AC Milan bid to reverse history Glorious Milan derby proves football does not need Super League Aymeric Laporte says treble-chasing Manchester City ‘deserve many things’