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Ryan Mason has trust in the key decision-makers at Tottenham to get the big calls right this summer. Spurs’ acting head coach Mason will take his squad to relegation-threatened Leeds on the final day in what is set to be his last fixture in charge. Eighth-placed Tottenham remain without a permanent manager or managing director of football and could miss out on Europe for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign unless they better Aston Villa’s result and match Brentford’s on Sunday. Crunch decisions are required by chairman Daniel Levy and the board, with a promise already made to supporters over the style Spurs will try to play next season. Last Saturday’s programme notes from Levy pledged the team will go back to “football you will love to come and watch” after the recent pragmatism and counter-attacking of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Mason feels a stable brand of football will help, and he said: “We’ve probably had two or three different styles of football in the last two or three years and I don’t think that is good for any squad of players or for fans. “When you lose people, lose coaches, lose players, lose members of staff, the impact is huge if you keep going from different things. “Like I say, going forward it really is important and we see it in the Premier League, we see it across the leagues, I want people to know who Tottenham are, know what a Tottenham team looks like and certainly know what a Tottenham player looks like. “This is just how I view the situation as it is. Obviously there will be loads of conversations in the summer about going forward. “There is a lot of people here who really care and want the club to get back to where we want, where we expect and where we hope to be. “Them conversations and decisions I am sure will be made in the summer. I trust the people making them decisions.” Quizzed about how the managerial search could impact Spurs’ transfer business, Mason admitted the club need a new man in place before they can go after targets. If you want to be successful on the pitch then everyone working for the organisation within the football club has to be on board with what we are and who we are. Ryan Mason “There is work because we have a big squad, a lot of players on loan and decisions to make,” he said. “The most important work is probably away from the transfer window right now because you need a manager in place, you need commitment, you need an idea to know where you go. “You can’t do transfer business without a manager because it might not fit his idea. At the moment I believe we need an idea of what we want to do, who we want to be and stick to it. Recruit people for that and ultimately recruit players for that.” There remains uncertainty over the future of Harry Kane, who is approaching the final year of his Spurs contract. Mason would not be drawn on what next for the Tottenham forward but insisted it is imperative every club has a long-term plans in place. He added: “For any player, manager, member of staff at this football club, when one leaves it’s important to have a succession plan in place. “So, when people do leave, the next one comes in and the impact isn’t so big. That’s not just speaking about Harry. That’s speaking about other players. “For me, it’s really important that there’s an identity in all departments. “If you want to be successful on the pitch then everyone working for the organisation within the football club has to be on board with what we are and who we are. “I hope going forward that’s definitely the case.”

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has described Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as the best coach in the modern era and an inspiration ahead of Sunday’s game at the Gtech Community Stadium. City’s recent Premier League title win was their fifth under Guardiola’s stewardship and they will look to build on that in the FA Cup and Champions League finals next month. Frank, whose side won at City in November, talked up treble-chasing Guardiola’s impact on the game which he admitted has inspired him during his managerial career. “He’s top class, after the game he said it was well deserved (Brentford’s win). I only come across him when he shows class all the way through and I look forward to congratulating him on winning the Premier League,” Frank said. “Many people have spoken about Pep Guardiola for good reasons. I think he is in the modern era, the best coach, most innovative, he’s developed the game massively. “I studied him a lot when he was at Barcelona and followed him closely, I’ve been inspired by his work and he’s definitely an inspiration.” Brentford will have to deal with record-breaking striker Erling Haaland, who has netted 36 Premier League goals in his debut campaign. Frank lauded the 22-year-old for his impact on English football since his transfer from Borussia Dortmund. “Haaland added a different dimension to City, he is so good in the box,” Frank added. “If you see the disallowed goal against Brighton he makes four or five movements before the cross comes in, it’s very rare for me to see this from a striker. “He’s always on the move which is so difficult to defend against, he is also always focussed and believes the ball will come in for every chance. “A top finisher who can use the left foot, right foot and header but I think the biggest thing he’s given them is the pace in behind. “I think it’s very impressive the amount of goals he’s scored which has destroyed the Premier League and there is probably even more to come. “I know he broke the record this year and he’ll probably break it again next year.” Frank highlighted the quality in City’s squad as he tried to predict which line-up Guardiola will pick. He said: “They have 22 unbelievable players so who is the best? (Ruben) Dias or (Aymeric) Laporte? I don’t know that, I am not sure even Pep knows that, that’s two top players. “Who’s on the wing? (Jack) Grealish, (Phil) Foden, (Riyad) Mahrez or (Bernardo) Silva? I myself wouldn’t know who to pick so they put world-class players out there and we need to top perform, our fans need to top perform and we need to finish off the season in style.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he is struggling to process having nothing to play for on the final day of the season. A year on from missing out on an unprecedented quadruple his side head to already-relegated Southampton knowing they will finish fifth irrespective of results on Sunday. That has already started to come into his thoughts for his team selection, after confirming it “makes sense” to make changes, but he is confident his side will finish on a high. “I am not used to games on the last matchday when everything is sorted. I am used to games when everything is at stake but we play this game to win the game,” he said. “This is completely new to me. We are fifth, they are relegated. Usually (at the end of the season) we have to win, it is a final, but I want to do the right thing and didn’t decide yet. “I want to line up the right team but to the outside world, I want to line up a team that is ready for the game, for the 110, 112km they have to run, all the challenges. “We will not take risks with players, that makes no sense.” Mohamed Salah was the first player to express his devastation at not qualifying for the Champions League when Manchester United’s win over Chelsea on Thursday consigned Liverpool to the Europa League. Klopp admits in the immediate aftermath of that realisation it is difficult to put a positive spin on things. This is completely new to me. We are fifth, they are relegated. Usually (at the end of the season) we have to win, it is a final. Jurgen Klopp The club face losing around £50million in Champions League revenue – a “big problem” according to Klopp – but he is confident missing out will provide added motivation. “It has to. We all think like that. This is not the season we want. We know that for a while,” he added. “I really think this was not a season we will talk about. Yes we failed to give the people more to enjoy but we had our moments. “It would have been a ‘normal’ season if we ended up fourth, not great but still qualification for the Champions League, but that is the big disappointment. “I am here for seven and a half years – it is a really long time – and that things always go in the right direction is not likely, there are dips. Usually after three years you change manager. “It is a really good thing I am here for that long but a challenge as well as you have to invent yourself new, that is what we started now, and that is super-exciting. “In a difficult year I felt the unity between us and the supporters, it is so important people really appreciated it. “This season was not great and from a financial point of view that is actually the only problem but a big problem in football. “But we have European nights next year but instead of Tuesday or Wednesday it’s a Thursday. Who cares?” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Frank Lampard will be ‘back at Chelsea many times’ as a fan after interim role Ruben Selles urges Southampton to end wretched season on positive note England will keep embracing risks during Ashes despite ‘blip’ – Daryl Mitchell

Everton manager Sean Dyche has tried to keep things consistent this week as the club head into arguably the biggest game in their history. The Toffees need to match the results of Leicester and Leeds, who are both inside the relegation zone, in order to extend their stay in the top flight to a 70th season. There have been no rousing speeches or trying to artificially boost player morale ahead of the visit of Bournemouth as Dyche does not believe that would not make as much difference as reinforcing the same messages he has been giving since taking over from Frank Lampard in late January. “I think all games are important but it stands to reason with it being the last game and what’s on it that of course it is a massive game,” he said. “A lot of these players were here last season in a similar position so I think they are aware of it. It comes down to a big performance on Sunday. “But I don’t have to emphasise that: I know it, the players know it, the fans know it, so we go into it open-minded. “I don’t think positivity can win you football matches, performances win you matches. “Inner confidence is a different thing but I’ve always been confident with the group, we go into every game confident so that doesn’t change. “I think I have a good measure of what it is to be a manager and a player and the feeling in the group is consistent from myself and the staff, that’s all I try to bring. “The consistencies I talk about are in performance, the mentality to perform, and then clarity. Consistent level of behaviours on and off the pitch I think pays you back. “There will be some key pointers about the team and the way we perform of course but we will stick to the level of performance we expect from the players and the level we expect in training.” Everton have a two-point cushion over 18th-placed Leicester but an inferior goal difference so only a win will guarantee safety, although as long as the Foxes and Leeds do not get a better result then the Toffees will be safe. Home advantage will be key for all three teams but the pressure on the game is huge and, even if backed by a raucous Goodison Park, Dyche knows he will have to lean on senior players despite a large number of holes in his squad due to injuries, with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and defenders Nathan Patterson and Ben Godfrey all added to the unavailable list. “We have worked hard to get in this position; two points in front doesn’t sound a lot but it is at this stage of the seaosn – but only if we capitalise on it,” added Dyche. “With the senior players it is more about their experience. “It’s unlikely unless you really have to you put a young player into a situation like that – we’re not in a position quite where we have to – but it’s fair to think a couple of the young lads will be involved in the squad.” The effect of relegation on a club which has posted cumulative losses of over £430million over the last four seasons – and with a new stadium more than half-built – is almost unthinkable for a club which has enjoyed such a long spell in England’s top division. But the repercussions of not avoiding the drop is not something Dyche is thinking about just yet. “I’m not worried about that at the moment, trust me the game will be the focus,” he said.

Pep Guardiola admits his thoughts have already turned to the first of Manchester City’s two upcoming finals. Treble-chasing City face arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley next week before heading to Istanbul to take on Inter Milan in the Champions League showpiece seven days later. The newly-crowned champions must first wrap up their Premier League campaign at Brentford on Sunday but, with little riding on the outcome at the Gtech Community Stadium, Guardiola admits he is planning ahead. The Inter game may remain at the back of the mind for now, but the United clash is starting to loom large in the City manager’s thoughts. Guardiola said: “I would say I saw a little bit of Inter last week but not this week. I am more focused on United right now. “I saw their game against Chelsea. I was really impressed and I have started to review a little bit what they did to us in the game at Old Trafford. “As in the past, we have to be careful. I would be careful anyway but after Thursday and their games recently, we are going to prepare the best we can.” Guardiola has a balancing act to play this weekend. He may wish to rest some players ahead of the finals but he feels it is also important that others maintain their sharpness. Jack Grealish, Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji were not risked at Brighton in midweek having not been deemed fully fit but big guns Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Bernardo Silva all featured. Guardiola said: “Brighton helped us to maintain the level and hopefully Brentford will help us to maintain this rhythm to play the finals. “We need that but it is important to arrive in the last week before the finals with people fit and ready. “The Brentford game will be completely different to Brighton. I know it is meaningless in terms of the points but, in terms of sustaining the demanding effort, they will push us. It will be so difficult.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Paul Gascoigne is the perfect example of how a player should not approach a Wembley cup final, says Barnsley head coach Michael Duff. Barnsley face derby rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the Sky Bet League One play-off final on Monday and with local bragging rights also on the line emotions will run high. Duff referenced former Tottenham midfielder Gascoigne and his ill-fated role in the 1991 FA Cup final against Nottingham Forest when discussing how he hopes his players will handle the occasion. Gascoigne flew into a reckless early tackle on Forest defender Gary Charles and ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was carried off the field on a stretcher and missed all of the following season. Duff said: “Paul Gascoigne is a perfect example, for anyone who’s old enough, in 1991 when he did his cruciate. “He came out like a headless chicken because he was so emotional and in such a wild state, it ultimately did him damage and that’s what we don’t want.” Duff, twice a Wembley winner as a player, with Cheltenham (1998) and Burnley (2009), said he will not be delivering any Churchillian speeches just before kick-off. “Absolutely not,” he said. “The format will be the same. If the players need motivating when they’re at Wembley, in a play-off final, in a local derby, they’re in the wrong job. “We’re just trying to keep it as normal as possible. You almost want to try and calm them down at that point, so they don’t play like headless chickens. “Stick to the process, with what you’ve done all season, what’s got you into this position – intensity, quality, youthfulness, a structure and being able to hurt teams in different ways. There’ll be no big speeches. “There’s a saying ‘success leaves clues’, well the clues are what you’ve been doing all season. Can you do it one more time? Hopefully, and with a little bit of luck, we win the game.” Barnsley, transformed under former Cheltenham boss Duff since his appointment in June last year, stand on the brink of an immediate return to the Championship following relegation. They were still challenging for automatic promotion until a 3-0 home defeat to Ipswich at the end of April but Duff is not ready to reflect on his first season in charge. “Looking back on the season will happen on Tuesday,” he added. “There’s no point saying ‘well if we lose it’s been a good season’. We’re in a shoot-out now, the focus is on the game. “At the end of the season we’ll take stock and reflect on how we can be better, whether we win or lose. “The plan has already started anyway, whether we win or lose, so I don’t want us to take our eyes off the prize. “Has it been a positive season? Yes, I think so. But we can really cap it off now and that’s the focus.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool’s lack of final-day drama ‘completely new’ to boss Jurgen Klopp Frank Lampard will be ‘back at Chelsea many times’ as a fan after interim role Ruben Selles urges Southampton to end wretched season on positive note

Ruben Selles hopes relegated Southampton can go out on a high when they bid farewell to the Premier League against Liverpool on Sunday. A wretched campaign full of poor decisions meant Saints knew their 11-year stay in the Premier League was over with two games to spare. Southampton are on a winless 12-match run and have lost their last five on the bounce, with Swansea boss Russell Martin lined up as manager as they prepare for life in the Championship. Selles hopes his last match in charge ends with a positive result on Sunday, which could also see homegrown skipper James Ward-Prowse make an emotional farewell. “I think you need to choose in which mode you are every day,” Selles said of the atmosphere at St Mary’s on Sunday. “I think the fans need to do the same. “I know, I understand the disappointment of the season but, as you say, it can be the sun shining and then a big opponent, last game in St Mary’s in the Premier League this year. “We will not have for at least one more year and I think it’s a good opportunity to go on a journey together and try to make a good football match. “I thank our fans for being supportive in one of the hardest seasons that they had in the last 12 years. “Hopefully we can have a good environment on Sunday and then we can make something together.” Perhaps boosting Saints’ chance of a shock is the fact Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool know they cannot reach the Champions League and will finish fifth after Manchester United beat Chelsea on Thursday. “It’s always a tricky question because I know Jurgen (Klopp) said that he will make some changes in the line-up probably,” he said. “It’s a situation with less pressure than if they were playing from the Champions League, of course. “But sometimes less pressure means more freedom and sometimes more freedom (helps), and they can go in both directions, so it’s just a different game.” The match could see academy products Theo Walcott and Mohamed Elyounoussi play their last games for Saints given their contracts expire in the summer. Che Adams, Mohammed Salisu, Armel Bella-Kotchap and Juan Larios are out through injury, while ineffective January signing Paul Onuachu is a doubt with a back problem. But there could be some positives to hold onto, with teenagers Kamari Doyle and Dom Ballard pushing for game time after making their league debuts last weekend. Talented full-back Tino Livramento could also get some time off the bench after ending his 392-day injury lay-off when coming on for 20 minutes at Brighton. “Tino will not play from the start due to his time restriction,” Selles said. “He can play at least the same amount of minutes as he did against Brighton.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool’s lack of final-day drama ‘completely new’ to boss Jurgen Klopp Frank Lampard will be ‘back at Chelsea many times’ as a fan after interim role England will keep embracing risks during Ashes despite ‘blip’ – Daryl Mitchell

Coventry City and Luton Town are one game away from the Premier League as they meet in the Championship play-off final. Each side has fought back from times of strife to leave themselves on the verge of promotion after edging out Sunderland and Middlesbrough respectively in the semi-finals. Coventry were last in the English top flight in 2001, and have endured an eventul season that included another forced relocation due to stadium conflicts at the Coventry Building Society Arena. Their opponents, meanwhile, are hoping to earn their first elevation to the Premier League, having been relegated out of the top tier in the season before it rebranded in 1992 – dropping down to non-league before rising again. Here’s everything you need to know. When is the Championship play-off final? Coventry vs Luton is due to kick off at 4.45pm BST on Saturday 27 May at Wembley Stadium in London. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage from 4pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via the Sky Go app. Team news Gustavo Hamer has trained with the Coventry squad this week and appears likely to be fit after his decisive semi-final role. Tyler Walker remains absent with an undisclosed injury, but Casey Palmer has made an ahead-of-schedule return to training after initially being ruled out for the remainder of the season. His recovery from a hamstring issue could still force him out of the game. Luton would appear to be in good health and could well name an unchanged side from the semi-final second leg. Predicted line-ups Coventry City XI: Wilson; McNally, McFadzean, Doyle; Norton-Cuffy, Allen, Kelly, Hamer, Bidwell; Sheaf; Gyokeres. Luton Town XI: Horvarth; Osho, Lockyer, Bell; Drameh, Clark, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Doughty; Morris, Adebayo. Odds Coventry win 2/1 Luton win 7/5 Prediction A tight play-off final could be decided in extra time. Coventry 1-2 Luton a.e.t. How much will the winners get for being promoted to the Premier League? Ahead of the 2020 Championship play-off final, Deloitte reported that the victorious club could earn anywhere between £135m and £265m, depending on whether or not they could avoid immediate relegation from the Premier League. What TV money will the winning club receive in the Premier League? Official figures for the 2020-21 season showed that broadcast revenue incredibly totalled more than £2.5bn and was distributed among the 20 clubs in the Premier League. Of that, each club was guaranteed at least £31.4m in equal share payments, £47.5m in international TV money and £5.9m in central commercial payments: a baseline of roughly £84.8m per team, regardless of position. In fact, Norwich City, who finished bottom of the league in that campaign, were handed just over £101.5m. By comparison, Championships clubs only receive around £8m in TV rights income for a season spent in the second tier. What other payments are there? On top of this, clubs are given merit payments based on where they finish in the Premier League. For the 2022/23 campaign, the sliding scale will see the champions receive roughly £44m and the bottom-placed team around £2.2m. The team finishing 17th, and just avoiding relegation, is set to receive around £8.8m, as well as staying in the top tier to cash in again next term. Read More Of course the play-off final is about money – but Coventry and Luton also represent something greater Coventry City aiming to come full circle after journey to hell and back A tiny ground and a squad costing less than a Man City sub. How are Luton one game from the Premier League? Coventry and Luton are proof the play-off final means more than just money How much is winning the Championship play-off final worth? Play-off final ‘one for the romantics’ as Coventry and Luton meet

Sam Allardyce said Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani was “hugely frustrated and disappointed” as the club stand on the brink of relegation. The Premier League concludes on Sunday and Leeds must beat Tottenham at Elland Road while hoping relegation rivals Everton and Leicester both drop points in their final games. Majority shareholder Radrizzani boldly declared last summer that another relegation battle was “impossible” after Leeds had survived on the final day with victory at Brentford. But the odds of pulling off another great escape are even bigger this time round and Allardyce said: “He’s hugely frustrated and disappointed. “He didn’t expect at the start of the season that the club would be in this position. “He didn’t expect he would have to employ three managers to get out of this position. He’s hugely frustrated. “The only way you sort that out is at the end of the season, have a look at the whole structure of the football club, and do whatever needs to be done. “But in the meantime the only focus is one big game, one massive game for the players and for us all in controlling the destiny of Leeds, only by winning and hoping that other people lose. “It’s not what we wanted, but it’s the position we’re in.” Radrizzani is reported to be part of a consortium poised to complete a takeover of Italian club Sampdoria, in partnership with Paris St Germain owners Qatari Sports Investments. The Italian, who turned to Allardyce with four games left in a last-ditch bid to retain Leeds’ top-flight status, is expected to expedite the sale of his remaining shares to 49ers Enterprises. The financial arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers increased its stake in the club to 44 per cent at the end of 2021 and has an option to own 100 per cent by January next year. Allardyce has taken one point from his three games in charge since becoming Leeds’ third manager of the season. Marcelo Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch was sacked in February and his replacement Javi Gracia lasted 11 league games before he too was dismissed. Allardyce, open to talks about staying in the role whatever Sunday’s outcome, said: “We’ll try and take advantage of the fact we’ve still got a small window of opportunity open. “On the balance of where we are, there are two completely different avenues where the club goes down. “You can pencil things in, but the only way you can put it in ink is whether you’re in the Premier League or you’re not.” Allardyce invited in Leeds great Eddie Gray, plus former captains Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister for inspirational talks with his players this week. The former England boss added: “They had very successful times here and I think on the mentality side it’s about improving our mentality to deliver. “So somebody speaking a different voice about football, about what they did at this club, how much they love this club, I think is really important.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool’s lack of final-day drama ‘completely new’ to boss Jurgen Klopp Frank Lampard will be ‘back at Chelsea many times’ as a fan after interim role Ruben Selles urges Southampton to end wretched season on positive note

Frank Lampard promised he would be back at Chelsea as a supporter after his tenure as interim manager ends on Sunday. His side host Newcastle looking to give Lampard the first home win of his second spell in charge, and help the club’s record goalscorer sign off on a relative high after losing eight of his 10 games. The former midfielder, who won three Premier League titles and the Champions League during his 13 years as a player in west London, did not return to Stamford Bridge after he was sacked as manager in January 2021 until April of this year to witness the team’s goalless draw against Liverpool. That came two days after ex-boss Graham Potter was sacked 31 games into a five-year contract, and within days Lampard had been installed as temporary boss while the club searched for a permanent successor. The 44-year-old insisted that it was only circumstances that had kept him away – the period coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic and his 12 months spent managing Everton – and that his visit for the Liverpool game, which he watched from the box of co-owner Todd Boehly, had been planned for weeks. It was later reported that Lampard had been touted as a possible interim candidate by club officials several weeks earlier when Potter was seriously on the ropes after a run of poor results. The game against Newcastle will round off a campaign that cannot come soon enough for fans after enduring comfortably the team’s worst season in 30 years. Nevertheless, Lampard was hopeful of giving them something positive to take into the summer as he prepared to make his third exit from the club. “I don’t want this to sound corny but I don’t feel like it is a goodbye,” said Lampard. “I appreciate it, it will be end of season and end of my time back but normally when you leave a club you don’t have a hurrah as a manager. You are in one day out the next and that’s fine. “This is the corny part, I will never feel like I am saying goodbye to the fans. My career as a player and as a coach first time around and this period and it is there. “I live close enough to the stadium and I will be back at Chelsea many times and when you take on a managerial career it doesn’t mean you will be at a club you had 13 years at as a player forever. “I’m quite calm about it and not too nostalgic about it but certainly do appreciate the fans’ support on Sunday. More than anything I would love to give them a performance to take away for the summer and feel a bit more positive about for sure.” Lampard could again turn to Chelsea’s young prospects against Newcastle with a number of first-team players unavailable. Reece James, N’Golo Kante and Benoit Badiashile have all played their final game of the campaign while Lampard was doubtful whether Mason Mount will be fit to make what could be a farewell appearance at Stamford Bridge. Raheem Sterling is also a doubt after injuring a hamstring in the defeat to Manchester City. The loss of James has been a particular blow for Lampard during his brief stay, with the England defender having been the standout performer this season as the team has struggled. He was ruled out of the rest of the campaign after injuring a thigh in the Champions League home defeat to Real Madrid. “(Reece) came out (to train on Wednesday) and went back in but because he had a little bit of an awareness but we hope the scan will show there is no real damage,” said Lampard. “It was just a little reminder that it is a bit too early to be out.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool’s lack of final-day drama ‘completely new’ to boss Jurgen Klopp Ruben Selles urges Southampton to end wretched season on positive note England will keep embracing risks during Ashes despite ‘blip’ – Daryl Mitchell

Eddie Howe has vowed to adopt a siege mentality once again as Newcastle prepare for a first Champions League campaign in 20 years. The Magpies have dragged themselves from the thick of a Premier League relegation fight when the club’s new owners took control in October 2021 to Europe’s top table in the space of a remarkable 19 months. They have done so with the help of a £250million-plus investment, provided in large part by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which holds an 80 per cent stake, and the source of that wealth has prompted concerted criticism, with human rights campaign group Amnesty International in particular voicing concerns over “sportswashing”. That focus is only likely to increase as they strengthen further before taking to the European stage, but head coach Howe has insisted his mission will not be derailed as a result. He said: “We’ve been used to that from day one, to be honest. There’s been that feeling that popularity-wise, I don’t think we’re high up on people’s lists for various reasons. “You accept that, I’ve got no issue with that and almost we’ve tried to use that for our benefit and for our gain, really. “I’ve said we’re not here to be popular, we don’t care, really, about outside opinion. We very much care about inside opinion, we care about what the people of Newcastle think of us and what our supporters think. “We’ve tried to act in the right way and make them proud, that’s been our biggest focus.” Newcastle will bring down the curtain on a season which has delivered far more than they might have expected back in August at Chelsea on Sunday, where they will face a club which has spent around £600million since Todd Boehly completed his takeover last summer, but will end the campaign in the bottom half of the table. That tends to suggest that money alone is not the key to success, and the way Howe has blended his new arrivals with the players he inherited and has since improved markedly has been equally, if not more important. Asked if he regretted the focus on finance, the 45-year-old said: “I don’t really take it personally as in my achievement because it’s not really my achievement, it’s the achievement of the players who have committed to this season and what they’ve given. That would hurt me for them. I've said many times sitting here, it's not about money. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe “I think the players deserve huge credit individually for some of the seasons that they’ve delivered and collectively for what they’ve done. “I’ve said many times sitting here, it’s not about money. Money has played a part, it’s been a contributing factor, of course it has. “But we’ve seen teams up and down the Premier League spend similar amounts of money and not have the success and not be as consistent as we have.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool’s lack of final-day drama ‘completely new’ to boss Jurgen Klopp Frank Lampard will be ‘back at Chelsea many times’ as a fan after interim role Ruben Selles urges Southampton to end wretched season on positive note

Roberto De Zerbi insists Europa League-bound Brighton will not be in holiday mode during their Premier League finale at Aston Villa. Albion’s visit to Villa Park had been earmarked as a potentially pivotal contest in the battle for European football. But the Seagulls travel to the West Midlands relatively pressure free having already cemented sixth position following Wednesday evening’s thrilling 1-1 draw at home to champions Manchester City. Seventh-placed Villa need to win on Sunday to extinguish any prospect of Tottenham or Brentford leapfrogging them into the Europa Conference League spot. Despite the match being a dead rubber for Brighton, head coach De Zerbi is determined to maintain standards and register a 19th victory of a record-breaking campaign. “We have to respect our club, our fans, ourself in every situation,” said the Italian. “In training sessions, in friendly games, in Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, we have to play seriously, all the time. “We will prepare our best for the next game and we leave to Birmingham to win and to play in our way. “I spoke with the players, we have to arrive ready and the holiday has not started.” Villa were one of only five visiting teams to win at the Amex Stadium this term thanks to a 2-1 success in Brighton’s final game before the World Cup. That November victory came in Unai Emery’s third top-flight match in charge of the club following the sacking of Steven Gerrard. Former Arsenal boss Emery has transformed Villa’s season after arriving with his side sitting just above the relegation zone. “Aston Villa deserve to achieve Europe,” said De Zerbi. “Emery has changed the season for Aston Villa. They have big players. They have a clear style of play and it will be a tough game.”