List of All Articles with Tag 'foot'

Manchester City are Premier League champions once again after Arsenal’s title challenge fell short under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners were top of the table for 248 days this season - the longest time a team has led the Premier League without winning it - but won just two out of their last seven matches over the run-in. Pep Guardiola’s side have been on unstoppable form since mid-February and defeated Arsenal twice to surge to their third title in a row and fifth in six seasons. It extended City’s era of dominance under Guardiola, but Arsenal will wonder what might have been. Here are five ways Arsenal can improve over the summer to challenge City for the title again next season. Reach 90 points Really, it is an absurd situation that 80-plus points is not enough to win a league. It warrants grander debates than just unthinking declarations about how competitive the Premier League is. It has come from a growing financial gap since the early 2000s that has now been taken to extremes by the Abu Dhabi project at Manchester City. You need at least 85 points to properly challenge Pep Guardiola’s and probably over 90 – if not even higher – to beat them. “That team has the capacity to get 105 or 110 points,” Arteta warned. This is immensely demanding. Arsenal were the first club to reach 43 points after 16 games and not win the title. The default position at the start of any season is that City under Guardiola will win the title. In the end, they went on the unstoppable run everyone expected. Arsenal literally couldn’t compete against that, despite their own version early on. At least this season. Improve squad depth The true value of this campaign may be in highlighting to Arteta exactly where his team is short – and to use that knowledge to go one step further in the future. He has seen they lack depth overall, but also in key areas. While the variety of forwards means they can weather the loss of Gabriel Jesus, it doesn’t look like they can do similar with William Saliba and Martin Odegaard. They also need another strong midfielder - with the club set to battle West Ham’s Declan Rice this summer. The season has at least served to show what Arteta requires. Arsenal are also one of few clubs that at least have the resources and size to sustain something like a challenge over a medium-term spell. This is central to sizable summer ambitions, that involve a higher class of player. Arteta wants at least four. Arteta needs that: “What we have ahead of us next summer is extremely important and we have to absolutely nail it,” he said. Lock down key stars Two of Arsenal’s best players this season – Bukayo Saka and William Saliba – see their contracts run out next season. Saka is currently in negotiations and is expected to sign a new deal making him among the very highest earners at the club, but supporters will only relax when pen is put to paper for one of the best young wingers in Europe. The club have an option to extend Saliba’s contract for a further year, but will look to agree a new deal to tie down the 22-year-old centre-back for the long term. Gabriel Martinelli’s new contract has already been agreed but there remain deals to be done with Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale and Takehiro Tomiyasu over the coming months too in order to keep the core of this squad together for years to come. Rewarding key players for their contribution to this title push while retaining a well-balanced wage structure will be a new challenge for Edu and the Arsenal hierarchy. Make tough decisions Granit Xhaka has been one of Arsenal’s players of the season, unquestionably one of the reasons for the club’s improvement this year. The midfielder’s journey from being booed off at the Emirates and to becoming a fan favourite is symbolic of what Arsenal have achieved this year - a clear reference point of where they came from to where they are now. And yet, it hasn’t been enough to get Arsenal to where they want to get to, and Xhaka is now symbolic of another phase of the journey. The midfielder is 30, he has one year left on his contract, and there is reportedly a £13m offer from Bayer Leverkusen on the table this summer. Arsenal need to twist, and selling Xhaka to recoup a fee is a necessary step as they plot moves for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo. It is therefore a crossroads both for Arsenal and Xhaka - a reminder of how brutal football can be, that the best times can end so suddenly, but the club needs to make tough decisions to take this team to another level. Learn from the experience Rewind 12 months and Arsenal’s collapse at Newcastle cost the Gunners fourth place and Champions League football. Few predicted Arteta’s side to challenge again and many assumed that the door had closed, only for Arsenal to make a spectacular start to the next season and exceed expectations by competing for the title. The fact that Arsenal are back in the Champions League is barely mentioned now, as was the rate of their progress under Arteta. If Arsenal were a year ahead of their development by competing for the title this year, next season may see the Gunners present a truer reflection of where they are at. Given that, the past few months will be invaluable for the squad and those costly draws at Liverpool and West Ham in April should strengthen their resolve when they face difficult moments next campaign. Arteta will set the standards. “The demands, the expectations, the challenges next season will be even higher,” he said. Read More Five titles in six years: Are Manchester City destroying the Premier League? Man City’s quest for legitimacy is a battle they may never win Pep Guardiola says Arsenal ‘took us to our limits’ and targets Champions League

A LaLiga TV commentator has sparked outrage online by claiming Vinicius Jr “is not an angel” and that he “provokes other teams” after the Real Madrid star was sent off for his reaction to being the victim of racist abuse from the stands during a 1-0 defeat to Valencia on Sunday. The match had been halted for 10 minutes in the second half as Vincius pointed out to the referee which fans had racially abused him. The Brazilian was later red-carded in injury time after becoming involved in a brawl with Valencia players that saw him raise his hands to the face of Hugo Duro, although he also appeared to be put in a headlock by the Valencia forward. Vinicius has been consistently subjected to racist abuse this season. Before Sunday’s match, LaLiga have filed as many as eight instances of “racist behaviour” against the forward to the Spanish courts this season, including against Real Madrid’s rivals Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. However, punishments for offending clubs have been minimal. Covering the game for LaLiga TV, co-commentator Toni Padilla said that while it’s important to stand against racism, Vinicius should not be free from blame for the sending off as he’s “not a saint” and often provokes both the opposition and their fans. “It’s the worst that could happen,” said Padilla as Vinicius was shown red. “Because the player that hits out and you say ‘that’s a red card always’ is also the player that suffered some verbal abuse. “We should stand with Vini Jr if he suffered racial abuse but it’s never justified that he hits Hugo Duro. It’s Vini’s mistake. It’s not a question of who’s the bad one. Look at Vini Jr [as he walks off the pitch gesturing to the Valencia fans] - you are going to second division. “We should stand against racism always but we should also say that Vini Jr is not an angel, he’s not perfect. Sometimes he provokes the other teams. Every time he’s suffering verbal abuse, we should stand against racism and we should stand with Vini Jr. But also we cannot say he’s a saint. “He’s always committing a lot of mistakes and we saw it within five minutes. It’s a really complicated moment and it’s been going on all season, situations like this one. It explodes today here in the stadium.” The Independent have contacted LaLiga TV for a response. Padilla’s comments have subsequently sparked outrage online, with journalist Colin Millar tweeting: “Sorry, this is absolutely shocking stuff. Victims of racial abuse are victims of racial abuse. There is no further context required.” Another commenter wrote on Twitter: “Commentators all wrong on this, Vinicius completely the victim. He’s being driven out of Spanish football.” A further comment read: “Your co-commentator STINKS. Imagine trying to justify and make a point about Vinicius being in the wrong. After the game, Vinicius angrily posted to social media, slamming the racists and LaLiga’s lack of action in sorting the problem, saying “the championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi today belongs to racists”. “It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third,” Vinicius added. “Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition thinks it’s normal, the Federation does too and the opponents encourage it. “Today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. And unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defence. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists.” In a statement, LaLiga said it will open an investigation into Sunday’s incident at Valencia and will take legal action if “any hate crime is detected”. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti also unequivocally backed his player and said LaLiga “has a problem” after revealing he wanted the referee to stop the match following the racist abuse. “I don’t want to talk about football today, there is no meaning in talking about football today,” Ancelotti explained. “What we saw today is unacceptable. An entire stadium chanting racist slurs. “I asked him if he wanted to keep playing, and he stayed in the game. “LaLiga have a problem here. For me Vinicius is the most important player in the world. LaLiga has a problem, these episodes of racism have to stop the match.” Gary Lineker and Rio Ferdinand have been among those to speak out about the incident. Match of the Day presenter Lineker commented on the unfairness of the situation, saying: “Once again, the player being abused is the only person to be punished.” Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted: “How many times do we need to see this young man subjected to this s***? Bro you need protecting... who is protecting Vinicius Junior in Spain??” Read More ‘Racism is normal in LaLiga’: Vinicius Junior sent off after facing racist abuse at Valencia Brazilian president Lula and players support Vinicius Junior after racist attack in La Liga match Rio Ferdinand demands protection for Vinicius Jr after racism storm Perfect moments help Man City and Real Madrid set up thrilling encore Leeds on the brink of relegation after West Ham fight back to win

Rio Ferdinand has called for the football authorities to do more to protect Vinicius Jr. after the Real Madrid forward again suffered racial abuse. The Brazilian was sent off in stoppage time of Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Valencia on Sunday after a clash with Hugo Duro. The game had earlier been briefly halted after Vinicius pointed out a number of supporters who had directed racial abuse at him. It is not the first time this season that the 22-year-old has been targeted, with La Liga having filed as many as eight instances of “racist behaviour” against him to the Spanish courts before Sunday’s game. And Ferdinand believes more must be done. “Who is protecting Vinicius Junior in Spain?” Ferdinand asked on social media. “He receives a red card after being choked and receiving racial abuse during the game...wtf. “How many times do we need to see this young man subjected to this s***? I see pain, I see disgust, I see him needing help...and the authorities don’t do s*** to help him. “People need to stand together and demand more from the authorities that run our game. No one deserves this, yet you are allowing it. “There needs to be a unified approach to this otherwise it will be swept under the carpet again.” La Liga has said in a statement that it will investigate the latest incidents and take “appropriate legal action” if a hate crime is identified. Vinicius, though, accused the league of “belonging to racists”. “It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third,” the forward said on Instagram. “Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition thinks it’s normal, the federation does too and the opponents encourage it. “A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country to the world. I’m sorry for the Spaniards who don’t agree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. “And unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defence. I agree. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if far from here.” Read More Brazilian president Lula and players support Vinicius Junior after racist attack in La Liga match ‘Racism is normal in LaLiga’: Vinicius Junior sent off after facing racist abuse at Valencia Real Madrid at critical juncture after impotent and powerless Champions League exit Eric Cantona to Joey Barton – the Premier League’s longest bans Ronnie O’Sullivan shows how versatile his book is – Thursday’s sporting social Commentator sparks outrage for criticising Vinicius reaction to facing racist abuse

As their soon-to-be former teammates formed a guard of honour on Saturday, there were four presentations in all, two for men in tracksuits, two for those who have distinguished themselves in Liverpool shirts over the last eight years and who wore them at Anfield for a final time. The scorer Roberto Firmino and James Milner, the thirty-somethings who are veterans of over 300 Liverpool appearances apiece, had bowed out as influential substitutes. For the younger duo of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a watching brief felt sadly fitting. It is how they have spent much of their Liverpool careers: sometimes watching on from the bench, often from the stands. Neither has reached 150 appearances in all competitions, even including outings as a substitute. Keita has started 49 league games since his £52m move, or 26 per cent of those in his five years at Anfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain 46 in six, which is just 21 per cent. This season, the Englishman has played 335 Premier League minutes – just 10 per cent of Liverpool’s – and the Guinean 294, or 8.9 per cent. They have had spells as ever-presents on injury bulletins. They were both omitted from Liverpool’s Champions League squad in the autumn, even if the medical team’s pessimism about Oxlade-Chamberlain proved excessive, eventually rendering him fit but ineligible. “Four legends,” Jurgen Klopp had said, but it felt a generous description. Firmino qualifies; so, too, Milner, an unglamorous and often uncelebrated figure, belatedly got his own banner in the Kop. “Ribena for my men – we ride at dawn,” it read, a fine salute to a teetotaller defined by his physical power, willing spirit and leadership qualities. Liverpool, Klopp feels, will miss his mentality. “He sets a high, high bar,” said his manager. But there were heartfelt tributes and a sense of what might have been. The departing quartet fall into two categories: a pair who realised their potential and a duo who did not. It is not entirely their fault. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Anfield career can be divided into two, though certainly not at the half-way point. He was electric for three months before suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Roma in the 2018 Champions League semi-finals, the dynamic, explosive attacking central midfielder he had always wanted to be. Though he had a fine 2019-20 season, he never recaptured that zest. Keita’s terrific debut against West Ham in 2018 proved a false dawn. He was sporadically excellent thereafter – by and large, he had an impressive 2021-22 season – but Klopp’s assessment last year that of his first 100 games, 80 of them were “really good” was not shared by many supporters. For some, Keita’s time on Merseyside was summed up by his shot in last season’s Champions League final: skied, it was a missed opportunity. For others, it may be epitomised by the Twitter thread of the five strangest reasons for his frequent absences, from getting hurt walking, to being injured on a plane, to a military coup. There was a farcical element but Liverpool could count the cost of two moves that went wrong. They have never had the margin for error that the Manchester clubs possess in the transfer market. For years, they got nearly all of their major signings correct, sometimes spectacularly. But Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain cost a combined £87m and will leave on free transfers. Each is in his twenties and, while it was not stated explicitly, was not offered a new deal. Klopp is a master of eloquent compliments, but Liverpool gave up on both. For years, camouflaged by the excellence of their elders, it mattered less than it might have done until, suddenly, it proved crucial. Six years after Liverpool agreed to sign both – they wanted Keita so much they waited a year for him to actually arrive – they were supposed to be the future of Liverpool’s midfield and the future arrived. Liverpool’s many midfielders this season fell into three categories: the thirty-somethings, the youngsters and the trio at their supposed peak, in their late twenties. But Fabinho has had an awful campaign and Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain were bit-part players, making a combined total of seven league starts, none before Boxing Day, none after February, none where they played 90 minutes, only two of which Liverpool won. Without them, it has been a season of makeshift midfields, of problems at the heart of the side. With Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson ageing, perhaps the plan was for this to be the season of Naby Keita: instead it ends with him being released. Liverpool lost the generation game; the next group, whether Stefan Bajcetic, Harvey Elliott or Curtis Jones, all had periods that showed their promise but those who were supposed to represent the present either regressed or simply were not available. A consequence is that much of Liverpool’s summer budget will be devoted to midfielders; with a need to split it to get more than one – which may not have been necessary had Keita flourished and earned a new deal – they won’t get Jude Bellingham. Their outlay could stretch into nine figures; in a sense, they will be looking to regenerate, to shape Klopp’s second side. In another respect, they are seeking to replace Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain, to find players of the quality they were supposed to show more often. But whether their eventual arrivals are Mason Mount and Alexis Mac Allister or Ryan Gravenberch and Conor Gallagher, the first ability they need to demonstrate is one Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain have lacked too often: availability. And preferably for at least 50 games a season. Read More Liverpool will still attract top talent across ‘exciting’ and ‘intense’ summer, Virgil van Dijk believes Roberto Firmino ends glorious Liverpool career with imperfect goodbye Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool have not been good enough for top-four finish

A great was considering the question of greatness. A manager who, even by his own definition, has done the exceptional, accepted he is deemed unfulfilled. Pep Guardiola has reached the stage where his Premier League titles feel routine. In a way, they are: he has five in six seasons. The abnormal has started to appear normal, the extraordinary ordinary. Perhaps the Manchester City manager wanted a greater recognition of the achievement. Or maybe he was reflecting the wider commentary about his reign. “To be considered one of the greatest in Europe we have to win the Champions League, otherwise people will say our time here is not complete,” he said. “There is a part that sometimes can be unfair for the fact you have to win the Champions League to give credit or value to what we have done. It would not be fair to say it’s not extraordinary that what we have done with five Premier Leagues in six. In world football, all managers in the Premier League, the players, sporting directors and clubs, they know how exceptional it is.” It is sufficiently unusual that only two teams have ever previously won five English leagues in six seasons: Liverpool between 1978 and 1984, Manchester United from 1995 to 2001. City have reached points totals neither mustered, but they conquered Europe. The final frontier is also the quest for credit. There is an ongoing battle for a different kind of legitimacy, given the 115 Premier League charges that will be heard, perhaps far into the future. There may be a definitive ruling if some of their funding involved rule-breaking. It may not end the arguments or answer the question if there is an asterisk – or several – attached to this era. City’s place in history is both assured and up for debate. “We don’t need decades to think about how good this was,” Guardiola said. The evidence is apparent on the pitch; City have sustained brilliance for most of the last six seasons. They might yet reach a century of league goals for the third time; they got 99 in a fourth campaign. They already have done one treble, a domestic hat-trick of the Premier League and both cups in 2018-19. They hold the record for points, with 100; the only team to deny them the title in that time, Liverpool in 2019-20, had to start with 26 wins in 27 games. Guardiola has had his travails in Champions League knockout ties but has industrialised the winning of leagues like few others. His 11 in 14 seasons, spread across Spain, Germany and England, speak to the huge talents he has coached, the vast resources he has enjoyed, his considerable prowess on the training ground and his vivid imagination. Most seasons involve tinkering until he finds a formula so potent it leads to an extended winning run: in past seasons, it has involved an array of false nines, or the transformation of Ilkay Gundogan into a box-crashing, goalscoring midfielder, or using Joao Cancelo as a playmaker full-back, or making midfielders like Oleksandr Zinchenko or Fabian Delph into left-backs. The 2023 surge – and City’s record stands at 12 straight league wins, 16 home victories in a row in all competitions and 24 games unbeaten – owed much to making John Stones a hybrid of midfielder, full-back and centre-back. Cancelo, the great revolutionary, was exiled when Guardiola complained about the “happy flowers” in his team. “How nice and intelligent I was,” he reflected. The Premier League charges for breaching financial regulations may have been a reason why the division’s chief executive Richard Masters ended up presenting medals to City: they helped generate a siege mentality. There were other factors. “To get to where Manchester City are, a lot of things have to align,” noted Frank Lampard, the beaten Chelsea manager on Sunday. “They’ve built this over years [with an] incredible vision of the club. I worked here for a year, I understand the people at the top and how well organised it is and they’ve brought in a great coach and so many great players so they are the benchmark.” Perhaps few arrived as great footballers, though. But Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne, class acts and big-game players, were especially influential in the run-in. The exponential improvement of footballers under Guardiola’s coaching – Stones, Rodri, Nathan Ake and Jack Grealish are all prominent examples this season – can add a dimension. City are not alone in spending heavily but, in Julian Alvarez and Manuel Akanji, they secured twin bargains in 2022. Then there is the Haaland factor: Erling Haaland’s return of over a goal a game has lent the sense of superhuman prowess. His goal tally and his youth have an ominous element, suggesting City’s superiority could extend for years to come. Haaland could entrench dominance, though it is worth noting the year City cruised to the title was actually 2017-18, when they won by 19 points. “A few weeks ago, Arsenal looked like they might win the league,” noted Lampard. Arsenal were top for 248 days; for the last few weeks of them, it seemed they were intimidated by the idea of City, dropping points even before they were demolished 4-1 at the Etihad. But when the Gunners’ lead stretched to eight points, there were times when City felt a poor result away from losing touch. But the elastic never snapped. “So they bring us to our limits,” Guardiola said. “If we don’t make this run of 12 games in a row winning after making 50 points in the first leg, it would have been impossible.” Arsenal took 50 points in the first half of the season; finish off with two more wins and City will have 52 from the second half. Theirs has been an irresistible response which has lent the feeling of inevitability. It has become City’s extra asset, rendering it harder for anyone to depose them. They will start as overwhelming favourites next season, aiming to become the first team to claim four consecutive English league titles. But there is still the Champions League, still more to prove, still more to win. Read More Five titles in six years: Are Manchester City destroying the Premier League? Man City’s Premier League coronation shows how far their rivals have fallen Pep Guardiola says Arsenal ‘took us to our limits’ and targets Champions League ‘Unstoppable’ Manchester City players have the hunger to win more trophies Frank Lampard reveals Chelsea future ahead of Mauricio Pochettino confirmation Pep Guardiola’s five decisions that won Man City the Premier League

Chelsea sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti on this day in 2011, one year after he had led the club to a domestic double. The Italian, then 51, won the Premier League title and the FA Cup with the Blues in 2010, but was ruthlessly dismissed by club owner Roman Abramovich after failing to deliver a trophy the following season. The Blues finished second in the title race, nine points adrift of Manchester United, after exits in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup and Ancelotti fell victim to his earlier success. Chelsea finished empty handed for the first time in three years and a club statement read: “This season’s performances have fallen short of expectations and the club feels the time is right to make this change ahead of next season’s preparations.” Loyalty to managers was never one of Abramovich’s characteristics. After a 1-0 defeat at Everton on the final day of the season, Ancelotti had just given his post-match press conference when chief executive Ron Gourlay was reported to have taken him to one side in the corridor of Goodison Park and delivered the news. Ancelotti’s dismissal left Chelsea in the hunt for their seventh manager in the eight years since Abramovich took control of the club in 2003. The Russian billionaire ended Jose Mourinho’s first spell in charge four months after he had delivered back-to-back trophies. Both of Ancelotti’s predecessors, Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari, and the man who succeeded him, Andre Villas-Boas, were all dispensed within eight months. Ancelotti, who had twice won the Champions League with former club AC Milan before arriving at Stamford Bridge, went on to manage Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton. He returned to Real Madrid in 2021 and, after leading them to their domestic crown, became the first manager to win the title in each of Europe’s top five leagues – Serie A, Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and LaLiga. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Georgia football welcomed Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith for a visit, took the lead for a five-star DB and got a RB back from the portal.Georgia football's short-term goal is pretty clear: Win a third consecutive national championship.But Bulldog's long-term goals are as lofty as...

Borussia Dortmund are one win away from clinching the Bundesliga title after a 3-0 victory at Augsburg. Bayern Munich’s loss to Leipzig on Saturday opened the door for Dortmund and they seized their opportunity, moving within three points of ending the Bavarian club’s 10-year reign as German champions. Sebastian Haller – who missed the first half of the season as he battled cancer – scored twice and Julian Brandt once after Felix Uduokhai had been sent off for Augsburg. Victory over Mainz on the final day of the campaign next Saturday would see Dortmund clinch their first Bundesliga crown for 11 years, but anything less would open the door for Bayern to win an 11th straight title. Mainz suffered a 4-1 home defeat to struggling Stuttgart on Saturday despite taking the lead, while Lars Stindl scored a 90th-minute equaliser to earn Borussia Monchengladbach a 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen. In Spain, Real Madrid’s miserable week was compounded by a 1-0 defeat to lowly Valencia. Four days after their humbling by Manchester City in the Champions League, Real went down to Diego Lopez’s 33rd-minute goal. The match was soured by more complaints of racist abuse directed at Vinicius Junior, with the game briefly halted after the Brazilian appeared to point out offenders in the crowd. He was then shown a straight red card for lashing out at Hugo Duro in stoppage time. The result eased Valencia’s LaLiga relegation fears while Real dropped to third place in the table behind city rivals Atletico Madrid, who defeated Osasuna 3-0 with goals from Yannick Carrasco, Saul Niguez and Angel Correa. Espanyol gave themselves a lifeline in the battle at the bottom with a 2-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano while the Seville derby ended in a goalless draw between Sevilla and Real Betis, who had Juan Miranda sent off late on. In Serie A, Inter Milan were brought back down to earth after reaching the Champions League final, falling to a 3-1 defeat against champions Napoli. The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Roberto Gagliardini was sent off before half-time and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa put Napoli ahead midway through the second half. Romelu Lukaku drew the 10 men level with eight minutes to go but Napoli responded emphatically with goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Gianluca Gaetano. Inter dropped to fourth in the table behind Lazio, who beat Udinese 1-0 thanks to Ciro Immobile’s penalty. Torino and Fiorentina drew 1-1 while strugglers Lecce and Spezia had to settle for a point each in a 0-0 draw. Paris Saint-Germain all but wrapped up another Ligue 1 title thanks to an early double from Kylian Mbappe in a 2-1 victory over Auxerre. The France star scored in the sixth and eighth minutes, with Lassine Sinayoko replying for Auxerre in the second half, to move PSG six points clear of Lens with only two games left and with a far superior goal difference. Lens ensured it is not yet mathematically over with a 3-1 victory at Lorient. Romain Faivre put the hosts ahead early on but goals from Florian Sotoca and Adrian Thomasson turned the match around before half-time and Seko Fofana made sure of the points late on. Rennes boosted their European hopes by thumping relegated Ajaccio 5-0. Amine Gouiri scored a hat-trick while Mickael Alphonse was sent off for the Corsican side. Brest defeated Clermont 2-1 while there were draws between Nice and Toulouse, Reims and Angers and Troyes and Strasbourg. Read More ‘Racism is normal in LaLiga’: Vinicius Junior sent off after facing racist abuse at Valencia Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Sean Dyche fired a warning to Everton’s relegation rivals and vowed his side are alive and kicking ahead of ‘Survival Sunday’. The Toffees’ last-gasp 1-1 draw at Wolves on Saturday saw them grab what could be a priceless point, with Yerry Mina equalising seconds from the end of nine minute of stoppage time. Leeds’ 3-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday left the Toffees two points clear of the Premier League’s bottom three, although if Leicester beat Newcastle on Monday the Foxes will go above Everton on goal difference. Everton host Bournemouth in Sunday’s finale but boss Dyche believes their battling point at Molineux proves his side are up for the final fight. “It sends another message that we’re alive and ready, we’re taking it on,” he said. “We’ve had a few question marks over ourselves and things that have got away from us, but there’s been a lot of good. “I’ve reminded the players, there are a lot of good players. They are seeing through the challenges, which I’ve spoken to them at length about. “See through the noise, forget about that. Look at what’s around us, look at the players we’ve got. I was pleased with them on Saturday, not just for the bigger situation. “A point doesn’t sound a lot – maybe at this stage it is – but also their performance, the will and demand. “It’s not always about tactics. It can be, but it’s about the will and demand of a group. That was on show to get something out of a game which looked like it was going away from us. “The consistency of my message to the players has been very similar. Generally there have been tactical and personnel tweaks but the underlying message has been very consistent. The mentality has got stronger and stronger, particularly away from home. “I think there’s been an obvious shift, but it means nothing unless we take care of ourselves next week.” Everton went into stoppage time trailing to Hwang Hee-Chan’s first-half opener, but Mina scored with six seconds left of the initial nine added. It still means their fate is out of their hands until Leicester finish against Newcastle on Monday and Dyche knows it will be difficult to keep his players away from the distractions this week. He added: “It’s not very easy nowadays because there’s media everywhere. Everyone’s a journo now, it’s not just you guys (the press). “Everyone with their phone, everyone who wanders around the Trafford Centre. Everyone has an opinion on something, but it’s part of being a modern footballer, manager or coach. It’s the way it is, you adapt. We all know it’s there.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Hole-in-one continues Michael Block’s fairytale week at Oak Hill Granit Xhaka believes Mikel Arteta is ‘more than the right manager’ for Arsenal Brooks Koepka holds slender lead as US PGA Championship heads for thrilling end

Bo Schembechler's son, Shemy, served on Michigan's recruiting staff for three days before resigning after social media activity came to light.Vetting new hires may be standard practice, but college football teams this week are finding out there's a difference between "vetting...

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is defiant in his belief that Mikel Arteta is the right man to take the club forward. The Gunners’ Premier League title hopes ended on Saturday when they lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, which saw Manchester City crowned champions for a fifth time in six seasons. They sat on top of the league for 248 days of the season and had an eight-point lead over City in March, but despite their late capitulation Arteta’s side have won acclaim for their progress this season. When asked whether he thought Arteta was the man to lead the pursuit of City, he said: “You can forget this question – he is more than the right manager for this team.” The Gunners have faltered badly in their last eight games, winning just twice, but Xhaka says this season has to be the blueprint for progression. “We don’t need to forget how we work for the last 11 months,” he said. “Even when we lost now in the last two games, of course the people see what happens now, but don’t forget the 11 months we worked. “If someone told us before the season that we will be here, I think everyone would sign it. Our goal for sure was to be back in the top four. Now we are second. Of course when you are so close to the title you want to win the title. “But we are there where we are, deserve to be where we are, and let’s see what happens next season. We have to go and do the next step.” Forest’s victory meant that they stayed up against the odds in their first season back in the Premier League. They did it the hard way, having signed 30 new players across the two transfer windows and were on an 11-game winless run up until the end of April. You can forget this question - he is more than the right manager for this team Granit Xhaka on Mikel Arteta But 10 points from the last five games has seen them move out of the relegation zone and midfielder Ryan Yates was happy to prove people wrong. “That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “I have had a lot of that individually, this season is no different. That was always going to come with the amount of players brought in and the amount of money spent. “During those periods we have had, we have had to show real togetherness and resilience. “All credit to the manager, because he has really instilled that belief in us that we can still achieve. This is really special, let’s kick on again next season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Hole-in-one continues Michael Block’s fairytale week at Oak Hill We’re alive and ready – Sean Dyche vows Everton are ready for final fight Brooks Koepka holds slender lead as US PGA Championship heads for thrilling end

Vinicius Junior said “racism is normal in LaLiga” after the Real Madrid star was sent off having faced racist abuse from the stands in a 1-0 defeat at Valencia on Sunday. The match at the Mestalla was halted for 10 minutes in the second half as Vinicius pointed out fans to the referee who he said had racially abused him. The Brazilian continued to play but was sent off in injury time after he became involved in a brawl with Valencia players. The 22-year-old shoved Valencia striker Hugo Duro as tempers flared between both sides, with VAR deciding it warranted a red card. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti condemned the abuse and said Vinicius’s reaction was “understandable” in the circumstances. Vinicius has been subjected to racist abuse several times this season. Before Sunday’s match, LaLiga have filed as many as eight instances of “racist behaviour” against the forward this season, including against Real Madrid’s rivals Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. In a post on Twitter, Vinicius said the “championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi today belongs to racists”. “It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third,” Vinicius said. “Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition thinks it’s normal, the Federation does too and the opponents encourage it. “Today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. And unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defence.But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists.” Ancelotti said LaLiga “has a problem” after revealing he wanted the referee to stop the match following the racist abuse. “I don’t want to talk about football today, there is no meaning in talking about football today,” Ancelotti said. “What we saw today is unacceptable. An entire stadium chanting racist slurs. “I asked him if he wanted to keep playing, and he stayed in the game. “LaLiga have a problem here. For me Vinicius is the most important player in the world. LaLiga has a problem, these episodes of racism have to stop the match. “It’s the entire stadium that is insulting a player with racist chants and the match has to stop. I would say the same if we were winning 3-0, there is no other way. “Vinicius is very sad, he is angry. Something like this can’t happen in the world we live in.” In a statement, LaLiga said it will open an investigation into the incident and will take legal action if “any hate crime is detected”. It read: “In view of the incidents that occurred during the Valencia CF – Real Madrid CF match at the Mestalla Stadium, La Liga informs that it has requested all available images to investigate what happened. “Once the investigation has been completed, if any hate crime is detected, La Liga will proceed to take the appropriate legal action. “La Liga will also investigate the images in which racist insults were allegedly directed towards Vinicius Jr outside the Mestalla stadium.” In their own statement, Valencia condemned “isolated incidents”. “Valencia CF wish to publicly condemn insults and attacks of all kinds in football. Although this is an isolated episode, insults to any opposing player have no place in football and do not fit with the values and identity of Valencia CF. The club are investigating what occurred and will take the most severe measures against the perpetrators. “Valencia CF also condemn any offence and request the utmost respect for our fans. Whilst strongly denouncing these isolated incidents, Valencia CF would like to thank the more than 46,000 fans in attendance for their support for the team.” Read More ‘No doubt’ Ancelotti should stay at Real Madrid despite Champions League failure Only Vinicius Jr has the key to shape semi-final - even if Man City dominate The best player in the world right now? Vinicius brilliance has elevated the debate Kevin De Bruyne is Man City’s man for the big occasion but has he met his match? The six types of Pep Guardiola full-back, and what each says about Man City Manchester United take WSL title race to the wire with dramatic derby winner