List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

Manchester City arrived at the Etihad Stadium to heroes’ welcomes on Sunday following confirmation of their fifth Premier League title in six years. City’s lead at the top of the table became insurmountable when closest challengers Arsenal were beaten at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening. That meant Sunday’s encounter with Chelsea became a celebratory occasion regardless of the result. City fans gathered in large numbers at the entrance to the stadium as the team arrived for the 4pm kick-off. Blue flares were let off and the players were greeted with chants of ‘champions’ as they stepped off the bus. City’s title success, sealed with three games to spare, could be the first leg of a glorious treble for Pep Guardiola’s side, with FA Cup and Champions League finals to come next month. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Follow The Independent's live coverage of all the action in the FA Women’s Super League today. The WSL is the top tier of English women’s football with international players from all over the world plying their trade in one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues around. Chelsea have won three of the past four titles and Emma Hayes’ side will be right in the hunt again, with the likes of Arsenal - champions in 2018-19 – and Manchester City, who have been runners-up for each of the past four seasons, among their competitors. With the top three sides qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League, all 12 WSL teams have plenty to play for, although some clubs’ main ambition will simply be to avoid the drop. The side who finish bottom will be relegated to the FA Women’s Championship – a fate that befell Bristol City in 2020-21 – and newly-promoted Leicester City, competing in the top flight of the women’s game for the first time, will be eager to avoid an immediate return. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

Manchester City are looking to close out their home league fixtures in style when they clash with Chelsea for their final home game of the season at the Etihad Stadium. The pressure is off Pep Guardiola’s men as they secured a third successive Premier League title yesterday when Arsenal lost to Nottingham Forest. The champions will use today’s match as a celebration with their supporters before getting back to work chasing the treble with the FA Cup and Champions League finals still to come. City, who have won the Premier League five times in the last six years, will lift the trophy at the Etihad after an impressive run in saw them overturn the Gunners’ eight point lead. Chelsea will hope to put a stop to the party atmosphere by earning a surprise victory against the newly crowned champions. Their form has been terrible under interim boss Frank Lampard the Blues have a talented squad that could yet spring a surprise on Guardiola’s league winners. Follow all the action as Man City host Chelsea in the Premier League: Read More Five titles in six years: Are Manchester City destroying the Premier League? Ilkay Gundogan praises Manchester City’s ‘special’ squad after title triumph Pep Guardiola’s five decisions that won Man City the Premier League

Skipper James Tavernier celebrated his 400th competitive appearance for Rangers with the opening goal in a 3-1 cinch Premiership win over Hibernian at Easter Road. The Gers right-back beat Hibs goalkeeper David Marshall with a 30-yard free-kick in the 33rd minute and Ianis Hagi doubled the visitors’ lead in the 55th minute with his first goal since January 2022, before his lengthy knee injury absence. Todd Cantwell added a third in the 88th minute before Hibs defender Paul Hanlon reduced the deficit in added time. The defeat leaves Lee Johnson’s side four points behind fourth-placed Hearts and six behind Aberdeen, with European places potentially available up to fifth place in the league as long as Celtic beat Inverness in the Scottish Cup final Hibs host Celtic on Wednesday before the Edinburgh derby against Hearts on the final day of the season. Rangers, with second place guaranteed, finish the campaign with a home game against Hearts before travelling to St Mirren on the last day of the season. Michael Beale already had a lengthy injury list when he confirmed before the game that defender Connor Goldson was ruled out for 10 weeks, the problem unspecified. However, the Gers boss made only two changes to his starting line-up with Hagi in for Rabbi Matondo and 19-year-old centre-back Leon King replacing Goldson for his first start since November Tavernier had the Hibs defence in trouble with a series of early corners in which defender John Souttar’s header came off the crossbar and King’s header blocked inadvertently by Gers midfielder Ryan Jack. Hibs, unchanged from last week’s draw at Aberdeen, worked their way into the game but Rangers remained the more dangerous, a neat move ending with striker Fashion Sakala forcing a save from Marshall with a low drive. The home side began to cope better with the Ibrox threat and in the 23rd minute striker Kevin Nisbet came close with a header from an Elie Youan cross, after the Hibs wideman had got the better of Tavernier. However, the Gers captain made a more marked impression on the game after Cantwell was fouled wide on the left by CJ Egan-Riley. With most expecting a cross into the middle, Tavernier curled the ball in at the near post with Hibs captain Marshall slow to get across and unable to keep the ball out the net. The Easter Road side took some time to recover but might have levelled in the 41st minute when Nisbet’s wonderful curling pass found Josh Campbell at the back post but the midfielder could only hit the side-netting on the stretch. Early in the second half, Gers keeper Robby McCrorie, who had looked unconvincing, was out of position when Nisbet’s close-range header floated just past the post, just before Scott Arfield replaced the injured Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskin. Rangers’ second goal came from Tavernier’s long ball into the box which was headed down by Sakala and although Hagi’s first effort was blocked by Hanlon – it looked as though the ball hit the arm of the Hibs defender – the Romania international drove in at the second attempt. Marshall saved another effort from Sakala and the other end, Nisbet headed substitute Ewan Henderson’s corner against the post – it was not going to Hibs’ day. In the 79th minute Marshall tipped a John Lundstram drive over the bar before Cantwell prodded in from close range to seal the points after the Hibs keeper failed to deal with a Tavernier effort, with Hanlon netting a consolation goal for the hosts when he headed in a corner in the third of four added minutes. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live The masked striker – Sheffield Wednesday searching for Lee Gregory face shield Authorities investigate El Salvador stadium crush with at least nine people dead Newcastle boss Eddie Howe hails Callum Wilson’s form

Sheffield Wednesday have appealed to fans for help in finding striker Lee Gregory’s face mask in time for the Sky Bet League One play-off final. Gregory lost his protective mask during the Owls’ celebrations after their stunning fightback against Peterborough at Hillsborough in Thursday’s semi-final. Darren Moore’s side overcame a 4-0 first-leg deficit to win 5-1 on the night and 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out, sparking wild scenes of joy among players and fans, who invaded the pitch. The Owls said on Twitter: “Can you help!? In the aftermath of our stunning comeback win on Thursday, Lee Gregory’s mask is missing! “The custom-built protective cover was near the dugout. Due to a short turnaround, we cannot replace in time for next week. Any ideas where it might be!?” Gregory had the mask fitted after sustaining a facial injury in training, which forced him to miss Wednesday’s 1-0 home win against Derby in their final game of the regular season. He returned to action as a substitute in the semi-final first leg at Peterborough and was back in the starting line-up for the return, putting the Owls 2-0 up on the night and also scoring an own goal in extra-time. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Follow live coverage as West Ham United face Leeds United in the Premier League today. Manchester City are reigning champions after beating Liverpool to the finish line in a neck-and-neck 2021/22 title race where a comeback win on the final day of the season against Aston Villa secured a fourth title in five years for Pep Guardiola's side. Jurgen Klopp's Reds were on course for a quadruple last season but were forced to settle for just an FA Cup and Carabao Cup win and will return trying to win the title again just as they did in 2020. It was a dramatic season for Chelsea a year ago with Roman Abramovich now replaced by Todd Boehly as owner in west London. He will want an instant return on his hefty investment at Stamford Bridge while Tottenham, back in the Champions League, will want to kick on once more too. It's not all about the action at the top though with Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest promoted to the top tier for 2021/22 and hoping to hold their own against the best English football has to offer and avoid the drop. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

Follow The Independent's live coverage of all the action in the FA Women’s Super League today. The WSL is the top tier of English women’s football with international players from all over the world plying their trade in one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues around. Chelsea have won three of the past four titles and Emma Hayes’ side will be right in the hunt again, with the likes of Arsenal - champions in 2018-19 – and Manchester City, who have been runners-up for each of the past four seasons, among their competitors. With the top three sides qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League, all 12 WSL teams have plenty to play for, although some clubs’ main ambition will simply be to avoid the drop. The side who finish bottom will be relegated to the FA Women’s Championship – a fate that befell Bristol City in 2020-21 – and newly-promoted Leicester City, competing in the top flight of the women’s game for the first time, will be eager to avoid an immediate return. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

At least nine people were killed and dozens more injured when stampeding football fans pushed through one of the access gates at a quarterfinal match in the Salvadoran league Saturday. The National Civil Police said in a preliminary report via Twitter that nine dead were confirmed at the match between clubs Alianza and FAS at Monumental stadium in Cuscatlan, which is about 25 miles (41 km) northeast of the capital. Some later reports, including from the BBC, suggest up to 12 have now been confirmed dead. At least two of the injured transported to hospitals were in critical condition, police said. Carlos Fuentes, spokesman for the first aid group Rescue Commandos, also confirmed the deaths. "We can confirm nine dead — seven men and two women — and we attended to more than 500 people, and more than 100 were transported to hospitals, some of them were serious," Fuentes said. Play was suspended about 16 minutes into the match, when fans in the stands waving frantically began getting the attention of those on the field and carrying the injured out of a tunnel and down to the pitch. Local television transmitted live images of the aftermath of the stampede by Alianza fans. Dozens made it onto the field where they received medical treatment. Fans who escaped the crush stood on the field furiously waving shirts attempting to revive people lying on the grass barely moving. Pedro Hernandez, president of El Salvador soccer's first division, said the preliminary information he had was that the stampede occurred because fans managed to push through a gate into the stadium. "It was an avalanche of fans who overran the gate. Some were still under the metal in the tunnel. Others managed to make it to the stands and then to the field and were smothered," an unidentified volunteer with the Rescue Commandos first aid group told journalists. National Civil Police Commissioner Mauricio Arriza Chicas, at the scene of the tragedy, said there would be a criminal investigation in conjunction with the Attorney General's Office. "We are going to investigate from the ticket sales, the entries into the stadium, but especially the southern zone," where, he said, the gate was pushed open. The Salvadoran Soccer Federation said in a statement that it regretted what had happened and voiced support for the victims' families. AP Read More Mikel Arteta knows Arsenal are not at Manchester City’s level yet Ruben Neves could leave Wolves as he chases Champions League football Five titles in six years: Are Manchester City destroying the Premier League?

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta knows it will take time for his side to get to the level Manchester City are at. The Gunners’ faint Premier League title hopes went with a whimper after a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest handed City a fifth crown in six years. Arsenal were insatiable for most of the campaign, spending 248 days on top of the table, and held an eight-point lead over City in March, but an alarming slide has seen them win just two of their last eight games. That allowed them to be overtaken by Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut, who have won 11 games in a row. The Spaniard says Arsenal have to find a way to compete with City but it will not be a quick fix. “This is my job, this is our job, and this is what this club deserves,” Arteta said. “It wasn’t enough. I know we’re not at that level, but we have to find a way. This is not enough. It’s not going to change in three months time. We need to be at that level but we need to find other ways to do it. “For example at Forest we needed to play much better. This is my responsibility. “That’s why we have to push for that to happen. That’s not going to happen if we don’t make a lot of right decisions and think smart and have the mentality every day to get to that level.” It wasn’t enough. I know we’re not at that level, but we have to find a way. This is not enough. It’s not going to change in three months time. We need to be at that level but we need to find other ways to do it Mikel Arteta While Arsenal had a definitive outcome for their aspirations, so did Forest as they secured their Premier League status against the odds. For large parts of the season, which began with more than 20 new signings, they looked destined to return straight back to the Championship, not least when they were on an 11-game winless run going into the end of April. Boss Steve Cooper steered them away from danger, thanks to 10 points from the last five games, and he is thankful to the fans, who have been vociferous in their support throughout the campaign. It looked possible that the Welshman could be sacked on two occasions during the campaign, but Forest fans voted with their feet and came out in unanimous support of their manager. And Cooper will never forget that. “My family and myself will be in debt to these supporters forever,” he said. “What they have given me this year in an era of people always wanting change and having no patience, our supporters have been the complete opposite. They have been the best with me in some difficult times. That takes some doing. “The whole sense of being part of something, being wanted and that sense of belonging is such a powerful feeling. Our supporters have set the standard for how to support a team.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ruben Neves could leave Wolves as he chases Champions League football Newcastle boss Eddie Howe hails Callum Wilson’s form Bryan Mbeumo delighted to come to the fore in absence of Ivan Toney

Bryan Mbeumo was happy to step up for Brentford in the absence of Ivan Toney in their 3-1 win at Tottenham. The Bees were without 20-goal striker Toney, who has also been nursing a hamstring injury, after he was handed an eight-month ban by the Football Association on Thursday for repeated betting breaches. When Harry Kane fired Spurs into an early lead, it looked like Brentford’s faint hopes of European football were about to end but Mbeumo struck twice in a 12-minute period at the start of the second half before setting up Yoane Wissa for the visitors’ third late on. “Yeah, sensational. I can’t say more than this,” Mbeumo told BT Sport. “The first half was a bit sloppy from us, in the duels we were not maybe there but in the second half everybody raised the level and it is a fantastic win. “Of course it is hard because we lose a big personality on the pitch (in Toney) and yeah we have to do it as a team but I am happy to score. “I always push myself as hard as I can and yeah, I want to push the level. I am very hard on myself but I am happy. “We want to aim high, be high on the table and we still have one chance so we will do everything we can.” Mbeumo received praise from manager Thomas Frank after he scored his eighth and ninth goals of the campaign. Frank added: “He works so hard, is a fantastic pressing player and can score goals, assist and link up, but maybe he lacked goals (last season). “Probably a little bit unlucky in some situations because he hit the post seven times last year so we’re talking about margins there. “He does work very, very hard at his finishing and especially with Justin Cochrane but also Kevin O’Connor on those two finishes he made. So, I was very pleased to see his hard work pay off.” Brentford’s win means they are guaranteed a ninth-place finish but victory on the final day at home to champions Manchester City could secure Europa Conference League football. Frank knows revenge will be on the mind of Pep Guardiola’s side after they stunned them at the Etihad in November. Of course it is hard because we lose a big personality on the pitch (in Toney) and yeah we have to do it as a team but I am happy to score Bryan Mbeumo “We know we need Tottenham and (Aston) Villa to drop points on the last day when we are facing the best team in the world,” Frank smiled. “So, it is a little bit of a challenge but we will do everything we can to make an absolutely outstanding season even better.” Spurs’ acting head coach Ryan Mason was left bitterly disappointed by their latest defeat with their goals against tally now standing at 62, their worst in a Premier League campaign since 2003. He admitted: “Obviously we’re conceding a lot of goals for different reasons. “I thought we showed a lot of courage in the first half. We were brave, played a good match with the ball but in the second half the intensity dropped.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live US PGA leader Brooks Koepka vows to avoid a repeat of Masters collapse Katie Taylor eager for rematch after decision loss to Chantelle Cameron Brooks Koepka hopes to emulate Tiger Woods and win third PGA Championship title

Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan praised a collective effort after Pep Guardiola’s side were crowned Premier League champions once again following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest. The Gunners needed to win to delay City’s title celebrations ahead of their home match against Chelsea on Sunday. However, Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal proved enough to give Forest victory in front of a raucous home crowd, which secured their own top-flight status once again. Guardiola’s side will lift the Premier League trophy on Sunday for a third successive campaign, and a fifth time in six seasons, sealed with three matches to spare. City had overhauled Arsenal’s eight-point lead as Mikel Arteta’s men faltered, winning 11 Premier League games in a row including a 4-1 victory over their rivals at the end of April. Unbeaten in their last 23 games through all competitions, City have also reached the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League as they remain on course for the treble. “To have helped the club win a third straight Premier League title is something very special,” Gundogan said on the Manchester City website. “The Premier League is without doubt the most demanding and competitive league in the world so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is. “This squad is so talented and so special and to have been captain this season has been an enormous privilege.” German midfielder Gundogan added: “I would also like to thank Pep, all the backroom staff and everyone who works across this football club. “Every single day they help provide us as players with everything we need in order to try to be successful. There is no way we could have won this title without all their support. “To have won this trophy three times in a row and five times in six years is incredible. That quality and consistency helps sum up what Manchester City stand for and ensures the club will continue to strive for success going forward. “It has been a season I will never forget. Our amazing fans have been with us every single step of the way. “Without their amazing backing I don’t think there is any way we would have been able to achieve what we have done these past six seasons. “Their passion and support have been so important and inspirational for us all. Hopefully winning the Premier League title again is a fitting way for us to say thank you to our fans.” Erling Haaland’s goals helped fire City to the title, as the Norway forward set a new Premier League record with 36 so far. He wrote on Twitter: “Always give your best. Always believe. It pays off. C’MON CITY!” City defender Aymeric Laporte posted: “What a season tho. Credit to absolutely everyone involved from top to bottom. “Every one of use fought for this. More to come soon hopefully but we can already be proud of this one.” Arsenal had been insatiable for most of the campaign, spending 248 days on top of the table before their late collapse handed City an opportunity to ruthlessly hunt them down. City defender Kyle Walker said: “Arsenal pushed us right to the limit they’ve been fantastic, so all credit to them. “We just went on an incredible run, they had a few hiccups and we capitalised on it and we’ve managed to end up where we have now. “It’s the players we’ve got. We’re a bunch of lads who have achieved so much over the last number of years and we understand the standards we’ve set. “We achieved so much over the past five or six years, but we knew the bar wasn’t high enough at the start of the season. “When we came back after the World Cup, we had to kick on and fair play to the lads. You've got to be ready at the business end of the season because that's what this club is all about Kyle Walker “We wanted to prove anyone doubting us wrong – it wasn’t good enough. “With the lads we have in the dressing room we always believe we can do something. “The standards of the Premier League have gone up, but this is what this club is built for, certainly that’s how it’s been for the six years I’ve been here, so fair play to everyone involved. “You’ve got to be ready at the business end of the season because that’s what this club is all about and what we are built for.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Really sad day – Mikel Arteta rues tame end to Arsenal’s title challenge Erling Haaland’s record-breaking season leads Manchester City to title Haaland signing a master stroke as Man City secure another Premier League title

Mikel Arteta was apologetic as he reflected on a “really sad day” after Arsenal’s faint Premier League title hopes were ended by a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest. Manchester City were confirmed as champions after Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal saw Forest earn the three points that secured their top-flight status. The Gunners, who were insatiable for most of the campaign, had spent 248 days on top of the table and held an eight-point lead over City in March, but an alarming slide saw them overtaken by Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut who claim a fifth title in six seasons. No team has spent more time on top of the table and not won the league, which left Arteta crestfallen. “Really sad day, a lot of difficult emotions, we lost the game, we lost the championship after 10 and a half months fighting for it and nine and a half months almost on top of it,” he said. “We built a lot of illusion and belief that we could go all the way and win it and in the end we fell short. Congratulations to Man City, they are the champions, they deserve to be the champions, they have done it for 38 games, we haven’t been able to do that. “That is it and from my side I apologise because we have built that belief that we could do it and in the end the team wasn’t able to do it and that is my responsibility. “Today is just a lot of sadness. You see a lot of people, they put everything, they put so much work, so much belief and so much hours and I am sad, I am sad for them because we wanted to find a way and squeeze everything we had in that group. “We fell short and this is my job and my responsibility, I have to analyse that and think. “Today we should have played much better, we gave them a goal and gave them another chance to score another goal if they wanted and we fell short to break them down. “You need, when you come to April and May, 24 players there and available, fit and playing at their best, full of confidence and ready to go and for many reasons we haven’t had that. “There are key moments in the league that define, the momentum goes there, the result goes there and we didn’t have those margins going on our side.” For Forest it was a real red letter day as they secured their survival against the odds. For large parts of the season, which began with more than 20 new signings, they looked destined to return straight back to the Championship, not least when they were on an 11-game winless run going into the end of April. But Awoniyi’s hot streak, with five goals in three games, helped Steve Cooper’s side lift themselves out of the bottom three and they can no longer be caught by Southampton, Leicester or Everton. It completes an impressive job by Cooper, who repaid Forest for the faith they showed when backing him amid their poor run, and his stock continues to rise. Asked how he felt, the Welshman said: “Just pride, a great sense of belonging at being part of something really special and important for me. “A brilliant day for the players and an equally great day for the supporters and one we deserved. It is difficult to use the word achievement at this football club because you have to be careful but it is just amazing to be able to allow the club to move forward, that’s what we all want to do. “Now is the time to talk about the players, the supporters and the game. It is a real sense of belonging and being part of something greater than any one person. “This was always going to be my toughest coaching challenge, but an enjoyable one, not a negative one. We have had everything this year, both positive and negative. “It feels great, but I am more thinking about it just allows us to progress.”