Key events
Jurgen Klopp: “I was waiting for Amnesty International”
It would be fair to say that Jurgen Klopp is at it again. The outgoing Liverpool manager loves nothing more than moaning about his team having to play in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off after a European midweek game and despite the fact it is a horror he will never have to endure again, he’s still complaiming about last weekend, when his side were held to a draw by West Ham and saw any faint hopes they still entertained of winning the title evaporate. Never mind the fact that they missed enough goalscoring chances to win several football matches, it seems the blame for their failure to take all three points lies squarely at the door of TNT Sports.
“Seeing Aston Villa lost last night it means no English team will be in a European final, we should ask do we decrease the intensity for the players,” he says. “If no English team is in a European final, have we underperformed? The Premier League is the best in the world but the players are overworked. Someone needs to help the people, cut off one game. Two more Champions League games next season and you can cut off the League Cup semi-final second legs.
“Everyone has a reason to say we cannot do it but we cannot sort it all the time. I had a chat with TNT – a television channel I will never watch again! – and they said they pay us to play football but I don’t see it that way. Football pays them. You have to become a part of football again and not just the squeezer, that is some advice from an old man on the way out.
“People can survive without match-days from time to time. City, Arsenal, us all out in the quarter-finals. It’s not a reflection of quality but that we couldn’t deliver on the day. Other countries have good teams, of course. When I speak about it people think it is because of the last game, no. It’s not. It’s a general problem. They dare Thursday-Sunday, Wednesday-Saturday 12:30pm. It is a crime. I was waiting for Amnesty International to go to them!
“I would like to be part of that meeting when someone says ‘Liverpool 12:30pm’ and the whole room bursts into laughter. I would love to be there. In the whole world we have the quickest turnaround between games but they are still happy and collect subscribers. You can take me off. If they are ever after a pundit, I speak English I could do it.”
While he may have been joking, Klopp has worked as a pundit in his native Germany in the past and is reported to be a very entertaining and informative match analyst. There is bound to be a clamour for his services in the months ahead, although it seems unlikely TNT Sports will be successful in any overtures they may make.
Eddie Howe on Sandro Tonali: “It’s the right decision, I think the FA have arrived at the ban that isn’t extended,” he says. “Sandro’s currently working hard behind the scenes, he’s trained very well. But as always, referring to this situation, we’re still supporting him and helping him as he serves his time.
“He’s been very good, very consistent. Of course I see a small fraction of his life, the time he is at the training ground. He’s a very good professional, he’s trained very well, but he’s relatively quiet, that’s just his personality. I wouldn’t necessarily see what goes on beneath the surface, I’m sure he’s had difficult moments but he’s done really well.
“I’ve seen the hunger there throughout the entire time. He’s done a lot of work alone, individual work, fitness work, gym work, we’ve worked on his speed, and covered loads of aspects of his game to try and help him.”
Fabian Schar to miss final games of the season
Newcastle United: You need to be up early in the moring to catch Eddie Howe and as is customary, the Newcastle boss is first out of the traps when it comes to Friday press briefings. Not for the first time this season, he has news of another injury. Fabian Schar has a hamstring issue that is likely to keep him out of Newcastle’s remaining games of the season and Howe reveals that the Swiss international’s absence could open a door for Paul Dummett, Alex Taylor or Emile Krafth.
In better news for Newcastle fans, Howe reveals that Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Nick Pope are all back in training, although he says Kieran Trippier is a little behind them in his recovery from a calf injury. We’ll have more from Wor Eddie shortly, as he’s likely to address the good news that Sandro Tonali has received a suspended two-month ban for illegal betting activity from the Football Association and will not have to serve any additional time on the 10-month ban he is currently serving that harks back to his time in Italy.
That suspension ends in August and if the Italian midfielder keeps his bib clean until the end of next season, he will not have to serve the shorter one handed down by the FA. All in all, it seems a fairly sensible approach to ending what has been a difficult situation for the Italian and it is to be hoped that Tonali is receiving any help or counselling he requires to get his addiction in check.
Women’s Super League: Following a tired Chelsea side’s defeat at the hands of Liverpool in a seven-goal whiteknuckle ride at Prenton Park on Wednesday night, Emma Hayes conceded defeat in the title race to Manchester City. The Chelsea manager looks likely to end her 12-year reign at the club without winning a trophy in her final season, a prosepect that seemed unthinkable as recently as five weeks ago when a quadruple was still on the cards. All hope is not lost in the WSL, however, despite Manchester City having a six point lead and a significantly better goal difference (+8).
With three matches still to play, Chelsea have a game in hand over the leaders and host already-relegated Bristol City at the weekend. Elsewhere, City entertain Arsenal. Following their unedifying row in the immediate aftermath of the Continental Cup final, Hayes desperately needs Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall and his players to do her a favour on Sunday. If Chelsea can beat Bristol City by a big score this weekend and Arsenal do a number on City at the Etihad Campus, it would still be all to play for going into the final week of the season.
West Ham: The club’s hunt for a new manager has resulted in Tim Steidten, the technical director, being asked to stay away from David Moyes and the first team for the rest of the season, writes Jacob Steinberg.
Aston Villa 2-4 Olympiakos
Europa Conference League: Aston Villa’s first major European semi-final since 1982 fell flat and unless they can inspire a memorable turnaround in the port of Piraeus next Thursday, their adventure will end in disappointment. Ben Fisher reports from Villa Park …
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League: Ange Postecoglou admitted Tottenham had the wrong mindset after their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were hit by a limp 2-0 loss to Chelsea. Jacob Steinberg reports from Stamford Bridge.
Good morning!
Another weekend is upon us, with no shortage of potentially thrilling football action to keep us entertained and as assorted leagues head towards their denouements, there could be no end of twists and turns remaining in what’s left of the road ahead.
The Premier League and Women’s Super League remain undecided but for now but they are both Manchester City’s to lose, while in the men’s top flight the unseemly scramble to avoid the two remaining relegation places will enter its latest phase. A division below, there are still I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed in the final round of Championship games, while the promotion playoffs for Leagues One and Two also get under way on this bank holiday weekend.
We’ll bring you news from various press conferences throughout what promises to be a busy day of often inane managerial chat, while flagging up any other stories or talking points of interest as the day unfolds.