La Rochelle slumped to a 42-31 defeat against Montpellier in the Top 14 on Saturday, just a week before they meet Leinster in the Champions...

Ruben Selles admits standards at Southampton have not been good enough after Premier League relegation was sealed by a limp 2-0 loss to Fulham. Second-half goals from Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic inflicted a club-record 24th defeat of the season on the division’s bottom side to leave them eight points from safety with two fixtures remaining. Captain James Ward-Prowse conceded at full-time that Saints should have performed better across a dismal campaign, an assessment echoed by manager Selles. “It’s a tough day for everybody, the performance on the pitch was not what we expect it to be and we were not good enough today and that’s why we are in this situation,” said the Spaniard. “If we were in our standards, we would not be talking about this situation right now. We need to face it like that. “I don’t think there is one point where you can say that is exactly the point where it happened. “As a club we need to evaluate and see what the standards that James referred to are and be sure that when the club starts the next season those standards are on point.” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – a Saints fan – was among those in attendance at St Mary’s as the hosts’ 11-season stay in the top flight ended in tame fashion. He witnessed a team lacking confidence, ideas and urgency produce another feeble performance of a miserable campaign featuring three managers and just two home league wins. Boos and chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” from disgruntled home supporters greeted the full-time whistle. Selles, who has been in charge for 14 of Saints’ 36 top-flight matches this term following the sackings of Ralph Hasenhuttl and then Nathan Jones, felt he should have been able to inspire better results. “I take all the responsibility for the last three months, that’s my responsibility,” he said. “I should be able to win more football matches. I should be able to have a team that competes better. “I think I could have done (things) different; more is difficult but I think I can do different. I made my mistakes like any other and of course it was not good enough.” Fulham boss Marco Silva expressed sympathy with Southampton as he reflected on his “perfect” team selection. The Portuguese opted to stick with the starting XI which began Monday’s 5-3 win over Leicester and then watched substitute Mitrovic, who was returning from an eight-game ban, seal victory seven minutes after replacing opening goalscorer Vinicius. “Sometimes you do things and they look perfect,” he said. “When you have Mitro ready to go, there’s a temptation to start with him because he’s the top goal-scorer, he’s been a crucial player for me and for this football club. “But I knew what Carlos can provide and deliver for us. “To see at the end the connection between the players and the fans is a great feeling for me. We deserved the three points.” Speaking about Saints’ plight, Silva said: “All the sympathy with this football club. “It’s a tough period for this club, a big club, and it deserves probably to be in a different situation. “For sure they can come stronger next season to be able to play again in the Premier League because a club like Southampton they probably deserve this situation. It’s up to them now to come stronger next season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Notts County back in EFL with sub goalkeeper Archie Mair the shoot-out hero ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in Tottenham ‘pulling together’ despite latest setback – Ryan Mason

Substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair was the hero as Notts County beat Chesterfield in a Wembley penalty shoot-out to end a four-year absence from the English Football League. Mair, on loan from Norwich and sent on in the final minute of extra time for the spot-kick contest, denied Darren Oldaker and Jeff King with full-length saves as County won 4-3 on penalties after the game had been drawn 2-2 after 120 minutes. Macaulay Langstaff, Ruben Rodrigues, Jodi Jones and Cedwyn Scott were successful from the spot for County, the latter achieving redemption having missed from 12 yards in the promotion showdown with Wrexham last month. Andrew Dallas’ early penalty seemed set to signal more end-of-season misery for County before John Bostock equalised with just two minutes left on the clock. Paul Cook’s Chesterfield quickly regained the lead in extra time with Armando Dobra’s superb curling effort worthy of winning any cup final, but Rodrigues’ equaliser 12 minutes from time sent the game to penalties. It was promotion delight at last for County who were relegated from the EFL in 2019 and have contested the National League play-offs in every campaign since. Luke Williams’ side had finished 23 points clear of Chesterfield at the end of a regular season in which they had pushed champions Wrexham all the way. Chesterfield, themselves beaten in the play-offs in the last two years, showed their attacking intent inside 35 seconds as Ryan Colclough fired over. Nerves were clearly on show as goalkeeper Sam Slocombe dribbled out the resulting goal-kick. Slocombe was penalised for kicking the ball twice and penalised to offer the Spireites a golden chance top open the scoring. But as County defenders rushed from the goal-line, Slocombe atoned for his mistake by blocking King’s free-kick. County’s reprieve lasted just moments as Slocombe suffered another rush of blood and brought down Dallas, who had raced onto a pass over the top of the Notts defence. Dallas, part of the Solihull side beaten by Grimsby in last year’s play-off final, sent his penalty down the middle as Slocombe dived to his right. The route to goal offered real promise for a Spireites side keen to exploit County’s high defensive line. County had some hairy moments but finally found a foothold in the game and Chesterfield struggled to contain Aaron Nemane out wide. Nemane’s powerful effort forced a save from Ross Fitzsimons at the near post and County upped the tempo after the restart. Sam Austin had a clear sight of goal after another Nemane burst and Connell Rawlinson then had an even better chance, the unmarked defender sending his header from eight yards just wide. Chesterfield were becoming increasingly camped in their own half, but Colclough drove agonisingly wide from a rare Spireites forward raid. Time was fast running out for County when Fitzsimons spilled Bostock’s free-kick at his near post and the ball squirmed over the line. Chesterfield were in front again three minutes in to extra time when Dobra was released on the left and cut back on to his right foot to beat Slocombe in style. County belatedly fashioned a couple of chances for Langstaff and Rawlinson drifted an effort wide. But Rodrigues’ shot bounced into the turf and over the head of Fitzsimons, and Williams’ decision to send on Mair would prove a masterstroke. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in Tottenham ‘pulling together’ despite latest setback – Ryan Mason

Braves Rumors: Brent Rooker has another big momentThe Oakland Athletics are dreadful, but a lone bright spot is the emergence of corner outfielder Brent Rooker. The 28-year-old has seemingly come out of nowhere for Oakland, which appears far more interested in their next location than the current ...

Erik ten Hag highlighted Alejandro Garnacho’s bravery, maturity and confidence after the Manchester United teenager made a goalscoring return after a two-month injury lay-off. The nascent 18-year-old talent, who recently signed a new deal until 2028, received an excellent reception on his first appearance since sustaining an ankle injury against Southampton on March 12. Garnacho was brought on in the 82nd minute and scored with a stoppage-time strike off the post in front of the Stretford End to wrap up a 2-0 victory against Wolves. Ten Hag was happy with all his introductions after a few weeks when he said the “subs were bad”, but the Argentinian took the headlines after United got their top-four tilt back on track. “Garna, of course, scored a great goal,” the United boss said. “He came in, he did I think almost everything good and then he scored a goal. “That will give him belief and that is good for us for the rest of the season that he is back. It’ll give him confidence and he can have an impact. “He is showing when you score some winners, like Fulham, assist against City, for instance. Now the second goal, he is showing some things. “Also sometimes he lacks defensive transition, in pressing, he has to step up in such things. Also, when you are going into an action or keep the ball, so decisions. “But I think when you see it all over, yeah, he is a huge talent and he’s brave.” Garnacho arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2020 and was last season’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year having played a key role in United’s FA Youth Cup triumph. The Argentina youth international frustrated Ten Hag during pre-season but has since won the Dutchman over, making 30 first-team appearances so far this campaign. “One of the aspects from the biggest talent is that they are mature,” the United boss said. “First, they take responsibility and, second, they are mature. “To bring in their skills, they have belief that they can dominate opponents and I think once again he did it. “He has a big impact in many games either when starting or coming on, he’s ready, straight into the game and that is so important for the squad you can bring such players. “I am happy that you can bring young players and hopefully he will progress so quickly that he can compete for a starting XI position because that is his next challenge.” Garnacho’s strike was United’s 100th goal of the season in all competitions and complemented Anthony Martial’s opener in a 25th Old Trafford victory of the campaign. The win was an important response to defeats at Brighton and West Ham, which had allowed Liverpool to close the gap in the race for Champions League qualification. “You have to deal (with setbacks),” Ten Hag said, “Everyone told me in United it is never going in the easy way, we go the difficult way. “I think the team was ready for this battle, for this fight. “Once again, we make the goalie of the opponent the man of the match, so we could have made life easier if we score the second goal early on. “But we have the points, we are happy with that and we move on.” Wolves failed to muster a shot on target as their poor away form continued, leaving boss Julen Lopetegui frustrated. “Obviously, the result was not good for us, but we tried to compete with them,” said the Spaniard, who praised goalkeeper Dan Bentley after making an impressive Premier League debut. “In the context of the match, the first half, we suffered one goal in one mistake that we had and they didn’t have any more chances. “In the second half, we take a risk, we dominate the game and had situations when we could have done better. “In the end, it was a pity, we tried, but, in the end, they deserved to win.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation Notts County back in EFL with sub goalkeeper Archie Mair the shoot-out hero Tottenham ‘pulling together’ despite latest setback – Ryan Mason

A terrible call.

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