White Sox shooting update.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has told Tottenham that qualifying for the Champions League is far tougher than it was before. Villa host Spurs on Saturday with the two sides still in the hunt for European football next season, but with hopes of claiming a top-four Premier League place all but over for both. Tottenham – Champions League finalists in 2019 who reached the round of 16 this season – are sixth, six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United having played a game more. Eighth-placed Villa’s late bid to break into the top four was ended by successive 1-0 away defeats to United and Wolves over the last fortnight. “Their expectation in the beginning was to be in the top four,” ex-Arsenal boss Emery said of his former North London neighbours. “It’s now more difficult than it was five to 10 years ago. There are now seven teams trying to be in the top four. “Maybe Aston Villa now as well. It’s more difficult.” Tottenham’s search for a first trophy since League Cup success in 2008 has seen them turn to Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte since Mauricio Pochettino’s departure in November 2019. Neither Mourinho nor Conte, both perennial winners, could sprinkle their stardust on Spurs and caretaker boss Ryan Mason now has the task of trying to secure European football next season. Mason’s three matches in charge so far have produced a win, a draw and a defeat, with the latest game being a 1-0 home victory over Crystal Palace. Emery said: “Tottenham have had some problems in the last month but they have very good players. “The last match they played against Palace they kept good balance tactically and they have very powerful players in the transition, being strong defensively. “They have very good players who can make different tactical decisions. “The last matches against them at home here, (Villa) have struggled and it’s now a challenge to get a good performance at home. “We have to believe in our players, in our tactical way we are progressing. That is the match on Saturday. “To play a great match, spirit and playing and trying to get at them. They have a three-goal difference with us but our mind is to be very competitive and to get better.” Villa quartet Boubacar Kamara, Leon Bailey, Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho are all available. “It’s the first time in the last month we have everybody ready to be in the squad for Saturday,” Emery said. “Only Jed Steer is out but Cash, Kamara, Bailey, Coutinho – in the last match they were in the squad but not ready 100 per cent to play. “Some players are still not ready to play 90 minutes, but they’re ready to be in the squad and ready to play.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Steve Cooper not interested in Chelsea’s problems ahead of Forest’s trip Josh Cobb shocked to be replaced by David Willey as Northamptonshire T20 captain Wrexham’s Phil Parkinson named National League manager of the season

The Miami Heat knocked the stuffing out of the Boston Celtics on Sunday, powering to a 128-102 victory to take a 3-0 stranglehold on...

Giacomo Raspadori has scored the only goal of the game as Napoli ground down defense-first Union Berlin to win 1-0 in the Champions League

Ji Man Choi, Bryan Reynolds and Carlos Santana hit home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who held off the San Diego Padres 3-2 to win two of three games

Get ready for a weekend full of college football! Big matchups on Saturday, but also some exciting games on Friday night. Check out the schedule and don't miss any of the action!

Shaq and Charles Barkley lost it on "Inside the NBA."

Thirteen-year-old forward Da’vian Kimbrough has signed a contract with the Sacramento Republic of the second-tier League Championship of the United Soccer League, which says he is the youngest athlete in American professional team sports

Yikes.

David Moyes believes West Ham have been on the wrong end of too many strange VAR decisions. Having been denied penalties for handballs against Liverpool and Manchester United in recent weeks, the Hammers had a goal contentiously ruled out in their 2-0 defeat at Brentford. When Said Benrahma’s cross came back off a post it hit Divin Mubama, who had put his hand up to prevent himself from crashing into the woodwork. Manuel Lanzini swept the ball back into the box to leave Dany Ings with a tap-in to halve the deficit with 25 minutes remaining. But referee Michael Oliver went to the pitchside monitor and ruled that young striker Mubama had handled the ball. “Very strange,” said Hammers boss Moyes. “The Premier League have come out and called it deliberate handball. I think we need a bit of explanation on that. “The first thing I would say about it is it is inconclusive. If anything I think it hits his shoulder, right on his collarbone. “If it’s a handball that leads to a goal we all know that rule, but I certainly don’t see deliberate. If anything he might be protecting himself from going into the post. I’m amazed it was chalked off. “But, let’s be fair, if this was the first one we were talking about in recent games I would say it can happen, but we’re now talking about three of these. “It’s getting regular. It really is. I don’t want to get in trouble but we’ve had three real ones that could have altered things, and if you said we’ve had our fair share, I’m saying I don’t think we have.” In truth Brentford, leading through first-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, could have been four or five up by the time Ings’ goal was disallowed. Moyes’ priorities clearly lie elsewhere despite not being mathematically safe from relegation, with the Hammers boss making nine changes to his side ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar. However, if Moyes was hoping to be given some selection dilemmas for the trip to the Netherlands, he was left sorely disappointed. Mbeumo pounced after a mistake by Nayef Aguerd and Wissa headed the second after West Ham failed to deal with Mathias Jensen’s long throw. “I didn’t enjoy the performance. I thought we were soft, easy to play against. It was so poor,” added Moyes. “We did some work on defending long throws, but you wouldn’t have thought it watching that today. I’m so disappointed the players didn’t deal with it.” The Bees are now assured of a top-10 finish, proving there is no such thing as second-season syndrome in this corner of west London. “I was asked before the season about that,” said boss Thomas Frank, “and without sounding too smart we tried to analyse things, looked at the players, the other teams, our performances, our culture, and we thought why shouldn’t we be able to do well in our second season? “Now we are 100 per cent in the top 10, which is a brilliant achievement.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sale reach first Premiership final in 17 years after edging out Leicester Everton’s Jordan Pickford is not a top goalkeeper – Roy Keane Emotional Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow over finish line at Leeds Marathon

The Philadelphia Phillies NLCS roster did not include slugger Rhys Hoskins, who has been injured for the majority of the season.

Rory McIlroy pumped his fist after his 10-foot putt dropped at the 18th hole at Royal Liverpool