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Pep Guardiola admits the Eurovision Song Contest has given him a headache as he looks to keep Manchester City’s treble bid on track. The Premier League leaders face a crucial trip to relegation-threatened Everton on Sunday, three days before they host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. City boss Guardiola would have preferred the Goodison Park clash to be played on Saturday but, with Eurovision taking place in Liverpool city centre that day, that could not be sanctioned for security reasons. That means Real, who are out of contention for the LaLiga title and are in action on Saturday against Getafe, will have a day’s rest more than City heading into Wednesday’s encounter. Guardiola said at a press conference: “My thought is just Everton, no more than that. “Eleven months working for the Premier League, I don’t want to be distracted for Madrid because I won’t have time. “Well, not much, because we play Sunday – thank you so much. I don’t understand it, but I don’t want to fight for that any more. “We have to adapt to it. It doesn’t matter, I don’t fight any more the schedules. “In the end we can’t play Saturday because of Eurovision or something like that in Liverpool and we don’t have enough bodies to handle two important events sometimes. “OK, you have to adapt. What can I do? We’d prefer to play Saturday to be able to prepare but it is what it is. “I’m pretty sure the Premier League want to help the teams. I don’t think they make it uncomfortable.” Unlike Real, City will not want to ease up over the weekend as they look to keep Arsenal at bay in the title race. City go into the weekend fixtures with a clear advantage, leading the Gunners by a point with a game in hand. They could face a tough challenge against an Everton side fighting for survival and who claimed a significant victory by thrashing European hopefuls Brighton 5-1 in their last outing. Real defender Dani Carvajal has suggested the intensity of City’s fixtures could benefit the Spanish side – who drew 1-1 with City in Tuesday’s first leg – but Guardiola is confident his players can stand up to the challenge. He said: “Every player is ready to play and give his own absolute contribution. Everybody will be so important, we have a lot of games and everyone is ready Pep Guardiola “I thought a lot about a substitution in the Bernabeu. I decided on players on the bench that are so dynamic – Phil (Foden), Julian (Alvarez), Riyad (Mahrez). “But in the moment we didn’t need that, we didn’t need a player to increase our rhythm. “But everybody will be so important, we have a lot of games and everyone is ready.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal focus to be on title charge instead of player futures Sean Dyche admits decisions on players can not be made until end of season David Moyes admits there is ‘good chance’ Declan Rice will leave West Ham

Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal players to put talks of their future on the back-burner and focus on their Premier League title charge. The Gunners head into the weekend a point behind leaders Manchester City having played a game more and with Europe-chasing Brighton travelling to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. While Arteta’s side have been in fine form this season, there are a number of issues outstanding heading into the summer. England pair Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka are believed to be close to signing new deals while Reiss Nelson is out of contract and Granit Xhaka has this week been linked with a move back to Germany. But Arteta batted away questions on the future of some of his key players on Friday and is keen for focus to remain solely on the challenge for a first league title in 19 years. “Obviously where we are with each individual is probably different in terms of timing but the clarity is there,” he said of deals for players that may be in the offing. “We have communicated to each of them what the intentions are and we are trying to get that done as quickly as possible but respecting and not losing any focus on what is the real deal right now. “The moment there is anything to announce with any individual, we will do that as a club like we always do. It’s not the moment to talk about that.” While the deals for Saka and Ramsdale are all-but finalised, Nelson could yet leave for free in the summer. Xhaka has been linked with a move away – with Bayer Leverkusen reportedly chasing his signature – but Arteta would not be drawn on the future of the Switzerland captain. “As you can understand I’m not going to be replying to certain stories,” he added. “I’m extremely happy with Granit, I think he is having an incredible season, probably the best season he has had at the club and we are really happy to have him.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sean Dyche admits decisions on players can not be made until end of season David Moyes admits there is ‘good chance’ Declan Rice will leave West Ham Man City boss Pep Guardiola focused on Everton rather than Champions League semi

Mayim Bialik is a stickler for proper pronunciation.

Everton manager Sean Dyche accepts retaining their Premier League status will put a “different viewpoint” on his plans for the squad. Monday’s surprise 5-1 win at Brighton has raised hopes they can extend their top-flight stay into a 70th successive season as it moved them out of the relegation zone. A number of players are out of contract in the summer – including long-serving captain Seamus Coleman whose season was ended by a knee injury a fortnight ago – but no decisions can realistically be made until they know which division they are playing in. “There are some outlines that I’ve been speaking with Kev Thelwell (director of football) about, a way forward, but at the end of the day it still comes down to what is happening now,” said Dyche ahead of Sunday’s daunting visit of Premier League leaders Manchester City. “When I got here the noise was about Everton being done. We’ve obviously shown we are not done and there is more life in what we are doing. “That does change things. Being in the Premier League is a different viewpoint, that’s the first concern. “But there are some background chats about what is needed because you have to continue. “It’s a fluid business, one that I’m used to. You are always fluid thinking anyway, it’s not about an exact thought. “It’s about different scenarios with players, player contracts, ways the club is operating, ways they are looking to operate. “Ultimately this season it is about getting past this situation and growing for the future.” Coleman has undergone successful surgery on his knee injury but Dyche was non-committal on the 34-year-old defender’s future at the club. “Seamus did have an operation and it has gone well. All being well he should be fit for next season,” added Dyche. “I will be speaking to him ongoing. He is well in the loop where he sits at this football club.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live David Moyes admits there is ‘good chance’ Declan Rice will leave West Ham Man City boss Pep Guardiola focused on Everton rather than Champions League semi Kevin Sinfield set for ‘incredible’ day at inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon

Marcus Rashford is a major doubt for Manchester United’s match against Wolves on Saturday, handing Erik ten Hag a new injury headache just as Raphael Varane returns after a month out. Ten Hag said that Rashford, United’s top scorer this season with 29 goals, is struggling with a leg injury and is “more than doubtful” to play in a fixture United need to win to keep Liverpool at bay in the fight for a top-four place. The injury comes at a time when United have been struggling for goals anyway, with only six in their last nine games. “He’s a big question mark for tomorrow but we are happy Rafa is back,” the manager said. Varane has been out since being forced off at half-time in the first leg of United’s Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla at Old Trafford on April 13, and United have won only two of their seven games without the Frenchman. “He has experience, he knows how to win and will lead us in how to win, he will guide us,” Ten Hag said. After an often indifferent season Liverpool have won six league matches in a row to close to within a point of United, albeit having played one game more. United have offered Jurgen Klopp’s men hope by losing back-to-back games 1-0 to Brighton and West Ham, but Ten Hag insisted he had no interest in Liverpool’s form. “Of course we can ignore it,” he said. “Why not? Because it’s not important. We have everything in our hands and as long as we have things in our hands, so we are in control, as long as that, we are not dependent on them. We are dependent on ourselves.” Liverpool do not play until Monday when they head to struggling Leicester, by which point United will hope to have a four-point cushion. The pressure is on, but Ten Hag said he had no sense of nervousness creeping into his squad. “We are convinced with what we are doing, we have a lot of success, we have won a lot of games,” he said. “The way we work, the way we’re playing, the structures are really clear but we have to execute them and show 100 per cent discipline in rules and principles. When we do that, we are successful.” Wolves were bottom of the Premier League at Christmas but have defied the recent convention which suggests that spells doom, and are now assured of their Premier League status having moved on to 40 points with three games left to play. “We have to take them seriously,” Ten Hag said of Julen Lopetegui’s side. “They have done a great job, but they also have deficits and we have to take advantage of that.” United have enjoyed a rare full week of preparation for this match in a packed season that has seen them already play 57 matches. After affording his players some time off, Ten Hag said he could see a difference this week. “We had a week and we needed it to reset, to reload, to recharge and to get energy back because we had a lack of it in the last two games,” he said. “I see a lot of energy, joy on the pitch, we could also work in detail on some facts, so was good.” Ten Hag insisted that good mood extended to goalkeeper David De Gea, who is out of contract this summer and who has seen his position questioned after his mistake proved decisive in the defeat at West Ham. “We can’t ignore it but individual mistakes are part of football and there was in the Brighton game also a big individual mistake,” Ten Hag said. “But sometimes it’s happening, it shouldn’t happen, when you are in the right focus it will not happen. That is part of the reset of this week.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live David Moyes admits there is ‘good chance’ Declan Rice will leave West Ham Man City boss Pep Guardiola focused on Everton rather than Champions League semi Kevin Sinfield set for ‘incredible’ day at inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon

Pep Guardiola insists all thoughts of Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid have been put to one side ahead of Sunday’s trip to Everton. City will hope to claim a place in the final when they host the Spanish giants next Wednesday after drawing 1-1 in the first leg of their last-four tie on Tuesday. Yet the Premier League leaders have little opportunity to ease up beforehand as they face the relegation-threatened Toffees in a clash crucial at both ends of the table. Guardiola said at a press conference: “My thought is just Everton – no more than that. “It’s 11 months working for the Premier League. We don’t have much time to Madrid because we play Sunday – thank you so much – but it’s a real, real priority, Goodison Park.” Real have an extra day’s rest before the second leg as they are in action on Saturday this weekend. Guardiola would have preferred to play on Saturday too but says he is beyond complaining about the schedule. He said: “I can’t understand it but I’m not going to fight it anymore. “I don’t understand it but we have to adapt. The schedule, it is what it is.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

David Moyes has admitted for the first time that there is a “good chance” Declan Rice will leave West Ham this summer. Hammers captain Rice has ambitions to play for a Champions League club but has a price tag of around £100million. Nevertheless, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are all understood to be interested in the England midfielder. “We honestly hope he stays,” said Moyes. “We’d love for him to be a West Ham player but we are aware that might not be the case at the end of the season. “So that’s one of the scenarios around planning. There are plans that we have Dec here but we’re also fully aware there is a good chance we won’t have him.” Moyes has been unable to formulate plans for next season while West Ham’s Premier League status remains unclear, although last week’s win over Manchester United has left them all but safe. “The planning has been put on the back burner. It’s always been about making sure you’re a Premier League club,” added the Scot. “Your planning will go completely if you weren’t. “A lot of it will only start to go into place once we’ve realised we have kept our Premier League place. We’re watching a lot of players, a lot of games, doing a lot of scouting, but the truth is the focus has been on staying in the Premier League.” There are plans that we have Dec here but we’re also fully aware there is a good chance we won’t have him David Moyes on Declan Rice West Ham head to Brentford on Sunday on the back of Thursday night’s 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final. Moyes is set to make changes with the second leg in the Netherlands in mind, with Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio – who was limping after the AZ match – expected to be rested. “We are still assessing a lot of players, we are less than 24 hours from the game,” he said. “There are obviously knocks and bruises but I am hoping Michail is not too bad. “We will assess him but he should be good for Sunday.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Man City boss Pep Guardiola focused on Everton rather than Champions League semi Kevin Sinfield set for ‘incredible’ day at inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon Lancashire and England seamer James Anderson receiving treatment for minor issue

A coincidence, a repetition, whatever. I'm going to make baseball fun this week because MLB is still playing games, or so I've been told.While your favorite NFL team drafted badly, your favorite MLB team kept playing games with us.I don't know if it's a good thing or a ba...

Conversations between referees and VARs concerning some of the key incidents of the Premier League season will be aired for the first time during the next Monday Night Football programme on Sky Sports. Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) will talk through the two-way audio discussions alongside Sky pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher on May 15, the PA news agency understands. PGMOL is determined to provide as much transparency as the game’s laws allow by making this footage available as a one-off pilot. However, it could become a more regular feature next season – potentially even reaching the point where decisions from a Saturday and a Sunday are routinely reviewed on a Monday evening – if the initial pilot is well received. It is currently forbidden for the audio to be broadcast live in any competition in the world, but a trial is ongoing in selected FIFA events – including the Club World Cup earlier this year – where referees communicate the final decision reached after a VAR check to the crowd via the public address system. The Monday Night Football programme will start at the earlier time of 6.30pm to allow for the usual pre-match build-up for the Leicester v Liverpool match before the VAR discussion involving Webb.

Aaron Ramsdale wins April Castrol Save of the Month award.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has been asked about the notoriety assistant coach Jason Tindall has been getting on social media.

Former Aberdeen FC players who famously won the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup are honoured.