List of All Articles with Tag 'epsocmag'

Follow live coverage as Hoffenheim take on Union Berlin in the Bundesliga today. Bayern Munich remain the team to beat in the German top flight with Julian Nagelsmann's juggernaut side 31-time winners of the competition. Boasting some of the best players in the world such as Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer they are always favourites to retain their league crown. Rivals Borussia Dortmund traditionally push them the closest and have won the title five times, most recently back in 2012 under Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Borussia Mönchengladbach were a force in the Seventies winning the league five times but are without a champion team since while Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Stuttgart are all multi-time winners too. RB Leipzig are the newest kids on the block and backed by energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull are now threatening to challenge for a first title of their own. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

Follow live coverage as Hertha BSC take on Bochum in the Bundesliga today. Bayern Munich remain the team to beat in the German top flight with Julian Nagelsmann's juggernaut side 31-time winners of the competition. Boasting some of the best players in the world such as Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer they are always favourites to retain their league crown. Rivals Borussia Dortmund traditionally push them the closest and have won the title five times, most recently back in 2012 under Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Borussia Mönchengladbach were a force in the Seventies winning the league five times but are without a champion team since while Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Stuttgart are all multi-time winners too. RB Leipzig are the newest kids on the block and backed by energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull are now threatening to challenge for a first title of their own. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

Follow live coverage as Tottenham Hotspur face Brentford 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:

With their title hopes now all but gone, Arsenal will still be looking to finish the Premier League season with a flourish as they face Nottingham Forest in their penultimate fixture. The defeat to Brighton means Mikel Arteta’s side know that one more Manchester City win will be enough to end their chase for the title. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, are still in need of points to make sure of their safety. Steve Cooper’s squad start the weekend three points and two places clear of Leeds in 18th - they play Crystal Palace on the final day. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal? Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal is due to kick off at 5.30pm BST on Saturday 20 May at the City Ground in Nottingham. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage from 5pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via the Sky Go app. Team news Steve Cooper will be fretting over Danilo’s fitness, with the midfielder a doubt after coming off with an issue against Chelsea. Having utilised a three-at-the-back formation to combat Frank Lampard’s side, it may be that Cooper opts for a four defensively, which would accommodate a return for Brennan Johnson. Arsenal have suffered another late-season injury blow with Gabriel Martinelli ruled out with an ankle injury. The forward limped off against Brighton and joins William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko - who are both expected to miss the club’s last two fixtures - on the sidelines. Predicted line-ups Nottingham Forest XI: Navas; Aurier, Felipe, Niakhate, Lodi; Yates, Mangala, Danilo; Gibbs-White; Johnson, Awoniyi. Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Trossard; Jesus. Odds Nottingham Forest win 23/5 Draw 18/5 Arsenal win 3/5 Prediction Arsenal keep at least some pressure on Manchester City with an away win. Nottingham Forest 1-3 Arsenal Read More Forest fined over pitch invasion after 2022 play-off semi against Sheff Utd What do Manchester City need to win the Premier League title? A closer look at the battle to beat the drop in the Premier League Sam Allardyce says West Ham game is ‘do or die’ in Leeds’ survival fight Steve Cooper says Forest must take care of their own business Lyon maintain push for Europe as Freiburg keep flying high in Bundesliga

Jurgen Klopp has admitted he expected a longer touchline ban for his criticisms of referee Paul Tierney. The Liverpool manager will have to watch Saturday’s game against Aston Villa from the stands after being given a two-game suspension, with one postponed, and a £75,000 fine. Klopp, who queried what the FA will use the money for, had already served a touchline ban after being sent off against Manchester City earlier in the season and said: “I expected a punishment with all the things we know, and all the things we could hear and stuff like this. It’s okay. I would like to know as always where the money goes, if it’s for a good cause then I’m more than happy to pay it. “If not, the FA keeps it then we have to talk again, and I think it’s a bit harsh. Apart from that, people around me were pretty negative, they thought it would be longer. So, one game is okay. It’s like the Southampton game, it will be pretty much the same process, I can watch the game from a better position. I’m in contact with my coaches, so that’s okay.” Klopp said it would spare his players from him yelling at them, adding: “Nobody will shout like me at them if they don’t track back but I will tell the boys if they don’t want me to do that in the future they just have to do that now without me shouting.” Darwin Nunez will miss the game with a toe injury while Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be denied Anfield farewells before they leave in the summer. But Roberto Firmino and James Milner are fit for their last home games. Klopp also said goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher will be at Anfield next season, rather than leaving for first-team football. He added: “Kelleher has a contract. You want us to say goodbye just in case? I honestly can’t see Caoimhin leaving, it must be an extraordinary offer.” Read More Jordan Henderson knows Liverpool will miss James Milner and Roberto Firmino Firmino’s exit marks end of an era with Anfield’s brightest smile Why was Jurgen Klopp banned for his referee comments?

Every Friday our chief football writer Miguel Delaney sends out his Reading the Game newsletter, packed full with all the latest football news, anaylsis and insight from behind the scenes of the game. The free newsletter also includes a quiz which Miguel painstakingly compiles each week to ensure it is as testing as he can make it. Answers to these quizzes are now being housed here in this article, so please make sure you bookmark this page and - if you aren’t already - then most importantly please sign up to the newsletter for free by clicking here. The answers will be posted in here when the newsletter is sent each week. Without further ado let’s get straight to the answers for the recent quizzes: Answers to 19 May quiz Santiago Canizares (Valencia against Real Madrid, 2000); Ivan Campo (Real Madrid against Valencia, 2000); Filippo Inzaghi (Milan against Juventus, 2003); Edgar Davids (Juventus against Milan, 2003); Gio van Bronckhorst (Barcelona against Arsenal, 2006); Gerard Pique (Barcelona against Manchester United, 2009 and 2011); Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich against Chelsea, 2012); Lucio (Inter against Bayern Munich, 2010); Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund against Bayern Munich, 2013); Juanfran (Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid, 2014); Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid against Juventus, 2017); Sami Khedira, Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus against Real Madrid, 2017); Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich against Paris Saint-Germain, 2020); Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City against Chelsea, 2021) Answers to 12 May quiz Patrick Kluivert (Ajax against Milan), Fernando Morientes (Real Madrid against Valencia), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid against Juventus), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich against Paris Saint-Germain) Answers to 5 May quiz Newcastle United 1993-2009; West Ham United 1993-2003; Fulham 2001-14; Blackburn Rovers 2001-12; Bolton Wanderers 2001-12; Manchester City 2002-; Sunderland 2007-17; Stoke City 2008-18; Southampton 2012-; West Ham United 2012-; Crystal Palace 2013- Answers to 28 April quiz (please note typo in newsletter: there are seven answers to get) Matt Le Tissier, 1993-94, Southampton; Chris Sutton, 1993-94, Alan Shearer, 1999-00, Newcastle United; Norwich City; Mark Viduka, 2002-03, Leeds United; Andy Johnson, 2004-05, Crystal Palace; Darren Bent, 2009-10, Sunderland; Danny Ings, 2019-20, Southampton Answers to 21 April quiz Teddy Sheringham 1992-93, Tottenham Hotspur; Alan Shearer 1996-97, Newcastle United; Dwight Yorke 1998-99, Manchester United; Jimmy Hasselbaink 1999-2000, Chelsea; Robin van Persie 2012-13, Manchester United; Mohamed Salah 2017-18, Liverpool Answers for 14 April quiz Liverpool 1947-54; Portsmouth 1950-59; Chelsea 1955-62; Wolves 1959-66; Ipswich Town, 1962-64; Manchester United 1967-74; Leeds United 1974-82; Derby County 1975-80; Aston Villa 1981-87; Blackburn Rovers 1995-99 Answers for 7 April quiz Claudio Ranieri, one Premier League; Jose Mourinho, two Serie A titles, one Liga title, one Premier League; Avram Grant, one Serbian title; Carlo Ancelotti, one Ligue 1, one La Liga, one Bundesliga; Andre Villas-Boas, one Russian Premier League; Antonio Conte, one Serie A No quiz 31 March Answers for 24 March quiz Sergei Rebrov (Tottenham), Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea), Andrey Voronin (Liverpool), Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham), Vitaliy Mikolenko (Everton), Alexander Zinchenko (Arsenal) Answers for 17 March quiz Benfica, Porto, Spartak Moscow, CSKA Moscow, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Dynamo Kyiv, Shakhtar Donetsk, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, APOEL Answers for 10 March quiz Watford 2019-20, lost 8-0 to Manchester City; Norwich City 2013-14, lost 7-0 to Manchester City Sheffield Wednesday 1999-2000, lost 8-0 to Newcastle United; Nottingham Forest 1998-99, lost 8-1 to Manchester United; Barnsley 1997-98, lost 7-0 to Manchester United; Ipswich Town 1994-95, lost 9-0 to Manchester United Answers for 3 March quiz Romelu Lukaku, Angel Di Maria, Nemanja Matic, Donny van de Beek, Alexis Sanchez, Christian Benteke, Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane, Javier Mascherano, Mario Balotelli, Alberto Aquilani Answers for 24 February quiz 2005/06, 11/12, 12/13, 13/14, 14/15, 15/16, 16/17, 19/20 Answers for 17 February quiz Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Lukas Podolski, Leroy Sane, Mohamed Salah Answers for 10 February quiz FC Porto, Milan, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven, Inter, Real Madrid, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla, Juventus, Leipzig, Atletico Madrid Answers for 3 February quiz Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Armenia), Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria), Karol Poborsky (Czech Republic), Bastien Schweinsteiger (Germany), Tomasz Kuszczak (Poland), Andrei Kanchelskis (Russia) Answers for 27 January quiz 1998-99 semi-final - Manchester United beat Arsenal; 2002-03 fifth round - Arsenal beat Manchester United; 2003-04 fifth round - Arsenal beat Chelsea; 2006-07 final - Chelsea beat Manchester United; 2011-02 third round - Manchester United beat Manchester City; 2016-17 semi-final - Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur; 2021-22 semi-final - Liverpool beat Manchester City; lower-placed Premier League won four times, and lost just three) Answers for 20 January quiz Jurgen Klinsmann, Dwight Yorke, Mark Viduka, Louis Saha, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Emmanuel Adebayor, Dimitar Berbatov, Yaya Toure, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez, Sadio Mane, Heung-Min Son Answers for 13 January quiz Teddy Sheringham, Mat Le Tissier, Chris Sutton, Peter Beardsley, Stan Collymore, Kevin Phillips, James Beattie, Andy Johnson, Darren Bent, Gareth Bale, Frank Lampard, Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Danny Ings Answers for 6 January quiz Derby County, lost to Bristol Rovers, 2001-02; Everton, lost to Shrewsbury, 2002-03; Newcastle United, lost to Stevenage, 2010-11; Norwich City, lost to Luton Town, 2012-13; Swansea City, lost to Oxford United, 2015-16; Burnley, lost to Lincoln City, 2016-17; Leicester City, lost 2-1 to Newport County, 2018-19 Answers for 16 December quiz Luis Monti 1930, 1934 (switched from Argentina to Italy); Franz Beckenbauer 1966, 1974; Wolfgang Overath 1966, 1974; Pierre Littbarski 1982, 1986, 1990; Thomas Berthold 1986, 1990; Andreas Brehme 1986, 1990; Lothar Matthaus 1986, 1990; Rudi Voller 1986, 1990; Cafu 1998, 2002; Roberto Carlos 1998, 2002; Rivaldo 1998, 2002; Denilson 1998, 2002; Miroslav Klose 2002, 2014 Answers for 9 December quiz Stan Mortenson, 1950, Blackpool; Johnny Haynes, 1958, Fulham; Gerry Hitchens, 1962, Inter Milan; Paul Mariner, 1982, Ipswich Town; Mark Wright, 1990, Derby County; David Beckham, 2006, Real Madrid; Harry Maguire, 2018, Leicester City; Jude Bellingham, 2022, Borussia Dortmund Answers for 25 November quiz David Platt v Belgium, 1990, Michael Owen, v Romania, 1998; Steven Gerrard v Sweden, 2006; Marcus Rashford v Iran, 2002; Jack Grealish v Iran, 2022 Answers for 22 November quiz Senegal, Denmark, France, Slovakia, Netherlands, Chile, Mexico, Korea. Answers for 18 November quiz Jurgen Klinsmann, John Collins, Papa Bouba Diop, Paolo Wanchope, Oscar Answers for 11 November quiz Viorel Moldovan, Dan Petrescu, Niclas Alexandersson, Marcus Allback, Henrik Larsson, Clint Dempsey, Lukas Podolski, Mario Balotelli, Luis Suarez, Adnan Januzaj, Yerry Mina, Ivan Perisic, Eden Hazard Answers for 4 November quiz Jurgen Klinsmann, Davor Suker, Diego Forlan, James Rodriguez, Harry Kane Answers for 21 October quiz Didier Deschamps, Jurgen Klinsmann, Fernando Hierro, Gareth Southgate, Aliou Cisse, Glenn Hoddle Answers for 14 October quiz Ron Atkinson, Mike Walker, Kevin Keegan, Frank Clark, Roy Evans, Brian Little, Bobby Robson, Harry Redknapp, Frank Lampard Answers for 11 October quiz Ruud Gullit (Chelsea), Stefano Eranio (Derby County), Christian Panucci (Chelsea), Marcel Desailly (Chelsea), Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea), Roque Junior (Leeds United), Jaap Stam (Manchester United), Hernan Crespo (Chelsea), Jon Dahl Tomasson (Newcastle United) Answers for 7 October quiz Robbie Fowler (1992-93, 1994-95); Thierry Henry (2003-04); Peter Crouch (2006-07); Andriy Arshavin (2008-09); Roberto Firmino (2018-19) Answers for 30 September quiz Antonio Conte (Tottenham, 3-2 vs Vitesse); Dean Smith (Norwich, 2-1 vs Southampton); Steven Gerrard (Aston Villa, 2-0 vs Brighton); Ralf Rangnick (Man United, 1-0 vs Crystal Palace); Frank Lampard (Everton, 4-1 vs Brentford). Bonus: Daniel Farke (Norwich, 2-1 vs Brentford) Answers for 23 September quiz Alberto Aquilani (Liverpool), Mario Balotelli (Manchester City, Liverpool), Nicola Berti (Spurs), Fabio Borini (Chelsea, Liverpool), Pierluigi Casiraghi (Chelsea), Bernardo Corradi (Manchester City), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Emerson (Chelsea), Jorginho (Chelsea), Gabriel Paletta (Liverpool), Christian Panucci (Chelsea), Guiseppe Rossi (Manchester United), Gianluca Vialli (Chelsea), Davide Zappacosta (Chelsea), Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea) Answers for 16 September quiz 1962 (1 - Gerry Hitchens, Internazionale); 1982 (1 - Trevor Francis, Sampdoria); 1986 - Ray Wilkins, Mark Hateley, both Milan); 1986 (2 - Ray Wilkins, Mark Hateley, both Milan); 1990 (5 - Chris Woods, Terry Butcher, Gary Stevens, Trevor Steven, all Rangers; Chris Waddle, Marseille); 2002 (1 - Owen Hargreaves, Bayern Munich); 2006 (2 - David Beckham, Real Madrid; Owen Hargreaves, Bayern Munich); 2014 (1 - Fraser Forster, Celtic) Answers for 9 September quiz Glenn Hoddle, Mark Hughes, Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson, Brendan Rodgers, David Moyes, Mauricio Pochettino, Frank Lampard Answers for 26 August quiz Peter Reid (Manchester City 1993-94; Sunderland, 2002-03; Leeds United 2003-04); Phil Neal (Coventry City, 1994-95); Trevor Francis (Sheffield Wednesday, 1995-96); Alan Ball (Southampton, 1995-96); Bryan Robson (Middlesbrough, 2001-02); Glenn Hoddle (Tottenham Hotspur 2003-04); Sir Bobby Robson (Newcastle United, 2004-05); Paul Ince (Blackburn Rovers, 2008-09); Tony Adams (Portsmouth, 2008-09); Frank Lampard (Chelsea, 2020-21) Answers for 19 August quiz Stephen Pears (United 78-85, Liverpool 95-96); Peter Beardsley (United 82-83, Liverpool 87-91); Paul Ince (United 89-95, Liverpool 97-99); Michael Owen (Liverpool 97-04, United 09-12) Answers for 12 August quiz Ashley Cole, John Terry, Joe Cole, Glen Johnson, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ray Parlour, Sol Campbell, Tony Adams, Ian Wright, Stuart Taylor, Tony Gale, Tim Sherwood, Joe Gomez, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Teddy Sheringham, Paul Ince, Frank Lampard Answers for 5 August quiz 1999-2000, Everton 1-1 Manchester United; 2007-08, Manchester United 0-0 Reading; 2008-09, Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle United; 2015-16, Chelsea 2-2 Swansea City; 2016-17, Hull City 2-1 Leicester City; 2017-18, Chelsea 2-3 Burnley; 2021-22, Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester City Answers for 29 July quiz Man City 2018 (followed by league title in 2019), Man United 2010 (title in 2011) , Chelsea 2009 (title in 2010), Man United 2008 (title in 2009), Man United 2007 (title in 2008), Chelsea 2005 (title in 2006), Man United 1996 (title in 1997), Man United 1993 (title in 1994) Answers for 22 July quiz Jack Grealish, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, Naby Keita, Alisson, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane, David Luiz Answers for 15 July quiz Edwin van der Sar; Dennis Bergkamp; Nwankwo Kanu; Marc Overmars; Nigel De Jong; Jaap Stam; Arjen Robben; Mateja Kezman; Gini Wijnaldum; Alex; Ruud van Nistelrooy Answers for 12 July quiz Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria), Dejan Lovren (Croatia), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Iceland), Mario Balotelli (Italy), Igor Stepanovs (Latvia), Tomasz Kusczcak (Poland), Costel Pantilimon (Romania) Answers for 8 July quiz Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal, Chelsea), Henning Berg (Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United), Gael Clichy (Arsenal, Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Arsenal, Chelsea), Robert Huth (Chelsea, Leicester City), N’Golo Kante (Leicester City, Chelsea), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City, Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City, Liverpool), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United, Manchester City), Kolo Toure (Arsenal, Manchester City) Answers for 1 July quiz Roberto Firmino (71), Gabriel Jesus, Philippe Coutinho, Willian, Juninho Paulista, Oscar, Fernandinho. Answers for 24 June quiz Germany (eight times), Norway (twice) and Sweden (once). Answers for 17 June quiz Jurgen Klinsmann (11 goals); Cristiano Ronaldo (7); Luis Suarez (7); Harry Kane (6); James Rodriguez (6); Davor Suker (6); Thierry Henry (6); Asamoah Gyan (6); Dennis Bergkamp (6); Arjen Robben (6); Robin van Persie (6); Diego Forlan (6) Answers for 10 June quiz Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid); Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund); Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund); Joe Hart (Torino); Tammy Abraham (Roma); Fikayo Tomori (Milan); Wayne Rooney (DC United) Answers for 3 June quiz Gianfranco Zola, Stefan Schwarz, Patrick Kluivert, David Beckham, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Khalid Boulahrouz, Deco, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Marco Materazzi, Asamoah Gyan, Wayne Rooney, Luis Suarez, John Heitinga Answers for 27 May quiz Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich), Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Raul Meireles (Chelsea), Fernando Torres, (Chelsea), Karl-Heinz Riedle (Borussia Dortmund), Jari Litmanen (Ajax), Mario Balotelli (Inter), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Fernando Morientes (Real Madrid), Steve McManaman (Real Madrid), Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid). Answers for 20 May quiz Everton 1994; Coventry City 1997; Everton 1998; Bradford City 2000; West Brom 2005; Wigan 2007; Wigan Athletic 2011 Answers for 13 May quiz Ben Watson, Santi Cazorla, Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Youri Tielemans Answers for 6 May quiz Bayer Leverkusen 2002, Milan 2005, Chelsea 2008, Bayern Munich 2012, Borussia Dortmund 2013 Answers for 29 April quiz Romario; Lilian Thuram; Lothar Matthaus; Gigi Buffon; Mats Hummels; Miroslav Klose; Hugo Lloris; Paul Pogba; Kylian Mbappe; Antoine Griezmann; Gianluca Zambrotta; Cesc Fabregas; Gilberto Silva; Mauro Camoranesi Read More Marcus Rashford a doubt to face Bournemouth Thomas Frank insists there is ‘no doubt’ Ivan Toney’s future is at Brentford Concerns raised over Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy Manchester United Marcus Rashford a doubt to face Bournemouth Thomas Frank insists there is ‘no doubt’ Ivan Toney’s future is at Brentford Concerns raised over Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy Manchester United

Erik ten Hag isn’t quite Erik ten tens. But in a season when Bruno Fernandes has started 54 of United’s 58 games and when, as the de facto captain, he has become even more pivotal, the Manchester United manager has shown an experimental streak, seeking to reinvent others as No. 10s and using the Portuguese in a variety of other roles. If one conclusion may merely echo an opinion at the start of the season – that Fernandes is by far and away United’s best option in the position – Ten Hag’s other gambits have offered intrigue. 1. The Ajax No. 10 Given Donny van de Beek’s excellence for Ten Hag’s Ajax, it was easy to assume his United career could be revived by the appointment of an old ally. Even before the Dutchman’s season was curtailed, however, he had been a bit-part figure. He only made two league starts: one ineffectually in defeat at Aston Villa when Fernandes was suspended and the other against Bournemouth when he suffered a knee injury. The instructive element is that Fernandes operated off the right wing then; it has been a recurring theme. 2. The winger as a No. 10 Jadon Sancho’s outings have tended to come on the flanks but, particularly when he returned to contention in February, Ten Hag showed a willingness to use him in a central area. When Sancho scored against Leicester, with a goal Fernandes set up, it was notable the Portuguese provided the ball from the right for the Englishman in the middle: there was a seeming role reversal then, with Fernandes playing as a winger. Then Ten Hag argued United’s ability to play higher up the pitch would help Sancho; certainly using him in the middle capitalises on his ability between the lines whereas, for a winger, he can lack raw pace. Sancho also operated as No. 10 against Nottingham Forest, Barcelona and Southampton, though Casemiro’s early red card forced a change of plan then. If a striker is signed in the summer and Marcus Rashford can spend all of next season on the left or Alejandro Garnacho kicks on, perhaps Sancho’s future may have to lie more in the middle. 3. The No. 10 who sometimes doesn’t play as a No. 10 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fielded Fernandes almost exclusively as a No. 10. Ralf Rangnick famously, if unsuccessfully, used him as a false nine in a Manchester derby and occasionally tried him off the left, but largely put the Portuguese in his preferred position. It was, nevertheless, a time of diminishing returns from Fernandes, previously hugely productive. Statistically, Fernandes has been less effective as a scorer under Ten Hag, with a mere six league goals, but he has excelled otherwise, fashioning the joint most big chances in the division and ranking top for shot-creating actions; largely as a No. 10, but also in a variety of different ways. Fernandes has exerted an impact when coming off the right, sometimes permitting Ten Hag to field three central midfielders; there are points when he has played more as a No. 8, particularly when Christian Eriksen was injured. Most remarkably, his passing range was used as a quarterback when Casemiro was suspended, especially in victory against Everton. The problem for Ten Hag, perhaps, has been that he ideally needed two Rashfords – one as a left winger, one a centre forward – and two Fernandeses, one as a No. 10 and the other in a deeper or wider role, so he has been compromising. But Ten Hag has appreciated having a risk-taker as a No. 10, a player prepared to lose the ball in a bid to make something happen. If Fernandes has proved more versatile than expected, he has nonetheless remained United’s preeminent fantasista. 4. The defensive midfielder as a No. 10 It didn’t work. Ten Hag rearranged his midfield at Newcastle, putting Scott McTominay at the tip of it, partly to use his energy and tackling prowess to halt Bruno Guimaraes. United produced one of their worst performances of the season. But McTominay believes he is an attacking midfielder and there was greater evidence of the general concept working, albeit with the Scot as a No. 8, when he burst forward to score against Everton, while Fernandes played at the base of the midfield. He has been sidelined since then but the use of McTominay against Newcastle has the feel of a one-off. 5. The loanee as a No. 10 Marcel Sabitzer was hastily borrowed from Bayern Munich when Christian Eriksen was injured. His United career nevertheless peaked, albeit eventually in vain, in Fernandes’ position. A seven-minute, excellent brace against Sevilla seemed to position United to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. The Austrian was altogether less effective in the return fixture, when Fernandes was suspended. Sabitzer does have a background as a scorer when he has got licence to attack – he struck 16 times for Leipzig in 2019-20 – and, against Sevilla, he showed ability to run in behind defences. 6. The strangest No. 10 in Manchester United’s history Few get to start as a No. 10 at the Nou Camp and Anfield in the same season. Fewer still do so in a United shirt, and the logical assumption is that they must be a celebrated talent. Instead, and rather oddly, a status often reserved for the most inventive player in the squad has been granted to Wout Weghorst. A non-scoring striker has largely been a non-creative creator, sometimes offering a nuisance value with the pressing Ten Hag values – to the extent he once praised his fellow Dutchman for his “backwards pressing” – and, all arms and legs, bringing a disruptive element. But if Weghorst’s lack of goals – and, given his height, lack of aerial ability – have attracted attention, it is also notable he has a lone assist in the Premier League. While Weghorst did a decent job against Barcelona, the sight of him as 10 felt an indictment. 7. The No. 10 who hasn’t played as a No. 10 For much of his career, Christian Eriksen has seemed a quintessential No. 10, even if, for much of his time at Tottenham, he was drifting infield to create from a starting role on the right. He adopted a deeper role for Inter Milan and, after a deceptive debut as a false nine in defeat to Brighton, has established himself as Casemiro’s regular partner. Sometimes Eriksen has played more as a No. 8 in what can be a lopsided triangle in midfield. But Eriksen’s diminishing goal return – just one in the Premier League – and shot numbers, compared to his Spurs days, are signs he has been reinvented. He is the former No. 10, now more of a central midfielder. Read More Manchester United’s Charlie Savage wants to make his own name in the game Man United eye Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel amid David de Gea contract talks Bruno Fernandes warns Alejandro Garnacho he cannot relax at Manchester United Christian Eriksen pleased to see Man Utd deal with extra pressure against Wolves ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in Ten Hag finally within sight of matching a past United great... no, not that one

West Ham know an away draw will be enough for them to progress to the Europa Conference League final as they visit AZ Alkmaar. The London club take a 2-1 advantage through to the second half of the tie, fighting back from behind to emerge on top in a relatively even first leg. With Premier League safety almost certain, David Moyes elected to rest some of his first-choice side in the weekend defeat to Brentford to afford them fuller focus on this encounter. But the veteran Scottish manager will be wary of a good AZ team who showed their scoring prowess with a 5-1 victory in the Eredivise between the two legs. Here’s everything you need to know. When is AZ Alkmaar vs West Ham? The second leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final is due to kick-off at 8pm BST on Thursday 18 May at the AFAS Stadion in Alkmaar. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BT Sport 1, with coverage on the channel from 7.15pm BST. Subscribers can also stream the action via the BT Sport app or online player. Confirmed line-ups AZ XI: Ryan; Sugawara, Beukema, Hatzidiakos, Kerkez; Reijnders, Mijnans, Clasie; Odgaard, Pavlidis, Van Brederode. West Ham XI: Areola; Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Antonio. Odds AZ win 32/19 Draw 28/11 West Ham win 17/10 Prediction This one could go all the way to penalties - and end in another European semi-final exit for West Ham. AZ 2-1 West Ham (3-3 agg. - AZ advance on penalties) Read More Luton Town one game from the Premier League after comeback win over Sunderland Inter Milan have already made it clear how they’ll aim to win Champions League final Lioness Leah Williamson invests in Toca to inspire women’s football West Ham boss David Moyes looking to conquer AZ Alkmaar again West Ham won’t consider any Declan Rice bids until season is over Man City brush aside Everton to close in on title as Brighton stun Arsenal

Both Newcastle and Brighton will be looking to finish their campaigns strongly as the two meet with the Premier League season nearing an end. The home side had looked in good position to make certain of a top four finish, but a defeat to Arsenal and draw against Leeds means Eddie Howe’s team cannot afford to stumble home with Liverpool closing fast. Newcastle have a game in hand on the fifth-placed side, but are now only one point ahead in third. Brighton, meanwhile, have European ambitions of their own - they still have four games to play and a win here would solidify their place in a Europa League qualification spot. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Newcastle vs Brighton? Newcastle vs Brighton is due to kick off at 7.30pm BST on Thursday 18 May at St James’ Park in Newcastle. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on the channels from 7pm BST. Subscribers can also stream the action via Sky Go. Team news Newcastle are not thought to have any fresh injury concerns, with Matt Ritchie, Emil Krafth, Sean Longstaff and Jamaal Lascelles the current absentees from Eddie Howe’s squad. The manager paired Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson together against Leeds and could again deploy the pair in forward tandem. Roberto De Zerbi is dealing with a number of injuries, with the Brighton manager particularly short of options on the right side of his defence. There are no new complaints following the win over Arsenal, though, with Julio Enciso’s issue that forced his late removal in that fixture played down by De Zerbi at the conclusion of the match. Predicted line-ups Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Joelinton, Guimaraes, Willock; Almiron, Wilson, Isak. Brighton XI: Steele; Caicedo, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan; Gross, Gilmour; Mitoma, Mac Allister, Enciso; Ferguson. Odds Newcastle win 21/20 Draw 3/1 Brighton win 5/2 Prediction A score draw. Newcastle 2-2 Brighton Read More Liverpool won’t let up in battle for top-four spot, says Jurgen Klopp Howard Webb keen to air more conversations between match officials and VARs Mikel Arteta apologises for Arsenal’s Brighton disaster - ‘You cannot do what we did’ From Netflix disaster to the Premier League? Sunderland seek to leave chaos behind Police charge Leeds fan with assault over Eddie Howe confrontation Fan confronts Howe in technical area during Newcastle’s draw at Leeds

Manchester City produced a sensational performance to defeat Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad and reach the Champions League final. Bernardo Silva scored twice as Pep Guardiola’s side blew the holders away in a breathtaking opening half. Eder Militao’s own goal late on ensured there would be no comeback this time from Real Madrid, before Julian Alvarez added a fourth in stoppage time. Here are how the players rated as City booked a final date with Inter Milan on June 10. Manchester City Ederson, 9 The goalkeeper had been a spectator until Toni Kroos hit a stunning drive from distance that Ederson managed to tip onto the bar. It was a crucial touch - and Bernardo doubled City’s lead moments later. Ederson’s save from David Alaba’s free kick in the second half was just as good. Kyle Walker, 9 The best defensive full-back in the world? On this evidence, absolutely. The right back was sensational against the wonderful Vinicius Junior, particularly with a key piece of tracking back in the first half. Ruben Dias, 9 Has Karim Benzema ever had a quieter game in the Champions League? Dias dominated the Real Madrid striker and clearly won their battle. Manuel Akanji, 9 Erling Haaland aside, he has a case to be the signing of the season. Just so solid defensively and comfortable on the ball. A superb individual defender and Rodrygo was anonymous. John Stones, 8 It’s just so audacious, really, for a centre back to step into a midfield of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos and not just hold your own but be a level above. Stones was magnificent. Rodri, 8 Just so good at making lots of very complicated passes and runs through midfield look so effortlessly simple. Seemed to have the most touches in the game, especially during City’s early dominance. Bernardo Silva, 9 Everywhere and excellent all at once. One of the performances of the season with and without the ball, terrorising the poor Edouardo Camavinga and never allowing Madrid a moment to settle. Two goals as well? An incredible player. Kevin De Bruyne, 9 Picked out a stunning pass for Bernardo’s opener and was as dangerous as you would expect from pretty much every position and angle on the pitch. His vision is out of this world and he produced a second assist of the night with his free-kick that went in off Militao. Ilkay Gundogan, 8 His awareness, particularly when close to his own goal, is wonderful. Cruised through a lot of the game. Booked for a lunge on Vinicius. Jack Grealish, 7 The winger gave Davi Carvajal a torrid time and his work rate was excellent once again. His delivery was perhaps not as dangerous as it could have been. Erling Haaland, 7 Should have had the opener but was denied by the brilliant Courtois - twice, and then for a third time in the second half! Haaland was ultimately denied even if he repeatedly troubled Eder Militao before then. Manchester City were still superior. Substitutes Riyad Mahrez: Added fresh legs with the tie beyond Madrid. 6 Phil Foden: Like Mahrez, brought on to cause similar discomfort and provided the assist for City’s fourth. 6 Julian Alvarez: A late run around quickly turned into a fine, low finish to make it 4-0. 6 Real Madrid Thibaut Courtois, 9 Produced a stunning save to deny Halaand’s header from close range - and then came up with an even better one to again stop Haaland’s header. One of the best saves you’ll see. Dani Carvajal, 4 The right back looked terrified of Grealish and dealt with him by backing off. Eder Militao, 4 Looked to match Antonio Rudiger’s intensity and aggression in his duel against Haaland, but struggled to get the balance right. Often left gaps in behind. David Alaba, 5 The versatile defender had to make a couple of last-ditch headers at the back post but the problems stemmed from in front of him. Forced an excellent save out of Ederson with a dipping free-kick. Eduardo Camavinga, 4 Involved in an intense battle with Bernardo that he would probably rather forget. City targeted his side. Federico Valverde, 3 Completely anonymous in the first half and barely had a touch. Toni Kroos, 4 The midfielder had Madrid’s first shot and he was unlucky with what was a brilliant effort from range. Struggled with the movement around him in midfield. Luka Modric, 4 A difficult night for the peerless Modric - who like Kross was overwhelmed by City’s pace and passing. The fact he was taken off after an hour was telling. Rodrygo, 3 Another Madrid no-show. The hero from last year’s semi-final was barely involved, but he was not the only one. Karim Benzema, 2 No chances, no threat, no comeback from Madrid’s talisman - the difference from last season is quite remarkable. Vinicius Junior, 4 The dangerous winger spent too long being forced back towards his box in the first half and then couldn’t break free from the excellent Walker when he was afforded space. Substitutes Antonio Rudiger: Surprisingly dropped to the bench, the damage had been done when he came on. 6 Marco Asensio: Did little of note. 5 Aurelien Tchouameni Fresh legs in midfield as Carlo Ancelotti looked to stymie City. 5 Lucas Vazquez: In for booked Carvajal against slippery Grealish. 5 Dani Ceballos: Part of triple change aimed at damage limitation. 5 Read More Man City reach perfection with Real Madrid humiliation that raises complicated questions Bernardo Silva’s unique talents lead Man City’s evisceration of Real Madrid Man City’s greatest Champions League night, Real Madrid need Jude Bellingham and five things we learned Real Madrid at critical juncture after impotent Champions League exit Man City reach perfection with Real Madrid humiliation that raises complex questions We had to swallow poison – Pep Guardiola delighted to get revenge on Real Madrid

Two games down, one point earned, two fixtures remaining. Sam Allardyce’s task at Leeds United was never going to be an easy one, and now looks harder still despite doing what he had hoped for prior to hosting Newcastle United on Saturday - namely getting some type of result. An eventual 2-2 draw only scratches the surface of a match of a madness, on the pitch and beside it. Three penalties, two scored; one fan, confronting Eddie Howe; deflected goals, missed chances, one comeback and then another. The build-up to the game had been faux-dominated by the touchline presence of Newcastle’s assistant, bizarrely; Jason Tindall might have made tongue-in-cheek headlines ahead of kick-off but this fixture was only ever likely to be about what Allardyce could get out of his players, instead. And, it’s fair to note, he got plenty out of them. Hard work, an energetic start, good organisation through the centre of the park, runners up in support of the forward: it’s likely Allardyce feels he saw enough of his own instructions carried out to have warranted a victory for his team. Except, there’s another side to Leeds. The reason they were fun to watch at first, and then a nightmare. The reason they are in the Premier League relegation zone with two left to play. They are a team of absolute madness, of chaos and ill-advised decisions, and it is this more than anything related to Newcastle’s own quality which meant the three points didn’t stay at Elland Road. Leeds have had three very different managers with very different approaches in the last couple of seasons, even before Allardyce’s appointment. His is a routine and obvious one: plug gaps in double-quick time. Make the team difficult to beat. Scrape points to survive; in other words, perform his firefighting routine but with even less room to manoeuvrethan usual. An easy job description, but a supremely difficult job. And that would be in the normal course of events. But this is Leeds. This is a team built on instinct and adventure, on emotion, on trying to learn new coaching and tactical instructions every few months this season. All of that combined has only added to the chaotic nature of the squad, which is already a mentally brittle one which lacks composure or control. How else to explain a match in which not losing is of paramount importance, yet a team still manages to give away two penalties, miss one of their own and receive a red card between them? That’s even without going into the minutae of the game. Weston McKennie could have conceded another spot-kick for an aerial barge. Junior Firpo could have been dismissed long before he actually was. Then there’s the off-pitch comments from the boss himself. It’s tough to know what the real gameplan here from Allardyce was, and whether or not it worked. Comparing himself to Pep Guardiola and the like was never likely to be more than a sideshow, and he says it worked as it relieved pressure from his players. So would they otherwise have been beaten by more goals in that match than they were? Allardyce didn’t match, or out-coach, Guardiola. His team didn’t earn a shock result as a consequence of being freed from scrutiny. And another game later, they’ve brought even more focus back on themselves as a result of further poor decision-making. Even so, it’s hard not to make a case that a step forward was still taken against Newcastle, not just because of the point earned, but because they started the match in positive fashion and ended it by earning a point they looked to have thrown away themselves. Getting more men ahead of the ball and into the area was a notable alteration. The use of McKennie further forward, the aggressive stepping out of defence when needed, the quick switches through midfield - these all benefited Leeds during the match. But the madness didn’t this time. The silly challenges, the unnecessary aggression in non-threatening positions, the wasted moments of panic in the final third - Leeds cannot afford them any longer. For Allardyce, a pragmatist with little rope right now, it might simply be a case of not having certain players in the team is the only way to fix it in the time he has. Some of this is already happening: Illan Meslier has been removed from the side. Firpo will now be forced to follow suit through suspension. Results have to come and while Allardyce looks to have put a few elements in place which can help secure them, Leeds’ own habit of shooting themselves in the foot is not one he has time to rectify. Individual sacrifices, rather than cultural turnarounds, will need be the order of the day if they are to survive. Read More Ex-Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa gets new coaching job Police charge Leeds fan with assault over Eddie Howe confrontation Fan confronts Howe in technical area during Newcastle’s draw at Leeds Leeds keep chaotic season alive with late draw against Newcastle Leeds vs Newcastle LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Leeds win over Newcastle would leave Allardyce ‘50 per cent’ sure of survival

The Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has raised his bid for Manchester United by making a fourth and last-ditch offer for the club, which is understood to be closer to £5 billion. The businessman has made a late intervention after the lifelong United fan, and petrochemicals billionaire, Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted his third bid which valued United at a higher figure. As with all of Sheikh Jassim’s previous proposals, he is trying to buy 100 percent of the club, where the Glazer family are current majority shareholders. The Qatari has also pledged to clear United’s debt of £536 million and has promised a separate fund directed at the club and the community. Ratcliffe’s most recent bid allowed Joel and Avram Glazer, two of the six siblings whose father, Malcolm, bought the club in 2005, to retain a stake while aiming to complete a takeover in the next few years. The American merchant bank the Raine Group are overseeing the process for the Glazers. There have been three previous rounds of bids, without seeming to meet the Glazers’ valuation, though Ratcliffe had emerged as the favourite to complete a deal. Read More Eddie Howe: Football must learn from my confrontation with fan Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving You’re asking the wrong person – Emma Hayes not interested in title permutations