List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

Gary Lineker will receive a ‘Sport and Human Rights’ award at a ceremony in Rome next week. The former England striker, who is the BBC’s lead football presenter, is described as a “staunch advocate for the rights of refugees and migrants” in a release confirming the award from human rights organisation Amnesty International. Lineker was taken off air by the broadcaster in March after posting a tweet in which he said the language used by the Government to promote its asylum plans was not dissimilar to 1930s Germany. He later returned to his Match Of The Day presenting role following a boycott by top on-air talent. The ‘Sport and Human Rights’ award, now in its fifth year, is part of a collaboration between Amnesty International and the Italian organisation Sport4Society, and is designed to highlight outstanding contributions to human rights in the field of sport. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

A final flash of his bright smile and Roberto Firmino will depart Anfield for the last time on Saturday, marking the end of a chapter in the story of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure as manager. There will be few Liverpool fans who do not wish him well. He has been one of the most beloved members of the team and led the forward line to their first league title in 30 years in 2020. An entire generation of Reds supporters have grown up watching the Brazilian No 9, and at least a few will surely shed a tear when he leaves the club at the end of the season after eight years. Some will criticise Klopp for his efforts and ultimate failure, after it emerged the manager wished and was unable to keep Firmino for another season, but it seems to be a fitting time to mark the end of an era. After all, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz have all been signed since January 2022 with an eye to the future. Firmino is one of just five senior Liverpool players whose arrival on Merseyside pre-dated German manager Klopp, and one of two to be departing this summer. James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will also leave when their contracts expire at the end of the current season. For Firmino, he joined the club as a 23-year-old in 2015 for a reported £29m, becoming the club’s then second most expensive player as Liverpool tried to re-establish themselves in the top four. Having been signed as an attacking midfielder, and one who started life out on the wing under Brendan Rodgers, it was a slight surprise when he ultimately thrived in the middle of a front three. His eight years have spanned the rise of the club from being rooted outside the Champions League places to Premier League and European champions. The years in between also included a global pandemic and the dismal behind-closed-doors fixtures. Ahead of Liverpool’s match against Aston Villa on 20 May, it is worth looking at the numbers. Firmino has scored 109 times in all competitions: 80 in the league, and has notched up 72 assists. The figures show that Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah would undoubtedly not have been as prolific as they were without Firmino, who set up the Egyptian 22 times and Mane 17. There are moments that will live far longer in the memory than others, however. He slotted seamlessly into Liverpool’s most prolific strike force for decades alongside Mane and Salah, winning every major domestic trophy and the Champions League and Club World Cup during his eight years on Merseyside. Fans will be divided over their favourite Firmino moment, and there are a few to choose from. Would it be his hat-trick in a comeback 5-1 win over Arsenal in December 2018? His last-gasp winner against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League group stages the year Liverpool went on to lift the trophy? His extra-time strike to see Liverpool crowned Club World Cup champions for the first time, with a 1-0 win over Flamengo in 2019? The forward has already received one farewell from the fans, when he was serenaded throughout the final minutes of Liverpool’s 3-0 win at Leicester on Monday, despite not stepping onto the field, but it will be the final Anfield departure that will truly feel like the end of an era. Read More Jurgen Klopp given touchline ban by FA after comments over referee James Milner came to Liverpool and won the lot - an era ends with his departure Liverpool confirm departures of midfield trio Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson anticipating new challenge as midfield overhaul begins Liverpool captain Henderson ready for new challenge as overhaul begins On this day 2016 – Liverpool lose to Sevilla in Europa League final Liverpool confirm departures of midfield trio

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

Thomas Frank said Ivan Toney’s future will be at Brentford after the striker was handed an eight-month ban for gambling offences. The 27-year-old was found by the Football Association to have committed 232 breaches of its betting rules between 2017 and 2021. It means Brentford’s top scorer will now not play again until January 2024, with the suspension also prohibiting him from working with his team-mates at the club’s training ground until September. The FA indicated on Thursday it will apply to FIFA to have the ban extended worldwide, thereby ruling out the possibility of Toney being loaned abroad for the duration. He has scored 20 of Brentford’s 54 Premier League goals this season as well as having made his debut for Gareth Southgate’s England side in what has been a breakthrough year for the former Peterborough forward. Despite the suspension, Frank indicated that Toney will still have a future at the Gtech Stadium, though the club are awaiting clarification on the finer points of the punishment. “I’ve been in contact with him. He’s disappointed and sad about the situation,” said Frank. “His future is with Brentford, there’s no doubt about that. “We are waiting for the information so we know what we can do. What he’s allowed to do, especially for the first four months. “One thing is for sure, we will do everything to be there for him, support him and be aware of the mental health in it. “He’s made some mistakes, but we need to be there, and want to be there, for him and help him. We just need to know what we are allowed to do.” Toney was first charged with 262 betting offences in November and December, with the FA later withdrawing 30 of the charges. He admitted to the remaining 232 in February, but it took a further three months for the punishment to be decided upon. The charges stretch back to when he was a Newcastle player on loan at Scunthorpe and cover his time at Peterborough and his first years at Brentford. Frank was asked for his views on the link between football and the gambling industry, particularly since Brentford carry the name of an online gambling site on their shirts. He said that owing to the length of the ban, it was important that the club consider the mental health implications for the England striker. “It is a challenge, for me personally, all the advertising for gambling done by clubs (and) individuals in the game, I think that’s an issue,” he said. “I don’t know the full details of how much support or education the authorities provide. I know the Premier League and FA have a lot of initiatives in place that try to educate people out there. “Education is the key thing. Across the world, education is the number one thing if you want to change a culture and mindset. That takes a lot of hard work and patience. “We need to be aware of the mental health in this. Ivan is a footballer but he is also a human being that has family, a partner, young children, a mum and dad, siblings and friends and he has been on the front pages quite a lot. “We need to do whatever to support him in that aspect.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Michael Vaughan to return to BBC cricket coverage this summer Concerns raised over Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy Manchester United Michael Vaughan to return to BBC cricket coverage this summer

An LGBTQ+ activist from Qatar says “people need to be worried” about Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy Manchester United. Dr Nasser Mohamed, who now lives in San Francisco in the United States, sees the efforts to acquire United as part of a “pattern” of purchases by individuals or funds connected to Qatar, and says global brands in multiple sectors are “surrendering control to an authoritarian regime”. Sheikh Jassim made an improved fourth bid to buy 100 per cent of the club and clear United’s debts on Tuesday but faces competition from chemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Sources close to Sheikh Jassim have repeatedly insisted he is bidding alone as a private individual, without any direct or indirect support from the Qatari state or any of the country’s sovereign wealth funds. Many United fans appear to see Sheikh Jassim’s bid as preferable, amid reports Ratcliffe’s bid would be structured to allow current co-owners Avram and Joel Glazer to maintain a minority stake. But Dr Mohamed, whose Alwan Foundation seeks to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community across the Middle East, told the PA news agency: “The sad reality is that everybody has a price. “People need to be worried. Surrendering control to an authoritarian regime, giving them more and more with the money that they have… (Qatar) is doing this everywhere. By controlling a big team like (United), they will continue to grow in their influence and their voice and their presence. Dr Nasser Mohamed “They’re doing it through real estate. They’re doing it in fashion, they’re doing it in sports, they’re doing it in tech, and they’re gaining control. And you really need to be worried. “It’s the same pattern, right? It’s establishing dominance and having influence over people. And by controlling a big team like (United), they will continue to grow in their influence and their voice and their presence. “As a global community, should we let people with money basically do what they want to unchecked, with nobody stopping them? “Can anybody stop them from doing anything? People want oil and gas from the region and that is impacting our ability to push back on it. “There are people with this insane amount of power that can just go in and do whatever they want, and nobody can stop them.” Even if the Premier League did establish there was state involvement or control of United, it is unclear if new rules around human rights in the league’s owners’ and directors’ test would be a barrier, because Qatar and members of its government are not the subject of human rights sanctions from the UK government. Dr Mohamed says conditions in Qatar for its LGBTQ+ community have returned to how they were prior to the World Cup. Dr Mohamed, who says he is directly in contact via social media with more than 100 members of the community, spoke prior to the World Cup about the persecution he alleges the community faced from the country’s Preventive Security Department, including detention, beatings and forced conversion therapy. He said there had been a period of calm in the two months immediately after the World Cup, but said shortly before the start of Ramadan in March “the crazies came back out”. “Arrests happened again, another round of them,” he added. “And the intrusive searches in the airports, the hunting, all of the things that they were doing (before the World Cup) are back again as of a month and a half ago.” The Qatar government said in October last year that claims of mistreatment of the LGBTQ+ community contained in a report by Human Rights Watch were “unequivocally false” and that the country “does not tolerate discrimination against anyone”. He also criticised the countries involved in the OneLove campaign during the World Cup for failing to offer practical support to the Alwan Foundation, which recently was able to provide a scholarship for a transgender person from Qatar who has resettled in England. FIFA threatened the seven European nations involved, including England and Wales, with sanctions starting at a yellow card for their captains if the rainbow-coloured armbands were worn. Germany’s players covered their mouths in a team photograph prior to their match against Japan, with their coach Hansi Flick saying they had wanted to convey the message that FIFA was silencing them. “I did meet the presidents of the FAs who were going to wear the OneLove armband. I gave them an hour’s talk about driving change. They were like, ‘cool, that’s good to know’ – and they just walked away,” Dr Mohamed said. “You have the Germany team, they made the whole gesture – they didn’t put a single dollar towards the cause. Why are you making a scene? What’s the point? “If you’re going to speak about an issue that’s difficult, let’s be solution-oriented. Let’s not just be provocative for the sake of being provocative. You know, like that just is not helpful.” The Football Association declined to comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Michael Vaughan to return to BBC cricket coverage this summer Manchester United could be without Marcus Rashford for Bournemouth game Sam Allardyce wants positive Patrick Bamford response to social media threats

Manchester United could again be without Marcus Rashford for their Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Saturday. The forward missed last weekend’s victory over Wolves with a leg injury but has trained all week and had been expected to be available before going down with illness. Manager Erik ten Hag said: “Rashy trained well the whole week but today he reported he doesn’t feel well, so he is ill. We have to see how he recovers during the day and then see tomorrow.” Defeats against Brighton and West Ham prior to the victory over Wolves coupled with Liverpool’s strong finish to the season have put United’s Champions League hopes in some jeopardy. They have a one-point advantage and a game in hand on their big rivals but can ill afford any more slip-ups. Ten Hag only has to look across the city to see the level United are aspiring to return to, but he knows finishing in the top four is key to everything. “When I see this project, first of all it’s important to get in the Champions League,” he said. “I don’t think today at that standard, I look to the next game, and that’s Bournemouth. When I see this project, first of all it's important to get in the Champions League Erik ten Hag “We have to win that game to get in the Champions League. We have everything in our hands so focus on the game, the games coming up, the first game is the most important.” The ongoing takeover process is also creating a cloud of uncertainty over United’s plans for next season, but Ten Hag said only of the club’s hierarchy: “We are talking every day.” Bournemouth hovered near the bottom of the table for much of the season but have pulled themselves out of trouble impressively, boasting recent wins over Liverpool and Tottenham. Ten Hag praised the job done by Gary O’Neil, saying: “As far as I can see, I think it’s really brilliant a club as Bournemouth, they are in the Premier League and already three games before the end of the season they are definitely next season in the Premier League as well. “It’s a massive performance from them. It’s a good team, there’s a really good structure. You can see clear patterns, so well done.” Scott McTominay is expected to be available to face Bournemouth but on-loan midfielder Marcel Sabitzer will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Asked whether the Bayern Munich player could have a future at Old Trafford, Ten Hag said: “We will see. It’s not our main focus, the main focus is Bournemouth.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sam Allardyce wants positive Patrick Bamford response to social media threats Roberto De Zerbi: Brighton will be ready for fixture pile-up next season A look at the greatest comebacks in sporting history

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is confident his players will be ready for a first European adventure if they manage to grasp the prize dangling before them. The Seagulls suffered a setback on Thursday evening when they went down 4-1 at Newcastle in the battle of the Premier League’s top-six gatecrashers. However, they return to action against relegated Southampton on Sunday knowing wins in two of their last three games – against the Saints, champions elect Manchester City and Aston Villa – will secure a place in the top six and the rewards that would bring. Reflecting on a bruising evening on Tyneside, De Zerbi said: “We are not used to playing three games in a week and we suffered a lot. “There are many players – for example Moises Caicedo, Pervis [Estupinan] in the first half – they didn’t play well, but I love them. They have to learn to play two games in four days. “Next year we will be better, we will be ready to play every day.” The defeat at St James’ Park came in Brighton’s fourth game in 15 days, a run which includes famous victories over Manchester United and Arsenal, but also a 5-1 home drubbing by Everton. De Zerbi felt he had no option but to leave on-loan Chelsea defender Levi Colwill out of the matchday squad in the north east with Alexis Mac Allister, Julio Enciso and Evan Ferguson starting on the bench. With injuries biting deep into his squad – he was also without Solly March, Adam Lallana, Adam Webster, Joel Veltman, Jakub Moder, Jeremy Sarmiento, Enock Mwepu and Tariq Lamptey – the Italian admitted he had been presented with a selection headache. However, he added: “Yes, but we have to be strong in a difficult period, a tough period. I don’t like making any excuses, but we have eight, nine, I don’t know, I don’t remember how many injuries we have now. “We are playing four games in 12 days. The first XI today, Colwill wasn’t available to play, Mac Allister can’t play 90 minutes today and 90 minutes on Sunday, Welbeck, Buonanotte, Gilmour and Undav the same.” De Zerbi expects to have 20-year-old Colwill, who was rested at Newcastle as a result of fatigue, back in the fold for Sunday’s game. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Leeds boss Sam Allardyce has urged Patrick Bamford to respond to threats made on social media by scoring the winner at West Ham on Sunday. Allardyce also wants “the police to do a lot more” after Bamford’s penalty miss in last week’s home draw against Newcastle prompted online abuse directed at both the striker and his family. Leeds issued a statement this week condemning the threats posted on Twitter and Allardyce said: “He’s been OK, he’s obviously extremely upset about the situation. It’s something which leaves a very, very bad taste indeed. “I would like the police to do a lot more, but it appears when it’s social media, they rule and run the world and can say and do what they want unfortunately, which is why the world is in such a big mess, isn’t it? “He’s handled it pretty well, I think the club gave him as much support as he needed, particularly security-wise. “It wasn’t just about him, it was about his family. The best way to respond is to go out on the pitch on Sunday, perform to his highest level, try and score. “And it would be even greater if he scored the winner. Hopefully it won’t affect his performance.” Leeds are desperate for all three points at West Ham in their bid to climb out of the relegation zone and cling on to their top-flight status. They sit third from bottom, one point from safety, with Sunday’s trip to the London Stadium followed by a home game against Tottenham on the final day. West Ham reached the Europa Conference League final with victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday and Allardyce hopes his former club’s success could play to Leeds’ advantage. He said: “They’ve got a final to think about, haven’t they? Subconsciously, you’ll never know whether that may affect the players in terms of when they go out and play. “They’ll go out and play and try their best, (but) subconsciously, they won’t want to get injured. “So they might be a little more tentative, who knows? But my job is about my team playing to the best they possibly can play.” Leeds will be without suspended defender Junior Firpo on Sunday, but skipper Liam Cooper has returned to training and could be included in the squad. Tyler Adams (hamstring), Luis Sinisterra (ankle) and Stuart Dallas (fractured femur) remain long-term absentees. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Roberto De Zerbi: Brighton will be ready for fixture pile-up next season A look at the greatest comebacks in sporting history Mikel Arteta: Granit Xhaka’s future at Arsenal to be decided at end of season

Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle will need two XIs of equal quality to cope with the rigours of European football next season. The Magpies secured a Europa League campaign at worst with Thursday night’s 4-1 Premier League victory over Brighton, and will play in the Champions League if they win one of their two remaining games of the current campaign, which continues with struggling Leicester’s trip to St James’ Park on Monday. Asked what that would mean for the summer transfer window, Howe, who has been allowed to spend in excess of £250million to date, replied: “It’s a good question. We need to figure that out. “If you have a strong squad, rotation will be important. Rotation is going to be important, utilising the whole squad is going to be important. “We haven’t felt the necessity to necessarily do that on a consistent basis because we’ve been in one competition – of course, we had the cup run. We have rotated to a degree, but maybe not in the numbers that we might need to next year. “If you’re going to do that, then the squad needs to be strong enough, so if you put out two XIs, they’re of equal strength.” The strength of Howe’s current squad could be put to the test on Monday evening with his midfield resources stretched severely in the aftermath of an energy-sapping clash with the Seagulls. Joe Willock was helped from the pitch in some discomfort with a hamstring injury which the Magpies fear will end his season with two games to go, while Bruno Guimaraes has been nursing a persistent ankle problem in recent months. Howe said as he conducted his pre-match press conference: “Today I’ll be going straight to the physio room, to be honest, after this to see how everybody is. We’ve got a few concerns. “The lads gave so much yesterday to the game, they’ve given a lot to the season physically and I just hope there’s no serious effects. “It looks like Joe Willock may be in trouble with his hamstring – we might lose him for the season, but that’s unclear as I sit here now. Fingers crossed our team will still be strong.” He succumbed to that brick wall last night, it seemed to hurt him. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe Even redoubtable Brazilian Joelinton is feeling the effects of a gruelling campaign after running himself into the ground in the club’s cause. Howe, who is not anticipating having either Sean Longstaff or Jacob Murphy back available to face the Foxes, said: “He’s a machine. He’d literally – it’s a well-used phrase in football – run through a brick wall for the team, the club and I think he does every game. “He succumbed to that brick wall last night, it seemed to hurt him, but we hope he’s okay. He’s just been incredible for us this year.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Mikel Arteta: Granit Xhaka’s future at Arsenal to be decided at end of season Sean Dyche: The only table that matters is the one at the end of the season Julen Lopetegui thrilled with Wolves progress since his first clash with Everton

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted discussions over the future of Granit Xhaka will wait until the end of the season. Xhaka has been central to the Gunners’ title bid this campaign but is approaching the final 12 months of his deal at the Emirates Stadium. Bayer Leverkusen are interested in taking the Switzerland international back to Germany, where the midfielder played for four years with Borussia Monchengladbach before he moved to England in 2016. It has been a rollercoaster journey for Xhaka at Arsenal but his manager is eager to finish strongly in the final two games before he switches his attention to a number of contract scenarios. Arteta said: “The clarity is there. He is a player that has played I think every minute since I have been the manager. “He is an incredibly respected figure at the club. He has a great story around him with what he has achieved at the club in going through very tough moments and he is a key and very important part of us. “Whatever happens is something we will discuss, certainly not now.” Second-placed Arsenal have faced some criticism this week after their 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton left Manchester City on the brink of a fifth Premier League victory in six years. Pep Guardiola’s side can defend their crown this weekend if the Gunners lose at Nottingham Forest on Saturday or if City can beat Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium a day later. Arteta, in a thinly-veiled dig at their detractors, stated they have been up against one of the best teams ever. “We have shown this season,” Arteta replied when asked if Arsenal can be title contenders again next season. “We’re still there, with two games to go we can still be champions against probably the best team in Premier League history. “For 10 months we’re still there. There’s two games still to go and we’re not going to bottle that for sure. “What happens next season will depend on what we do, how we evolve and how we start. That prediction is very difficult to do today.” Quizzed on the level of the squad, with Champions League football to come next term, Arteta conceded improvements will need to be made before Arsenal return to Europe’s top competition. “At the level that we want? No. We didn’t have the capacity to do that as well with the Europa League so it’s part of that evolution,” he explained. “We have made a lot of good steps and strong steps in that journey and we have to continue. That never ends. “We want to be better and the rest will be better, then the margins will be higher and we have to start to live with those standards and improve and be smarter.” We’re still there, with two games to go we can still be champions against probably the best team in Premier League history. Mikel Arteta Arsenal received positive news on Thursday when Aaron Ramsdale agreed a new long-term deal with the club. It will keep Ramsdale contracted to the Gunners until the summer of 2026, the PA news agency understands. Arteta is confident the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba will follow. He added: “Delighted with the news for Aaron. He fully deserves that new contract, that extension and we want to keep our talent at the club and we want to build on that. “There are a few more who are very relevant for us to continue with that relationship. We’re working on that. “We are trying (with Saliba). We are having conversations and we are trying to maintain the talent we have at the club as I said before, but things take time. “You have to agree it. There are different parties involved. I think everybody’s intention is the same and hopefully we’ll find the right solution.” Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) and Gabriel Martinelli (ankle) will not feature again this season. “Gabi’s is a pretty nasty injury, we need to assess in the next week how long he’ll be out for,” Arteta said. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Eddie Howe knows Newcastle will have to carefully manage European football Sean Dyche: The only table that matters is the one at the end of the season Julen Lopetegui thrilled with Wolves progress since his first clash with Everton

Phil Jones will look back fondly on 12 years at Manchester United despite admitting to “difficult days” in his battle with injuries after it was announced he will be leaving the club in the summer. The 31-year-old will depart Old Trafford at the end of his contract, having been blighted by injuries for much of his stay. The defender, who joined from Blackburn in 2011, played 229 times, scoring six goals for United and helping them win one Premier League title, an FA Cup and the Europa League. Jones, who is yet to decide whether he will carry on playing, said in an open letter on Twitter: “It’s always tough to leave a club. I did so already with Blackburn Rovers, all those years ago aged only 19, but I could never imagine what was to follow. “My time at United has been nothing short of incredible. “It’s not a time to be sad. It’s a time to look back, for me and my family, and be happy that I managed to live a dream at United. “I can always say to my family and friends that not many people get to play for this club, to always be in its history and to be able to look back with such happy memories. I lived a dream at the biggest club in the world. I played for England in major tournaments. At United, I won trophies, most notably the Premier League under Sir Alex, in his final season Phil Jones “I wish Erik (ten Hag) and his staff, and all the players, the best of luck for the future. He’s building something here and I’ll be watching, supporting, and hoping, more than anyone, that he can continue the progress we can all see already. “I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me at Manchester United, where I’ve made friends for life. “But, most of all, my family, who stuck by me through everything. The biggest one to my wife and two beautiful girls. I cannot put into words the support you’ve given me. We’ve stuck together and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.” Jones has not played in over a year and managed only 13 appearances since the start of the 2019/20 season and has revealed the turmoil injuries played on him. “I wish I could have played more. I wish I could have given more to the many squads I played alongside,” he added. “I will say, from the bottom of my heart, I did everything I could. I did everything the medical team asked of me. “I never left a stone unturned in the pursuit of living my dream and having the opportunity to represent Manchester United on the pitch. I spent some difficult days away from my family, rehabilitating and recovering away from everyone, recuperating away from the training pitch, which I was desperate to get back to. “I’ve said before that I found it hard to even speak to my team-mates because I was hurt that I couldn’t help them. I was hurt that my family couldn’t see me on matchdays, and you feel like you’re letting people down. “Sometimes, in life, things happen that we don’t like, but we have to learn to accept it and be at peace in our minds that we did everything we could to overcome the challenges. In your career, and life, that’s all we can really do. “I lived a dream at the biggest club in the world. I played for England in major tournaments. At United, I won trophies, most notably the Premier League under Sir Alex, in his final season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sean Dyche: The only table that matters is the one at the end of the season Julen Lopetegui thrilled with Wolves progress since his first clash with Everton Sam Allardyce urges ‘police to do a lot more’ about social media abuse

Everton manager Sean Dyche insists he puts no significance on being outside the bottom three in the relegation battle until the final day of the season. Rivals’ results meant even after a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend the team did not drop into the relegation zone. A Saturday 3pm kick-off at Wolves means Dyche’s side have the chance to crank up the pressure on Leeds and Leicester, in 18th and 19th place, who play on Sunday and Monday respectively. Only a third away victory of the season would take the Toffees five points clear and ensure they kept their destiny in their own hands. It would also leave the Foxes needing to win their final two games while Leeds would require at least four points to survive. But Dyche is not interested in doing the maths even at this late stage. “I don’t stare at the league. I stare at the performances, I stare at the group, I stare at the prep, I stare at the strategy, I stare at all these things, the tactics, these are the things I’m obsessing with,” he said. “It’s not about the league table at this stage. I’ve said it for weeks, the one at the end of the season is the most important. “Of course we all debate it and look at it during a season, of course we do, but the one at the end of the season, that’s the most important, the one we’re looking to be above the line on. “I think we’ve just stayed very clear-minded, trying to take away the layers of noise around our group to make sure we’re focused on the game. “That’s all we look to do, others can do however they wish.” The Everton manager also tried to play down the significance of playing ahead of their rivals on the penultimate weekend of the season. “You can look at it either way, I’ve been on either side of it,” he said. “Last club, this club, whether you feel the game is on the right day or wrong day, that’s just the way it goes. The schedule is what it is, you have to deal with it. “You have to play regardless of what the challenge is. I’ve always looked at it that way so therefore I can’t change the goalposts from someone else’s point of view. “From my point of view, whenever the game is, it’s about taking it on.” Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has returned to training after a groin problem forced him off against City and is in contention for Saturday’s squad. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Julen Lopetegui thrilled with Wolves progress since his first clash with Everton Sam Allardyce urges ‘police to do a lot more’ about social media abuse UEFA to investigate after AZ Alkmaar fans confront West Ham players’ families