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Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson refuses to step on Gareth Southgate’s toes when it comes to Eberechi Eze despite a two-goal afternoon from the England hopeful. The 24-year-old netted either side of half-time at Selhurst Park to lift his side to a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth, who could still secure their mathematical Premier League safety this weekend depending on results elsewhere. Eze was believed to have been amongst the names on England boss Southgate’s long-list ahead of the World Cup, but former national team manager Hodgson made clear he would not try to influence any decisions about his midfielder’s international future. He said: “It’s a question for Gareth I’m afraid, Gareth and [assistant manager] Steve Holland. I know they follow the team, our team closely, they follow the players, so what I’ve seen they will have seen and it will be totally and utterly up to them if they decide if what they’re seeing is what they’re looking for. “No one would be happier for Ebs if he got selected, but I’m certainly not going to be the person who starts making those suggestions and telling the national team coach what he should do. “I had four years of people telling me what I should be doing, so I made a definite rule that if I ever got back into club football no one is every going to pick up a newspaper, Gareth Southgate, and hear ‘Roy Hodgson thinks’. “Roy Hodgson thinks what he thinks, and if Gareth ever wants to know what I’m thinking he knows where to find me, and we’re close enough friends for him to ask me.” Eze, who has now netted 10 times for Palace this season, has thrived since Hodgson’s arrival in March and has credited the 75-year-old manager for an uptick in performance. His first goal against the Cherries came as a result of some fine work from Wilfried Zaha, who evaded his marker and sent the ball in the direction of Jordan Ayew, who flicked the ball backwards to his team-mate for a neat finish after 39 minutes. Michael Olise then became the first player in Palace history to pick up 10 assists in a single Premier League season when his long ball found Eze after the restart to set up a mazy run ending in an impossible save for Neto in the top right corner. O’Neil’s side have all but assured themselves top-flight safety, but Saturday’s result means they may not have the chance to secure it on the pitch if results at Everton and Leicester, on Sunday and Monday respectively, go in their favour. It will still be another week before Bournemouth can take their campaign to 40 points, but O’Neil himself will be turning the big 4-0 on his birthday this Thursday. He said: “I won’t be celebrating. We’ll get to the end of the season and reflect on everything. I’ll have a clearer picture on what we have achieved, what we had and where we fell short, where we need to improve, what we’ve done well. “In the summer I’ll give myself a small amount of time before we get ready for next season. “Hopefully it’s mathematically done. We were looking to take care of ourselves today, but I think the fact that we were all but safe with four to go is a big achievement for the group and they should be very proud of what they have achieved. “But a nice little reminder for them today that if you take your foot off the gas and you try and stand still then things can go past you very, very quickly.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Frank Lampard urges Chelsea to be more ruthless after Nottingham Forest draw Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation Notts County back in EFL with sub goalkeeper Archie Mair the shoot-out hero

For Erik ten Hag, the soundtrack to an afternoon on the touchline consisted of plenty of choruses celebrating a predecessor. And not even his most celebrated predecessor, even though Sir Alex Ferguson watched on from the directors’ box as Ten Hag secured a first victory in three games. But it took Manchester United a step closer to the Champions League, a competition that defines Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. And as Solskjaer made his first return to Old Trafford since his sacking 18 months ago, memories of 1999, of the Nou Camp and of Bayern Munich being beaten in injury time, lingered. His legendary status has not been diminished by his disastrous final few months in the dugout. Ten Hag has rejuvenated and roused United after inheriting a mess and yet, Solskjaer is entitled to argue, he is only on course to emulate him. The Norwegian twice secured Champions League qualification as a manager; Ten Hag only needs two more wins to follow in his footsteps after a victory that stemmed from the inspiration offered by Solskjaer’s finest signing. Anthony Martial, a Louis van Gaal capture, got the first goal to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers. Antony, Ten Hag’s own biggest buy, earned the assist. But the catalytic contribution, the key pass, came from Bruno Fernandes. The injury-time second, scored on his comeback by Alejandro Garnacho, came after Fernandes released him. Many a Solskjaer favourite has fallen by the wayside – only four of his final starting 11 began for Ten Hag here, while his anointed leader, Harry Maguire, got a late cameo – but Fernandes has retained his prominence. On a day when United were without the injured Marcus Rashford, they required some inspiration. Fernandes obliged when it felt few others could for a goal-shy side. So they recorded a 25th home win of the season, a feat they last achieved under Ferguson. Solskjaer’s past tended to invite comparisons with the great Scot. The post-Ferguson United managers, however, are perhaps best assessed against each other and, with 66 points, Ten Hag’s United have equalled their tally in two seasons when Solskjaer was at the wheel, whether for part or all of it; they could yet top his best total of 75. The Norwegian’s legacy is undeniably mixed – three years offered evidence of progress only for United to regress alarmingly in the autumn of 2021 – and the sense is that the Ten Hag revival is built on sounder foundations, but defeats to Brighton and West Ham threatened the kind of end-of-season slide that would question that analysis. Right now, United could do with the services of Solskjaer; but the potent striker rather than the well-meaning manager. Martial’s goal was their first in three games; in all competitions, Garnacho’s strike was just their fifth in seven. They lack the ability to blow teams away and victory became a grind. They were minus the injured Marcus Rashford, whose absence underlined the need to sign a high-class forward in the summer, but Martial ended an eight-game goal drought with an opportunity he could scarcely miss. It was just his fifth league goal of the season, a statistic explained in part by his frequent absences. It came from an incisive move, with Fernandes dissecting the defence with a pass, Antony showing the unselfishness and awareness to roll the ball into Martial’s path and the striker getting a tap-in. It was a rarity from Antony in various respects; a right-footed assist and, indeed, an assist of any kind. The Brazilian was nevertheless the brightest of the forwards, if also the most profligate. He spurned a glorious early chance after Max Kilman slipped. He headed wastefully wide from Luke Shaw’s cross; somehow, a particularly one-footed footballer even seemed to use the left side of his head. He had a late shot clawed away by Dan Bentley. He was, at least, persistent. But the debutant goalkeeper Bentley, who was deputising for Jose Sa, went untested for too long. Too often United were betrayed by a stray touch here and a moment of indecision there. Their decision-making was faulty at times, their confidence missing. Eventually Bentley made a fine save from Jadon Sancho, who darted in off the left. When Casemiro whipped in a shot, Bentley tipped it away. But he was helpless when, with Wolves pushing forward in their search for an equaliser, Fernandes sent the substitute Garnacho sprinting clear. He marked his recent five-year contract with a fifth goal for the club, and it is likelier that he, and they, will spend next season in the Champions League. Read More ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in Players really want to come – Erik ten Hag optimistic for transfer window Rashford a Man United injury doubt but Ten Hag handed defender boost Erik ten Hag faces race against time to solve Man Utd’s clear failings ‘It’s in our hands’: Erik Ten Hag not panicking over Man United’s top-four hopes Erik ten Hag reveals David De Gea contract stance after costly mistake at West Ham

The St. Louis Cardinals are moving Willson Contreras back to catcher on a part-time basis, for some reason.The Cards moved Willson Contreras to a full-time designated hitter role about a week ago. It seemed crazy at the time, especially since Oli Marmol and the front office were making Contreras...

Opener Prabhsimran Singh hit his maiden IPL century to set up a 31-run win for Punjab Kings and push Delhi Capitals out of the play-off race on Saturday, while Lucknow Super...

There was a wide range of emotions that the Florida Panthers all enjoyed in the immediate aftermath of securing their first conference finals trip in 27 years

Dion Charles denied Barnsley a vital first-leg advantage with a second-half equaliser to earn Bolton a 1-1 draw in their Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final. The Northern Ireland international scored his 21st league goal just four minutes after Nicky Cadden threatened to put Barnsley in the driving seat for Friday’s return at Oakwell. The eventual winners will meet Sheffield Wednesday or Peterborough at Wembley for the right to join Plymouth and Ipswich in the Championship next season. Unlike Posh’s 4-0 hammering of the Owls, this second semi-final - played in front of a crowd of 23,450 - was far cagier. Barnsley finished one place and five points in front of their hosts after the regular season. But Wanderers enjoyed a more profitable end to the campaign and showed their resilience after falling behind. The return of captain Mads Andersen after a two-game injury absence boosted Barnsley in this fourth and penultimate meeting between the teams this season. The corresponding home league fixture ended in a sterile 0-0 draw, Barnsley won the FA Cup duel while Wanderers romped to a 3-0 win at Oakwell on January 2. Barnsley hope to return to the Championship after just one season away while a Jack Grealish goal for Aston Villa contributed to Wanderers dropping from the second tier in April 2019. Charles fired high and wide from Elias Kachunga’s cross as Wanderers looked to replicate the whirlwind start from their Papa John’s Trophy triumph against Plymouth. Liam Kitching blocked defender George Johnston’s effort but it was Barnsley who looked most likely to break the first-half stalemate. Luca Connell, a former Bolton academy midfielder, drilled a lot shot from distance that James Trafford - in his farewell home appearance - did not hold first time. Adam Phillips thumped another effort over the crossbar while Manchester City loanee Trafford blocked Slobodan Tedic’s flick. Devante Cole turned Ricardo Santos but could not direct his attempt on target while Trafford was called into action to save from Cadden. And it was Cadden who put the Tykes in front with his sixth goal of the campaign after 63 minutes. Wanderers failed to clear a Phillips corner and Cadden fired home from the edge of the area after Cole played the ball back into his path. Bolton boss Ian Evatt immediately introduced substitutes Dan N’Lundulu and Kieran Lee for Kachunga and Josh Sheehan and within four minutes the home side were level. Harry Isted had not had a shot to save but when called upon to deal with Randell Williams’ left-wing centre, he could only push the ball towards Charles for the equaliser. Barnsley shrugged off the disappointment and Bobby Thomas twice went close to restoring the visitors’ advantage. Andersen then showed his qualities with a vital block from N’Lundulu but neither team could find a crucial second goal. PA Read More When are the play-offs? A closer look at this season’s play-off contenders as promotion battle resumes The sporting weekend in pictures EFL clubs agree record £935million broadcast deal with Sky Sports Play-offs, promotions and safety – who needs what on last weekend of EFL season? ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in

Frank Lampard called on his players to be killers in attack if they are to emulate Raheem Sterling’s two goals in the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest and finally vanquish the team’s scoring woes. Chelsea were booed off at the break against struggling Forest, trailing to Taiwo Awoniyi’s header after Edouard Mendy had flapped at a cross on his return to the side. It then took just seven second-half minutes for Sterling to turn the game on its head and remind those same supporters of the potential the England forward still has to transform a match single-handedly. His first he owed to good work from Noni Madueke and Trevoh Chalobah down the right and to a fortunate deflection off Ryan Yates who lay stricken on the turf, but his second was a sublime solo effort, ramming the ball into Keylor Navas’ bottom corner after finding space inside the box. Lampard said Sterling’s example was one the whole team would need to follow going into next season if Chelsea are to put this miserable campaign behind them. “Raheem’s a player that has the credit in the bank, he’s been a regular scorer in the Premier League and for his country,” said the Blues boss. “To see him score there (the first goal) was Raheem. Arriving for a cross, and then individual brilliance to score the (second) goal. I’m very happy for him. It’s what we need across the top end of the pitch. “Raheem has done it and he’s produced it again. If you’re going to win games when you have 76 per cent possession, you need to be killers at the top end of the pitch, and Raheem is proven to be that. At the moment we don’t have enough of that.” The draw means Chelsea are still without a home win since Lampard returned as interim manager on April 6 and saw them slip back into 12th place with Crystal Palace’s win over Bournemouth. Aside from Sterling’s solo intervention, there was little to suggest the goalscoring troubles that have derailed their season have an end in sight. Lampard added: “What pleased me was not so much the week’s training, it was more the idea of what the plan is before the game that we were going to have a lot of ball in their half, so we have to be really dynamic to move their back five, we have to make sure our counter-press positions are good, which they are to be fair. “What displeased me was that in the first half we didn’t do it with enough urgency to break the back five; sideways, safe. Then in the second half when we did, we underlapped them and get a goal and we showed urgency in our running forward and we get another goal.” Forest kept themselves at the head of the Premier League’s four relegation-threatened sides with Awoniyi’s second goal of the game in the second half stealing a point, ensuring the gap to 18th-placed Leeds remained at three going into the season’s final two games. “Probably a mix really of some disappointed guys in the dressing room, and I like that, because although we had to work really hard for what we got today, we could easily have got a little bit more,” said Forest boss Cooper. “It’s the mixed feeling really of that, and also knowing that we gave everything, we stuck to the plan, we showed good resilience from going 2-1 down when really, I wouldn’t say we gifted it to Chelsea but we could have done so much better with them goals. “We knew Chelsea were going to have the ball, we were away from home. But the game was going exactly as we wanted it to go. So to quickly turn it to go to 2-1 down and then to get something out of the game I think is a positive as well. There’s loads to take out of the game. “It feels like we’re giving away goals more easily than how we’re scoring them. Look at the two goals today, great strategy in terms of the set-piece for the second one, good technique for the cross and the head for the first. “I’ve never had to question the attitude, desire, resilience, commitment, that part of the mentality. At times a little bit of belief, and concentration and a bit of confidence away from home. “That’s why at times we’ve had what we’ve had. It was good really after going 2-1 down to get something out of the game because I don’t think many would have backed us to get anything today.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Standards have not been good enough – Ruben Selles on Southampton’s relegation Notts County back in EFL with sub goalkeeper Archie Mair the shoot-out hero ‘Huge talent’ Alejandro Garnacho backed to play key role in Man Utd’s run-in

YouTube star KSI will fight Joe Fournier in an exhibition boxing match tonight, with the pair squaring off at Wembley Arena in London. KSI shot to fame by filming himself playing the football video game Fifa as a teenager, before venturing into rapping and eventually boxing. The Briton, 29, made his amateur boxing debut in 2018 when he fought Logan Paul to a draw, before beating his fellow YouTuber on points in a professional rematch in 2019. KSI returned to the ring last summer, defeating two opponents on the same night, before stopping gamer FaZe Temperrr at Wembley Arena in January. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Fournier is a British businessman with a 9-0 record in pro boxing, who fought David Haye in an exhibition bout in 2021 and lost on points. Fournier goes head to head with KSI this evening in a main event in London, and we’ll have live updates and results from the entire event, below. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More KSI vs Fournier fight: Start time, undercard and everything you need to know How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Who is KSI? From ‘endearing’ class clown to YouTuber who has changed the face of boxing

It's been a long run for Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby, but it could all be over, per his wife Molly.Mason Crosby is 39 years old. He's been in Green Bay for over a decade, but as his leg weakens, it hurts the team as well. Still, Brian Gutekunst's comments at the NFL Comb...

The Western Conference finals will be a rematch from the thrilling 2020 one that took place in the 'bubble' with the Denver Nuggets taking on the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, we have home courts in play, including two imposing ones with each team unbeaten at home in the playoffs.The Lakers...

Southampton’s relegation from the English Premier League has been sealed while Manchester United rebounded from back-to-back losses to ignite its push for Champions League qualification

A maiden IPL century by Prabhsimran Singh and four wickets for Harpreet Brar powered Punjab Kings to a 31-run win and ended Delhi Capitals' hopes...