News

Dec 29, 2023

Football news LIVE: West Ham fans 'deserve medal' for fighting off AZ ultras, double Arsenal injury blow confirmed, Rashford a doubt for Man United, Arne Slot responds to Tottenham links

talkSPORT.com brings you all the latest football news and gossip. Headlines:

talkSPORT.com brings you all the latest football news and gossip.

Headlines:

That's all for today in talkSPORT's live football blog as the fallout from a chaotic Thursday night of action begins to subside.

Things pick up again tomorrow, though, with six Premier League matches lined up.

talkSPORT brings you live and exclusive coverage of Leeds v Newcastle and Aston Villa v Tottenham with both matches promising to be eventful.

West Ham and Fiorentina fans have been left unhappy with both teams allocated 4890 seats each for the UEFA Conference League final.

The June 7 match will take place at the Eden Arena in Prague, but the stadium only has a 19,370 capacity.

UEFA made 8,500 tickets available for the public, and 4,300 for sponsors and national associations.

The governing body insisted that they could not change the venue as it was given to Prague last year following a year-long bidding process.

They have now vowed to put next year's final in a stadium with a minimum capacity of 30,000.

Pep Guardiola has played down footage of Kevin De Bruyne shouting at the Man City boss.

The midfielder was pictured yelling ‘shut up’ back at the coach during their 4-0 win over Real Madrid after Pep told the Belgian off for losing the ball.

Speaking in his press conference today, Guardiola said: "I love it…[when] we shout at each other.

"Sometimes, in some games, it's a little bit flat. I like this energy. It's not the first time [he shouts at me], you don't see it: how many times he shouts at me on the training ground.

"This is what we need. After that, he becomes the best."

AZ Alkmaar have apologised for the trouble at the end of their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg with West Ham.

Pablo Fornals’ injury-time winner, that earned a 3-1 aggregate win and sent them to next month's final in Prague, prompted a gang of black-shirted, hooded AZ ultras to attempt to storm into the area reserved for friends and family behind the dugout.

Players including Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Aaron Cresswell and Flynn Downes climbed over the advertising hoardings in a bid to stop the trouble.

An AZ statement read: "While everyone hoped for a historic European match, it turned into a pitch black evening due to the events occurring at the referee's final whistle. It turned into a night to reflect on with shame.

"What happened is beyond all bounds. The club again sincerely apologises to West Ham United and the thousands of well minded AZ supporters who have also been inconvenienced by the misconduct."

Southampton are closing in on naming Swansea boss Russell Martin as their new manager.talkSPORT exclusively revealed last week Martin was among the leading candidates to take over from Ruben Selles.Martin was due to meet with Swansea's American owners this week to discuss plans for next season but did not fly to the States as planned.Selles has yet to be officially informed he will leave the club at the end of the season after failing to save Saints from relegation.Earlier today, Selles said he will only stay at the club if he is appointed the permanent manager."The first question of if I want to stay as a coach if I am not the manager… absolutely not," he said ahead of Sunday's visit to Brighton."I will try to make my career as a manager, here if it is possible and if not here then in another place."We will talk with the club and make a review after the Liverpool game and that is what I am expecting. Then if the club wants to make any movement with or without me I expect them to communicate with me before being made public."

Wigan will kick off the League One season in August with minus-four points.

The EFL has issued its latest sanction against the club for a failure to pay players’ wages, with a further four-point deduction suspended until the end of the 2023/24 season.

That suspended sanction will kick in if club owner Abdulrahman Al Jasmi fails to deposit an amount equal to 125 per cent of the club's forecast monthly wage bill into a designated account by May 24.

The additional four-point deduction would also be activated if the club fail to pay players on time at any point between now and June 2024.

The club's 2022/23 season points tally has also been reduced by three points, even though the Championship regular season is already over.

The requirement to deposit an amount greater than the club's monthly wage bill in a designated account was part of an agreed decision between Wigan and the EFL reached in January.

Al Jasmi has also been charged with misconduct and fined £10,000 for failing to comply with the terms of the agreed decision.

The club were first charged in January after missing wage payments in June, July and October last year, with the agreed decision including a suspended three-point deduction should the club again fail to pay wages.

Wigan chairman Talal Al Hammad apologised to staff earlier this week for the stress caused by the latest delay to wages being paid, and said all May wages had now been paid.

Ryan Mason insists he is ‘not thinking about next season’ amid the uncertainty of his future at Tottenham.

Spurs are looking to appoint a permanent manager to replace the acting head coach, but there are doubts over whether the former midfielder will still be at the club next season after 18 months as a first-team coach.

The 31-year-old has made his desire to take the top job in north London clear, insisting he is ready to be a manager, but it is looking more and more unlikely with Spurs still underperforming – losing 2-1 to Aston Villa last time out.

"I’m really not thinking about next season," said Mason this afternoon ahead of the club's last home match of the season against Brentford.

"If my attention goes to six or seven weeks’ time, I’d be very stupid to take my eye off the ball now.

"I’m aware of the situation now. I know me and my team are doing the best we can, we’re doing good. Whatever happens in the summer or next season, there is definitely decisions to be made but at this moment in time we don't know what they’ll be.

"I believe in the way I work, me and my team. I have more belief now than I’ve ever had in my life that what we’re doing, for this football club, the environment, the feeling we’re trying to create here.

"I believe in it so much. That's probably where it [my positivity] is coming from."

Arne Slot has refused to answer questions about his future amid links with the Tottenham job.

The in-demand coach suggested his immediate future remains at Feyenoord, with plans already underway for the summer transfer window and next season after being crowned Eredivisie champions.

However, he did make it clear that his next move will be to a club outside of the Netherlands and that the Premier League is ‘the biggest’ and ‘the best’ league in the world.

Asked about the Spurs links and his future, Slot – the favourite for the Tottenham job – said: "When it comes to Feyenoord, this morning already we were looking at plans for during the summer and after the summer, so it just continues like that.

"I still have remaining contract for two years, this is not the moment to talk about it [his future].

"I like to go for a challenge, that is what I proved with I came to Feyenoord because everybody said to me, ‘How on earth can you go from a club where there's such a good structure, to a club where everybody was saying there's going to be a tough period?’

"That's why I’m privileged to say now that we’re champions of Holland."

Pushed further on his future, Slot admitted: "The next step will not be another club in Holland.

"If that is the next step I would have failed completely in the next few years.

"So a normal next step would be to go abroad and I’ve always said the best league in the world in the Premier League, but when it comes to Italy you see now there are few clubs who are in every European final as well.

"So there are other countries that are interesting to go to, but the Premier League is the biggest league in the world – that's clear."

Liverpool will be without Darwin Nunez against Aston Villa tomorrow after he missed Monday's win at Leicester – their seventh in a row – with a toe injury.

"Darwin will not be available. It's an inflammation of a tendon at the toe – very painful obviously," added Klopp.

"He didn't train yet this week, so he will not be available for tomorrow."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp does not believe his touchline ban will have a negative effect on his in-form side and their pursuit of Champions League football.

"I expected a punishment with all the things we know, and all the things we could hear and stuff like this. It's OK," he said.

"From a watching point of view it is a much better position to see the game. It was with the Southampton game and it was super-helpful to see the game from there.

"I sit next to our analyst and they usually do that but this time they get some support from me."

Simon Jordan has actually sided with Jurgen Klopp – partly – in his row with referee Paul Tierney.The Liverpool manager has been hit with a two-game ban as a result of his behaviour towards the referee and claiming the official has ‘something against’ the Reds, which means the German will not be in the dugout for Roberto Firmino's last Anfield game this weekend against Aston Villa.Jordan has had his own disagreements with Klopp in the past, as regular talkSPORT listeners will well know.But the talkSPORT pundit says the ‘language Tierney uses towards Klopp was incendiary’ and claimed some referees are ‘patronising swines’ who can rile up coaches on the sidelines.https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1659546949153099777

Roy Hodgson has admitted Wilfried Zaha may have played his last game for Crystal Palace.The 30-year-old forward is sidelined with a hamstring injury and expected to miss the Eagles’ last two games of the season, while his future at the club is uncertain with his contract up in June."You can never be sure but it's not looking that likely," Hodgson has said today when asked if Zaha can recover to feature again this term."The injury seems to be more serious than we would like. I fear he will not play again this season but we live in hope."There are so many different grades [of hamstring injury], it's a proper strain he's got that if it doesn't clear up within two weeks will take longer than that."It won't put his long-term future at risk at all."Palace have offered Zaha a club-record £200,000-a-week deal to stay put at Selhurst Park, but it is understood the winger is considering an exit to fulfil his dream of winning trophies and playing European football."The club has had conversations with him [over a new contract] and those conversations will continue," Hodgson added. "I have no idea what the outcome will be, or how advanced they will be. All I can hope for as a Palace fan is you’ll be able to see him playing for Crystal Palace next season."It's a good club, a good team. The team is getting stronger, the potential of the team is big, and they can hope next season to do better than we’ve been able to do this season."All of those are very good reasons for wanting to stay, plus if you are that much of a legend or iconic player that's perhaps a further incentive to stay on. There are plenty of reasons why he could stay on."He's already left a big legacy. His performances over the years, coming through the ranks, I don't think he needs to concern himself with how much of a legacy he has."

Pep Guardiola has compared attempting to wrap up the Premier League title this weekend to a tennis player serving for the championship at Wimbledon.City will secure their fifth Premier League crown in six years in the coming days if either Arsenal lose to Nottingham Forest or the leaders themselves beat Chelsea.The success would come at the end of a memorable week in which City reached the Champions League final with a stunning win over Real Madrid on Wednesday.Guardiola said: "It's non-stop. Of course we are satisfied to play the Champions League final but now is coming the most difficult thing."Tennis players say to serve to win Wimbledon is the most difficult one."But on Sunday the game is in our hands to win the most important competition."

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is among the names being linked with the Napoli job, along with Antonio Conte.

Remarkably, reports in Italy claim Luciano Spalletti could be set to leave the Napoli hotseat just days after sealing the club's first Serie A title for 33 years.

It is said Spalletti has fallen out with the club's owner, Italian movie producer Aurelio De Laurentiis, and Napoli are searching for a replacement.

Conte has been linked, with the ex-Juventus, Chelsea and Tottenham boss out of work following his Spurs exit earlier this summer.

Rafa Benitez is also in the frame, too, but it's the De Zerbi links that are the most interesting given that he spent two years at Napoli during his playing days.

Corriere dello Sport report De Zerbi's history and knowledge of the club makes him a top contender, having worked wonders with Brighton since replacing Graham Potter.

"He experienced the joy of promotion to Serie A," the Italian outlet writes.

"He got to know the environment with that load of stress that he could previously share with the team and which instead this time would belong exclusively to him.

"In Brighton he's like a king, unbolting him isn't simple, maybe even impossible, but ADL has the number in his iPhone diary and that may be enough."

And the interest of the newly-crowned Italian champions will surely be enough to worry the Seagulls faithful.

Eddie Howe has given a big hint to Newcastle's summer transfer plans, having admitted he needs two XIs of equal quality to cope with a European campaign next season.

The Magpies will play Europa League football at the least next term after last night's 4-1 win over Brighton.

They will secure a Champions League place 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."

Sam Allardyce has urged Leeds striker Patrick Bamford to respond to threats made on social media by scoring the winner at West Ham on Sunday.

Allardyce wants 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."

Feyenoord are becoming ‘increasingly concerned’ they will lose manager Arne Slot to Tottenham this summer.

That's according to Sky Sports News, amid other claims that Spurs have entered talks with the Dutch boss.

The Premier League side is said to have turned to Slot after their hopes of appointing Julian Nagelsmann were ended.

Slot led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title this season after rebuilding the team from scratch following his appointment in 2021.

90min claim Tottenham have held an initial round of talks with the 44-year-old as they seek to find a permanent successor to Antonio Conte.

Slot fits their profile of a young and hungry manager, in the mould of Mauricio Pochettino when he first came to the club from Southampton.

UEFA is expected to launch an investigation into the trouble at AZ Alkmaar, with Dutch police saying there have been no arrests yet.

The governing body's disciplinary panel will wait for the relevant reports before deciding on any action, but it is understood an inspector may be appointed to investigate more thoroughly due to the severity of the disorder.

Given the extensive video footage of the ugly scenes, the Dutch club could face heavy sanctions.

Local police are investigating the incidents in a bid to identify the supporters but they are yet to apprehend any of the hooligans.

In a statement they said: "So far, no arrests have been made. Our aim was to disperse the crowd and restore order as quickly as possible, in which we succeeded. The police will investigate footage of the incidents and try to identify supporters. Arrests may follow from this.

"Together with AZ, the municipality of Alkmaar and the public prosecution service we will evaluate last night's incidents, which we regret having happened. This kind of behaviour has no place in football."

Manchester United have been given a fresh blow ahead of their clash with Bournemouth.

The Red Devils had hoped to be able to call on Marcus Rashford for the game, as they attempt to seal a top-four finish in the Premier League.

The forward had suffered a leg injury forcing him out of their 2-0 win over Wolves but returned to training this week.

Now, however, Rashford may miss the game for an entirely new reason.

Man United boss Erik ten Hag told the media: "Rashy trained well the whole week but today he reported he is ill. We have to see how he recovers during the day and see tomorrow."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is confident the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba will follow Aaron Ramsdale in signing a new contract soon.

But the Gunners boss has insisted discussions over the future of Granit Xhaka will wait until the end of the season, amid links with a move to Bayer Leverkusen.

"Delighted with the news for Aaron," said Arteta. "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."On Xhaka, the boss added: "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."

Dutch football expect Marcel van der Kraan told talkSPORT 'it is a morning full of shame' in the Netherlands after last night's scenes in Alkmaar.

The journalist was at the game as West Ham sealed their place in the Europa Conference League final, as scenes of celebration turned into chaos as Hammers players were forced to protect their family and friends from hooded thugs who stormed into the stands to fight.

"It's not a good morning here," Van der Kraan told talkSPORT Breakfast. "It's a morning full of shame in Alkmaar and the rest of the Netherlands.

"I sound down, but we’re all down after last night's terrible situation.

"There was unrest all day in the city – a part of Groningen's hardcore fans in the north of Holland teamed up with the West Ham fans, and AZ Alkmaar fans teamed up with another Dutch team and all they did was chase each other in the streets [before the game]. There were many pictures of fighting, of chairs being thrown, bricks, all sorts.

"So there was a fear, and the managing director of Alkmaar said before the game he didn't have a good feeling, and he tried to be on top of everything.

"He even jumped into the gang of black hooded hooligans who attacked the West Ham section.

"From above I could see it all happening. It still amazing me there was not enough protection from the stewards, and it's something AZ are looking into.

"There should have been more protection."

"It's a morning full of shame!" 💔🇳🇱

⛔️ "There was unrest all day. It still amazes me that there wasn't enough protection."

Dutch football expert, Marcel van der Kraan, reacts to the awful scenes at AZ v #WHUFC. pic.twitter.com/ouVxeJSZrr

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 19, 2023

Here's more on the ugly scenes that marred West Ham's Europa Conference League semi-final victory at AZ Alkmaar.

Steph, a West Ham fan at the match in the Netherlands, called into White and Jordan this morning to explain what happened, as ultras attacked spectators in West Ham's family and friends section of the stadium, with some of the Hammers players getting involved to try and protect them.

"We were in the 900 fans in the official away end, and we were caged in," Steph told talkSPORT.

"We could not move, we were held back after the game, we watched it all kicking off in the corporate friends and family section.

"We wondered why the players didn't come straight over to us after the game [in celebration] but now we obviously realise why.

"There was one guy, ‘Knollsy’, who was at the top of the stairs, he's a West Ham fan in that section, he was holding back a sea of ultras, hooded yobs coming at them up the stairs.

"There was no security and no police in that stadium. It was a contrast to the Frankfurt game where we had riot police with shields and helmets in the stadium ready for trouble.

"The AZ stadium should have known there would be problems because we saw ultras in Alkmaar before the game, they were in pubs, we were told not to go to certain areas before the game and to go straight to the fan park, we known there was trouble before the game because the ultras were broken up by police.

"We knew and Alkmaar knew there was going to be trouble, but there was nothing in the ground whatsoever apart form these inane stewards who really did not have a clue how to behave under these circumstances. It was a big accident waiting to happen.

"In our end, in the cage section, we were clapping the normal AZ fans, the normal supporters like us, and they were clapping us – fair play, it was sportsmanlike.

"But we were held back about 30 minutes after the game because the ultras were waiting in their stand for us, and they got us buses back to the train station and back to Amsterdam."

West Ham fan "Knollsy" protecting the family stand and fending off AZ ultras pic.twitter.com/C7XoXlxBBa

— West Ham Central (@WestHam_Central) May 19, 2023

Phil Jones has sent a personal message to Manchester United fans on his Twitter page, in his first post on his social media page since 2017.

In it, the defender talks about getting the call from Sir Alex Ferguson and cutting his holiday short to meet him and sign for the club in 2011.

He said he ‘lived the dream’ of playing for the Red Devils but only wished he could play more, admitting that he felt he was letting people down by sitting on the sidelines.

"To wear this shirt just once, to wear this badge and represent everything associated with it, was an honour."

Letter to the fans. pic.twitter.com/fmNV1eR9np

— Phil Jones (@PhilJones4) May 19, 2023

It's the end of an era – Phil Jones is leaving Manchester United.

The Red Devils have confirmed this morning that their current longest-serving player will depart Old Trafford at the end of the season after 12 years with the club.

Jones is one of only two players left in the Manchester United squad who played under Sir Alex Ferguson – the other being David De Gea.

The 31-year-old will leave the club with a record of 229 appearances and six goals, in a career that will be largely remembered for what could have been due to his numerous injuries.

And Jones admitted in a parting interview with the club that he wished he's been able to play more.

"It's been very difficult, the last couple of years. There's no denying that. There is no hiding away from that," said the centre-back.

"I’ve missed playing football. I missed it. You grow up playing football and all you want to do is play football. It's all I’ve known, from such a young age, is to do what you love doing for a living. I’ve been fortunate enough to do that, albeit not as much as I would have liked.

"I’ve worked tirelessly hard. I literally left no stone unturned. I tried to get back as quick as I could, every time I was out in the last couple of years.

"I think the highlight for me would have to be the Wolves game [his return from injury last season], when I came back. That was just a moment that I’ll never forget. It gives me goosebumps now, thinking about it. I mean I worked so, so hard to get to that stage of fitness.

"That was a huge, huge moment in my career and the fans, that day, were incredible. The love that they showed me for that game, the passion that they showed, was sensational. And I can't thank them enough for that. They’ve been a constant support throughout my time here."

Mauricio Pochettino has made his long-awaited return to management…

Sorry Chelsea fans, it's not the announcement you’ve been waiting for – the Argentinian has revealed he is taking over as coach of the World XI at Soccer Aid.

The former Southampton and Tottenham boss has been out of work since leaving Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain last July.

Pochettino is set to be confirmed as Chelsea manager in the near future, but his return to the dugout will come at Old Trafford rather than Stamford Bridge.

"I am really looking forward to getting involved in Soccer Aid this year and managing the World XI," Pochettino said ahead of the charity match for Unicef on June 12.

"It is a real pleasure to be part of a match that represents a big cultural moment in this country's annual calendar – and rightly so, because it raises so much money for Unicef.

"I love English football stadiums, the passion the fans show for the game and the atmosphere they create, so it will be great to feel that again next month."

The Pochettino announcement you've all been waiting for.

We're delighted to announce Mauricio Pochettino as the new Soccer Aid World XI FC manager. ✍️ #WelcomePoch || #SoccerAid || 🎟️ » https://t.co/ZK7JFqIkOJ pic.twitter.com/iq47WbdEsv

— Soccer Aid (@socceraid) May 19, 2023