The Sun UK - 08 May 2023

Skiv eyes top-flight perfect 10 Tigers to add bite for Borth By ADAM HATHAWAY ENGLAND boss Steve Borthwick has raided old club Leicester again and confirmed his coaching team for the World Cup. Tom Harrison from Tigers will join on June 1 as scrum coach, replacing Richard Cockerill. And Tony Roques, England men’s sevens head coach, will work as contact and skills coach. Defence coach Kevin Sinfield moved from Leicester with Borthwick in December while Tigers’ strength and conditioning guru Aled Walters and interim boss Richard Wigglesworth are also joining. Both link up with the squad in June, with Borthwick confirming Wigglesworth will run the attack and kicking strategy. Borthwick said: “As a group, we know each other well and know the areas we will focus on.” England open their World Cup campaign on September 9 against Argentina in Marseilles. HARRISON . . . scrum job ANDY’S FRENCH OPEN BOOST FRENCH OPEN BOOST Rough Ryd BLOODIED John Ryder “couldn’t breathe” after suffering a busted nose in his world super-middleweight defeat to Canelo Alvarez. Ryder — whose nose was broken in the third round — was even forced to stand between rounds due to blood pouring into his throat. Alvarez also knocked down the Londoner in the fifth as the Brit, 34, lost Saturday’s 12-round fight in Mexico on a unanimous points verdict — 120-107, 118-109, 118-109. And Ryder admitted: “After all my years in boxing it’s the first time I’ve broken my nose. “Going back to my corner, I just couldn’t breathe. There was blood going back down my throat. So I was standing up between rounds. “I won the first two rounds, I was boxing sensibly — but then got caught by an uppercut.” Blood poured from Ryder’s nose before Alvarez sent him crashing to the canvas in front of a 50,000 Estadio Akron crowd in the Mexican’s home town Guadalajara. Ryder staggered back to his feet and fought through all 12 rounds, constantly spitting blood. He added: “That was the first time I’ve ever been down. “I had some good exchanges after that, but it was hard, I was always throwing punches out of breath.” It was Ryder’s sixth defeat in 38 pro bouts and he has now twice failed to win a world belt after being defeated by fellow Brit Callum Smith in 2019. But promoter Eddie Hearn said: “John showed he is world-class. However, Canelo is one of the best ever. What a gutsy performance.” Avarez’s victory, in his first fight in Mexico since 2011, improved his incredible record to 59-2-2. It was his first fight since surgery on his left wrist in March. The 32-year-old said: “I’m blessed to be here with my people who supported me from the beginning.” By CLIFF HAYES BRAVE BRIT BATTERED BY CANELO THE OCH DE TRIOMPHE! Murray: It has been struggle FLOORED . . . Ryder hits deck and took big hits (top right) that left his nose broken (left) By ADAM HATHAWAY A TEN-TEAM Premiership has moved closer after the idea was floated at a meeting of club bosses. Rugby chiefs want to make the league more financially stable after the collapse of Worcester and Wasps this season. Eleven teams survived until the end of the regular campaign — but Premiership Rugby and the RFU are keen to cut one club. Gloucester boss George Skivington said: “We have had a meeting with PRL and I think we are now heading for a ten-team league. “That would allow for proper international breaks with a cup competition in the autumn and during the Six Nations so we can develop young lads.” Prem Rugby are working on a restructure but without a date for the cut. Boss Simon Massie-Taylor said: “It’s something we are sensitive to because we have 11 shareholders.” GONG AND DONE IT . . . Andy Murray By CHRIS HUGHES ANDY MURRAY claimed his first title since October 2019 with victory at the ATP Challenger event in Aix-en-Provence. The Scot, playing with a metal hip, has not been in the winners’ circle since triumphing in Antwerp 3 years ago. And although this is a second-tier tournament, he will take great pride in this confidence-boosting success ahead of the French Open. Having breezed past lowly-ranked French players on his run to the final, the standard was lifted. But he came good, beating world No 17 Tommy Paul 2-6 6-1 6-2 to take the title. In doing so he ensures his return to the top 50 of the rankings and a first Challenger Tour level win for 18 years. It looked like it might slip away after a poor start that saw him lose the first four games of the match to hand Paul, an Australian Open semi-finalist earlier this year, the advantage. The 25-year-old American coasted to the first set, but that was as good as it got as Murray came to the fore. He turned the tables by winning the first five games of the second set, including two breaks of serve, and soon levelled up. Muzza, eight days before his 36th birthday, broke in the opening game of the decider. And he did not look back as a second break consolidated his lead, allowing him to seal a memorable title. Britain’s two-time Wimbledon champion only took a late wildcard into the tournament following an early exit from the ATP Tour event in Madrid. And he will now decide whether to go to Rome or rest and prepare for the French Open, which begins on May 28. Murray said: “This last year, 18 months, has been a bit of struggle with my game. “But my team have been there supporting me and working with me to try and get better. We keep going.” Murray is aiming to play in the French Open for only the second time since 2017. Sport SHORT JIMMY WHITE beat fellow Londoner Alfie Burden 5-3 to win a record fourth World Seniors Championship. The Whirlwind, 61, said: “I just love the game and, obviously, I love to win.” 2GM Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............51

MIAMI GP RED-HOT D-HOT Micky’s big battle after cancer hell By GARY CARTER MICKY HIGHAM picked up plenty of battle scars during a 20-year rugby league career but one stands out more than most. The one that reminds him how close he came to something altogether more serious after being diagnosed with stage three cancer — a metastatic malignant melanoma of which the primary site still has not been found. And it also tells him everyone should drop the macho exterior and seek help if something is wrong. The former St Helens, Wigan, Leigh, Warrington, England and Great Britain star, 42, is a legend of what is regarded as the toughest sport. But that attitude of shrugging off issues almost cost him after finding a lump on his chest, of which a 7cm scar at his armpit is a reminder. Higham said: “It was close. It was a worrying time. I wouldn’t say it was a lucky escape but I managed to get things sorted. “Mine was stage three, pretty serious. “Had I left it a few more weeks, it could have been stage four. “My eldest son was 18 in January and I got emotional at his party. “When I saw family and stepped back, I was like, ‘It’s not my time to leave them yet’. “In early November, I was doing weights and I felt a little lump but thought it was nothing. “I cracked on and eventually told my wife, who said, ‘Why don’t you get it checked out?’. I said, ‘I might,’ and left it. “Eventually, an ultrasound showed it was pretty big. A CT scan followed, then they took a biopsy and I was told, ‘You’ve got melanoma under your armpit’. “I had cancer in my lymph nodes. After an operation to remove 12 lymph nodes, Higham was cancer free. Now he is undertaking at least a year of immunotherapy at Manchester’s Christie Hospital. An infection left him ‘with like half a rugby ball under my arm’. Now after support from figures in rugby league — pals Chris Hill, Adrian Morley and Paul Wood, former clubs, local rugby union side Tyldesley and the Rugby League Cares charity, particularly Steve McCormack — he wants to give back. He added: “They didn’t actually describe it as cancer but my wife twigged and got really upset. “I’ve never really felt unwell, even though people have since said I looked a little bit grey and unwell but it kicked in when I saw a Macmillan nurse. “I was like, ‘S***, it’s pretty serious this’. “When they told me I was all clear, it hit me again. I was like, ‘I did have cancer, didn’t I’, but the support I had was brilliant. “You’ve got to look after your body. If you feel anything that doesn’t seem right, get it checked out — I did and it wasn’t good news.” Higham’s scare meant a worrying Christmas for him, wife Kate and sons Harry, 18, and Alex, 13. Kate said: “When they told us, they didn’t use the word cancer. I knew but Micky was oblivious, it still hit us like a ton of bricks though. “If one person reads this and thinks, ‘What’s that?’ it’s a big thing. “They could leave it, like Micky did.” SCAR . . . Higham is left with huge mark from op FIGHT . . . Higham’s now cancer free F1 needs more than a new theme tune, a paddock with A-listers and Lewis Hamilton’s purple onesie to keep Americans interested in this procession. A star-studded grid included Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Vin Diesel. But the Miami Grand Prix was neither fast (apart from runaway winner Max Verstappen) nor furious. World champ Verstappen cruised to victory as the sport served up another dud with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez second. The lowlight was, arguably, a bizarre driver introduction segment before the start when each F1 star was called out from a curtain to plumes of dry ice. US rapper LL Cool J provided the words and producer will.i.am conducted an orchestra set-up on the grid. There is also a toe-curling new song from the latter with rapper Lil Wayne that is hilariously bad, as F1 tries to appeal to a new audience. The music will be used over the F1 weekend and there is a video that is so terrible it could be a parody. To his credit LL Cool J at least got all the drivers’ names right, while poor old F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart was caught up in the melee and manhandled by security guards as he tried to drag tennis legend Roger Federer to speak with Sky’s Martin Brundle. It was a mess and drivers slammed F1’s latest attempt to appeal to US audiences. Brit Lando Norris, who was 17th, said: “None of the drivers like it, but it’s not for us at the end of the day. “It’s just, we do a lot of things. Probably the only sport where we’re so close to the fans, we do so much publicity for the fans. “As drivers we all just want to sit down and focus on what we need to focus on and not do so much TV and everything. “We’ve said it. You can’t just keep putting things in and making us do more and more, you know. There’s not one other sport where you do this. “We do so much. There’s a limit to how much we should do. We’re here to focus on doing the job and not just be in front of a camera all day.” George Russell, who was fourth, was also critical of the pre-race pageantry. He added: “I guess it’s the American way of doing things. Personally, probably not for me. “I’m here to race you know, I’m not here for the show. I’m a driver, I’m here to win. “It is distracting because we were on the grid for half an hour in all of our overalls in the sun. I wouldn’t want to see it every weekend.” The race itself was all too easy for the Dutchman as the rest of the field pulled over and allowed him to make his way up from ninth on the grid to take the chequered flag. After an initial slow start, Verstappen started scything his way through the field. By the fourth lap he was up to sixth place with a beautiful double overtake of Charles Leclerc and Kevin Magnussen. He then pulled off a stunning move with the help of the DRS to pass Russell to move up a place before hunting down Carlos Sainz, who was in third. Much further back and trundling around in 13th Lewis Hamilton was not happy as he complained over the radio that he did not think he would make the end of the race. He was reassured by his race From BEN HUNT RAZZMATAZZ . . . a glammed-up Hamilton arrives for the race in a purple sequinned outfit 52 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023 2GM

MAX CRUISES TO WIN FORMULA 1 MIAMI GRAND PRIX (Miami, 58 laps) - 1 M Verstappen (Hol) Red Bull 1hr 27mins 38.241secs, 2 S Perez (Mex) Red Bull +5.384, 3 F Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin +26.305, 4 G Russell (GB) Mercedes +33.229, 5 C Sainz Jr. (Spa) Ferrari +47.511, 6 L Hamilton (GB) Mercedes +51.249, 7 C Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari +52.988, 8 P Gasly (Fra) Alpine +55.670, 9 E Ocon (Fra) Alpine +58.123, 10 K Magnussen (Den) Haas +1:02.945. Standings - 1 Verstappen (Hol) 119pts, 2 Perez 105, 3 Alonso 75, 4 Hamilton 56, 5 Sainz Jr. 44, 6 Russell 40, 7 Leclerc 34, 8 L Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 27, 9 L Norris (GB) McLaren 10, 10 Gasly 8. Constructor - 1 Red Bull 224pts, 2 Aston Martin 102, 3 Mercedes 96, 4 Ferrari 78, 5 McLaren 14, 6 Alpine 14, 7 Haas 8, 8 Alfa Romeo 6, 9 AlphaTauri 2, 10 Williams 1. CRICKET LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST DIVISION Essex v Surrey Chelmsford: Essex 314 (91.2 overs; T Westley 62, M J J Critchley 60, A N A N Cook 51; G A P Atkinson 6-68) and 198 (51.5 overs; J Clark 4-58). Surrey 240 (76.5 overs; J A Porter 4-51) and 143-7 (53.4 overs). Essex (10pts) drew with Surrey (8pts). Hampshire v Warwickshire The Ageas Bowl: Hampshire 229 (65.4 overs; J M Vince 75no) and 97 (34.5 overs; J M Vince 52no; C Rushworth 7-38). Warwickshire 410-8dec. (122.3 overs; E Barnard 95, M G K Burgess 88, S R Hain 85, A L Davies 51; Mohammad Abbas 4-55). Warwickshire (22pts) beat Hampshire (1pts) by an innings and 84 runs. Nottinghamshire v Lancashire Trent Bridge: Lancashire 214 (44.2 overs; J J Bohannon 68; B A Hutton 5-66) and 329-8dec. (87.3 overs; J J Bohannon 92, G P Balderson 91, T W Hartley 58no). Nottinghamshire 249 (72.4 overs; Haseeb Hameed 97) and 137-9 (67.0 overs). Notts (8pts) drew with Lancs (8pts). Somerset v Northamptonshire Taunton: Northamptonshire 255 (78.2 overs; R Vasconcelos 70, J J G Sales 57) and 311-8 (104.0 overs; S M Whiteman 130no, T A I Taylor 53). Somerset 412 (94.3 overs; T Kohler-Cadmore 130, J E K Rew 89; C J White 5-103). Somerset (12pts) drew with Northamptonshire (9pts). SECOND DIVISION Derbyshire v Leicestershire Derby: Leicestershire 122 (Brookes 6-20) and 281. Derbyshire 350-7dec. (5-67) and 0-0. Derbyshire (11pts) drew with Leicestershire (7pts). Worcestershire v Sussex Worcester: Worcestershire 264 (O E Robinson 7-59) and 251-8dec. (Azhar Ali 103no; O E Robinson 7-58). Sussex 373 (C A Pujara 136). Worcestershire (9pts) drew with Sussex (11pts). Yorkshire v Glamorgan Headingley: Glamorgan 245 and 352- 4dec. (M Labuschagne 170no). Yorkshire 106 (M G Neser 7-32) and 412-9 (A Lyth 174. Yorkshire (8pts) drew with Glamorgan (8pts). FIFTH ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL Pakistan v New Zealand Karachi: New Zealand 299 (49.3 overs; Young 87, Latham 59). Pakistan 252 (46.1 overs; Iftikhar Ahmed 94no, Agha Salman 57). New Zealand won by 47 runs. INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE Gujarat Titans v Lucknow Super Giants Ahmedabad: Gujarat Titans 227-2 (20 overs; Gill 94no; Saha 81); Lucknow Super Giants 171-7 (20 overs; Q de Kock 70; Sharma 4-29). Gujarat (2pts) win by 56 runs. Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals 214-2 (20 overs; Buttler 95; Samson 66no); Sunrisers Hyderabad 217-6 (20 overs; Sharma 55; Chahal 4-29). Sunrisers Hyderabad (2pts) win by 4 wickets. BASKETBALL BBL CHAMPIONSHIPS PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS: 1st Leg: London Lions 82 Cheshire Phoenix 74. 2nd Leg - Leicester Riders 75 Bristol Flyers 79 (Leicester Riders win 159-156 on aggregate). GOLF DS AUTOMOBILES ITALIAN OPEN (Rome): Final Rnd - 271 A Meronk (Pol) 68 68 66 69, 272 R Langasque (Fra) 68 72 62 70, 274 J Guerrier (Fra) 66 69 66 73, 276 A Bjoerk (Swe) 69 68 71 68, 277 M Kieffer (Ger) 65 74 68 70, N Hoejgaard (Den) 73 68 71 65, D van Tonder (Rsa) 71 67 67 72. Also: 279 E Pepperell (GB) 69 70 68 72, M Armitage (GB) 70 69 69 71. WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP (Charlotte): Final Rnd (USA unless stated) - 265 W Clark 67 67 63 68, 269 X Schauffele 66 69 64 70, 272 H English 71 66 66 69, T Hatton (Eng) 69 65 68 70, 273 T Fleetwood (Eng) 65 71 67 70, A Scott (Aus) 67 68 67 71, 274 M Kim 68 68 69 69, 275 C Conners (Can) 70 69 66 70, M Homa 70 67 68 70, S J Im (Kor) 69 66 68 72, Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor) 66 70 71 68, D McCarthy 71 67 71 66, B Todd 71 68 65 71, 276 R Fowler 71 68 68 69, J Thomas 68 67 70 71, J Walker 72 68 68 68, G Woodland 69 69 67 71. CYCLING GIRO D’ITALIA: Stage 2 (Teramo to San Salvo, 201km) - 1 J Milan (Ita) Bahrain Victorious 4h 55m 11s, 2 D Dekker (Hol) Team Arkea-Samsic, 3 K Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck, 9 J Stewart (GB) Groupama-FDJ, 34 G Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at same time. Overall - 1 R Evenpoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step 5h 16m 29s, 2 F Ganna (Ita) INEOS Grenadiers +22s, 3 J Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates +29, 8 Geoghegan Hart +59s. MOTOR RACING BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP (Brands): Race 1 - 1 C Turkington (GB) BMW 14m 43.255s, 2 A Sutton (GB) Ford +1.335s, 3 D Cammish (GB) Ford at 1.716. Race 2 - 1 Sutton 19:40.610, 2 T Ingram (GB) Hyundai+0.933, 3 Turkington +3.405. Race 3 - 1 Sutton 19:44.696, 2 B Thompson (GB) Cupra +0.948, 3 Ingram at 5.901. MOTORCYCLING WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP (Barcelona): Race 1 - 1 A Bautista (Spa) Ducati 29h 06 615s, 2 T Razgatlioglu (Tur) Yamaha +8.864s, 3 J Rea (GB) Kawasaki +8.92. Race 2 - 1 Bautista 34m 17.010s, 2 Razgatlioglu +8.583, 3 M Ruben Rinaldi (Ita) Ducati +8.643, 4 A Lowes (GB) Kawasaki +11.366, 5 Rea +12.824. NETBALL VITALITY SUPERLEAGUE - Manchester Thunder 65 Leeds Rhinos 63. RUGBY LEAGUE BETFRED CHAMPIONSHIP - Barrow 46 Bradford 12, Featherstone 28 Sheffield 20, Newcastle 16 Halifax 36, Whitehaven 24 Keighley 32, York 30 London Br 28. TENNIS ATP & WTA MADRID OPEN (Spain): Men’s Final - C Alcaraz (Spa) bt J Struff (Ger) 6-4 3-6 6-3. Women’s Final - A Sabalenka (Blr) bt I Swiatek (Pol) 6-3 3-6 6-3. ATP CHALLENGER (Aix-en-Provence): Final - A Murray (GB) bt T Paul (US) 2-6 6-1 6-2 TODAY’S SPORT PREMIER LEAGUE Brighton v Everton .................. 5.30 (Live on BT Sport 1) Fulham v Leicester ..................... 3.0 Nottm Forest v Southampton.. 8.0 (Live on Sky Sports Main Event) SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Birmingham v Sheff Utd ............ 3.0 Burnley v Cardiff ........................ 3.0 Huddersfield v Reading ............. 3.0 Luton v Hull ................................. 3.0 Middlesbrough v Coventry ....... 3.0 Millwall v Blackburn ................... 3.0 (Live on Sky Sports Main Event) Norwich v Blackpool .................. 3.0 Preston v Sunderland ................ 3.0 QPR v Bristol City ........................ 3.0 Swansea v West Brom ............... 3.0 (Live on Sky Sports Arena) Watford v Stoke ......................... 3.0 Wigan v Rotherham ................... 3.0 SKY BET LEAGUE TWO Barrow v Stevenage ............... 12.30 Bradford v Leyton Orient ...... 12.30 Colchester v Mansfield .......... 12.30 Grimsby v AFC Wimbledon .... 12.30 Harrogate Tn v Rochdale ...... 12.30 Newport County v Crewe ...... 12.30 Salford City v Gillingham ....... 12.30 Stockport Cty v Hartlepool .. 12.30 (Live on Sky Sports Arena) Sutton Utd v Carlisle .............. 12.30 Swindon v Crawley Tn ........... 12.30 Tranmere v Northampton .... 12.30 (Live on Sky Sports Football) Walsall v Doncaster ................ 12.30 BASKETBALL BBL Championships Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd Leg: Cheshire Phoenix v London Lions (6.0). CRICKET - IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders v Punjab Kings (Kolkata, 3pm). CYCLING - Giro d’Italia Stage 3 (Vasto to Melfi, 216km, heuvels). RUGBY LEAGUE Betfred Championship Batley v Widnes (7.45). SPORTS ROUND-UP: RESULTS & FIXTURES engineer and a late surge pulled him up to finish sixth. But Verstappen was having no such problems. He swooped past Sainz unchallenged on lap 14 to go into third. A lap later he overtook Fernando Alonso and started cutting into Perez’s lead. The Mexican was called in for fresh tyres on lap 21 and had a quick 2.2sec pit stop but the tyre change promoted Verstappen into the lead. World champion Verstappen tried to open up enough advantage over his team-mate to make his necessary pit-stop. He finally pitted at the end of lap 45 promoting Perez back into the lead. But the Mexican’s advantage lasted threee laps before Verstappen made up the 1.6sec deficit and roared past. It means Verstappen has a 14-point lead in the championship after winning three of the first five races this season. If the 90,766 capacity crowd — plus the bumper TV audience — expected all the drama and excitement of Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’, they did not get it. And that leaves F1 with a problem because this was not the advert they needed to show off the sport in the US. FORMULA ONESIE! Song, celebs, wild fashion..’n still dull Ashes scare as Stone has scan By JACK ROSE ASHES hopeful Olly Stone will undergo a scan to find out the severity of his hamstring problem. Stone, who has had a luckless run with injuries, pulled up late on Saturday during an over and shuffled off the field in Nottinghamshire’s County Championship clash against Lancashire. Despite being in obvious discomfort, Stone (right) hobbled to the crease at Trent Bridge yesterday as last man to help his side salvage a draw. His ability to bowl at speeds upwards of 90mph make him appealing for England’s six Tests between the start of June and mid-July — one against Ireland and five versus Australia. He said on the eve of the county season: “I’m feeling fit and strong and just raring to get stuck in now. “Everyone knows how big a summer it is and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t on the radar.” SPRAY OK . . . Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates his Miami GP win by soaking third-placed Fernando Alonso in fizz FILLING UP WITH DIESEL . . . actor Vin fuels the hype MIAMI GP RESULT TOP 10 5 2 4 6 1 7 3 10 9 8 Max Verstappen Sergio Perez Fernando Alonso George Russell Carlos Sainz Lewis Hamilton Charles Leclerc Pierre Gasly Esteban Ocon Kevin Magnussen DRIVERS’ STANDINGS 105 56 44 75 1 119 2 3 4 5 1:27:38.241 +5.384 +26.305 +33.229 +47.511 +51.249 +52.988 +55.670 +58.123 +1:02.945 6 40 M Verstappen S Perez F Alonso L Hamilton C Sainz G Russell BUM NOTE . . . will.i.am led an on-grid orchestra 2GM Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............53

off the win and the Hoops went back to Parkhead, where they were greeted by thousands of Hoops fans and green flares. Boss Ange Postecoglou addressed the crowd and he even choked back tears after the match. Celtic skipper Callum McGregor said: “There’s the makings of a special KINGS OF THE CASTLE CELTIC sealed the title in style with a win at Tynecastle — and then partied at Parkhead. Kyogo Furuhashi bagged his 30th goal of the season as the Hoops beat tenman Hearts. Alex Cochrane walked after a VAR-assisted red card on the stroke of halftime. The defender was judged to have denied Daizen Maeda a goalscoring opportunity. Oh Hyeon-gyu rounded team. When the going gets tough, you have to fight. “So we have got that side of it, which you need to have if you want to be the champions.” Some of the 1,303 Celtic fans at Tynecastle unveiled a banner which read ‘F*** the King, crown the champions’. Old Firm rivals RANGERS laboured to a 1-0 victory over ABERDEEN at Ibrox, thanks to a second-half goal from Todd Cantwell. Hearts.........................0 Celtic...........................2 PREMIER LEAGUE WEST HAM WITNESSING a howler at the London Stadium is not new for West Ham fans. To their relief, this time it came from the visitors — and there are no prizes for guessing who the Manchester United player at fault was. David de Gea, 32, cost his side once again with a mistake you simply had to see to believe. The limpest of long-range shots from Said Benrahma in the 27th minute, followed by the flappiest of wrists from De Gea, before watching it dribble over the line. This was supposed to be a momentous occasion for the Spaniard who broke the record for the most matches played by a Red Devils goalkeeper with 540 appearances. Instead, with his contract expiring next month, all the talk will be whether boss Erik ten Hag needs to dip into the market to end De Gea’s 12-year stint as the club’s No 1. United want to get back to being elite, but their first-choice keeper no longer is. Their Dutch coach has endlessly defended his man in between the sticks. The good outweighs the bad, Ten Hag insists. Forget about the errors, focus on the world-class reaction stops. If only we could, Erik. Right now, it seems like De Gea is left redfaced every other week, whether it is with balls at his feet or letting them fly past him. After making five mishaps leading to goals in all competitions last term, he is now on four this year, level with Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris. Had it not been for a rather lenient refereeing decision from Peter Bankes, De Gea could have made two in one game with another hairy moment after the break. You only have to think back to mid-April on that fateful Europa League quarter-final night in Seville, where his embarrassing gaffes ultimately saw United knocked out. Yet it is in the Premier League where these blunders hit hardest, none more so than when they are still sweating on securing a Champions League spot. This result, thanks to De Gea and his misfiring team-mates, saw United blow the chance to jump above Newcastle into third, while remaining just a point above fifth-placed Liverpool with a game to spare. De Gea aside, this was another away-day performance to forget for the Red Devils. Of the nine Prem games they have lost this season, eight have been on the road. Marcus Rashford? Invisible. Bruno Fernandes? Anonymous. Casemiro? Missing. United have the chance to lift two trophies in Ten Hag’s debut year in charge, with the Carabao Cup already in the bag and rivals City awaiting them in the FA Cup final. But carry on like this and it could end on a seriously sour note. With the ownership still up in the air, missing out on Europe’s biggest competition would be catastrophic. And to top it all off, United were made to look increasingly average by a West Ham team who have struggled to be average themselves. The Hammers are surely safe now. Seven points off the drop with three games left, and with relegation rivals Leeds and Leicester still to play. At last, David Moyes can turn his focus to getting his side into a first major European final since 1976 ahead of a Europa Conference League semi. Moyes returned to his strongest starting XI after a bug ravaged his squad. Skipper Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Nayef Aguerd all recovered to feature. Following the last-gasp 1-0 loss at Brighton, Ten Hag (right) reintroduced Wout Weghorst to lead the line for the first time in a month to inspire attacking intent. It was a fiery start, the hosts winning the ball high up the pitch and United countering with pace. Rashford blazed over. Fernandes, Antony and Christian Eriksen went close. De Gea had shown some early shaky legs at the back with a pass straight to Rice, but was soon left face down in the turf wanting to be gobbled up. Benrahma won the ball just inside United’s half and galloped goalwards. There was little danger with Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof back to cover. Replays showed that De Gea’s left foot slipped before Benrahma’s tried it from 25 yards, but he still managed to get an incredibly weak hand to it and there was no deflection, and no hiding place. He was lucky not to be facing a penalty late in the first half as Lindelof looked to have handled another Benrahma attempt. VAR bizarrely chose not to intervene. De Gea came out for the second half and immediately had a pass intercepted. He then flapped at a long throw that was bundled in by Michail Antonio, only to be harshly deemed a foul. United never looked like bailing their keeper out, even with Weghorst being hooked for Anthony Martial. The Hammers thought they had a second in the 73rd minute but Soucek’s header was offside. A first Prem win against his old club United for 11 years, Moyes ought to raise a glass of Spanish red to De Gea the disastrous. HOW THEY LINED UP WEST HAM: Fabianski, Kehrer, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Cresswell (Emerson 90), Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Paqueta (Downes 90), Benrahma (Fornals 87), Antonio (Johnson 90). MAN UTD: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka (Dalot 87), Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia (Fred 88), Casemiro, Eriksen (Sabitzer 74), Antony (Sancho 74), Weghorst (Martial 57), Fernandes, Rashford. Booked: Malacia, Wan-Bissaka. EURO ROUND-UP: RESULTS & FIXTURES COPA DEL REY FINAL Real Madrid 2 Osasuna 1. LA LIGA P W D L F A Pts Barcelona 33 26 4 3 60 11 82 Atl Madrid 33 21 6 6 60 26 69 Real Madrid 33 21 5 7 69 32 68 Real Sociedad 33 18 7 8 43 29 61 Villarreal 33 16 6 11 47 34 54 Real Betis 33 15 7 11 40 37 52 Girona 33 13 8 12 52 46 47 Ath Bilbao 33 13 8 12 43 33 47 R Vallecano 33 12 10 11 40 42 46 Osasuna 33 12 8 13 29 35 44 Sevilla 33 12 8 13 41 49 44 Mallorca 33 11 8 14 32 37 41 Celta Vigo 33 10 9 14 38 46 39 Almeria 33 10 6 17 42 58 36 Cadiz 33 8 11 14 26 49 35 Valladolid 33 10 5 18 30 57 35 Valencia 33 9 7 17 36 40 34 Getafe 33 8 10 15 30 42 34 Espanyol 33 7 10 16 40 56 31 Elche 33 3 7 23 25 64 16 SERIE A AC Milan 2 Lazio 0; Cremonese 2 Spezia 0; Roma 0 Inter Milan 2; Atalanta 0 Juventus 2; Lecce 0 Verona 1; Napoli 1 Fiorentina 0; Torino 1 Monza 1. P W D L F A Pts Napoli 34 26 5 3 70 23 83 Juventus 34 20 6 8 52 28 66 Lazio 34 19 7 8 52 26 64 Inter Milan 34 20 3 11 62 35 63 AC Milan 34 17 10 7 55 39 61 Atalanta 34 17 7 10 56 41 58 Roma 34 17 7 10 45 33 58 Fiorentina 34 12 10 12 45 40 46 Monza 34 12 10 12 42 45 46 Torino 34 12 10 12 36 39 46 Bologna 33 12 9 12 42 43 45 Udinese 33 10 13 10 43 41 43 Sassuolo 33 12 7 14 40 49 43 Salernitana 33 7 14 12 41 54 35 Empoli 33 8 11 14 29 43 35 Lecce 34 7 10 17 28 41 31 Verona 34 7 9 18 28 51 30 Spezia 34 5 12 17 28 56 27 Cremonese 34 4 12 18 31 59 24 Sampdoria 33 3 8 22 20 59 17 BUNDESLIGA Mainz 2 Schalke 04 3; Bayer Leverkusen 1 Cologne 2; Augsburg 1 Union Berlin 0; Borussia M’gladbach 2 VfL Bochum 0; Freiburg 0 RB Leipzig 1; Hertha Berlin 2 Stuttgart 1; Hoffenheim 3 Eintracht Frankfurt 1; Werder Bremen 1 Bayern Munich 2; Borussia Dortmund 6 Wolfsburg 0. P W D L F A Pts Bayern Munich 31 19 8 4 83 34 65 B Dortmund 31 20 4 7 73 40 64 RB Leipzig 31 17 6 8 55 37 57 Union Berlin 31 16 8 7 44 32 56 Freiburg 31 16 8 7 46 38 56 B Leverkusen 31 14 6 11 54 43 48 Wolfsburg 31 12 10 9 54 43 46 Mainz 31 12 9 10 51 46 45 E Frankfurt 31 11 10 10 51 49 43 B M’gladbach 31 10 9 12 46 48 39 Cologne 31 9 11 11 42 49 38 Werder Bremen 31 10 5 16 49 60 35 Augsburg 31 9 7 15 40 55 34 Hoffenheim 31 9 5 17 42 52 32 Schalke 04 31 7 9 15 31 59 30 Stuttgart 31 6 10 15 39 54 28 VfL Bochum 31 8 4 19 33 69 28 Hertha Berlin 31 6 7 18 37 62 25 LIGUE 1 Lens 2 Marseille 1; Nice 2 Rennes 1; Reims 1 Lille 0; AC Ajaccio 0 Toulouse 0; Angers 1 Monaco 2; Auxerre 1 Clermont Foot 1; Lorient 2 Brest 1; Lyon 5 Montpellier 4; Nantes 0 Strasbourg 2; Troyes 1 PSG 3. P W D L F A Pts PSG 34 25 3 6 79 35 78 Lens 34 21 9 4 57 26 72 Marseille 34 21 7 6 62 34 70 Monaco 34 19 7 8 68 51 64 Lille 34 17 8 9 60 41 59 Rennes 34 17 5 12 56 38 56 Lyon 34 16 8 10 57 41 56 Nice 34 13 12 9 42 32 51 Lorient 34 14 9 11 48 46 51 Reims 34 12 14 8 41 35 50 Clermont Foot 34 14 8 12 37 44 50 Montpellier 34 13 4 17 56 57 43 Toulouse 34 12 6 16 48 55 42 Strasbourg 34 8 11 15 46 55 35 Brest 34 8 11 15 38 50 35 Auxerre 34 8 10 16 32 56 34 Nantes 34 6 14 14 35 50 32 AC Ajaccio 34 6 5 23 22 61 23 Troyes 34 4 10 20 42 73 22 Angers 34 3 5 26 28 74 14 EREDIVISIE RKC 4 Volendam 1; Ajax 0 AZ 0; Cambuur 0 Utrecht 3; NEC 2 Heerenveen 3; Sparta 0 PSV 1; Emmen 0 Twente 3; Excelsior 0 Feyenoord 2; Fortuna Sittard 2 Vitesse 0; Go Ahead Eagles 1 Groningen 1. TYNE OF THEIR LIVES . . . Celtic’s title party starts after win at Tynecastle Thrills & spills DE GEA GAFFE GIFTS IT TO HAMMERS Bell spin and tonic JUDE BELLINGHAM bagged a double as Borussia Dortmund beat Wolfsburg 6-0 — putting them just a point behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. The England star’s 54thminute shot was saved on to the bar but bizarrely ballooned into the air and the backspin carried it over the line. And the 19-year-old wrapped up the rout late on by stabbing into the bottom right corner. Karim Adeyemi also scored twice, with Donyell Malen and West Ham flop Sebastien Haller getting the others. By JORDAN DAVIES BENRAHMA 27 54 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

1 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 15 4 35% 345 30 5 4 0 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 19 4 65% 683 36 6 9 2 0 West Ham Man Utd V MATCH STATS here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone OH DE-AR . . . Manchester United keeper David de Gea blunders as he lets in a tame effort from Said Benrahma (left) By MARK IRWIN DECLAN RICE hailed a “massive” three points which fired West Ham towards safety. The victory, thanks to Said Benrahma’s goal, lifted them seven points above the drop zone, with three games to play. Captain Rice (left) said: “It’s massive. The points give us a nice gap between the bottom sides. “That was probably our best performance at home this season — we were on the front foot, aggressive and confident in one v ones. “We had our eye on this as one we could win with the fans. “The whole world watches these games. I’m buzzing.” Rice buzzing at huge win MANCHESTER UNITED were lucky not to concede a penalty when Said Benrahma’s first-half cross struck Victor Lindelof’s arm. I was very surprised VAR Stuart Attwell did not recommend a review. You could clearly see Lindelof moved his arm towards the ball. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was cautioned rather than sent off for his challenge on Michail Antonio, who was running through on goal. That was the correct decision as there was a covering defender. 2GM Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............55

81 MIKEL ARTETA’S Arsenal have 81 points from 35 Premier League games this season (W25 D6 L4). Only in their unbeaten 2003-04 campaign have they ever hit 80 or more points at an earlier stage in a league campaign in their history (33rd game). 10 NEWCASTLE have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven Premier League matches, conceding ten goals in this run — as many as they had shipped in their previous 18 league games beforehand. NEWCASTLE WCASTLE WHO’S OD Majestic Martin keeps us guessing over top of table ALL logic and reason dictated that this title race was over — but Arsenal laughed in the face of common sense to keep Manchester City sweating. A week ago, Mikel Arteta’s men were heading for a meltdown, with some Gooners even worrying their team might finish third in a two-horse race, and Newcastle might even pip them to the runners-up spot. Now, the pressure has been cranked up on City after Arteta’s men inflicted only Newcastle’s second home defeat of the season with a performance of resilience, intelligence and class. This was easily the toughest of Arsenal’s remaining fixtures and now that they have won it, City might just start to feel breath on their necks. With skipper Martin Odegaard in masterful form and netting the first-half opener, Arsenal defended with balls of steel and then counter-attacked like the clappers to defeat the in-form team from Geordie Arabia. There were a couple of excellent saves from Aaron Ramsdale, two narrow escapes when the Toon hit the woodwork and plenty of defiant defending. It was a belting, breathless, hightempo, high-quality and ill-tempered match and Arsenal deserved to win it. They sealed victory through a Fabian Schar own goal and are back to within a point of champions City, who have a game in hand but face the added burden of a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. It’s probably just a trick of the light but suddenly City’s remaining league fixtures seem to hold extra intrigue. A trip to relegation-threatened Everton in between those two contests with the European champions? Chelsea, they have some good players, don’t they? And then back-toback visits to over-achieving Brighton and Brentford? Guardiola’s men may have won ten league games in a row, but you just never know . . . The chances of the Gunners snatching the title remain slim but their refusal to allow this campaign to fizzle out after a fourmatch winless streak has been admirable this week. Victory over a pitiful Chelsea had halted the slump which cost Arsenal pole position and now this, perhaps the single most impressive win of an excellent campaign. After eight wins from their previous nine, Eddie Howe’s men are close to Champions League qualification but, with Liverpool finishing like a train, there is more work for them to do. They started both halves well but failed to sustain their dominance and, without a specialist ball-winner in the absence of Sean Longstaff, Arsenal cut through them too easily, their midfield trio of Odegaard, Jorginho and Granit Xhaka all excellent. Arsenal had wilted here in a 2-0 defeat last May to cost them a top-four place — but this was very different. They arrived to the usual scenes of flag-waving bedlam, the national anthem drowned out, and the hosts made a whirlwind start. Within 80 seconds, Jacob Murphy crashed a shot against the inside of the post after a centre from former Gunner Joe Willock. Then Newcastle were awarded a penalty when ref Chris Kavanagh, who brings an element of chaos to any fixture, pointed to the spot, believing Jakob Kiwior had handled a fierce shot from Bruno Guimaraes. But, as VAR Andy Madley spotted, Kiwior had tucked his arm behind his back and the ball struck his thigh. All this while a plane trailing a banner reading ‘Free All Saudi prisoners’ buzzed around St James’ Park, as a reminder that this is the most romanticised of all sportwashing projects. Nobody had seen the Arsenal opener coming but when Jorginho squared for Odegaard, the Arsenal skipper had ample space to lash home a left-footed drive from 20 yards. Suddenly, Odegaard was everywhere — an outrageous piece of skill sending Newcastle into retreat and then a pass which sent Gabriel Martinelli hurtling through, only for Nick Pope to thwart his shot. Seconds later, Odegaard had another pop, a curling effort tipped wide by the Magpies keeper. Newcastle were buccaneering, Arsenal more measured, but still menacing on the break. Jorginho sent Bukayo Saka through but Pope used his bicep to keep out the England winger’s shot. Ramsdale then made a smart stop after Willock’s shot was half-blocked by Gabriel Magalhaes. The bad blood which boiled up during the goalless draw at the Emirates in January was soon evident again — Callum Wilson and Xhaka getting involved in a flaming row. Just before the break, Martinelli cut back for Odegaard, whose turn left Sven Botman on his backside, before his shot was kept out by Pope’s out-stretched boot. Newcastle started the second half as they’d begun the first, not quite knowing how they hadn’t scored. Murphy skewered Oleks Zinchenko and centred for Alexander Isak, whose stooping header struck the near post. Then from a Kieran Trippier free-kick, Schar’s close-range header was met by a sensational strong-arm save from Ramsdale. At the other end, Martinelli whipped a shot against the crossbar. Arsenal were digging in, Xhaka’s saving tackle on Willock typifying their resilience, and then they doubled their lead with a stunning counter-attack. Martinelli showed blistering pace, then clever feet, and when he cut back, Swiss international Schar diverted it into his own net. The locals were fuming about time-wasting — although anyone who witnessed the corresponding fixture at the Emirates would call that a pot-kettle situation. Arsenal held firm. They are not going to give up this race without a proper scrap. HOW THEY LINED UP NEWCASTLE: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn (Targett 82), Joelinton (Anderson 81), Bruno, Willock (Saint-Maximin 78), Murphy (Almiron 65),Wilson (Gordon 78), Isak. Booked: Schar, Burn. ARSENAL: Ramsdale, White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Tierney 61), Odegaard (Partey 80), Jorginho, Xhaka, Saka (Nelson 87), Jesus (Nketiah 87), Martinelli (Trossard 80). Booked: Nketiah. PREMIER LEAGUE EMIER LEAGUE 12 5 54% 391 34 9 16 2 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 10 6 46% 343 24 4 12 1 0 Newcastle Arsenal V MATCH STATS By DAVE KIDD CHIEF SPORTS WRITER EARO . . . Martinelli celebrates after Arsenal take a 2-0 lead 56 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

0 ARSENAL 2 0 ARSENAL 2 ONE OUT? It’s home Turf for Kompany By WILL PUGH VINCENT KOMPANY said it just “felt right” to sign a five-year contract extension as Burnley boss. And chairman Alan Pace is “ecstatic” the Belgian is staying put after he delivered this season’s Championship title. Tottenham had made Kompany their No 1 target after he sealed an immediate Prem return last month. Chelsea also shortlisted the Manchester City legend. But SunSport revealed Kompany told his backroom staff he was staying put on April 25. Kompany, 37, said: “Burnley and Turf Moor felt right pretty much from the start — so it also feels right to sign for the next five years. “Together with the fans, we have made Turf Moor a fortress again and I look forward to the future.” Pace said: “We are ecstatic Vincent has signed a new deal.” KOMPANY . . . staying Palace in race fan ban vow By TOM BARCLAY CRYSTAL PALACE pledged to ban a fan alleged to have racially abused Tottenham’s South Korean star Son Heung-min. Footage emerged yesterday on social media of a man in the away end at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium appearing to make a sick racist gesture towards Son on Saturday. It came in the 89th minute of Spurs’ 1-0 home win over the Eagles as their beloved No 7 came off the pitch and walked past the away fans. Palace said they had shared evidence with the police, promising to issue a club ban when the culprit is identified. The South London club said: “Evidence has been shared with the police, and when he is identified, he will face a club ban. “We will not tolerate such behaviour in our club.” Match report — Goals Pages 6, 7 SON . . . targeted To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone To get your Dream Team ratings scan here with your smartphone YOU SCHAR ABOUT THAT . . . Toon defender turns the ball into his own net for Arsenal’s second ODEGAARD 14; SCHAR (OG) 71 P W D L F A Pts Man City 34 26 4 4 89 31 82 Arsenal 35 25 6 4 83 39 81 Newcastle 34 18 11 5 61 29 65 Man Utd 34 19 6 9 49 41 63 Liverpool 35 18 8 9 67 42 62 Tottenham 35 17 6 12 64 57 57 Brighton 32 16 7 9 62 40 55 Aston Villa 35 16 6 13 46 43 54 Brentford 35 12 14 9 52 45 50 Fulham 34 13 6 15 45 46 45 Chelsea 34 11 9 14 34 39 42 Crystal Palace 35 10 10 15 35 46 40 Wolves 35 11 7 17 30 50 40 Bournemouth 35 11 6 18 37 67 39 West Ham 35 10 7 18 38 50 37 Leicester 34 8 6 20 46 59 30 Leeds 35 7 9 19 44 69 30 Nottm Forest 34 7 9 18 30 62 30 Everton 34 6 11 17 27 52 29 Southampton 34 6 6 22 28 60 24 PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES TO GO Tuesday Real Madrid (a) CL Sunday Everton (a) Prem May 17 Real Madrid (h) CL May 21 Chelsea (h) Prem May 24 Brighton (a) Prem May 28 Brentford (a) Prem Jun 3 Man Utd (Wembley) FA Cup final Sunday Brighton (h) Prem May 20 Nottm Forest (a) Prem May 28 Wolves (h) Prem Saturday Leeds (a) Prem May 18 Brighton (h) Prem May 22 Leicester (h) Prem May 28 Chelsea (a) Prem Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............57

© NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS Ltd, 2023. Published in print and all other derivative formats by News Group Newspapers Ltd, 1 London Bridge St, London, SE1 9GF, 020 7782 4000. Printed by: Newsprinters (Broxbourne) Ltd, Great Cambridge Rd, Waltham Cross, EN8 8DY; Newsprinters (Knowsley) Ltd, Kitling Rd, Prescot, Merseyside L34 9HN; RPS Oldham Ltd, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 8EP; Newsprinters (Eurocentral) Ltd, Byramsmuir Rd, Holytown, Motherwell ML1 4WH; Adenium Ltd (Webprint), Mahon Retail Park, Mahon, Cork; Webprint, 2023 Bianconi Avenue, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin, Ireland; KP Services, La Rue Martel, La Rue des Pres Trading Estate, St Saviour, Jersey, JE2 7QR. For permission to copy articles or headlines for internal information purposes contact Newspaper Licensing Agency at PO Box 101, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1WX, tel 01892 525274, e-mail [email protected]. For all other reproduction and licensing inquiries contact Licensing Department, 1 London Bridge St, London, SE1 9GF, telephone 020 7711 7888, e-mail [email protected] Sun thesun.co.uk/sport Sport By MARK IRWIN ERIK TEN HAG refused to stick the boot into calamity keeper David de Gea after his mistake condemned Manchester United to their ninth Prem defeat of the season. The 32-year-old (above) inexplicably failed to keep out Said Benrahma’s weak strike from outside the box. He has now committed nine errors which have led directly to goals over the past two seasons — more than any other top-flight keeper. But boss Ten Hag insisted: “We have the most clean sheets in the Premier League and we wouldn’t be in this position without him. “Mistakes happen, however he has my full belief and I have no concerns about him. We want him to stay and extend his contract.” The result leaves United just one point ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool, although they still have a game in hand on Jurgen Klopp’s men. Ten Hag added: “Nothing changes — we need three wins in four games and it’s still in our hands.” Match report — Pages 54, 55 NOW HE’S DAVID DE HOWLER West Ham............................1 Manchester United.........0 Your No1 pullout FREE inside CROWN DUEL! Arteta’s video nasty helps crank up title heat on City Kane eyes Con gong HARRY KANE has hinted he will stay at Tottenham by targeting the lowly Europa Conference League to end his trophy drought. Striker Kane (left), who has never won silverware, said: “If you end up in the Conference League and win it, it’s worth it. We haven’t won a trophy for 15 years.” Full story — Goals Pages 6, 7 NOT THIS TYNE . . . boss Arteta hails his Gunners after avenging last term’s crushing loss at Newcastle TOP OF PREM P GD PTS 1 Man City 34 +58 82 2 Arsenal 35 +44 81 58............... Monday, May 8, 2023

CITY READY FOR REAL MADRID SHOWDOWN - SEE GOALS PAGES 4 & 5 MARTIN ODEGAARD netted his 15th goal of the season, moving level with Gabriel Martinelli as the Gunners’ top scorer this term — the first time two Arsenal players have scored 15 or more in Premier League history. By OSCAR PAUL ODE TO JOY . . . Gunners skipper Odegaard fires in opener and celebrates wildly (left) NEWCASTLE boss Eddie Howe will not allow any negativity as Liverpool close in on their Champions League place. Defeat to Arsenal yesterday leaves Toon just three points above the resurgent Reds as they look to seal a first top-four spot in 20 years. And Howe said: “We have four games remaining and we need three results. “Liverpool and other teams are coming. There is no time for negativity, or for me to lose control emotionally. “It can be a really memorable season for us. “Our destiny is in our own hands, but getting over the line will be the hardest thing. “The players have been incredible but now we have to go up another level and that is always going to be hard. “We are an elite team and that is our challenge.” Howe was “frustrated” at the Gunners’ time-wasting, saying it is “best I don’t comment” on referee Chris Kavanagh. The Magpies have been blasted by rivals all season for doing the same. Yet after Martin Odegaard and a Fabian Schar own goal gave Arsenal victory, Howe admitted: “They managed the game well. They slowed it down, which is frustrating from our perspective We wanted the ball in play to get our rhythm but we can’t control that.” Toon had plenty of chances but went behind moments after a lengthy VAR check, which followed Kavanagh giving the hosts a penalty for a handball by Jakub Kiwior. Referee Kavanagh reversed his decision and Howe said: “It wobbled us — the emotion of the decision unnerved us. “In hindsight, you wish it probably hadn’t been given in the first place because it had a detrimental effect on us.” EDDIE STILL READ By OSCAR PAUL Y NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 2 MIKEL ARTETA showed his Arsenal players a video nasty of last year’s Newcastle meltdown to reignite their title charge. The Gunners’ battling 2-0 triumph at St James’ Park moved them to within a point of Premier League leaders Manchester City. And boss Arteta warned City counterpart Pep Guardiola his stars “will not turn our backs on the prize”. The Arsenal manager inspired his team in their hotel with a replay of a dressing-room clip from the Amazon documentary All Or Nothing after the Magpies KO’d their Champions League hopes last season. And goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale revealed “Last year wasn’t mentioned until the team meeting before we left the hotel. “The manager showed us a clip of the documentary, all our faces, staff included, and how hurt we were. “So we had the burning desire as soon as we left the hotel that it wasn’t going to be the same today. “It might have given us extra motivation because we are fighting Manchester City to try and do something special. “It gave us that extra bit when we needed to dig deep. It really helped us.” The north Londoners responded in brilliant fashion with skipper Martin Odegaard’s 14th-minute opener and Fabian Schar’s second-half own goal sealing a huge win. It puts pressure on Guardiola’s Treble-chasers, who still have away games at Everton, Brighton and Brentford — plus Chelsea at home. The Amazon footage was taken after last May’s crushing 2-0 defeat at St James’, which gifted bitter rivals Tottenham a Champions League spot. In it, furious Spaniard Arteta raged: “It is f****** embarrassing. It is f****** unacceptable.” But after yesterday’s stunning victory, Arteta revealed: “This feels like our best performance of the season. There was the desire for revenge. They had that in their bellies. “When you have the emotions we had last year in that dressing room, you have to feel them again, realise how nasty they were. We had to put it right.” On his video team-talk he added: “It is not enough just to talk about it. “We have to see it in our faces and understand the emotions. “You don’t want to be like this anymore, it is a horrible feeling. “Today we had to show a different type of competitiveness, desire and then quality. “There was a lot of emotion from what happened last year here and in sport, when you have another opportunity, you have to show you have learned and approach it from a different way. “I saw the fight in them to do it a different way today.” Arsenal can still reach 90 points if they beat Brighton (H), Nottingham Forest (A) and Wolves (H) in their final three games. Arteta had mentioned that 90-point mark — the same total Arsenal’s Invincibles of 2003-04 reached — as a potential title-winning tally back in January. And Ramsdale warned City: “We’ll be going as hard as we can for three games. The title is not in our hands but we will be pushing as hard as we can every step of the way. “If City slip up, hopefully we’ll be there to pick up the pieces. “There was immense pride in the dressing room, especially after what happened last year. To come here and impose ourselves on this game and the crowd, we’re really proud.” Long-time Prem leaders Arsenal have reignited their title hopes alive after three successive draws were followed by a 4-1 defeat at the Etihad. Yesterday’s victory followed the Gunners’ 3-1 win over Chelsea last Tuesday. And Arteta said: “It feels very different to ten days ago. “We are there and we want to keep digging. The prize is there, it is not too far. “The only thing we can do is not turn our backs, keep going and let’s see what happens. “We have done it for ten months and we have to keep digging every day. “The demands are incredibly high. There are three games to go and we are still there. “Before the game, I felt I would put my boots on because the atmosphere was incredible. “That is what you want. You are playing for a championship. Let’s keep digging and see what is there.” Match report — Pages 56, 57 HOWE SAD . . . setback for Toon manager Eddie WELL GURNED . . . win for Ramsdale Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............59

y(7HA3A7*MQSQLS( |||+=!}' 6I want to say a few words about my father and why I believe this weekend is so important. But don’t worry, unlike Lionel, I won’t go on all night long7 Rhythm King . . . Charles gets into the swing of concert, and below, Kate on her feet enjoying the music from stars including Lionel Richie, inset

in association with ALL GONE TO POT For Forest, Foxes & Toffees it has... THEY are three teams who have known great glory in the past — but today they will be fighting for their Premier League lives. Nottingham Forest were European Cup winners in 1979 and 1980 but taking maximum points at home to rock-bottom Southampton is a must in their battle against the drop. Everton have not been out of the top flight since 1955. Now the 19th-placed Toffees are in serious danger of tumbling out of the Prem. Their FA Cup win in 1995 is a distant memory as they travel to in-form Brighton, with angry supporters calling for change in the boardroom. And, of course, Leicester were the 5,000-1 Premier League champions in 2016 and FA Cup winners only two years ago, when they shocked Chelsea at Wembley. But their fairytale is in danger of turning into a nightmare. The Foxes face a crunch trip to Fulham as they bid to stay clear of the bottom three. Previews — Pages 2, 3 MANIC MONDAY Fulham v Leicester 3pm Brighton v Everton 5.30pm Nottm Forest v Southampton 8pm By WILL PUGH Everton’s Duncan Ferguson and Paul Rideout Peter Shilton celebrates Nottingham Forest making it back-to-back European Cups Monday, May 8, 2023 Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel lifts title trophy

By GRAHAM HILL is the big lesson for each of us.” Saints face a mass exodus if they go down. But Bednarek said: “I am not thinking about it. It’d be unprofessional and disrespectful. “I am aware of the situation but the most important thing is just to win the next game. “My agents will take care of my future and see what the situation is. “This is the club that gave me a lot, I have learnt here and grown up as a player, so I just try to do my best on the pitch.” SOUTHAMPTON (likely): McCarthy, Maitland-Niles, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Walker-Peters, Sulemana, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Elyounoussi, Alcaraz, Adams. By ALEX CROOK LEICESTER won three consecutive Prem away games without conceding a single goal before the World Cup break. Since the resumption, they have won just one of their nine on the road (D2 L6). . PREMIER LEAGUE And boss Cooper admits the fervour generated by the home fans will play a big part in Forest’s fight for survival. He said: “It’s a real togetherness. You feel part of something bigger than a football team, as a player or a coach. “We feel really proud of what can be achieved on a match day. “It’s a belonging of something big in the city and I think it drip-feeds out of the stadium as well. “That’s a good feeling and gives me a lot of joy. “And that’s why we’re so desperate to get the results, because we know the effect it has on everybody connected to the club and further.” Morgan Gibbs-White told Sky’s Soccer AM Cooper lost his temper for the first time this STEVE COOPER reckons the atmosphere created by Forest’s fans inside the City Ground is ‘bigger than football’. Nottingham Forest host bottom side Southampton tonight in what is seen as a must-win game if Cooper’s 18th-placed side are to beat the drop. Results at home have been in stark contrast to their form on the road, where they have won only once — at Saints in January. After tonight’s game, a home match with Arsenal is sandwiched by trips to Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Steve loves a noisy City season after the last-gasp defeat at Brentford nine days ago. But Cooper wants a sense of unity in the dressing room and highlighted Jesse Lingard’s positive attitude despite being left out. Cooper added: “It’s not a surprise. Jesse, like everyone else including the injured lads, wants to be on the pitch. “They also know now is not the time to put personal situations at the forefront — it’s about the greater good of the club. “That was a tough defeat against Brentford but we haven’t allowed that feeling to linger and affect the preparation.” NOTTM FOREST (likely): Navas, Aurier, Felipe, Worrall, Niakhate, Lodi, Yates, Mangala, Gibbs-White, Johnson, Awoniyi. game against Forest because if we can get three points and get closer to the teams above us, then we can cause a lot of stress for them. “We are in a tough situation. It is really difficult for the club and for each player because we all care and all we want to do is win. “In the Premier League the quality of the opposition and intensity of the games is so demanding. “The younger players that came here at the start of the season and in the winter now realise how tough this league is. “I think we have a situation where we are a little bit scared of failure. “That is a psychology we have to work on. That JAN BEDNAREK insists Southampton can still pull off a miracle relegation escape — starting at fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest tonight. Basement boys Saints are six points adrift of safety and realistically have to win all four of their remaining matches to stand any chance of beating the drop. Poland defender Bednarek, 27, said: “It’s not done yet. We have four more games and four more chances to win, hopefully we can do it. We must focus on the Not Bed ‘n buried yet T Smith: 4 shut-outs OUGH and we’ll beat drop DEAN SMITH wants four clean sheets to keep Leicester up — but they have failed to keep ANY for a record 19 Prem games. The Foxes have not been able to stop the opposition scoring in a league match since November — before the World Cup break. It is their longest singleseason sequence without conceding since 1957. Leicester’s last Prem shut-out came in the 2-0 triumph at West Ham on November 12. And they are facing the prospect of relegation just two years after winning the FA Cup and becoming shock Premier League title winners in 2016. But manager Smith has set his side a target by saying: “If we keep four clean sheets until the end of the season, we’re safe. “I fully believe we have got players who can score goals, so we’d win some of those games.” Smith was reunited with ex-England and Chelsea defender John Terry — from his Aston Villa days — when he took the Leicester job after Brendan Rodgers was sacked. But despite being unbeaten since losing his opening game against Manchester City, his side are still conceding. It is a statistic that has surprised him but Smith is making it a priority, starting with today’s visit to Fulham. And he knows coach Terry’s presence can make a difference. Smith added: “JT is someone they listen to because he based his game on being a good defender first and a good footballer second. “He gives little tips and talks about the ‘what if’ quite a lot. “As a defender you have to think, ‘What if he does make a mistake’ — so you’re there to cover him. “But that was the disappointment from last week against Everton, because in the three previous games — and I include Manchester City in this — we didn’t give big chances away. “That was my concern in the Everton game and the fact we haven’t kept a clean sheet has been a reminder to the players. “We’ve certainly talked about it. We need to protect our goalkeeper a lot better. He was called upon far too often last week.” The former Norwich, Aston Villa and Brentford manager wants his team to go back to basics in their remaining matches. He added: “The first thing I want from a defender is make sure he defends well and then be a good footballer. “They are the basics of football.” Smith says attacker James Maddison has the “emotional control” to bounce back from his penalty miss against Everton. Maddison had the chance to put the Foxes 3-1 up in the relegation battle at the King Power Stadium last Monday. Jordan Pickford saved the spot-kick and Sean Dyche’s Toffees battled back for a point. But Smith has no worries about his man’s mindset. He said: “James was as disappointed as anyone would be to miss a penalty. “But it did not hinder his secondhalf performance in any way. “He was probably one of our better performers in the second half, which shows really good emotional control.” LEICESTER (likely): Iversen, Castagne, Faes, Soyuncu, Thomas, Tielemans, Ndidi, Soumare, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy. By GRAHAM HILL NEED MORE SILVA MARCO SILVA made it clear to Fulham owner Shahid Khan that investment is needed on and off the pitch this summer. The Cottagers, in tenth place, are enjoying a stellar season back in the top flight. But boss Silva (left) is keen to ensure they do not slip back into a relegation fight next season and wants money to spend this summer. Fulham face Leicester City today, a clear example of what can happen if investment is not on offer each year. The Foxes slipped from Premier League champs in 2016 and FA Cup winners in 2021 to a relegation scrap this year. Silva said: “We all know the reality. I am the manager and it is up to me to show what we need to do. We are really proud of the squad and pleased with this fantastic group of players, they have been doing so well. “But they know we need to improve as well, we need to create more competition to improve positions and all the things to take steps forwards. “Other teams will do the same and, if you don’t think in this way, it will be a mistake. “My relationship with the owner is really close. The club needs to keep improving on and off the pitch. You cannot stand still. “If you think everything is OK because you have had a good season that is the first mistake. And I don’t like making mistakes.” FULHAM (likely): Leno, Tete, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson, Reed, Palhinha, Wilson, Cairney, Willian, Vinicius By JACK ROSSER STOPPING THE LEAKS . . . Smith is using coach John Terry to help tighten up his defence FAN-TASTIC . . . Forest boss Cooper hailed support 2 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023 2GG

there will be a fire sale. Dyche, should he decide to stay, will be left to try and blow the embers into life after having his fingers burned. Typically he goes into tonight’s clash at Brighton sporting the stiff upper lip that typified Burnley’s never-say-die approach under him. He said: “We are on the right track. I know we aren’t in the table but we are showing that we are making progress after the hard work we have put in.” Relegation and history will point a finger at him unless he produces a miracle over the last four games of this season. It was not supposed to be like this for the Ginger Mourinho. It is a very different story for Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi, who is chasing a European spot next season. But De Zerbi warned his side: “It will be a very tough, tough game because they are a strong team. “We have to be focused only on this, to enjoy and to show our quality because we are not used to playing for this target.” LIKELY LINE-UPS — BRIGHTON: Steele, Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Estupinian, Caicedo, Mac Allister, March, Enciso, Mitoma, Welbeck. EVERTON:Pickford, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Iwobi, Doucoure, Gueye, Onana, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin. CALVERT-LEWIN . . . key in association with STAT ATTACK LEADING GOALSCORERS Erling Haaland (Manchester City)....35 Harry Kane (Tottenham, left)...........26 Ivan Toney (Brentford)........................20 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).................19 13 GOALS SCORED 1.9 AVE PER GAME 0 32 Dyche big chance in big trouble week, with the club sliding towards the Championship, did little to diminish his standing. After all, he spent almost seven of eight seasons keeping them up with the top flight’s tiniest budget. Aston Villa, West Ham, Tottenham and Newcastle were also linked. He was even being touted as Gareth Southgate’s replacement. And yet it has come to this. Fourteen games into his new career at one of England’s most historic clubs he could be the first manager to take Everton down since 1951. Far from lording it and splashing the kind of cash he never could 50-odd miles north of Goodison he is staring at sack cloth and ashes. Relegation would plunge the Toffees even deeper into financial crisis with losses of £430million over the past five years. Majority owner Farhad Moshiri is desperately scrabbling around looking for over £300m in investment to complete Everton’s new ground, the cost of which has gone up by 50 per cent to a crippling £760m. Dyche took over from Frank Lampard on transfer deadline day in January and, maybe even then, he might have realised he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Attempts to bring in desperately-needed talent turned into a shambles. It has now been one win in the last 11. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, England No 1 Jordan Pickford and many other stars are all certain to depart if they go down. Should Everton, the longest-serving club in the top flight, go down By KEN LAWRENCE SEAN DYCHE could not have imagined that his break into the big time would become a battle against the drop. The boss revered by Burnley fans as the Ginger Mourinho for almost a decade had long been connected with plenty of the Premier League’s top clubs. There was constant speculation that he would move up in the world. Five years ago when Arsene Wenger was preparing to leave Arsenal, Gunners legend Thierry Henry said Dyche should replace the Frenchman. Even his sacking as Clarets boss a year ago next SHEETS (Shame it’s 19 games since they’ve had one) BATTLE TO ESCAPE THE DROP LEICESTER IN PREM THIS SEASON MATCHES SINCE A PREM CLEAN SHEET Leicester 34 8 6 20 46 59 -13 30 Leeds 35 7 9 19 44 69 -25 30 Nottm Forest 34 7 9 18 30 62 -32 30 Everton 34 6 11 17 27 52 -25 29 Southampton 34 6 6 22 28 60 -32 24 16 17 18 19 20 BOTTOM OF PREM P W D L F A GD PTS Leicester Nottm Forest Leeds Fulham Southampton GAME 1 DRAW 2 LOST 3 LOST 4 LOST 5 LOST 6 LOST 7 LOST 8 WON 9 LOST 10 DRAW 11 WON 12 WON 13 LOST 14 WON 15 WON 16 LOST 17 LOST GAME 18 8 10 11 13 19 LOST 19 LOST 20 DRAW 21 WON 22 WON 23 LOST 24 LOST 25 LOST 26 LOST 27 DRAW 28 LOST 29 LOST 30 LOST 31 LOST 32 WON 33 DRAW 34 DRAW GAMES TO GO 16th LEICESTER 17th LEEDS 19th EVERTON 20th SOUTHAMPTON 18th NOTTINGHAM FOREST Today Fulham (a) May 15 Liverpool (h) May 22 Newcastle (a) May 28 West Ham (h) Saturday Newcastle (h) May 21 West Ham (a) May 28 Tottenham (h) Today Southampton (h) Saturday Chelsea (a) May 20 Arsenal (h) May 28 Crystal Palace (a) Today Brighton (a) Sunday Man City (h) May 20 Wolves (a) May 28 Bournemouth (h) Today Nottm Forest (a) May 13 Fulham (h) May 21 Brighton (a) May 28 Liverpool (h) SINKING . . . boss Sean Dyche 2GG Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............3

ERLING HAALAND had six shots on Saturday — his joint-most without scoring in a single game for Manchester City in all comps PREMIER LEAGUE (also six against Liverpool in October). STEALTH SAFETY City ready for Madrid test SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR DREAM TEAM PLAYER RATINGS man city.............2 leeds...................1 Gundogan 19, 27 Rodrigo 85 18 6 81% 869 37 10 3 0 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 4 2 19% 194 5 1 16 3 0 Man City Leeds V MATCH STATS AND TOO BAD . . . Ilkay Gundogan hits the post with his late penalty SMOOTH AND S-ILKAY Feb 19, 2020 Rodri (MAN CITY v West Ham) 195 May 12, 2019 Ilkay Gundogan (Brighton v MAN CITY) 193 May 6, 2023 ILKAY GUNDOGAN (MAN CITY v Leeds) 192 MOST TOUCHES IN A PREM GAME Feb 19, 2020 Rodri (MAN CITY v West Ham) 188 May 6, 2023 ILKAY GUNDOGAN (MAN CITY v Leeds) 182 Sep 23, 2018 Jorginho (West Ham v CHELSEA) 180 MOST PASSES IN A PREM GAME Feb 19, 2020 Rodri (MAN CITY v West Ham) 178 May 6, 2023 ILKAY GUNDOGAN (MAN CITY v Leeds) 170 Sep 23, 2018 Ilkay Gundogan (MAN CITY v Chelsea) 167 MOST SUCCESSFUL PASSES IN A PREM GAME (All stats from the start of 2003-04 season when pass and touch data was first calculated) ILKAY GUNDOGAN recorded the third-most touches and secondmost passes in a Prem game — beaten only by Rodri. 4 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

in association with NEW Leeds boss Sam Allardyce has lost his last five Prem games, including four during his spell at West Brom in 2020-21. It is his longest losing streak in the competition since Dec 2015, when he lost five in a row with Sunderland. PREM PENS MISSED/SAVED SINCE 2016-17 Manchester City........................................................17 Manchester United.............................................13 Crystal Palace....................................................11 Leicester.............................................................11 Brighton, Southampton......................................10 By KEN LAWRENCE LEEDS’ fans were the real heroes at the Etihad — and a clutch of them now have the shirts to prove it. Well before Rodrigo got Pep Guardiola’s men a little jumpy with his 85th-minute strike they were bawling non-stop support. It was recognised by Sam Allardyce’s No 2 Karl Robinson, who gathered every player, sub, coach and his new boss to pay tribute. The former Oxford boss made sure many of those who had just gone down fighting threw their tops into the crowd. Allardyce (right) knows his side are going to need more of the same against Newcastle on Saturday, followed by the clashes with West Ham and Spurs. He said: “We have to keep the fans on board when they have expected so much more than they have been getting. “They saw a bit of spirit which maybe gives them a bit of hope and we appreciated their support. “We gave them a few shirts but we’re definitely going to need them.” There is the faint stirring of optimism that Big Sam can save the Whites from the drop. Allardyce said: “This is the fastest I’ve moved in a long time since getting the call to come in. “Me, Karl and Robbie Keane haven’t stopped talking for the last four days. “We have been together plotting, talking and trying to find the right formula.” Sam puts shirts on fan factor ERLING HAALAND’S late selfless spot-kick gesture may actually have done Pep Guardiola and his team-mates a favour. Haaland’s decision to hand Ilkay Gundogan the ball to go for his hat-trick after a firsthalf double resulted in late mayhem. The German hit a post and as Guardiola raged on the touchline Rodrigo gave Leeds the unlikeliest of lifelines sixty seconds later. Suddenly City’s showboaters were playing desperate keep-ball at the corner flags to protect their lead. Had they reverted to those same, safety-first tactics at the Bernabeu a year ago they would surely have faced Liverpool in the Champions League final and Pep might have got the monkey off his back. Instead, with a two-goal aggregate lead against Real Madrid they were attacking with a minute to go and paid a calamitous price. Funnily enough they were detonated by another Brazilian forward with the same name, just a slightly different spelling, in Rodrygo. From nowhere, just like against a side that on Saturday had been completely outplayed, they were hit by not one but two bombshells inside two minutes. Despite the late fright on Saturday from a team Sam Allardyce is trying to rescue from the flames, they still chalked up a tenth successive Premier League win. A third straight title is theirs to lose now. And by the end of the season they could be partying like 1999 with the same three crowns as those that proclaimed Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the greatest managers of all time. Unsurprisingly City defender Manuel Akanji preferred to focus on revenge against Carlo Ancelotti’s reigning European champs Real tomorrow, declaring: “I don’t fear anybody. Also as a team. If you go into games scared, you are already beaten before the game. You can’t go into the game scared. “They won it 14 times so they know how to do it and win games but we are still in good shape. “I am confident that we can get through to the final and over the last few weeks and months we have been playing at a really high level. “We are not making a lot of mistakes that we did before that brought the opponent back in the game. “Against Leeds, we weren’t as efficient as we usually are but it happens sometimes. “Sometimes you just have to win the games and that is what we did.” Yet 12 months ago they blew it in pyrotechnic fashion in another example of how it always seems to go wrong for the manager who twice ruled Europe with Barcelona. The Champions League has bitter memories for Pep with City. Under him, there were three successive quarter-final eliminations to Liverpool, Tottenham and Lyon. They lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final two years ago, with Pep again accused of over-thinking after he left out both holding midfielders in Fernandinho and Rodri. That fatal semi-final second leg in Madrid last year should have been case closed had he shut up shop. Instead, with a minute to go, Jack Grealish was still trying to waltz through Real’s rearguard. Akanji’s statement of conviction might seem like the bleeding obvious to everyone in Europe, Madrid’s grand master manager Ancelotti included. Given that this time around Haaland (right) — already the quickest–ever to reach 35 Champions League goals — will be in a City shirt, Akanji could be right. Except that nothing ever seems to go right once Guardiola gets to the sharp end of the Champions League as Etihad boss. Indeed the only thing that Akanji, the Norwegian goal monster and everyone else of a Blue Moon persuasion may need to fear is what will be going on inside the Catalan manager’s head come tomorrow night. City are without doubt the best team in Europe. Maybe Guardiola should believe that too, while also remembering that, as against Leeds, there is no disgrace in winning ugly. HOW THEY LINED UP MAN CITY: Ederson, Akanji, Laporte, Ake (Walker 54), Lewis, Gundogan (Rodri 90), Mahrez, Alvarez (Silva 87), De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland. LEEDS: Robles, Ayling, Kristensen, Wober, Firpo, McKennie, Roca (Greenwood 59), Gnonto (Rodrigo 58), Forshaw (Struijk 80), Harrison (Summerville 66), Bamford (Aaronson 80). Booked: Gnonto, Rodrigo, McKennie. By KEN LAWRENCE FORMER England full-back DANNY MILLS, 45, assesses old clubs Manchester City (2004-09) and Leeds (1999- 2004) following Saturday’s 2-1 home win at the Etihad. Mills (below) won 19 caps between 2001-04 and played in the 2002 World Cup finals. MANCHESTER CITY could quite easily have been 5-0 ahead at the break with Erling Haaland hitting another hat-trick. Instead it was 2-0 after the first half-hour, thanks to a double from Ilkay Gundogan. But Pep’s side surprisingly didn’t add to their early goal siege. By the finish I thought they let Leeds off the hook with a Gundogan second-half missed penalty. However, it was another three points for City and with a huge goal difference over rivals Arsenal, they have that cushion of knowing they can afford to lose one of their last four league games and still win their fifth title in six seasons. The one mesmerising statistic is City have dropped just TWO points from their last 39 available. I’m sure new Leeds manager Sam Allardyce will see Saturday’s result as a huge positive for the struggling side he took over last Wednesday. He has so little time to sort out a team who are now winless in six Premier League games. But he will find as many plus points to build on ahead of their crucial final three games as he bids to keep the club in the top flight. City obliterated Leeds in the stats with 81 per cent possession. But Big Sam won’t care a jot if the opposition do the same in their last three, providing they get a win. If they are ahead, he will happily swap 19 per cent possession for his players kicking the ball into the stands to get the three points. I thought the new manager was very brave, dropping keeper Illan Meslier to give Joel Robles his first league appearance for the club, especially as it was at City. Robles could have had his confidence shattered had he shipped a hatful of goals. As it has turned out he became just the fifth keeper to leave the Etihad having conceded two goals or fewer in the Premier League this season. It’s going to be a nailbiter for all the teams involved at the bottom and I have no doubt it’s going to go right down to the wire on the final day, on the 28th of this month. Interview: RUSSELL LANNING TWO GOOD . . . Gundogan scores his second goal Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............5

(3.0 unless stated) TODAY PREMIER LEAGUE Brighton v Everton ................5.30 Fulham v Leicester ........................ Nottm Forest v Southamptn.. 8.0 SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Birmingham v Sheff Utd .............. Burnley v Cardiff ........................... Huddersfield v Reading ................ Luton v Hull .................................... Middlesbrough v Coventry .......... Millwall v Blackburn ...................... Norwich v Blackpool ..................... Preston v Sunderland ................... QPR v Bristol City ........................... Swansea v West Brom .................. Watford v Stoke ............................ Wigan v Rotherham ...................... SKY BET LEAGUE TWO Barrow v Stevenage ............12.30 Bradford v Leyton Orient ....12.30 Colchester v Mansfield ........12.30 Grimsby v AFC Wimbledon ..12.30 Harrogate v Rochdale ..........12.30 Newport County v Crewe ....12.30 Salford City v Gillingham ....12.30 Stockport Cty v Hartlepool ..12.30 Sutton Utd v Carlisle ............12.30 Swindon v Crawley Town ....12.30 Tranmere v Northampton ..12.30 Walsall v Doncaster ..............12.30 (7.45 unless stated) TOMORROW UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG Real Madrid v Man City ............ 8.0 CINCH SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP - PLAY-OFF QUARTER-FINAL, 1ST LEG - Partick v Queen’s Park. CINCH SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS, 1ST LEG - Alloa v Hamilton, Airdrie v Falkirk. CINCH SCOTTISH LEAGUE 1 - PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS, 1ST LEG - East Fife v Clyde, Annan v Dumbarton. WEDNESDAY UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS 1ST LEG AC Milan v Inter Milan .............. 8.0 FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE - Brighton v Arsenal (7.30), Chelsea v Leicester (7.0). THURSDAY UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS 1ST LEG Juventus v Sevilla ..................... 8.0 Roma v Bayer Leverkusen ....... 8.0 UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS 1ST LEG West Ham v AZ .......................... 8.0 Fiorentina v Basel..................... 8.0 (3.0 unless stated) FRIDAY SKY BET LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG Peterborough v Sheff Wed..... 8.0 CINCH SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP - PLAY-OFF QUARTER-FINAL 2ND LEG - Queen’s Park v Partick. SATURDAY PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa v Tottenham .............. Chelsea v Nottm Forest ................ Crystal Palace v Bournemouth ... Leeds v Newcastle ................12.30 Man Utd v Wolves .......................... Southampton v Fulham ............... SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP - PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG 6th v 3rd ..................................5.30 SKY BET LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG Bolton v Barnsley .......................... SKY BET LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG 7th v 4th .................................. 7.45 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINAL Chesterfield v Notts Cty .......3.30 CINCH PREMIERSHIP - Aberdeen v Hibernian, Dundee Utd v Ross County, Kilmarnock v Livingston, Rangers v Celtic (12.30), St Johnstone v Motherwell, St Mirren v Hearts. CINCH SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS, 2ND LEG - Hamilton v Alloa, Falkirk v Airdrie. CINCH SCOTTISH LEAGUE 1 PLAYOFF SEMI-FINALS 2ND LEG - Clyde v East Fife, Dumbarton v Annan. LEAGUE 2 PLAY-OFF FINAL 1ST LEG - Spartans v Albion Rovers. SUNDAY PREMIER LEAGUE Arsenal v Brighton .................4.30 Brentford v West Ham ............ 2.0 Everton v Man City ................... 2.0 SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP - PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG 5th v 4th ................................ Noon SKY BET LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG 6th v 5th ................................... 7.0. WOMEN’S FA CUP FINAL Chelsea v Man Utd ..................2.30 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE: PLAY-OFF FINALS: NORTH - Brackley v Kidderminster Harriers (3.30). SOUTH - Oxford City v St Albans City (12.30). MONDAY PREMIER LEAGUE Leicester v Liverpool ................ 8.0 THE Week Ahead WEEK AHEAD CRYSTAL PALACE have lost their last two Prem away games after winning their first two following Roy Hodgson’s return to the PREMIER LEAGUE club (v Leeds and Southampton). ‘Winning Conference could finally end my wait for a trophy’ KANE’S HINT OVER FUTURE HEADS, I WIN . . . Kane nods his record tenth headed goal of the Prem campaign VEGA RAPS NEW ARENA RAMON VEGA has blasted Tottenham’s new stadium as “cold and disconnected”. The ex-Spurs defender slammed the £1billion arena and declared the old White Hart Lane had a “much better atmosphere”. Swiss Vega (right), 51, tweeted a video from his seat after Harry Kane sealed Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace (below). He wrote: “It was great to visit my ex-club @Spurs Official. “But I still prefer the old stadium White Hart Lane — much better atmosphere. It felt cold and disconnected.” Kane headed in Pedro Porro’s cross on the stroke of half-time to push Tottenham above Brighton into sixth place, although the Seagulls have three games in hand. 6 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

in association with RYAN MASON (right) won his first home match in charge of Tottenham for two years since May 2021 (2-0 against Wolves) during his last spell as caretaker manager. MOST GOALS SCORED IN PREM HISTORY Alan Shearer (Games 441)...................................260 HARRY KANE (317)...........................................209 Wayne Rooney (491)........................................208 Andy Cole (414)...............................................187 Sergio Aguero (275).........................................184 SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR DREAM TEAM PLAYER RATINGS 8 3 58% 514 13 8 15 3 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 7 2 42% 378 21 4 14 5 0 Tottenham C Palace V MATCH STATS TOTTENHAM........1 C PALACE..........0 Kane 45 HARRY was a problem for the Palace yet again on Saturday. But after the Premier League’s now second-highest scorer netted his 11th goal against the Eagles to win this tight game, he spoke like a man not looking to cause his own club a headache by pushing for a summer move. Instead Kane was more concerned by the importance of Tottenham ensuring they qualify for Europe — whatever the competition — this season to boost their trophy prospects. And he even talked of the possibility of sitting down with Daniel Levy before the campaign is out over the chairman’s plans for a permanent successor to former boss Antonio Conte. Cynics will argue what else would you expect of England’s greatest goal-getter, a model pro who holds all the power, with 13 months to go on his contract and Manchester United circling. That may be the case but the feeling from within Spurs is that a summer sale is unlikely, with a free transfer a year later more palatable. We will see how the closeseason pans out — and if Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils, or any other super club, really do test Levy’s famous resolve. Yet Kane’s focus is clearly unaffected by talk of any potential move, unlike the season before last where he netted just once in the first half of the campaign after seeing a dream switch to Manchester City fall flat. He was the difference here in what was an even contest, showing all his skills as the perfect hybrid of No 9 and No 10 by creating and scoring the winner in firsthalf stoppage time. Kane found the excellent Pedro Porro out wide with a clever pass before racing to the far post to nod the Portuguese’s pinpoint cross into the Eagles’ net. The goal was his 26th in the Prem this season and his 209th overall, moving him past Wayne Rooney into second on the alltime lists. It also saw him break Duncan Ferguson’s 25-year record of most headed goals in a Premier League season, setting the new bar at ten. And it kept Spurs in the hunt for Europe, even if the Europa Conference League may be the best they can hope for if Brighton capitalise on their three games in hand. Kane, who turns 30 in July, said: “If we can come away from this season with European football, that’s a small prize at the end of a tough season. “We’ll be fighting for that and fighting in the three games left to try to pick up three wins.” Some Spurs fans would prefer not to finish in Europe at all, seeing the third-tier competition of the Conference League as a bit of a booby prize. Yet Kane, who has famously never won a trophy, retorted: “You can’t disrespect any competition that you play in. “It’s one of those, if you end up in the Conference League and win it, it’s worth it. If you don’t, then people probably look at it as an inconvenience. But when you’ve been at a club where we haven’t won a trophy for 15 years, if we do end up in it, it could be an opportunity to try and put that to bed.” Spurs had shipped a whopping 12 goals in their last three games against Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool but picked up a first clean sheet since February 26 here. That was in large part due to the solid tactics of interim boss Ryan Mason, who reverted to a 4-4-2 out of possession and the familiar 3-4-3 with the ball. Kane talked ahead of last week’s 4-3 thrilling defeat to Liverpool how he felt the club had lost some of its values. When asked if he backed Mason for the job full-time, he pointed to how he felt the caretaker boss was bringing some of those values back. Kane said: “We’re all behind him. We know the club is in a situation where I spoke about getting some of the values back. I feel like Ryan brings all those attributes. “He’s been here through the academy, he knows what it’s like as a fan, he knows what it’s like to play here.” The likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Xabi Alonso and Feyenoord chief Arne Slot are all under consideration to replace Conte, who exited in March. Asked if he has been enthused by what he has read about the manager search, Kane replied: “That’s down to the club. If I end up speaking with the chairman towards the end of the season, then I’m sure he’ll fill me in on what he’s thinking.” HOW THEY LINED UP TOTTENHAM: Forster, Royal, Romero, Lenglet (Dier 88), Davies, Porro, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Son (Danjuma 89), Richarlison (Kulusevski 79), Kane. Booked: Davies, Lenglet, Forster. CRYSTAL PALACE: Johnstone, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp (Hughes 74), Olise, Ayew (Edouard 84), Zaha. Booked: Schlupp, Ward, Ayew, Zaha, Andersen. By TOM BARCLAY SAM JOHNSTONE reckons STONE COLD Palace’s battling display at Tottenham proves the safe South Londoners are not on the beach. Roy Hodgson worked his magic very quickly when replacing Patrick Vieira in March, moving them free of relegation danger. Harry Kane’s header saw them lose at Spurs but their display was full of fight and determination that suggested players’ minds are not yet on their summer holidays. And goalkeeper Johnstone (right) said: “Any footballer will go out on the pitch to win the game. That’s what we are still doing even though we are safe. “It showed here — even though we lost, we put in a good performance and we were unlucky.” Johnstone, a former Spurs target, only made his Prem debut for Palace last month after joining on a free in the summer. But he has now started the last six league games having ousted Spaniard Vicente Guaita. Johnstone, 30, said: “I waited for my chance and now I have to keep taking it with both hands. Goalies work together every day and we support each other no matter who is playing. “At the moment I am playing and Guaita is supporting me. It’s nice to be on the field and hopefully it will continue.” By TOM BARCLAY STATS CRYSTAL CLEAR . . . Kane celebrates his 11th goal against Palace HARRY’S HOME WORK Games Goals Alan Shearer 222 173 Thierry Henry 136 120 Wayne Rooney 248 114 Sergio Aguero 142 106 Andy Cole 208 104 Robbie Fowler 196 103 HARRY KANE 157 100 MOST PREM HOME GOALS FOR A SINGLE CLUB MOST PREM HOME GOALS Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 120 Sergio Aguero (Man City) 106 Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 101 HARRY KANE (Tottenham) 100 Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 95 Robbie Fowler (Liverpool) 85 Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 79 HARRY KANE netted his 100th home Premier League goal, becoming the first man to a century both home and away, and the seventh to reach the milestone at home, as well as the fourth to manage it for a single club. THROUGH THE AGES BIGGEST AGE GAP BETWEEN MANAGERS IN PREM HISTORY PALACE’S LAST 10 PREM GAMES AT TOTTENHAM T TT FL PS OF THE Roy Hodgson Ryan Mason Bobby Robson Chris Coleman Marcelo Bielsa Ryan Mason Roy Hodgson Ruben Selles Alex Ferguson Andre Villas-Boas May 6, 2023 Jan 19, 2004 May 8, 2021 Apr 15, 2023 Jan 20, 2013 v v v v v DATE MANAGER 43y 308d 37y 112d 35y 327d 35y 310d 35y 290d WINS 0 DRAWS 1 DEFEATS 9 Jan 11, 2014 L 2-0 Dec 6, 2014 D 0-0 Sep 20, 2015 L 1-0 Aug 20, 2016 L 1-0 Nov 5, 2017 L 1-0 Apr 3, 2019 L 2-0 Sep 14, 2010 L 4-0 Mar 7, 2021 L 4-1 Dec 26, 2021 L 3-0 May 6, 2023 L 1-0 THERE were 43 years and 308 days between Spurs’ Ryan Mason and Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson’s ages. CHRISTIAN BENTEKE is the only Crystal Palace player to score at Tottenham in the last ten years and 911 minutes (15hr 1min). Monday, May 8, 2023 ...............7

SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR DREAM TEAM PLAYER RATINGS LIVERPOOL ........ 1 BRENTFORD.......0 Salah 13 Al to play 4 BRAZILIAN A EURO STAR IT is thanks to Alisson that Liverpool’s hopes of European football next season are still alive. And boss Jurgen Klopp knows it only too well as a difficult campaign on Merseyside draws to a close. The Reds had prepared a shirt with ‘100’ on the back as the number of clean sheets kept by the Brazilian hit three figures. This was one of the 30-year-old keeper’s quieter days as Brentford struggled to properly test him. As has often been the case in their five years together at Anfield, former Roma team-mate Mo Salah took the headlines with his landmark goal. Like his Egyptian pal, Alisson is a cornerstone of the side that Liverpool must build on as they look to bounce back next season. Reds chief Klopp said: “What a goalie he is. I gave him the shirt we had prepared and said, ‘This is actually for 100 life-saving saves this season’. And he said to me, ‘No — there were more!’. Maybe he’s right!” Klopp added: “We don’t need to say too much about him — his performances speak for themselves. “And he’s an even better person than a goalie and that’s already really difficult.” The feeling from the Brazil international is that he plans to stick around. Alisson, who cost the Kop side £67million back in 2018, said: “I’m so happy with the 100 clean sheets and looking forward to the next 100.” Not for the first time, he ended up being overshadowed by Salah, who made the move from the Italian capital a year before him. Salah took advantage of good work from Fabinho and Virgil van Dijk to bundle home his 30th goal of the season. He now has 186 goals for the Reds, putting him joint fifth with Kop legend Steven Gerrard. Salah’s strike was also his 100th at Anfield as he became the first Reds star to score in nine successive games at the stadium. Brentford defender Ben Mee urged his team-mates not to let their season fizzle out as their European hopes suffered a major setback. The Bees have derbies with West Ham and Spurs before hosting leaders Manchester City on the final day. And Mee, 33, said: “We move on and we’ve got three big games left and we want to go out on a high. “They don’t lose many games here, so we knew it was going to be difficult.” HOW THEY LINED UP LIVERPOOL: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas 82), Gakpo, Fabinho, Jones (Milner 82), Salah, Jota (Henderson 73), Nunez (Diaz 65). Booked: Alisson, Konate, Van Dijk, Fabinho. BRENTFORD: Raya, Hickey (Wissa 88), Jorgensen, Pinnock, Mee, Henry (Schade 72), Onyeka (Dasilva 72), Jensen (Baptiste 82), Janelt (Damsgaard 81), Mbeumo, Toney. Booked: Henry, Mbeumo. By MARTIN BLACKBURN ONE HUNDRED AND WON . . . Salah nets the clincher, his 100th goal at Anfield PERFECT MO-MENT MOST GOALS SCORED AT ANFIELD (All competitions) 1 Ian Rush 185 2 Roger Hunt 173 3 Gordon Hodgson 159 4 Billy Liddell 137 5 Robbie Fowler 117 6 Kenny Dalglish 104 7 Steven Gerrard 104 8 MO SALAH 100 9 Harry Chambers 97 10 Dick Forshaw 86 MO SALAH’S winner was his 100th goal at Anfield, the eighth to reach the landmark for Liverpool. 15 5 54% 377 29 7 19 4 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 5 1 46% 325 8 3 10 2 0 Liverpool Brentford V MATCH STATS 8............... Monday, May 8, 2023

in association with PREM LGE SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR DREAM TEAM PLAYER RATINGS 6 2 38% 264 8 5 20 3 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 16 3 62% 432 35 6 9 3 0 Wolves Aston Villa V MATCH STATS WOLVES...............1 ASTON VILLA....0 SAFE ‘N Toti 9 SOUND JULEN LOPETEGUI heard the calls for Jose Sa to carry the can for Wolves’ thrashing at Brighton. But the manager claimed by using that logic, he would have had to bin himself too! The Portuguese goalkeeper was in a bad place when the Seagulls smashed him and his mates for six last week. Sa played as if he had lead in his boots and lard on his gloves, and there were plenty of calls for his understudy David Bentley to replace him. But Lopetegui chose Sa to face Aston Villa and his loyalty paid off when the £7million bargain from Olympiacos got his fingertips to Emi Buendia’s netbound half-volley — five minutes after Toti had headed Wolves into the lead. A leveller for Aston Villa then would have deflated Wolves’ fragile confidence but Lopetegui’s big call paid off. He said: “Sometimes after a defeat like Brighton, a lot of people have doubts about players. But my analysis was that, if I have to change Jose for his performance in this match, maybe I have to change myself too! “I showed confidence in the team that lost at Brighton to highlight that maybe you can have a very bad day. “But my confidence in Jose is the same — and for the rest of the team too.” Saturday’s disciplined win over Villa marked the 56-yearold Spaniard’s 400th game in management. He inherited a rock-bottom Wolves who are now sitting pretty on 40 points with three games remaining, having just won four in a row at home. Villa lost more momentum in their European bid and boss Unai Emery said: “I was very happy in the first half with how we played. “We will try again and keep the European chance still open. The next match against Tottenham is our final.” HOW THEY LINED UP WOLVES: Sa, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti, Nunes (Moutinho 90), Neves, Lemina, Neto (Traore 83), Cunha (Hwang 68), Costa (Collins 83). Booked: Semedo, Toti, Costa. A VILLA: Martinez, Young (Silva 65), Konsa, Mings, Moreno (Digne 85), Traore (Bailey 45), McGinn, Luiz (Kamara 86), Ramsey, Buendia (Duran 81), Watkins. Booked: Mings, Luiz, Watkins. Lop’s loyalty pays off By GRAEME BRYCE HAPPY CLAPPY . . . Sa and Diego Costa celebrate in the dressing room HIGH LO . . . Lopetegui SPECIAL WON-NILS Man Utd 6 WOLVES 6 Nottm Forest 5 Tottenham 5 MOST 1-0 PREM WINS THIS SEASON NO team have won more games 1-0 this season than Wolves (6 — level with Manchester United). WOLVES are unbeaten in their last five league games against Aston Villa (W3 D2) — winning five of their last six against Villa at Molineux (L1). Monday, May 8, 2023 ............... 9

CHELSEA’S Conor Gallagher has scored two goals in his last four Premier League games — more than in his previous 27 such games this season (1). PROS Gallagher delighted to st the rot for ‘brilliant’ Lamp CONOR GALLAGHER gave Frank Lampard the heads-up after Chelsea snapped their six-match losing streak at Bournemouth. Gallagher initiated the ending of the Blues’ horror run of results under interim boss Lampard when he claimed a collector’s piece headed goal early on. And far-post volley from Benoit Badiashile and a simple tap-in from sub Joao Felix finally gave the Blues that winning feeling for the first time since the Chelsea legend walked back into the building on April 6. Former England star Lampard, Chelsea’s record Premier League goalscoring midfielder, would have been delighted to see Gallagher find the net. And the one-time academy player was equally pleased to take the pressure off his gaffer. Gallagher said: “He deserves that because he’s been brilliant since he came in. Although we haven’t performed well enough, particularly in the last few games, he’s always been positive. “He has had us working hard and training has been great — and that work has now paid off. “We were desperate to get a win, take the points that come with it and perform well, which we haven’t done in recent games. It was a great feeling. “To do both — play well and take three points — was the most important thing, and we need to take that forward into the last four games.” There was no real standout performer in this super-expensive Chelsea team, although the gaffer did pick out his captain Thiago Silva for praise. Lampard said: “I think Thiago is a credit in all aspects. He is a classy, brilliant player. “He is also brilliant at looking after himself to play at this level. He’s 38 and I was in the MLS at that point. To play as a centre-back in the Premier League, what must he be doing with his body? “He is a great reference point for the young centre-backs in the team around him.” It was Bournemouth’s charitable defending — 21 goals conceded from setpieces — which gave the Blues a rare night of celebration. Maybe this was why Chelsea maintained possession and kept the pressure on the hosts, especially in the second half, knowing they would crack at the back. Yes, Gallagher took his headed goal well from a pin-point cross from N’Golo Kante on nine minutes — but the home marking was suspect. Even though the home side equalised with an astute team effort that could be rated as “goal of the season” from Matias Vina, their defensive frailties were to surface again. And yet we could have been writing a completely different story had Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga not made an outstanding save to deny Vina another goal. Or had Dango Ouattara headed a simple back-post opportunity into the net rather than over the bar from just six yards out. But the smiles returned to the longsuffering Chelsea bench when Dominic Solanke slipped and accidentally handled the ball. Sub Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick exposed Bournemouth’s fallibilities at the back, allowing Badiashile to get in front of his marker to volley in. And worse was to follow for the home side when another sub, Raheem Sterling, was allowed the freedom of Dorset to run into the box and square for Felix to sidefoot home. Gallagher added: “It’s important to take the things we did well today and take them into the next game. “There are still things to improve on but we can take the confidence from this and we’re really looking forward to it. “Absolutely — the players are the most important people because we’re the guys on the pitch. “We have to look at ourselves, be better individually and as a team, and here we showed we’re a good team. “I want to score more goals and get in the box as much as possible. The chances haven’t fallen to me as much as I would like this season but, hopefully, I can take this form on to the next game. “I can’t think of any other goals I’ve scored with my head. I think that was the first one, hopefully it’s not the last.” HOW THEY LINED UP BOURNEMOUTH: Neto, A Smith, Senesi, Kelly, Vina, Rothwell (L Cook 59), Lerma, Ouattara, Billing (Anthony 83), Christie (Semenyo 84), Solanke (Brooks 90). Booked: Senesi. CHELSEA: Arrizabalaga, Chalobah, Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell (Azpilicueta 75), Kante (Loftus-Cheek 63), Fernandez, Gallagher, Madueke (Ziyech 76), Havertz (Felix 84), Mudryk (Sterling 63). Booked: Badiashile, Kante, Mudryk. PREMIER LEAGUE SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR DREAM TEAM PLAYER RATINGS 10 4 34% 305 25 7 9 1 0 Shots Shots on target Possession Passes Touches in opposition box Corners Fouls conceded Yellow cards Red cards 11 5 66% 600 41 7 11 3 0 Bournemouth Chelsea V MATCH STATS BOURNEMOUTH..1 CHELSEA............3 Vina 21 Gallagher 9; Badiashile 82; Felix 86 BAD ALL OVER . . . Badiashile volleys Chelsea into a late lead HAPPY CHAP . . . Lampard’s glee after win By GRAHAM NICKLESS A TON-DERFUL WIN SWEET 16 LAMPARD'S PREM BOSS RECORD MOST DIFFERENT PREM SCORERS 2022-23 Seasons Club P Win rate 2019-21 Chelsea 57 49% 2022-23 Everton 38 24% 2023-present Chelsea 5 20% TOTAL 100 38% 13 Leeds 14 Leicester 14 Liverpool 14 Man Utd 14 Wolves 14 (Excluding own goals) Chelsea 16 Arsenal 15 Tottenham 15 Brighton 14 Everton 14 FRANK LAMPARD took charge of his 100th Premier League game as manager — recording his 38th top-flight league win, although it was his first since his return to Stamford Bridge as interim boss. MANAGER Lampard gained his first Premier League win in 13 games (eight with Everton and five with Chelsea), since a 3-0 home win with the Toffees against Crystal Palace in October. BENOIT BADIASHILE scored his first goal for Chelsea, becoming the 16th different player to score for the Blues in the Prem this season, more than any other side. 10 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

in association with ‘N CONS top ps THE London club completed the league double against Bournemouth for the second time, also doing so in 2016-17 under Antonio Conte (right). MOST PREM SHOTS FACED THIS SEASON BOURNEMOUTH.......................................................576 Everton..............................................................524 Brentford ..........................................................516 Leicester...........................................................500 Nottingham Forest............................................498 STATS LIFE Compiled by Russell Lanning LIFE AT THE TOP OF THE PREM THIS SEASON TOP ‘N TALES PEP’S HEAD-TO-HEAD v BIG SAM MOST PREM AWAY CLEAN SHEETS BY KEEPERS SUCCESSIVE GAMES SCORED AT ANFIELD LIVERPOOL’S LAST 14 PREM RESULTS IN MAY MO SALAH (Feb-pres) Luis Suarez (2013-14) Gordon Hodgson (1927-28) Fernando Torres (2008) HIGH FIVES MO’S ON CLOUD NINE BLANK RAID THE FORCE... Aug 5 Arsenal Aug 6-12 Tottenham Aug 13-19 Man City Aug 20-Sep 16 Arsenal Sep 17 Man City Sep 18-Oct 7 Arsenal Oct 8 Man City Oct 9-28 Arsenal Oct 29 Man City Oct 30-Nov 4 Arsenal Nov 5 Man City Nov 6-Feb 14 Arsenal Feb 15-17 Man City Feb 18-Apr 29 Arsenal Apr 30-May 2 Man City May 2-3 Arsenal May 3-present Man City Crystal Palace 0 MAN CITY 3 W MAN CITY 5 Crystal Palace 0 W Everton 1 MAN CITY 3 W West Brom 0 MAN CITY 5 W MAN CITY 2 Leeds 1 W P5 W5 D0 L0 F18 A2 7 8 8 9 15 MAY 2018 May 13 Brighton (h) W 4-0 2019 May 4 Newcastle (a) W 3-2 May 12 Wolves (h) W 2-0 2021 May 8 Southampton (h) W 2-0 May 13 Man Utd (a) W 4-2 May 16 West Brom (a) W 2-1 May 19 Burnley (a) W 3-0 May 23 C Palace (h) W 2-0 2022 May 7 Tottenham (h) D 1-1 May 10 Aston Villa (a) W 2-1 May 17 Southampton (a) W 2-1 May 22 Wolves (h) W 3-1 2023 May 3 Fulham (h) W 1-0 May 6 Brentford (h) W 1-0 2004-05 Petr Cech (Chelsea) 11 2018-19 Ederson (Man City) 11 2008-09 Petr Cech (Chelsea) 10 2021-22 Ederson (Man City) 10 *2022-23 AARON RAMSDALE (Arsenal) 10 *Still running THIS season has seen the team at the top change 16 times, with current leaders Manchester City and Arsenal alternating on 14 occasions. MO SALAH set a new Liverpool club record by scoring in his ninth successive appearance at Anfield with the only goal against Brentford on Saturday. IVAN TONEY’S last 15 league games have seen him score one goal, followed by a blank, followed by one goal. West Ham beware on Sunday . . . JURGEN KLOPP and his Liverpool side are unbeaten in each of their last 14 Premier League games played in the month of May — winning 13 — a run stretching back to a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on May 6 2018. O’Neil is set for a new deal reward BOURNEMOUTH’S billionaire American owner Bill Foley has given his long-term backing to head coach Gary O’Neil. Rookie manager O’Neil politely refused to discuss his contract situation after losing to Chelsea. But he is expected to sign a twoyear deal when the team’s Premier League survival is mathematically certain. Las Vegas ice hockey boss Foley has been impressed by the way O’Neil (right) has bonded the team at a club who were tipped to go down even before he replaced sacked Scott Parker. Foley wrote in the matchday programme: “He’s done a great job. I feel Gary has the talent and the tactical finesse to allow this team to win. “And he’s got the team with him, which is the most important thing. “I hope Gary is around for a long time. He’s the right kind of guy, he’s the type of coach I really like.” O’Neil responded: “I haven’t read it because I was busy going through Chelsea’s teamsheet and what they might be doing, but I have a good relationship with Bill, obviously. “The energy he has brought into the club since he’s taken over, the things he’s asking of people and what he’s put in place to push this club forward is very exciting — so, yes, I’m glad he’s pleased.” O’Neil was irked by his team’s poor defending and finishing on Saturday against a Chelsea side supposedly in crisis. And midfielder Lewis Cook — who came on as sub — reaffirmed his gaffer’s orders to fight for every point. He said: “We want to end with three positive performances to put us in good stead for next year. “You have to be patient when you’re not in the team but whoever has the shirt has to try to keep it. “My job is to keep training, keep working hard and enjoy my football to try to get back in.” By GRAHAM NICKLESS CON ME HEAD, SON . . . Gallagher nods in Chelsea’s early opening goal AARON RAMSDALE became only the third keeper to have kept ten or more Prem clean sheets away from home in a single Prem season in Arsenal’s win at Newcastle. CITY’S Pep Guardiola earned a fifth win in a row over Leeds’ Sam Allardyce — and it’s 18 goals to two. Monday, May 8, 2023 ............... 11

HY AND LOWS . . . Hyam (centre) and pals feel the pain NO PLAYER has been involved in more goals in the Championship in the past six seasons than Jed Wallace’s 93 (44 goals, 49 assists), with 14 of them coming for West Brom this season (6 goals, 8 assists). WATFORD have won their last three league matches against Stoke — all of them under different managers (Vladimir Ivic, Xisco and Slaven Bilic), so Chris Wilder could become the fourth in that sequence. JOHN EUSTACE’S Birmingham have lost 20 league games for the third season in a row — only the third club in the second tier to do so three years in a row without being relegated after Crewe and QPR. P W D L F A Pts Burnley (C) 45 28 14 3 84 35 98 Sheff Utd (P) 45 27 7 11 71 38 88 Luton 45 21 16 8 57 39 79 Middlesbro 45 22 8 15 83 55 74 Coventry 45 18 15 12 57 45 69 Millwall 45 19 11 15 54 46 68 Sunderland 45 17 15 13 65 55 66 West Brom 45 18 12 15 57 50 66 Blackburn 45 19 9 17 48 51 66 Swansea 45 17 12 16 65 62 63 Preston 45 17 12 16 45 56 63 Norwich 45 17 11 17 57 53 62 Watford 45 15 15 15 54 53 60 Hull 45 14 15 16 51 61 57 Bristol City 45 14 14 17 53 56 56 Stoke 45 14 11 20 55 52 53 Birmingham 45 14 11 20 46 56 53 Huddersfield 45 13 11 21 45 62 50 QPR 45 13 11 21 44 69 50 Rotherham 45 11 16 18 49 60 49 Cardiff 45 13 10 22 41 55 49 Reading (R) 45 13 11 21 46 66 44 Blackpool (R) 45 10 11 24 47 72 41 Wigan (R) 45 10 14 21 38 65 41 (Reading deducted 6pts. Wigan deducted 3pts) CHAMPIONSHIP BLACKBURN have won seven of their last nine final-day fixtures (D1 L1). Both sides have scored in all nine of them, with a total of 42 goals netted. The Dane said: “It’s exciting. We have the opportunity of getting into the play-offs. There’s pressure but we should enjoy it. “We’re looking forward to the big final after playing 45 rounds and are getting ready for the 46th. “The build-up has been really good, the training, energy levels and spirit has been excellent. “The lads have been working so hard this week and have shown that dedication and spirit throughout the whole season. “I will not look at the results elsewhere, we’ll look at ourselves.” By GRAHAM HILL WEST BROM midfielder Okay Yokuslu claims Albion can be “proud” of their season even if they miss out on the play-offs. Baggies boss Carlos Corberan’s side go to Swansea today needing a win — and hoping other results go their way — to sneak a top-six finish. West Brom’s form has been shaky in recent weeks, when they have had chances to cement a play-off spot. But Yokuslu reminded fans that Albion were battling to beat the drop when Corberan took over in October. The Turk, 29, said: “You don’t always get what you want but when you think back on the season, after a tough start, we should be proud of how we’ve fought back. “Now we need one more push. We have the belief. It’s been a long season, we’ve had some difficulties, but we’re still there. “This is a final for us, we are excited about it. “We had opportunities to get more points but didn’t take them.” Corberan says he will resist the temptation to look at other results during the game. The Spanish chief said: “I prefer to just be fully focused on the game. As a head coach, I cannot have another type of thinking. “To talk about the last ten minutes of a game that we haven’t played yet makes me feel a bit embarrassed, because I have a lot of respect for the opponent we will be playing. “And to be thinking that now — how we might need more goals — it’s not real.” YOKUSLU . . . proud Baggies Okay to miss out Leonard hails battling Lions THE TRENCH CONNECTION RYAN LEONARD says there is no one better to go into the trenches with than his Millwall team-mates. And the Lions utility man believes they also have the perfect general to lead them into battle — boss Gary Rowett. Millwall will go ‘over the top’ today in a massive game against Blackburn at the Den, where a win will secure them a place in the play-offs. The South Londoners have everything in their own hands going into the final day of the season, whereas Blackburn must win and hope both Sunderland and West Brom fail to pick up maximum points. Leonard told SunSport: “Had you asked us at the start of the season, would you like to go into the last game needing to win at home to make the play-offs, we’d be silly not to take that. “Blackburn are a very good team themselves and will be all guns blazing, it’s going to be one hell of a game. “But there is no better group of lads to go into the trenches than this one. “I just look around to the left and right of me and immediately know these are the type of characters you want with you in these moments. Our perfect general is the manager. It’s not a fluke we find ourselves in this position. “The gaffer has been here almost four years now and every season we have progressed.” Millwall were in serious danger of completely blowing their chances after a run of just one victory in seven — but their thrilling 3-2 win at Blackpool, which relegated the Seasiders, has put them back into the box seat. And Leonard said: “It was a game that epitomises the character of the group, having twice gone ahead only to be pegged back, but still finding a way to win the game.” Leonard had one previous successful play-off experience, when he played for Southend in the League Two final at Wembley in 2015. The Shrimpers beat Wycombe after an epic game which saw Joe Piggott score a 122ndminute equaliser to force a penalty shootout. Leonard himself took the third penalty after Ben Cooker had missed and Southend went on to win 7-6. The Lions ace said: “Even though it was a different league, it’s the same context. “It was winnertakes-all”. Leonard now has a chance to become a Prem player at the age of 30. He added: “I am potentially four matches away from living the ultimate dream of playing in the Premier League.” HEART OF A LION . . . Leonard is ready for play-off push and (inset) winning the League Two final with Southend EXCLUSIVE by JUSTIN ALLEN 3pm Swansea v WBA DOM HYAM is gutted that Blackburn’s collapse has left them needing a miracle to make the play-offs. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side start the final day in ninth, two points off the top six after picking up just five points from eight games. They need to win at sixthplaced Millwall and hope that Sunderland lose at Preston and West Brom get beat by Swansea. Scottish defender Hyam, 27, said: “It is gutting to look back but the manager has been good at keeping us focused on the next game. We can’t affect anything that has happened and are trying to remain positive. “We need a few favours but it’s come to that unfortunately. “It’s now or never and we can only focus on Millwall.” Rovers have not won since a 2-1 triumph over relegated Reading on March 15. But boss Tomasson urged his players to thrive on the pressure of today’s showdown at The Den. By WILL PUGH Dom: We need miracle 3pm & BLACKBURN BLACKPOOL BRADFORD CITY LEAGUE ONE 2017-18 BURY CHARLTON DONCASTER FLEETWOOD GILLINGHAM MK DONS PETERBOROUGH PLYMOUTH ARGY ROCHDALE SCUNTHORPE WALSALL WIGAN PORTSMOUTH ROTHERHAM BRISTOL ROVERS NORTHAMPTON SHREWSBURY SOUTHEND AFC WIMBLEDON OLDHAM OXFORD UNITED Millwall v Blackburn 12 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

SUNDERLAND have scored 65 goals this season, the most by a promoted side in the Championship since Brentford (78) T and Wolves (70) in 2014-15. ODAY’S FIXTURES All 3pm Birmingham v Sheffield Utd Burnley v Cardiff Huddersfield v Reading Luton v Hull City Middlesbrough v Coventry Millwall v Blackburn Norwich v Blackpool Preston v Sunderland QPR v Bristol City Swansea v West Brom Watford v Stoke Wigan v Rotherham in association with EXCLUSIVE by GRAEME BRYCE GOALKEEPER Ben Wilson risks upsetting his MUM if he gets a shutout against Middlesbrough today which would seal a playoff place for Coventry. For mother Julia — and half of Wilson’s family — support play-off rivals Sunderland. Wilson, 30, hails from Stanley, a small North East town between Chester-le-Street and Consett and says his relatives’ loyalties are split. Wilson estimates 50 per cent of his friends and family support Newcastle — but have suddenly become parttime Coventry fans. The other half support Sunderland. Just to muddy the waters it was Sunderland who handed Wilson his first pro contract, as a promising 17-year-old in 2010. Tony Mowbray’s side remain a threat to fifth-placed Cov’s play-off hopes, should the Sky Blues fail to take a point at the Riverside today, with West Brom and Blackburn also praying for a last-day slip. But Wilson is chasing his 21st clean sheet of the season and has told the Sunderland-supporting side of his family he is ready to Mackem suffer! Wilson said: “It’s a mix to be fair. My dad Collin is not really a big football fan but my mum, Julia, followed Sunderland home and away when she was younger. “My cousins are 50-50 Newcastle and Sunderland but the Geordies are Coventry fans at the moment! “I’m already 20 over my permitted ticket allocation, so some of the northern lot are going to have to put their hand in their pockets!” Wilson has been on the money for Mark Robins’ side, who failed to win any of their opening seven games yet are currently fifth, one point short of a guaranteed play-off spot. It has been a fairytale season for Wilson, who began on the bench as back-up keeper to Simon Moore. The former journeyman has come of age, setting a club-record 20 clean sheets to earn his place in the Championship team of the season. He will win the Golden Glove if he matches whatever Luton’s Ethan Horvath does today. And Wilson confessed: “My goal this season was to better the five games I managed last year. So to play 42 first-team games is amazing.” Wilson even chipped in with a stoppage-time equaliser at Blackburn which could make all the difference. He said: “As a goalkeeper you should be thinking about making saves and keeping your team in it. “But my mind wanders and every time we have a corner I’m thinking, ‘I could do a job in that box!’. “Luckily I got the nod from the gaffer to go up against Blackburn and, as the extra man in the box, keepers don’t tend to get marked. In my mind I saw a gap and leapt as high as peak Cristiano Ronaldo, took an unbelievable touch and caressed the ball through the keeper’s legs! “The Rovers fans seemed to think it was handball but anyone else will agree it came off my hip.” Wilson did once play 45 minutes for Cardiff as an outfield player. He said: “We played Carmarthen in a friendly but had so many injuries the gaffer told me to get some outfield kit on and play up front in the second half. “I thought, ‘This is it, my career is made. I’m going to come on and do such a good job I’ll never have to play in goal again’. “Within a minute of coming on I had an opportunity to score and I tried to take it around the goalkeeper but he smothered it! “Afterwards the boss asked, ‘Why didn’t you dink him?’. “But what does Ole Gunnar Solskjaer know about goal scoring? “I was just a teenager but sadly Ole didn’t use his time at Cardiff teaching me to become a top striker. “The funny thing is a year later there was a feature in the paper highlighting future Cardiff City stars. “And there was a picture of me playing OUTFIELD — so obviously one reporter saw something in me that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hadn’t!” All’s fair in glove and war KEEPER BEN FACES MUM’S WRATH WIL POWER . . . Sky Blues No 1 Ben Wilson celebrates his leveller against Blackburn SCORE BLIMEY . . . Wilson nets at Blackburn PLAY-OFF PERMUTATIONS WHO NEEDS WHAT COVENTRY need just a point at Middlesbrough to secure their play-off spot. MILLWALL will be assured of the play-offs if they beat Blackburn. SUNDERLAND need to win at Preston and Millwall fail to win, or Coventry lose. WEST BROM have to hope Sunderland and Millwall do not win and beat Swansea. BLACKBURN must beat Millwall and hope Sunderland and West Brom do not win. Middlesbrough v Coventry 3pm By WILL PUGH SUNDERLAND boss Tony Mowbray will ignore updates from other games — despite needing a Millwall defeat to reach the play-offs. The Black Cats must win at Preston today and hope the Lions lose to visiting Blackburn to leapfrog them into sixth. They also need to maintain their goal difference lead over West Brom, currently three, if the Baggies win at Swansea. But asked if he will be keeping abreast of those scores, Mowbray said: “We have to win, so there isn’t a lot of purpose to it. “The only focus for me will be to win. “I’m sure there will be people whispering in my ear telling me what’s going on but I won’t be demanding any information like that. “If we win and everybody else does too, we miss out — but we’ve done what we could. I like the clarity of having to win first and foremost.” Friday marked 50 years since Ian Porterfield’s goal saw the Mackems lift the FA Cup with a 1-0 win against Leeds. But Mowbray is refusing to treat today’s Deepdale visit like a final. He added: “I met some of the Cup-winning team this week and they’re good characters, good people, good football guys. “But against Preston we have to control the game, be aggressive and play our way. “We haven’t overly studied them — we don’t want to turn it into a cup final scenario. We’re just treating it as the next game we’re looking to win.” Mowbray played down rumours linking Francesco Farioli with his job. The manager has been criticised for having won just one of his last eight home league games. He added: “Let’s hope the summer is full of mad preparations and trying to sign players to help us in the Premier League. “If not, we are working really hard on recruitment. We are trying to build the club.” MOWBRAY . . . task Focused Mowbray just in it to win it 3pm Preston v Sunderland CHAMPIONSHIP 2017/18 ASTON VILLA BARNSLEY BIRMINGHAM BOLTON BRENTFORD BRISTOL CITY BURTON ALBION CARDIFF DERBY FULHAM QPR READING HULL IPSWICH LEEDS MIDDLESBROUGH MILLWALL NORWICH NOTTINGHAM PRESTON SHEFFIELD UTD SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUNDERLAND WOLVES I 8 8 5 MILLWALL FOOTBALL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 2017/18 ASTON VILLA BARNSLEY BIRMINGHAM BOLTON BRENTFORD BRISTOL CITY BURTON ALBION CARDIFF HULL IPSWICH LEEDS MIDDLESBROUGH MILLWALL NORWICH NOTTINGHAM PRESTON SHEFFIELD UTD SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUNDERLAND WOLVES I 8 8 5 MILLWALL FOOTBALL CLUB Monday, May 8, 2023 ............... 13

By TONY RUSHMER MARK BONNER hailed Cambridge’s great escape as they saw off basement boys Rovers and climbed clear of the drop zone. Bonner’s battlers had been in the bottom four since January 14 — but scrambled to safety on a dramatic final day. Harrison Dunk and Sam Smith notched firsthalf goals to help the U’s stay up by a point. United comfortably saw out the second half but their miraculous escape was only confirmed when news of Morecambe and MK Dons’ respective results filtered through. Home fans launched a post-match pitch invasion before a lap of honour from Bonner’s squad. United’s fifth win in their final nine games capped off a survival bid that looked unlikely after just one victory in their 15 previous matches. U’s head coach Bonner said: “I’m so pleased that we’ve managed to do it because I think everybody deserves that. “The players in the last couple of months have been amazing. “Firstly, we had to try and take it to the last Cambridge........2 Forest Green....0 week — then we were trying to take it to the last day. “It got there and then we needed the football gods to shine on us. “Whether we were lucky or not, or that it’s the season that 46 points keeps you in the league, I couldn’t care less. It’s a brilliant achievement. “We’ve got to make sure that we build a team that can be really competitive next year. “That work has already started but will really pick up next week — once we’ve partied.” Dunk gave U’s the lead in the 25th minute when he nodded in Conor McGrandles’ corner. Smith made it 2-0 in the 37th minute with a volley that had a hint of Marco van Basten’s worldie for Holland in the 1988 Euros. The visitors’ Dominic Bernard headed against a post just before half-time. Rovers boss Duncan Ferguson said: “We’ve got a rebuild on our hands. “We need to make sure we get some good players in to add to the good ones we’ve already got.” Great escape a marvel for Mark U BEAUTIES . . . Smith celebrates with fans after victory Exeter..................3 Morecambe......2 By MATT BAMSEY DEREK ADAMS was left gutted as Morecambe were pushed through the trapdoor by Jay Stansfield’s hat-trick. The Shrimps needed to win and rely on other results going their way to preserve their two-year stay in the third tier. But Stansfield’s 21- minute second-half treble ended their three-game winning streak and sealed their fate. Morecambe manager Adams said: “I am very disappointed but I am also proud of the players because I know how hard they have worked throughout the season. “We gave our best but just came up short. “We don’t know if there is going to be a takeover of the club or not, so we need to sort things out off the pitch before we make decisions about next season.” Stansfield grabbed the opener in the 49th minute after bursting into Adams couldn’t give any More the box and finding the bottom corner. Morecambe levelled after a mix-up between Jamal Blackman and Will Aimson allowed Cole Stockton to loop a header over the Exeter keeper. The Shrimps were dealt another blow when Stansfield lashed home from close range. Morecambe’s agony was complete in the 70th minute after Stansfield’s scuffed finish made him, at 20, the youngest player in the top four divisions to hit a hat-trick this season. Stockton hit a consolation in injury time, but it was too little too late. Stansfield said: “To score a hat-trick in front of our amazing fans is the perfect way for me to sign off. “I am going back to Fulham on Tuesday — but it has been a privilege to put this shirt on.” enough after Wednesday clinched a 1-0 victory over the Rams at Hillsborough — with Posh set to face the Owls in the semi-finals. Delighted Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson said: “I thought we did brilliantly in the first half. “Second half, I was not happy with how we started — but we got over the line and that is what matters really. “Our next two games against Sheffield Wednesday will be really tough but the goal has been, and remains, promotion.” Michael Duff, whose Barnsley side will face Bolton Wanderers in the play-offs, said: “It was a frustrating game. “But on the bright side, I told the lads they got fourth and that’s a seriously good achievement. “So many people had written us off before this season and yet here we are at the end with a chance of promotion. “Obviously Bolton are a brilliant team, and they will be really tough.” POSH TOP-SIX HIJACK By SIMON YAFFE PAUL WARNE was ‘heartbroken’ after Derby failed to make it into the play-offs by a single point. The Rams — reduced to ten men when Curtis Davies was sent off close to halftime — knew that a win would guarantee a top-six finish. And matching or bettering Peterborough’s result against Barnsley would also have proved enough. But a 43rd-minute Michael Smith penalty for Sheffield Wednesday, which resulted from Davies’ red card, destroyed their promotion hopes. Now Derby will spend a second successive season in League One. Rams boss Warne said: “The players are in tears and are distraught. “I could not have asked any more of them, but I am heartbroken for them. “It was the best away performance we’ve had. I know I’m biased but I thought for large periods we were the better team. We weren’t far away from a pretty perfect away performance. “Hopefully we can keep the large majority of the players here for next season and have a real go.” Wednesday, who finished third despite recording 96 points, will now face Peterborough in the play-off semi-finals. A cagey opening period came alive when Rams striker David McGoldrick’s effort was diverted behind by home keeper Cameron Dawson on 15 minutes. At the other end, captain Barry Bannan ballooned his shot over, while Smith’s close-range effort was easily dealt with by former Owl Joe Wildsmith. But the hosts broke the deadlock on 41 minutes thanks to a calamitous mistake by skipper Davies. He tried to make amends for a bad backpass, but was sent off after fouling Marvin Johnson following Wildsmith’s hasty clearance. Striker Smith, who Warne managed at Rotherham, stepped up and sent the Derby stopper the wrong way. They could have made it two moments later only for Wildsmith to stop Liam Palmer’s close-range effort with his legs, while McGoldrick saw a longranger tipped over by Dawson. Wednesday began to exert control early in the second-half, with Will Vaulks rattling the bar and Craig Forsyth blocking the rebound. Derby kept pushing forward in desperate hope of a leveller but Max Bird’s shot was cleared off the line by Aden Flint, then Lewis Dobbin’s effort forced Dawson into the save. Owls manager Darren Moore said: “All week building up to the game was about keeping our focus. “We now have the momentum going into the Peterborough match.” Sheffield Wed.........................1 Derby........................................0 It’s Curtains DAVIES SEES RED AS RAMS MISS OUT NO TEAM in Football League history has picked up more points than Sheffield Wednesday have this season (96) and not won automatic promotion. 96 JONSON CLARKE-HARRIS and Jack Taylor scored to book Peterborough the final League One play-off spot. Posh needed to win at Barnsley against a side that had already secured a play-off berth and hope sixth-placed Derby slipped up at Sheffield Wednesday. Things got off to a great start when Clarke-Harris fired them in front from a sixth-minute Ephron Mason-Clark cross. Taylor doubled the lead on 76 minutes after heading in Harrison Burrows’ corner. And that proved HURT FOR CURT . . . Davies is sent off for foul on Marvin Johnson Barnsley..........................0 Peterborough...............2 OPENER . . . Clarke-Harris LEAGUE ONE UPS ‘N DOWNS UPS Plymouth are champions, with Ipswich also promoted. PLAY-OFFS: Peterborough v Sheffield Wednesday (1st leg: Friday; 2nd leg: May 18), Bolton v Barnsley (1st leg: Saturday; 2nd leg: May 19). DOWNS Forest Green, Accrington, Morecambe, MK Dons are all relegated. 14 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023 2GG

By RUSSELL STODDART KIERAN McKENNA was still brimming with pride despite title heartbreak. Ipswich needed to better Plymouth’s result but finished three points adrift after this battling draw combined with Argyle’s win at Port Vale. A win would have made McKenna’s Tractor Boys the first team in history to chalk up a century of goals and points, but not lift the title. Ipswich old-boy Jack Marriott spoiled the party with a quickfire double in a see-saw second half in between goals for sub Freddie Ladapo and Marcus Harness. McKenna said: “There is great pride in the season and, of course, we wanted to finish it off with a win but it wasn’t to be. “It has been an incredible season on and off the pitch. Scoring 101 goals, only losing four games with such a high level of football. There’s a lot to be proud about. “It not about talent and budgets it’s about the edge, intensity and hard work day-to-day and we’ve not had that this week for obvious reasons. “Full credit to Plymouth to go through the 100- point barrier. It’s been a great season for them and I look forward to meeting them next season.” Harry Clarke was sent off for the visitors late on after a second yellow. Fleetwood boss Scott Brown said: “We gave 110 per cent and you could see them struggle in the last ten to 15 minutes.” GOAL . . . scorer Ladapo No title, but Kenn be proud Fleetwood..........2 Ipswich................2 MK DONS manager Mark Jackson admitted it was ‘heartbreaking’ to go down. Jackson’s side had 31 shots — but could not find the net or the win they needed after Cambridge beat Forest Green. Brewers keeper Craig MacGillivray was superb while sub Dawson Devoy’s 81st-minute effort hit the inside of the post and bounced out. And THREE stoppagetime goal-line clearances saw Dons slip into the drop zone on the final day. Gutted Jackson said: “It’s raw, emotional and heartbreaking. “Words cannot describe how we feel — for the fans and the club. “Burton defended for their lives — the only thing we didn’t do was score.” Burton boss Dino Maamria said: “MK were unlucky — we defended very well. I feel for them.” JACKSON . . . emotional Jackson Don for Burton..................0 MK Dons.............0 RELEGATED Stanley went down fighting as Korede Adedoyin scored one of the goals of the season. Adedoyin drifted past two Oxford players in the 64th minute and then unleashed a low, 25-yard left-footer that was going in all the way. It cancelled out Billy Bodin’s eighth-minute opener for United, and Aaron Pressley left Oxford all shook up when he headed the late winner. Boss John Coleman said: “Teams have gone through the trapdoor and carried on down a slippery slope — but we’re not that type of club.” U’s manager Liam Manning added: “The fact the No 9 shirt isn’t allocated tells you everything.” Oxford...................1 Accrington.........2 ALFIE MAY rescued a lastgasp point with his final touch for Cheltenham. May wants a big move in the summer and struck his 22nd goal this term in the 88th minute. Boss Wade Elliott said: “He’s hit 43 goals in two seasons. If there wasn’t interest I’d be amazed.” Aidan Keena cancelled out Scott Fraser’s opener before sub Jack Payne put Charlton in front again. Addicks boss Dean Holden said: “We have to be pushing at the top end of the table next season given this club’s size.” Cheltenham.......2 Charlton..............2 LINCOLN manager Mark Kennedy was delighted to end the season on a high. Matty Virtue scored to ensure a final-day victory over ten-man Shrewsbury. Chey Dunkley was sent off at the end but Shrews No 1 Marko Marosi saved Max Sanders’ penalty. Kennedy, who completed his first season in charge in the EFL in 11th place, said: “It’s beyond my wildest expectations. There were so many obstacles.” Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill said: “We didn’t deserve to lose 1-0, let alone 2-0, so I was pleased with the penalty save.” Lincoln..................1 Shrewsbury.......0 Bristol Rovers...........2 Bolton...........3 SHORE THING MANCHESTER UNITED loan kid Shola Shoretire is being tipped to fire Bolton to promotion. Shoretire, 19, broke his goalscoring duck five months into a loan spell as the Trotters warmed up for Barnsley in the play-offs on a high. And boss Ian Evatt said: “Shola’s hugely talented and I’m delighted he’s off the mark but there’s lots more to come. He’s had a stop-start time of things but he can have an impact in the play-offs.” Luca Hoole cancelled out Shoretire’s opener but crackers by Daniel N’lundulu (right) and Aaron Morley put Bolton back in charge before John Marquis replied. Gas gaffer Joey Barton added: “I aim to build a squad capable of challenging for the Championship because that’s what the fans deserve.” Portsmouth.........2 Wycombe.........2 WING WONDER LEWIS WING’S 45-yard wonder goal was nothing new for Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield. The Chairboys boss said: “Windy has produced some ‘Wow!’ moments because he has that ability.” Portsmouth keeper Josh Oluwayemi passed the ball straight to Garath McCleary, who smacked it under him for Wycombe’s 31st-minute opener. And Oluwayemi was caught hopelessly off his line as Wing’s stunner flew over him before being substituted with a concussion in the 64th minute. Pompey coach John Mousinho said: “He held his hands up over the first but was completely blameless for the second — it was an outstanding strike.” Marlon Pack (right) equalised right on half-time and Paddy Lane earned a point late on. in association with STAT ATTACK LEADING GOALSCORERS 35 GOALS SCORED 2.9 AVE PER GAME 3 33 By WILL EVANS THEY ink it’s all over . . . it is now for Plymouth’s Steven Schumacher. His heroic Pilgrims were crowned League One champions with 101 points. The Plymouth boss had vowed to have a TATTOO if his side smashed the 100- point barrier. This comeback victory was their 11th win from their last 13 games as they held off Ipswich’s strong challenge to clinch the title. Schumacher’s side ended the 46-game season with a remarkable record of 31 wins, while their points tally is the second-highest in club history — one shy of the 102 they earned when winning what is now League Two in 2002. The Argyle boss, 39, declared: “This means the world to us. “We’ve fought so hard week in, week out, since the last day of last season when we just fell short of the play-offs. “The work got going straightaway — we were on to it and we felt we could mount another challenge. “Everybody to a man has given everything that they’ve got. We deserve it.” On his inking, Schumacher admitted: “I am madly against tattoos! It’ll have to be small and somewhere you can’t see.” The travelling Green Army started a title party at the final whistle. But Plymouth had to come from behind after James Plant latched on to a perfect through ball to put Vale ahead after just three minutes. Argyle’s patience paid off in the 34th minute when a loose ball fell to Adam Randall, who netted on the half volley and sent the faithful into a frenzy. The Pilgrims showed why they have been in the top two since September and went ahead after 38 minutes. A blistering run down the right flank from Bali Mumba led to a ball in which was met by Joe Edwards at the back post. In the second half, the visitors stepped up their game with Finn Azaz scoring a third with an effort from just outside the 18-yard box that was too troublesome for Aidan Stone. Vale caused a late scare with substitute Matty Taylor almost scoring in stoppage time but Plymouth held on. The full-time whistle saw celebrations from the sold-out away end, with Argyle lifting the trophy in front of them. Schumacher (above) has had a tremendous time since taking over at Home Park and praised everyone involved for the hard work they’ve put in. He added: “Everybody should be really proud — and let’s get the party started. “It was a good game, credit to Port Vale, I thought they had a great spirit and played the match the right way. “They scored a great goal and then we came from behind once again. “The lads showed brilliant character and loads of quality to go and win the game.” Port Vale interim boss Andy Crosby said: “It’s a really big two months for the club to recruit the level required in League One.” Conor Chaplin (Ipswich, left).............26 Jonson Clarke-Harris (P’boro).............26 David McGoldrick (Derby)....................22 May (Cheltenham), Bishop (Pompey)...20 Port Vale.....................................1 Plymouth...................................3 ALL GONE TATTS UP Boss Schu puts the title and ton in ink PILGRIMS PROGRESS . . . Plymouth stars celebrate becoming champions 2GG Monday, May 8, 2023 ............... 15

do something here not for one season but for a long period of time.” County finished on 107 points, just four behind promoted champions Wrexham, and were hot favourites to go up with them via the play-offs. But after his team nearly fluffed it, Williams added: “We made sure it didn’t end somehow.” Boreham boss Luke Garrard said: “I’m absolutely gutted. Frustrated to be 2-0 up and then to concede in the 96th minute and the 120th. “Very disappointed but very proud to achieve what we achieved.” CHESTERFIELD came from behind to beat ten-man Bromley in extra-time and book a National League play-off final showdown with Notts County at Wembley. Adam Marriott’s tap-in put the Ravens ahead but centre-back Deji Elerewe then scored an own goal before seeing red for a foul on Liam Mandeville. Darren Oldaker’s superb free-kick gave the hosts a 79th-minute lead but in the NINTH MINUTE of stoppage time Michael Cheek’s leveller forced extra-time. But Mandeville lashed in the winner on 102 minutes. Spireites No 1 Ross Fitzsimons said: “I’ve never been involved in a more extraordinary game of football.” TOP MAN . . . Mandeville (centre) celebrates his winner Man of steel Chesterfield.......3 Bromley.......2 (aet) GET IN . . . Langstaff at full-time NON-LEAGUE Shakers joy as fans Bury the hatchet AFTER four years of heartache, common sense has prevailed — and Bury FC will be back at Gigg Lane in all its glory this August. For the last few years the town has been bitterly divided. Friends have become foes and mud has been slung in all directions. Bury has been a town split down the middle politically and over football since the club’s controversial expulsion from the EFL in 2019. As we found out after Brexit, when you have a hung parliament politicians spend more time squabbling in deadlock rather than getting things done. And in Bury there were two groups of supporters who saw different ways to move things forward. Previous owner Steve Dale was not going to leave quietly despite only paying £1 to purchase the club in the first place. Had he done so, there was a pathway open for Bury FC to then be placed into the National League or National League North the following season, as per FA rules concerning expelled Premier League/EFL clubs — but he desperately clung on. He tried to get the two-time FA Cup winners back into a league by signing the club over to his son Christian, however the FA were not having any of it. Throughout this process, a number of local businessmen and even consortia attempted to acquire the club. Meanwhile, I met with one group shortly after the expulsion who mobilised and went on to call themselves The Shakers Community Society. With Bury FC facing winding-up orders and seemingly certain liquidation, this group nobly set up a phoenix club called Bury AFC — which was 100 per cent owned by a fans’ membership. They tapped into the knowledge of other supporter-run clubs like Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester and got the Bury name back in football. The new club was placed into the North West Counties League Division One North — the 10th tier — and played their home games at Radcliffe FC’s Stainton Park three miles from Gigg Lane. Since then they have been promoted to the Premier Division and this season enjoyed average crowds of 1,233. But Bury FC pulled an average of 4,044 in their last competitive season in League Two in 2018-19, so it was obvious there was a majority of diehard Shakers fans not buying into supporting the new team. And many have told me that is because watching a phoenix club playing at a small non-league ground would never be able to match the magic of going to Gigg Lane to roar on Bury FC. One of the problems the phoenix club has had drawing everyone in was that the actual Bury FC was still in existence, even though it was dormant and in administration. So another group of supporters focused on trying to achieve two massive things for Shakers fans — acquire Bury FC and get the keys to Gigg Lane. The Bury Football Club Supporters Society, a group made up of 51 per cent fan membership and 49 per cent business supporters, managed to pull that off. After striking a deal with the administrators, they managed to buy Bury FC, the naming rights, history and memorabilia out of the holding company’s shell. It was similar to what happened at Bolton four years ago. And since then, the club have managed to secure or be pledged around £2.4million in investment and grants. They have already received £700,000 from the £1m they were awarded by the government — with the BFCSS putting in £1m themselves. But where the phoenix team had an issue getting a full united fan base to support them, the other group did not have a senior team to play matches after the FA rejected their application to restart a team and be placed in a league. FA bigwigs did not want to see two rival clubs from the small town and preferred the two groups to unite. Bury Council said they would award £450,000 to help towards making Gigg Lane a community asset — but only if the two groups merged to run one club. A vote had taken place between both organisations last October but the BFCSS just failed to reach the 63 per cent threshold to carry the merger proposal. But finally on Friday night, common sense and pragmatism won as the groups voted overwhelmingly to bury the hatchet and unite. The revived club will take over Bury AFC’s place in the ninth tier and compete as Bury FC. The groups will vote on appointing a new board shortly and follow the German model of running a 51 per cent fanowned club. It is going to be an emotional first game back at Gigg Lane in August. The squabbling and bickering is over and finally Bury FC are back in business. Now, with a united fan base, they can restore their rightful place in the EFL that was so cruelly taken four years ago. HOME TIME . . . Bury FC will be playing at Gigg Lane again in August and (inset) phoenix club Bury AFC win promotion By WILL PUGH JODI JONES said his career peaked when he fired a last-minute extra-time goal to send Notts County to the National League play-off final against Chesterfield. The forward’s effort capped a superb comeback from 2-0 down at half-time in normal time against Boreham Wood. Femi Ilesanmi slid home and Lee Ndlovu punished a John Bostock error to put the visitors two up. Aden Baldwin’s 35-yard rocket got County back in it before he nodded home in the sixth minute of stoppage time to force extra-time. Former Notts keeper Joe McDonnell saved a Ruben Rodrigues penalty at 2-1 — but should have done much better with Jones’ speculative effort from the corner of the area at the death. Jones said: “It’s up there with the best moment of my career. “I’ve had some tough times when I’ve been at previous teams, got to the play-offs and then had to miss them. “Today topped all of it. It’s an amazing feeling.” County boss Luke Williams said: “I don’t know where to start. The fans were unbelievable. “We had the atmosphere and the team who have been brilliant all season. We are trying to OH MY JOD . . . Jones grabs dramatic extra-time winner Jubilant Jodi’s on cloud nine Notts Co....3 Boreham Wood....2 (aet) BACK IN THE GIGG-TIME! Justin Allen IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN @justinallen1976 16 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023

in association with LEAGUE ONE Lincoln City: Rushworth, Poole, Jackson (Roughan 46), O’Connor, Sorensen, Virtue, Erhahon, Boyes, Duffy (Makama 67), House, Shodipo (Sanders 57). Subs not used: Plange, Eyoma, Long, Gallagher. Booked: Erhahon, O’Connor. Shrewsbury: Marosi, Moore, Dunkley, Flanagan, Bennett (Pyke 82), Winchester, Leahy, Shipley, Phillips, Bowman (Bloxham 82), Street (Saydee 86). Subs not used: Burgoyne, Craig, Barlow. Booked: Flanagan. Sent-off: Dunkley. OXFORD (1) 1 ACCRINGTON (0) 2 Bodin 8 Adedoyin 64 Pressley 85 Att: 10,499 Oxford Utd: Eastwood, Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown (Fleming 63), McGuane, Brannagan, Goodrham, Bodin (O’Donkor 61), Browne (Murphy 61), Joseph. Subs not used: McGinty , Smyth, Wildschut, Anderson. Booked: Joseph. Accrington Stanley: Jensen, Rodgers, Tharme (Longelo 21), Nottingham (Quirk 28), O’Brien, Coyle, Hamilton, McConville (Nolan 62), Mancini (Adedoyin 62), Pressley, Butler-Oyedeji (Whalley 62). Subs not used: Patrick, Savin. Booked: Coyle, Hamilton. PORT VALE (1) 1 PLYMOUTH (2) 3 Plant 3 Randell 34 Edwards 38 Azaz 61 Att: 11,998 Port Vale: Stone, Smith, Donnelly (Cass 64), Benning, Plant (Shorrock 79), Ojo, Conlon, Worrall, Massey (Proctor 78), Wilson (Taylor 64), Butterworth (Pett 57). Subs not used: Stevens, Politic. Plymouth: Burton, Wilson, Scarr, Gillesphey, Edwards, Houghton, Randell, Mumba (Grant 84), Wright (Matete 72), Mayor (Azaz 46), Ennis (Hardie 61). Subs not used: Cosgrove, Lonwijk, Parkes. Booked: Azaz. PORTSMOUTH (1) 2 WYCOMBE (1) 2 Pack 44 McCleary 31 Lane 72 Wing 54 Att: 18,286 Portsmouth: Oluwayemi (Macey 64), Rafferty, Bernard, Towler, Ogilvie, Pack, Lane, Lowery, Morrell, Jacobs (Pigott 64), Bishop. Subs not used: Robertson, Dale, Scarlett, Raggett, Thompson. Booked: Pack. Wycombe: Stryjek, McCarthy, Joseph, Tafazolli, Jacobson (Obita 73), Wing, Scowen, Wheeler, De Barr (Campbell 60), McCleary (Freeman 60), Vokes (Hanlan 89). Subs not used: Gape, Willis, Cartwright. Booked: Wing. SHEFF WED (1) 1 DERBY (0) 0 Smith 43 (pen) Att: 33,413 Sheff Wed: Dawson, Iorfa, Flint, Brown, Palmer (Hunt 78), Dele-Bashiru (Durrant 85), Vaulks, Bannan (Bakinson 79), Johnson, Smith (Windass 65), Paterson. Subs not used: Glover, Stockdale, James. Booked: Brown, Johnson, Palmer. Derby: Wildsmith, Forsyth, Davies, Cashin, Knight (White 74), Bird (Dobbin 69), Hourihane (Collins 74), Roberts, Mendez-Laing (Barkhuizen 69), Sibley (Smith 44), McGoldrick. Subs not used: McGee, Rooney. Booked: Roberts, Smith. Sent-off: Davies. BARNSLEY (0) 0 PETERBORO (1) 2 Clarke-Harris 6 Taylor 76 Att: 14,419 Barnsley: Isted, Williams, B Thomas, Kitching, Cotter (Benson 67), Phillips, Connell, Kane (L Thomas 67), Cadden, Norwood (Watters 46), Cole (Tedic 67). Subs not used: Russell, Cundy, Collins. Peterborough: Norris, Ward, Kent, Edwards, Burrows, Kyprianou, Norburn, Poku (Knight 63), Taylor, Mason-Clarke, Clarke-Harris. Subs not used: Butler, Jade-Jones, Thompson, Randall, Blackmore, Tshimanga. Booked: Poku. BRISTOL R (1) 2 BOLTON (1) 3 Hoole 28 Shoretire 24 Marquis 85 N’Lundulu 70 Morley 77 Att: 10,086 Bristol Rovers: Belshaw (Balcombe 81), Hoole, Quansah (Connolly 81), Gibson, Gordon (MacDonald 81), Evans (Bogarde 81), Ward, Finley (G Whelan 78 (McCormick 90)), Sinclair, Coburn (Marquis 46), Collins. Booked: Connolly. Bolton: Dixon, Toal, Santos (M Williams 46), Johnston, Jones (R Williams 28), Sheehan (Lee 60), Thomason, John, Morley, Shoretire (N’Lundulu 61), Adeboyejo (Jerome 61). Subs not used: Charles, Kachunga. Booked: N’Lundulu, Sheehan, Thomason. BURTON ALB (0) 0 MK DONS (0) 0 Att: 5,021 Burton Albion: MacGillivray, Brayford, Hughes, Moon, Hamer (Kirk 63), Powell, Oshilaja, Ashworth, Helm, Carayol (Winnall 80), Taylor (Walker 52). Subs not used: Amissah, Gilligan, Hewlett, Radcliffe. Booked: Oshilaja. Milton Keynes Dons: Cumming, KaiKai (Grigg 79), O’Hora, Tucker, Lewington, Watson, Maghoma, McEachran (Devoy 58), Grant (Holland 63), Leko, Eisa. Subs not used: Johnson, Ravizzoli, Dean, Jules. Booked: McEachran. CAMBRIDGE (2) 2 FOREST G (0) 0 Dunk 25 Att: 7,493 Smith 37 Cambridge Utd: Mitov, L Bennett, R Bennett, Morrison (Okenabirhie 30), Dunk, Digby, McGrandles, Brophy, Lankester (Thomas 68), Knibbs, Smith. Subs not used: Haunstrup, O’Neil, Ironside, Okedina, Mannion. Forest Green: Doohan, Bernard (O’Keeffe 59), Casey, Cooper, Robson (Sanniola 84), O’Brien (McKenzie 84), Bunker, McGeouch (Savage 68), Garrick, Brown (Peart-Harris 58), Omotoye. Subs not used: Thomas. Booked: Bunker, Cooper. CHELTENHAM (0) 2 CHARLTON (1) 2 Keena 50 Fraser 35 May 88 Payne 83 Att: 5,336 Cheltenham: Southwood, Jackson, Long, Taylor, Freestone (Raglan 81), Ferry, Broom, Bonds (Willcox 89), Sercombe, May (Brown 90), Keena. Subs not used: Williams, Bradbury, Goodwin, MacDonald. Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Egbo (Asiimwe 74), Hector, Thomas, Sessegnon (Roddy 85), Fraser, Henry (Payne 74), Morgan, Rak-Sakyi (Mitchell 88), Leaburn, Campbell (Rylah 85). Subs not used: Wollacott, Kanu. EXETER (0) 3 MORECAMBE (0) 2 Stansfield 49, 57, 70 Stockton 53, 90 Att: 7,386 Exeter: Blackman, Grounds, Aimson, Hartridge (Sweeney 35), Key, Collins, Chauke (Kite 62), Borges (Caprice 74), Mitchell (Sparkes 63), Stansfield (Cox 74), Nombe (Scott 87). Subs not used: Coley. Booked: Borges, Caprice, Kite, Sweeney. Morecambe: Ripley, Cooney (Mayor 55), Bedeau, Rawson (Shaw 62), Gibson, Austerfield (Simeu 85), Weir, Taylor (Delaney 44), Crowley (Hunter 55), Gnahoua (Niasse 46), Stockton. Subs not used: Smith. Booked: Hunter, Mayor, Weir. FLEETWOOD (0) 2 IPSWICH (0) 2 Marriott 57, 69 Ladapo 50 Harness 73 Att: 4,979 Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Rooney, Holgate (Teale 69), Sarpong-Wiredu, Johnston, Warrington (Glenfeld 86), Vela, Omochere (Quitirna 83), Mendes Gomes (White 69), Patterson (Hayes 87), Marriott. Subs not used: McMullan, Johnson. Ipswich: Walton, Donacien (Clarke 65), Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis (Edwards 81), Ball, Luongo, Burns (Jackson 82), Chaplin, Broadhead (Harness 65), Hirst (Ladapo 18). Subs not used: Keogh, Hladky. Booked: Ball, Clarke, Harness, Luongo. Sent-off: Clarke. LINCOLN CITY (0) 1 SHREWSBURY (0) 0 Virtue 73 Att: 9,124 Chaplin (Ipswich) 26 Clarke-Harris (Peterborough) 26 McGoldrick (Derby) 22 May (Cheltenham) 20 Bishop (Portsmouth) 20 Smith (Sheff Wed) 17 Ladapo (Ipswich) 17 LEADING SCORERS P W D L F A Pts Plymouth (C) 46 31 8 7 82 47 101 Ipswich (P) 46 28 14 4 101 35 98 Sheff Wed 46 28 12 6 81 37 96 Barnsley 46 26 8 12 80 47 86 Bolton 46 23 12 11 62 36 81 Peterborough 46 24 5 17 75 54 77 Derby 46 21 13 12 67 46 76 Portsmouth 46 17 19 10 61 50 70 Wycombe 46 20 9 17 59 51 69 Charlton 46 16 14 16 70 66 62 Lincoln City 46 14 20 12 47 47 62 Shrewsbury 46 17 8 21 52 61 59 Fleetwood 46 14 16 16 53 51 58 Exeter 46 15 11 20 64 68 56 Burton Albion 46 15 11 20 57 79 56 Cheltenham 46 14 12 20 45 61 54 Bristol Rovers 46 14 11 21 58 73 53 Port Vale 46 13 10 23 48 71 49 Oxford Utd 46 11 14 21 49 56 47 Cambridge Utd 46 13 7 26 41 68 46 MK Dons (R) 46 11 12 23 44 66 45 Morecambe (R) 46 10 14 22 47 78 44 Accrington (R) 46 11 11 24 40 77 44 Forest Green (R) 46 6 9 31 31 89 27 NON-LEAGUEVANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS NOTTS CO (0) 3 BOREHAM W (2) 2 Baldwin 47, 90 Ilesanmi 37 Jones 120 Ndlovu 45 AET:Score after 90 mins 2-2. CHESTERFLD (0) 3 BROMLEY (1) 2 Elerewe 57 (og) Marriott 45 Oldaker 79 Cheek 90 Mandeville 102 AET:Score after 90 mins 2-2. Play-off final, Saturday Chesterfield v Notts Cty (3.30) VANARAMA NATIONAL NORTH PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS - King’s Lynn 1 Kidderminster 4, Chester 0 Brackley 1. VANARAMA NATIONAL SOUTH PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS - Dartford 1 St Albans 1 (AET: St Albans win 5-3 on pens), Oxford City 2 Worthing 0. Play-off finals, Sunday South: Oxford City v St Albans City (12.30). North: Brackley v Kidderminster Harriers (3.30). LEAGUE TWO P W D L F A Pts Ley Orient (C) 45 26 12 7 60 33 90 Stevenage (P) 45 23 13 9 60 39 82 Northampton 45 22 14 9 61 42 80 Stockport Cty 45 22 12 11 64 36 78 Carlisle 45 20 15 10 65 42 75 Salford City 45 22 9 14 72 53 75 Bradford 45 20 15 10 60 42 75 Mansfield 45 20 12 13 70 55 72 Barrow 45 18 8 19 47 52 62 Swindon 45 15 13 17 59 54 58 Tranmere 45 15 13 17 45 47 58 Grimsby 45 15 13 17 48 56 58 Crewe 45 14 15 16 46 58 57 Sutton Utd 45 15 12 18 45 57 57 Newport Cty 45 14 14 17 51 54 56 Doncaster 45 16 7 22 45 63 55 Walsall 45 11 19 15 44 48 52 Gillingham 45 13 13 19 35 49 52 Harrogate 45 12 15 18 58 67 51 Colchester 45 12 13 20 44 49 49 AFC Wimbledn 45 11 15 19 48 59 48 Crawley 45 11 13 21 47 69 46 Hartlepool (R) 45 9 15 21 51 77 42 Rochdale (R) 45 9 10 26 45 69 37 SAM HOSKINS has made history for Northampton — and he aims to write a new chapter today. He is the first Cobblers player since 1986-87 to score 20 goals in a season, he is League Two’s player of the season and Sixfields fans voted him their player of the season. Today, he can guarantee Northampton go up with a victory at Tranmere. Hoskins, 30, has hit 21 goals this term and he is not a striker. He said: “I see myself as a winger. I HOTSHOT . . . Sam Hoskins Sam on wing ’n prayer Tranmere v Northampton 12.30pm, & LEAGUE TWO By GARETH DAVIES RESULTS & TABLES PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYED YESTERDAY NEWCASTLE (0) 0 ARSENAL (1) 2 Att 50,267 Odegaard 14 Schar 71 (og) Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn (Targett 82), Joelinton (Anderson 81), Bruno Guimaraes, Willock (Saint-Maximin 78), Murphy (Almiron 65), Wilson (Gordon 78), Isak. Subs not used: Dubravka, Dummett, Lewis, Manquillo. Booked: Burn, Schar. Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Tierney 61), Odegaard (Partey 80), Jorginho, Xhaka, Saka (Nelson 87), Gabriel Jesus (Nketiah 87), Martinelli (Trossard 80). Subs not used: Smith Rowe, Holding, Vieira, Turner. Booked: Nketiah. WEST HAM (1) 1 MAN UNITED (0) 0 Benrahma 27 West Ham: Fabianski, Kehrer, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Cresswell (Emerson Palmieri 90), Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Lucas Paqueta (Downes 90), Benrahma (Fornals 87), Antonio (Johnson 90). Subs not used: Lanzini, Areola, Cornet, Ings, Anang. Man Utd: de Gea, Wan-Bissaka (Dalot 87), Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia (Fred 88), Casemiro, Eriksen (Sabitzer 74), Antony (Sancho 74), Weghorst (Martial 57), Bruno Fernandes, Rashford. Subs not used: Maguire, Butland, Williams, Garnacho. Booked: Malacia, Wan-Bissaka. AFC B’MOUTH (1) 1 CHELSEA (1) 3 Vina 21 Gallagher 9 Att 10,357 Badiashile 82 Joao Felix 86 AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Smith, Senesi, Kelly, Vina, Rothwell (Cook 59), Lerma, Ouattara, Billing (Anthony 83), Christie (Semenyo 84), Solanke (Brooks 90). Subs not used: Travers, Stephens, Mepham, Stacey, Zabarnyi. Booked: Senesi. Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell (Azpilicueta 75), Kante (Loftus-Cheek 63), Fernandez, Gallagher, Madueke (Ziyech 76), Havertz (Joao Felix 84), Mudryk (Sterling 63). Subs not used: Kovacic, Pulisic, Mendy, Hall. Booked: Badiashile, Kante, Mudryk. LIVERPOOL (1) 1 BRENTFORD (0) 0 Salah 13 Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas 82), Gakpo, Fabinho, Jones (Milner 82), Salah, Jota (Henderson 73), Nunez (Diaz 65). Subs not used: Gomez, Elliott, Carvalho, Matip, Kelleher. Booked: Alisson, Fabinho, Konate, van Dijk. Brentford: Raya, Hickey (Wissa 88), Jorgensen, Pinnock, Mee, Henry (Schade 72), Onyeka (Dasilva 72), Jensen (Baptiste 82), Janelt (Damsgaard 82), Mbeumo, Toney. Subs not used: Ghoddos, Ajer, Roerslev, Cox. Booked: Henry, Mbeumo. MAN CITY (2) 2 LEEDS (0) 1 Gundogan 19, 27 Rodrigo 85 Att 53,406 Man City: Ederson, Akanji, Laporte, Ake (Walker 54), Lewis, Gundogan (Rodri 90), Mahrez, Alvarez (Bernardo Silva 87), De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland. Subs not used: Dias, Phillips, Stones, Grealish, Ortega, Gomez. Leeds: Robles, Ayling, Kristensen, Wober, Firpo, McKennie, Roca (Greenwood 59), Gnonto (Rodrigo 58), Forshaw (Struijk 80), Harrison (Summerville 66), Bamford (Aaronson 80). Subs not used: Meslier, Koch, Rutter, Gray. Booked: Gnonto, McKennie, Rodrigo. TOTTENHAM (1) 1 CRYSTAL PAL (0) 0 Kane 45 Att 61,093 Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Emerson, Romero, Lenglet (Dier 88), Porro, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Davies, Son (Danjuma 89), Kane (Kulusevski 79), Richarlison. Subs not used: Sanchez, Perisic, Lucas Moura, Sarr, Bissouma, Austin. Booked: Davies, Forster, Lenglet. Crystal Palace: Johnstone, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp (Hughes 74), Olise, Ayew (Edouard 84), Zaha. Subs not used: Milivojevic, Sambi Lokonga, Guaita, Mateta, Clyne, Richards, Riedewald. Booked: Andersen, Ayew, Schlupp, Ward, Zaha. WOLVES (1) 1 ASTON VILLA (0) 0 Toti 9 Att 31,641 Wolverhampton: Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti, Matheus Luiz (Joao Moutinho 90), Neves, Lemina, Pedro Neto (Traore 84), Matheus Cunha (Hwang 68), Costa (Collins 83). Subs not used: Ait Nouri, Daniel Podence, Sarabia, Bentley, Joao Gomes. Booked: Costa, Gomes, Nelson Semedo. Aston Villa: Martinez, Young (Diego Carlos 65), Konsa, Mings, Alex Moreno (Digne 85), Traore (Bailey 46), McGinn, Douglas Luiz (Kamara 85), Ramsey, Buendia (Duran 81), Watkins. Subs not used: Chambers, Coutinho, Olsen, Dendoncker. Booked: Douglas Luiz, Mings, Watkins. Haaland (Man City) 35 Kane (Tottenham) 26 Toney (Brentford) 20 Salah (Liverpool) 19 Rashford (Man Utd) 16 Martinelli (Arsenal) 15 Odegaard (Arsenal) 15 Wilson (Newcastle) 15 Watkins (Aston Villa) 14 Saka (Arsenal) 13 LEADING SCORERS P W D L F A Pts Man City 34 26 4 4 89 31 82 Arsenal 35 25 6 4 83 39 81 Newcastle 34 18 11 5 61 29 65 Man Utd 34 19 6 9 49 41 63 Liverpool 35 18 8 9 67 42 62 Tottenham 35 17 6 12 64 57 57 Brighton 32 16 7 9 62 40 55 Aston Villa 35 16 6 13 46 43 54 Brentford 35 12 14 9 52 45 50 Fulham 34 13 6 15 45 46 45 Chelsea 34 11 9 14 34 39 42 Crystal Palace 35 10 10 15 35 46 40 Wolves 35 11 7 17 30 50 40 Bournemouth 35 11 6 18 37 67 39 West Ham 35 10 7 18 38 50 37 Leicester 34 8 6 20 46 59 30 Leeds 35 7 9 19 44 69 30 Nottm Forest 34 7 9 18 30 62 30 Everton 34 6 11 17 27 52 29 Southampton 34 6 6 22 28 60 24 top three as Bristol Rovers battered Scunthorpe 7-0 to amazingly pip them on goal difference. Now Horsfall, who moved to County last June, hopes his new club gatecrash the automatic spots by beating Hartlepool, while Northampton fail to win at Tranmere. He said: “You think you’re promoted until the 85th minute, only for someone to shout, ‘Bristol have scored seven, you need another goal’. “Honestly, you couldn’t write it — especially with it being Northampton. “But I’m hoping it’s a bit smoother this time. “I’m a Stockport player now and I feel like we deserve it.” By GARY CARTER FRASER HORSFALL hopes Northampton fans have to suffer the same last-day woe he endured 12 months ago. The Stockport defender scored as the Cobblers apparently secured promotion by beating Barrow 3-1 last May. But they were thrown out of League Two’s have been asked where my goals are coming from. “One main thing is for most of this season and last I played left wing and I’ve managed to get consistency. Going into every match, I know I’m going to be playing there. “In previous seasons, I’d been shifted about, but when you have that consistent starting place, you can build your goals. “This season I’ve taken a lot more shots at goal.” HORS PLAY . . . Fraser Horsfall They’ll Fall at the last Stockport v Hartlepool 12.30pm, SCOTS CORNERCINCH PREMIERSHIP P W D L F A Pts Celtic (C) 34 31 2 1 105 25 95 Rangers 34 26 4 4 82 34 82 Aberdeen 34 17 2 15 52 53 53 Hearts 34 14 6 14 56 51 48 Hibernian 34 14 5 15 51 53 47 St Mirren 34 12 8 14 39 51 44 Livingston 34 12 6 16 33 54 42 Motherwell 34 11 7 16 46 48 40 St Johnstone 34 10 6 18 35 54 36 Dundee Utd 34 8 7 19 36 59 31 Kilmarnock 34 8 7 19 29 60 31 Ross County 34 8 6 20 30 52 30 HIBERNIAN (2) 2 ST MIRREN (0) 1 Youan 4 Greive 64 Fish 23 Att: 16,334 MOTHERWELL (1) 2 KILMARNCK (0) 0 Spittal 4, van Veen 90 Att: 6,168 ROSS CNTY (1) 2 LIVINGSTON (0) 0 Iacovitti 40 Att: 3,129 Samuel 61 ST JOHNSTNE (1) 1 DUNDEE UTD (0) 0 Gordon 43 Att: 7,071 Played Yesterday HEARTS (0) 0 CELTIC (0) 2 Furuhashi 67 Att: 18,143 Oh 81 RANGERS (0) 1 ABERDEEN (0) 0 Cantwell 65 Att: 46,961 CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A Pts Dundee (C) 36 17 12 7 66 40 63 Ayr 36 16 10 10 61 43 58 Queen’s Park 36 17 7 12 63 52 58 Partick 36 16 9 11 65 45 57 Morton 36 15 12 9 53 43 57 Inverness 36 15 10 11 52 47 55 Raith 36 11 10 15 46 49 43 Arbroath 36 6 16 14 29 47 34 Hamilton 36 7 10 19 31 63 31 Cove R (R) 36 7 10 19 38 75 31 Played Friday QUEEN’S PRK (3) 3 DUNDEE (3) 5 Fox 10, 45 Jakubiak 4, Ashcroft 17 Shields 12 Robinson 34, Cameron 54 McCowan 81 ARBROATH (0) 0 HAMILTON (0) 0 Att: 2,736 COVE (1) 1 MORTON (1) 2 Glass 45 Baird 2 Att: 1,769 Muirhead 73 INVERNESS (0) 1 AYR (1) 2 Shaw 81 Mullin 35 Att: 3,435 McKenzie 88 RAITH (1) 2 PARTICK (1) 2 Vaughan 35 (pen) Brownlie 21 McGill 59 Tiffoney 68 Att: 2,899 CINCH LEAGUE ONE P W D L F A Pts Dunfermline (C) 36 23 12 1 63 21 81 Falkirk 36 19 10 7 70 39 67 Airdrieonians 36 17 9 10 82 51 60 Alloa 36 17 6 13 56 47 57 Queen of Sth 36 16 6 14 59 59 54 FC Edinburgh 36 15 6 15 60 55 51 Montrose 36 13 9 14 50 55 48 Kelty Hearts 36 10 10 16 39 54 40 Clyde 36 5 9 22 35 68 24 Peterhead (R) 36 3 7 26 19 84 16 ALLOA (0) 0 DUNFERMLNE (0) 2 CLYDE (0) 2 MONTROSE (0) 1 FC EDINBURGH (0) 1 AIRDRIE (1) 4 PETERHEAD (1) 1 FALKIRK (1) 3 QN OF STH (2) 4 KELTY (1) 1 CINCH LEAGUE TWO Albion 2 Stirling 0, Bonnyrigg Rose 3 Elgin 0, Dumbarton 1 Stranraer 1, Forfar 1 East Fife 0, Stenhousemuir 2 Annan Athletic 1. P W D L F A Pts Stirling (C) 36 21 10 5 67 37 73 Dumbarton 36 18 8 10 49 39 62 Annan Athl 36 14 9 13 61 51 51 East Fife 36 14 8 14 54 50 50 Forfar 36 13 9 14 37 43 48 Stenhousemuir 36 12 11 13 51 55 47 Stranraer 36 12 9 15 43 57 45 Bonnyrigg 36 11 9 16 36 47 42 Elgin 36 11 7 18 44 62 40 Albion 36 11 6 19 47 48 39 SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2ND LEG - Brechin 3 Spartans 2 (Agg: 3-3; Spartans win 4-3 on penalties). BOST MAN . . . Notts County’s John Bostock TITLE PUSH . . . Jesus with Joelinton and Trippier Monday, May 8, 2023 ............... 17

18............... Monday, May 8, 2023

Monday, May 8, 2023 ............... 19

in association with WOMEN’S FOOTBALL By SANDRA BROBBEY CHELSEA flashed their title retention credentials with a ferocious display — destroying Everton in a seven-goal rout. Guro Reiten opened the floodgates with Pernille Harder scoring just ONE minute after coming on as a sub. Blues boss Emma Hayes had wanted “greater intensity” from her team after Liverpool amost snatched a draw at Kingsmeadow last Wednesday. And, despite Everton starting well, Reiten opened the scoring with a 12th-minute effort curled around keeper Courtney Brosnan. Then Sam Kerr made it 2-0 on 25 minutes, powering a header past Brosnan after Niamh Charles’ cross. Harder came on for Kerr, who had cramp in her calf after being sick over night, shortly after the half-hour mark and the midfielder thumped in a left-footed finish a minute later. Sophie Ingle made it 4-0, passing the ball home, before Jessie Fleming got in on the scoring. Hayes decided to shake things up in the second half with Lauren James and Alsu Abdullina replacing Reiten and Eve Perisset. And Chelsea bagged a sixth with Erin Cuthbert teeing up Harder before Cuthbert pounced in injury time. Hayes admitted: “There are not enough goals this year from midfield so for Jessie, Sophie and Erin to get on the scoresheet was needed. “I was disappointed with us in the first 20 minutes. That’s something we need to address because two games running we’ve started slowly.” Reit thrashing GURO SPARKS BLUES ROUT OF TOFFEES WSL TABLE & RESULTS BRIGHTON (0) 1 WEST HAM (0) 0 Green 58 Att: 2,952 CHELSEA (5) 7 EVERTON (0) 0 Reiten 12, Kerr 25 Mosegaard-Harder 33, 81 Ingle 44, Fleming 45 Cuthbert 90 LIVERPOOL (1) 2 MAN CITY (1) 1 Dowie 16 Hemp 28 Kearns 47 Att: 2,552 MAN UTD (2) 3 TOTTENHAM (0) 0 Galton 32 Russo 35 Parris 53 READING (0) 0 ASTON VILLA (3) 5 Daly 14, 55, 63 Lehmann 41 Hanson 44 Played Friday ARSENAL (0) 1 LEICESTER (0) 0 Maanum 64 P W D L F A Pts Man Utd 20 16 2 2 53 11 50 Chelsea 18 15 1 2 51 15 46 Man City 20 14 2 4 46 21 44 Arsenal 18 13 2 3 41 11 41 Aston Villa 20 10 3 7 42 34 33 Everton 19 8 3 8 24 28 27 Liverpool 20 6 4 10 21 35 22 West Ham 19 5 2 12 19 37 17 Brighton 19 4 4 11 25 56 16 Tottenham 20 4 2 14 25 44 14 Leicester 19 4 1 14 13 40 13 Reading 20 3 2 15 22 50 11 Leah’s got the Galden touch LEAH GALTON’S golden touch continued as Manchester United stayed on top in the title race. The forward seized on Amy Turner’s error for her tenth WSL goal this term — and set the Red Devils on the way to a 3-0 thumping of Tottenham. Alessia Russo doubled their lead moments after Celin Bizet struck the woodwork for the visitors. And Nikita Parris did her England chances no harm with Lionesses chief Sarina Wiegman watching as she bagged the third. But MANCHESTER CITY’S Champions League hopes suffered a huge blow with a 2-1 loss at LIVERPOOL. Natasha Dowie gave the hosts an early lead after Laura Coombs’ mistake. Lauren Hemp headed a 28th-minute leveller but Missy Bo Kearns’ winner dented City’s top-three bid. READING’S WSL survival hopes took a clobbering following their 5-0 loss to ASTON VILLA. Rachel Daly went top of the WSL’s scoring chart on 20 with her hat-trick. Alisha Lehmann and Kirsty Hanson also netted. Kayleigh Green boosted BRIGHTON’S hopes of beating the drop as her header sealed a 1-0 win over WEST HAM and took the Seagulls above Spurs. By SANDRA BROBBEY Chelsea.....................7 Everton......................0 SUPER SAM . . . Brosnan cannot stop Kerr’s shot going in for 2-0 IN FINE NIK . . . Parris fires in third ONE-UP . . . Ingle hails Reiten 20 ............... Monday, May 8, 2023 2GG