Month: May 2023

Aston Villa manager Carla Ward has signed a new two-year deal with the Women’s Super League club.

Ward, 39, who signed a contract extension until the end of the 2023-24 season in January after joining Villa in 2021, has now agreed a deal until the end of the 2024-25 campaign, with an option to extend for another year.

Villa’s head of women’s football Lee Billiard said: “This is tremendous news for Carla and the club.

“We have continued to see substantial improvement in the team under her leadership, both individually and collectively, and this contract extension will allow her to continue progressing and building on our strategy to try to develop young players while putting Aston Villa at the heart of the women’s game in England at this exciting time.”

Ward arrived at Villa for the start of the 2021-22 season and guided them to an improved ninth-place finish in the WSL.

Last week’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool in their last home game of the season secured Ward’s side a fifth-place finish in the table.

Villa became the first side outside the WSL’s top four to register 10 league wins in a season and Ward, nominated for the manager of the season award, also won the WSL’s manager of the month award on three occasions.

Manchester United took the Women’s Super League title race to the final day with a dramatic 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City last Sunday.

The only downside of the crucial result was that goalkeeper Mary Earps, 30, was unable to keep her 14th clean sheet of a superb individual campaign.

Marc Skinner’s team have the best defensive record in the division, having conceded only 12 goals in 21 matches — and their star shot-stopper has been pivotal to the Red Devils’ impressive rise this season.

Ahead of her side’s trip to Liverpool today, where they will be praying for a Chelsea slip-up away at Reading, we shine the spotlight on England’s goalkeeping ace.

Magnificent Mary

Earps’ stint in Manchester has been a huge success, helping the club go from a newly-promoted outfit to title challengers in under four years.

The 33-cap international has been the hallmark of consistency since joining from Wolfsburg and she holds the record for the most clean sheets in WSL history with 55.

It explains why Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman opted to make her first-choice at international level in 2021 — faith that was repaid at last summer’s European Championships.

Earps played every minute of England’s six matches as they won the tournament, conceding just two goals. 

It is no wonder Skinner and United have been so reliant on their marvellous No27 this season.

Simply The Best

A goalkeeper oozing confidence and quality is crucial to any team with high aspirations.

Earps’ performances, which previously saw her named the best women’s goalkeeper in 2022 by FIFA, have provided the perfect platform for United’s array of attacking stars to thrive — and the defenders to rest easy.

Club team-mate and centre-back Maya Le Tissier said: “I’m so confident when she plays behind me.

“I think if one gets past me, which obviously I try my best not to let that happen, but I’m like: ‘Ah Mary’s got it anyway’.

“It’s nice to be so confident in the person you have behind you to speak up if anything gets through us, but we try to make Mary’s life as easy as possible trying not to let any shots go towards her goal. 

“Mary’s such a good part of the team and brings so much experience as well.”

Overlooked

United duo Leah Galton and Ona Batlle are up for the Player of the Season award, but Earps is a surprise omission from the final eight nominees.

If it were up to ex-England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis, the 2022-23 Golden Glove winner would also be in the running for the most prestigious individual accolade on offer.

She exclusively told LiveScore: “Mary Earps have been unbelievable, 13 clean sheets which is so impressive.

“Marc Skinner rarely changes his backline and so she has been the orchestrator and organiser of everything in front of her.

“She has been absolutely key to United finishing in the European places and pushing for the title.”

Earps is likely to end the domestic season without another major honour added to her CV, but she will not let her high standards dip against Liverpool today.

Because while a Chelsea defeat at Reading is improbable, it is certainly not impossible.

Roberto De Zerbi insists Europa League-bound Brighton will not be in holiday mode during their Premier League finale at Aston Villa.

Albion’s visit to Villa Park had been earmarked as a potentially pivotal contest in the battle for European football.

But the Seagulls travel to the West Midlands relatively pressure free having already cemented sixth position following Wednesday evening’s thrilling 1-1 draw at home to champions Manchester City.

Seventh-placed Villa need to win on Sunday to extinguish any prospect of Tottenham or Brentford leapfrogging them into the Europa Conference League spot.

Despite the match being a dead rubber for Brighton, head coach De Zerbi is determined to maintain standards and register a 19th victory of a record-breaking campaign.

“We have to respect our club, our fans, ourself in every situation,” said the Italian.

“In training sessions, in friendly games, in Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, we have to play seriously, all the time.

“We will prepare our best for the next game and we leave to Birmingham to win and to play in our way.

“I spoke with the players, we have to arrive ready and the holiday has not started.”

Villa were one of only five visiting teams to win at the Amex Stadium this term thanks to a 2-1 success in Brighton’s final game before the World Cup.

That November victory came in Unai Emery’s third top-flight match in charge of the club following the sacking of Steven Gerrard.

Former Arsenal boss Emery has transformed Villa’s season after arriving with his side sitting just above the relegation zone.

“Aston Villa deserve to achieve Europe,” said De Zerbi.

“Emery has changed the season for Aston Villa. They have big players. They have a clear style of play and it will be a tough game.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche has tried to keep things consistent this week as the club head into arguably the biggest game in their history.

The Toffees need to match the results of Leicester and Leeds, who are both inside the relegation zone, in order to extend their stay in the top flight to a 70th season.

There have been no rousing speeches or trying to artificially boost player morale ahead of the visit of Bournemouth as Dyche does not believe that would not make as much difference as reinforcing the same messages he has been giving since taking over from Frank Lampard in late January.

“I think all games are important but it stands to reason with it being the last game and what’s on it that of course it is a massive game,” he said.

“A lot of these players were here last season in a similar position so I think they are aware of it. It comes down to a big performance on Sunday.

“But I don’t have to emphasise that: I know it, the players know it, the fans know it, so we go into it open-minded.

“I don’t think positivity can win you football matches, performances win you matches.

“Inner confidence is a different thing but I’ve always been confident with the group, we go into every game confident so that doesn’t change.

“I think I have a good measure of what it is to be a manager and a player and the feeling in the group is consistent from myself and the staff, that’s all I try to bring.

“The consistencies I talk about are in performance, the mentality to perform, and then clarity. Consistent level of behaviours on and off the pitch I think pays you back.

“There will be some key pointers about the team and the way we perform of course but we will stick to the level of performance we expect from the players and the level we expect in training.”

Everton have a two-point cushion over 18th-placed Leicester but an inferior goal difference so only a win will guarantee safety, although as long as the Foxes and Leeds do not get a better result then the Toffees will be safe.

Home advantage will be key for all three teams but the pressure on the game is huge and, even if backed by a raucous Goodison Park, Dyche knows he will have to lean on senior players despite a large number of holes in his squad due to injuries, with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and defenders Nathan Patterson and Ben Godfrey all added to the unavailable list.

“We have worked hard to get in this position; two points in front doesn’t sound a lot but it is at this stage of the seaosn – but only if we capitalise on it,” added Dyche.

“With the senior players it is more about their experience.

“It’s unlikely unless you really have to you put a young player into a situation like that – we’re not in a position quite where we have to – but it’s fair to think a couple of the young lads will be involved in the squad.”

The effect of relegation on a club which has posted cumulative losses of over £430million over the last four seasons – and with a new stadium more than half-built – is almost unthinkable for a club which has enjoyed such a long spell in England’s top division.

But the repercussions of not avoiding the drop is not something Dyche is thinking about just yet.

“I’m not worried about that at the moment, trust me the game will be the focus,” he said.

Bournemouth head coach Gary O’Neil knows just how valuable finishing the season with a win at relegation battlers Everton could prove for the club’s summer transfer budget.

The Cherries’ top-flight status is already secure ahead of a dramatic final day as Everton, Leicester and Leeds all battle it out to avoid joining Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship.

Following a run of four wins from five games last month to pull clear of the relegation zone, Bournemouth currently sit 15th.

Another three points, coupled with results elsewhere going in their favour, could see the south-coast club finish in 13th – and with that receive an additional £4.4million in merit payments.

O’Neil understands how welcome any extra revenue would be for future plans.

“From a head coach’s point of view, you are aware of the financial implications of staying in the league and where you finish, but that was never a motivating thing for me,” said O’Neill, who replaced Scott Parker at the end of August and has gone on to win 11 Premier League games.

“The whole way through the season was all about what the players need and how well we can perform.

“Of course a win and climbing to 13th place would be great for everyone at the club.

“But it would also be great for me and the players to know that we have gone to a real tough place and put in a real good showing to beat a side who are desperate to win in front of their own fans.”

O’Neil added: “From the club’s view, then going into a summer where we will try to do something on the transfer front, finishing higher up the league and the financial implications would be beneficial.”

Everton sit two points clear of the drop zone, so have their fate in their own hands, while the teams below must win and hope for Bournemouth – in the bottom three themselves at the beginning of April – to do them a favour.

O’Neil is under no illusion about what his side will be running out into at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.

“Of course they will be well up for the game,” the Bournemouth boss told a press conference.

“They will try to make it as tough and intimidating as possible, but it is an exciting task for me.

“I have been in a few of those as a player, but it is a first for me as a coach.

“We have been to a few tough places, but this will be on the extreme side of that because of what it means to Everton and the size of the football club.

“They really test you and are a vocal support and it is a close-in stadium, so it feels a real intense atmosphere and I am looking forward to it.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he is struggling to process having nothing to play for on the final day of the season.

A year on from missing out on an unprecedented quadruple his side head to already-relegated Southampton knowing they will finish fifth irrespective of results on Sunday.

That has already started to come into his thoughts for his team selection, after confirming it “makes sense” to make changes, but he is confident his side will finish on a high.

“I am not used to games on the last matchday when everything is sorted. I am used to games when everything is at stake but we play this game to win the game,” he said.

“This is completely new to me. We are fifth, they are relegated. Usually (at the end of the season) we have to win, it is a final, but I want to do the right thing and didn’t decide yet.

“I want to line up the right team but to the outside world, I want to line up a team that is ready for the game, for the 110, 112km they have to run, all the challenges.

“We will not take risks with players, that makes no sense.”

Mohamed Salah was the first player to express his devastation at not qualifying for the Champions League when Manchester United’s win over Chelsea on Thursday consigned Liverpool to the Europa League.

Klopp admits in the immediate aftermath of that realisation it is difficult to put a positive spin on things.

The club face losing around £50million in Champions League revenue – a “big problem” according to Klopp – but he is confident missing out will provide added motivation.

“It has to. We all think like that. This is not the season we want. We know that for a while,” he added.

“I really think this was not a season we will talk about. Yes we failed to give the people more to enjoy but we had our moments.

“It would have been a ‘normal’ season if we ended up fourth, not great but still qualification for the Champions League, but that is the big disappointment.

“I am here for seven and a half years – it is a really long time – and that things always go in the right direction is not likely, there are dips. Usually after three years you change manager.

“It is a really good thing I am here for that long but a challenge as well as you have to invent yourself new, that is what we started now, and that is super-exciting.

“In a difficult year I felt the unity between us and the supporters, it is so important people really appreciated it.

“This season was not great and from a financial point of view that is actually the only problem but a big problem in football.

“But we have European nights next year but instead of Tuesday or Wednesday it’s a Thursday. Who cares?”

Pep Guardiola admits his thoughts have already turned to the first of Manchester City’s two upcoming finals.

Treble-chasing City face arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley next week before heading to Istanbul to take on Inter Milan in the Champions League showpiece seven days later.

The newly-crowned champions must first wrap up their Premier League campaign at Brentford on Sunday but, with little riding on the outcome at the Gtech Community Stadium, Guardiola admits he is planning ahead.

The Inter game may remain at the back of the mind for now, but the United clash is starting to loom large in the City manager’s thoughts.

Guardiola said: “I would say I saw a little bit of Inter last week but not this week. I am more focused on United right now.

“I saw their game against Chelsea. I was really impressed and I have started to review a little bit what they did to us in the game at Old Trafford.

“As in the past, we have to be careful. I would be careful anyway but after Thursday and their games recently, we are going to prepare the best we can.”

Guardiola has a balancing act to play this weekend. He may wish to rest some players ahead of the finals but he feels it is also important that others maintain their sharpness.

Jack Grealish, Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji were not risked at Brighton in midweek having not been deemed fully fit but big guns Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Bernardo Silva all featured.

Guardiola said: “Brighton helped us to maintain the level and hopefully Brentford will help us to maintain this rhythm to play the finals.

“We need that but it is important to arrive in the last week before the finals with people fit and ready.

“The Brentford game will be completely different to Brighton. I know it is meaningless in terms of the points but, in terms of sustaining the demanding effort, they will push us. It will be so difficult.”

Eddie Howe has vowed to adopt a siege mentality once again as Newcastle prepare for a first Champions League campaign in 20 years.

The Magpies have dragged themselves from the thick of a Premier League relegation fight when the club’s new owners took control in October 2021 to Europe’s top table in the space of a remarkable 19 months.

They have done so with the help of a £250million-plus investment, provided in large part by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which holds an 80 per cent stake, and the source of that wealth has prompted concerted criticism, with human rights campaign group Amnesty International in particular voicing concerns over “sportswashing”.

That focus is only likely to increase as they strengthen further before taking to the European stage, but head coach Howe has insisted his mission will not be derailed as a result.

He said: “We’ve been used to that from day one, to be honest. There’s been that feeling that popularity-wise, I don’t think we’re high up on people’s lists for various reasons.

“You accept that, I’ve got no issue with that and almost we’ve tried to use that for our benefit and for our gain, really.

“I’ve said we’re not here to be popular, we don’t care, really, about outside opinion. We very much care about inside opinion, we care about what the people of Newcastle think of us and what our supporters think.

“We’ve tried to act in the right way and make them proud, that’s been our biggest focus.”

Newcastle will bring down the curtain on a season which has delivered far more than they might have expected back in August at Chelsea on Sunday, where they will face a club which has spent around £600million since Todd Boehly completed his takeover last summer, but will end the campaign in the bottom half of the table.

That tends to suggest that money alone is not the key to success, and the way Howe has blended his new arrivals with the players he inherited and has since improved markedly has been equally, if not more important.

Asked if he regretted the focus on finance, the 45-year-old said: “I don’t really take it personally as in my achievement because it’s not really my achievement, it’s the achievement of the players who have committed to this season and what they’ve given. That would hurt me for them.

“I think the players deserve huge credit individually for some of the seasons that they’ve delivered and collectively for what they’ve done.

“I’ve said many times sitting here, it’s not about money. Money has played a part, it’s been a contributing factor, of course it has.

“But we’ve seen teams up and down the Premier League spend similar amounts of money and not have the success and not be as consistent as we have.”

Ruben Selles hopes relegated Southampton can go out on a high when they bid farewell to the Premier League against Liverpool on Sunday.

A wretched campaign full of poor decisions meant Saints knew their 11-year stay in the Premier League was over with two games to spare.

Southampton are on a winless 12-match run and have lost their last five on the bounce, with Swansea boss Russell Martin lined up as manager as they prepare for life in the Championship.

Selles hopes his last match in charge ends with a positive result on Sunday, which could also see homegrown skipper James Ward-Prowse make an emotional farewell.

“I think you need to choose in which mode you are every day,” Selles said of the atmosphere at St Mary’s on Sunday. “I think the fans need to do the same.

“I know, I understand the disappointment of the season but, as you say, it can be the sun shining and then a big opponent, last game in St Mary’s in the Premier League this year.

“We will not have for at least one more year and I think it’s a good opportunity to go on a journey together and try to make a good football match.

“I thank our fans for being supportive in one of the hardest seasons that they had in the last 12 years.

“Hopefully we can have a good environment on Sunday and then we can make something together.”

Perhaps boosting Saints’ chance of a shock is the fact Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool know they cannot reach the Champions League and will finish fifth after Manchester United beat Chelsea on Thursday.

“It’s always a tricky question because I know Jurgen (Klopp) said that he will make some changes in the line-up probably,” he said.

“It’s a situation with less pressure than if they were playing from the Champions League, of course.

“But sometimes less pressure means more freedom and sometimes more freedom (helps), and they can go in both directions, so it’s just a different game.”

The match could see academy products Theo Walcott and Mohamed Elyounoussi play their last games for Saints given their contracts expire in the summer.

Che Adams, Mohammed Salisu, Armel Bella-Kotchap and Juan Larios are out through injury, while ineffective January signing Paul Onuachu is a doubt with a back problem.

But there could be some positives to hold onto, with teenagers Kamari Doyle and Dom Ballard pushing for game time after making their league debuts last weekend.

Talented full-back Tino Livramento could also get some time off the bench after ending his 392-day injury lay-off when coming on for 20 minutes at Brighton.

“Tino will not play from the start due to his time restriction,” Selles said.

“He can play at least the same amount of minutes as he did against Brighton.”

Sam Allardyce said Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani was “hugely frustrated and disappointed” as the club stand on the brink of relegation.

The Premier League concludes on Sunday and Leeds must beat Tottenham at Elland Road while hoping relegation rivals Everton and Leicester both drop points in their final games.

Majority shareholder Radrizzani boldly declared last summer that another relegation battle was “impossible” after Leeds had survived on the final day with victory at Brentford.

But the odds of pulling off another great escape are even bigger this time round and Allardyce said: “He’s hugely frustrated and disappointed.

“He didn’t expect at the start of the season that the club would be in this position.

“He didn’t expect he would have to employ three managers to get out of this position. He’s hugely frustrated.

“The only way you sort that out is at the end of the season, have a look at the whole structure of the football club, and do whatever needs to be done.

“But in the meantime the only focus is one big game, one massive game for the players and for us all in controlling the destiny of Leeds, only by winning and hoping that other people lose.

“It’s not what we wanted, but it’s the position we’re in.”

Radrizzani is reported to be part of a consortium poised to complete a takeover of Italian club Sampdoria, in partnership with Paris St Germain owners Qatari Sports Investments.

The Italian, who turned to Allardyce with four games left in a last-ditch bid to retain Leeds’ top-flight status, is expected to expedite the sale of his remaining shares to 49ers Enterprises.

The financial arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers increased its stake in the club to 44 per cent at the end of 2021 and has an option to own 100 per cent by January next year.

Allardyce has taken one point from his three games in charge since becoming Leeds’ third manager of the season.

Marcelo Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch was sacked in February and his replacement Javi Gracia lasted 11 league games before he too was dismissed.

Allardyce, open to talks about staying in the role whatever Sunday’s outcome, said: “We’ll try and take advantage of the fact we’ve still got a small window of opportunity open.

“On the balance of where we are, there are two completely different avenues where the club goes down.

“You can pencil things in, but the only way you can put it in ink is whether you’re in the Premier League or you’re not.”

Allardyce invited in Leeds great Eddie Gray, plus former captains Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister for inspirational talks with his players this week.

The former England boss added: “They had very successful times here and I think on the mentality side it’s about improving our mentality to deliver.

“So somebody speaking a different voice about football, about what they did at this club, how much they love this club, I think is really important.”