May 2023 – Page 24

Partick Thistle continued their goalscoring spree to reach the cinch Premiership play-off final with a 5-0 win over 10-man Ayr at Somerset Park.

Scott Tiffoney hit a double and Jack McMillan, Steven Lawless and Kevin Holt were on target as the Jags secured an 8-0 aggregate victory.

Championship runners-up Ayr had top goalscorer Dipo Akinyemi sent off to cap a miserable play-off experience for the striker and the club.

Thistle will take on either Kilmarnock or Ross County in the two-legged final with the Staggies needing to win at Rugby Park on Sunday to avoid a difficult obstacle to retaining their top-flight status.

The Jags have scored 16 goals in four play-off wins and have only lost once in 17 games since Kris Doolan took charge.

Although a fourth-placed team in the Championship has never won the play-offs, Thistle now have an extra two days’ rest then their opponents before the first leg next Thursday after having a full week between both games against Ayr.

Ayr midfielder Reece McAlear had an early strike saved but the sting was taken out of the game in the seventh minute when McMillan netted his third goal of the play-off campaign.

The right-back provided the impetus to the move with a run into the box and his cross eventually fell for Aidan Fitzpatrick, whose shot was stopped by Ayr goalkeeper Charlie Albinson. McMillan was perfectly placed to nod the rebound over the line.

There were chances at either end in the following moments but Thistle looked the more dangerous side and the home side’s slim hopes disappeared in the 25th minute when Akinyemi was sent off.

The striker, who missed the first leg through illness, reacted angrily to being held by Aaron Muirhead and tried to push the defender away.

The man whose 24 goals earned him the PFA Scotland Championship player of the year award caught the defender in the face with his arm and Muirhead went down and received treatment.

Referee Colin Steven took a long time to deliver his punishment but Akinyemi was already walking towards the tunnel before the red card was shown.

Ayr manager Lee Bullen did not appear to be in agreement and pointed his finger at someone on the pitch.

His mood worsened two minutes later when Thistle doubled their lead on the counter-attack.

Fitzpatrick broke down the left, took his time and picked out Tiffoney at the far post to knock home. The former Ayr loan player celebrated by putting his finger to his mouth in front of the home support.

Albinson saved one on one from Brian Graham before Tiffoney added another goal in the 54th minute. A wonderful first-time pass from Steven Lawless sent McMillan down the right and his low cross was turned home from six yards.

Lawless netted in the 63rd minute with a reverse finish after Albinson had palmed away Kevin Holt’s cross.

Substitutes Anton Dowds, twice, and Danny Mullen missed good chances for the visitors before Holt headed home Kyle Turner’s 88th-minute corner.

Blackburn have signed striker Niall Ennis from Plymouth on a free transfer.

Rovers announced a four-year deal for Ennis, with the option of an extra 12 months.

The 24-year-old scored 14 goals in all competitions for Plymouth this season, including three in their final four games as they secured the League One title.

Ennis started his career at Wolves, then had loan spells at Doncaster and Burton before joining Plymouth in January 2021.

The Premier League season draws to a conclusion on Sunday, with the relegation battle and race for the final European place among the main talking points ahead of the final day.

Sunday, 4.30pm

Bet 1: Back Aston Villa to beat Brighton @ 1/1

Both Aston Villa and Brighton have been among the Premier League surprise packages this season and their final-day showdown at Villa Park should not disappoint.

However, this is a bigger game for one club than the other and added incentive and home advantage could tilt the match in favour of hosts Villa.

While Brighton are guaranteed a top-six finish in the Premier League after their 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Wednesday night, Aston Villa know a win for them would secure seventh spot and a Europa Conference League berth for next season.

They have both Tottenham and Brentford breathing down their necks so will need to push for victory in this one and their home record suggests they can get the job done.

The Midlands club have picked up 11 of their 17 league wins at Villa Park this term and can make home advantage count once again.

Sunday, 4.30pm

Bet 2: Back Newcastle to beat Chelsea @ 11/8

Chelsea fans will be desperate for this season to finish, but the Blues may have to endure one final afternoon of disappointment against Newcastle on Sunday.

Frank Lampard’s side were mauled 4-1 by Manchester United on Thursday night and that was their eighth defeat in their last 10 games in all competitions.

The best they can hope for heading into the final day of the campaign is 11th spot and it is fair to say it has been a season to forget.

As for Newcastle, they are guaranteed Champions League football next season after taking a point off Leicester on Monday night and the Magpies should be in a confident mood.

They ripped apart Brighton 4-1 just over a week ago and can also make light work of strugglers Chelsea.

Sunday, 4.30pm

Bet 3: Back Crystal Palace to beat Nottingham Forest @ 4/6

Roy Hodgson was drafted in to steady the ship at Crystal Palace earlier this year and not only did the veteran manager secure Premier League safety for the Eagles, but he has also had the club playing some brilliant football.

Since the start of April, Palace have beaten Leicester, Leeds, Southampton, West Ham and Bournemouth and they can add Nottingham Forest to their list of scalps on Sunday.

Nottingham Forest ensured Premier League survival with a shock 1-0 win over Arsenal last time out and it would be no surprise if complacency sets in for this match.

Forest are also much stronger on home soil than on their travels and could struggle at Selhurst Park, where the Eagles have picked up seven of their 11 league triumphs this campaign.

Need help with your accas?

With LiveScore’s ‘Acca Insight’ tool you can create your accumulators using the latest stats, insight and odds at the touch of a button. Here’s how…

Step 1: Tap Acca Insight from the top of the Scores tab

Find it on the top left of the LiveScore app just below the LiveScore logo.

Step 2: Choose your competitions and market

Set up your filters based on the competitions and betting markets you like to build accumulators from, along with the stats you find most insightful, e.g. last five matches or head-to-head record.

Step 3: Check the insight, stats and odds

Your results are ordered by the stats – so if you select ‘Premier League’, ‘Both Teams to Score’ and ‘Last 5 matches’, the percentages show how often that outcome happened in each team’s recent games. The more often it happened, the higher the match is ranked.

Step 4: Build your bet

Add your selections into our bet slip and transfer them to LiveScore Bet with the click of a button.

Marco Silva insists his focus is on the future with Fulham as the Cottagers seek to secure a record Premier League points return on the final day of the season.

Silva has previously said he will seek assurance that Fulham share his ambition before entering into talks over a new contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season.

But the 45-year-old Portuguese – who has been linked to Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli – said he is in dialogue with the club’s hierarchy “every single day” to push Fulham forward.

“Normally I don’t talk too much about the situation,” Silva said ahead of the trip to Manchester United on Sunday.

“But we are here and I am talking every single day with people to keep planning and improving this football club as best as we can, as we did from the first day.

“This is the main focus for us. I’m under contract with this football club and this is the main thing.”

After promotion from the Sky Bet Championship last season, Fulham will end up 10th whatever happens at Old Trafford.

It will be their first top-half finish in the Premier League since coming ninth in 2012.

But Fulham have the incentive of eclipsing the 53 points they achieved in the 2008-09 season under Roy Hodgson.

Silva said: “There are three points to fight for, that is the main thing.

“From the first day they (players) know what our demands and standards are every single time.

“Even if we can not go for a difference in position right now, the points are still there and it’s for us to fight for.”

Fulham’s successful season has seen Silva join Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Newcastle’s Eddie Howe and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery on a six-man shortlist for the managerial award.

“These sort of nominations make all of us proud but it is a consequence of how the team perform,” Silva said.

“Even though the name is there, it is not an individual thing, it is a collective.

“It is a consequence of the season Fulham Football Club has had, but I am proud my name is in there.”

Former United winger Daniel James could be denied the chance of an Old Trafford return because of a hamstring problem.

Another former United player, midfielder Andreas Pereira, is definitely out with a fractured ankle, while Tim Ream (arm) will also be absent.

Jim Goodwin held “positive” talks with Dundee United chairman Mark Ogren but is waiting to see if he will be given an extended chance to lead the club’s attempts at revival.

Goodwin led United to three consecutive wins to get them out of the cinch Premiership danger zone after being appointed on an interim basis but a fourth loss on the bounce on Wednesday all but consigned them to automatic relegation.

A 3-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock means United need to win at Motherwell on Saturday and hope the Ayrshire side beat Ross County while achieving an eight-goal swing on the Staggies.

Goodwin has made it clear he would “love” to stay on as United boss beyond the end of the season but his future remains unclear.

The Irishman said: “I have just met the chairman for the first time face to face over the last couple of days. I spent hours with him just giving him my overview on what I have experienced during my time here.

“He has made a hell of an investment financially from his own personal wealth into the club.

“He is a man that in business is used to succeeding and he certainly didn’t come to Dundee United to be having this kind of experience.

“So whatever the outcome is on Sunday, he is fully behind supporting the club in trying to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again in the future.

“He is determined to put things right, from his own point of view but also for the supporters as well.

“We had good, positive talks but there has been nothing decided with regards to my long-term future.

“I have explained to him that I have loved my time at the club, I have met some great people here. There are some fantastic people behind the scenes doing some great things in a lot of the other departments.

“But unfortunately a club is always going to be recognised on what happens on the pitch and unfortunately as a team we haven’t been good enough and all the other good things have been brushed under the carpet.”

Goodwin wants his players to restore a modicum of pride at Fir Park.

“Although we are not mathematically down, we need a minor miracle to happen on Sunday to get that play-off place,” he said.

“We are not going to throw the towel in, of course, but I don’t want to sound silly and look silly by sitting here saying to you guys that we are going to achieve it.

“But we have to put a team on the park that is going to play with pride and try and finish the season on a positive note.

“It’s an eight-goal difference, we would need to score a hell of a lot of goals and hope Kilmarnock do similar to Ross County, but look, there is a one per cent chance possibly, but we know how difficult that task is going to be.

“We have to go and give a good account of ourselves as a group and not go down to Motherwell waving the white flag.

“There is personal pride at stake for the players, myself and the rest of the group. We owe it to ourselves first and foremost but more importantly we owe it to the supporters, because what has happened in the last four games has been unacceptable.”

United might have to aim for a glut of goals without their only experienced striker. Steven Fletcher played through a torn groin muscle during Wednesday’s defeat.

Goodwin said: “Steven is playing through the pain barrier for the club, whether he is going to be able to do the same on Sunday, we will wait and see.”

Frank Lampard said turning around Chelsea’s fortunes will be the next manager’s problem as he prepares to bow out from his interim role after Sunday’s game against Newcastle.

The team’s wretched season slumped to a new low with a 4-1 thumping against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday, the ninth defeat of Lampard’s 11 games in charge.

If results go against them on the final day they could finish as low as 14th and equal their worst placing in the Premier League era.

They are already guaranteed to end with their lowest points tally in the competition, with the fewest number of goals the club have scored in a Premier League campaign.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be appointed as the club’s next permanent manager in the coming days and his in-tray will include quickly slimming down a bloated first-team squad and installing cohesion in a team that has lost its way since Graham Potter was sacked in April.

Chelsea have won only once in the almost two months since Potter was removed seven months into a five-year contract, and the task of rediscovering the team’s form has seemingly grown more daunting with each defeat.

A remedy has proved beyond Lampard in his short time in charge, and he was asked whether the incoming manager will have the toughest job of any Chelsea boss in the last 20 years.

“It’s a good headline but I don’t know,” said Lampard. “It remains to be seen, I can’t jump into the future.

“I think it is a fantastic job because it is the Chelsea job and when I took it first time (in 2019) I came I probably got it it was because a lot of top managers didn’t want that, I know that for a fact.

“I enjoyed the process and I enjoyed coming in and I wish the new manager well.

“I don’t know… it’s his problem I guess – is that the headline you wanted?”

One of the hindering factors during Lampard’s reign has been the size of the squad, with 34 first-team players vying for selection following co-owner Todd Boehly’s whirlwind transfer activity during his first 12 months in control.

It has meant limited playing time for younger members of the squad, even those signed for large fees and with high expectations.

Carney Chukwuemeka joined from Aston Villa for £20million last summer but has struggled for minutes, whilst Noni Madueke arrived for £29m from PSV Eindhoven and has featured just 11 times.

Both players started the loss at Old Trafford and played 82 minutes before being substituted and Lampard said he was pleased with the application of players that came in having not been regulars in the side.

“I don’t want to go into individuals,” he said. “I thought Carney did really well (against United) coming in to midfield with personality. It has been one of the harder parts of my job with the numbers in the squad.

“Going with a team to win important games and working with the younger players who we haven’t seen before because normally there is a process and a pre-season.

“We haven’t had that time. I thought Carney did well, I thought Noni did pretty well again and the flip of that was that Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta) was fantastic with his captaincy and attitude.

“It is 70 per cent of the game how you apply yourself and your attitude.”

Barry Robson has demanded that his Aberdeen players do not even think about taking it easy at Celtic Park on Saturday even though they have achieved their objective.

The Dons sealed third place in the cinch Premiership – and likely European group-stage football next term – by beating St Mirren 3-0 on Wednesday so they have little to play for other than personal pride when they visit the champions.

Robson is adamant there is no chance of him allowing his team to slip into holiday mode for their final match of the campaign.

“The players deserve a huge amount of credit for how they have performed but the message was made clear in training that the season isn’t over yet,” he said.

“We’ve got a huge game to come. The sign of a good team is being able to go right to the very end and we need to go to the very end because Celtic Park is one of the hardest places you’ll ever go to play football, especially against an Ange Postecoglou team who are relentless in the way they play.

“They have got a cup final to come afterwards so I’m sure all their players will be at it. They’ve been phenomenal this season but we need to go down there and be brave and be right at it. If we do that, we have a chance.”

Robson will be forced into two changes as on-loan Hoops defender Liam Scales is ineligible to face his parent club, while striker Bojan Miovski was carried off injured on Wednesday and will see a specialist on Monday.

Beyond that, Robson is of no mind to tinker with his team too much as he wants to ensure Aberdeen have a chance of finishing with a win.

“No,” he said when asked if he was planning to mix his team up. “We’re going down to the best team in the country.

“You can’t take that lightly because they’ve got some real top players. We need to go down there and put a performance on. We’re there to represent Aberdeen Football Club so we need to make sure we’re at it.

“I’ve been in this game far too long and you can’t take a game lightly. I’m not a big believer in playing friendlies either. Every game means something.”

Robson refused to be drawn on reports this week suggesting the Dons were close to agreeing a deal to sign on-loan Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson on a permanent deal, insisting he would not comment on any transfer until it was officially confirmed.

Asked how much of a rebuild he anticipates this summer, Robson said: “We’re the same as anyone else.

“Every manager will be busy with players coming in and going out. It’s the same at every club but hopefully we can take some good players in that can help us.”

Jonas Eidevall has confirmed Arsenal defender Rafaelle Souza will leave the Women’s Super League outfit this summer.

The 31-year-old Brazil captain, who has been linked with the Orlando Pride, has been with the Gunners since January 2022.

But speaking at a press conference ahead of his side concluding their WSL campaign by hosting Aston Villa on Saturday, Eidevall said: “She’s had such a high level, she’s been so consistent and I’m so pleased for us that we’ve had a player like her.

“We’ve been very happy with her, she’s been very happy playing with us here as well. But for reasons that were beyond our control, she will leave.

“She’s sad for it, we’re sad for it, but I really cherish the memories we had with her.

“I want to thank her for all the contributions she made to the club and I hope she can have a really strong performance tomorrow and we can have a really nice send off.”

Asked if he thought it would be a busy summer of incomings, Eidevall said: “It has to be a very big transfer window for us.

“Especially given that both last summer and the winter window was not good enough for us and we didn’t get our targets in the way we wanted.

“So we have to get that right this summer.”

Arsenal, who had multiple bids for Manchester United’s England forward Alessia Russo rejected in January, look set to finish a season in which they have been hit by long-term injuries to a number of players third in the WSL.

The Gunners are three points clear of Manchester City in the final Champions League berth, with a goal difference superior by 11.

Eidevall, whose side have also won the League Cup and reached the Champions League semi-finals this term, said: “So far I’ve been very proud of the group and the performances, but there’s one left and we’re not jumping ahead to anything.

“We need to be very good on Saturday to finish the way we want.”

Thomas Frank admitted Ivan Toney made mistakes but questioned the Football Association’s decision to ban him from training for four months as part of his suspension for betting rule breaches.

Toney pleaded guilty to 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules and has been banned from football for eight months and is not allowed to train with Brentford until half of the term has been served on September 17.

Frank jumped to Toney’s side as Brentford adjust to being without their 20-goal striker for the first half of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Brentford boss said: “Yes, Ivan did something wrong but what I don’t get at all is how can you not let him be involved in football at all for the first four months?

“What do you gain from that? If you want to rehabilitate people you give them education, you do something, and now he is left on his own.

“There’s no doubt for me that the first four months he could be involved in football, he should be forced to go into a hundred schools to tell them about his football and background, that’s how it should work, but I’m a football coach, what do I know?

“If I can’t speak to him, then they will have to ban me. If I am not allowed to speak to him on a support level there must be something wrong. I think you’re allowed to contact people even when they’re in prison aren’t you? So I think I’m allowed.”

Toney’s ban was reduced by the independent regulatory commission after he was diagnosed with a gambling addiction by a psychiatry expert.

In March Brentford were reported to be considering cutting ties with Hollywood Bets who have been their main kit sponsor since July 2021.

And Frank discussed the link between football and gambling sponsors and called for better ways to support players.

“I think it’s definitely something we need to look into,” Frank added.

“The cleaner the football industry could be, the better.

“Ivan has made some mistakes, now we need to get through that and we will support him. But there is no doubt that football and gambling’s relationship need to be reviewed and I think we can only look at ourselves first.

“We got a massive reminder (Toney ban), do we do enough to educate our players? I think that’s a big thing, I think the football authorities have a massive task to make sure we do this much better.”

Brentford host treble-chasing Manchester City at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday where a win depending on other results could see them qualify for the Europa Conference League – the Bees are ninth and trail seventh-placed Aston Villa by two points.

“I believe that anything can happen in football,” Frank said.

“I had a big belief before the season that we’ll do top 10, of course I didn’t know (that Brentford would be contending for Europe) but I am so pleased we are in the mix and have a chance. But we just need to beat the best team in the world.”

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas looks to have played his final game for Nottingham Forest after being ruled out of Sunday’s Premier League curtain-closer at Crystal Palace.

Navas limped out of Saturday’s win over Arsenal, which secured Forest’s top-flight status, after landing heavily when collecting a ball in injury time.

He has not recovered in time to feature at Selhurst Park and with reports in France suggesting the Paris St. Germain loanee will not extend his stay at the club, his City Ground career could be over.

Brazilian duo Felipe and Danilo, who also came off against Arsenal, are also doubts.

“Keylor is out for the game,” boss Steve Cooper said. “He won’t feature. You saw him come off right at the end of the game with a groin injury.

“Felipe and Danilo both came off as well and are doubts for the game. We’ll see about them. We’ve still got a day or two until the game, so we’ll see how they are.”

Forest’s survival is a real success given their long stint outside of the Premier League and their unprecedent squad churn last season.

After enjoying the relief of staying up, Cooper is already turning his attention to the future.

“Initially it was relief and really positive emotions,” he said. “You could see the joy that it gave the supporters and everyone connected with the team.

“No one wants to be down at the bottom of the league, fighting to stay in it, but it happens, especially at a promoted team. We had been out of the league for a couple of decades.

“And the way we had to go about it from the day we got promoted to this day, there has been so much change at the club.

“There is a feeling of satisfaction that we’ve had to contend with so many things that haven’t happened before.

“The boys have managed to get over the line and they deserve so much credit for that. For me as the days have gone by it has really now turned into motivation about how we have to improve.

“We have a tough game at palace where we are really determined to finish off the season well.”