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Why Haaland, Kane heroics at World Cup could be bad news for football fans in China
Norway’s unprecedented run at the Fifa World Cup could be bad news for fans in Hong Kong at next month’s Football Festival as star striker Erling Haaland now looks set to miss the pre-season trip with Manchester City. Haaland’s brace on Sunday guided Norway to their first World Cup quarter-finals, and with the knockout match against England scheduled for Saturday local time, chances are the towering striker, who has seven goals to his name in the tournament, will not travel to Hong Kong. Players are entitled to a mandatory minimum off-season rest period or holiday of at least 21 consecutive days following any major Fifa tournaments, meaning even if Norway lose to England, Haaland’s three-week break would end on August 2, one day after Manchester City’s match against Inter Milan at Kai Tak Stadium. There could, however, be a glimmer of hope for football fans. While the 21-day rule is mandated globally, exact return dates are usually managed on an individual basis by clubs, taking regional collective agreements and individual match calendars into account. Depending on the result at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami between Norway and England, the list of missing players could grow further. Manchester City, who are already without midfield maestro Rodri for the start of the new season due to injury, have four other England internationals, including centre-back Marc Guehi, at the World Cup. The potential lack of star power in Hong Kong due to the World Cup could extend beyond the first of two Football Festival matches, with it possibly also impacting the August 5 tie between Chelsea and Juventus, as well as the Audi Football Summit between Bayern Munich and Aston Villa on August 7. Three Lions’ right-back Reece James could miss Chelsea’s summer tour to Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia if England continue their journey in the United States. The presence of Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins, who play for Bayern and Villa, respectively, is also in doubt. In April, Bayern Munich executive Rouven Kasper told the South China Morning Post that any international players contracted to the Bundesliga club are expected to be available for the team’s summer tour if their respective nations are eliminated at the World Cup quarter-finals or earlier. A representative from the 35-time Bundesliga champions told SCMP on Monday that they do not have the final list for their two matches in South Korea and Hong Kong yet as it “depends on the World Cup”. Still, it is expected German internationals Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and South Korea centre-back Kim Min-jae, Japanese defender Hiroki Ito, and Canadian winger Alphonso Davies would still make the team. France, who will play Morocco in the quarter-final on Thursday, are another country with players involved in five of the six teams visiting the city in the first week of August. City winger Rayan Cherki, Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, Bayern’s duo Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano, and Villa left-back Lucas Digne could all be left behind if the two-time champions win at Gillette Stadium. The same applies to Belgian captain Youri Tielemans and winger Jeremy Doku, who play for Villa and City, respectively, if they beat co-hosts United States to reach the last eight. Bayern’s Luiz Diaz may also miss out if Colombia overcome Switzerland in Vancouver on Tuesday. In the case of Argentina knocking out Egypt in Atlanta, Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez and Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez could also be given time off rather than being asked to attend the pre-season tours.
Spain , Portugal Set For Blockbuster Iberian Showdown In Last 16
‘Stung’ Spain have digested shock start but know repeat is not an option
Cape Verde are not the only ones to have kept Spain out at this World Cup. Turns out it was even harder to get past security on the gate of the team hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Two days after the 0-0 draw in their opener, Luis de la Fuente gave his players the day off, a chance to clear their heads and leave the disappointment behind. Lamine Yamal went to Nashville, Dani Olmo headed for Hamilton Place mall and Rodri strolled the Tennessee river with his partner. When Borja Iglesias got back before the 9pm curfew, they didn’t recognise him and wouldn’t let him in. “It was funny,” Iglesias said, standing at the side of the pitch at Kennesaw State University 30 miles north-west of Atlanta on Saturday, moments before the selección’s final session in preparation for their second game. “It happens to me in Spain, so how could it not happen here? I didn’t have the accreditation with me so I have to wait for someone to come and get me. Lamine laughed at me: ‘I love it, they didn’t let you in.’ The good thing is I told a couple of them and they said it had happened to them before too.” It can’t happen again. Up next for Spain are Saudi Arabia back in Atlanta on Sunday and this time they have to find a way through. “I’m not sure it’s fair to say that the forwards have to ‘improve’, but yes, we need goals,” Iglesias said. “We had various chances and didn’t score; other times you only get one chance and you do score. So, be calm. I have seen them train and there’s no problem. They will go in next time, for sure.” And then things will be different. “If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.” Few others saw the good in the game, especially not from the outside. Cape Verde were supposed to be easy and with this format no one entertained the possibility of Spain being knocked out anyway, which may have been part of the problem. “Maybe the fact that it was the first game conditioned things,” De la Fuente conceded. The following day Mikel Merino had talked about a “mourning”; it was a metaphor, he insisted, but it had hurt. “The players are stung, and tomorrow will be different for sure,” said De la Fuente. And yet, he said, there were “zero doubts”; Spain must “insist on the same idea”. Yet the conclusion that the only thing missing was a finish did not entirely convince. In the opening half an hour, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch. In that period, six players made more passes than Pedri, who is supposed to be the playmaker but who appeared too advanced, his energy expended chasing down defenders while the game was played behind him instead of in front of him. With Gavi and Torres on the wings, what width there was came from the full-backs. Which leads to the other element which has occupied everyone – probably too much. The absence of Lamine Yamal until 71 minutes has eclipsed almost everything else in a national team developing a dependency that goes beyond the pitch. An 18-year-old is cast as Spain’s hope and salvation, almost as their everything. Unable to play since April with a hamstring injury, De la Fuente had said Lamine Yamal was in “perfect” condition before facing Cape Verde and that the way the game went would decide when he was put on but that claim was disproved by how long the coach waited and the conversations with the medical staff that preceded the winger’s introduction. Nico Williams, also returning from injury, got just nine minutes. “The freshness of Lamine and Nico is what it is,” De la Fuente said then. “The good news is that Lamine is back,” he says now. The important questions are how many minutes Lamine Yamal can play against Saudi Arabia, and which minutes; De la Fuente seemed to imply that he would prefer the second 45, which is where games are won, to the first 45. But on the eve of the match the numbers he threw out were “55, 58, 63”. “We would be in a better mood if we had won but today we have taken our run to 32 games unbeaten,” De la Fuente said then; six days on, the mood is better still, a sense if anything that the negative reaction to their opening game was a bit much, that the critics had got carried away, that it’s not so bad. And, importantly, that they would show those critics how wrong they were. There was that word: “stung”. De la Fuente said: “There’s no feeling of pressure, no sense of emergency. Sometimes the criticism motivates you and this is a generation of players that is very competitive. Players see [what’s said].” He added: “There is a moment when it stops being about tactics. This team has heart and always responds.” They are not going to let it divide them, certainly: this is a close group, they keep saying. On Saturday, Laporte was talking about playing Fortnite with the kids, who enjoy winding him up. And it is just one game, which they didn’t even lose. Uruguay’s draw that same night also meant that they don’t even have a deficit to make up. “We were sad those first 24 hours but we have turned it around now,” Zubimendi said on Saturday. He also rejected suggestions that Spain’s circulation of the ball had been slow – “I’m surprised because if this midfield has a characteristic quality it’s not exactly that it slows the game down” – and defended Rodri from unexpected criticism, asking: “What am I even supposed to say to that?” Zubimendi added: “It was not a brilliant game but nor was it really bad: there are things we can take from it. We have to come up with improvements, especially that fluidity, that freshness in the final third which I think is going to be the key. I don’t think it’s a physical problem, I think it’s more that touch of precision. The day after wasn’t easy but that shows we care, that we’re pissed off at not winning, and that we feel the need to win. Our confidence has not dropped; we have walked a long path together and we trust each other to turn this around.” This time, they can’t let anyone stop them. “We were annoyed, which is the way it should be,” Laporte said. “But it’s also true that we are unbeaten in 32. We have the ambition and the confidence to look to the next game, think positively, and try to win, as we always to. To say: ‘We’re here.’”
‘Stung’ Spain have digested shock start but know repeat is not an option
Cape Verde are not the only ones to have kept Spain out at this World Cup. Turns out it was even harder to get past security on the gate of the team hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Two days after the 0-0 draw in their opener, Luis de la Fuente gave his players the day off, a chance to clear their heads and leave the disappointment behind. Lamine Yamal went to Nashville, Dani Olmo headed for Hamilton Place mall and Rodri strolled the Tennessee river with his partner. When Borja Iglesias got back before the 9pm curfew, they didn’t recognise him and wouldn’t let him in. “It was funny,” Iglesias said, standing at the side of the pitch at Kennesaw State University 30 miles north-west of Atlanta on Saturday, moments before the selección’s final session in preparation for their second game. “It happens to me in Spain, so how could it not happen here? I didn’t have the accreditation with me so I have to wait for someone to come and get me. Lamine laughed at me: ‘I love it, they didn’t let you in.’ The good thing is I told a couple of them and they said it had happened to them before too.” It can’t happen again. Up next for Spain are Saudi Arabia back in Atlanta on Sunday and this time they have to find a way through. “I’m not sure it’s fair to say that the forwards have to ‘improve’, but yes, we need goals,” Iglesias said. “We had various chances and didn’t score; other times you only get one chance and you do score. So, be calm. I have seen them train and there’s no problem. They will go in next time, for sure.” And then things will be different. “If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.” Few others saw the good in the game, especially not from the outside. Cape Verde were supposed to be easy and with this format no one entertained the possibility of Spain being knocked out anyway, which may have been part of the problem. “Maybe the fact that it was the first game conditioned things,” De la Fuente conceded. The following day Mikel Merino had talked about a “mourning”; it was a metaphor, he insisted, but it had hurt. “The players are stung, and tomorrow will be different for sure,” said De la Fuente. And yet, he said, there were “zero doubts”; Spain must “insist on the same idea”. Yet the conclusion that the only thing missing was a finish did not entirely convince. In the opening half an hour, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch. In that period, six players made more passes than Pedri, who is supposed to be the playmaker but who appeared too advanced, his energy expended chasing down defenders while the game was played behind him instead of in front of him. With Gavi and Torres on the wings, what width there was came from the full-backs. Which leads to the other element which has occupied everyone – probably too much. The absence of Lamine Yamal until 71 minutes has eclipsed almost everything else in a national team developing a dependency that goes beyond the pitch. An 18-year-old is cast as Spain’s hope and salvation, almost as their everything. Unable to play since April with a hamstring injury, De la Fuente had said Lamine Yamal was in “perfect” condition before facing Cape Verde and that the way the game went would decide when he was put on but that claim was disproved by how long the coach waited and the conversations with the medical staff that preceded the winger’s introduction. Nico Williams, also returning from injury, got just nine minutes. “The freshness of Lamine and Nico is what it is,” De la Fuente said then. “The good news is that Lamine is back,” he says now. The important questions are how many minutes Lamine Yamal can play against Saudi Arabia, and which minutes; De la Fuente seemed to imply that he would prefer the second 45, which is where games are won, to the first 45. But on the eve of the match the numbers he threw out were “55, 58, 63”. “We would be in a better mood if we had won but today we have taken our run to 32 games unbeaten,” De la Fuente said then; six days on, the mood is better still, a sense if anything that the negative reaction to their opening game was a bit much, that the critics had got carried away, that it’s not so bad. And, importantly, that they would show those critics how wrong they were. There was that word: “stung”. De la Fuente said: “There’s no feeling of pressure, no sense of emergency. Sometimes the criticism motivates you and this is a generation of players that is very competitive. Players see [what’s said].” He added: “There is a moment when it stops being about tactics. This team has heart and always responds.” They are not going to let it divide them, certainly: this is a close group, they keep saying. On Saturday, Laporte was talking about playing Fortnite with the kids, who enjoy winding him up. And it is just one game, which they didn’t even lose. Uruguay’s draw that same night also meant that they don’t even have a deficit to make up. “We were sad those first 24 hours but we have turned it around now,” Zubimendi said on Saturday. He also rejected suggestions that Spain’s circulation of the ball had been slow – “I’m surprised because if this midfield has a characteristic quality it’s not exactly that it slows the game down” – and defended Rodri from unexpected criticism, asking: “What am I even supposed to say to that?” Zubimendi added: “It was not a brilliant game but nor was it really bad: there are things we can take from it. We have to come up with improvements, especially that fluidity, that freshness in the final third which I think is going to be the key. I don’t think it’s a physical problem, I think it’s more that touch of precision. The day after wasn’t easy but that shows we care, that we’re pissed off at not winning, and that we feel the need to win. Our confidence has not dropped; we have walked a long path together and we trust each other to turn this around.” This time, they can’t let anyone stop them. “We were annoyed, which is the way it should be,” Laporte said. “But it’s also true that we are unbeaten in 32. We have the ambition and the confidence to look to the next game, think positively, and try to win, as we always to. To say: ‘We’re here.’”
Rodri Eyeing Real Madrid Switch as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City Exit Nears
Manchester [UK], May 20: Manchester City star Rodri is reportedly desperately looking forward to securing a deal with Spanish giants Real Madrid after manager Pep Guardiola's era with the English football giants nears its conclusion, reported Goal.com on Wednesday. The Spanish star has long been a dream club for Rodri, and a change in Man City's leadership has opened the door for a potential move to the 15-time UEFA Champions League champions. Arsenal Crowned Premier League 2025–26 Champions, Gunners Ending 22-Year Wait for Title Glory. Guardiola's presence was massive within Man City, and it shaped the career of many superstars of the club, including Rodri himself. But with the 20 trophy-winning manager concluding his chapter with the club, it has altered the future of several players within the team. For Rodri, Guardiola was a mentor who shaped him into one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, and with him leaving, the emotional and professional ties with the Premier League have weakened considerably, paving the way for a move to his home city. Real Madrid's admiration for Rodri has not been hidden. Since the retirement of Toni Kroos, a multiple-time La Liga and UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Real Madrid has felt the absence of a player capable of dictating the tempo from the deep. The top management of the club feels that Rodri is the perfect player who could provide the equilibrium to their star-studded squad. Neymar Toilet Viral Video Fact Check: Fans Swarm Brazilian Football Star's Lookalike Inside Public Washroom. The timing aligns as a major managerial shift is happening in Real Madrid itself, with Jose Mourinho having reported to have reached a verbal agreement to be the next manager for the club. Rodri is viewed as a priority signing as Real Madrid aims to move to their next chapter after a trophyless season in the 2025-26 season. Rodri is also reportedly "very keen" for a return to Spain, having represented Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, but he is under contract with City till 2027, and the club are really tough negotiators. Rodri's immense physical and technical qualities make him a quality player that Real Madrid can fight for, standing at over 1.90 m, offering a massive presence and ability to dictate play in terms of attacking and applying pressure. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Selfless Silva gives latest reminder of why Manchester City will miss him so much | Will Unwin
There will be plenty that Bernardo Silva will miss about Manchester City but driving rain in May and playing against the lowest of blocks will not be two of them. The midfielder’s penultimate game at the Etihad Stadium after nine years at the club was a reminder of how difficult it will be to replace him. Amid six changes, as Pep Guardiola rested and rotated, keeping “grandfather” Silva in the team was imperative. Without Rodri, the head coach needed someone he could rely on and no one better fits the category than the 31-year-old. Playing alongside Phil Foden in midfield, as the deeper of the two, one of a plethora of roles he’s taken on down the years, he utilised his mix of steel and finesse to set an example. Versatility is not the reason Silva will go down as one of City’s greats, but it shows that in a world of egos, he is willing to adapt for the sake of the team. From left-back to false 9, Silva has covered a lot of ground, making him hard to define in the modern game. What Guardiola has always loved about him is his ability to dictate a match, replacing Joy Division as the leading author of control in the north-west of England. Often found further forward, Silva was happy to be the foundation on this occasion, always the first point of contact for the centre-backs, Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guéhi, who would look to play a pass into him. Alternatively, Silva would drop in between the pair to receive the ball, before looking up to see how he could instigate things, taking that extra second to give teammates a chance to create movement. Over the past nine seasons, no one has won more Premier League games than Silva – 217 to be precise – and he has been Guardiola’s most used player in the period, making 457 appearances in all competitions, 85 more than Ederson, his closest rival. It is a testament to his longevity and fitness, not to mention rarely dipping in form. Even in the matches he was not at his best, there was always a desire to succeed and Silva’s attitude never dampened. It seems inevitable that Silva will go into coaching once his playing days have ended, probably somewhere warmer than Manchester on Wednesday night. He coaches others through the game, ensuring they know their role in the team. Considering Foden’s poor form this season, he looked very comfortable alongside Silva, offering more spark than has regularly been witnessed in recent times, proving it with a magical backheel to create Antoine Semenyo’s opener. Natural instincts make Silva want to join every attack but he knows City are susceptible to the counterattack, forcing him to be constrained. Holding back to assist those behind him should a positive quickly turn into a negative is a selfless act, one much appreciated by what is a relatively inexperienced pairing. Intelligent use of the ball is integral to the Silva repertoire. Ten minutes into the second half there was a sublime touch and simple pass to a teammate, something that goes relatively unnoticed in the grand scheme of things but it was on the edge of his own box, with Palace shirts all around. Silva was not panicked, he never is, and this coolness radiates around his teammates. Without Rodri, there is always a little more trepidation in the ranks, so the comfort of Silva is welcome. Should the two be absent at any point, one wonders who could fill the void. Much consternation went around the ground when Silva played a blind back-pass, first failing to look if any Palace players were in the vicinity and exacerbating matters by completely miscuing it, allowing Ismaïla Sarr a chance to shoot. It shows that no one is perfect. Silva is understated in his approach but certainly not undervalued. With City enjoying a comfortable two-goal lead, Crystal Palace sent on more attacking thrust, desperate to increase the pressure after a placid 65 minutes. The visitors were trying to speed things up, but Silva saw his responsibility to maintain composure, to slow proceedings down, frustrating the visitors in the process. With 11 minutes to go, Guardiola relented and brought his metronome off for a break, with more key fixtures to come. It gave the supporters a second-to-last chance to give their hero a thoroughly deserved standing ovation. Passing on the captain’s armband to Nathan Aké was Silva’s easiest task of the night but felt ceremonial considering his impending departure. Saturday at Wembley gives Silva the chance of a third FA Cup medal, to add to the Champions League crown and six Premier League titles, with a seventh still a possibility. Guardiola insists he does not have an archetypal player but if he did, they would resemble Silva. “Everything is replaceable in football life,” Guardiola said. “But there are players that it’s even more difficult.”
Guardiola wants City players to raise their game rather than trust ‘flip of a coin’ officials
Pep Guardiola believes officiating decisions are a “flip of a coin” and constantly urges his Manchester City players to perform better in order to overcome this. Refereeing and the use of the video assistant referee are being scrutinised once more after Callum Wilson’s late disallowed goal in West Ham’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday. The decision came after the referee Chris Kavanagh awarded the strike before being advised by the game’s VAR, Darren England, to review the incident at the pitchside monitor. On doing so, Kavanagh ruled the goal out for a foul on Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya. Arsenal’s victory moved them to 79 points, five ahead of City, with two matches left, meaning that even if Guardiola’s side win their three remaining games they may not be able to catch Mikel Arteta’s team. The first of those comes against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening. Guardiola did not comment on Wilson’s disallowed goal but did claim that City had lost the last two FA Cup finals, to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively, because “referees didn’t do their job, even the VAR”. In the 2024 final, Erling Haaland was not awarded a penalty after appearing to be pushed over in the area by Lisandro Martínez. Later in the game, Haaland appeared to be fouled in the area by Kobbie Mainoo and again no penalty was awarded. In 2025, Palace’s goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, handled the ball outside the area and was booked rather than sent off as he was adjudged not to have prevented a goalscoring chance. “The only thing we can do is do it [perform] better – that is only in your control,” said Guardiola. “We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn’t do their jobs they should do, even the VAR. When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR. “I never trust anything since I arrived [at City] a long time ago. Always I learned you have do it better – be in a position to do it better because [if not] you blame yourself with what you have to do, because [VAR] is a flip of a coin. You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us.” “We play in this game, we go to Bournemouth and the last game in Aston Villa. The important one is tomorrow and we will see what happens to the next games. I always learned that when you lose focus, you are in a dangerous situation.” Abdukodir Khusanov and Rodri are doubts to face Palace due to injury. Rodri has been absent since sustaining a groin strain in last month’s win over Arsenal and Guardiola was asked if the midfielder may be ruled out of next month’s World Cup. “No,” said Guardiola. “Well, there is a chance if [Luis] de la Fuente [Spain’s head coach] doesn’t pick him. But, we’ll take care of him.”
Paul Pogba's verdict on Aurelien Tchouameni speaks volume as Man Utd chase signing
Paul Pogba has offered a glimpse of what Manchester United would get if they capture Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni. The Frenchman is understood to be high on the club's midfield wishlist and could be sold by the 15-time European champions, assuming they can land a suitable replacement. Los Blancos have been linked with Manchester City's Rodri, whom president Florentino Perez is believed to rate highly. Signing a player approaching his peak, like Tchouameni, would represent a genuine statement from United, who have been associated with numerous other midfielders, including Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton. Former United midfielder Pogba is well acquainted with Tchouameni, having featured alongside him for the French national side, winning the Nations League together in 2021. Speaking that year, Pogba gushed about the then-21-year-old, telling RTL: "Very, very good. He's not a boy, he's a man. It's a pleasure to play next to him. FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page "He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, extraordinary technical and physical quality. We wish him to play a lot more games and that I am always by his side." The duo's spell together in the national setup proved fleeting as Pogba hasn't represented France since 2022, while Tchouameni has evolved into a crucial part of Didier Deschamps' midfield. Meanwhile, Tchouameni has already been given insight into what awaits him should he choose to swap the Bernabeu for Old Trafford. Raphael Varane completed that very move in 2021, having collected 18 trophies during his 10-year stint in Spain. Varane explained why he felt the timing was perfect to head to Manchester on The Bridge podcast with Tchouameni last March. Despite an injury-plagued period at United, he harbours no regrets. Varane told Tchouameni: "Madrid is indescribable, it's exceptional, but I've already experienced it. And I said to myself, 'I want to experience something else.' "For me, England, and Manchester in particular, is where you feel the passion for football. You feel it, you live it every day. Now that some time has passed, I have no regrets because it was an incredible experience." United will be hoping those pearls of wisdom have left a lasting impression on Tchouameni as he considers his future. Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Pep Guardiola ready to earn his money with 'unhappy' Man City players in FA Cup
Manchester City should be feeling brilliant right now. The team have leapfrogged Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table as they head to Wembley again to try to reach a fourth straight FA Cup final, and the club have announced that they are freezing ticket prices for another year. There has been plenty of joy to be had at the City Football Academy, and there is a familiar glint in Pep Guardiola's eye as the business end of the season approaches. There may be inexperience in his squad yet the manager knows better than anyone in the game how to get everything to click at the right time. However, doing that on the pitch usually means what has happened at City over the past month : picking basically the same XI every week and trusting them to get over the line. It has worked spectacularly, with wins over Arsenal, Liverpool , Chelsea , Arsenal (again) and Burnley coming with just three changes in the starting line-up; bringing in Marc Guehi after his Carabao Cup ineligibility, seeing Gianluigi Donnarumma return in goal and then replacing the injured Rodri. Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter The knock-on effect though, particularly now that City are out of the Champions League , is that about half the squad haven't started a competitive game for the club in over a month. On Friday, Guardiola brought up players being unhappy more than once as he talked about his team selection choices for the semi-final with Southampton this weekend and the fatigue that those who have started must contend with. "The players who don't aren’t too happy," he said. "Because, you know, the last games we have long weeks, I rotate less. In the last five, six games, we conceded one goal. With the Arsenal game and the rest we have been quite good. I always try to involve everyone, but when I arrive in the last part of the season, always I try. "Now, I'm pretty sure in the last four, five games, in the team the vibe is good, I rotate less and make less changes. Now I have to think about it because today people were, on the second day, always tired and we are a little bit drained and some physios told me be careful of that player, that player, for the history, for the potential injury. If one player is injured right now, it's gone, it is over. And now I want to have the players available for Everton until the end." If there is a team that can make changes to nearly the whole team and still win an FA Cup semi-final, it is City. They changed ten for a fifth round tie at Newcastle and comfortably ran out winners, with Savinho and Omar Marmoush (two) getting the goals. But those players will have to be in the right frame of mind to seize that opportunity, and Guardiola has to weigh up how many of those are in the squad when he makes his final gameplan for Wembley on Saturday. City are going to need a squad to win more trophies this season, and their manager needs to spot which players are using their unhappiness at not playing for added motivation rather than to knock their game further. "They can be so sad, as much they train good and they have a good relation with their mates and the organisation on the pitch and off the pitch, because they pay the salaries and take care of them incredibly, it's more than fine, it is normal," he said. "I would not like it if they are happy. As much as they train good and they are focused and respect what Manchester City means, it’s fine."
FA Cup and Premier League team news: predicted lineups for the weekend action
FA Cup semi-finals MANCHESTER CITY v SOUTHAMPTON Saturday 5.15pm BBC One, iPlayer, TNT Sports 1 Venue Wembley Referee Craig Pawson This season G23 Y67 R3 3.04 cards/game Manchester City Subs from Donnarumma, Bettinelli, Lewis, Khusanov, O’Reilly, Alleyne, Guéhi, Kovacic, Silva, Cherki, Doku, Semenyo, Phillips, McAidoo, Gray, Mukasa Doubtful None Injured Dias (hamstring, May), Gvardiol (fractured tibia, May), Rodri (groin, unknown) Suspended None Form LWWWWW Leading scorer Haaland 35 Southampton Subs from Long, Stephens, Jelert, Kayi-Sanda, Quarshie, Traoré, Romeu, Fellows, Archer, Edozie, Sesay, Bragg, Williams, O’Brien-Whitmarsh, Larin, Robinson, Oyekunle, Dibaga Doubtful Stephens (calf) Injured Roerslev (knee, unknown), McCarthy (wrist, unknown) Suspended Downes (first of three), Manning (one match) Form WWWWWD Leading scorer Armstrong 11 • Stats from all competitions *** CHELSEA v LEEDS Sunday 3pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Wembley Referee Jarred Gillett This season G23 Y88 R1 3.87 cards/game Chelsea Subs from Jörgensen, James, Badiashile, Fofana, Sarr, Adarabioyo, Lavia, Essugo, Delap, Garnacho, Guiu, Mheuka, Merrick, Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong Doubtful Jörgensen (hip), Palmer (hamstring), James (hamstring), João Pedro (thigh) Injured Colwill (knee, 24 May), Gittens (hamstring, 9 May), Estêvão (hamstring, unknown) Suspended Mudryk (indefinite) Form LLWLLL Leading scorer Pedro 19 Leeds Subs from Perri, Bornauw, Byram, Longstaff, Gruev, Buonanotte, Piroe, Nmecha, Gnonto Doubtful None Injured Stach (ankle, 1 May), Rodon (ankle, 1 May), James (adductor, 1 May) Suspended None Form DDDWWD Leading scorer Calvert-Lewin 12 • Stats from all competitions *** Premier League FULHAM v ASTON VILLA Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Craven Cottage Referee Michael Oliver This season G25 Y75 R2 3.08 cards/game Fulham Subs from Lecomte, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson, Berge, Reed, King, Jiménez, Chukwueze, Kusi-Asare Doubtful None Injured Iwobi (hamstring, May), Kevin (metatarsal, May), Tete (foot, May) Suspended None Form WLDWLD Leading scorer Wilson 10 Aston Villa Subs from Bizot, Proctor, García, Mings, Lindelöf, Bogarde, Digne, Elliott, Buendía, Douglas Luiz, Sancho, Alysson, Bailey, Abraham Doubtful None Injured Kamara (knee, Jun) Suspended None Form LLLWDW Leading scorer Watkins 11 *** LIVERPOOL v CRYSTAL PALACE Saturday 3pm Venue Anfield Referee Andy Madley This season G18 Y56 R3 3.28 cards/game Liverpool Subs from Alisson, Pecsi, Gomez, Robertson, Mac Allister, Jones, Nyoni, Chiesa, Ngumoha, Ramsay Doubtful Alisson (muscle) Injured Mamardashvili (knee, 9 May), Endo (ankle, 17 May), Bradley (knee, Aug), Leoni (knee, Aug), Ekitiké (achilles, unknown), Bajcetic (hamstring, unknown) Suspended None Form WLDLWW Leading scorer Ekitiké 11 Crystal Palace Subs from Benítez, Matthews, Clyne, Riad, Sosa, Hughes, Lerma, Doucouré, Mateta, Devenny, Uche, Johnson, Cardines, Umeh, King, Jemide, Agbinone, Drakes-Thomas Doubtful None Injured Nketiah (hamstring; unknown), Guessand (hamstring) Suspended None Form WLWDWD Leading scorer Mateta 10 *** WEST HAM v EVERTON Saturday 3pm Venue London Stadium Referee Stuart Attwell This season G21 Y98 R3 4.81 cards/game West Ham Subs from Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles, Magassa, Potts, Wilson, Lamadrid, Traoré, Herrick, Mayers, Kante Doubtful None Injured Fabianski (back, unknown) Suspended None Form LWDLWD Leading scorer Bowen 8 Everton Subs from Travers, King, Coleman, Patterson, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Röhl, Armstrong, Barry, Dibling, George Doubtful None Injured Beto (concussion, May), Branthwaite (hamstring, Aug), Grealish (foot, Aug) Suspended None Form WWLWDL Leading scorer Beto 8 *** WOLVES v TOTTENHAM Saturday 3pm Venue Molineux Referee Anthony Taylor This season G26 Y100 R2 3.92 cards/game Wolves Subs from Bentley, Møller Wolfe, Arias, Arokodare, Hwang, R Gomes, González, Chiwome, Mané Doubtful Sá (shoulder) Injured Krejci (whiplash, May), Johnstone (shoulder, Jun) Suspended Mosquera (second of two) Form LWWDLL Leading scorers Arokodare, R Gomes 3 Tottenham Subs from Austin, Dragusin, Souza, Byfield, Palhinha, Bergvall, Gray, Maddison, Williams-Barnett, Olusesi, Richarlison, Kolo Muani, Wilson Doubtful Maddison (match fitness) Injured Vicario (hernia, May), Udogie (unknown, May), Romero (knee, Jun), Sarr (shoulder, unknown), Odobert (knee, unknown), Kulusevski (knee, unknown), Kudus (thigh, unknown), Davies (ankle, unknown) Suspended None Form LLDLLD Leading scorer Richarlison 9 *** ARSENAL v NEWCASTLE Saturday 5.30pm Sky Sports Premier League Venue Emirates Stadium Referee Sam Barrott This season G20 Y72 R1 3.65 cards/game Arsenal Subs from Arrizabalaga, Setford, White, Timber, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Nørgaard, Gyökeres, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus, Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Ibrahim Doubtful Timber (ankle) Injured Merino (foot, unknown) Suspended None Form WWWWLL Leading scorer Gyökeres 12 Newcastle Subs from Ramsdale, Botman, Willock, Ramsey, Woltemade, Wissa, A Murphy, Neave, Shahar, Elanga Doubtful None Injured Schär (ankle, May), Gordon (hip, May), Krafth (knee, Aug), Livramento (thigh, unknown) Suspended Joelinton (second of two) Form LWWLLL Leading scorer Guimarães 9 *** MANCHESTER UNITED v BRENTFORD Monday 8pm Sky Sports Premier League Venue Old Trafford Referee Chris Kavanagh This season G25 Y92 R3 3.8 cards/game Manchester Utd Subs from Bayindir, Heaton, Mazraoui, Yoro, Malacia, León, Ugarte, Mount, Sesko, Zirkzee, Obi, Fredericson, Mee, J Fletcher, T Fletcher, Mantato, Lacey Doubtful Yoro (match fitness) Injured Dorgu (muscle, May), De Ligt (back, unknown) Suspended Martínez (second of three) Form WLWDLW Leading scorers Mbeumo, Sesko 9 Brentford Subs from Valdimarsson, Balcombe, Ajer, Pinnock, Hickey, Donovan, Nelson Doubtful Dasilva (match fitness) Injured Furo (knock, May), Henderson (knock, May), Carvalho (knee, Jun), Milambo (ACL, Jun), Henry (hamstring, unknown), Janelt (metatarsal, unknown) Suspended None Form WDDDDD Leading scorer Igor Thiago 21
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