BBC

Briton Tyson Fury delivered typically theatrical monologue as he took aim at opponent Arslanbek Makhmudov, rival heavyweights and even a struggling Premier League club.

Heavyweight Fury will face the Russian at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday in his first fight for 15 months.

There was plenty of mutual respect when the two heavyweights faced the media, but Fury - boxing's consummate showman - eventually delivered the headline-grabbing moment the room had been waiting for.

"Sooner or later these so-called alphabetical world champions are going to have to fight me. They will be hunted and destroyed. Who will they face for money? I'm the money man," he said.

"Whoever has the belts will be on their knees begging me by the end of the year. This is my sixth stadium fight back-to-back. Who has done that before? ChatGPT said no one.

"I am going to make an example of him. He is a big six-foot-seven lump. I will knock his head right off his two shoulders. He is fighting the great Tyson Fury."

Fury, 37, briefly retired a month after his second defeat by Oleksandr Usyk, but announced his return earlier this year.

The two-time world champion has not fought in Britain since December 2022, when he stopped Derek Chisora at this weekend's fight venue to retain the WBC title.

"I've been out in Saudi Arabia but to come back to England and fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - let's hope I do better than Tottenham because they've been rubbish recently," he quipped.

One lingering question concerns Fury's training team. The Morecambe fighter has previously said he would train himself but long-time trainer SugarHill Steward was in attendance, although Fury insisted the American was there only for "moral support".

The grin on Fury's face suggested Steward is likely to appear in the corner on fight night.

The face-off ended in good spirits. Makhmudov even lifted Fury off the ground as a joke before the pair shared an embrace.

Those close to the negotiations say the fight is not the biggest payday of Fury's career - that honour remains his first bout with Ukranian Usyk - but the former heavyweight champion was keen to return to the ring for his own wellbeing.

Fury arrived wearing a custom suit branded with Netflix colours. The card is a significant moment for the streaming giant which - with its 325 million global subscribers - continues its move into boxing with its first show staged in the United Kingdom.

The platform has dipped into the sport through occasional blockbuster events rather than a regular schedule - most recently Anthony Joshua's victory over Jake Paul in Miami, but also including the controversial bout between Paul and Mike Tyson, the historic meetings between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, and the super-fight between Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Terence Crawford.

Fury's appearance also forms part of a wider entertainment offering that includes the second series of 'At Home With the Furys', which drops on Sunday and gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the heavyweight's life outside of the ring.

For Netflix, the bigger prize could be the long-awaited showdown between Fury and Joshua - a fight years in the making but still one of the sport's most lucrative possibilities.

Fury has said Joshua is the opponent he wants next, with Dublin's Croke Park being touted as a possible venue in September.

The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.

Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.

So how are you feeling as a Spurs fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?

The league form reads: LLLLDL

The next three league fixtures are: Sunderland (a), Brighton (h) and Wolves (a)

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Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus could miss the remainder of the Premier League season after suffering a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury.

The Ghana international has been out for over three months after limping out of Spurs' 1-1 draw with Sunderland on 4 January.

Spurs had initially hoped the former West Ham midfielder would return after this month's international break, making him available for the club's remaining seven matches of the campaign.

But sources have told BBC Sport that the Ghanaian is unlikely to feature again this season after a setback pushed back his return.

Roberto de Zerbi's side are 17th in the Premier League table, one point above the relegation zone.

Kudus, a £55m signing from West Ham last summer, faces a race against time to be fit for Ghana's World Cup squad.

The Black Stars open their World Cup campaign against Panama on 18 June, before facing England on 23 June and Croatia on 27 June.

BBC Sport's tactics correspondent Umir Irfan breaks down what Roberto de Zerbi will try to implement at Tottenham and some of the challenges he may face as he tries to keep them in the Premier League.

Clubs at risk of relegation tend to hire pragmatic coaches.

But that is not how you would describe new Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi.

The Italian is known for his attacking style of possession-based football, and has stayed true to his footballing ideas throughout his managerial career.

Three years after starting in management in Italy's fourth division, De Zerbi was in charge of Serie A side Palermo, where he struggled to showcase his initial potential. When he was sacked, newly promoted Benevento hired him, but relegation followed.

Despite that, De Zerbi's reputation was boosted - and he has enjoyed much success since.

The 46-year-old's quality is clear but his system relies on smart and technical players more than most tactical plans.

So what tactics will De Zerbi implement at Spurs, and will this relegation-threatened group of players be able to execute them?

Looking at De Zerbi's Brighton and Marseille sides, you soon notice how often they repeat certain patterns of play.

When building up, the idea is to draw opponents towards defenders on the ball before using quick passing routines to find free players facing forward. They are better positioned to play the ball up the pitch quickly into the attackers.

When it works, De Zerbi's sides turn possession in their own half into shots near the opposition's goal within a few seconds. It's an electrifying watch - but the level of potential attacking reward comes with great risk.

De Zerbi's approach requires defensive players to take responsibility with the ball - delaying actions until they have forced opponents to press them.

In a recent training clip,, external he was seen coaching his new players through concepts to make his tactics easier to implement. For central defenders under no pressure, the advice was to take many touches. De Zerbi's centre-backs often provoke opponents by placing their studs on top of the ball - a sort of psychological trick that causes a striker to leave their shape and engage.

Two central midfielders are usually in close proximity to the central defenders. The midfielders receiving passes are often tightly marked, and De Zerbi's advice for them this week was to take one or two touches.

The ball doesn't stay with these players long to minimise the risk of losing the ball in dangerous areas. They instead act as a wall to bounce the ball off to nearby team-mates, who have lost their marker and can play forward under less pressure.

De Zerbi echoed the sentiments of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta when he spoke to his team this week - highlighting the abundance of man-to-man defensive schemes in the Premier League.

His teams, like the rest of the league, will face tight pressure across the pitch and - through these choreographed passing routines - the aim is to accept that intense pressure is inevitable and look for solutions through it, rather than avoiding it.

It is the opposite approach to that of Thomas Frank, who was named Spurs boss in the summer but was sacked in February.

Frank's Spurs opted to build up almost exclusively down the sides of the pitch. Instead of playing four or five players close together in the middle, Spurs usually had two central defenders and one midfielder in the centre.

The flanks, meanwhile, were overloaded with three or four players and long balls were often played into the channel, where Spurs were more likely to win it.

Frank's wide build-up minimised the risk associated with playing through the centre.

Brighton under De Zerbi accepted that risk, conceding the second-most high turnovers that led to an opposition shot (48) during his first season.

Frank's approach results in fewer dangerous chances being created in open play, but it it is a risk De Zerbi is willing to accept for the quality of chances his sides can create when it works.

Comparing that Brighton squad with the current Spurs squad, we see fewer players capable of thriving technically under pressure in small spaces - but the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Xavi Simons and Archie Gray may relish the challenge.

And we should keep in mind that Ange Postecoglou - Frank's predecessor - will have drilled habits into his players that will be helpful under the new regime.

Like De Zerbi, Postecoglou opted for a risky short-passing game that looked to penetrate teams through central play. Goalkeepers have been key for both men's systems - commonly becoming a third defender in possession, looking to break lines and find midfielders down the middle of the pitch.

As Manchester United discovered with Ruben Amorim, it is a gamble to bring in a coach known for moulding teams to a system he has in mind rather than adapting his system to the players he has at his disposal. That is exacerbated when the team is in the midst of a relegation battle.

But of the managers available to Spurs at this moment, De Zerbi has arguably reached the highest peak in recent years - and Guardiola has called him "one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years".

The swinging pendulum of managerial styles Spurs have had over the past 12 months adds another thread of uncertainty, but by building on the attacking principles Spurs adopted under Postecoglou, and the defensive ideas Tudor tried but failed to implement, De Zerbi may not be starting from scratch.

For a fragile Spurs side seemingly out of ideas, perhaps his choreographed style of play can simplify the decision-making process for players, and help them pick up the points they desperately need to survive.

Goodbye for now

Let's end - for now - on that positive note.

Thanks for joining us to assess the fallout from Liverpool's first-leg defeat at PSG in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Your messages on this topic have been great - we have published a cross section.

And you have also had your say on our three polls this morning:

Do you have faith in Slot?

Can Liverpool overturn the tie and progress?

Should Slot use more of Salah?

If you have not already, click on the links to take part in the polls.

And join us again soon as we bring you Premier League news conferences this afternoon.

Until then...

Is there a battle in Merseyside for Champions League?

Everton haven't played in Europe's elite competition since 1970. They haven't played any European football since 2017. But are they battling their biggest rivals Liverpool for that fifth spot in the Champions League?

Liverpool currently sit in that special fifth place and remain five and six points behind Aston Villa in fourth and Manchester United in third. But they are far from comfortable.

A point separates them and Chelsea in sixth, and another two keep Brentford and the Toffees in the race behind. And Liverpool still have to play all three of them.

There is no predicting who will pick up points where at this stage of the season but if the gap remains the same, Everton would draw level with their neighbours next weekend if they secure a victory in the Merseyside derby.

Race for fifth place in the Premier League

Dale Johnson

Football issues correspondent

The race for fifth place in the Premier League, currently held by Liverpool on 49 points, is exceptionally tight.

Just seven points separate Arne Slot's side from 13th-placed Bournemouth.

Chelsea (48) sit in sixth followed by Brentford (46), Everton (46), Fulham (44), Brighton (43), Sunderland (43), Newcastle (42) and Bournemouth (42).

If Aston Villa, who are fourth on 54 points, win the Europa League and finish outside the top four, the Premier League would have six teams in the Champions League.

The same logic applies to Liverpool, who face Paris St-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.

If either win a European trophy and finish fifth, then sixth would qualify for the Champions League via the EPS place.

If both win European trophies and finish fifth and sixth, that would put seventh into the Champions League.

Nottingham Forest are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. They could emulate Tottenham by winning the competition and finishing in the bottom half of the table.

Just like last season, that would create a sixth team in the Champions League for the Premier League too.

What was said on social media?

PSG 2-0 Liverpool

Here's are some of the highlights from social media's response to last night's game:

Arne Slot's approach is coming under fire, with @AnfieIdFix, external noting how "for the past year Slot has moaned about how Premier League teams don't want to play football, and always references PSG as an example of a team which plays football "the right way" - now he has the chance to play PSG again and he comes out with a back 5, parks the bus and plays like Tony Pulis."

Mo Salah watching the final 15 minutes of the game from the bench didn't feel right to some fans. As @Sbzcomps, external writes, without consideration for recent form, "when you’re chasing a game and need a moment you at least give a player like Salah a cameo."

Opposition fans such as @MarkGoldbridge, external are taking the opportunity to enjoy themselves: "No bias but I genuinely think Liverpool should keep Slot next season. There's definitely a chance he can make them great again if they give him a few years."

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant , externalsummarised Liverpool fans' despair: "This is a disaster. Slot, you won the league last year with a style of play and DNA of Liverpool that Klopp built. This team is now close to unrecognisable…"

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We asked for your views on what Roberto de Zerbi should be looking to change or introduce in order to get some quick success as Tottenham prepare to take on their final seven Premier League fixtures of the season.

As the third man to take up a managerial position at the club in 2025-26, what does the Italian boss need to do differently to his predecessors to help the club avoid relegation?

Take a look at some of the data we unearthed on the post below this one and here are some of your suggestions:

Drew: He must look forensically at videos from the last 10 to 15 league games, identify anyone not putting a shift in, and not select them for the remainder of the season because they clearly have no desire to compete. It will be fate that either keeps Spurs up or sends Spurs down to the Championship. I hope he gives some of the youngsters a chance to shine.

John: Spurs must display more focused passion while playing. The manager must drop anyone not committed to the cause, no matter how important we think they are in this relegation battle. The team and its spirit come first, always!

Kevin: He needs to improve the team's mental stability. In every position, especially in the back line, we are playing very tentatively and it's got nothing to do with the players' technical skill sets.

Frank: I agree that the players must unite and put in effort but, after reading the gossip column, it looks like Bissouma, Vicario and Romero are all looking at get out options so it's hard to believe that they, and some of the others, are truly committed to the club.

Following their 1-1 draw in January, Sunderland are looking to avoid defeat in both Premier League meetings with Spurs in a season for the first time since 2008-09 (W1 D1).

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League games against Sunderland (W10 D5) since a 3-1 loss in April 2010.

Sunderland have lost each of their last three Premier League home games but haven’t lost more league games in a row at the Stadium of Light since September 2017 in the Championship (4), and last did so in the top-flight in October 2013 (4).

Tottenham Hotspur remain winless in 13 Premier League games (D5 L8); only once in their league history have they had a longer run without victory, going 16 matches from December 1934 to April 1935.

Sunderland have won two of their last three Premier League games (L1), as many as their previous 12 beforehand (W2 D5 L5), and could win back-to-back league matches for only the second time this season, last doing so in October.

Exactly two-thirds of Tottenham Hotspur’s points in the Premier League this season have come away from home (20/30); only Ipswich Town in 2024-25 have ever had a higher proportion of their points in a season in the competition come on their travels (68% - 15/22).

Only Leeds (35.1%) have scored a higher proportion of their Premier League goals this season from non-penalty set-plays than Tottenham Hotspur (35.0% - 14/40), while only Wolves (11%) and Brentford (16.7%) have seen a lower share of their goals conceded come from non-penalty set-pieces than Spurs (18.0% - 9/50).

Only one of the last 10 Tottenham managers have lost their first Premier League game in charge of the club (W6 D3), however that was Igor Tudor (1-4 v Arsenal in February). Meanwhile, Roberto De Zerbi has won his first league game at three of the last four clubs he’s been in charge of (Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille) with the only exception coming in the Premier League with Brighton (3-3 v Liverpool), failing to win any of his first five league encounters with the Seagulls (D2 L3).

Chemsdine Talbi has scored four Premier League goals this season; the only player to score more while aged 20 or younger in a single campaign in the competition for Sunderland is Danny Welbeck in 2010-11 (6).

Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison has scored nine Premier League goals this season and could hit double figures for the fifth time in the competition, after 2018-19 (13), 2019-20 (13), 2021-22 (10), and 2023-24 (11). He would be the second Brazilian to score 10+ goals five times in the Premier League, after Roberto Firmino.