The Guardian

West Ham United have played leading roles in plenty of awful games down the years but surely none have been quite this pointless or downright insulting to the paying public. At least there was an excuse for Tottenham, whose season rests on them holding their nerve in the Arctic Circle this week. There is no equivalent silver lining for West Ham. They are limping towards the finish line and the only takeaway from this performance is that only a major overhaul of a stale, demotivated squad will help them avoid further turmoil next season.

There has been no uplift since Graham Potter, whose side look likely to finish 17th after they missed a chance to overtake Spurs and extended their winless run to eight games, replaced Julen Lopetegui in January. West Ham have taken 14 points from 15 games under Potter and they approached this meeting with Ange Postecoglou’s B Team with a staggering lack of enthusiasm. Jarrod Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were the only players to emerge with any real credit. A passionless 1-1 draw, secured when Wan-Bissaka sent Bowen through to cancel out Wilson Odobert’s early goal for Spurs, was met with deserved boos at a bored London Stadium.

West Ham’s visionless board should be alarmed by the apathy in the stands. Some fans were still strolling in at kick-off, plenty had stayed away and there was silence when the teams emerged. Spurs, who made eight changes before they look to protect a 3-1 lead in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Bodø/Glimt on Thursday, could not have asked for a gentler welcome. West Ham were agreeably hospitable, even going out of their way to help the visitors into the lead after 15 minutes of soporific football.

The sight of Max Kilman, who has struggled since his £40m move from Wolves last summer, failing to clear his lines before Odobert made it 1-0 summed up the damage Potter has to repair during pre-season. The centre-back had time to deal with a harmless ball down the left flank but played himself into trouble by twice wafting clearances against Mathys Tel. A nothing situation became one fraught with danger, leaving Odobert to stroke home his first league goal of the season after Richarlison dummied Tel’s pass into the winger’s path.

Postecoglou was pleased with his side’s effort. Avoiding a 20th defeat of a sorry league campaign was a boost, although the Spurs manager was more worried about whether James Maddison will shake off a knee injury in time for the trip to Bodø. “It doesn’t look great,” said Postecoglou, who was more optimistic about Dominic Solanke’s chances off recovering from a thigh complaint. “We’re waiting for further information.”

Spurs lacked creativity without Maddison. Postecoglou acknowledged that his changes disrupted their rhythm, which allowed West Ham to feel their way back into the contest. “They scored against the run of play,” Potter said. “Because of the moment we’re having it’s tough. But credit to the players, credit to the supporters, we stuck together and carried on.”

It is a surprise that Bowen wants to stay and fight. West Ham’s captain would not be short of suitors were he to press for a move but his motivation remains undimmed. If only others in claret and blue were as driven as Bowen. The winger never stops going and West Ham were again indebted to him when he equalised in the 28th minute.

The goal came from Mohammed Kudus switching play to Wan-Bissaka on the right. The wing-back had time to slide a pass down the line to Bowen, who encountered no resistance as he darted away from Ben Davies, dribbled inside and threaded a low finish through Guglielmo Vicario’s legs.

Yet if that was a reminder of how easy it is to make chances against Spurs, West Ham looked determined to match them for defensive ineptitude. They could have trailed again when Lucas Paquetá lost possession in midfield; Richarlison shot wide.

West Ham remained disjointed at the start of the second half. Jean-Clair Todibo sent a simple pass out for a throw. Kudus, displaying all the motivation of a man who knows he will be sold this summer, gave Archie Gray an easy time at right-back. Niclas Füllkrug, who had the gall to criticise his teammates after West Ham’s draw with Southampton last month, used 80 minutes in the company of Postecoglou’s reserve centre-backs to confirm that he is unsuited to the pace of the Premier League. Spurs threatened through Tel and Pape Matar Sarr.

Potter urged West Ham to push up. Vicario denied Bowen and James Ward-Prowse whipped a free-kick over after coming off the bench, but the final 30 minutes were dreadful. Paquetá appeared to be crying when he picked up a late yellow card. He was not alone in feeling miserable.

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It’s half-time in Empoli, where Lazio lead 1-0 and the home side are down to ten men after Lorenzo Colombo (whatanamethatisbytheway) was sent off.

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No goals yet at Ibrox, who will break the deadlock? Michael Butler with all the updates here:

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Big goal in the WSL, Everton have taken the lead at Anfield with a Katja Snoeijs strike.

Latest scores:

Manchester United 0-0 Manchester City

Liverpool 0-1 Everton

Follow all the updates here:

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The Liverpool debate rages on…

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Half an hour in at the Stadio Carlo Castellani and it’s Empoli 0-0 Lazio. Live scores here.

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The Old Firm game has also kicked off. Michael Butler has that one:

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We are undwerway in the WSL, follow along with Emillia Hawkins here:

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La Liga team news: Real Madrid v Celta Vigo

Real Madrid: Courtois, Lucas Vazquez, Tschouameni, Asencio, Fran Garcia, Valverde, Ceballos, Arda Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe

Subs: Lunin, Vallejo, Sergio Mestre, Diaz, Modric, Youssef, Endrick, Jacabo.

Celta Vigo: Guaita, Javi Rodriguez, Lago, Alonso, Carreira, Fran Beltran, Sotelto, Mingueza, Fer Lopez, Iglesias, Alfon

Subs: Aspa, Cervi, Dominguez, Duran, Moriba, Losada, Jailson, Ristic, D Rodriguez, Swedberg, Villar, Alvarez.

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This is a nice conversation starter from below the line…

Who would make your Uefa v Conmebol teams?

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Updated at 12.57 CEST

This seems to be a hot topic of debate in the comments today and now we’ve had an email from Ian Copestake:

It’s a bit sad that any underappreciating of Liverpool’s achievement is, given the time of day. What Slot achieved was not meant to be possible, but he did it and every game was a battle. Not a single stroll in the park until Spurs turned up then gave up. That is at the very least what should be praised.

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Our first match of the day has kicked off in Italy. Lazio have made the trip north to Tuscany to take on Empoli. The Roman side are chasing the European places while the Azzurri Empolesi need three points to boost their survival chances. Live scores available here.

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Jacob Steinberg

Jacob Steinberg has checked in from the London Stadium, where he’ll be covering West Ham v Spurs:

It’s rare for there to be such a lack of excitement around a game between West Ham and Tottenham. Both have endured underwhelming league campaigns, leaving supporters totally underwhelmed. That said, progress in the Europa League still offers Spurs a chance to end the season on a high - they head to the Arctic Circle for the second leg of their semi final against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday and have a 3-1 lead to protect, so don’t expect Ange Postecoglou to play his strongest team this afternoon. That makes it a much bigger game for West Ham. Winless in seven games, they’ve made a habit of conceding costly late goals, leaving Graham Potter very miffed. It’s not really worked for Potter yet. A big summer awaits. This is a squad that needs a massive overhaul. But Potter really could do with a win in this one. Handing Spurs their 20th league defeat of the campaign would provide a bit of cheer. More importantly, Potter is yet to oversee a memorable performance at home.

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WSL team news: Manchester United v Manchester City

Man Utd: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, George, Miyazawa, Toone, Ildhusoy, Clinton, Galton, Terland.

Subs: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Mannion, Sandberg, Awujo, Janssen, Naalsund, Griffiths, Malard.

Man City: Keating, Casparij, Prior, Greenwood, Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Aleixandri, Park, Coombs, Hemp, Kerolin.

Subs: Layzell, Yamashita, Roord, Wienroither, Blindkilde, Fujino, Knaak, Oyama, Murphy.

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Updated at 12.23 CEST

WSL team news: Liverpool v Everton

Liverpool: Laws, Fisk, Clark, Bonner, Hinds (C), Kerr, Nagano, Höbinger, Holland, Román Haug, Smith.

Subs: Micah, Kirby, Evans, Fahey, Matthews, Kapocs, Enderby, Bartel, Daniels

Everton: Brosnan, Karen Holmgaard, Fernández, Stenevik, Sara Holmgaard; Vanhaevermaet, Olesen, Wheeler (C), Hayashi, Gago, Snoeijs.

Subs: Ramsey, Hobson, Payne, Watson, Sarri, Galli, Weir, Madsen, Thomas.

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Ewan Murray

Final question is from me (Tom Bassam) and it’s a simple one: what is your prediction for today’s Old Firm game?

I don’t think Celtic will lose here and Rangers tend to raise their level for big games. A 2-2 draw.

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Ewan Murray

Final email question is from Peter Franzen: is there a case that Scottish teams would benefit more from playing in the Europa Conference League, how can those outside the big two hope to qualify?

Absolutely. Exposure to European football is extremely useful for these clubs, both in financial terms and because it can help to raise standards. Scotland’s co-efficient had been at an all time high, allowing that participation, but is now dropping again. Celtic will require a Champions League playoff this summer, for example. But the Conference League has been an undoubted benefit to Scottish teams; they need more involvement there.

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In a day packed full of action, Emillia Hawkins is covering the early action in the WSL. Updates here:

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Our Old Firm derby live blog is now up and running, follow along with Michael Butler here:

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Ewan Murray

This question, as later clarified by Fearandloathingpart2, is about George Hirst

It’s very hard on the basis of Scotland appearances to judge Hirst, as you rightly acknowledge. What is clear is that a dearth of attacking options means he is likely to get extended opportunity, most likely in June’s friendly games. He makes intelligent runs, he has power. Steve Clarke pursued him for long enough for us to believe he rates him very highly but June will tell us a lot more.

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Team news: Rangers v Celtic

Rangers: Kelly; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte; Barron, Diomande, Raskin; Cerny, Dessers, Bajrami.

Subs: Butland, Cortes, Nsiala, Kasanwirjo, Igamane, Hagi, McCausland, Rice, Danilo.

Celtic: Sinisalo; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Forrest, Idah, Maeda.

Subs: Bain, Trusty, Yang, McCowan, Schlupp, Nawrocki, Kenny, Bernardo, McArdle.

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Ewan Murray

Another via email, this time from Keith Oh: outside of the Old Firm, what are the stories we should be taking notice of in Scottish football?

The fact no club outside the Old Firm teams have won the league for now 40 years! The Scottish Cup final offers typical intrigue but it is very difficult to see Aberdeen upsetting Celtic. Hearts need a new manager. Hibs have enjoyed a terrific turnaround under David Gray. Falkirk’s back-to-back promotions under John McGlynn is worthy of huge praise. Yet the basic reality is that with a one or two - at best - horse title race time and again, competitively Scottish football feels stale.

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Updated at 11.50 CEST

Ewan Murray

First question is via email from John W, who asks: how do Rangers close the gap on Celtic next season and is it bringing back Steven Gerrard?

The Gerrard suggestion will not go away and feels mutually useful. Where else does he get a prominent job? And this is a manager with recent experience of succeeding domestically at Rangers. Supporters would accept him. The gap to Celtic remains a huge one; Celtic’s on and off field position is streets ahead of Rangers. The gap is closed by Rangers spending their money in a smarter manner. An imminent takeover by American investors offers hope but Rangers need to dramatically improve their decision making.

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Ewan Murray will be with us very shortly to answer your Scottish football questions. Fire those over via matchday.live@theguardian.com or comment below the line.

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Ed Aarons was at the Emirates to see an afternoon of frustratation for Mikel Arteta

As his side chased an equaliser in the dying moments, Mikel Arteta stood with his arms folded on the touchline and shook his head in utter disbelief. Only the embrace of Andoni Iraola, his old friend from their days growing up at the local club Antiguoko Kirol Elkartea in San Sebastián, as the final whistle sounded broke the Arsenal manager’s stare as he contemplated another frustrating afternoon that summed up their disappointing Premier League campaign.

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Mikel Arteta is a funny man, but not deliberately. I woke up with a bad feeling in the tummy but that’s completely unrelated to conceding two goals at home against Bournemouth.

“We certainly wanted to create a really good vibe, a positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday,” Arteta said post-match. “What we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy. So, make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.”

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Two entertaining teams with something to play for? I’d have to agree.

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On the point about Chiesa, see 9.20am, there still seems to be some hope he will work out at Anfield…

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Lost in the chat about Harry Kane’s inevitable Bundesliga title was some appreciation for another Premier League legend. Pascal Gross is sorely missed by Brighton fans, largely because he’s no longer creating goals like he did for Serhou Guirassy’s second yesterday. One turn, two defenders out of the game…

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But what would the kit look like?

Imagine the scene: the television is on, the screen showing images of a packed stadium. Rodri collects the ball in midfield and launches it down the wing to Lamine Yamal, who switches play to Kylian Mbappé; the Frenchman swivels past two defenders before crossing for Robert Lewandowski, who surges forward and finishes with precision past Ederson in goal. Europe are leading the Rest of the World 1-0.

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In about an hour’s time Ewan Murray will be doing a Scottish football Q&A, so please fire over your questions via matchday.live@theguardian.com.

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Quoting from Andy Hunter’s piece on Slot’s rotation plans for the rest of the season, this might be an answer…

Perhaps Chiesa could get his long-awaited opportunity in a central striking role? He made a goalscoring impact in that position when introduced against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final. Liverpool will target a new centre-forward this summer and there is uncertainty over the futures of both Núñez and Jota. Chiesa could also decide to leave after only one season unless he is able to provide effective cover in a second forward position.

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This seems like a good jumping off point for a discussion around what happens next for Liverpool after securing the Premier League title. It seems as if Arne Slot wants to rotate his players in the final few games, but should they keep pushing to silence a few detractors? Email in matchday.live@theguardian.com or drop a comment below the line.

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The wait goes on for Harry Kane, who watched from the stands as Bayern conceded very late to draw with RB Leipzig, surely it’s only one more week until the England captain gets his hands on a first major honour

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It has been a frustrating season for City in the WSL, is a remarkable salvage job possible? Let us know your thoughts below the line or via matchday.live@theguardian.com.

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Chelsea wrapped up the WSL title, their sixth in a row, with a 1-0 win at Manchester United on Wednesday. Now United must bounce back to hold off local rivals Manchester City and secure European football next season. Tom Garry previews Sunday’s big WSL clash…

Skinner’s side also have a chance to do something United’s women have never done: complete a league double over City, having won 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium in January, and beat them at Old Trafford for the first time. A victory would mark the women’s team’s greatest Old Trafford moment. United’s record against City, though, leaves a lot to be desired. City have lost only two of 10 WSL Manchester derbies and they have been buoyed by the return in last Sunday’s 1-0 win at Leicester of England’s Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood for their first appearances of 2025.

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Updated at 09.50 CEST

Ahead of a Premier League clash which both Newcastle and Brighton need to win in order to further their European ambitions for next season, Eddie Howe has said that developing Sandro Tonali as a playmaker has been his ‘most important decision’

Joelinton, Guimarães and Tonali have always bonded well off the pitch but, until they swapped stations, it looked as if the latter pair might not be able to play together. Now their on-field chemistry is almost palpable. “The balance of the team is hugely important,” said Newcastle’s manager, whose side have won 20 of their past 26 matches in all competitions. “That helped us find a better balance.”

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Jonathan Wilson’s latest ‘Inside Football’ column is about how Real Madrid’s campaign against officials is tarnishing the club’s image

At the heart of it all, the ageing general in his labyrinth, sits Florentino Pérez, who has been Madrid president for all but three years of this century. He has been wildly successful, with seven Champions League titles and a revenue 25% higher than that of the next wealthiest club in the world and yet he is at war with everybody, a 78-year-old watching the world changing around him, insisting it is all fixed against him.

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Liverpool’s last four games can give Bradley, Endo, Elliott, Quansah and Chiesa the chance to shine in the Reds’ ‘certain rotation’, writes Andy Hunter

The celebrations have not finished yet and will crank back up when Liverpool are presented with and parade the Premier League trophy at the end of the month. However, Arne Slot’s thoughts are already turning towards next season’s title defence. “It’s the end of the season,” he said on Friday, “but we also have to look at this as the start of next season.”

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This morning's headlines

Evanilson crowns Bournemouth’s comeback win at Arsenal

Tielemans keeps Villa racing for Europe as Fulham falter

Hirst and Ipswich spoil Everton’s farewell party

Vardy lifts Leicester and keeps Saints on 11 points

Farke proud of Leeds but more pain for Luton after relegation

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Updated at 09.18 CEST

Preamble

Hello and welcome to live coverage of a Sunday packed with Big Timetm football, follow along for the latest news and previews ahead of today’s action. We get underway with the live action at midday, as Emillia Hawkins brings you a WSL clockwatch for the Manchster derby, which has serious implications for European qualification, with a side serving of Merseyside derby, which is more about civic pride, and runs through until the conclusion of Premier League champions Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea.

On the day of the latest Old Firm meeting in the Scottish Premiership, we also have a Scottish football Q&A with Ewan Murray, a doyen of all things north of the border, at 10.30am. So please come armed with questions for that via matchday.live@theguardian.com or dropping a comment below the line.

Before we get started, these are some of the key matches we’ll be following today.

WSL

Liverpool v Everton (midday)

Manchester United v Manchester City (midday)

Crystal Palace v Leicester City (2pm)

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea (2.15)

West Ham v Aston Villa (3pm)

Premier League

Brentford v Manchester United (2pm)

Brighton v Newcastle (2pm)

West Ham v Tottenham (2pm)

Chelsea v Liverpool (4.30pm)

Scottish Premiership

Rangers v Celtic (midday)

La Liga

Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (1pm)

Serie A

Empoli v Lazio (11.30)

Monza v Atalanta (2pm)

Roma v Fiorentina (5pm)

Bologna v Juventus (7.45pm)

You can peruse a fuller fixture list here.

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That’s all from me! I’ll leave you with Tom Garry’s report from the Championship title decider…

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Here’s Suzanne Wrack’s match report from the Manchester Derby…

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Today’s WSL results

Liverpool 0-2 Everton

Manchester United 2-2 Manchester City

Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester City

Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea

West Ham 2-3 Aston Villa

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Full-time: West Ham 2-3 Aston Villa

Villa come away with another huge WSL victory thanks to Chasity Grant’s second-half winner.

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London City Lionesses owner Michele Kang has just told Sky Sports that she wants the club to be “minimum mid-table” of the WSL next season.

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West Ham 2-3 Aston Villa: Meanwhile over at the Chigwell Construction Stadium, Villa still lead with around 10 minutes left to play.

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That winning moment…

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London City Lionesses promoted to WSL

London City Lionesses have officially earned promotion to the Women’s Super League for the first time in their history! What a moment!

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Updated at 17.32 CEST

Birmingham 2-2 London City Lionesses: What a match! It was a valiant effort from Birmingham to come from 2-0 down, but it wasn’t quite enough to confirm promotion. They came close, but couldn’t find that all-important winner.

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Full-time: Birmingham 2-2 London City Lionesses

It’s over! A draw is enough to see London City Lionesses into the WSL!

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GOAL! West Ham 2-3 Aston Villa (Chasity Grant, 54)

The ball is played through to Grant, who times her run perfectly off the West Ham defensive line. She then makes her way into the box before firing her low-driven shot into the bottom-left corner.

Aston Villa lead again!

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Full-time: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea

Chelsea’s unbeaten WSL run continues!

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Birmingham 2-2 London City Lionesses: 10 minutes (yes, TEN minutes) have been added on.

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GOAL! Birmingham 2-2 London City Lionesses (Cho So-hyun, 86)

Birmingham are level! Cho So-hyun with the goal! They now need just one more to earn promotion!

Perez crosses the ball into the box and Cho unleashes a thumping volley to equalise! What a goal!

Just a few minutes left to play now – will Birmingham find that all-important winner?

As it stands, London City Lionesses are still on track to be promoted.

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Full-time: Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester

Following a dramatic end to the match, both teams walk away with a point.

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GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester (Abbie Larkin, 90+8)

O’Brien hasn’t won it for Leicester – Larkin draws Palace level with just moments left to play!

Sharpe receives the ball on the left before sending a dangerous pass across the face of goal. Larkin arrives at the back post in plenty of space to tap in!

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GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Leicester (Shannon O’Brien, 90+4)

O’Brien has surely won it for Leicester!

Thibaud sends a fantastic lofted pass over the Crystal Palace defence and straight to O’Brien in the box, who has plenty of time and space to bring it down before blasting her shot into the top corner!

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Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea: 17-year-old Lola Brown is on for her WSL debut! She replaces Macario in midfield.

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Half-time: West Ham 2-2 Aston Villa

It’s all level at the end of an eventful first half.

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Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea: Just under 20 minutes of normal time left to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Chelsea still lead by a one-goal margin.

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GOAL! Birmingham 1-2 London City Lionesses (Emily van Egmond, 63)

Birmingham have one back! This match might not be over just yet!

A cross is sent into the box and London City Lionesses fail to make the clearance. Van Egmond is eventually able to head the ball in from just two yards out.

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GOAL! West Ham 2-2 Aston Villa (Rachel Daly, 37)

In the blink of an eye, it’s level again!

Daly capitalises on a terrible pass-back from Gorry to tap the ball in with her first touch!

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GOAL! Birmingham 0-2 London City Lionesses (Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, 59)

Boye-Hlorkah makes it two!

A corner is sent into the box and Boye-Hlorkah rises to head the ball in!

That has surely secured London City Lionesses’ place in the WSL.

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GOAL! West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa (Riko Ueki, 34)

Ueki makes it two for West Ham!

A cross is sent into the box and the forward taps the ball around both D’Angelo and Patten with a single touch before placing it into an empty net.

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GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Leicester (Annabel Blanchard, 69)

Blanchard steps up to take the penalty and fires her effort into the top-right corner, sending Leitzig the wrong way.

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Crystal Palace 0-1 Leicester: Penalty to Palace! Green is brought down in the box by Swaby and the referee does not hesitate when giving the spot kick.

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GOAL! Birmingham 0-1 London City Lionesses (Isobel Goodwin, 47)

What a strike from Goodwin!

The striker picks up the ball on the left before cutting inside, making her way past three Birmingham players and unleashing a powerful strike from over 20 yards out. Her effort flies into the top-left corner, giving Franch no chance of making the save.

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Updated at 16.28 CEST

Birmingham 0-0 London City Lionesses: London City Lionesses have been forced into a change at half-time, with Goldie coming off with what appears to be a knee issue. She is replaced by Megan Campbell.

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GOAL! West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa (Shekiera Martinez, 18)

West Ham draw level! Martinez on the scoresheet once again!

Hanshaw receives the ball on the left and lifts a cross into the box. Martinez is there at the back post to head it into the bottom-right corner.

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Half-time: Birmingham 0-0 London City Lionesses

It’s all square at half-time. As things stand, London City Lionesses will be promoted to the WSL.

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GOAL! West Ham 0-1 Aston Villa (Ebony Salmon, 5)

Villa strike early!

Daly plays a great ball through to Salmon on the right, who makes her way into the box before placing her shot into the bottom-left corner!

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Half-time: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea

Macario’s penalty is all that separates the two teams at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Players are starting to come back out for the second half at Borough Sports Ground. Kick-off is in just a few moments.

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Kick-off: West Ham v Aston Villa

And for the final time today, we’re under way!

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Birmingham 0-0 London City Lionesses: The visitors are adamant that they should’ve been awarded a goal after Boye-Hlorkah’s attempt was cleared off the line, but the referee says no and play continues.

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GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea (Catarina Macario, 35)

Macario converts from the penalty spot!

Neville gives away the spot kick with a clumsy challenge on the USA international, who steps up to take it and fires her effort into the top-left corner.

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Updated at 15.59 CEST

GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Leicester (Hannah Cain, 45+2)

Cain breaks the deadlock on the brink of half-time!

Swaby fails to cut out a cross into the box and Cayman instead latches onto it. She squares it short to Cain who fires home from close range.

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Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea: It’s not been the most entertaining match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium so far – and with nothing left to play for, it’s hardly surprising.

However, Chelsea will be determined to continue their unbeaten run in the league.

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Crystal Palace 0-0 Leicester: It’s still all square at Borough Sports Ground. Leicester are piling on the pressure.

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Birmingham 0-0 London City Lionesses: Goodwin goes for goal from the edge of the box, but her effort curls wide of the post.

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Updated at 15.41 CEST

Birmingham 0-0 London City Lionesses: Birmingham have arguably been the better of the two teams so far. It’s still level, however.

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West Ham v Aston Villa team news

West Ham starting line-up: Kinga Szemik; Anouk Denton, Amber Tysiak, Shelina Zadorsky, Verena Hanshaw; Oona Siren, Katrina Gorry (C); Seraina Piubel, Riko Ueki, Viviane Asseyi; Shekiera Martinez.

Aston Villa starting line-up: Sabrina D’Angelo; Lucy Parker, Anna Patten, Noelle Maritz; Chasity Grant, Jordan Nobbs, Miri Taylor, Maz Pacheco; Missy Bo Kearns; Ebony Salmon, Rachel Daly (C).

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Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea: Following Chelsea’s title win on Wednesday, manager Sonia Bompastor has made a series of changes to her usual starting line-up, with Sjoeke Nüsken and Guro Reiten both starting in defence. Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze and Mayra Ramírez are among those out of the squad completely.

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Kick-off: Tottenham v Chelsea

We’re also up and running at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium!

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Ange Postecoglou says the only cure for the anxiety at Tottenham is for the team to end their 17-year wait for silverware. The manager felt the mood inside the club’s stadium shift sharply on Thursday night when they conceded for 3-1 towards the end of the Europa League semi-final first leg against Bodø/Glimt.

Before that the atmosphere had been excellent, the players responding, but it seemingly does not take much for the fans to begin to fear the worst. The tie finished 3-1, which should be enough for Spurs to navigate Thursday’s return after Sunday’s Premier League trip to West Ham. Yet there has been nervous talk about Bodø’s impressive home record, the perils of their artificial surface and the cold that awaits in the Arctic Circle.

Postecoglou noted that he had also felt a “real nervousness in the stadium” when Spurs conceded at home against AZ in the last 16 and Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-final. The concession against AZ was in the second leg for 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate. Against Frankfurt, it was the first leg and an early goal that gave the German club a 1-0 lead.

“People are their experiences and Tottenham supporters have had some real near misses for a long time,” Postecoglou said. “So there’s always this safeguard of not getting too excited about what’s happening, but part of creating a winning culture is not to fall into that trap. Winners don’t think about things in that way; they don’t think about what could possibly go wrong.

“I’ve said before that the narrative around the club is not positive at all. That’s existed for a very long time and you need to break through that. I’m trying to create a culture within the group at least that that can’t guide our destiny because that’s almost self-fulfilling. If you expect something to go wrong, it will.

“I don’t know if it’s a culture in the club; it’s a culture around the club. Obviously if you accept that then you are almost self-prophesying what’s going to happen. I don’t accept that. But with all of these things, there’s really only one remedy: win. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Postecoglou was asked whether he could control what went on outside the squad. “No, I can’t control it,” he said. “It’s fair to say I’ve tried but it’s a losing battle because there’s a lot of stuff that feeds into that and people invariably react to it. If you’re feeling insecure about something and you’ve got 20 people telling you that you should be insecure, you’re going to be insecure. So I can’t change that.

“You’ve got to stay very focused on what you can control and we can’t control how people feel, we can’t control the anxiety of … whether it’s our supporters or whatever narrative is around us. What we can control is our behaviours and our performance.”

Postecoglou said Lucas Bergvall was out for the rest of the season with the ankle ligament injury sustained in training before the Bodø/Glimt game. “He went to turn and his ankle gave way,” the manager said. Dominic Solanke and James Maddison were forced off during Thursday’s game and if the former was nothing “too serious” – in the words of Postecoglou – the latter was “more of a concern because it’s the knee”.

FRIDAY FEELGOOD STORY

Those of a Liverpool persuasion, do look away now. That’s if you’ve sobered up from last Sunday, but even if you’ve had your fun this may annoy: there’s a thought this has been an unsatisfying Premier League season. Brentford’s beating of Nottingham Forest on Thursday night further dulled the romance. It looks as if the Tricky Trees will not now be in Bigger Cup, much to the chagrin of edit producers who had already started working on that Cloughie montage. With zero relegation battle there’s only Manchester City’s fall from grace to, er, fourth to gawp at. Thank goodness for the continent, then, where the Premier League’s brave boys can remind those Eurocrats that ours is the best bloody league in the world. It’s going well, actually, though there is something of a bullies turning up at junior school vibe to such success. That’s to set aside Arsenal, hanging on in Bigger Cup’s semis, a goal down despite the fear North London Forever must have put into PSG at the Emirates.

The real quiz comes in those tournaments where appeal is more selective. Bigger Vase, a repechage of those not good enough for the top tier, offered double helpings of patriotic pride. In north London, in the first leg, billionaire-owned Tottenham faced hipster’s favourites Bodø/Glimt, the Arctic Circle community club who sound like a post-rock outfit on the Thrill Jockey label or a piece of Scandi self-assembly furniture, and won 3-1. Such is the pessimism that surrounds Spurs that much of the focus went on Ulrik Saltnes’s late goal, and the plastic pitch greeting them next week in far-northern Norway. “Look, it is on artificial grass but it’s still a game of football,” roared Ange Postecoglou.

Hurrah also then for Manchester United, football’s grandest crisis club, owned by two separate billionaire factions, for crushing Basque Country jewel Athletic Club, a team collated by cantera – homespun talent – rather than hoofing cash on windy flops, 3-0 in their own stadium. Beaten-down Reds were wiping their eyes in disbelief that Ruben Amorim’s team played so well. Where did that come from? Big Red seem to have developed a welcome habit of getting an opponent sent off. This time, it was Athletic’s Dani Vivian, dismissed for hauling back Rasmus Højlund in the style of a slapstick early-1980s yoof comedy.

To complete the matchbox of England’s glory, Chelsea, also owned by billionaires – of the venture capitalist variety – beat Djurgården 4-1 in Stockholm. A plastic pitch proved no issue for Enzo Maresca’s entertainers as they walloped a team where the fans come first, just the type of minnows that Tin Pot is supposed to bring the best from, like a Scania artic rolling over roadkill. Well done, he’s 13.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

We’ve had some difficult results, we are bottom of the league and we were never going to become solid and be dominant in the game. If we did that when I came in with seven games to go, I’d probably be able to bring world peace as well” – interim manager Simon Rusk on how he would have been worthy of a Nobel prize if he’d managed to coach a bit of backbone into his rock-bottom Southampton side.

The potential Tottenham Hotspur or Spurs v Manchester United Bigger Vase final is going to be that paradox of a clash between one that can’t win and one that doesn’t want to win” – Krishna Moorthy.

As noticed by me and 1,056 others, your Memory Lane (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition) photo of Tony Hateley and Emlyn Hughes reminds me of the great Ted Lowe commentary: ‘For those of you watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green’” – Louis Beasley-Suffolk.

Sorry, I disagree with with you, Tom Dowler (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). Riqui Puig was unfortunately injured, and seems to spend most of his time being largely nice, if a bit puppyish and over enthusiastic. John Terry got himself banned from the final by being a divot in the semi. Can we please keep Terry as the epitome of the full-kit celebration? It is the very least he deserves. Plus, I don’t care who wins Bigger Cup now, but I do want someone to slip on their ar$e, c0ck up a penalty and start crying so we can bring that up again too” – Jon Millard.

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Louis Beasley-Suffolk. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here.

Athletic Club v Manchester United

Manchester United travel to the Basque Country for the second time this season. They can expect a tougher test in the semi-finals than they had against Real Sociedad in the last-16. United won that tie 5-2 on aggregate, Bruno Fernandes scoring a fine hat-trick at Old Trafford in one of their best performances of the season. In a season of many lows, the Europa League has given United some solace – and an opportunity to qualify for Europe next season.

Athletic Club are fourth in La Liga, so are well placed to qualify for the Champions League through their league position, but they have the extra motivation of knowing the Europa League final will be played at San Mamés. The stadium’s record attendance was set in a European final – when 52,282 rugby fans squeezed into the ground to watch Leinster beat Racing 92 in the Champions Cup final in 2018. That record may well be broken if Athletic reach the final next month.

The Basque side should be well rested for the first leg on Thursday night, having not played since their 1-0 win over Las Palmas last week in La Liga. They are on a good run, with three wins in their last four, but Oihan Sancet suffered a hamstring injury against Las Palmas, meaning Unai Gómez may deputise in the No 10 role. Fortunately for the manager, Ernesto Valverde, Nico Williams returned from injury in the win against Las Palmas. Having been granted plenty of time to recover, the Spain international is set to start on the left. He has scored five goals in the competition this season (the same as his bother Iñaki) so his return is a big boost.

Williams can expect to come up against Noussair Mazraoui, who should feature at right wing-back with Diogo Dalot absent owing to a calf issue. Dalot is one of a number of United players missing, but Ruben Amorim is expected to have Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo available for the second leg at Old Trafford, with the latter making a quicker recovery than expected.

With Lisandro Martínez and Ayden Heaven missing, Luke Shaw will probably continue on the left of a back three, having started there in United’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Sunday. Rasmus Højlund scored a late equaliser on the south coast at the weekend and is likely to lead the line in the absence of Joshua Zirkzee, who is out for the rest of the season.

United have not lost any of their 12 games in the Europa League this season – in fact, they are the only unbeaten side left in any of Uefa’s three competitions – but they have drawn four of their six away games in Europe. Their unbeaten record will be put to the test against an Athletic Club side who are unbeaten in 10 matches at San Mamés. They have won all six of their home matched in the Europa League this season, with an aggregate scoreline of 14-2. United will need to be at their very best – a rarity this season – to go through. Prediction: Athletic Club to progress

Tottenham v Bodø/Glimt

Tottenham’s eggs are firmly in the Europa League basket, with their only win in their last five matching coming in the competition. Ange Postecoglou made sweeping changes for the 5-1 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, but he is set to revert to his strongest XI on Thursday night. That means returns for Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro and Lucas Bergvall as Spurs eye their first major silverware since they won the League Cup in 2008 under Juande Ramos.

Like United, they have been abysmal in the Premier League this season and are on course to finish closer to the bottom of the table than the top. But a major trophy – and a route back into the Champions League – is within their grasp. The semi-final draw has been relatively kind to Spurs; the population of Bodø (42,831) is considerably smaller than the capacity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (62,850). This is the furthest that Bodø – or any Norwegian club – have ever gone in Europe.

That said, Spurs may be without Son Heung-Min on Thursday night. The Spurs captain has missed their last four matches with a foot injury he sustained in the first leg of their quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt last month. Radu Dragusin is the only other absentee, which is rare for Spurs given their injury-hit campaign.

The same cannot be said of their opponents Bodø/Glimt. The Norwegian champions secured their place in the semi-finals by beating Lazio on penalties in the last eight but that victory came at a cost for the manager, Kjetil Knutsen, who takes his team to London with Håkon Evjen and the captain Patrick Berg suspended. Both would normally start in the middle of the park for Bodø, with Sondre Fet and Sondre Auklend potentially deputising.

Bodø also have problems in defence. Villads Nielsen is likely to fill in at centre-back after Odin Bjørtuft suffered a groin injury in their 3-0 win over KFUM on Sunday. Isak Määttä will probably deputise for the injured forward Ole Didrik Blomberg.

James Maddison wants to reward Tottenham’s long-suffering supporters by winning the club’s first trophy since 2008 and has said a dismal Premier League campaign has made the players more determined to succeed in the Europa League.

Spurs host the Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of the semi-final on Thursday after suffering a record-equalling 19th league defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. Although Spurs have reached this stage of the Europa League for the first time since they won its predecessor, the Uefa Cup, in 1984, they have beaten only Southampton in the Premier League since the end of February and are on course for their lowest finish since its formation in 1992.

Maddison acknowledged that performances – including the 5-1 hammering at Anfield on Sunday – had not been good enough but he believes Tottenham’s players have the hunger to make up for it by triumphing in Europe.

“It hurts me a lot that we’re having a poor season,” said the England midfielder. “But this is why we’re so motivated for this competition, because the season can still be so special. People talk all the time about Tottenham being without silverware for however many years, but we’re in the last four and we’ve got a great opportunity in a competition we’ve been pretty solid in this year. We want to reward them because we feel the support.”

Maddison added: “At the end of games and you’ve lost again, you go over and you want to thank them for the support and I know they don’t want to hear it from us. Even this press conference and the interview on Sunday, they’re not really that bothered because words are just words. But it hurts and we’re trying to put it right.

“That’s the main thing, that hunger is there. It doesn’t always work how you want it to, but this is a unique situation that we’re in, in the last four in Europe, when we can go and reward them for their support because they do travel everywhere. We are very grateful for that. Even in the league position we’re in and we’ve got nothing to play for, they’re still selling out Liverpool away.”

Tottenham will again be without Son Heung-min, although the captain has returned to light training after a foot injury and could be in contention for next week’s second leg. That will take place on an artificial surface at Bodø’s Aspmyra Stadion – located in the Arctic Circle and with a capacity of just over 8,000. The Norwegian champions overcame the league stage winners, Lazio, in the last round via a penalty shootout and have a strong record at home under Kjetil Knutsen, winning six of their seven European matches there this season. Postecoglou knows all about the likely threat they pose having lost both legs of a Conference League playoff with Celtic in 2021.

“I don’t expect them to be overawed by the occasion, you know, sort of thinking: ‘Wow’,” said the Tottenham manager. “They’ve got a real capacity to be really strong in their mind about what they need to do and the away game is tricky because you’re playing on an artificial surface in difficult conditions. So I think there are still some real parallels there and, having experienced it, I know that they’re going to be a really tough opponent.”

Liverpool’s procession towards a 20th league title prompted an eruption 35 years in the making. Anfield exploded in emotion, passion and noise as its long wait to celebrate a Premier League triumph in unison ended in a style befitting Arne Slot’s new champions. Tottenham were dismantled, just as the rest of the Premier League has been in the head coach’s brilliant debut season, as Liverpool took the crown with a flourish.

Even Slot, the calmest man in the house, cavorted with his coaching staff when the final whistle sounded on Liverpool’s record-equalling title. Alisson fell to the ground in prayer. He and his teammates have answered Anfield’s. A five-star performance – with goals from Luis Díaz, the brilliant Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Cakpo and man of the season Mohamed Salah – sealed the title with four games to spare.

The celebrations started long before the coronation. Denied a mass communal party by the Covid pandemic in 2020, Liverpool fans were determined to make up for lost time. Not since 28 April 1990 had they and their team savoured a championship triumph together. This opportunity would not be missed.

Thousands lined Anfield Road to greet the team coach before kick off, many with ‘Champions 20’ printed on the back of their new club shirts. The air around Anfield was filled with an overwhelming smell of sulphur from flares that added to the sense of expectation. Someone didn’t get the memo and let off a blue one. Tottenham’s coach was diverted away from crowd and dropped the squad off behind the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, requiring Ange Postecoglou and his players to walk around the pitch to their changing room. The Courteeners’ Not Nineteen Forever blared from the PA system as Liverpool warmed up. Such was the expectation even principal owner John W Henry made an appearance from Boston.

The possibility of Spurs spoiling the fun had not been given a second thought. It was seemingly a matter of how Liverpool would win the league, not if, and so Anfield was briefly stunned into silence when Dominic Solanke headed the visitors in front. The former Liverpool striker towered above Ryan Gravenberch to convert a James Maddison corner with Alisson rooted to the spot. Spurs had started brightly but are not a team to ruin a script, however.

Postecoglou had complained about the negative narrative that surrounds Spurs in his pre-match press conference. It was a bit rich given how often his team have fed the narrative this season, and they duly succumbed to an 11th away defeat of a dreadful Premier League campaign. Their subsequent performance suggested that Solanke’s surprise opening goal, and defying expectations only briefly, was enough. There was a gulf in hunger and desire between the new champions and the visitors. Each one of Liverpool’s three first-half goals would result in Spurs’ players arguing among themselves over their weak defending in the buildup.

Liverpool levelled four minutes later when Mohamed Salah released Dominik Szoboszlai behind Archie Gray with a superbly weighted pass. The midfielder squared for Díaz to slide home but his celebrations were curtailed by an offside flag against Szoboszlai. The video assistant referee confirmed the Hungary captain had timed his run to perfection, however, and Liverpool players swarmed over Díaz when the equaliser was given. A draw was enough for Slot’s side to seal the deal but of course they wanted more, as the Mac Allister demonstrated throughout.

The World Cup-winner fired Liverpool ahead from 20 yards after Destiny Udogie played a dangerous pass across his own area towards Gray, who was beaten to the ball by the more determined Gravenberch. Mac Allister gave Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario no chance with an emphatic drive into the roof of the net. No doubts now. This would be the day.

Comfort came in the form of a third goal from Gakpo. Lucas Bergvall failed to deal with a Mac Allister corner to the near post and steered his attempted headed clearance straight to the Netherlands international. Gakpo collected, stepped easily away from Brennan Johnson and Solanke, and swept a shot into Vicario’s bottom right-hand corner.

Liverpool performed with a freedom and style their superiority allowed. The players were as determined to enjoy themselves as the fans. All that was missing from a perfect afternoon for Liverpool was a goal for Salah, the remarkable driving force behind title number 20. It arrived at the end of a move that underlined why Slot’s team have been a class apart. The immovable force that was Mac Allister halted Bergvall on the edge of the Liverpool area and released Szoboszlai, who swept half the length of the pitch before finding Salah in space on the right. Liverpool’s leading marksman cut inside Udogie and sent an unerring finish into the bottom corner. Salah celebrated his 28th league goal of the season by accepting a fan’s offer of their mobile phone to take a selfie in front of the Kop.

It was soon five when the hapless Udogie, attempting to stop Salah reaching Trent Alexander-Arnold’s flick across the Spurs goal, bundled the ball into his own net. It was the cue for a resounding version of “Champions” to reverberate from the Kop. The party is underway.

Liverpool have won a record-equalling 20th league title in a stunning debut season for Arne Slot after beating Tottenham 5-1 at Anfield. The 46-year-old, who took on the seemingly unenviable task of succeeding Jürgen Klopp last summer, becomes the first man in Liverpool’s illustrious history to win the championship in his debut season with the club.

Anfield was ready to celebrate at kick-off, but there was an early setback when Dominic Solanke unexpectedly headed Spurs in front after 12 minutes. Liverpool hit back quickly, Luis Díaz’s equaliser awarded after a VAR review, before Alexis Mac Allister smashed home in the 23rd minute to put the hosts in front. Cody Gakpo struck from a corner before half-time to leave the outcome all but guaranteed.

The second half was a sun-kissed title party, crowned when Mohamed Salah swept in for Liverpool’s fourth – and the Egyptian’s 28th league goal of an extraordinary season. Salah was poised to add another with 20 minutes left, but Destiny Udogie reached the ball first for an unfortunate own goal.

Liverpool’s triumph and the end of Manchester City’s four-season reign as Premier League champions has appeared inevitable for some time with the club building a commanding lead over their nearest challengers, Arsenal, since the turn of the year. Arsenal’s draw with Crystal Palace on Wednesday left Slot’s side needing one point from their final five matches and they sealed the title with four games remaining.

Victory brings Liverpool level with their fallen rivals, Manchester United, on 20 league championships. It is their second Premier League title in five years but unlike in 2019-20, when Klopp’s team ended the club’s 30-year wait for a 19th league crown behind closed doors, their latest triumph was celebrated in front of jubilant supporters. Liverpool were unable to hold a trophy parade five years ago because of the Covid pandemic but one will be staged in the city on Monday 26 May. Klopp may be in attendance, having assembled the supremely talented squad that Slot inherited.

The charismatic German’s shock departure last season signalled the end of an era but Slot, lured from Feyenoord by the club’s new sporting director, Richard Hughes, made a seamless transition. The head coach, as he is officially titled, became the first Liverpool manager to win 11 of his first 12 matches in all competitions. After a home defeat by Nottingham Forest in the fourth game, Liverpool embarked on a 26-match unbeaten run in the Premier League that lasted almost seven months.

Slot’s side have topped the table since the defining date of 2 November. Arsenal lost at Newcastle that day, City were beaten at Bournemouth, part of their astonishing collapse of one win in 13 matches in all competitions, and Liverpool came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 at Anfield. Mohamed Salah struck the late winner and has been the driving force behind the title success.

Liverpool’s campaign was played against a backdrop of uncertainty over the futures of Salah, the captain, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. All three were in the final years of their contracts and involved in protracted negotiations over extending their glittering Anfield careers. Salah and Van Dijk have recently signed new two-year contracts but Alexander-Arnold could join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.

Slot’s faith in the mentality and ability of the squad bequeathed by Klopp has been vindicated. Liverpool made only one signing last summer, the rarely used Federico Chiesa, as Slot assessed the talent at his disposal. The club also agreed a €35m deal to sign the Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia this summer, when Liverpool are also expected to be in the market for a centre-forward and a young left-back.

Slot follows José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte in winning the Premier League in their first season. He is the fourth Liverpool manager to win the championship at the first attempt, after Matt McQueen in 1922-23, Joe Fagan in 1983-84 and Kenny Dalglish in 1985-86, all of whom were established figures at Anfield before stepping into the role. Slot is the only one to win the league in his first season at the club, rather than being promoted from within.

Football is an unstoppable continuum, a whirling dervish of love and hate, life and death, frequent tedium and the greatest excitement known to humanity. Because we care so much for it it feels like it cares for us back, but the painful truth is this is our imagination and self-respect saving us from acknowledging that actually, football was there before us, it’ll be there after us, and while we’re there it exists as though we don’t.

Occasionally, though, we have bestowed upon us an event that grabs us by the lapels and shrieks indelibly into our souls, the entirety of the cosmos consumed by the wonder of the game. “It tells us something we’ll always remember,” wrote director-screenwriter Randall Wallace when considering what makes something epic. “It makes us walk out of a theatre and whisper into our own hearts, ‘I’m changed.’”

In the mid-80s, English football was stuck, its supporters despised by the government and its clubs banned from European competition; attendances were down,quality was variable and tragedies were a fact of life. The best side, Liverpool, were known as the Red Machine because they were an effective collective lacking attitude and glamour, while the best player, Bryan Robson, was superhero but not superstar.

Which is where Paul Gascoigne comes in. To watch Gazza was to experience the physical become the metaphysical, time and space no longer as we previously understood them. On the one hand he was a throwback, an entertainer of purity and honesty who competed with and for joy, yet on the other he was a gift from the future exploding into the present, an unseen original demanding we perceive our world differently.

Rarely has a midfielder been so silky but so strong, crocodile-wrestler’s torso elevated by Fred Astaire’s feet elevated by the imagination of an infant – assuming that infant was the offspring of Wolfgang Mozart and Johnny Fartpants. And to this Gazza brought exhibition chutzpah that was all his own, ragdolling experienced professionals with inspiring prejudice and disrespect. Alex Ferguson, a man unrenowned for offering unwarranted praise, takes up the story:

“In ‘87 we played Newcastle in a game and they were just bordering above relegation and he’d been injured. And he’d come back and he’d won their two previous games and we’d got them in a league game. And my three centre-midfield players were: Robson, Whiteside and Moses, three very competitive footballers, great footballers … and he absolutely tore them apart. Tore them apart. Ended up with one situation, he nutmegged Remi Moses right in front of me in the dugout … and went up to Remi after he did it and patted him on the head. And after the game I says to the chairman ‘Don’t leave here, get on to that chairman of Newcastle, we’ve gotta get this boy. He’s the best I’ve seen for years and years.”

So Gazza promised to join United before plumping for Spurs – a snub Fergie absorbed with typical levity – arriving at White Hart Lane in the summer of 1988. His first two seasons were decent, his first goal for the club encapsulating him so perfectly it remains barely believable more than three decades on: against Arsenal and having lost his right boot in a challenge, he showed the composure, desire and impudence to slot home with his sock. Spurs being Spurs, they still lost – some maladies are too profoundly ensconced even for an epochal legend – but Gazza was hearty enough to swerve infection, a typically cheeky goal at Luton also garnishing his campaign.

Then, in 1990, he forced himself into England’s World Cup squad. What happened next is relatively well-known, his tears resonating to such extent he became the physical embodiment of football, reinvigorating the domestic game to such extent that the Premier League is now the vehicle of choice for bad-faith actors looking to propagandise across all conceivable difference in pursuit of nefarious geopolitical aims.

Yet Gazza had still done nothing definitive but cry: he didn’t score in Italy and the two goals he created came from free-kicks chipped into the box – cleverly done but hardly indelible marks of greatness. Missing was what the Talmud – he’s a Gateshead boy after all – terms “tachlis”: essential, unarguable substance. But then came the 1990-91 FA Cup.

Spurs began away at Blackpool, Gazza helping create the only goal for returning hero and non-scoring-striker-now-midfielder, Paul Stewart. For only the second time in four years under Terry Venables, they were into round four.

A home tie with Oxford arrived amid boardroom unrest – both Robert Maxwell and Alan Sugar were attempting to buy the club from Irving Scholar. On the pitch, though, Gazza’s stepover, drive, one-two and block helped facilitate Gary Mabbutt’s opener and his header put Lineker in to blast home a second. Then, when the visitors halved the deficit, he confiscated possession from Terry Fenwick to revive a floundering attack, playing and following a pass into the box before beating both centre-backs to slide home a beauty from a narrow angle. And with things getting edgy after Oxford again closed to within one, he again invented space in the box to punish home another terrific finish.

In round five came a trip to Portsmouth, Spurs trailing until, on the hour, Gazza pounded through rutted terrain and spread the play so that when the cross came in, he was able to lunge at a back-post leap and personality home a monstrous equaliser; “Gascoigne … YES!” shrieked John Motson, vocalising the thoughts of almost everyone in the country. And of course, just six minutes from the end, he collected a long punt, exaggeratedly threw foot over ball, beat his man, and slotted the winner.

The quarter-finals followed more boardroom turmoil along with rumours of Gazza being hurt and moving to Italy; Spurs duly went behind at home to Notts County. But an own-goal drew them level before Gazza, grabbed from behind, accidentally clattered Paul Harding’s coupon with an elbow; the ref opted against sending him off and, with six minutes to go, he held his run on the edge of the box so that, when the ball broke to him as he knew it would, his finish was as definitive as everyone knew it would be.

The goals, though, were only part of things – the performances were equally magical, a rare mix of transcendent talent and competitive charisma allowing Gazza to seize contests involving 22 players and make them solely about him. “We all know he’s struggling a bit with an injury” said Lineker, proud owner of 10 World Cup goals and one World Cup golden boot. “I wish I could struggle like that”.

To reach the last four, Spurs had not defeated a high calibre list of opponents. But next for them came Arsenal, champions-elect and playing a season in which they would concede only 18 league goals; for context, next lowest was 40.

Spurs, though, were confident. Both previous matches between the sides had ended scoreless, the second only because David Seaman had a blinder and Lineker was uncharacteristically profligate, while Venables was a rare English manager able to formulate then inculcate a smart strategy.

Interest in north London’s first semi-derby – a description Gazza might’ve deployed – was intense. The previous year was the first in which the ties had been played on Sunday not Saturday, consecutively not concurrently, and on telly rather than not. For better and for worse, two matches of stupefying intensity and excitement ensured the change became a permanent one.

With Highbury and White Hart Lane unusable, it was decided to compromise the prize of taking over a third team’s ground while keeping Wembley special for the final – for one year only. The world being the world, it marked the start of the avaricious and myopic process that leaves fans paying, financially and emotionally, for the FA’s inability to rebuild the national stadium to time and to budget, but just that once it seemed just about fair.

Though no one needs another paean to the world’s greatest cup competition, it’s worth noting that in 1991, its mystical, mythical quality remained intact. The quantity of live, televised football was improving but still relatively low, while a mere four channels in the UK meant engaging with the game was almost unavoidable – even before factoring in the presence of Gazza, by now half-man, half-mononym and the most talked-about person in England.

The problem was because there’d never been another him, no one knew how to alleviate the pressure of being him nor how to handle the unique challenges he presented, the intricacies of neurodiversity and mental health well beyond the collective grasp at the time – never mind in the hyperreal world of football. So Gazza was indulged and incited, excoriated and extolled, often simultaneously, a blur of fantastical thoughts and unresolved energy with no capacity to calculate consequences.

He actually almost missed the game recovering from a stomach operation, returning for a half at Norwich in midweek, and the night before was so inflamed by its prospect he managed only an hour’s sleep, eventually given injections to calm down. Then, as the teams walk down the tunnel, what to others is ceremonial to him is temptation, leaving him no choice but to offer the camera a gurn more Haçienda than hallowed turf.

A second follows shortly afterwards before the camera zooms in on him because there’s nowhere else it wants to be, should be, could be. “If that man there is fit,” intones Jimmy Hill as Gazza completed his hat-trick, “Spurs have a chance”.

And inside three minutes he’s at the centre of things, shooting narrowly wide and sharing some thoughts with the ref when a goal-kick not a corner is awarded. Within seconds, though, he’s back on the ball like he’s its proud father and the rest are awkwardly loitering relatives. Head up – head always up – he moves it between his feet with Cruyff turn and stepover in a manner not really seen in this country until him, picking a clever pass before a late challenge on Stewart is punished with a free-kick a distant 35 yards from goal, fractionally left of centre.

Forward trot the Spurs centre-backs, Barry Davies speculating as to what’s coming next. “Is Gascoigne gonna have a crack?” he wonders, as if any other option is feasible. “He is you know!” By which point Gazza is catapulting into a shot, the entirety of his corporeality focused into a brutal, spiteful curler which booms around the charging Kevin Campbell and past Seaman, whose self-declared “Safe Hands” can only help the ball into net.

“Ohhhh I say!” shouts Bazza as Gazza charges towards the mayhem in the stands. “Brilliant! That – is – schoolboy’s own stuff! Ohhhh I bet even he can’t believe it!” (he can). “Is there anything left from this man to surprise us?!” (Yes, plenty).

Perhaps Seaman should’ve saved it – he later said his studs stuck in the turf and it’s unfortunate that so fine a keeper is best remembered for avoidable errors in the biggest games (see also: Koeman, Nayim, Ronaldinho). But sometimes the confluence of genius and circumstance are irresistible.

Nor was that it; in Gazza’s reality, “it” didn’t exist. So, five minutes later, he helped create a goal for Lineker with two visionary, disguised touches and, though he went off injured after Alan Smith pulled one back, a(nother) Seaman blunder helped Lineker make it 3-1 which was how the game finished; “You’ve lost that double feeling!” sung the Spurs fans, who’ve celebrated St Hotspur Day every 14 April since.