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Tottenham insider John Wenham has dismissed the idea of a potentially heroic Spurs man returning in the summer, explaining why he “can’t see it.”

In the event either that Spurs survive relegation or they don’t, new signings will be required. They are two points away from safety at the moment, chasing West Ham, with both sides’ wins on Saturday meaning the gap remained the same as prior.

Tottenham were level with already-relegated West Ham heading into the final 10 minutes of regular time, before Joao Palhinha scored his fourth league goal for the season after coming off the bench.

The midfielder’s loan with Spurs expires in the summer, but there’s a £22million option to buy, and there’s been speculation of late that the club will decide to trigger that option.

Wenham, with connections to the club, doesn’t feel that’s likely, though.

He told Tottenham News: “I can’t see it as we’re building for hopefully a long-term future with [Roberto] De Zerbi and he is yet to pick him to start, whilst he’s selected all of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Conor Gallagher, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur.

“It seems surprising, and likely just agent or intermediary talk.”

Our friends at TEAMtalk reported in February that the departure of Thomas Frank as Tottenham manager had thrown Palhinha’s future up in the air.

With the man who signed him leaving, there was no guarantee that whoever came in after would have the same thoughts on the midfielder as Frank did.

READ: Micky van de Ven delivers telling Tottenham transfer news as elite clubs circle

And the fact De Zerbi has not picked Palhinha to start yet suggests it is indeed unlikely for him to be signed permanently.

With that said, though, the Portuguese midfielder could end up being the hero for Tottenham this season.

The goal against Wolves, which earned a vital three points and ensured West Ham will not easily escape Spurs, is not the only time Palhinha has scored in an important game.

READ: Liverpool ‘still in the race’ to hijack ‘agreed’ Tottenham transfer with ‘no final decision yet’

He helped earn three points over title-chasing Manchester City very early on in the season, before he bagged a stoppage time winner in the first of the two meetings with Wolves.

Scoring late goals to change close games and earn vital points could be what helps Tottenham to survive this season, and Palhinha has cropped up with a few of them.

Whether Tottenham deem him worthy of being signed permanently if they do go on to stay up remains to be seen, as does his potential place as a starter under De Zerbi, following an important performance against Wolves.

Things were finally looking up for Tottenham Hotspur…for 10 minutes.

That is how long Spurs were outside the relegation zone on Saturday afternoon, as Joao Palhinha netted late on against Wolverhampton Wanderers, around five minutes before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall equalised for Everton against West Ham.

Only goal difference separated the London rivals, bringing brief joy to an otherwise miserable day for Roberto De Zerbi’s side – something their supporters have become accustomed to, even in victory.

Spurs earned their first Premier League win of 2026 at Molineux, ending a 118-day wait for victory thanks to Palhinha’s 82nd-minute goal. Yet those precious three points did not close the gap on relegation rivals West Ham, who found an even later winner through Callum Wilson.

Winning is obviously a good thing and could be a springboard to securing safety, but Spurs are clearly not allowed to have nice things.

Dominic Solanke was forced off in the first half, and given his injury history, we may not see him again this season. Someone we strongly suspect will not feature again in 2025/26 is Xavi Simons – the only spark in that Spurs side capable of carrying them to safety.

Not only was West Ham’s injury-time winner a blow, but losing two more key players in a campaign ravaged by injuries was exactly what Spurs did not need with four gargantuan games around the corner.

When Simons went down, it looked fairly innocuous, but the look on the Dutchman’s face told you everything you needed to know, before a replay showed a very awkward landing and jolt of the knee.

It looks bad. Simons tried to run it off but immediately went down in agony, so it’s fair to assume the worst.

Simons had shown he could be Spurs’ saviour with a huge goal against Brighton & Hove Albion last week, and while he wasn’t particularly impressive against Wolves, he is someone De Zerbi was leaning on for inspiration in the relegation battle and his injury might be the final nail in the coffin.

It’s just typical, isn’t it?

Injuries have been a major contributing factor to a disastrous campaign for 18th-placed Spurs, and a day that was so close to being perfect has ended with them still in the bottom three and without two more key players.

Their luck has been rotten. In the Premier League, Richarlison has missed five games. Solanke has missed 19. Mohammed Kudus has been out since matchday 20; Ben Davies since matchday 22; Wilson Odobert since matchday 27. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski haven’t played this season. Lucas Bergvall has missed 10 games, Rodrigo Bentancur 11, Pedro Porro four, Djed Spence four, Destiny Udogie 14 across four separate absences, Radu Dragusin the first 16 games of the season; and Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario will miss the last six and seven games respectively.

That is quite ridiculous, isn’t it?

The players did at least show some much-needed togetherness and resilience to overcome Simons’ potential ACL injury and rally to a huge three points.

Palhinha’s second match-saving goal against Wolves this season was made possible by ex-Spurs defender Matt Doherty keeping him onside in a rare bit of luck.

That is all of their fortune used up, and those 10 minutes will go down as the best period of their entire season. West Ham are still two points ahead, meaning Spurs remain the favourites to go down with Burnley and Wolves.

What a truly remarkable story that still does not feel real. It’s a straight shootout between two old foes, and we are fully here for them playing at the same time every week until the end of the season.

According to reports, Liverpool could yet beat Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Bournemouth star Marcos Senesi this summer.

Liverpool are expected to target signings in various positions following a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, with a new centre-back likely to be one of their priorities.

The Reds have been short in the centre-back department after missing out on Marc Guehi, while Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have struggled this season.

Liverpool have recruited Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet, but they could sign one more centre-back even if Konate pens a new contract to commit to the club beyond this summer.

And Senesi is among those linked with Liverpool, with the Bournemouth standout also due to become a free agent at the end of this season.

READ: Alonso return ‘now confirmed’ at Liverpool as Slot’s ‘fate is sealed’ after meeting in Madrid

The 28-year-old has been one of the most consistent centre-backs in the Premier League this season, so it is hardly surprising that he has been attracting interest from several clubs.

In recent weeks, Spurs have appeared the most likely destination for Senesi, with Florian Plettenberg revealing on Friday that the two parties have an ‘agreement’ over a free transfer.

Plettenberg said on X: ‘EXCL | Marcos #Senesi and Tottenham have reached an agreement in principle.

‘The 28 y/o top centre-back has given his commitment to join Spurs on a free transfer in the summer, if Tottenham stay in the Premier League.

‘It is now up to Tottenham. Nothing signed yet.’

Liverpool to hijack Spurs?

As Plettenberg points out, Senesi’s proposed move to Spurs is dependent on Premier League survival, which is far from guaranteed at this stage.

And a report from Caught Offside claims Liverpool are ‘still in the race’ to sign Senesi despite ‘advanced talks’ with Spurs.

A source for the outlet said: “It’s not agreed yet. Spurs are in advanced talks, they’re really keen on the player, but no final decision yet,” one source said.

The report adds:

‘It may be that Senesi is leaning towards Spurs if they stay up, but my understanding is that other clubs like Liverpool remain in the race for his signature.

‘The Reds are exploring the centre-backs market as they’re really keen to add depth even if Ibrahima Konate stays and signs a new contract. Senesi is one name they like, as is Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu. Both players are also on the radar of Manchester United as they’re another club in the market for someone in that position.’

Micky van de Ven reportedly has very little intention of penning a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur, with the Netherlands defender edging towards leaving, regardless of relegation.

Despite a dip in form this season, Van de Ven has emerged as one of the top central defenders in the Premier League since his arrival from German outfit Wolfsburg in 2023.

However, with Tottenham facing the prospect of dropping into the second tier of English football for the first time in almost 50 years, there is plenty of speculation over how many of their star names will move on if the worst happens.

One of those names is, unsurprisingly, Van de Ven, and a fresh report from our friends over at TEAMtalk has delivered an update on the 23-year-old’s future.

Despite still being under contract until 2029, which leaves Spurs in a strong in terms of a sellable asset, the report states that Van de Ven has made it ‘clear internally that he sees his future away from north London‘.

While Tottenham have been trying to persuade the Netherlands international to pen a new contract since the start of 2025, any negotiations have failed to progress, with the ‘player’s stance hardening over the past 12 months’.

The report adds that Van de Ven ‘grew frustrated during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure’, and ‘matters have not improved under subsequent spells led by Thomas Frank and former interim chief Igor Tudor’.

Clubs queuing up to sign Tottenham star Van de Ven

And, while the defender is impressed by what he’s seen from new boss Roberto De Zerbi so far, there is ‘little expectation that this will change his desire to move on’.

Indeed, Van de Ven’s representatives have now ‘made it clear to Tottenham that he would like to leave this summer’, a decision that has alerted a number of clubs to his potential availability.

Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are all showing strong interest, with the player himself said to favour a switch to Anfield over any other Premier League team.

Real Madrid are also ‘monitoring the situation’ as they ‘explore options to strengthen with a natural left-footer’, having previously tracked Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck.

Tottenham’s stance on approving an exit could also be influenced by developments elsewhere in the squad, however, with Van de Ven’s centre-back Cristian Romero also likely to move on, amid continued interest from Atletico Madrid.

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Spurs do a verbal agreement in place for Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi to arrive on a free transfer, should the club stay up, while highly-rated Croatian youngster Luka Vuskovic should be another strong option for next season.

As a result, TEAMtalk sources suggest Tottenham are not ruling out the possibility of ‘both Van de Ven and Romero departing as part of a wider defensive reshuffle’.

Former Netherlands international Willem van Hanegem claims that Ronald Koeman would not have been impressed by how Xavi Simons reacted to his stunning strike in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Brighton last weekend.

The summer signing from RB Leipzig produced his best display in a Spurs shirt to date, certainly in the Premier League, as he delivered an assist for Pedro Porro’s opener before scoring with a curling effort in the second period.

It wasn’t enough to give Tottenham their first league win of 2026, something they will go in search of again at already-relegated Wolves on Saturday. And while Xavi earned plaudits for his wonderstrike and all-round display against the Seagulls, not everyone was impressed.

Indeed, former Spurs striker Les Ferdinand admitted last week that he did not like Xavi’s wild celebration after his goal, with the pundit pointing out that the Tottenham players still needed to focus with more than 10 minutes of the game still remaining.

And now Van Hanegem has also taken aim at the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, suggesting that the manager would have taken Xavi off in his era had he celebrated like that.

The Feyenoord legend also accused Xavi of playing for himself rather than the team, suggesting that his international boss Koeman would not have been impressed with his histrionics.

Van Hanegem said about the Tottenham star, as per PSV Inside: “If a player like that had played in our era, and the manager didn’t want to take him off, then the players certainly would have taken him off themselves.

“If Koeman sees this now, wouldn’t he have something to say about it? Xavi Simons always plays his own game. It is truly terrible to watch.”

Xavi admits Tottenham struggles in debut season

‘Terrible to watch’ is a bit of a stretch given how high emotions were running at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the potential magnitude of the strike.

Xavi has also been under growing pressure, having failed to shine in his first season in north London after his £51million summer switch.

Indeed, the Dutch attacker has managed only six goals and seven assists in 42 games in all competitions for Tottenham in his debut campaign.

And, speaking after the game last weekend, Xavi revealed just how tough it’s been adjusting to life in Europe’s highest-profile league.

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He told the club’s official website: “Yeah, I’ve been through a difficult journey, I would say, this season.

“It’s life. I have to take it. I’m still young, I have to learn things. I’m really happy that the coach is here, for me especially.

“I want to play football, I want to help the team to score and assist. I want to help the team to go through this situation, together as a team is the most important thing, but yeah, these are the kind of games that I want to be on the pitch, and I want to show everyone that I can help the team.”

Micky van de Ven will “almost certainly leave” if Tottenham are relegated from the Premier League and amid interest from Manchester United and Liverpool there’s “only one decision” the centre-back will make.

Tottenham currently sit in the relegation zone, two points from West Ham and safety, as new manager Roberto De Zerbi looks to save them from the drop.

Van de Ven has starred for Spurs since joining in a £35m move from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023 and has been heavily linked with an exit for some time, with rumours of his departure increasing amid the increasing prospect of relegation.

A £100m price tag has been slapped on his head with Liverpool thought to be particularly interested in his services, though dropping out of the Premier League would no doubt mean he became available at a knock-down price.

Transfer expert Ben Jacobs has told The United Stand that Van de Ven will “almost certainly leave” if Spurs go down.

“If Spurs go down, Van de Ven will almost certainly leave, if Tottenham stay up, it’s a slightly different situation because Cristian Romero is still likely to leave and Van de Ven may be harder to get,” Jacobs said

“I’m told by Tottenham sources, if Spurs stay up Romero is still likely to leave and better chance now of Van de Ven extending at Tottenham than going after the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi.”

But where will Van de Ven go?

Jacobs also revealed where the Dutchman is likely to land with Manchester United also “keeping an eye” on his situation.

He added: “He is someone Man United are keeping an eye on. There has been no approach to Spurs and as of now there has been zero approach to the player side from Manchester United.

“Liverpool are also in the market for another defender as well. Liverpool, like Man United, it’s more an internal conversation but the bad news for Man United on Micky van de Ven is if, and it is an ‘if’, Liverpool enter the race, Van de Ven is only making one decision between Liverpool and Manchester United, and he is picking Liverpool. And I say that with absolute confidence, if both clubs were to enter the race, Van de Ven’s preference would be Liverpool over Manchester United.

“He would be linking up with Virgil van Dijk, Van Dijk will be going in a season because his contract expires, he knows Van Dijk, he has the opportunity to partner Van Dijk and then move over to the left side and he is also a Liverpool fan in terms of him and his family.

“If Liverpool enter the race, it would be bad news for all suitors.”

Manchester United legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville both believe Tottenham Hotspur will come away with all three points from their must-win trip to already relegated Wolves on Saturday, although Ian Wright does not agree.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side missed a huge opportunity to move out of the bottom three after suffering a late sucker punch against Brighton at home last weekend.

The result, coupled with West Ham’s draw at Crystal Palace on Monday evening, means Tottenham sit two points behind the 17th-placed Hammers with five games remaining in a race to avoid the drop that could go down the wire.

However, Spurs need to break their sequence of not having won a Premier League game in 2026, starting with their trip to Molineux, as time runs out for the north London side.

And, according to both Keane and Neville they should get the job done, after showing signs of improvement in De Zerbi’s second game in charge against the in-form Seagulls.

Debating on the Stick To Football YouTube channel, Keane said: “3-1 Spurs. Do you know, it’s about time they showed a bit of fight, a bit of energy. A couple of lads coming back. Was Maddison on the bench (last weekend)? Spurs’ll be fine.

However, former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, perhaps more in hope than expectation, added: “I actually think Wolves will get something.”

Meanwhile, Neville, who doesn’t “see Spurs being comfortable” in the game, is still expecting a crucial win for De Zerbi’s men, adding: “I don’t think Wolves will win. I think Tottenham are going to score a late winner. 2-1.”

Tottenham suffer another injury ahead of Wolves clash

Tottenham, meanwhile, look to have suffered another injury blow ahead of the clash at Molineux, with Destiny Udogie set to miss the all-important clash.

No sooner had De Zerbi arrived at the club than he was hit with two more injury problems, with winger Mohammed Kudus suffering a setback in his recovery from a quad issue, while club skipper Cristian Romero is out for the remainder of the campaign after picking up a knee injury in the defeat at Sunderland.

De Zerbi is already without Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Ben Davies and now it’s emerged that left-back Udogie, who has only just returned from a hamstring issue and started both De Zerbi’s games in charge so far, is likely to miss out against Wolves.

The Sun reports that the Italy international could be set for more time on the sidelines, with Djed Spence set to return to the side in Udogie’s absence.

READ NEXT: Liam Rosenior the poster boy for all-timer Premier League season of rotten managers

There is better news on Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison, however, with the former primed to return in goal after missing the last two games following hernia surgery.

Maddison was also back on the bench for the Brighton clash, after fully recovering from his ACL injury, and has a chance of getting some minutes under his belt this weekend.

According to reports, Xabi Alonso has become a ‘top target’ for Chelsea and he wants them to sign a Tottenham Hotspur star this summer.

Alonso is one of the best available managers in Europe after exiting Real Madrid at the start of this year, but he could soon return to football.

The former Bayer Leverkusen boss has been heavily linked with a potential return to the Premier League, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea mentioned as possible destinations.

It initially felt inevitable that Alonso would return to Liverpool to replace Arne Slot, but the Dutchman could remain at Anfield after moving a step closer to securing Champions League football over the weekend.

And a report on Wednesday morning claimed Chelsea are the ‘new destination’ for Alonso, who appears to be a contender to replace current head coach Liam Rosenior.

READ: Chelsea eye ‘five managers’ to replace Rosenior; Spurs star to replace ‘Man Utd flop’

Under Rosenior, Chelsea have lost seven of their last eight games as their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League have dramatically faded.

Rosenior was always going to be up against it at Chelsea due to his limited experience, but reports in recent weeks have indicated that club chiefs intend to stick with the head coach heading into next season.

However, they could be forced to make a U-turn as Rosenior’s position is close to becoming untenable.

A new report from Spanish outlet Fichajes claims Alonso is one of the ‘top targets’ to replace Rosenior and he has demanded the signing of Spurs centre-back Micky van de Ven as a ‘first request’.

The report claims:

‘Chelsea’s interest in Xabi Alonso is strong, but the manager also has his own demands. The Spaniard wouldn’t arrive alone and has already begun to convey his ideas to the English club’s board. Among his requests, Micky van de Ven stands out. The centre-back, currently at Tottenham Hotspur, is one of the players the manager considers essential to building his project.

‘Van de Ven stands out for his speed, his ability to cover large areas, and his ball distribution, qualities that perfectly fit Xabi Alonso’s style of play. His signing would be a key reinforcement for Chelsea’s defence.’

‘D-Day’ for Rosenior at Chelsea revealed

And according to our colleagues at TEAMtalk, Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United is considered ‘sack D-Day’ for Rosenior, with it noted that a ‘loss could be disastrous for the head coach’.

The report explains:

‘We can reveal that their stance could shift dramatically this weekend. Should results show no sign of improvement and Chelsea crash out of the FA Cup, the board will move to explore alternatives in earnest.

‘Should Rosenior fail to turn things around, Chelsea are determined to have a new head coach in place for the summer, allowing time for proper integration ahead of the next campaign and the transfer window.’

Liverpool could sign Randal Kolo Muani from Tottenham in the summer as they continue to look to improve their attack, according to reports.

The Reds spent over £400m on new players in the summer transfer window as Fenway Sports Group committed big sums to marquee players Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

Liverpool have struggled under Arne Slot this season, after winning the Premier League title in his first term, with the Reds currently fifth in the table.

The Reds are on course to qualify for the Champions League, thanks to the Premier League getting five spaces this season, but Slot’s side have been extremely underwhelming in most competitions.

Liverpool were expected to build on the success they experienced last season but they have actually regressed under Slot and the Dutchman faces a big summer of change.

Mohamed Salah has already revealed that he will leave Liverpool in the summer and the Reds are looking through potential options to replace him.

READ: Mo Salah will wear new Liverpool 2026/27 kit as Adidas reveals plans

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport, Liverpool ‘have identified’ Tottenham striker Kolo Muani ‘as a potential replacement for Salah’.

And the Reds are ‘sounding alarm bells’ at Juventus over their interest in the France international as the Italian side had him down as one of their top targets.

It is expected that the fee they will ask for ‘will be around €35 ​m (£30m), fully within Juventus parameters, as will his salary of around €7 million per year.’

Liverpool sees ‘Kolo Muani as a player capable of replacing the Egyptian in the squad, thanks to his versatility and ability to operate even off the right flank.’

The report in Italy adds: ‘This is a characteristic he has also shown sporadically this season with Tottenham, but especially for the national team, where the center-forward spot is Mbappé’s exclusive possession.’

Yan Diomande is more likely to be Salah’s replacement at Liverpool

Despite the suggestions that Kolo Muani could be a replacement for Salah, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg insisted earlier this week that Liverpool decision-makers have ‘approved’ a move for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.

Plettenberg wrote on X: ‘Yan Diomande is now Liverpool’s top target to replace Mo Salah, with the move approved by all #LFC decision-makers.

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‘Concrete talks are ongoing with his new representatives at Roc Nation Sports, although no agreement has been reached yet and the clubs have not entered negotiations.

‘RB Leipzig are keen to adjust his salary and extend his contract. PSG, led by Luis Campos, are also in the race and have already held a meeting with his agents.’

Sky Germany’s Philipp Hinze added: “RB Leipzig are now demanding more than €100m for Yan Diomande.

“Since qualification for the Champions League is very realistic, Leipzig no longer have financial pressure to sell. Diomande’s value is rising.

“The €20m transfer fee paid to Leganés last summer has, in the club’s view, more than quintupled in value.

“Meanwhile, Leipzig are planning a contract adjustment, including a salary increase, to keep Diomande until 2027.

“Leipzig are fighting to retain the Ivorian for another season. But: Diomande is not untouchable. Depends on potential offers.”

Liam Rosenior is understandably in the crosshairs after Chelsea’s defeat at Brighton on Tuesday night.

But there’s also manager updates from Liverpool, a transfer story about Manchester United that is not in fact about Manchester United, and a refreshingly laid-back Pep Guardiola despite a Man City injury crisis.

Oh, and a pun so bad it’s actually made us ill.

Panic on the streets of London

Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea are all now firmly in crisis mode as the run-in intensifies, with ongoing potential for West Ham to reacquire that status. What a time to be alive. As the saying so very nearly goes, when a man is tired of London football clubs in crisis, he is tired of life.

Chelsea and LinkedIn Liam very much today’s focus, of course, after last night’s genuinely horrific defeat at Brighton.

The Daily Express, always a steady, rational voice of calm and reason in even the most troubled times, have the solution.

Chelsea can appoint five managers this week to rescue season after Liam Rosenior disaster

To be honest, we really think and would strongly recommend that they should just pick one. Even by Chelsea standards, five managers in a week is just clearly far too many. They are fools to have even considered it.

Missing words round

Another cracking edition of everyone’s* favourite almost daily quiz, courtesy of the Daily Mirror.

How Liverpool could line up under Fernando Torres as he’s backed to ‘definitely’ be new boss

The all-important words for which there was, alas, no space to be found at all are this time ‘by Fernando Llorente’.

But there’s bonus content today, you lucky people. This one’s for the really seasoned headline watchers among you. What else do you notice that’s slightly odd about the phrasing of that headline?

That’s right – ‘new boss’. Doesn’t say next boss, does it? Heavily implies next boss, especially with its ‘How Liverpool could line up’ hook, but doesn’t actually say it.

Which is despicably clever because, and you’ll be way ahead of us by now, Llorente didn’t say next boss. He said:

‘Fernando Torres as Liverpool manager one day? Definitely.’

He is not at all saying Torres will or even should replace Arne Slot.

Yet here the Mirror are using that ‘definitely’ to show us how the current squad for next season could line up under Torres.

The answer to which is: much like they could under any other manager, with the only significant changes being Dominik Szoboszlai moving to Mo Salah’s old perch on the right and confirmed new arrival Jeremy Jacquet taking Virgil van Dijk’s starting place. Which we’re a bit less sure about, but doesn’t in any case seem like it would be a specifically Torres move.

Three is the magic number

Manchester City are all set to go top of the Premier League tonight when they face almost-relegated Burnley, but don’t give up just yet, Arsenal fans, for there is a twist afoot.

Three Man City stars ruled out of Burnley clash as Pep Guardiola confirms injury blow

About time someone else got the injury crisis, eh? But let’s look into these three setbacks.

The first two are Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, both of whom were already injured and neither of whom anyone had expected to return against Burnley.

The third is Rodri and, listen, fair play, this is at least a new injury and to another player who qualifies for ‘star’ status

But what did Guardiola actually say about him?

“I think he will not be ready for tomorrow and we will see for the next games. Maybe [he will be back for] the semi-final with Southampton or in 12 or 13 days against Everton.”

So two already ruled-out stars still ruled out, and one new one not actually entirely but probably ruled out. For a game that is, it must be stressed, against a Burnley side that has now managed to drop below even Spurs in the form table. Maybe don’t restart the parade planning just yet, Gunners.

Guardiola mused

Guardiola himself doesn’t seem too worried about that mounting injury crisis.

Regular readers will know Mediawatch does enjoy a pithy, succinct Daily Mail headline but we might have a new favourite.

Why composed Pep Guardiola is more relaxed than ever despite the weight of history resting on his shoulders as his Man City juggernaut chases down Arsenal, writes JACK GAUGHAN

Did Jack Gaughan write this, or was it actually Pep Guardiola? Put… ‘Guardiola is refreshingly laid-back for a man with such responsibility’.

And that headline is absolutely not writing cheques the copy can’t cash.

But as the microphone moved on to the next question, his inquisitive nature took over. He asked for further explanation, leaning over the desk to listen properly.

Guardiola mused and then replied…

And it goes on like this. Here’s just one gigantic adoring paragraph among so, so many.

The eve of City’s trip to east Lancashire, the 31 miles north to Burnley, felt like Guardiola delivering a sermon on how he has won six of these things already. He’s cracking wise about Arsenal’s past, he’s saying that he feels nerveless heading into the final six matches of this campaign. He’s offering why City remain level-headed, while telling his players to continue celebrating wildly despite criticism from Wayne Rooney. His performance in front of the cameras on Tuesday portrayed both a man in touch with the emotions attached to the run-in and capable of leaving doubt at the door.

Pep quipped… and, well, you get the idea with that. And that.

We will never tire of journalists placing so much emphasis and importance on what managers do and say in press conferences or indeed how they do and say it. Guardiola is obviously doing pretty well right now in the more humdrum arena of actual football as well, sure, but that’s far from mandatory.

As long as your presser performances remain up to scratch, you can get away with almost anything on the pitch. Look at how much water the media carried – and continue to carry – for Thomas Frank this season.

The Flop

Clever stuff here from the Daily Express. Obviously there are going to be a host of stories about Spurs players leaving the club this summer, but how to make a rumour linking one of them with a move to Turkey really stand out from the crowd?

Like this, of course.

Pape Matar Sarr’s agents ‘contacted’ as Tottenham star lined-up to replace Man Utd flop

Fred, who left Old Trafford in 2023, is the ‘Man Utd flop’ in question and thus Fenerbahce the team doing the reported lining up and/or contacting in a story that has absolutely nothing to do with Manchester United whatsoever but does manage to get their name into both the headline and URL. Fancy that.

Leicer of two evils

We have absolutely nothing constructive to say about or add to this Sun pun on Leicester’s downfall.

LESS & LEIC

Other than to note that we’ve been looking at it for about 37 minutes and can now feel a migraine coming on.