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Our football betting expert Jones Knows offers his insight across the weekend action and tips up a 50/1 best bet treble.

West Ham vs Wolves, Friday 8pm, live on Sky Sports

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Let's get straight to one of the best bets of the weekend: Yerson Mosquera to be carded at 9/4 with Sky Bet.

Now, this is all about the potential duel with Adama Traore. If Traore starts and gets a run directly at Mosquera, the alarm bells should already be ringing for the defender. Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Traore has been an absolute magnet for drawing cards. He's drawn 45 bookings in 6,222 minutes of Premier League football under Nuno, that's elite-level output in this market of drawing a card every 122 minutes.

And there were signs in the FA Cup that he's getting back to that terrifying, direct best. Against Leeds, he drew two cards on his own and looked like a player defenders simply couldn't live with when isolated one-on-one. That's the key here.

Mosquera is exactly the type of defender Traore can rattle.

He's already sitting on nine yellow cards in the Premier League this season, which tells you everything about his approach - it's reckless. Add the fact that one more booking triggers a two-game ban, and you've got a player walking a disciplinary tightrope. That pressure can go one of two ways, but with Mosquera, history suggests he doesn't exactly play within himself.

He's combustible. He gets drawn into duels. At 9/4, it's a price that simply underrates how likely this specific match-up is to produce a booking.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Yerson Mosquera to be carded (9/4 with Sky Bet)

Arsenal vs Bournemouth, Saturday 12.30pm

Is this 'danger ahead' for Arsenal as they look to close out the Premier League title?

Bournemouth are supposedly a tough nut to crack right now as they are unbeaten in 12 across all competitions if you only look at 90-minute results. Impressive on the surface, sure. But dig a little deeper and it's not a pretty picture. The underlying data is screaming regression.

Across their last six matches vs Everton, West Ham, Sunderland, Brentford, Burnley and Manchester United, Bournemouth have allowed chances worth 11.54 expected goals. You're essentially looking at a team giving up chances at a rate of 1.9 expected goals against per 90.

Premier League secures fifth Champions League spot - and it could be seven

A team like Arsenal with their strong underlying process that is still +1.1 when it comes to xG supremacy should be creating some high probability chances at a regular rate against this opposition. Yes, the pressure could play a part but sometimes the numbers are just too loud to ignore. Arsenal to win and under 3.5 goals at 11/10 with Sky Bet is nice.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-0

Burnley vs Brighton, Saturday 3pm

The long-term data does support a drop in first-half goal averages in games after the international break - across the last 10 seasons, it drops from 1.3 goals per first half across all games and then around 1.1 per first half after an international break.

There is logic behind these numbers too which is important when assessing a pattern of data as international breaks disrupt rhythm from a player and tactical point of view.

For an example, in this exact gameweek last season the goals averages were down and we only saw 0.8 first-half goals from the 10 matches when teams were returning from a prolonged break.

Throw in the fact that these two teams haven't played for three weeks and the 0-0 half-time score at 12/5 with Sky Bet rates as a juicy play.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-1

Brentford vs Everton, Saturday 3pm - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

Don't just gloss over the prospects of draws across the Premier League, the stalemate is doing some serious heavy lifting right now. And the 9/4 on the draw with Sky Bet looks a runner here.

Draws have been landing at a rate of 35 per cent across the last 130 Premier League matches. That's well above the historical average and tells you plenty about the current state of the division - tight, tense and with very little separating teams from top to bottom. We're seeing fewer games decided by moments of quality and more cancelled out by structure and caution.

This fixture fits that pattern perfectly. A low margin contest awaits.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1

Liverpool vs Fulham, Saturday 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

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Just one point from their last three Premier League games has left Liverpool drifting in terms of their chances of finishing in the top five. They are now 4/9 with Sky Bet to end the season with Champions League football. It's a price that makes no appeal whatsoever based on they arguably have the hardest schedule, with three games coming against current top six teams and six of seven vs current top-half clubs.

Since September 27, they've lost more Premier League games than they've won, with 11 clubs taking more points in that time. And, so far this season, they have lost five of 10 games to follow a midweek Champions League clash, taking 13 points from a possible 30.

Fulham are hard to resist at 4/1 with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2

Crystal Palace vs Newcastle, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports

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Newcastle to win and under 3.5 goals at 7/2 with Sky Bet immediately stands out as a play dripping in value.

On the face of it, you can make a solid case for Crystal Palace at home. They're well organised, carry a threat in transition and have built a reputation for being awkward to play against. But when you dig a little deeper into the scheduling and historical trends around Oliver Glasner, the picture shifts quite dramatically.

Glasner's record following a midweek European knockout game is a major red flag. His teams have won just once in their last 10 matches in that scenario, scoring just five goals across those fixtures. That's a huge drop-off in attacking output and suggests fatigue, a lack of sharpness and a more cautious approach.

Newcastle, fresh from some time off, can take full advantage in a low scoring win.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-1 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Newcastle to win & under 2.5 goals (7/2 with Sky Bet)

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

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Nottingham Forest have had more managers than home wins (3) in the Premier League this season.

It's not for the want of trying based on their shots volume. Forest have scored just 13 Premier League goals at the City Ground this season, despite having the eighth most shots at home (228) and they've scored only one goal from 100 shots taken in their last six Premier League home games.

Concentrating on the Forest player shots markets is the way to approach this one. Elliott Anderson has been the man to follow when it comes to shots for Forest of late having hit 24 in his last nine games, resulting in 2.65 shots per 90 average. He's a play with Sky Bet to hit two or more shots at 9/4.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1

Sunderland vs Tottenham, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

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Appointing Roberto De Zerbi in a relegation scrap is like switching to a high-wire act without a safety net. Thrilling if it works, disastrous if it doesn't.

Is De Zerbi really what Spurs need right now?

Zerbi offers philosophy, risk and a high ceiling of performance level. His teams can look like they're playing a different sport to everyone else, but that uniqueness comes with volatility.

And volatility, in a relegation scrap, is a dangerous currency. De Zerbi has a history of clashing with those around him too - not ideal when calm decision-making is required in a crisis. There's a reason some of Europe's elite clubs have admired him from afar rather than taking the plunge.

This will be fascinating to see how Spurs react to his methods with such pressure in the background. It makes this a really tricky betting heat in isolation but there is a bet that does offer some potential as if this appointment goes wrong, it's not going to quietly fizzle out. It's going to unravel, meaning Spurs not to win another game this season at 15/2 with Sky Bet is worth a nibble to small stakes.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1

Chelsea vs Manchester City, Sunday 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

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Over the last three seasons, Man City have taken 78 points from a possible 87 from April 1 onwards whilst Arsenal have taken 55 from a possible 84. That relentlessness up the run-in is a real thing masterminded by Pep Guardiola where his teams can stay focused yet produce elite performances to win in high pressure environments.

Nico O'Reilly is thriving in this type of environment with his runs into the box proving very difficult for opposition players to stop. He's had 10 shots on target in his last eight games for City yet the algorithms are a little behind on this extra output meaning the 11/8 with Sky Bet for one or more O'Reilly shots on target is a value play.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2

Manchester United vs Leeds, Monday 8pm, live on Sky Sports

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Manchester United have lost just once in their last 14 Premier League games since Christmas. Playing at Old Trafford is once again one of the toughest fixtures to face in the Premier League and the market is replicating that with Michael Carrick's side 1/2 with Sky Bet to take maximum points.

Leeds are always a tough nut to crack though, losing just twice across their last 10 matches. They will be very aggressive in the duels and Jayden Bogle will have a busy evening up against the dangerous ball carrying of Matheus Cunha, who has been responsible for drawing 24 cards off the opposition since the start of last season. Bogle has picked up a card in his last two appearances and is 5/2 with Sky Bet for the hat-trick.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Jayden Bogle to be carded (5/2 with Sky Bet)

Jones Knows' best bet...

It's a bumper weekend of Premier League football on Sky Sports with SEVEN games live as the run-in begins.

The Premier League title race is on, with Man City revving up and injury-hit Arsenal seemingly stuttering. The chase for Champions League football - with qualification for five teams through the Premier League now confirmed - is tight and tense. And there's all to play for down at the bottom, as Tottenham hope Roberto De Zerbi can lead them away from a shock drop.

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Here, we explain how this weekend will shape the narrative through the Premier League as we reach the business end of the season...

West Ham must show character again vs Wolves

"One lesson we've learned is we don't give up." That was Nuno's positive takeaway from West Ham's ultimately crushing penalty shootout FA Cup exit to Leeds on Sunday. There was no trip to Wembley, despite those dramatic two goals in injury time, but perhaps the fight Nuno's team showed when they looked down and out can galvanise his group as they try to salvage their Premier League status.

The possible returns of Crysencio Summerville, Callum Wilson and Jean-Clair Todibo could also add to optimism. But West Ham supporters with a glass-half-empty approach may also question the psychological damage of that Cup loss and how a Wolves side which has already beaten them this term appear to be in their best moment of the season.

It has been three-and-a-half weeks since Wolves last played, their 2-2 draw at Brentford. While their relegation to the Championship looks inevitable, boss Rob Edwards has set about raising standards, fitness levels and expectations - and has had plenty of time on the training ground over these past weeks to do just that in preparation for their Friday night trip to the London Stadium.

A win for the Hammers would pull them out of that drop zone and above Tottenham ahead of Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge. It's a massive opportunity to pile the pressure on their rivals. Just like in those final minutes against Leeds, West Ham have to show they are ready to fight again.

Peter Smith

Will Arsenal feel Man City PL pressure?

How much does Kai Havertz's stoppage-time winner at Sporting shift the mood in the Arsenal camp? Surely there would have been uncertainty after the Carabao Cup final defeat was followed by a FA Cup exit at Southampton on the same day Man City romped to victory over Liverpool. But it appears they can now go into a crunch weekend with confidence.

A tricky test at home to Bournemouth on Saturday is not ideal. The Cherries won at the Emirates Stadium last season amid two Arsenal Champions League knockout legs. But after Arsenal showed their quality at both ends in Portugal and with injured players returning to action - including potentially key man Bukayo Saka on Saturday - Mikel Arteta will be preaching positivity as the Premier League run-in ramps up.

A convincing win over Bournemouth would indicate his side have grown and have the mentality to shake off their recent blip and push on for major honours at the end of this season.

But they dare not open the door for Man City to close the gap at the top. With Arsenal playing first, it is up to them to set the tone - and Pep Guardiola's side need no invitation to go through the gears and enhance their aura as fast finishers.

They will target a statement result at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, regardless of what the Gunners do. City look to be coming to the boil at the right time once again and any Arsenal slip-up will increase talk of another title-race overhaul.

Ahead of Arsenal and City's upcoming showdown at the Etihad, the narrative leading into that blockbuster clash will be set this weekend.

Peter Smith

Rosenior and Chelsea need statement result against City

The 7-0 thrashing of League One bottom club Port Vale in the FA Cup was a timely boost for Chelsea and Liam Rosenior, given the four-game losing streak they'd been on before the tie and the tumultuous international break which saw the club post a record loss and Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella make unwanted headlines.

But the pressure and intensity comes right back on the Blues and their head coach this Sunday when a rejuvenated Man City come to the Bridge. Rosenior reckons his team have "come back stronger" after he figured out what needed fixing after their bad run before the international break. He will need to show he has the solutions this weekend.

If not, City - eager to build on their hammering of Liverpool in the Cup - have the capability to deal a big blow to Chelsea's top-five ambitions in the Premier League.

Adding to the difficulty of the challenge is that Chelsea will be without Fernandez once again as he serves the second of his two-game ban imposed by Rosenior and the club after seemingly discussing a potential move to Real Madrid this summer. In a midfield battle which will be key, his absence will be felt. But Rosenior - yet to have a big statement win on Chelsea's home patch - needs to find a way to a big result without him.

Peter Smith

Tight top-five race to open up?

Liverpool have the opportunity to ramp up the pressure on Chelsea in the race for a top-five finish when they host Fulham at Anfield on Saturday Night Football. With Manchester City set to visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday, the timing could work perfectly for the Reds to make ground on their rivals.

Premier League secures fifth Champions League spot - and it could be seven

It feels like a defining weekend for Liverpool. A victory would strengthen their push for Champions League qualification and help quieten growing uncertainty around head coach Arne Slot. His side currently sits five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and just one point ahead of Chelsea, leaving little margin for error.

Their recent form has only intensified the scrutiny. Liverpool are winless in their last three league outings, losing to Wolves and Brighton, along with a draw against Tottenham and they were heavily beaten by Manchester City in the FA Cup. The inconsistency of performances has tested patience among supporters, particularly with Xabi Alonso currently out of work and seen by some as a potential alternative.

Elsewhere, Manchester United will have a clearer understanding of the Champions League picture when they host rivals Leeds on Monday Night Football. By then, Aston Villa could have strengthened their position further if they secure a result away to Nottingham Forest.

David Richardson

Brentford and Everton looking to shift the odds in their favour

Ten per cent for a first time at Brentford. Seven per cent to end Everton's 20-year wait to return to Europe's elite.

Those are the chances Opta are currently giving to both teams to secure Champions League football ahead of their match-up on Saturday.

They are two outsiders in the race but could sink Chelsea as low as seventh should a winner emerge from their meeting at the Gtech Community Stadium. A situation which would shift dreams of European football into an achievable reality.

Brentford and Everton have exceeded all expectations under Keith Andrews and David Moyes in the current campaign, but both will be hoping to go one step further by breaking into the top five. A spot which now secures Champions League football after English clubs were handed an extra spot in the competition once again.

They have seven games remaining to do exactly that but with the race currently neck and neck between the two and Chelsea and Liverpool faltering ahead of them, it could all come down to who walks away with three points this weekend.

Patrick Rowe

De Zerbi and Spurs in the spotlight

And elsewhere in the relegation battle... It begins. With the spotlight beaming like never before on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Roberto De Zerbi has seven games to keep Spurs in the Premier League, and it begins with a test of mettle.

All eyes will be on his approach. How instant will his impact be? The training videos released by the club have shown promise but that's what those clips are designed to do.

The quick play, De Zerbi's presence on the training pitch and seemingly growing relationship with his players are all good but unfortunately for a club the size of Spurs, smiles, fun and games are not the points that they now so desperately need.

There is every chance that Spurs find themselves in the bottom three before they even kick a ball on Sunday. West Ham host bottom-side Wolves on Friday night and can establish a mental advantage.

Whichever way that goes, De Zerbi's ability to galvanise a side will be tested. He's notorious for his perhaps incendiary approach at times; however, the troublesome side of De Zerbi's Maverick will need taming for seven games.

It's a fresh slate for De Zerbi, against a Sunderland side that have lost three on the bounce at the Stadium of Light after previously going unbeaten at home. Will Spurs be able to handle the upcoming spotlight that begins in the North East?

William Bitibiri

Pressure back on Howe and Newcastle

Couple that with the 7-2 thrashing by Barcelona prior, the pressure on Eddie Howe is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The ball is very much in his court this weekend.

The Magpies take on a Crystal Palace side who have had their own issues at times and will surely be more focused on trying to bring home silverware in the Conference League. For Howe, there are no more distractions. In seasons gone by, that is when his side have performed their best. That has to be the case in this run-in.

A win could be enough to see them climb into the top 10 if Spurs beat Sunderland and Burnley pick up vital points for their slim survival hopes against Brighton. That’s not what fans would’ve hoped to fight for at this point in the campaign, but that’s the reality.

If there is any manager who epitomises ‘To Dare is To Do’, then it is Roberto De Zerbi.

The front-footed head coach has now had over a week with his new Tottenham squad and will have a clear idea of how hard it will be to ensure the club remain in the Premier League.

As we saw with the last head coach, Igor Tudor, on the outside, it is a very attractive job, but on the inside, the players are low on confidence and littered with injuries.

But the highly talented De Zerbi will feel there is still enough to stave off relegation.

Biggest drop in PL history? The scale of a Spurs relegation

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The Spurs players will be lifted by his arrival, with it understood that the players have really enjoyed the first training sessions so far under the Italian.

That positivity will be tested on Sunday in De Zerbi's first game in charge as Spurs go to Sunderland, live on Sky Sports.

Tottenham could well be in the relegation zone come kick-off if West Ham beat bottom-side Wolves at home in the Friday Night Football, live on Sky Sports.

So, who will De Zerbi name in his first starting XI at the Stadium of Light, where Spurs could be needing to avoid defeat to move out of the bottom three?

Goalkeeper, left-back and midfield will be interesting calls

De Zerbi holds his first press conference on Friday, and he will update us on whether goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is fit enough to start.

Vicario underwent hernia surgery over the international break, but it was hoped he would be able to "return to action within the next month".

That timescale, however, places him in serious doubt for Sunday, so it is likely Antonin Kinsky will start and play for the first time since his infamous 17th-minute substitution in the Champions League last 16 first-leg loss at Atletico Madrid last month. De Zerbi must lift the 23-year-old's confidence.

In front of him, the ex-Brighton boss is likely to go with a back four of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie. De Zerbi could favour his fellow countryman ahead of Djed Spence in what will be an interesting call at left-back.

Another intriguing decision will be the midfield pairing.

Lucas Bergvall could benefit from De Zerbi's appointment, with the pair pictured together on several occasions during training, so the Sweden international could prove to be a key player for the ex-Marseille boss.

I think he will start alongside fellow teenager Archie Gray, who was the best player under Tudor by some distance.

But it would not surprise me if De Zerbi opts for the bite and experience of Joao Palhinha. The Bayern Munich loanee, who ranks top for most tackles in the Premier League this season, was described earlier in the season as a no-brainer permanent signing, but has had a strange last few months.

I think De Zerbi will start Gray and Bergvall in midfield, so next is the front four in attack to complete his predicted 4-2-3-1 set-up.

Simons set to play huge role under De Zerbi

The curious case of Xavi Simons will enter its next chapter.

He starred in the Champions League last 16 second-leg win over Atletico Madrid with two goals, but was then dropped by Tudor for the 3-0 drubbing by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest.

It was a baffling decision by the Croatian, but under De Zerbi, he could be given a start in the No 10 role, where he is far more effective than out on the left wing.

Spurs are lacking creativity, and with Dejan Kulusevski expected to miss the rest of the season and James Maddison still recovering from his ACL injury, Simons will have a huge role under De Zerbi.

Mathys Tel will be hoping to have shaken off the injury he picked up against Forest to start on the right. If the Frenchman is not fit, then Randal Kolo Muani could fill this role.

And on the opposite side, it looks like Mohammed Kudus is still a week away from his return, so Richarlison should start there.

So with the Brazil international out wide, Dominic Solanke will start up front despite an underwhelming international break with England.

Can De Zerbi get Romero and Van de Ven focused amid speculation?

There has been a focus on whether De Zerbi can implement his aggressive and front-footed style of play so quickly.

But as Sky Sports News have reported, De Zerbi knows he cannot overcomplicate or baffle the players in the current situation. Instead, he will simplify the game and tactics to maximise returns in the short term.

So what does he need to do?

Well, he needs to give these players confidence - and a first league win of 2026 would go a long way to solving this.

It is an utter disgrace that Spurs remain winless in the Premier League this calendar year, but there is the feeling that just one victory could spark a run.

Getting defenders Romero and Van de Ven in the right frame of mind, then Spurs have a strong chance of putting a run together.

Both of their futures have been in the spotlight this season, and just this week Romero's father has been speaking of a release clause in his contract, but Sky Sports News understands this does not exist.

If De Zerbi can get the pair focused on the here and now, then this will be key to him getting Spurs out of trouble.

Tottenham's dire position reflects a club in crisis.

You can blame managers, board decisions and players, but the only focus right now has to be Premier League survival.

Achieve that, and then the investigations and reviews can start.

Tottenham simply cannot be relegated, and it is now up to De Zerbi to prevent this.

Strap yourselves in, this could be one hell of a ride under the passionate Italian.

Tyson Fury wants to finish Arslanbek Makhmudov with a "brutal knockout" to prove he is back to his best.

After retiring for a year following his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Fury is returning to boxing against Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

He based himself in Thailand for the bulk of his training camp for this fight and is adamant he will be revitalised for his comeback.

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"It's just doing what I already did in the past but bringing different stuff back to life that I haven't been doing lately - if a 37-year-old Tyson Fury can do what a 27-year-old Tyson Fury did back in the day. And so I'm really putting things together honestly," he told Sky Sports.

"I want a brutal knockout over Makhmudov. It's going to be fun."

Former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has been in camp with Fury. He told Sky Sports: "The training here is very difficult and very hard. I'm very happy to be here because I'm actually growing as a fighter myself.

"But to see him perform in the ring against sparring partners and smash everyone up, he caught me with a few shots there as well, it's very good to see and he is in tip-top shape. I can't wait to watch him fight."

Fury insists his time out of boxing has fuelled his motivation further.

"When you start out you want to make money, you want to get a house. You want to get all them things. But after all that you do it because you love it," Fury said.

"I'm in a position where I do it because I love it, not because I have to do it or I chose to do it financially. I do this now because I'm in love with this game passionately. And having 16 months out the ring, having a year away, makes me even more fonder."

He added: "It's incredible what an individual can achieve. The most unlikely individual being myself, fat boy, clumsy, from the north - world heavyweight champions are never from the north of England. Unlikely, unlikely, unlikely champion.

"I changed my stars, changed my life and I did everything I ever wanted to do and continuing to do it."

A six-goal thriller followed by a lifeless stalemate - Jermain Defoe experienced the full rollercoaster of management during his first weekend at Woking.

A chaotic 3-3 draw against Eastleigh on Friday marked Defoe's first match in charge of the National League club, raising hopes of an exciting new era, before a forgettable 0-0 draw at Braintree Town on Monday brought a dose of reality.

With six games of the season remaining at the time of his arrival, Defoe has an ideal opportunity to settle into the job and assess his squad, with Woking only having a top-10 finish to play for. Eastleigh and Braintree, both sitting inside the bottom five, offered an inviting pair of fixtures to start with.

Sky Sports attended both matches as the Premier League's 10th-highest goalscorer of all time took to the dugout following his shock appointment at the fifth-tier side - and what unfolded offered an early glimpse into his ideas and the scale of the task ahead.

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Defoe warned at his unveiling last Wednesday that his footballing philosophy would not necessarily follow the same path as his goal-laden career. He stressed there would be a "balance" to his team, that they would be, before anything else, "hard to play against". That quickly went out of the window on Good Friday.

Harry Beautyman, an experienced midfielder and a National League title winner with Sutton United, scores the first goal of the Defoe era inside 16 minutes. Defoe, dressed in a slick suit and fashionable jacket, celebrates with a beaming smile and his arms aloft. This one thrilled him just as much as any of his own. "It's amazing," he said of the feeling of watching his side score for the first time. "You can't even describe it, to be honest."

It is the perfect start in front of a bumper 3,500-strong crowd, almost a thousand above Woking's season average, and one that would have been more but for the club being hit with an untimely capacity limit by the local Safety Advisory Group - a sign of how much progress they still need to make off the field if they are to achieve their lofty ambitions.

Among those in attendance is Defoe's old Spurs coach and the former Newcastle and Brighton manager Chris Hughton. Woking's American owner, Todd Johnson, has flown over for both matches. The ex-Sky Sports commentator, and Woking fan, Martin Tyler watches on from the terraces at the Laithwaite Community Stadium too.

Tyler has seen almost everything at the Surrey-based club since attending his first game in 1953. He likened Defoe's appointment to Woking's hiring of former Nottingham Forest captain and European Cup winner John McGovern in the late 90s, but this is bigger.

Tyler also knows how difficult it is for Woking to achieve their ultimate objective: promotion to the EFL. He has promised to help build a statue of the manager who does it because in the club's 139-year history, all have failed. Defoe seems genuinely grateful for the opportunity he has been given, despite it being much lower than where he spent his playing career, and the chance to leave a lasting legacy excites him.

"People talk about it being impossible," said Defoe of their EFL aim. "That means nothing. I truly believe that we can do something special. When you become a manager and a coach, you want that sort of challenge. You want to get up in the morning and have a goal to strive to."

Beautyman's early opener suggests the journey to the EFL is beginning. Woking had picked up from where they left off under their interim duo Craig Ross and Jake Hyde, who oversaw four wins and four draws in nine games, after Neal Ardley was sacked, to secure their National League status for another year.

The optimism is soon crushed in a way some believe only Woking could manage. Centre-back Tunji Akinola heads a back pass beyond his goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen, son of Jussi, just before half-time which sparks a collapse.

Eastleigh lead 3-1 by the 70th minute and the Defoe bubble has been burst. The away supporters taunt him with chants of "Jermain Defoe, you're having a laugh" and "You're getting sacked in the morning". Defoe, though, has the last laugh.

The ex-England international has shown himself not to be a ranter or raver in the dugout, but as cool and calm as he was in front of goal. He changes from a 4-4-2 formation to a 4-2-3-1, introducing playmaker Dale Gorman, who helps unlock another substitute Kian Pennant, the nephew of former Liverpool winger Jermaine. Defoe had told the Pennant prodigy he reminds of him Raheem Sterling. "It's the way he moves".

The 21-year-old winger, signed in March from Leicester's U21s on a deal until the end of the season, provides his two best moments in a Woking shirt so far, setting up the second and scoring the third to rescue a point.

"I'm even more excited by this challenge," says Defoe afterwards. "I only had one training session. I'm just so grateful. You've got to be grateful for any opportunities you get in life."

And so with only one more light training session, Defoe takes Woking to the humble surroundings of Cressing Road just three days later on Easter Monday, searching for his first victory.

It is his first taste of what he can expect on the road in the National League although instead of a hostile atmosphere, dozens of home supporters wait for pictures and autographs, even after the club's relegation is confirmed. Defoe delivers on every request. Is there a part of him that just wants to be able to focus on management?

"There were a lot of Spurs fans here today. It's a humbling feeling still," he tells Sky Sports as another group of adoring fans wait patiently.

"To come away from home and still get that sort of love from the fans, it's nice. Of course, at the same time, you want to just focus on the game, but I would never change it for the world."

On a dry, bobbly pitch, Braintree know they must win to delay their inevitable relegation. They have a goal disallowed not long before half-time in the only significant moment of a drab first half in which Woking struggle to find any control.

Gorman and Pennant are handed starts after their impressive cameos on Friday, but neither hit the same heights, while Defoe experiments with winger Matt Ward in the No 10 role. The fifth tier, an almost entirely professional level, is littered with inconsistency, which will be one of Defoe's biggest challenges.

He is also managing a tired squad that has now played 11 matches in six weeks. But Woking are much-improved in the second half and only a string of saves denies them victory.

"More urgency, more intensity. I felt like in the first half, even when we pressed, I didn't feel we pressed hard enough. The second half was a lot better.

"You don't want to coast across the line. You want to finish strong, make a statement, show teams that next season we're really going to have a go.

"A lot of it's psychology, trying to get the players to believe how good they are. I see the quality. That's why I took the job."

After six days and two games, the early signs of Defoe's reign have already shown both promise and the scale of the challenge ahead.

"You can't just assume that just because you've played up there, all of a sudden you're going to become the best manager, or the best coach in the world overnight, within a week. It takes time to get to know the players, your best system. When you have that, then I suppose the job's a lot easier."

Women's FA Cup holders Chelsea will host Women's Super League leaders Manchester City in the semi-finals.

Chelsea sealed their place in the last four as they edged Tottenham 2-1 at Kingsmeadow.

Manchester City then booked a semi-final against the Blues after Khadija Shaw's goal earned them a narrow 1-0 win away against Championship side Birmingham.

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The other semi-final sees Liverpool host Brighton after both sides won their quarter-finals on Sunday.

The semi-final matches will be played on the weekend of May 9/10 ahead of the final on Sunday, May 31.

On Monday, Veerle Buurman's stunning late strike helped Chelsea overcome Spurs.

The 19-year-old struck with a fierce effort that beat Spurs goalkeeper Lize Kop in the 86th minute, ensuring Sonia Bompastor's side still have a chance of rescuing a disappointing season.

Eveliina Summanen's cross earlier deceived Hannah Hampton to get the visitors back on level terms seven minutes into the second half, after Sam Kerr's header had put the Blues ahead five minutes before the interval.

Manchester City then edged second-tier Birmingham thanks to Shaw's goal after eight minutes.

Iman Beney played a fine ball in behind and Shaw reacted quickest to slot past goalkeeper Lucy Thomas.

Thereafter, the leaders of the second tier fought bravely to stay in the game, though it was City that came closest to scoring a second, Thomas brilliantly turning the ball against the bar in the second half from Yui Hasegawa's stinging shot.

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