BBC

Maresca would consider it a failure not to win

Chelsea v Djurgarden (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Nizaar Kinsella

BBC Sport football news reporter

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca thinks Chelsea, with all their financial advantages, need to win the Conference League this season.

Effectively, his side have avoided the only other team with anywhere near comparable resources in Fiorentina or Real Betis but one of the two will face Chelsea in the upcoming final in Wroclaw, Poland.

Maresca has previously won the Championship at Leicester in his short managerial career.

He also memorably won the Europa League twice in back-to-back season, beating Middlesbrough in the initial final, as well as winning the Super Cup during a glorious spell as a player at Spanish club Sevilla.

Bodo boss plays down defender's Spurs 'collapse' comments

Bodo/Glimt v Tottenham (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Nick Mashiter

BBC Sport football news reporter at the Aspmyra Stadion

Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen has dismissed fears defender Fredrik Sjovold has given Tottenham any extra edge.

The full-back criticised Spurs after the first leg of their Europa League semi-final last week - which Tottenham won 3-1 - and believes the hosts will be able to exploit the visitors, ahead of their second leg in Norway on Thursday.

"I think their pressure will collapse pretty quickly. Then we can cause trouble," Sjovold told the VG newspaper.

“It is a very good team and they are good with the ball, but the pressure is no better than an okay Eliteserien team. It is possible to play it out.”

But, speaking in his pre-match press conference, Knutsen played down the comments.

He said: "That was an inexperienced player who didn’t mean it like that. He probably felt what we wanted to do against teams who press like Tottenham, we should be doing better.

"Put that down to inexperience. We’ve not spoken about it but I trust the inner justice in the player group."

'Quiet confidence' in Bodo for club's 'biggest night'

Bodo/Glimt v Tottenham (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Nick Mashiter

BBC Sport football news reporter at the Aspmyra Stadion

Hosts Bodo/Glimt usually have room for 20 in their press box at the Aspmyra Stadion but need to install 50 more seats and desks, such is the interest in the game 75 miles into the Arctic Circle.

Bodo are the defending Norwegian champions, having won the Tippeligaen in four of the last five years, and have beaten Twente, Lazio, Braga and Porto in the Europa League this season.

It is recognised their semi-final second leg with Tottenham is the biggest game in their history but the club does not need telling that, they are becoming used to big occasions - even if this is their first European semi-final.

Their Aspmyra Stadion may only hold just over 8,000, with a main stand built in 1966, and it is a world away from the stylish Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it means there is a quiet confidence Bodo can overturn the two-goal first-leg deficit.

How a toasting a Tottenham win could 'hit the wallet hard'

Bodo/Glimt v Tottenham (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Nick Mashiter

BBC Sport football news reporter at the Aspmyra Stadion

There's a growing atmosphere in Bodo, more and more yellow flags are appearing in the windows of the town's buildings.

They are braced for a big night against Tottenham on Thursday. On Tuesday the local sports bar was quiet, those who were in cheered Inter's extraordinary Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona.

Yet staff were warning that if any fans without a ticket for the Europa League semi-final second leg wanted a seat they would need to arrive six hours before kick off.

When Lazio's fans descended for their quarter-final first leg last month - which Bodo won 2-0 - the bar took almost 1m krone, just over £70,000, on the day of the game. Although at almost £10 a pint it will hit the wallet hard.

A tale of two Man Utds

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United

While Manchester United suffered yet another setback in the Premier League on Sunday, they are two games away from securing major silverware in Europe.

Ruben Amorim fielded United's joint-third youngest XI in Premier League history, with an average age of 22 years and 270 days, and fell to a 4-3 defeat at Brentford.

They remain 15th in the table with only 39 points from 35 matches and are winless in six league games.

But the Red Devils have enjoyed contrasting fortunes in the Europa League this season.

While they are 24 points off fifth place and Champions League qualification via the league, reaching Europe's top-tier club tournament is looking more and more likely through the Europa League.

Amorim's side are yet to suffer a defeat in the competition and overcame Real Sociedad and Lyon to reach the last four. They will now hope to confirm a title showdown with either Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt.

Man Utd's semi-final record

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Simon Stone

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Manchester United advancing from a European semi-final should not come as much surprise.

Dating back to 2008, this is United's seventh last-four clash.

They have only lost once, against Sevilla in the COVID-affected 2020 Europa League.

Only two of the previous five finals ended in victory though, against Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final and Ajax in the 2017 Europa League final under Jose Mourinho.

Providing Ruben Amorim's side complete their job tomorrow, United will be reaching their first European final since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were beaten on penalties by Unai Emery's Villarreal in the Europa League final in Gdansk in 2021.

'We can be worst team in Premier League history with a European title'

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looking back at his comments that this is the worst team in the club's history: "You have to see the quotes in the moment. Things can change. If you look at the Premier League, I think we are the worst [Manchester United] team in terms of results since I arrived. That is my idea.

"At the end of this season, we can be the worst team in Premier League history with a European title. So it will change nothing. We know this season was really disappointing for everybody. Nothing is going to change that.

"In that moment, sometimes I have to think a little bit more, but I felt that and I still feel that this season was the worst, I don't know in history, but maybe the last 15 years. I don't know."

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There was an underlying debate between readers throughout that news conference about the rights and wrongs of Europa League winners earning a Champions League place.

Ruben Amorim had his say there, acknowledging that he believed the champions or best teams in a league should play in the Champions League, but added that he was happy to follow the current rules, as they are.

We have one more line to bring you from Amorim on the club's current plight, and how a European title would not change that...

'Champions League should be for best teams in league'

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim on Arsene Wenger's comments that Europa League winners should not qualify for Champions League: "I have nothing to say about that. I know the rules. If people want to change the rules, fine. But these are the rules. And the rule is that if you win the Europa League, you go to the Champions League. I don't think a lot about that.

"I know the Champions League should be for the teams that are champions or the best teams in the league. But they find these ways of promoting this competition, so we just follow the rule.

"So if we cannot go to Champions League with Premier League, we follow the rule and try to do that through Europa League."

'It's a final for us'

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United

More from Ruben Amorim on Manchester United's Europa League opponents Athletic Bilbao missing key players, including Nico Williams, Inaki WIlliams and Oihan Sancet, for the second leg of their semi-final: "For us, it doesn't matter. For us, it is the top team of Athletic Bilbao. I understand it is hard to play without key players. But for us, it doesn't matter.

"We need to go to the game - it's a final for us. So we need to go and try to win the game.

'Losing final as manager will hurt more'

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim on the prospect of winning the Europa League after losing the 2013-14 final as a player with Benfica: "The meaning is different. As a player, you want to play and enjoy. But when you are manager, you have to win it. Losing the final will hurt even more, especially in this kind of season. So we have to win it.

"For that we need to focus on the semi-final. It's different between player and manager."

'We need to score to go to the final'

Man Utd v Athletic Bilbao (Thu, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United

More from Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim on Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao: "I watched the first 30 minutes [of the first leg] a lot of time and then forgot the rest. Because you cannot prepare for a game watching 11 against 10.

"I felt [Bilbao] were really intense in the first 30 minutes but most of the opportunities they had were a little bit our fault. We showed to the players that sometimes we might have 30 minutes with a lot of problems and tried to describe why we had so many problems in the first half hour."

On avoiding complacency: "If you look at our team, you cannot say what is going to happen today.

"There are some teams in any league that can understand that a game is going to be like this and they can control the narrative. We cannot do that. So we need to face the game as one more game.

"I think we need to score to go to the next round. That is clearly how we are going to face the game.

"We will also have to suffer a little bit to go to the final and be better in the small details."

Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League game at Aston Villa has been brought forward two days to 16 May to allow Spurs extra time to prepare for their possible appearance in the Europa League final.

Spurs were scheduled to travel to Villa Park on 18 May at 14:15 BST but submitted a request to the Premier League for the game to be played earlier in order for Ange Postecoglou's side to have longer to prepare should they reach the Europa League final on 21 May.

Tottenham are 3-1 ahead in their semi-final against Bodo/Glimt and could meet Manchester United, who are 3-0 up in their tie with Athletic Bilbao, in the final. Both second legs will be played on Thursday.

The change of date for Spurs' game at Villa will remain even if Postecoglou's side are knocked out and do not reach the final in Bilbao.

Villa objected to the request for the alteration, citing no precedent for the Premier League to move fixtures to help clubs in European competition.

It was pointed out to BBC Sport at the time that Villa had played every three or four days during April as a result of their participation in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Another reason for the objection was that it is Villa's final home game of the season and could include a number of pre-organised family activation activities that would not be possible if the game was held on the evening of a school night.

Tottenham originally asked for the game to be moved to the evening of 15 May but the Premier League has confirmed it will kick off at 19:30 BST on the following evening.

Manchester United's game against Chelsea on the same night will kick off at 20:15 BST, meaning the two possible Europa League finalists would have the same amount of recovery time.

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison is expected to miss the final three weeks of the season with a knee injury.

The 28-year-old scored but was then injured during last Thursday's 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final first-leg.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou sounded positive in the immediate aftermath of the game.

But it became clear on Friday morning that the injury was more serious than first feared and subsequent scans have confirmed that.

Sources have indicated that Maddison is being assessed for knee ligament damage, the extent of which will be clarified in the next 48 hours.

The news will arrive as a blow to Tottenham, who are in pole position to reach the Europa League final, with the second leg in Norway on Thursday, 8 May.

But Maddison will almost certainly not be available for either the semi-final second leg or the potential final in Bilbao later this month.

Speaking following the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Sunday, Postecoglou said: 'We'll probably get some clarity [on Monday].

"It is fair to say it's not looking promising, but we'll just wait and see."

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says James Maddison's injury "does not look great" as he waits to find out the extent of the problem before Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt.

Maddison scored as Spurs overcame the Norwegian side 3-1 in the first leg on Thursday, but was taken off in the second half because of an injury.

The attacking midfielder did not feature in the Spurs matchday squad for their 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday.

"It doesn't look great but we're just waiting for further information," said Postecoglou after the game at London Stadium.

"We'll just wait and see. Hopefully we'll probably get some clarity [on Monday].

"It doesn't look promising but I'll just wait and see."

Dominic Solanke, who sealed the victory in the midweek, was also not involved against the Hammers because of a knock.

But Postecoglou was more positive about the striker's prospects for the return leg in Norway.

Postecoglou told BBC Sport: "Dom is improving. We expect him to be OK for Thursday. We just left him out [against West Ham] to recover more."

"But the medical team are pretty confident he should be right for Thursday."

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has also returned to training after almost a month on the sidelines, but the club confirmed recently that midfielder Lucas Bergvall is likely to miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.

With the Europa League their priority, Postecoglou made eight changes to his side as they ended their three-match losing run in the league.

Only goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison preserved their places in the starting line-up from the first leg.

"It's something we've been doing for a while because we've had to," the Spurs boss told BBC Sport.

"We've had a wretched run with injuries - which still hasn't eased up, to be fair. But with the opportunity we've got before us [in the Europa League], it made sense."

Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and Djed Spence featured in a fully changed defence while Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert, who combined for the 15th-minute opener, made up the front three alongside Richarlison.

Tottenham remain 16th with 38 points from 35 games - one point clear of West Ham and one behind Everton and Manchester United - with three games left.

But Postecoglou said he was proud of his players' efforts in the derby.

"It's not easy making so many changes and it's going to affect the fluency and even the rhythm of the team," he said.

"I thought the efforts they put in were outstanding. They were disciplined and organised.

"I thought we nullified their threat as well as we could, and they had some decent firepower up front, and I still thought we were dangerous going the other way."

If Spurs do get past Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, either Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao will await them in the final on 21 May.

Postecoglou's side are looking to secure the club's first silverware since 2008 and a place in the Champions League by winning the Europa League.

For all the goals and individual accolades, Harry Kane has long been hit with criticism - that he had never won a trophy with club or country.

"There are many people who, throughout my career, only talk about the fact I haven't won a title yet," the England captain said recently, as Bayern Munich's Bundesliga crown began to look more inevitable. "It would be nice to silence a few of them."

Kane even saw the irony in the fact his 14-year wait for a senior trophy might end while he watched on from the stands as Bayern faced RB Leipzig on Saturday, having been handed a one-game suspension following his fifth yellow card of the season last week.

"It's kind of my story that I'll miss the Leipzig game," said the 31-year-old. "But no worries, I'll celebrate more than anyone else."

Kane even made his way to the touchline ready to join the party until a stoppage-time Leipzig leveller meant the wait was delayed by a day when second-placed Bayer Leverkusen drew 2-2 at Freiburg on Sunday.

That saw Vincent Kompany's side secure the German title, and means Kane has finally put to rest the notion that a glittering individual career may finish without any silverware.

The striker had been following the Leverkusen game with fellow England international Eric Dier and the rest of their Bayern team-mates, and posted a video on social media of them singing "we are the champions" after the title was confirmed.

"I'm thrilled for him because he deserves it so much," former Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur striker Jurgen Klinsmann told BBC Sport.

"He has proven it throughout the last 10 years. His numbers are absolutely insane and he will do that for another couple of years because he's in top shape still, he's fit, he's hungry.

"I'm really happy for him. I just love to watch him."

Kane's career has not followed the trajectory one might expect for England's all-time record goalscorer. As an under-14s player at Tottenham, according to former youth coach Alex Inglethorpe, he "wasn't even on the podium" when it came to the age-group's top talents.

He was still a youth player the last time Spurs won a trophy, the League Cup in 2008, but earned his breakthrough with the first-team squad and signed his first professional deal in July 2010. Then there were hard-grafting loan spells with Leyton Orient in League One and in the Championship with Millwall and Leicester, as well as with Norwich in the Premier League.

Once Kane established himself at White Hart Lane, he blossomed into Spurs' best homegrown player of a generation, becoming the club's all-time top scorer with 280 goals in 435 games and climbing to second in the Premier League ranks with 213, behind only Alan Shearer's 260.

Yet for all the goals, and three Premier League Golden Boots, a decade in lilywhite yielded only a series of near-misses - a Champions League final defeat by Liverpool, twice runners-up in the League Cup and beaten to the title in successive seasons by Leicester and Chelsea.

That story repeated itself with England, as they were runners-up at the past two European Championships and beaten in the 2018 World Cup semi-final by Croatia, despite Kane winning the Golden Boot in Russia seven years ago and finishing as joint top-scorer at last summer's Euros.

"I always said that if Harry leaves Spurs, he will get the opportunity to win titles," added Klinsmann, who also won his only championship after leaving Tottenham for Bayern in 1995.

Indeed, trophies seemed like a foregone conclusion when Kane joined Bayern for an initial 100m euros (£86.4m) in August 2023 - a club who had won 11 successive Bundesliga titles before his arrival.

Kane even had a shot at silverware on his debut, but Bayern lost 3-0 to RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup at Allianz Arena with the England captain coming off the bench for the final half hour.

Was he cursed? When Bayern were then knocked out of the German Cup by third-tier Saarbrucken, some may have believed so.

Leverkusen ran away with the league as Bayern finished third, their lowest position since 2011, while Thomas Tuchel's side were beaten by eventual winners Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.

"People made bad jokes about him," explained Taufig Khalil, commentator for ARD Radio.

"Bayern Munich won the German championship 11 years in a row, Harry Kane came for 100m-plus and the next season Bayern Munich did not win a single trophy!

"It was tough for him. He came to Munich because he knew this is the club where you can win trophies, where you will be on top. And then he came and it was a very bad season last year."

Kane never wavered in his desire to keep improving after becoming the Bundesliga's record signing. He spoke recently about studying the game's greats and having the drive to consistently be one of the world's best.

He has dealt with the pressure of essentially replacing Robert Lewandowski, who left in 2022 as Bayern's second all-time scorer behind Gerd Muller.

"Bayern Munich has a huge tradition of number nines," explained Klinsmann.

"There is always a special eye on them. To fill that spot is just an honour. It's something very special. He knows that he is followed closely by everyone."

And not just in Munich - Khalil said rival fans see it as a privilege to have Kane in Germany: "When the captain of the Three Lions is playing in the Bundesliga - wow, that's big!"

Yet there is no superstar ego on boy from east London.

He is regarded as incredibly professional and a leader among the squad - a player a lot of his younger team-mates look up to and someone who is very respectful, whether that be in training or completing the many media and partner obligations that come with representing a European giant like Bayern.

"He has a royal approach," added Khalil. "When he enters the stadium, he greets everybody, he is very friendly. If there is a moment he doesn't want to talk in the mixed zone, then he excuses himself. A lot of other players walk through with headphones on or use the telephone and try not to look in the eyes of the media.

"Normally he stops, he is always ready to talk. He is an absolutely leading person in that club. He gives a lot of that James Bond gratitude - he is the striker with the licence to score!"

Kane has thrown himself into life in Munich, embracing the culture, trips to Oktoberfest, visiting supporters' clubs and taking German lessons, even if he has previously joked his kids will learn the language before him.

"What he's done extremely well is adapt to Bavaria with so much ease," said Klinsmann. "He became part of the lifestyle, the city and his family just fit into the way of life there.

"It's an international place, Munich, so it's not too problematic but still, you've got to go to another country and keep your work-rate at the highest level while figuring out that your family are comfortable and having a good time."

He is popular, too. Kane quickly struck up a friendship with Bayern's all-time leading appearance-maker Thomas Muller, who will leave at the end of the season, and is known to play golf with the Germany forward and midfielder Konrad Laimer, among others.

Naturally, he is also good friends with former Spurs team-mate Eric Dier, another player well-liked throughout the squad, with both England internationals regarded as being important to team chemistry at Bayern.

"The people love him," added Klinsmann. "He is just himself. He is humble and down to earth. He focuses on what is important and for him, that is scoring goals."

After six final defeats - three with Spurs, two with England and one with Bayern - the humble yet ruthless goal-getter's perseverance has paid off.

Kane's first German title is Bayern Munich's 34th, but there can be no doubting the Englishman's importance to Kompany's side.

"It helps when you have a top player who wants to run and fight for the team like a youth player," said the former Manchester City and Belgium captain. "I played against him as an opponent and he has become better with age."

Kane is the division's top scorer with 24 goals and has 36 in all competitions this season, having scored 11 in the Champions League.

That was a competition in which Bayern were desperate to reach the final at their home stadium in Munich, but Kane missed a big chance in the quarter-final first leg against Inter and, despite scoring in the return in Milan, they were knocked out.

"At the end, we talked with him and he said, 'yeah, everybody is right to expect me to make that goal, I didn't do it, that's fate,'" said Khalil, shrugging off critics who suggest Kane does not score in "big games".

"Whenever there are bad moments, after the match, in the mixed zone, Harry walks through and he stops, he is talking, he accepts the situation."

Bayern were also knocked out of the German Cup by Leverkusen, but in the Bundesliga - bar a brief wobble in March when they lost at home to lowly Bochum - Kompany's side, with Kane at its heart, have led from the front.

His form during this title run is a continuation of what began in his debut season, where he netted 36 times - only Gerd Muller and Lewandowski have scored more in a single Bundesliga campaign.

"The team clicks well with the players around him," said Klinsmann. "He plays in a system that he's getting fed by attacking midfielders.

"He's extremely important to the Bayern side and he's done a fantastic job from day one."

In April, he became the fastest player to hit 60 goals in the competition, doing so in 60 appearances to break Erling Haaland's record by five games. He also registered 15 assists in that time to average a goal involvement every 72 minutes.

"He fights, he works, he scores an incredible number of goals," added Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeness. "No-one deserves it more than him."

Khalil believes more trophies will follow for Kane, and Bayern's focus will soon switch to winning the Fifa Club World Cup in the United States this summer.

"The moment Bayern Munich went out of the Champions League, they started to talk about the Club World Cup," he said. "It's another big trophy, an international trophy, and they would make a lot of money."

That could play a role in Kane's future and whether Bayern can afford to add widely linked, but expensive, target Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.

"Everybody wants him to stay," said Khalil, with Kane's contract running until 2027.

"The question is, would Florian Wirtz together with Jamal Musiala, the two German youngsters playing side by side, work with a central box striker and how much money do you want to spend on Harry Kane for next season?

"For me, that's stupid, I definitely see him next year in the Bundesliga. They have to find another way to finance Florian Wirtz.

"I think we will see Harry Kane for at least another year."

Additional reporting by Charlotte Coates.

The boys put in a good shift - Postecoglou

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou says his much-changed side put in a "good shift" after drawing 1-1 against West Ham.

Available to UK users only.

West Ham head coach Graham Potter says his hide gave a "decent performance" but was "couldn't sustain it" in the second half, following their 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou's team selection in the 1-1 draw against West Ham on Sunday did not hide the fact that Premier League is not his biggest priority during the final weeks of the season.

Only Guglielmo Vicario, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison kept their places from the 3-1 win against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final first-leg tie.

With a tricky return leg in Norway coming up next and the European competition their only remaining chance of salvaging a dismal season, the Spurs boss cannot be faulted for his choices.

However, the much-changed visitors struggled against the Hammers, especially in the second half, and were lucky to come away with a point as Vicario kept out Jarrod Bowen's header late on.

Their effort was still enough to end a three-game losing streak in the league - a positive they will hope to build on further by reaching the Europa League final later in the week.

Spurs were outscored 11-4 in defeats to Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Wolves in three previous Premier League outings, so Postecoglou would have been pleased to see a whole new backline of Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and Djed Spence standing up to a resurgent Hammers in the second half.

They will now hope to finish the job against the Norwegian side on Thursday and move another step closer to a first silverware since 2008 and also a place in next season's Champions League.

Catarina Macario's first-half penalty was enough to earn Chelsea victory against Tottenham Hotpsur and put the newly crowned Women's Super League champions on the brink of an unbeaten top-flight season.

Sonia Bompastor made nine changes to the Chelsea side that beat Manchester United on Wednesday to secure a sixth straight WSL title, and that showed as the visitors lacked intensity and fluidity in the first half.

Robert Vilahamn's Tottenham repeatedly found space in behind a makeshift Chelsea backline that included wingers Ashley Lawrence and Guro Reiten at full-back and midfielder Sjoeke Nusken at centre-back.

The movement of Spurs captain Bethany England in particular caused issues - on several occasions the former Chelsea striker dropped deep to link up play and spread the ball to wide areas.

But Chelsea grew into the game as the half progressed and capitalised on their first real moment of quality.

Macario showed quick feet to side-step Molly Bartrip just inside the penalty area before she was sandwiched by the Spurs defender and Ashleigh Neville.

The United States attacker sent Lize Kop the wrong way from the spot to break the deadlock, though Spurs should have drawn level soon after.

A lapse in concentration from Lawrence allowed Charli Grant to jump the Chelsea offside trap, but the Australia midfielder fired straight at Hannah Hampton when bearing down on goal.

Chelsea looked more energised after the break, though Eveliina Summanen - back in the Spurs line-up following suspension - had Chelsea hearts in mouths with a free-kick that had Hampton scrambling as it flew narrowly wide of the post.

Maika Hamano forced Kop into a fine fingertip save with a long-range strike, before the Japan forward spooned an effort over the crossbar after being played in by Macario.

Kop produced a fine double stop late on to first deny Lawrence, then Nusken on the rebound.

Bompastor introduced regulars Nathalie Bjorn, Naomi Girma and Wieke Kaptein as Chelsea came away a one-goal winning margin for the ninth time this season.

If they avoid defeat against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Chelsea will become the first team to go unbeaten in a 22-game WSL campaign.

Tottenham have now gone nine games without a win and are on track to finish 10th, their lowest WSL finish.

It felt like the odds were always stacked against Tottenham, who had lost all 10 of their previous WSL meetings with Chelsea.

During his Friday press conference manager Vilahamn spoke of his disappointment at how the season has gone, admitting that they only have themselves to blame.

Despite facing a patchwork Chelsea defence, poor finishing and decision-making inside the penalty area once again cost Spurs.

The hosts' only shot on target came from Grant, who had plenty of time to pick her spot but shot straight at Hampton.

Positives can be taken from some of their build-up play, but ultimately Spurs idd not make their first-half dominance count.

With five wins from 21 games, it has been a season to forget.

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Crystal Palace 0-0 Leicester

First shot in anger for the visitors and it's Hlin Eiriksdottir who slams it into the side netting.

Should be hitting it across goal there.

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Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea

Bethany England looks on it today. She's kickstarting plenty of Spurs attacks and the only reason she doesn't find a way through there is because of a shirt pull by Oriane Jean-Francois.

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Crystal Palace 0-0 Leicester

It's slack from Leicester at the back and they lay it on a plate for Molly-Mae Sharpe to have a go from the edge of the box.

Her shot is scuffed and trickles into the hands of Janina Leitzig in the Foxes goal.

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Birmingham City 0-0 London City Lionesses

An even start to the Championship decider, but Birmingham come closest to a breakthrough when Simone Magill cuts the ball back with the keeper onrushing and committed.

Former Brighton forward Lee Geum-min seems certain to tuck home, but gets crowded out and the ball squirms wide.

Reminder that Birmingham need to wn this match, Lionesses require a draw.

'Let-off for Chelsea'

Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea

Rachel Brown-Finnis

Ex-England goalkeeper on BBC Two

That's a let-off for Chelsea.

That early ball to the near post is on and Beth England executes it beautifully.

Any touch from Charli Grant and that would've been goal bound.

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Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea

What a ball that was from Bethany England.

It's just an inch or two in front of Charlotte Grant, who is on the stretch and can't poke it around Hannah Hampton.

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Crystal Palace 0-0 Leicester

Another corner for Palace comes to nothing.

They've been the better of the two sides so far and they'll want to end their season on as much of a high as they can, despite already being relegated.

'We want to stay unbeaten for sure'

Tottenham v Chelsea (14:15 BST)

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor, speaking on BBC Two about winning the league on Wednesday: "I was probably not expecting Arsenal to drop points before the game but that's a really nice feeling and great achievement for sure.

"I said from the beginning of the season, our DNA , our mentality is to step on the pitch every game to win and the game today is no different. We want to come here, have a good performance and get the three points. We want to stay unbeaten for sure and stay on top."