West Brom relegated from Premier League after Southampton beat Swanea
West Bromwich Albion have been relegated from the Premier League after Southampton won 1-0 at Swansea City on Tuesday. That result left West Brom five points from safety with one game remaining, Sunday's trip to Crystal Palace. It means their eight-year stay in the top flight comes to an end. The Baggies - currently on 31 points from their 37 games - had hoped to reach the final day and repeat their memorable escape of the 2004-05 season. With Stoke and West Brom's relegation confirmed, Southampton's victory has virtually guaranteed their safety due to their vastly superior goal difference over Swansea and Huddersfield. The Terriers will confirm their survival by taking a point from their next two fixtures against Chelsea on Wednesday (19:45 BST) or Arsenal on Sunday (15:00 BST) Too little too late? West Brom were realistically consigned to their fate before Darren Moore took over as caretaker boss in April but it must feel like a case of what might have been for the Baggies supporters. The former Albion defender was named Premier League manager of the month for April on Tuesday and the club's upturn since he took control of first team affairs evoked memories of their survival under Bryan Robson in 2004-05. In that campaign, West Brom were bottom of the division and eight points from safety at Christmas but recovered to survive on the final day of the season thanks to an unlikely sequence of results. Moore has accrued 11 points from the 15 available since being named as caretaker and reeled in a 10-point gap to five points. Victories at Old Trafford against Manchester United and over Newcastle and Tottenham, as well as draws against Swansea and Liverpool, leave a question mark over what might have been if the Albion board had acted sooner. In a message posted on Twitter on Tuesday, Baggies defender Kieran Gibbs wrote: "Horrible feeling to be relegated, especially after our recent form as a team. "It's been a wild season on and off the pitch and has been a huge learning curve. Whatever has gone on this season there are no excuses - we haven't been good enough for the majority of it. "For that we are sorry to the WBA fans, who have been quite unbelievable considering the circumstances."
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2018-05-09 02:00:00
Southampton took a huge stride towards securing their Premier League survival and simultaneously relegated West Brom with victory at Swansea City, who are now perilously close to joining the Baggies in the Championship.
Manolo Gabbiadini's strike means the Swans are now three points adrift of Southampton - and safety - and will go into Sunday's final game of the season occupying the final relegation spot. Southampton's considerably better goal difference over Swansea means even a defeat at Manchester City will keep them up, as long as the Swans do not make up a 10-goal swing when they face Stoke. Huddersfield are 17th, level on points with Southampton, but have a game in hand at Chelsea on Wednesday - a point at Stamford Bridge would be enough to keep the Terriers up. With so much at stake, both sides seemed gripped with anxiety in a goalless first half which produced only a handful of chances at either end. The tension increased after the break as Saints keeper Alex McCarthy saved brilliantly from Jordan Ayew, before Charlie Austin missed one glorious opportunity as he directed a free header straight at Lukasz Fabianski. Fabianski thwarted Austin again from a corner in the 73rd minute but, from the rebound, substitute Gabbiadini bundled the ball in to spark manic celebrations in the away end.
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2018-05-09 02:00:00
Southampton boss Mark Hughes says fixture scheduling is not 'fair'
Southampton manager Mark Hughes is unhappy that relegation rivals Swansea have more recovery time ahead of their crucial meeting on Tuesday. Swansea visit Bournemouth at 15:00 BST on Saturday, hours before the Saints face Everton at Goodison Park in a late kick-off (17:30). Southampton are currently one point and one place below the Swans in 18th in the Premier League table. Hughes believes it would be "fairer" if both teams kicked off at the same time. "They make the point on the last day of the season that everyone has to play at the same time, so maybe they should do that in the last two weeks of the season," said Hughes. "Maybe that would be slightly more fair. "It's what the Premier League is and we accept sometimes it might not be as fair as it could be, but if you take the money you have to pay the price."
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2018-05-04 02:00:00
West Ham: Andy Carroll in squad after fine for David Moyes row
West Ham striker Andy Carroll is in the squad for Saturday's crucial match at Leicester despite being fined after an argument with manager David Moyes. Carroll, 29, was sent home from training on Monday after a heated exchange, but later apologised. He was unhappy not to play in the 4-1 defeat by Manchester City, and left the bench before the end of Sunday's game after being an unused substitute. "We've moved on, we're quite happy now it's done and dusted," Moyes said. "I was really disappointed in Andy - I don't believe there was any excuse for what he did. "He's been fined but he has apologised, both to me and the players, and I think he understands it was wrong. "He was in the squad last week, that's why he was on the bench. He will be in the squad this weekend as well." West Ham remain in a precarious position in the Premier League, just three points above the relegation zone, following successive 4-1 defeats by Arsenal and Manchester City. The Hammers are without a win from their last four games, and travel to Leicester before matches against Moyes' former clubs, Manchester United and Everton, at the London Stadium. "We have got three games to win," Moyes said. "If we can win all three of those games then we might find ourselves quite high up the table so that is what we are going to try to do."
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2018-05-04 02:00:00
Sunderland: Prospective owner Stewart Donald agrees sale of Eastleigh
Prospective new Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has cleared another obstacle to his impending purchase by agreeing the sale of non-league club Eastleigh. Donald must sell Eastleigh before he can complete his takeover of League One-bound Sunderland. It is understood the sale will now be ratified by the National League. Providing there are no problems, Donald could be in a position to take control at Sunderland at some point next week. The news comes as Sunderland published annual accounts showing the football club's debt rose to
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2018-05-04 02:00:00
Yaya Toure: Manchester City midfielder to leave at end of season
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season. The 34-year-old will make his final appearance against Brighton on Wednesday, said manager Pep Guardiola. Ivory Coast international Toure, who joined City from Barcelona for a fee of about
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2018-05-04 02:00:00
Steven Gerrard: Rangers name former Liverpool captain as manager on four-year deal
Steven Gerrard has been appointed as Rangers manager on a four-year deal. The former Liverpool midfielder, 37, replaces Graeme Murty, who was placed in interim charge following the October sacking of Pedro Caixinha. Gerrard, who leaves his role as a youth coach at Anfield to take up the Rangers job this summer, captained the Reds and England. "I am honoured to become the next manager of Rangers," Gerrard told Rangers' website. "I have enormous respect for this football club, and its history and tradition. I can't wait to start this new journey at Rangers as we look to build on the many successes that this club has achieved." The club say Gerrard's backroom staff "will be announced in due course". Gerrard made 710 appearances and won nine trophies for Liverpool over 19 years and was capped 114 times by England. He captained the national team at three of the six major tournaments at which he played and was Reds skipper for almost 12 years. He retired in 2016 after a spell with LA Galaxy and joined the youth set-up at Anfield after rejecting an offer to become manager of MK Dons. Rangers chairman Dave King said: "From the very beginning, talks have been extremely positive and we believe that Steven is the right man to drive Rangers forward. "He was extremely impressive throughout our negotiations and we are convinced that he has the necessary knowledge and temperament to lead the club to the success we all desire. "This a special day for our club, our fans and for Steven."
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2018-05-04 02:00:00
Liverpool 5-2 Roma: Win unlike any football I've seen before - Lawrenson
The way Liverpool ripped Roma apart at Anfield was unlike any football I have ever known. I have thought the same about Premier League champions Manchester City at times this season, in that they have been playing so well that it does not seem real. Liverpool have put on some brilliant displays in the Champions League before now in 2017-18 but, when I was watching Jurgen Klopp's side on Tuesday night, I could not comprehend it. When they went 5-0 up. I was left thinking 'is this really happening?' It was just so easy for Liverpool to play through the Italian side and it was totally contrary to what we are used to seeing in the semi-finals of the Champions League. With my school of thinking - and I have won the European Cup - that normally doesn't happen at this stage of the competition. It shouldn't do. Salah puts Liverpool 1-0 up
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2018-04-26 02:00:00
Jorge Mendes: No Wolves punishment from EFL over link with super agent
Championship winners Wolves have had their relationship with super agent Jorge Mendes approved by the EFL, who say he "holds no role at the club". Wolves were invited to meet with the EFL over the close bond between club owners Fosun and Mendes, following criticism from Championship rivals. But the EFL have made a comprehensive review of details provided by Wolves. And they have concluded that "there is no requirement" for Mendes to submit to the owners' and directors' test. As well as Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, Mendes acts for Wolves head coach Nuno and two of the club's fellow Portuguese star players, Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota. The EFL findings said that Mendes should not be categorised as a 'relevant person' because he does not have the powers of a director or senior official at the club. A 'relevant person' can also be someone who has control over the affairs of the club. Wolves have issued a statement saying that they hope that the EFL's findings "will bring to a conclusion any speculation surrounding the club's operation". Chief executive Laurie Dalrymple told BBC WM last week: "As far as we're concerned, we've not operated outside the rules. We think we've operated shrewdly and we think we've done our business well. "That would be a principle that would stand up to scrutiny not only in the EFL but also in the Premier League."
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2018-04-26 02:00:00
Celtic v Rangers: Alex McLeish calls for Old Firm 'decorum' in possible title decider
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow Date: Sunday, 29 April Kick-off: 12:00 BST Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland, text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app, highlights on BBC Two Scotland from 18:00 BST. Scotland manager Alex McLeish has called on Celtic and Rangers supporters to show "dignity" and "decorum" when they meet for a final time this season. Sunday's Premiership clash between the two Glasgow rivals at Celtic Park could seal the hosts a seventh successive title. "They are two powerful clubs, with two fantastic supports," McLeish said. "But they have to show dignity in these games. Win, lose or draw, they have to show decorum and enjoy the spectacle." Celtic could have clinched the title in the first of their post-split fixtures but were beaten 2-1 by Hibernian last weekend.