Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss says timing of exit announcement 'not my decision'
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the timing of the announcement of his departure from the club after nearly 22 years "was not really my decision". It was announced on Friday that the 68-year-old Frenchman will leave the club at the end of the season, despite having a year left on his contract. Speaking before Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid, Wenger said: "I focus on what I have to do every day. "At the moment, I work like ever." Wenger added he would continue to work "for sure" in the future, but was not ready to commit to anything else "at the moment". He was responding to a question from a German journalist who wanted to know why he was "quitting at this moment, before a big game". Later on Wednesday, Wenger moved to clarify he did not have an issue with the timing - just that it was not his decision. "After reaching agreement about my departure, I was happy for the club to decide when to announce. I wish to make it clear the timing of the announcement was right," he said. Arsenal have won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, including the Double in 1998 and 2002, under Wenger.
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2018-04-26 02:00:00
Robot helps Jack McLinden, 14, to be Everton mascot
A 14-year-old Everton fan has made history by becoming football's first "remote" match-day mascot - with the aid of a robot. Jack McLinden, who has multiple health conditions, experienced joining his heroes on the pitch before their game against Newcastle United on Monday. Everton captain Phil Jagielka carried the robot, which fed panoramic live images and sound back to Jack's tablet. A microphone enabled him to chat with players in the Goodison Park tunnel. The robot, called AV1, was made by Norwegian firm No Isolation and was designed to help youngsters with long-term illness battle loneliness and attend school from home. The company has worked with UK charity WellChild to give Liverpool teenager Jack, who has much-reduced mobility, an unforgettable experience. Jack needs oxygen 24 hours a day which means he can never attend a match at Goodison Park, even though he lives just under two miles away. His mother Michelle Wignall said it was a "once in a lifetime experience" for her son.
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2018-04-25 02:00:00
Everton manager Sam Allardyce defended his side's style of football as they laboured to a 1-0 win over Newcastle.
Theo Walcott scored his first goal since January to lift the hosts up to eighth in the Premier League. Some fans have criticised the Toffees' displays under Allardyce, but the former Newcastle boss felt his side played well on Monday. "What was wrong with our style? You can't knock our football," he said to Sky Sports after the match. "You can knock some of our passing that went astray, but you can't knock me for that. I don't pass the ball. "Apart from the last 10 minutes we dominated the game and there was only going to be one winner." A dull first half bore all the hallmarks of an end-of-season, mid-table encounter with goalscoring opportunities at a premium. However, the deadlock was broken soon after the break when Yannick Bolasie's cross deflected off DeAndre Yedlin to Walcott, who took a touch before driving the ball into the roof of the net. The game briefly opened up after that and Newcastle substitute Dwight Gayle should have done better when he hooked a shot over from close range, before Seamus Coleman made an important headed clearance in stoppage time. Ultimately, a lack of quality in the final third proved Newcastle's undoing as they spurned several other opportunities to create something and Everton recorded a first win in four games to move onto 45 points. Newcastle remain in 10th place on 41 points and need just one more point to be mathematically safe from relegation. Football Daily podcast: 'Nothing to get excited about watching Everton' Robot helps 'inspirational' 14-year-old be Everton mascot A win, but is it enough for Everton fans? Allardyce has taken Everton to mid-table safety from just above the relegation zone, but there has been growing discontent among some supporters at what they perceive to be a negative playing style. There were calls for Allardyce to be sacked during the 1-1 draw at Swansea earlier this month, with some fans unhappy with their side's display - and his critics were unlikely to be appeased by this performance. Everton seemed uncertain how to break down a disciplined Newcastle side, while Cenk Tosun found himself far too isolated from his team-mates in attack.
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2018-04-24 02:00:00
Premier League to League One - can you name the 21 teams?
One minute you're top of the pops, the next you're down in the doldrums. Sunderland were a Premier League team last year, but will play in League One next season after being relegated from the Championship. They will become the 22nd club to have played in League One having previously played in the Premier League. But can you name the other 21 in three minutes?
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2018-04-24 02:00:00
No big deal! - Liverpool's Klopp on Salah-AS Roma reunion
Although the German admits it might be a special occasion, he insists it is a 'normal' practice in football to face former sides There is no big deal in Mohamed Salah coming up against AS Roma in Tuesday's Uefa Champions League semi-final tie at Anfield, according to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. The 25-year-old was signed from the Stadio Olimpico outfit - after a successful two-year stint - for a then club record fee, and has gone on to have an awe-inspiring debut campaign with the English Premier League side, scoring 41 goals so far and bagging several individual accolades, recently, the PFA Player of the Year award. Klopp who joined the Reds from Bor And with his star player set to line up against the team he played for last season, the German insists that although it 'feels quite special', it is a 'normal' practice in football. "I think it
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2018-04-24 02:00:00
Harry Maguire: Leicester City boss Claude Puel rules out selling defender
Leicester City manager Claude Puel says England defender Harry Maguire is not for sale despite reported interest from a number of top-six clubs. Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham have all been linked with the 25-year-old summer signing from Hull. But Puel says he wants to "build his team" around the centre-half, who made his England debut against Lithuania in October. "He is a valuable player for us. It is just speculation," said Puel. Maguire joined Leicester for
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2018-04-18 02:00:00
Accrington Stanley clinched promotion to League One for the first time in their history as striker Billy Kee's double saw them beat Yeovil Town.
Kee, the top scorer in League Two, headed in Sean McConville's corner to open the scoring and he added a second with a rebound just moments later. John Coleman's side - unbeaten in 14 matches - also extended their lead at the top of the table to four points. Kee almost had a hat-trick late on, but volleyed in to the side-netting. 'Who are they?' How 'minnows' Accrington conquered League Two A minimum of two wins from their remaining four games would guarantee Stanley the League Two title after 12 consecutive seasons in the division. Third-tier football will be the highest level Stanley have played at since their reformation in 1968, having resigned from the English Football League for financial reasons in 1962. After returning in 2006, the Crown Ground club lost League Two play-off semi-finals in 2011 and 2016 - both under Coleman - yet they finished in the bottom half of the table in all their other seasons since returning. However Coleman, who returned for his second spell in charge in 2014, has now overseen arguably the greatest triumph in the Lancashire outfit's history. He has guided them to 16 wins in their past 19 games to leapfrog all their promotion rivals, with three Stanley players included in the PFA League Two Team of the Year. Jubilant fans invaded the pitch at the full-time whistle, after a game the hosts controlled and could have won by more, McConville having a lob that hit the bar midway through the second half. Visitors Yeovil, who were second best amid the party atmosphere, remain nine points clear of the relegation zone, with three matches to play. Accrington boss John Coleman said: "It's been a tough season. We lost one of our apprentices Jordan Moseley, one of our former directors John Demaine died last week and we wouldn't be where we are now without him. "And it's my late dad's 91st birthday and you would like to think he played a part. "You can't help but get emotional but it's all about the players. They were fantastic against Yeovil, it was 2-0 but it could have been 16-0 as we really turned on the style in the second half. "The fans have come out in their numbers and I am delighted for them. The whole team and staff have worked so hard and we have got our rewards. We will give it a good go in League One, it is a massive achievement. It's absolutely fantastic."
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2018-04-18 02:00:00
Sergio Aguero: Manchester City striker 'to miss a month' after keyhole surgery on knee
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is expected to be out for a month after undergoing keyhole surgery on his knee. The Argentine, 29, has been troubled by the problem for the past five weeks and missed Saturday's 3-1 win at Tottenham. "Recovering from an arthroscopy on my knee. Fully motivated to get back soon to the field," Aguero wrote on Twitter. It is anticipated that Aguero, who has not started a game since City's victory over Chelsea on 4 March, will be fit for Argentina's World Cup campaign. He returned to action as a late substitute in the derby defeat to Manchester United on 7 April, and again appeared as a substitute in the Champions League quarter-final second-leg loss to Liverpool three days later. The knee problem subsequently ruled him out of the victory over Spurs at Wembley. Speaking before that match, City boss Pep Guardiola said he was unsure when Aguero would be fit again. "I don't know if he will be ready for Swansea [on April 22]. Hopefully for the last games, if we need him, and especially for the World Cup."
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2018-04-18 02:00:00
Man City: Bernardo Silva relishes Pep Guardiola's passion
Manchester City's Bernardo Silva says the passion of his manager Pep Guardiola has helped him make a success of his debut season in England. Silva has won the Premier League and EFL Cup in his first year at City. "He has this big passion for the game, that is why he is so active on the touchline," said Silva, 23, a
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2018-04-18 02:00:00
Sam Allardyce: Everton send survey to fans asking to rate manager
Everton have sent a survey to a group of supporters asking them to rate manager Sam Allardyce's performance on a scale of zero to 10. The survey is part of an exercise with a fan panel designed to discover how connected they feel to the club. Fans are asked to rate the statement: "I have a high level of trust in the current manager and coaching staff... e.g. in making the right decisions to get the best out of the team." Allardyce, 63, took charge in November. He has guided Everton to ninth in the Premier League after taking 27 points from 20 games, but there has been growing discontent among some supporters over what they perceive as a negative playing style. Allardyce suffered abuse from supporters during and after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Swansea City, having been subjected to similar treatment after the defeat at Burnley in early March.