1. De Zerbi: Spurs ‘have to play, have to fight’ at Villa Park
Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that Dominic Solanke will miss Tottenham’s upcoming match against Aston Villa on Sunday and remains uncertain if the striker will play again this season as Spurs fight to avoid relegation. Despite a challenging injury list that sidelines at least eight players, De Zerbi refuses to dwell on setbacks, emphasizing that a win at Villa Park would not be a "miracle" but a result of the squad’s quality and determination.
De Zerbi’s first victory with Tottenham came last Saturday with a 1-0 win at Wolves, ending a 16-game Premier League winless streak. However, the triumph was overshadowed by injuries to Solanke (hamstring) and Xavi Simons, who suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
The manager also reported that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains sidelined following hernia surgery, and James Maddison is unlikely to start but may be included on the bench for his leadership. On a positive note, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr are expected to return. Other injured players include Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, and Wilson Odobert.
De Zerbi’s message was resolute, rejecting excuses and negativity. He urged everyone connected with the club to focus on the talent available and maintain a positive mindset.
“The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us, inside the players, the staff and the fans,” De Zerbi said. “This voice can produce negative thoughts. The voice says: ‘We are unlucky, we have too many injuries, we lost Xavi Simons – one of our best players in the last two games – our medical staff is not good enough, the pitch of the stadium is not good, the pitch of the training ground is not good. It is impossible to win two or three games in a row because we have not won too many games in 2026.’
“It is all negative things. And it is rubbish. If Tottenham win in Villa Park, it is not a miracle. We have the quality to win. If Solanke and Xavi are injured, we can play with [Randal] Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel, Richarlison and they are not worse players. They are different as characters but are very good players. We have Pedro Porro, we have Udogie, we have Micky van de Ven, we have [Rodrigo] Bentancur, we have Palhinha, we have [Conor] Gallagher.
“I have heard: ‘It is impossible, we are crying and we are relegated.’ But no. Not yet. We have to die on the pitch and to die on the pitch, we have to lose the game. Before we lose the game we have to play, we have to fight. It is a tough moment but the losers cry. The losers think negative. I don’t want people close to me crying or thinking in different way to me.”
When asked if Solanke would return this season, De Zerbi replied,
“I don’t know yet. For Villa, no, for sure. And then we will see.”With Vicario still recovering, Antonin Kinsky, who impressed at Wolves, will continue as goalkeeper.
2. Slot accepts pressure as Salah says he is ‘at peace’ with exit
Arne Slot acknowledged that Liverpool must prove their worth in the final four games of the season, as previous achievements do not guarantee job security. Liverpool are aiming to secure Champions League qualification after three consecutive Premier League wins and could move above Manchester United into third place with a victory at Old Trafford on Sunday. However, Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s record goalscorer against United, will miss the match.
Slot recognizes that even securing Champions League football will not eliminate scrutiny following a disappointing season and stressed the need for continued improvement with upcoming matches against Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Brentford.
“We as a team still have something to prove and I am part of the team, so that means I have something to prove as well,” Slot said.
“It is up to others to judge if a quarter-final place in the Champions League has been good or bad. We lost to PSG twice in a row. They are the best team in Europe at the moment in my opinion. Is it a reality to go through the league and the cups with the amount of players we have [injured]? I have a certain opinion about that and the way I say it gives you an impression of how I feel about it, but I haven’t said it.”
“Do I have to prove myself as Virgil [van Dijk] does? Yes. Virgil has proven himself as one of the best, and Mo. We’ve already shown in the past what we’re able to do. It doesn’t mean that is enough to keep playing every three days or stay in your job. If a player won the Premier League for the last five years he still needs to show up every week to stay in the team. That is how this industry works, so we – and I am part of ‘we’ – have to prove ourselves week after week.”
Salah will miss his final chance to face Manchester United as a Liverpool player, having scored 16 goals in 18 matches against the club. Slot stated that Liverpool’s future signing to replace Salah must complement Alexander Isak, who scored his first league goal for Liverpool recently but has yet to fully integrate due to injuries.
“That is definitely part of thinking about the replacement [for Salah] because since I have been here, and it is the same at a lot of clubs, it is mainly a left-footer on the right and a right-footer on the left. I have seen Alex scoring a lot from crosses which were played right-footed from the right – Trent Alexander-Arnold crosses if you want to call them that – so that is definitely part of how we are looking at things. But we try to sign the best possible available player who we can afford.”
Slot also highlighted the potential of Isak and Florian Wirtz to enhance Liverpool’s attacking threat moving forward.
“Converting chances into goals is something we haven’t done very well throughout this whole season but one of the players [Isak] we always thought could score goals for us was hardly available,” Slot said.
Meanwhile, Salah expressed contentment with his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, emphasizing his readiness to move on on his own terms.
“I feel to go through the season this is the right thing to do now, and I have peace with it,” he said in an interview with former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports.
“The season was tough for all of us… I don’t want to say much. I’m happy about it, everything that is going on this season makes me like ‘No, it’s time to go’, so I’m happy.
“I’m glad that I’m leaving now through a big door as that was something you mentioned to me – ‘leave on your own terms’ – and I still remember those words,” he added. “Honestly I feel I have a lot to give: physically I feel very good, I played many games this season. I didn’t decide yet what I’m going to do, to be fair, I have a lot of options which are good options.”
3. Liverpool clash a ‘different ball game’, says Carrick
Michael Carrick described the upcoming Manchester United versus Liverpool match as a "different ball game," regardless of the teams’ current league standings.
United sit third with 61 points, three points ahead of Liverpool, with both clubs trailing league leaders Arsenal. Despite the fixture’s diminished intensity this season, Carrick emphasized the historic significance and emotional weight of the rivalry.
“The league position is what it is, but Sunday’s a whole different ball game,” said United’s interim manager. “We are fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us, but that’s not something really we’ve focused on going into this game. It’s a one-off, they’ve got some terrific players, they’re a good team, they won the league last year, and we respect that.
“It’s one of my favourite games – a standout,” added Carrick, who faced Liverpool multiple times during his 12 years as a United player. “There’s big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams, but this one is right up there in the history between us, the ups and downs that have produced excitement and entertainment. And the emotion, which is a huge part of it. It makes it a really special game.
“Irrespective of league positions, over the years of who’s been on top, it’s never really changed the feeling and the emotion and what it means to the supporters. Obviously to come out on top is one of the best feelings you’ll get.”
4. Pereira: Forest may need 43 points to stay up
Nottingham Forest head coach Vítor Pereira has suggested that avoiding relegation this season may require a record 43 points, surpassing West Ham’s 42 points in 2003, the highest tally to date for a relegated team. Despite a five-point cushion above the relegation zone with four games remaining, Pereira cautioned his squad to remain mentally prepared to compete until the final whistle of the campaign.
Forest are currently unbeaten in nine matches across all competitions following their Europa League semi-final first-leg victory over Aston Villa on Thursday. Pereira emphasized the importance of focusing on winning matches rather than relying on other teams’ results.
“I believe [so]. That’s why we need to be mentally ready to compete until the last minute of the last game. I don’t know how many points [we will need] because I think this season, it will be a special season in terms of points to avoid relegation. It is better to try to win every game, not wait for other results.”
Forest face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday aiming to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches. West Ham and Tottenham’s upcoming fixtures have drawn Pereira’s attention, but he joked about the stress of watching rivals’ games.
“Do they play [at] lunchtime or dinner time?” Pereira said. “Because if they play at lunchtime, and I watch the game, maybe I won’t have a good lunch. [I will have] indigestion. I cannot suffer the results of the other teams. I prefer to have a good lunch. I prefer to have a good dinner.”
5. Troubled Chelsea ‘can still attract top managers’
Interim Chelsea manager Calum McFarlane maintains that despite the club’s recent instability, Chelsea remains an attractive destination for top managerial candidates. McFarlane is serving his second stint as interim manager this season following the dismissal of Liam Rosenior on 22 April, who had replaced Enzo Maresca earlier in January.
Since the BlueCo ownership takeover in 2022, Chelsea have appointed five permanent managers, with eight different managers in total over the past decade, excluding interim appointments. This turnover presents a challenge for owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali as they seek a new permanent manager.
Nonetheless, McFarlane emphasized the club’s appeal, highlighting its rich history, world-class players, and excellent facilities.
“I don’t think I have to sell that in all honesty, it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world, with a great history of winning,” he said. “We’ve got some unbelievable players, some of the best players in the world, great training facilities. You’ve got everything you could want.”
Chelsea have been linked with candidates such as Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, and former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso. However, failure to qualify for the Champions League could hinder their recruitment efforts.
Currently eighth in the Premier League and 10 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa with four games remaining, Chelsea must continue winning to maintain hopes of European qualification, starting with Monday’s home match against Nottingham Forest.
“We just have to keep winning our games. The mood has been lifted after a recent run of losses,” McFarlane said.
Addressing reports of discord within the squad during Rosenior’s tenure, McFarlane pointed to players’ recent group activities as evidence of team unity.
“It says a lot of the group that they go away together. I love that they spend time together,” he said. “They went to Madrid to watch tennis, I don’t see an issue. It is positive sign for the unity of the group.”
