Recap Monday's football news as the Premier League season enters final week with Man City and Arsenal going for the title
Postecoglou: 'People are allowed to feel the way they do'
Guardiola: 'We are trying to do something special'
Man City play game in hand against Tottenham on Tuesday
Arsenal beat Man Utd 1-0 to take Premier League title race to final game
Bournemouth manager Iraola signs new contract
Arsenal forward Miedema to leave club at the end of the season
Aston Villa can secure Champions League football by beating Liverpool on Monday (20:00 BST)
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Bobbie Jackson, Grace Wheeler and Sam Drury
Thank you for joining us today and for all your messages on whether you'd take a loss to deny your biggest rival the title.
Ange Postecoglou made it clear today that he and his Tottenham team have no intention whatsoever of easing off against Manchester City, though.
Pep Guardiola insists he is expecting a tough game but wants his side to "do something special".
Meanwhile, Aston Villa take on Liverpool tonight knowing that a win would secure Champions League football.
We'll be back tomorrow morning but until then, here are a few football stories to keep you going…
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Come on you Spurs! Help your north London neighbours out and hand them the trophy. We’ll owe you one, whenever you’re next going for a premier league (ha!)
Grover, London
Aston Villa v Liverpool (20:00 BST)
Chris Sutton
Former Celtic striker
Aston Villa need one win from their last two games to be sure of fourth spot. I am not sure they will get it here but they probably won't need it, because Spurs are not going to catch them now.
I am not convinced by Liverpool either, but they always create chances and there should be a few goals in this one.
Sutton's prediction: 2-2
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The idea that someone could actively support another team against their own shows how toxic football culture has gotten these days, how can hate for another outweighs love for your own? Does it ever so slightly ease the burden of losing, maybe. But to me, the idea that someone could actively cheer for another team is ludicrous.
Rory, Hertfordshire
As an Arsenal fan the idea that spurs might win a title is not something I’ve ever had to consider, then I’m only 61!
Anon
Aston Villa v Liverpool (Mon, 20:00 BST)
Liverpool
Tonight's game will be Jurgen Klopp's penultimate match as Liverpool manager is against Aston Villa at Villa Park, a ground where his team has had contrasting fortunes in recent seasons.
Read the article here.
Stats and facts:
Keep up to date with Liverpool's latest news here.
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Throwing a game, or not properly trying, is absolute loser mentality and embarrassing. Thank goodness for Spurs that the club is run by real professionals and not Twitter football ‘pundits’.
Lewis, Plymouth
I don't take social media seriously. As a Spurs fan I'm with Ange – win every game you can and what else will be will be.
Steve, Guildford
Aston Villa v Liverpool (20:00 BST)
Aston Villa
Tonight is Aston Villa's last home game of an incredible season.
If Villa win, they will qualify for the Champions League next season.
Stats and facts:
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has extended his contract with the club until 2027. Read the full article here.
Keep up to date with Aston Villa's latest news here.
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As an Everton fan, I would totally take a loss to prevent Liverpool winning the league. Of course, losses for us are pretty easy to come by these days, so it's probably not really saying much. The bigger question would be if Liverpool would take a loss to relegate us.
Grant
Aston Villa v Liverpool (20:00 BST)
Neil Lennon
Former Celtic manager on BBC 5 Live
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Villa have made small steps in the right direction.
"If they make Champions League football by finishing fourth then they will surely invest in the summer, they are a little light for where they want to get to at the moment.
"It has been a great campaign but they have come up short against a great team tonight."
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As a football fan I love Ange Postecoglou's honest attitude to winning and losing. Unfortunately, you will never hear Guardiola or Arteta speaking with the same honesty. For them it is winning or losing and they don't give an inch.
Anon
Well I'm a Spurs fan that definitely does not want us to lose tomorrow, although I think we will sadly as City are just too strong for us. Sorry Arsenal.
Hannah, London
Aston Villa v Liverpool (20:00 BST)
Of course, another aspect to the dilemma for Spurs fans is that, by the time they kick-off against Manchester City, their hopes of making the top four could be over.
That would require Aston Villa to beat Liverpool at Villa Park tonight.
Champions League qualification would be some achievement for Unai Emery's side at the end of a terrific campaign.
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JournoLee: As a Spurs fan, I want us to try to win against Man City tomorrow regardless of what it does to Arsenal. If the players don't bother to try because it hurts Arsenal, it would be unprofessional and an insult to the fans that pay extortionate prices to go to the match.
Simon there, taking inspiration from Roy Keane…
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If Palace were in Spurs position needing a point to guarantee European football then I'd expect us to do our job to get the minimum 1 point. Other teams problems are theirs. Do your own job.
Simon, Berkshire
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Coley: Hi Phil. Absolutely loving your Monday Q and A. Either of Arsenal or Man City will be very worthy champions after another thrilling Premier League season. I think Liverpool's challenge was severely dented by two crucial VAR decisions in critical matches at Anfield, Doku's 'chest high' boot and Odegard's 'handball'.
I think the potential points swings and momentum from those games were hugely significant, definitely for LFC and could have been for the other challengers. VAR didn't point the referee to the TV monitor in either case. I think the way our beautiful game is officiated overall, interpretation of rules, refereeing and VAR and its interpreters, needs reviewing and overhauling ASAP, do you agree?
Thanks for you kind words, Coley. I was at both of those Liverpool games against Arsenal and Manchester City and was astonished those penalties were not awarded. You can add Luis Diaz’s “goal” against Spurs to that list.
As for VAR, I’ve made my feelings very clear on this. I think it has been used very badly in this country. It lacks communication, takes too long, is too invasive and now it seems they are almost looking for reasons to disallow goals. It has sucked the joy out of the game, with no-one even sure whether to celebrate a goal any more.
It needs seriously looking at. I’d be happy with goal-line technology and automated offside while this is done.
Other opinions are available – but that’s mine.
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Surely, the question is should a team be relying on other results? Whatever to outcome tonight, Spurs need a point to guarantee Europa League. That will be in the player's minds (or possibly CL). Not doing a favour for anyone. If City win it will be because they deserve it, not that it was given to them. I wouldn't be upset if that was the outcome but it's not my priority. COYS!
Michael in Lincolnshire
People thinking that Spurs have a choice to win or lose the game tonight… City are beating every team at the moment. Spurs won’t be losing on purpose, they’ll be losing because it’s inevitable.
Anon
Elizabeth Conway
BBC Newsbeat sports reporter
What do you eat if you’re a goal scorer in an FA Cup final at Wembley?
Well, BBC Newsbeat has been to the Union Arms in Greater Manchester (not for lunch), but because it’s the local pub of Manchester United’s Ella Toone.
The attacker stole the show during United’s 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, scoring a screamer.
“It depends on what day of the week it is,” pub owner Sharon Mattin tells Newsbeat.
“Usually, if she’s finished a football match, it will be chicken, bacon, barbecue sauce and melted cheese baguette.”
Sharon has promised to ask Ella if she can change the name of the sandwich to officially be: The Ella Toone Sandwich.
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I understand this dilemma for the Spurs/Arsenal fans. I remember being at Anfield for the final game of the season in 1995… Jamie Redknapp scored a late free-kick to beat league leaders Blackburn Rovers and potentially hand the title to Man Utd… but Utd could only draw with West Ham & Blackburn won the league. A win/win situation is possible.
Paul
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Anon: Hi Phil, I wondered what you made of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's decision not to attend the women's FA Cup final? Personally I was disappointed and it seemed an easy PR win too. I know Manchester United v Arsenal is a big game but it was pretty much meaningless for his side. It would have been a good statement of what was to come.
In my opinion this was a mistake.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe should have been at Wembley watching Manchester United win the women’s FA Cup for the first time unless there were very pressing strategic reasons why he was not there and unavoidable commitments at Old Trafford.
This may, of course, have been the case.
Ratcliffe did meet Labour leader and Arsenal fan Sir Keir Starmer at which a new stadium would have been discussed along with Lord Coe, chair of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force.
This may have been the reason behind Ratcliffe’s absence from Wembley, because the Arsenal game was not vital. It was certainly a pity he was not at Wembley to see United’s victory there and would have been a great show of support for the women’s team.
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I've been going to Spurs for more than 70 years and I love them to bits. If those others win the league, so be it – I just can't bring myself to want to lose a match. Let's face it, we are probably going to lose anyway, whether we try or not. I suppose the best outcome would be to play really well and just lose a very close match with pride.
Allan
Last Updated 16th May 2024 at 02:14
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