1. ‘Why should I not express what I feel?’
A defiant Pep Guardiola has defended his right to condemn Israel’s attacks on Gaza after being told to “focus on football” by a Jewish group in Manchester. Manchester City’s manager spoke out earlier in the week and is refusing to be silenced.
“I didn’t say anything special. I don’t feel that. Why should I not express what I feel? Just because I’m a manager,” said Guardiola. “I don’t agree but I respect all opinions. What I said basically is how many conflicts there are right now all around the world. I condemn all of them. If innocent people are killed, I condemn them all – not this country being more than the other one.”
On Tuesday Guardiola named Sudan, Palestine and Ukraine when talking about the killing of innocent victims in conflict. “The genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine, what happened all around the world – in Sudan, everywhere. What happened in front of us? Do you want to see it? It’s our problem as human beings,” the 55-year-old said.
He also gave a speech in support of Palestinian children at a charity event in Barcelona. Yet in a statement posted on X and its website the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region said: “We have repeatedly asked for prominent individuals to be mindful about the words they use given how Jewish people have had to endure attacks across the globe. Pep Guardiola is a football manager. Whilst his humanitarian reflections may be well-intentioned, he should focus on football.
“Manchester City is being let down by him repeatedly straying into commentary on international affairs. This is the second time in a week he has decided to offer his controversial views on the Middle East conflict.
“It’s especially galling given his total failure to use his significant platform to display any solidarity with the Jewish community subjected to a terrorist attack a few miles from the Etihad Stadium or the Barcelona community reeling from anti-Semitic violence close to where he once engaged in remarks we believe to be provocative.”
Guardiola takes City to Liverpool for Sunday’s late kick-off with Erling Haaland having scored just once from open play in 10 appearances. Haaland was dropped for Wednesday’s 3-1 Carabao Cup semi-final win over Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium, again failing to score as a late substitute. Omar Marmoush, who replaced him, scored twice yet Guardiola has backed Haaland, saying: “Erling is the best striker in the world.” He added: “I don’t know if he plays at Liverpool but I always say Erling is the best.”
Antoine Semenyo is aiming to extend his scoring sequence of four goals in six appearances since joining from Bournemouth in January. The forward has scored 14 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions this season and wants to be as prolific as Haaland.
He said: “I have expectations for myself so coming here I knew there was going to be that pressure of scoring the same goals as Erling, but I feel like I’ve given myself those goals at the start of the season to compete with players of his stature. Being on the same team [as him] is a blessing. It’s [goalscoring] something that is in my blood and my DNA and I just want to keep going.”
Bernardo Silva is facing a fitness test before City face Liverpool at Anfield. Jamie Jackson
2. Arteta says sorry for crossing the line
Mikel Arteta has apologised to Liam Rosenior for any disruption caused to Chelsea’s warm-up before their Carabao Cup semi-final and insisted he will not be drawn into a war of words with any managers who might try to derail Arsenal’s title challenge.
Rosenior was shown on television launching a tirade against an unidentified member of Arsenal’s staff who he felt had strayed into Chelsea’s half of the pitch during the warm-up at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Chelsea’s head coach later said his team not been shown respect and that there were “certain etiquettes in football” to observe.
“I don’t know, it’s his opinion and obviously we respect everybody,” said Arteta when asked about the incident. “If at any point one of the staff members went through that, we apologise and that’s it. It’s very common in football, especially with the keepers because they have to keep long balls and all that, so nothing left to comment.”
Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard are still doubtful for the game against Sunderland on Saturday when Arsenal have an opportunity to move nine points clear at the top before second-placed Manchester City face Liverpool 24 hours later.
Last week, Arteta dismissed suggestions that Pep Guardiola could try to affect his side with “mind games” and he once again insisted it is important not to listen to any outside noise if Arsenal are to achieve their objective. “I would engage with the things that, in my opinion, are relevant for the team, and what is the best for the team and the club,” he said.
Arteta was booked against Chelsea for contesting a decision by the referee – only the second time he has received a yellow card this season. Asked whether it is important to keep your emotions in check if you are a Premier League manager, he said: “I don’t know. Sometimes it’s difficult because you cannot be aware constantly about everything, and we are human beings, and we react to things, so I think it’s normal. I try to be the right example always, and if that’s the intention, that’s OK.” Ed Aarons
3. Howe: ‘My future isn’t relevant’
Eddie Howe has moved to quell speculation he could walk away from Newcastle at the end of the season following a dispiriting run of results. The Carabao Cup holders’ defence of their first major domestic trophy in 70 years ended on Wednesday night when Manchester City completed a 5-1 aggregate semi-final victory over Newcastle, and they head into Saturday’s Premier League fixture with Brentford sitting in 11th place in the table.
However, after social media went into overdrive in the wake of a disappointing first-half performance at the Etihad Stadium to suggest the 48-year-old has taken the club as far as he can, with further speculation that he could replace England manager Thomas Tuchel this summer despite Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson’s claim this week that the two parties remain happy with each other, Howe was in defiant mood.
“That’s a surprise to me,” Howe said: “I give my best to the football club every single day, to all the players and the staff. I try to be the best version of myself to inspire the team to win games. That’s my only thought. I don’t tend to look too far ahead, but I try to prepare and plan for the club to move forward in every sense.
“My individual future isn’t really relevant. Who knows? I don’t know my length of time here, I’ve got no idea. I just try to do my best every day until told differently.”
The loss of £130m striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool during the summer has had a lasting impact, and Howe acknowledges that the £219m they spent on Nick Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey is yet to pay full dividends.
“For me, it’s too early to make strong conclusions from that transfer window. At this moment in time, I’d probably say let’s see where we are at the end of the season, and then even six months into next season, too. I think you’ll have a clearer idea then because you can look back at Lewis Hall’s transfer and go: ‘Well that didn’t work initially,’ but for me that was always a long-term signing.
“That’s also true of various other players we’ve signed through the years – Anthony Gordon also took time to become the player that he is now. Patience is needed, although it’s a rare commodity these days with transfers. I understand that with the outlay, people will go, ‘You shouldn’t need patience and understanding’. But I’d say with most transfers these days, I think there has to be an element of that.” PA Media
4. Carrick pleased with Mainoo impact
Michael Carrick has praised Kobbie Mainoo’s impact at Manchester United and challenged the club’s youngsters to follow in the midfielder’s footsteps. Mainoo has played every minute of the interim head coach’s three matches, having not started any of the first 21 Premier League games under his predecessor Ruben Amorim.
Mainoo will start again when United host Tottenham on Saturday lunchtime, as Carrick looks to maintain his 100% record. Despite being handed the job only until the end of the season, Carrick has incorporated a number of academy prospects in training to show there is a pathway to the first team, after Amorim was reluctant to select homegrown products.
“I’ve known Kobbie to start with, and what he can bring to the team,” Carrick said of the academy graduate. “It was just my thoughts to put him into the team and I thought he would give us an awful lot. From the club’s point of view, it’s an ideal scenario to bring players through the academy and have them in the team and have them go through their career at this club and stay in and around it.”
Carrick called up the 15-year-old JJ Gabriel to take part in training this week alongside Jack Moorhouse, Yuel Helafu and the brothers Tyler and Jack Fletcher. They are working under the assistant coach Travis Binnion, who was the Under-21s manager until Amorim’s departure and has overseen the development of the club’s best talent in recent years, including Mainoo and Shea Lacey.
“I’m not putting everything on Kobbie’s shoulders,” Carrick said. “He’s doing terrific at the moment and I’m sure he’ll continue to be that way. We want more of that; we want more players to come through the system and to get into the first team. For me, there’s no better feeling than giving younger players a chance.”
The new backroom staff was built at short notice but Carrick said: “It feels like we’ve been together an awful much longer than just these three weeks.” The most noticeable appointment was the former Chelsea and England assistant Steve Holland, who – like Carrick – spent time working under José Mourinho
“I learned a lot from José in the five months when I was coaching, even in that, when you see how he works, how he thinks and how he sees players and things and they end up coming off like he predicted at certain times,” Carrick said. “He had a real good eye for that, so there’s certainly that connection.” Carrick said of Holland: “There’s definitely the common kind of factors that help us work together.” Will Unwin
5. Moyes urges Dibling to ‘get angry and make an impression’
David Moyes has said the arrival of Tyrique George at Everton should prompt Tyler Dibling to think “I better get my finger out” and fight for a starting place. Dibling has struggled to make an impression after a £35m move from Southampton last summer and now faces competition from his fellow 19-year-old George, who was signed on an initial loan from Chelsea on deadline day.
George could replace the injured Jack Grealish on Everton’s left but can play across the front line. Asked how Dibling should react to George’s transfer, the Everton manager said: “I’d be thinking: ‘I better get my finger out and show the manager what I was really all about.’
“Tyler is young and he is a quite a quiet boy who might take more time to settle in. Might. But he needs to show when he gets the opportunities. There are little glimpses of him just beginning to get angry, which I am enjoying, just beginning to be someone who might have to get angry to show what he wants to do.
“What we want from him is being direct, taking people on, committing people or the way Jack Grealish does it where he drags the ball and brings people to him and finds a way of not releasing. Are you going to get us some assists, are you going to score some goals? He is just showing little signs that he is heading towards that a bit better.”
Dibling was taken off at half-time on his last start, the 4-2 home defeat by Brentford, and has been mainly restricted to brief substitute appearances. “I think he is more angry with himself,” Moyes said, “because he is realising that ‘If I don’t get my finger out than I am going to get pushed aside here.’ He has more competition but that is what happens in football. If you want to be at the elite end of football then the competition is stiff and you have to live with that.” Andy Hunter
6. Watkins in Villa frame for Vitality
Unai Emery says Ollie Watkins is back available after a hamstring scare as Aston Villa look to get back to winning ways at Bournemouth. The 30-year-old, who has scored eight goals in 33 appearances in all competitions this season, limped off 35 minutes into last Thursday’s Europa League match against RB Salzburg.
Watkins missed the surprise 1-0 home defeat to his former club Brentford but the England international could lead the line at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Asked if the striker would be available at the Vitality Stadium, Villa manager Emery said: “Yes. He rested last week because he had a small injury and he was not ready to play. But this week progressively he was joining us, training normally, and today he trained normally.”
John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara and Andres García remain absent for Villa, who enter the weekend third in the Premier League, seven points behind the leaders Arsenal. January signing Alysson is not ready to make his debut but Amadou Onana could start having been an unused substitute against Brentford. PA Media
7. Iraola says performances not transfers are key
Andoni Iraola rejected suggestions the club’s January transfer window will have any bearing on his future at Bournemouth with his contract due to expire in the summer. The Cherries lost Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City last month but brought in Alex Toth, Rayan and Ademide Solanke as well as goalkeepers Fraser Forster and Christos Mandas.
With the club continuing to build a young core, Iraola was asked before Saturday’s match against Aston Villa if they would make it more difficult for him to potentially walk away in the summer. “You are making it sound like I am like almost testing the club, sign very good players so I can stay,” Iraola said in response.
“And from my side, it’s not like this. I think I try to help the club to sign the better players we can. And we’ve tried to do this in the winter market. Some players we haven’t been able to sign, others yes, like in every market. And now the market is not the important thing for me. The important thing is the performances, how we build a team, how we play games, how we can continue getting points. And this is the substantial part.” PA Media
