Key events
A first email of the morning has dropped from Krishnamoorthy:
I often feel the supporters of the mid-table teams have a simpler life. Imaging being a Gunner this season. The usual euphoria around Christmas times, fate lurking behind you with a lead pipe in February and March, the insane capacity to self-implode in April and the nerve shredding May where a bald assassin hangs you upside down and inflicts one small cut after another till you drain out completely. Reset and repeat all over again next season. Better be a Leicester fan who can celebrate a random Premier League win and then vanish happily into the Championship and go further down.
I was going to say, Leicester have been anything but mid-table in recent years. And some Foxes’ fans might disagree with that notion.
Mbappé denies Arbeola rift but says he is ‘fourth choice’ at Madrid
Kylian Mbappé says he is now the fourth-choice forward at Real Madrid after manager Álvaro Arbeloa left him out of the starting lineup for their 2-0 win over Real Oviedo last night. The Frenchman, who missed Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Barcelona and was booed by his own fans on his return from a hamstring injury, came off the bench in the 68th minute after Arbeloa opted to play Vinicius Junior and Gonzalo Garcia in attack.
Mbappé told reporters fitness was not an issue. “I’m 100% fine. I haven’t played because for the coach I’ve been the fourth striker in the squad behind [Franco] Mastantuono, Vini and Gonzalo,” he said. “I was ready to start, it’s his decision and it always has to be respected. I have no problem at all with Arbeloa. You have to accept the coach’s philosophy and I have to do better to play ahead of Vini, Gonzalo and Mastantuono.“
Mbappé has faced criticism from fans for travelling to Sardinia while recovering from his injury, though he said Real authorised that trip. Arbeloa said there was no way he could start Mbappé after he missed the Barcelona match and dismissed the suggestion he had told the Frenchman he was fourth choice.
“I had a conversation with him before the game and I don’t know what he could have interpreted,” said Arbeloa. “For me it is very clear that a player who four days ago could not be on the bench [against Barcelona], today should not start. Especially because it’s not a final, it’s not a game of life or death.” Arbeloa added that Mbappé would start Real’s next match at Sevilla on Sunday.
Fletcher slams FA Youth Cup final as ‘Man City parade’
Manchester United under-18s manager Darren Fletcher has launched a fresh complaint over the staging of the FA Youth Cup final, describing the post-match trophy celebration as a “Man City parade”.
United were already deeply unhappy that the game, which City won 2-1 last night, was played at the Joie Stadium, home of City’s women’s team and academy sides, with City saying the Etihad Stadium was unavailable due to construction work. And after seeing his side lose to a late Reigan Heskey strike, Fletcher was seen complaining during the trophy presentation as City revelled in their fifth FA Youth Cup success.
City’s backroom staff were invited to step up to the podium before the players were individually introduced to the crowd as they went to collect their medals. Fletcher felt it went too far. Responding to a question over the lessons his players will take from watching rivals celebrate, he said: “Not only to watch a team lift a trophy, but to be a Man City parade when it’s an FA Youth Cup final.
“I’ve never heard individual coaches be shouted out, every individual player be shouted out. That doesn’t happen in Cup finals. So I’m disappointed in the FA for everything that’s gone around this game, for the location, for everything. And then our players having to deal with that. But as you say, it’s disappointing. You have to stand there. You have to respect the opposition. But not when Man City take over an FA Youth Cup. It’s an FA competition. It should never have been like that.”
Asked if the FA needed to take more ownership of this 74-year-old competition he said: “It’s an FA competition and it felt like it was a Man City competition for this whole buildup to the game in terms of how we had to deal with that at the end there.”
We’ll start with a plug to our 10 things to look out for this weekend, which of course includes the FA Cup final. Manchester City have lost the last two cup finals, while Chelsea were runners-up on three successive occasions in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Something’s got to give.
Preamble
What a week it’s been in football. We’ve got the playoff ‘spygate’ scandal, some genuinely superb on-field playoff drama in the EFL, and the small matter of the closest Premier League title race in years going on as well, by the way.
Last night Bolton booked their spot in the League One playoff final after beating Bradford 2-0 over two legs; they’ll face Stockport in an all-Greater Manchester Wembley showpiece. Who knows who Hull will face in the Championship equivalent …
Tonight in the top flight, Aston Villa host Liverpool in a game that may determine who finishes fourth, while Newcastle v West Ham and Arsenal v Burnley on Sunday are games that will have huge ramifications at the top and bottom ends of the Premier league table. Sandwiched between on Saturday is the small matter of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City, while the Scottish Premiership is primed to come to a thrilling denouement with an effective title playoff between Celtic and Hearts. Good grief that will be some game.
As always on Fridays, we’re here with all your buildup, which includes team news, press conference bits and bobs and all our preview pieces. Please do drop me an email to join the conversation. It should be a busy ol’ day.
