Key events
Suzanne Wrack
Do you have a sense of how the WSL is perceived across Europe? Does England need a Champions League winner to elevate the WSL to be seen as equal to France and Spain or is it more complicated than that?
Great question. It’s hard to say how it is perceived. A UWCL winner would elevate the standing of the WSL for sure. The issue the WSL has is it is an incredibly competitive league and that makes it hard for teams competing in the UWCL to focus on it in the way that teams like Lyon and Barcelona can.
I think it’s wrong for those leagues to be described as farmers’ leagues, but there is an appalling disinterest from their respective federations that doesn’t help inspire investment at club level. A supportive FA, and now the WPLL, in England has had a huge impact, driving standards and making it a desirable place for players to come and play.
Suzanne Wrack
Who are some players to watch out for next season?
Really hard to say until we see what happens in the summer but I’m excited to see what West Ham’s Shekiera Martinez can do across a full season. Nelly Las has really started to shine at Leicester, despite only being 17. Michelle Agyemang will (hopefully) be back at Arsenal following her loan spell with Brighton and is a phenomenal talent.
Naomi Girma has copped some flack for her slow start at Chelsea but she came in during her off season and at a critical point of Chelsea’s and has taken some time to get used to things. However, she is still one of the best and most highly-rated centre-backs in the world and I expect that to be on show next season.
Liverpool v Arsenal (Sunday, 4.30pm)
Mikel Arteta wants the pain of performing a guard of honour for Liverpool to act as Arsenal’s motivation to beat their rivals to the Premier League title next season. Arteta’s players will stand and applaud the champions before Sunday’s fixture at Anfield, only four days after they were eliminated from the Champions League by Paris St Germain. The Gunners’ five-year wait for silverware goes on.
Addressing the guard of honour, Arteta said: “Something has to drive you, to motivate you and pain is probably a good one to use when you don’t really want to do something, but it’s the right thing to do and then use that as a motivation for next season. But they [Liverpool] deserve that guard of honour because they have been the best team and they fully deserve it. When somebody is better, you have to applaud and accept it and try to reach that level.” Guardian Sport
Suzanne Wrack
It’s sad to see the mass exodus of players from Brighton after a strong season under Dario Vidosic. Have you heard any reasoning behind this? And what does it mean for the trajectory of the club?
It’s the problem every club sat just outside the top four has: how do you build a team capable of stepping up a level and disrupting that top three or four? Aston Villa and Tottenham have both tried and failed in recent years. You need to strike the right balance between turnover, which can be disruptive to a team’s rhythm, and holding on to that rhythm that has got you to the position you’re in.
Looking at the players leaving, there is some real talent there, but if Brighton have top-four ambitions then they will have identified the areas of the pitch they can improve. They’ve got a great set up and a committed owner so we’ll see investment in the playing squad.
Suzanne Wrack
Will the WSL be expanding the number of teams in the next seasons?
Not next season, just London City Lionesses are coming up, but I’m confident that we’ll see promotion grow to two teams as the WPLL (Women’s Professional Leagues Limited) look to expand the WSL and Championship in the next five years. To what size? I’m not sure, but I think a 16-team WSL is definitely on the cards.
WSL final day clockwatch
The last round of WSL fixtures kick off at 12.30pm, with most eyes on Stamford Bridge and the Emirates. Emillia Hawkins has the dubious but ultimately rewarding task of trying to follow six games simultaneously.
Suzanne Wrack
Chelsea have just won their sixth title in a row. The first five were all very tight but this season they ran away with it. What do you put that down to?
The obvious answer is, ‘Look at the L column in the table’. Chelsea haven’t lost a single game. In recent years the top teams have taken more points off each other; that happened less this season.
Chelsea haven’t always played the prettiest football but they have a plan B and plan C if things aren’t going their way and find a way. That’s (to be cliched) the mark of champions.
They were also helped by Arsenal’s rubbish start to the season under Jonas Eidevall and Manchester City’s injury woes, which meant that two of the traditional top three were disappointing at times.
Suzanne Wrack
Who’s been your WSL player of the season?
Really hard one. There’s been a few standouts. In terms of levels raised, I think Alessia Russo has been outstanding. In terms of just being brilliant, consistently, Mariona Caldentey. From the champions? I think Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert have been superb.
Another plug for Aaron Bower’s excellent piece on the 40th anniversary of the Valley Parade fire. The level of horror is almost beyond comprehension.
Mike Harrison is editor of the City Gent, the longest-running fanzine in the UK. He was at Valley Parade on 11 May 1985 and one of many who helped. “I have mental scars, but we did anything and everything that summer. Sponsored walks, putting money in the box at the chippy … there was such a dark cloud over the city.
“The good that came out of that tragedy, if that is such a thing, was the sense of community Bradford has. In its darkest times, it always rallies. We were in the news, but eventually something else takes the headlines. That is where Bradford as a city shone for me. We were left to look after ourselves, but we did that.”
If Arsenal do beat Barcelona in the Champions League final, what could be the knock-on effect for the WSL?
Great question. Arsenal would automatically qualify for the League phase alongside Chelsea for next season’s Champions League. Other than that, there is no change. Manchester United would, if they beat Arsenal today and finish second, still go into the second round of qualifying, with no WSL team replacing Arsenal in the first round of qualifying (the English league’s coefficient isn’t high enough). If United finish third, they would still go into the first round of qualifying, with another league (with a high coefficient) gaining Arsenal’s spot in the second round of qualifying.
Suzanne Wrack
Which WSL team has made the biggest progress this season?
The first half of the season and the second look very different in this respect. First half, Brighton were incredible, particularly under a new manager and having had a high turnover of players. Second half of the season, West Ham, powered by Shekiera Martinez, have looked really sharp and have a good balance to the team.
Across the whole season? Manchester United. Their consistency, performance and results have been really strong and a third successive FA Cup final appearance is nothing to be sniffed at. A result today against Arsenal to secure second place would be huge.
On this day in 1981… an almighty controversy in Serie A
This is taken from an old Joy of Six on title deciders.
No list of title deciders would be complete without a dubious refereeing performance. There’s only one place to start and finish: in Turin. Juventus were stripped of a couple of titles in the mid-2000s. In the eyes of many non-Juve fans, the titles of 1981 and 1998 will always have an asterisk against them. The latter came after a wildly controversial 1-0 win against second-placed Internazionale, who weren’t given a penalty when Ronaldo was flattened in the box by Mark Iuliano. That doesn’t have its own paeg on Wikipedia, mind you. Turone’s goal does.
With three games to go of the 1980-81 season, Juventus led Roma by a point as the two prepared to face each other in Turin. A poor game was apparently decided when the Roma sweeper Maurizio Turone headed in after 74 minutes. He was halfway through a full Tardelli when he realised he had been given offside.
You can read a bit more about it here. In 2012, when I wrote the above, I was convinced it was the wrong decision; I’m not quite so sure now.
Suzanne Wrack
How concerned should we be about the gap between the top four and the rest? Do you see it getting bigger or smaller over the next five years?
Should we be concerned? For sure, there’s a clear gap in the commitment of the top four and the rest (at board/leadership level). However, there are things that could force clubs who tend to coast a little.
The arrival of London City Lionesses with big-spending Michelle Kang at the helm will mean that relegation of the club coming up from the Championship is not guaranteed. Meanwhile, there are other Championship clubs chomping at the bit to come up (Birmingham sooner rather than later).
Hopefully, that will force the hand of mid- and lower-table clubs. It doesn’t take a huge investment to put together a competitive team in the WSL, but that bar will get higher and higher so they should get on it now.
WSL Q&A klaxon!
We’re about to start our WSL Q&A with Suzanne Wrack. Any questions? Post them BTL or email matchday.live@theguardian.com
A reminder of today’s big games in England
Premier League (all 3pm kick-offs unless stated)
Women’s Super League (all 12.30pm kick-offs)
EFL playoffs
Leyton Orient v Stockport (League One, 12.30pm)
Notts County v AFC Wimbledon (League Two, 8pm)
Bristol Pity (part two)
Bristol City are too good.
It’s about the bottom line, Wrexham were bought for around £2 million when they were in the conference, they’re now estimated to be worth around £150 m to a buyer. Possibly overvalued, and Wrexham have done it by spending more than the clubs around them on salaries and transfers (still under £20 million total and much it from high profile sponsorships). That’s still an amazing percentage return on investment that owners wouldn’t get buying an existing mid-table Championship club. The fact is, the advantages of the premier league parachute payments make clubs like Burnley or Leeds (or Sheffield United) a much less risky investment, even when a higher price tag is attached.
On this day in 1998, Everton avoid relegation by the skin of their teeth for the second time in five seasons. Their unlikely hero was an understated Irish midfielder.
Next Gen Cup on hold due to Kashmir crisis
The Premier League has postponed a major youth tournament in Mumbai against a backdrop of military conflict between India and Pakistan, with under-19 teams from Ipswich, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest stood down from travelling to next weekend’s Next Gen Cup.
Teams from the Premier League, Indian Super League and South Africa were due to take part in the sixth edition of the event but in the wake of the Indian Premier League being suspended the decision has been taken to scrap this year’s edition. Guardian Sport
Sports quiz of the week
An acceptable 11/16 for me.
On this day in 2000… Valencia reach their first Champions League final
A reminder we’ll have a WSL Q&A with Suzanne Wrack at 11am. She’s at the Emirates for the big game between Arsenal and Manchester United. You can email your questions to matchday.live@theguardian.com or post them below the line.
Fantasy Football watch
The FPL deadline is 1.30pm, 90 minutes before the Premier League weekend begins. For what it’s worth – the square root of bugger all – this is what I’ve done with my team.
Cole Palmer was a delight against Liverpool and should now end the season strongly, so I’ve bought him in place of Mo Salah, whose season has gone flat since it became obvious Liverpool were going to win the league. Salah has always been a much better player when there is jeopardy.
I had a few transfers in the bank so I’ve signed Trent Alexander-Arnold. I need differentials as I’m languishing in the Smyth family league, and Trent’s ego (I don’t use that word pejoratively) is such that he’ll be trying all sorts in the last few games. There’s a good chance he’ll pick up goals and assists, maybe even the odd clean sheet.
I’m tempted to bring in Yoane Wissa for Jean-Philippe Mateta. He’s in form, Brentford are rampant and have a decent run-in and Crystal Palace have one eye on the FA Cup final.
Other potential signings. Goalkeepers Mark Flekken (£4.4m), Ederson (£5.3m) Defenders Rayan Ait-Nouri (£5.1m), Ian Maatsen (£4.5m), Ruben Dias (£5.5m), Ryan Sessegnon (£4.2m) Midfielders Bryan Mbeumo (£8.2m), Mason Mount (£6.3m), Amad Diallo (£5.3m), Kevin Schade (£5.2m), Julio Enciso (£5.4m) Forwards Cunha (£7.1m), Jamie Vardy (£5.3m), Evanilson (£5.8m)
Who will you be buying and selling? Or did you give up in mid-March when you realised you couldn’t win? Let us know below the line or by emailing matchday.live@theguardian.com
Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Sunday, 2.15pm)
Tottenham could be boosted by the return of captain Son Heung-min for Sunday’s visit of Crystal Palace.
Son has missed Spurs’ last seven matches with a foot injury, but will aim to start his comeback trail ahead of this month’s Europa League final with Manchester United.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou said: “Half hopeful we get Sonny some minutes tomorrow, so he’ll be the only one who can come back in.”
Title decider in Portugal
Sporting and Benfica lock horns in a Lisbon derby today in a match that could decide the Portuguese league title in one of the closest races the country has seen in years.
The Portuguese capital rivals both have 78 points, with Sporting top by virtue of winning the first meeting between the teams 1-0 at the Jose Alvalade stadium back in December.
If Sporting win they will be champions, while if Benfica triumph by at least a two-goal margin they will reclaim the title with a superior head-to-head record.
A one-goal victory for Benfica would mean the title being decided next weekend when goal difference could come into play, with Sporting three goals better off than Benfica. If the match is drawn, Sporting will retain the title by at least matching their rival’s result on the final match day.
Benfica beat Sporting on penalties in the League Cup final in January and they will meet again at Jamor National Stadium in the Portuguese Cup final on 25 May.
Both coaches who took charge of struggling sides in mid-season and turned them around. In late December Rui Borges replaced Joao Pereira, who lasted only 42 days after he was named Sporting manager following Ruben Amorim’s move to Manchester United.
Amorin left Sporting in comfortable position at the top but a series of bad results forced the club to make a quick change and hire the 43-year-old Borges from Vitoria Guimaraes.
Sporting were already feeling the heat from Bruno Lage’s Benfica, who was hired in September for a second tenure after Roger Schmidt was fired only four match days into the season.
Sunday is clásico day, with a potential title decider at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Here’s Sid Lowe’s preview.
In truth, this clásico hasn’t really felt like the game of the season, nor had the buildup of other occasions. There was something about the Copa del Rey final a fortnight ago that was The End, the scenes at full time in which players threw ice cubes at the referee were Madrid’s final meltdown, a rage against the dying light. For Madrid, long since defeated by Arsenal, reality looking them in the face, the curtain was drawn that night, like this campaign had been concluded, written off. The future was somewhere beyond May, the conversation and the questions focused elsewhere.
Andy Hunter
Moyes keen for Sharp to attend final Goodison game
Graeme Sharp made a welcome and long overdue appearance at Goodison Park last weekend against Ipswich, with David Moyes helping to persuade his fellow Scot to return, but whether he will be involved in next Sunday’s final farewell remains to be seen.
The Everton legend, the second highest goalscorer in the club’s history, had stayed away for over two years as a result of protests against the near-ruinous ownership of Farhad Moshiri and his failing board. Sharp was a non-executive director at the time having accepted a poisoned chalice of an offer to return from the late chairman Bill Kenwright. It is understood he offered to resign long before Moshiri finally accepted his resignation in June 2023.
Moyes invited Sharp to Everton’s Finch Farm training ground recently and discussed the possibility of a Goodison return. He believes one of the greatest strikers in Everton’s history should also be part of the ceremony that will follow the final game at Goodison against Southampton next Sunday.
“I want Sharpy to come back,” the Everton manager said. “I think Sharpy is one of the finest players to play here and a legend as well. I don’t know all the reasons why there were the problems. I am not privy to all that. But what I do know is that I can’t see for a minute that Graeme Sharp was doing anything that would be bad for Everton. I can only ever see him doing good.
“If I was someone who had been watching Everton over a certain generation, Graeme Sharp would certainly be one of the players I would hope to see when the last game comes.”
On this day in 1980… Willie Young puts one in Bambi’s head
Liverpool v Arsenal (Sunday 4.30pm)
Time for an archive piece on some great Liverpool/Arsenal contests. When house genius Scott Murray writes about football history, the world is a wittier, breezier place.
In the second FA Cup semi-final replay, Arsenal took their turn to be the stronger team; after a pre-match which saw a fan rush on to the pitch and drop his kecks in the centre circle, the Gunners went one up after 13 seconds through Alan Sunderland, only to let the game slip deep in injury time, Kenny Dalglish saving the day for Liverpool.
The FA mooted a penalty shootout, but Liverpool threatened to walk off. Their stance was approved by Arsenal, with both teams telling the FA that they weren’t interested in penalties should the upcoming fourth match be drawn either. “I don’t believe the FA are entitled to change the regulations in the middle of a competition,” said the Arsenal chairman, Dennis Hill-Wood. “To introduce them,” added Paisley, “would be like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.”
Who will finish in the Premier League’s top eight?
The PL title race never really happened after City had their mid-season wobble, and Arsenal failed to seize the opportunity by realising they would need to bring a striker in during the January window.
City did exactly that and while Marmoush hasn’t been prolific, he has given the team a lot more energy and provided back up to the injured Haaland.
With Arsenal with their tails between their legs after their Champions League exit and having to go to Anfield with Liverpool smarting from losing at Chelsea last time out I fear it will be another bad day at the office for Mikel Arteta.
City are finishing the season very strongly and it is hard to see them failing to win their remaining games and finish second, which if they win the FA Cup will be a very good season by anyone else’s standards and more to the point make them favourites to take the title next season.
Main game today is Bournemouth v Villa. A must win for the Cherries to keep their Europa League qualification chances alive, and a must win for Villa to have the chance to squeeze into 5th if Newcastle or Chelsea falter. As those teams meet tomorrow Villa could if they win come out of the weekend just a point behind 5th place with two games to play.
Villa’s next game is home to Spurs who have nothing to play for but avoiding injuries ahead of the Europa League final, while Chelsea are home to United who are probably better placed with the return of Amad, Mount, Mainoo and Shaw over the last few weeks and might prove a bit more difficult for the Blues.
Newcastle have to go to Arsenal, so they seem the more likely to drop points.
The last game of the season comes after the Europa League final so hard to see either United or Spurs having much left in the tank or even caring. That may well be excellent news for Villa who have to finish their season at Old Trafford, while Chelsea go to Forest who are still in the CL race but seem to have run out of steam. Newcastle’s last match is home to Everton who are unlikely to have more than pride to play for.
My prediction for the final top 8 is
Liverpool
Manchester City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Villa
Newcastle
Forest
Brentford
Mine, and I know you didn’t ask but I’ve got the keys to this car so pipe down, would probably be:
1. Liverpool
2. Arsenal
3. Manchester City
4. Newcastle
5. Nottingham Forest
6. Chelsea
7. Aston Villa
8. Brentford
Don’t know why – and it could just be nostalgia – but I have a feeling Forest might win their last three games. But it’s Spandex-tight up there and it wouldn’t take much to persuaded me that Villa and/or Chelsea will make the top five.
Bristol Pity
yep, that is indeed the worst pun in the Guardian’s history
Predictably we got slashed at Ashton Gate on Thursday night by Sheffield United and our faint hopes of getting to Wembley are over with the return game on Monday night at Bramall Lane a mere formality.
Why is it that none of these deep pocket billionaires see any potential in Bristol City? I mean we are streets ahead of Wrexham and Bristol is a great city with a strong maritime and aerospace history so you would have thought that someone would have taken a punt.
Looks like we just continue to be a mid-table Championship side with the occasional sniff of the play-offs or the bad season relegation fight.
I had exactly the same thought while watching Thursday’s game. With pre-emptive apologies for any ignorance, it does feel like both Bristol clubs have enormous potential. I know the concept of ‘cool’ is a load of nonsense in many ways but Bristol is arguably Bristol’s coolest city and that alone should generate more interest.
Forty years ago tomorrow, 56 football supporters lost their lives at Bradford’s Valley Parade and hundreds more were injured. The city came together that day and its unity since has been a constant source of pride.
Oliver Evans will lead his seventh memorial service as Bradford City’s club chaplain. He was due to attend the game against Lincoln, but was unable to go. “I’d been to every home game that season,” he says. “I used to cut the grass for my dad and that day I’d not done it. My mates all turned up to go to the game, but Dad said I couldn’t because I hadn’t cut the grass.”
Evans’s memories of that day do not end there. His father was a clergyman and faced a devastating task. “He was asked by the head of the ambulance service to receive the bodies at North Parade. I’d never heard him cry before. I heard him cry through the bedroom wall as he told my mum what happened.”
Women’s Super League Q&A
At 11am, our award-winning correspondent Suzanne Wrack will be here to answer your questions about all things WSL. You can email them to matchday.live@theguardian.com or post below the line.
On this day in 1995… Nayim.
Championship playoffs
Sunderland are favourites to meet Sheffield United* at Wembley after a terrific 2-1 win at Coventry last night. Eliezer Mayenda scored a clinical winner in the 88th minute after a bad mistake from Coventry defender Milan van Ewijk.
* Or Bristol City. Anything can happen, but we won’t be putting the farm on City after their 3-0 defeat in the first leg at Ashton Gate.
What’s at stake in the Premier League
Today’s matches – see below, or click here – all involve teams hunting a European place.
Manchester City and Aston Villa aiming for the Champions League.
Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Fulham are in a four-team battle for eighth place. That will be enough for a place in the Conference League if Manchester City beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
It’s 20 years since the Glazers got their grubby hands on Manchester United. Jonathan Liew revisits their takeover in 2005.
Sir Alex Ferguson, perhaps the one figure capable of stopping the takeover dead in its tracks, repeatedly refused to do so, telling a bunch of disgruntled fans on a trip to Budapest to “go and support Chelsea” if they were dissatisfied with the way United were being run.
Ferguson would continue not simply to tolerate the Glazers but to defend them at every opportunity. Seven years later, on a pre-season tour of South Africa, he rounded on United fans who still opposed the regime. “There are a whole lot of factions at United that think they own the club,” he said. “The majority of the real fans will look at it realistically and say it’s not affecting the team.”
What’s at stake on the WSL’s final day
Chelsea will become the first team to go through a 22-game WSL season unbeaten if they win or draw at home to Liverpool.
Arsenal and Manchester United are battling for second place, which would mean a later start in Champions League qualifying. They meet at the Emirates with Arsenal needing a draw to stay in second.
Those are the main things. Crystal Palace have already been relegated so there’s no jeopardy at the bottom of the table. Arsenal’s Alessia Russo will win the golden boot unless West Ham’s Shekiera Martinez scores at least a hat-trick at Leicester.
And on this day in 1986, Liverpool did the Double by beating Everton in the FA Cup final. Thanks to the wonders of technology, Scott Murray was able to cover it on the information superhighway.
On this day in 1978… Liverpool retain the European Cup. Here’s David Lacey’s report from that night at Wembley. And if you don’t want to click on anything – anything – written by David Lacey, I’m afraid I can’t help you.
Nick Ames, our European sport correspondent, tells some fascinating stories from across the continent. This one, on a town and football club that were devastated by a volcanic eruption in 2023, is particularly good.
Nobody would dream of using the hall for football now. Its pitch is cleaved in two by a fissure up to 25 metres deep; one of the most striking images in a settlement that has been ripped apart. A chasm has destroyed their outdoor practice pitch too. But something remarkable will happen in Grindavík on Saturday: football will lead the way in a recovery few could have foreseen over the past 18 months. Grindavík will play at their Stakkavíkurvöllur home for the first time since the town’s abandonment, hosting Fjölnir in a second-tier fixture whose outcome feels distinctly secondary.
The morning headlines
Preamble
Good morning my dear football friends. Welcome to our Saturday build-up blog, known in Guardian Towers as matchday live (lower case).
This is our home for all the latest news and previews ahead of today’s action, which for our purposes begins at 12.30pm with the final day of the WSL season. Then we’ll have EFL playoffs, five Premier League games, a Bayern Munich title party and much else besdies.
At 11am we’ll have a WSL Q&A with Suzanne Wrack, so please send in any questions for that. You can contact us at matchday.live@theguardian.com or post below the line.
Before we get cracking, these are some of the key matches we’ll be following today.
Premier League (all 3pm kick-offs unless stated)
Women’s Super League (all 12.30pm kick-offs)
EFL playoffs
Leyton Orient v Stockport (League One, 12.30pm)
Notts County v AFC Wimbledon (League Two, 8pm)
