Sports
Survival Scrap: Everton, Leicester, Leeds Fight To Avoid Relegation
Sunday’s final day of the Premier League season will be dominated by the intense battle for survival as Everton, Leicester, and Leeds find themselves in a nerve-wracking fight to avoid relegation.
The financial stakes are high for the two clubs that will join Southampton, who have already been relegated.
According to sports business experts Deloitte, a season of Premier League football is estimated to be worth as much as £170 million ($210 million).
For Everton, in particular, the potential consequences are dire as they are already in search of external investment to ensure the completion of their new stadium, therefore, the financial blow of relegation is something the Toffees cannot afford to endure.
Everton holds a significant advantage as they have full control over their fate, with a victory in their home match against Bournemouth will secure their continued presence in the top flight for an impressive 70-year period.
However, Sean Dyche’s men have won just once in 10 games and will be without talismanic striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to offer Leicester and Leeds hope.
Dyche said on Friday “We want the players to focus on the game. It’s not as easy as it sounds but that’s the idea: focus on what’s going on the pitch and don’t worry about all the noise.
“Don’t worry about all the rumours, don’t worry about anything that’s going on off the pitch.” he added.
In the event that Everton, currently in the fourth-bottom position, fails to secure a victory, third-bottom Leicester still has a chance to survive by defeating West Ham in their home match. Leicester’s superior goal difference would be the deciding factor in their favor.
The Foxes have experienced an incredible journey, particularly seven years ago when they celebrated a highly improbable title triumph.
This marked the beginning of a glorious era for the club, with consecutive fifth-place finishes in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. Just two years ago, under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, they achieved another milestone by winning the FA Cup for the first time.
Many have expressed confidence in the squad, which boasts the talents of players like James Maddison, Youri Tielemans, and Harvey Barnes, believing that they are too talented to face relegation.
But the fairytale has turned into a nightmare this season as Rodgers bemoaned a lack of investment to refresh the squad before he was sacked in April.
Dean Smith has been unable to mastermind a turnaround in fortunes with just one win in his seven games in charge.
Smith said “We have to win the game and not look at the Everton result until after the game. We have to do our job and see where it takes us.”
Second bottom Leeds need a miracle to avoid the end of their three-season stay in the top-flight.
Leeds, currently in the second-bottom position, faces a daunting challenge to prolong their three-season tenure in the top-flight.
To secure another remarkable escape, Leeds boss Sam Allardyce will need his team to secure a victory over Tottenham at Elland Road, but that alone will not be sufficient. They also require Everton to lose their match and for Leicester to fail to secure a victory.
If Everton manages to secure even a draw, Leeds will face the additional hurdle of surpassing them on goal difference.
In such a scenario, Leeds would need to defeat Tottenham by a margin of three goals to outperform Everton in terms of goal difference. It would indeed require a miraculous turn of events for Leeds to avoid relegation.
“I just hope that we’re talking on a very positive nature on Monday morning and I have a hangover!” Allardyce said on the possibility he could remain at the club beyond his caretaker role till the end of the season.
Tottenham’s result could have a bearing on the only other issue yet to be resolved – qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League.
Aston Villa are in pole position and will secure a return to Europe for the first time in 13 years with victory over Brighton.
Tottenham has the opportunity to secure seventh place in the league if they achieve a better result than Aston Villa.
However, if both teams fail to win their respective matches, there is a chance for Brentford to create history by qualifying for European competition for the first time.
A surprising victory over champions Manchester City in west London would pave the way for Brentford’s European qualification.
Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle have already guaranteed their spots in the next season’s Champions League, alongside Manchester City. Liverpool and Brighton, on the other hand, will secure places in the Europa League.
Here are the fixtures for the upcoming Sunday matches in the English Premier League, all scheduled for 15:30 GMT:
- Arsenal vs Wolves
- Aston Villa vs Brighton
- Brentford vs Manchester City
- Chelsea vs Newcastle
- Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
- Everton vs Bournemouth
- Leeds vs Tottenham
- Leicester vs West Ham
- Manchester United vs Fulham
- Southampton vs Liverpool
Paul Pogba is set to return to professional football in March 2025 after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Juventus midfielder’s suspension, which began on September 11, 2023, will now end in March 2025, allowing him to resume training as early as January.
The 31-year-old World Cup winner faced the prospect of a lengthy exile from the sport, with some fearing it could end his career.
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However, CAS’s ruling offers Pogba a lifeline.
Originally banned for testing positive for DHEA, a substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list, Pogba’s appeal argued that he had unknowingly taken the substance, which primarily affects females.
This distinction played a key role in reducing the ban.
Pogba’s positive test came after Juventus’ Serie A opener against Udinese on August 20, 2023. Following the ruling, his €5,000 (£4,176) fine was also overturned.
The French international’s appeal, which took place in August 2024 at CAS headquarters in Switzerland, presented evidence linking an American wellness clinic, 10X Health Systems, to the incident.
Photographic proof of the clinic’s name on one of Pogba’s pill bottles was submitted as part of his defense.
Pogba can now begin preparations for his return to action, with Juventus expected to welcome him back into training at the start of 2025.
France captain Kylian Mbappe has been omitted from the national team for their UEFA Nations League fixtures this month, as confirmed by head coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday.
The decision comes after Mbappe made a brief return from a thigh injury, playing as a substitute in Paris Saint-Germain’s surprising 1-0 defeat to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Deschamps emphasized that the decision to rest the Real Madrid star was made with Mbappe’s long-term fitness in mind.
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“I had an exchange with Kylian. He has a problem which is not serious. I am not going to take risks, which is why he is not in the squad,” the coach stated during a press conference in Paris.
France is set to face Israel in an away match on October 10, relocated to Budapest due to ongoing security concerns in the Middle East.
They will then compete against Belgium in Brussels on October 14. Currently, France sits third in Group A2 with three points after two matches, trailing Italy, who leads with six points.
This squad announcement marks the first since vice-captain Antoine Griezmann’s retirement from international football earlier this week.
Griezmann, who earned 137 caps for Les Bleus, had a significant impact on the team’s dynamics.
Deschamps remarked on his absence, stating, “He had such an impact that we can’t play in the same way. I am not necessarily going to change the system, but I am not going to look for an equivalent player.”
Notably, Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku returns to the squad after a year-long absence, while midfielder N’Golo Kante is also left out.
The full squad for the upcoming matches includes:
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa/ENG), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea/ENG), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Youssouf Fofana (AC Milan/ITA), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio/ITA), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani (all Paris Saint-Germain), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea/ENG), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA).
In a thrilling match, Lionel Messi delivered a stellar performance, scoring twice as Inter Miami secured a 3-2 victory over defending MLS champions Columbus Crew, clinching the coveted Supporters’ Shield for the best regular-season record.
Messi, who had been relatively quiet for much of the first half, sprang to life just before halftime.
In the 45th minute, he broke the deadlock, chesting down a long ball in the box and capitalizing on a deflection off Columbus defender Malte Amundsen to poke the ball into the net.
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Just minutes later, Messi doubled Miami’s lead with a masterful free-kick, curling the ball past Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, who remained rooted to the spot.
Messi’s two goals capped a remarkable return from a two-month injury, bringing his season tally to 17 goals and 15 assists in just 17 matches.
Columbus responded swiftly after the break, with Diego Rossi scoring just 20 seconds into the second half.
Rossi curled a clever shot into the far corner to make it 2-1, reigniting hopes for the reigning champions.
However, Columbus’ momentum was short-lived. Straight from the restart, Schulte’s miscommunication with defender Rudy Camacho allowed Luis Suarez to head into an empty net, giving Miami a 3-1 advantage.
The Crew fought back once more, with Cucho Hernandez converting a penalty after Noah Allen was penalized for handball in the box, cutting Miami’s lead to 3-2.
Columbus’ chances took a major hit, though, when Camacho was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a studs-up challenge.
Columbus had a final opportunity to level the score in the 83rd minute after a VAR review awarded them a second penalty.
However, Hernandez’s shot lacked power, and Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender made a crucial save, ensuring Miami’s victory and sealing the Supporters’ Shield.
“I’m happy to achieve the first goal and think about what’s coming. Today was a very tough opponent. We knew it, they are the last champion,” Messi told Apple TV after the match. “We suffered until the end, and that shows what this team is.”
With the Supporters’ Shield now in hand, Inter Miami’s focus will shift to the playoffs as they continue their impressive campaign led by Messi.
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