Kelly Cates, Joe Hart and Danny Murphy discuss why Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is “the favourite” to be in the starting XI for England in this summer’s World Cup.
WATCH MORE: Forest win sinks Tottenham closer to relegation danger
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Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly is on Manchester United‘s radar, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has reservations over Barcelona switch, Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has already held talks with Manchester United.
Manchester United are eyeing a surprise move for Arsenal left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly with the groundwork in place for a deal to sign the 19-year-old England international. (Teamtalk), external
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, 31, favours a move to Barcelona when his contract runs out at the end of this season, but the Portugal international is concerned there are already enough young ball-playing midfielders in the Catalans’ squad. (Sport – in Spanish), external
Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, 28, tops Manchester United‘s list of potential replacements for fellow Brazilian Casemiro, 34, and the club has already held talks with the player’s representatives. (UOL – in Portuguese), external
Manchester United will face competition for Chelsea‘s 21-year-old Brazil midfielder Andrey Santos with West Ham and outfit Juventus both interested in the player. (CaughtOffside), external
Inter Milan are also monitoring Santos’ situation at Stamford Bridge and could move for him in the summer. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external
Veteran Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, 37, is assessing whether to sign a further one-year deal at Barcelona or move elsewhere, potentially to a club in the United States’ Major League Soccer. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Tottenham are facing a crunch decision on the future of interim head coach Igor Tudor with the the club’s season in further crisis. (Telegraph – subscription required), external
The international break is seen as the perfect time for key figures at Tottenham to call time on Tudor’s spell in charge. (Football Insider), external
AC Milan have expressed an interest in signing Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka when the 31-year-old German’s deal expires in the summer. (Christian Falk), external
Chris Rigg (Sunderland): It was a solid performance from Rigg in a memorable Tyne-Wear derby. He did not do anything exceptional against Newcastle but he did everything really, really well. With Rigg, you know what you are getting from him.
James Garner (Everton): He could have just chilled out after getting called up to the England squad this week. But instead, he cracked on and put in a great performance. It was a lovely assist from him to Beto for Everton‘s opener. Having played with him at Watford, I know he’s all about high energy and big tackles. He has got it all and I hope he does well for England to force his way into that World Cup squad.
John McGinn (Aston Villa): He’s their captain, leader and heartbeat. It’s been two massive performances in the space of a week from him. Villa are a decent team. But McGinn makes them a great one. If they are to finish in the top five and challenge for the Europa League title, they will need him to continue performing at this level.
Harry Wilson (Fulham): He has made a habit of scoring big goals and he did that again this week. I wonder how they are going to replace him if he decides to leave. They are not going to spend £60m on somebody with his qualities. They need him to sign a new contract as he is a massively important part of that Fulham squad.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): It feels like the Portuguese midfielder is becoming a permanent fixture in the team of the week. You have to put him in again after another goal, and also forcing the James Hill own goal. How long can United remain average and keep him before he decides it is time to leave the club?
For Arteta, it did not enter his mind to not play Kepa in the final.
The Arsenal manager said it would have been “very unfair” if he had not stuck with the Spain international, who had played every round of the cup competition before the final, and said he accepts the scrutiny coming his way.
“I understand that, but I have to do what I feel is right, which is honest and which is fair,” Arteta said.
“And I think we have an understanding keeper in Kepa – he’s played all the competition and I think it would have been very, very unfair for him and for the team to do something different.”
The former Chelsea goalkeeper signed for the Gunners in the summer to compete with first choice David Raya.
Raya has 15 clean sheets in the Premier League, the most in the division, and has produced some standout saves during this campaign as Arsenal look to end their wait for a trophy.
And Arteta says that despite Kepa’s limited game time this season he did not guarantee that the goalkeeper would play in Arsenal’s cup fixtures.
“I can never promise a player to play certain competitions, because at the end they have to earn it and they have to do enough like any other position,” he said.
“We are guided by what we’ve seen and what he’s done in the competition, and he helped us to go all the way through here.
“I believe it’s the right thing to do and that’s it. Errors are part of football and today it happened unfortunately in a crucial moment.”
The EFL Cup brings bad memories for Kepa Arrizabalaga. The keeper has now lost all three of the finals he has played in the competition.
When playing for Chelsea in 2019 he refused to be substituted with the game heading to penalties, in 2022 he put his penalty over the crossbar as Chelsea lost to Liverpool in the shootout – and his error in this year’s final handed the lead to City.
“I would never have started Kepa today,” European football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“In a final like this, at this moment in the Arsenal project, there is no moment for sentiment. Your best team has to play. Kepa instead of David Raya for me, was the wrong call.
“I know it is harsh but I think Arteta and his players will learn a lot from today because those finals are won on decisions made, not just on the pitch but at half-time.”
Kepa was booked before conceding the opener, when he misjudged a clearance and pulled back winger Jeremy Doku as he looked to score.
“Mikel Arteta did not have to play him,” former England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Sport.
“That’s a decision made by a manager who’s potentially going to win quite a lot this season. So he’s played Kepa because he believes he’s ready.
“But I’ll always say it, don’t ever feel sorry for a goalkeeper. That’s the life that he’s chosen.
“And again most of the game he was faultless. But in that big moment obviously he’ll have something to reflect on.”
The first 45 minutes was the epitome of two teams cancelling each other out – but once the second half began the landscape was set for City’s win.
They were the more progressive, aggressive side. Their attacking intent started to overwhelm Arsenal, the pressure became impossible to resist. Smoother on the ball and more cohesive than an Arsenal side based on organisation, the traffic only flowed one way.
Arrizabalaga already had Arsenal’s nerves on edge with an injudicious dash from goal which resulted in a yellow card for a panicked foul on Jeremy Doku.
Much, much worse was to come for Arsenal and their goalkeeper.
It remains six years since Arteta won his one and only trophy as Arsenal manager, and the way in which his team went into their shell here will be a concern that he must hope is not repeated as the pressure mounts in the closing weeks of the season.
Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Sport: “Manchester City played to win. I think that’s what they’re bred to do over ten, 15 years. I think now they’re very much bred to win. I think they’ve been really disappointed with the FA Cup final at the end of last season [when they lost to Crystal Palace].
“A lot will be read into it putting a marker down or whatever, but I don’t think so. I think it was just about Manchester City winning trophies, which is what they’ve done so regularly recently – and this is another big one.
“It is also a huge day for Pep Guardiola, who’s won everything, but now stands alone in terms of managers winning the League Cup. He’s won it five times, going one clear of Sir Alex Ferguson. How much of a testament is that to his ability, his special touch and what he’s done over the years with Manchester City?”
Arteta is braced for the battle to recover from this setback and focus on three trophies, saying: “We had eight amazing months with this team. Today is a disappointment. We need to use that fire in the belly for the next two months to have an incredible season.”
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s painful, especially for our players and supporters, because we really wanted to lift that trophy. It was two very different halves, especially the first half when I think we were better than them and had the best two chances of the game.
“We didn’t capitalise on that. Credit to them for what they have done. A really sad day.”
He must hope it is the last sad day of what has been an outstanding season so far – for Guardiola, he will hope City’s win, and the manner in which it was achieved, will play on Arsenal’s nerves.
Ollie Watkins knows his current form has not been good enough to get in Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad.
The Aston Villa forward was left out of the expanded 35-man squad for the Three Lions’ upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan having scored just one goal in his past nine Premier League matches.
It leaves question marks over whether 30-year-old Watkins’ hopes of going to a first World Cup are hanging in the balance.
“Everyone wants to play for their country but I expected that because my form has not been that great,” Watkins said after Sunday’s comfortable 2-0 win against West Ham, Villa’s first after a run of three Premier League defeats.
“I know what I can do and when I put on an England shirt I feel like I have always performed well.”
Against West Ham, Watkins showed Tuchel just what he is missing as he ended a six-match goal drought in the league.
He provided a constant threat and was unlucky not to find the net with more of his five efforts, twice dragging shots just wide.
But in contrast to last season’s tally of 17 goals and 14 assists, Watkins’ 10 goals and two assists in all competitions this campaign look meagre.
He knows he is running out of time to impress the England boss and, absent from the national team’s final training camp before the World Cup, he also knows his only way to get back in Tuchel’s good books is by scoring for his club.
“One thing with Watkins you can always rely on is his endeavour and his willingness to keep running the channels and keep doing the right things for the team,” said former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy.
“That’s a huge thing that Tuchel will keep an eye on. I don’t think he’s completely out of it yet.”
Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes is set to be called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad to replace the injured Eberechi Eze.
Eze was not in Arsenal’s squad for Sunday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City because of a lower leg injury.
Barnes has been called up once before, in October 2020, when he won his only England cap in a friendly against Wales.
Scotland have tried to convince Barnes to switch his international allegiances and play for Steve Clarke’s team at this summer’s World Cup, with the 28-year-old eligible through his grandparents.
But Barnes turned down Scotland’s advances and is now expected to be part of Tuchel’s squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in which a number of fringe players will be given the chance to stake a claim for a regular place.
The Three Lions face Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March, with both games at Wembley Stadium.
Barnes has scored 14 goals in all competitions for Newcastle this season.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen say defender Jarell Quansah has been ruled out of England’s friendlies with a thigh injury.
Tottenham coach Bruno Saltor admits everyone in the club is aware they are in a relegation batttle, and says the club’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at home to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest is a “tough one to take”.
Saltor spoke to the media after family issues prevented interim manager Igor Tudor fulfilling his media duties.
MATCH REPORT: Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest
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Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris says he is proud of his side for their “impressive” performance in an “intense and emotional” 2-1 win against rivals Newcastle United.
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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe says his players understand the pain the fans feel after they lost their second Tyne-Wear derby of the season following a late defeat to Sunderland.
MATCH REPORT: Newcastle United 1-2 Sunderland
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