Roy Hodgson admitted his relief after Crystal Palace beat West Ham 4-3 to move to 40 points and all but assure themselves of Premier League safety.

When the 75-year-old stepped back into the Selhurst Park dugout at the beginning of this month he had inherited a side entrenched in a relegation battle and significantly struggling in attack.

Palace have been transformed under him since and the win over David Moyes’ men lifted them into 11th place and ahead of Chelsea, who have played two fewer matches.

Palace were unnerved when Tomas Soucek fired the Hammers into an early lead and goals from Jordan Ayew, Wilfried Saha and Jeffery Schlupp gave them a 3-1 lead.

Michael Antonio pulled a goal back before the break but Eberechi Eze restored Palace’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot and, although Nayef Aguerd kept Hammers hopes alive with a third for the visitors, Palace held firm for the win.

Hodgson is hopeful that Palace will push on for the remaining four games despite looking clear of the menace of relegation.

“It is up to the players,”said Hodgson. “I don’t often share what I say to the players in the dressing room but I can share this. I said ‘it’s up to you’. Nothing is going to change as far as Ray [Lewington], Paddy McCarthy and I are concerned.

“We will all work exactly the same way, but only you can get that fire, that desire to make the extra run, to win the challenge, only you can do that. I think you could take this as far as you want.

“I’m not going to say we’re going to win four more games, but I don’t think we’re incapable of winning them.

“At the same time the sword has been removed from my head, it’s been removed from the players’ heads.

“We will keep the sword where it is as far as we’re concerned, because we like to win games and we like to come away from every performance, even if it is a defeat thinking ‘well done, boys. You did well, you played the right football, not dissatisfying in any way. Didn’t work out this time, onto the next one’.

“That’s our attitude. I can’t guarantee what the players’ attitude will be, but I would think they would share that belief.”

England women’s head coach Stuart Barrow expressed surprise at his side’s thumping 64-0 win over France in their mid-season international in Warrington.

Leah Burke crossed four times and Tara-Jane Stanley touched down and also kicked 16 points with the boot as Barrow’s team ran in 12 tries to start his reign in style.

England had beaten the French 36-10 at the same venue in a World Cup warm-up last June and Barrow believes the clinical manner of their performance offers plenty of encouragement for the future.

“I don’t think we came here today expecting that kind of result,” said Barrow. “We had a process and the players executed it really well, but as always there were things we can still improve upon.”

England currently have no further fixtures planned, and conjuring quality northern hemisphere opposition remains a problem, with Wales or France again the extent of their realistic options for a prospective autumn international.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t think we could bridge the gap (to Australia and New Zealand) and obviously having more competitive matches is going to help with that,” added Barrow.

“We’ve got a really good group of players and an increasing number of young players knocking on the door.”

St Helens star Burke said she relished the opportunity to put an England shirt back on for the first time since the disappointing World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand in November.

And with team-mates Georgia Roche and Hollie-Mae Dodd having recently become the first English players to land professional deals in Australia’s NRLW, Burke believes the domestic game is on the brink of a bright new era.

“It was tough losing to New Zealand because deep down we knew we could beat them, but we took some time away and I think the way we played today showed how hard we’ve been working,” added Burke.

“The women’s game is growing massively all the time and there are no backward steps. It just keeps pushing forward and the size of the crowd today was a reflection on where we are.”

Luciano Spalletti insisted Napoli "will be ready" and "must not change anything" ahead of their rescheduled Serie A clash – and potential Scudetto-clinching showdown – with Salernitana.

The Partenopei had been set to play on Saturday but will now take to the pitch at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday instead.

It means Napoli now play after second-placed Lazio, meaning the title will be theirs if they win after their nearest rivals fail to beat Inter at San Siro earlier the same day.

Nevertheless, Spalletti says his players remain focused on the task in hand, also urging them not to take anything for granted against in-form Salernitana, who are unbeaten in eight matches.

"We've known for a long time what our direction is," the coach said during his pre-match press conference. "We continue on our path so far, then there are things that are above us that we can't control.

"It's okay to be controlled by other things, and we adapt. But we will be ready to play our game, we would have been ready today anyway. Let's just play.

"We have not entrusted our Scudetto to the judge or to fate, but to our idea of football, to make happy those who wait for us with bated breath for hours at an airport or in the street just to see an Azzurri coach pass by.

"The team must not change anything, and for the desire that I saw this morning, I am convinced that we will play our game.

"I don't know if it will be enough because we will face a strong opponent, they haven't lost in eight games. What happened has motivated the opponents more, but we will do what we had to do today."

James Maddison praised Dean Smith’s impact at Leicester ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with Everton.

The Foxes slipped back into the drop zone this week but have taken four points from their last two games.

Smith replaced Brendan Rodgers until the end of the season earlier this month and, after losing his opening game 3-1 at Manchester City, has beaten Wolves and drawn at Leeds.

Maddison returned from illness to set up Jamie Vardy’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Tuesday and feels the points and Smith’s fresh approach has boosted the Foxes – who had lost eight out of nine before his arrival.

“It’s definitely given us a lift and helped that side of things,” the playmaker told the club’s official site ahead of Monday’s visit of the Toffees.

“When you have a new manager, it’s a new voice, new messages and so everyone’s on it.

“The gaffer’s been in three games; we had a tight game against Man City but, as we just saw against Arsenal, they can blow anyone away and we maybe could’ve even got something up until towards the end of that game.

“But that was never going to be a defining moment in the season because not many teams go to the Etihad and win. But then obviously winning at home and then not losing away, which was something we’d been doing lately, was important.

“There has been a real uplift in confidence and belief and hopefully that will leave us in good stead so we can produce another positive performance and result against Everton.

“We haven’t given the crowd enough to cheer and shout about this season so we understand the frustrations, especially when we go behind. I always say it’s so important and massive for us if the crowd can stick with us, even in the tougher times.

“There was a little bit of anxiety when we went behind but once the team got going and started playing at a bit of a quicker tempo, they really bought into that and helped the team get over the line.”

Leah Burke scored four tries as England women marked their first appearance since last year’s World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand with an emphatic 64-0 win over France in Warrington.

Australia-bound Hollie-Mae Dodd added a double while Tara-Jane Stanley scored a try and kicked eight out of 12 conversions in a one-sided start to life under new head coach Stuart Barrow.

The French, who exited the World Cup with three straight defeats, scarcely summoned any resistance as Shona Hoyle, Tamzin Renouf, Eboni Partington, Sinead Peach and Amy Hardcastle also scored to take England’s total try tally to 12.

Dodd, whose quickfire double extended England’s lead early in the second half, and Leeds Rhinos’ Georgia Roche made history as the first professional players to represent their country having recently inked deals in Australia’s NRLW.

They can expect much sterner tests ahead with the tone for the match set when Manon Samarra fumbled the kick-off and Roche sent Burke scampering over for the opener.

With the hosts’ incisive passing cutting apart the French defence, Burke picked up a neat pass from Stanley to cross for her second before the 10-minute mark.

England were making yards at will and Hoyle burst out of the front row to twist through the reluctant French rearguard and score England’s third midway through the first period.

The hosts switched flanks with Renouf and Partington both squeezing in on the right before Stanley went over, taking her personal first-half tally to 10 with a 50 per cent successful conversion rate.

Dodd touched down for a double early in the second period, sandwiching a neat kick from Stanley that teed up Burke to complete her hat-trick, and two more Stanley conversions took England’s tally to 46.

York captain Peach, recalled to the squad after being controversially omitted for the World Cup by Barrow’s predecessor Craig Richards, marked her return with England’s 10th try before Burke completed her personal tally.

Hardcastle, one of the stand-out performers of the World Cup campaign, crossed for England’s 12th and final try, serving up Stanley to take her own personal points tally to 20 with the final conversion of the day.

Sergio Perez blasted his way past Charles Leclerc to win the sprint race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Perez started second before moving ahead of Leclerc on lap eight of 17 in Baku to take the chequered flag 4.4 seconds clear.

Max Verstappen finished third, one spot ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell. Lewis Hamilton started sixth and finished seventh.

Perez’s win reduced the deficit to Verstappen in the driver’s standings from 15 points to 13 ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Leclerc claimed his second pole position of the weekend earlier on Saturday and started the 17-lap dash with a smart getaway to keep Perez at bay.

Verstappen was third on the grid, but had a fast-starting Russell for company at the first corner.

The reigning champion managed to keep ahead before Russell sensed another opportunity at the second bend.

Russell nudged Verstappen before carrying the momentum on the charge to Turn 3 to move ahead of his Red Bull rival. Cue an irate Verstappen.

“He tapped me,” yelled Verstappen. “That’s how he got the position, report it.”

Moments after Russell barged his way past Verstappen, Yuki Tsunoda was on three wheels after he banged into the wall.

Tsunoda’s right rear tyre fell off his AlphaTauri and bounced along the asphalt before resting in the middle of the track. The virtual safety car was deployed and then upgraded to a full safety car with debris from Tsunoda’s wounded machine also littering the circuit.

Tsunoda stopped for new rubber and was sent back on his way. But the Japanese driver’s car was undriveable.

The FIA took a dim view of AlphTauri’s decision to send Tsunoda back on to the track, with the governing body investigating the accident.

Back to Verstappen and the double world champion’s mood did not improve when he was told he had sustained floor damage in the clash with Russell.

Verstappen was back on the radio, saying: “Did he really drive into the side of me? I don’t get how he can damage my car and keep the position. I find it ridiculous”.

In came the safety car at the end of lap five and Verstappen made short work of taking third back from Russell as he flew underneath the British driver’s Mercedes at Turn 1.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was on the radio to congratulate his driver. “Without contact as well, nicely done,” he said.

“Yes, I know how to do that,” replied Verstappen before he continued his rant with a series of bleeped-out expletives.

Hamilton was dicing with Carlos Sainz for fifth but the Ferrari man held firm. Hamilton ran out of room and Fernando Alonso snuck past, dropping the Briton to seventh.

Perez was starting to draw Leclerc in, and at the start of the eighth lap he breezed past his Ferrari rival on the 220mph drag to the first corner before cantering to the flag.

England completed the Grand Slam with a 38-33 victory over France but were saved by the bell in front of a world record 58,498 crowd at Twickenham.

Initially rising to the occasion of setting a new highest attendance for the women’s game, surpassing the 42,579 seen for last autumn’s World Cup final in Auckland, the Red Roses ran amok to build a 33-0 interval lead.

A fifth successive TikTok Women’s Six Nations looked certain but France were reborn for a second half they dominated 33-5 only to run out of time as England collapsed in dramatic fashion.

It remained a triumphant send-off for outgoing England head coach Simon Middleton with the strongest rivalry in the Championship producing another compelling instalment.

France were the last side to beat England in the Six Nations five years ago and they started the game like they finished it, although without the rewards.

It took resolute defending including an important penalty won on the ground by Hannah Botterman to deny them early on, but the pressure was halted when England pounced against the run of play.

Footwork and power swept Helena Rowland through the midfield before quick ball gave Abby Dow sight of the line with the right wing’s pace doing the rest.

Rowland’s centre partner Tatyana Heard was the next to swat away blue shirts and when she was eventually halted, Marlie Packer used her strength to crash over.

France’s defence was creaking and fly-half Jessy Tremouliere was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, ushering in a damaging spell that saw Alex Matthews cross and a penalty try awarded against Rose Bernadou.

Bernadou followed Tremouliere into the sin-bin and England continued to canter seemingly out of sight as Zoe Aldcroft touched down.

However, having regrouped at half-time, France full-back Emilie Boulard went over in the 48th minute through slick attacking play and when Gabrielle Vernier produced a smart dummy and sidestep before speeding over, the Red Roses’ nerves began to fray.

They settled when Lark Davies dived over once England’s pack had reasserted itself but the visitors continued to fight with tries by Charlotte Escudero, Emeline Gros and Cyrielle Banet falling narrowly short of the target needed.

Crystal Palace came from behind to spoil West Ham’s hopes of moving further clear of the relegation zone with a 4-3 victory at Selhurst Park.

Jordan Ayew cancelled out Tomas Soucek’s early opener for the visitors before Wilfried Zaha marked his return with his seventh of the season and Jeffrey Schlupp added another.

Antonio got his name on the scoresheet for the Hammers before the break and Eberechi Eze restored Palace’s advantage with a second-half spot kick.

Aguerd clawed one back to keep his side in it, but the hosts held on to make it 40 points for the season – and likely secure their own top-flight safety.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to 12:45 due to issues with the turnstiles at Selhurst Park, with plenty of seats still empty at the initially scheduled start.

Palace were buoyed by the return of Zaha, who last featured in Roy Hodgson’s return to the dugout on April 1 but sustained a groin injury in that victory.

Michael Olise quickly found himself punished by the visitors after he nodded down Jarrod Bowen’s corner but into the path of Soucek, who fired past Sam Johnstone on nine minutes.

The advantage was fleeting. Olise repented for his involvement in the opener when he slipped a fine pass to Ayew, who levelled with a lovely low finish and West Ham were soon dealt another blow when Kurt Zouma was forced off.

When Zaha sustained his injury earlier this month Palaces supporters feared the worst – that they had seen their talisman at Selhurst Park for a final time. Instead, he handed Palace the lead on Saturday.

Olise’s cross from the right initially skipped past Ayew but Zaha was waiting at the post where he pounced and gave Lukasz Fabianski no chance as he sent the ball into the top right.

The visitors worked the ball back into Palace’s half where Soucek tested Sam Johnstone with a low effort, forcing a simple save from the Eagles’ shot-stopper.

Schlupp extended the hosts’ advantage on 30 minutes as he picked the ball off Soucek and was through on goal, taking his time as he slotted through the legs of Fabianski.

This time it was West Ham with the quick reply, through a corner flicked on by Soucek to Antonio, who headed the ball in at the back post to close the gap and limit the first half to five goals despite a nervy flurry of activity at both ends.

Fabianski got just enough on Olise’s curling effort to tip it over the bar after the restart but the hosts restored their two-goal advantage after Eberechi Eze was deemed to have been dragged down by Nayef Aguerd inside the area.

The Morocco international protested but the penalty stood after a VAR check, Eze making it 4-2 after sending Fabianski the wrong way with his spot-kick to the bottom left corner.

As was the pattern of the afternoon, the pendulum swung back in the opposition’s favour, again from a corner. As the ball initially flicked on by Soucek, three bodies rose and it was Aguerd who was adjudged to have had the last touch at the back post, the goal standing after a VAR check for handball.

Despite both sides threatening, neither was able to take advantage of six minutes of second-half stoppage time, and Palace prevailed on a topsy-turvy afternoon.

Mark Allen won three of the final four frames to stay within one of Mark Selby in their scrappy World Championship semi-final.

Former champion Stephen Hendry accused the pair of casting a “dark cloud” over the Crucible with their attritional play during a second session on Friday that was halted three frames early.

Although it was hardly thrilling stuff, they at least managed eight frames in the opening session on Saturday, with Selby turning his 7-6 lead into an 11-10 advantage to set up a tense evening decider.

The morning belonged to Selby, with the four-time former champion opening up a 10-7 lead thanks to breaks of 63, 112 and 53.

But, despite the clear water, he still did not look comfortable and some loose play helped Allen pull back to 10-9, with Selby missing a blue in the 19th frame while attempting to force a re-spotted black.

He extended the gap to two in convincing fashion but it is Allen, bidding to reach his first World Championship final, who has a modicum of momentum after finishing the session with a break of 92.

Manu Tuilagi will be available for England selection after the World Cup after it was announced he has signed a new one-year contract with Sale.

Tuilagi has ended speculation that he could join the exodus of Red Rose stars heading for the Top 14 in France by extending his stay at the Sharks, the club he joined from Leicester in 2020.

The news that he will remain in the Gallagher Premiership has been confirmed on the same day that Courtney Lawes committed his future to Northampton, giving England head coach Steve Borthwick a double boost.

A Rugby Football Union rule means that players based overseas are unavailable for international selection.

Tuilagi’s time in Manchester has been marred by significant hamstring and Achilles injuries, but the powerful centre of Samoan origin remains an influential figure at Sale.

“My family and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to stay up north for another year,” Tuilagi said.

“It was an easy decision. I love coming to work every day and I couldn’t ask for a better environment on and off the pitch.

“We’re so tight as a group, which is why I think we’ve had such a good run this season. There couldn’t be a better time to be a Shark.”

Tuilagi won his 51st cap during the recent Six Nations and has also made a Test appearance for the Lions in 2013.

“This deal says so much about this club and what we’re building, but it says more about Manu the man,” Sale boss Alex Sanderson said.

“It says so much about what really matters to him and that’s rare in professional sports people.

“Manu is really happy here but I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision to stay. For us and for Manu and his family, I think it’s the right decision.

“Manu has been part of winning squads with Leicester and England and this environment is the one he seems to be enjoying and thriving in the most.”

Fulham will hope to finish what has been an impressive season strongly but manager Marco Silva is already looking ahead to trying to build on it.

The Cottagers’ hopes of a place in Europe have evaporated amid a run of five defeats from their last seven games, but their first campaign back in the Premier League has still exceeded all expectations.

They have six games left, starting with Sunday’s visit of Manchester City, before another important summer.

Silva told skysports.com: “I can tell you we have the big plan for the next season already there, we’re already on track.

“This season was one of the most important seasons for Fulham Football Club so far because, after the last two Premier League seasons, where the club didn’t perform at that level – for many reasons, I don’t want to be unfair because I wasn’t here – this season was crucial for the club to remain in the Premier League.

“We are doing it and we are doing it playing well, improving players, making the fans proud of us.

“We are building the momentum and the platform for next season as well. Next season will probably be even more important than this one because we have to start to sustain this club in the Premier League for everyone to see Fulham as a Premier League club.

“I believe it’s where the club belongs and, for this to happen season after season, we have to do the right things on the pitch and off the pitch and show the ambition to compete with all the clubs like we’ve been doing on the pitch, but at the same time off the pitch as well.”

Silva, who is set to celebrate two years in charge at Craven Cottage at the beginning of July, knows that Fulham’s exploits this season have raised the bar for future campaigns.

He does not have a problem with that, though, saying: “Our fans have expectations (on) a different level and it’s a good sign they raise their expectations.

“First, it shows they believe in ourselves, it reflects what we’re doing – to make them believe more, to dream more, that’s a consequence from our performance. It’s a good feeling, a good pressure, a privilege to have this pressure and raise the expectations on yourself.

“It’s up to us to prepare well ourselves. For us to do the same or even better next season we have to do many things.”

England international Courtney Lawes has signed a new contract with Gallagher Premiership club Northampton.

The 34-year-old forward has endured an injury-hit season, greatly limiting his opportunities for club and country.

Lawes last played Test rugby during the 2022 summer tour to Australia, when he captained England.

Saints have not specified the length of deal, but it is understood to run until the end of next season.

He will now prolong his stay at Franklin’s Gardens, having first featured for Northampton in 2007 and gone on to make 263 appearances, and it comes as another boost for the English game following Manu Tuilagi signing fresh terms with Sale.

“The club means a lot to me personally, and I wanted to stay here,” Lawes said.

“I especially didn’t want to leave at the end of a season where I have not played much, and I have not made as big a contribution as I would have wanted.

“It wouldn’t have felt right to me to leave now, so I was really keen to continue at Saints for that reason, but also because it’s so important for us as a squad to continue to build on what we’ve done over the last few seasons.”

Lawes made his England debut 14 years ago and also toured twice with the British and Irish Lions – to New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa four years later – making five Test appearances.

Northampton rugby director Phil Dowson added: “Courtney is an incredible player – one of the very best in the world, whether he is playing in the second-row or at flanker.

“His international experience with England and the Lions is almost unparalleled, but off the field he gives our group so much in terms of confidence and leadership.

“I am sure a lot of clubs over in France and Japan would have been keen to see Courtney turn out for them for the next few years.

“I know our supporters will be thrilled that he has decided to stay in Northampton and remain a one-club man, as he’s one of the best to have ever worn the black, green and gold.”