Harry Hall survived back-to-back double bogeys to head into the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge tied for the lead in pursuit of his first PGA Tour victory.
The 25-year-old Cornish rookie heads into the final round alongside American Adam Schenk with Harris English a shot further back.
With the scoring average at Colonial Country Club rising to more than one over par in the third round as the greens toughened up, Hall opened with a three-stroke lead and five straight pars before he hit trouble – an errant approach at the sixth and an iron into a muddy creek at the seventh leading to a pair of sixes.
Two birdies on the way home gave him a round of 72 and a place in the final pairing with Schenk – also chasing his first win after six years on tour – who shot a bogey-free 67 to tie at 10 under par.
“I’m never going to stop fighting,” Hall said. “I’m always going to keep trying.
“This game brings you new challenges every day and I’m equipped to deal with them. I think I showed that today, I kept a lot of patience and I kept to my game plan.”
“I’m ready. Just get on the green and make some putts.”
English was on course for a share of the lead before bogeying the last to lie a shot behind.
American Justin Suh and Emiliano Grillo of Argentina are three strokes further back with Viktor Hovland among a group on five under par.
England’s Aaron Rai shot a third round 67 to be tied for 10th in a group on four under par which includes world number one Scottie Scheffler after his 72, a score matched by Justin Rose who is a shot further back.
Carl Anderson's Emperorofthecats produced a stunning performance to upset his more fancied rival in a three-year-old and upwards Open Allowance contest for the Harlequin Cup over five furlongs (1,000m) straight at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Bred, owned and trained by Anderson, Emperorofthecats, piloted by Richard Henry, came home at odds of 16-1, finishing 3 3/4 lengths ahead of his closest rival to secure the lion's share of the $1.29-million purse for his connections.
The four-year-old bay gelding by Emperor Hall-Laws of the Cat, won in a flat 59.0 seconds, after splits of 23.1 and 45.3 seconds.
The contest was expected to be a romp for Dale Murphy's in-form imported Runaway Algo, who was coming off a 13 1/2 lengths in the Seeking My Dream Trophy over seven and a half furlongs (1,500m), where he recorded a new Stakes record time of 1:30.4.
But, with this being Runaway Algo's first race over the straight course in 16 starts on local soil, there were a few doubts about how he would navigate the event, which included more fleet-footed rivals.
It was a pretty even start with Madelyn's Sunshine (Reyan Lewis), Runaway Algo (Linton Steadman) and Emperorofthecats, hooked up on the headlines, before the latter gradually separated himself from the pack and maintained his gallop to the end.
Though Runaway Algo attempted a rally at the furlong pole, he had no response to Emperorofthecats turn of foot.
Yellowstone (Anthony Thomas) closed well to take second ahead of Runaway Algo, while Duke (Dane Dawkins), completed the frame.
Meanwhile, Linton Steadman and Roger Hewitt topped all riders with two wins apiece.
Steadman won aboard Patrick Lynch's California Gold in the second event and the Fernando Geddes-conditioned Thalos in the fourth event.
Hewitt's winners came in the sixth and 10th events aboard Market Place and Ultimate Machine for trainers Robert Pearson and Robert Ffrench, respectively.
Leigh Wood regained his WBA featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Mauricio Lara in Manchester.
The fight was scored 118-109, 116-111, 118-109 in Wood’s favour after he turned in a disciplined performance to nullify the best of the threats Lara had to offer.
Lara boasted a four-pound advantage after Friday’s dramatic weigh-in, when he failed to make the nine-stone limit and was stripped of his belt, with Wood opting to take the fight anyway.
The Nottingham fighter made the most of that decision as he had Lara on the canvas in only the second round with a right uppercut and stayed on the attack, despite Lara managing to open up a cut above his left eye in the fourth round.
Lara, behind on the cards, continued to target that eye but Wood kept dancing and was in control as Lara struggled to make anything pay.
Wood struck the Mexican with a powerful left hook which left him wobbling in the 11th and it was effectively beyond doubt by that point, with Wood jumping onto the ropes to celebrate even before the judges confirmed his victory.
Despite facing an uphill task, Jamaica’s Head coach Hugh Bradford is optimistic that his young Reggae Girlz will produce an improved performance against reigning seven-time champions United States in their second Group A contest at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in Dominican Republic on Sunday.
The encounter to take place at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, is scheduled for 5:00 pm Jamaica time, after the Canada versus Panama curtain-raiser at 2:00 pm.
After going down 0-4 to Canada in Friday’s opener, the young Reggae Girlz are now caught in a must-win situation in order to keep hopes of securing an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup berth alive and Bradford is backing his charges to put their best foot forward on this occasion.
United States, who hammered Panama 6-0 in their opening contest, currently head the standings on three points, same as Canada, but with a better goal difference.
“Yes, it is a difficult task but we are going to try and play our game and not worry about what the opponents will do. I know we have a lot of potential in our team and so I expect the players to go out and give off their best,” Bradford said.
Reflecting on the team’s performance against Canada, the US-based coach pointed out that the players failed to execute as instructed and, as such, were outclassed in all departments and beaten by goals from Anabelle Chukwu (39th and 45th), Olivia Smith (56th) and substitute Renee Watson (90+4).
“I thought we could have been better, but we weren’t entirely bad. We used a lot of energy on the defensive side, didn’t press the ball enough and so we were unable to get anything out of the game,” Bradford reasoned.
“But we have to just leave that game behind us and focus on the next game. We know our performance needed to be better as a team and like I said, I expect the ladies to show some improvements here. Everybody is fine, we had our team meeting and discussed what changes needs to take place as we look ahead,” he added.
Should the Girlz pull off an unlikely upset, it would put them in a good position to secure on of two spots from the group to the knockout stage, as they are set to close against Panama on May 30, while the United States and Canada will have each other to contend with.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica and Mexico, have all but secured the two positions from Group B, with two wins each.
The two finalists and third-place team will represent the confederation at next year’s Under-20 World Cup.
Rob Edwards’ delight at Luton ending their 31-year wait for Premier League football was nothing compared to the relief he felt at the news captain Tom Lockyer was all right.
Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final went the distance at a packed Wembley, where the Hatters rallied after their skipper’s worryingly collapse early on.
Jordan Clark put Luton into a deserved lead that Coventry midfielder Gustavo Hamer cancelled out in the second half, with the match ending 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra-time.
Joe Taylor saw a winner ruled out just before spot-kicks, with Fankaty Dabo’s sudden-death miss sealing a 6-5 shoot-out triumph that propelled Luton back into the top-flight for the first time since 1992.
The dramatic triumph means the Hatters will welcome Manchester City and Co just nine years after facing the likes of Salisbury and Hyde in the Conference Premier.
Luton boss Edwards said: “I felt a bit numb. I just made sure I shook Mark’s hand and his staff.
“I don’t want to be that guy that just starts running off and celebrating before I’ve seen the other manager.
“I just felt very numb. I still do. It hasn’t sunk in quite yet. It might take a few days, but it’s great. It does feel good.
“It was mixed because of Locks (Lockyer), that’s why I couldn’t really go for it celebrating.”
This is a day that will live long in the memory of anybody connected to Luton, whose players held a Lockyer shirt throughout the celebrations.
The Hatters captain collapsed when running back to defence in the early stages of the final, leaving the field on a stretcher and being taken to hospital for tests.
Luton confirmed Lockyer was “responsive and talking to his family”, with his dad posting an image of him in a hospital bed celebrating the shoot-out win.
Edwards cried with delight when he saw that image and hopes to soon celebrate with the much-loved skipper.
“If we can we will (see him in hospital),” he said of Lockyer, who is expected to be kept in overnight. “But I don’t want to get in the way and if I’m not allowed then I won’t.
“If I’m allowed I would love to go and see him, but then I think we’re so tight as a group that I’m not sure if 40-odd people are allowed to go and see him in hospital.
“We will have to check on that, but I’m just so thankful that he’s OK because that’s all that matters.
“I wasn’t really able to enjoy any celebration at the end because all I cared about was Locks.”
As for Coventry, it was a heartbreaking end to a memorable season.
Bottom of the table in October and taken over at the start of the year, boss Mark Robins was agonisingly close to leading the Sky Blues from League Two to the top flight.
“Firstly, congratulations to Luton because once the game is over and done with you’ve got to congratulate the winners,” the long-serving Coventry boss said.
“They’ve come out on top today, however tight the game may have been.
“Congratulations to them and their supporters. I think they have been outstanding all season and good luck to them moving forward.
“I think for us, certainly the opposite of their joy is pain.
“You certainly feel a bit of pain, but once that pain starts to dissipate in however long it takes for it to go, we’ve got to reflect on what an unbelievable achievement it’s been just to even be here today in a play-off final.
“The division is very, very tough as we all know and unfortunately we couldn’t make that next step.”
Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber has saluted "phenomenal" boss Roberto De Zerbi for leading the Seagulls to Europa League qualification.
Brighton will appear on the continent for the first time in their history next season after securing a hugely impressive sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.
De Zerbi has been a revelation since arriving at the Amex Stadium following Graham Potter's move to Chelsea, who subsequently sacked the coach after just under seven months in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Barber has heaped praise upon the Italian, who also guided Brighton to the FA Cup semi-finals, where they were beaten by Manchester United on penalties at Wembley Stadium.
"He's been phenomenal," the Seagulls' chief executive told Stats Perform at the Football Business Awards.
"It's his first time working in the Premier League. He's had to learn English, he's had to adapt to life in England, he's had to learn a new league, work with new players. So we're thrilled for him, and he's done a fantastic job.
"It's the first time in 122 years that we've reached European football. So it's a fantastic achievement for the coaches and the players, and we're delighted for them. And also, I think it's a great opportunity for the fans to celebrate their club in a new competition for the first time."
It was not all plain sailing for Brighton, who saw key forward Leandro Trossard depart for Arsenal during the January transfer window.
But Barber revealed the club were prepared for any possible setbacks, and while he acknowledges more players may leave, he insists that selling is not a necessity.
"The key thing has been succession planning, we have a plan for key positions within the club, should we lose people in those positions," he explained. "I think that's very important if you want to maintain momentum.
"We're fortunate that we've got a very good owner. We've got a fantastic infrastructure, we sell out all of our games, and we generate great revenues from our sponsors, and from our hospitality and non-matchday work. So no, it's not essential.
"But we also recognise that the best players want to play at the top level and it's possible we will lose players at some point."
Barber is also confident it is only a matter of time before former Seagulls boss Potter is given another opportunity following his poor spell at Chelsea.
"Graham worked with us for three years," he added. "He did a fantastic job during his time and sometimes when you move to a different club, for whatever reason, it doesn't work out.
"But what we do know is Graham is an excellent coach and an excellent individual. And I'm sure very soon, he'll be back in top-level football."
Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui insists it is unfair to label Arsenal as bottlers after their title challenge faltered.
The Gunners will finish second behind Manchester City having topped the table for the majority of the season.
They held an eight-point lead in March but dropped crucial points against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton in the run-in before losing 4-1 at City in April.
Arsenal’s defeats to Brighton and Nottingham Forest handed City a third straight title but, ahead of Wolves’ trip to the Emirates for Sunday’s Premier League finale, Lopetegui feels the Gunners do not deserve criticism for coming second.
“Of course (they don’t). It’s an incredible league and in the end they lost to Manchester City in one of the last matches,” he said.
“They have done fantastic work – you only have to look at the teams that finished below them, incredible teams.
“So I praise Mikel (Arteta) for his fantastic work. I remember he had big problems when he arrived two years ago but they showed faith and belief in him and now they are collecting the rewards.
“He’s improved the team and changed a lot of players and put a lot of quality on the pitch and produced fantastic answers.
“Now they have an incredible project in front of them.
“That’s the merit of Mikel – fantastic work. In the same way, it highlights the merit of the club and the sporting director because he wouldn’t be able to do what he’s done without the belief in him.
“In football to believe in the mid term or long term is very difficult.
“It’s generally always short term. I think they are reaping the rewards for that belief and I’m happy for them because the teams that show patience and work a lot for the future deserve to have success.”
Lopetegui remains in talks with Wolves over his future having guided them to mid-table safety. He is looking for clarification on the amount of backing he will receive in the summer with financial fair play restricting the club’s spending power.
He wants to revamp the squad with several expected to leave including Ruben Neves and the out-of-contract Joao Moutinho and Adama Traore but Lopetegui suggested Raul Jimenez still has a Wolves future.
“Raul has another year on his contract with us and for me it’s not his last match with us. He’s our player,” he said.
“Raul is our player and he’s under contract. I hope he continues with us.”
Tottenham acting head coach Ryan Mason has defended Daniel Levy and insisted the under-fire chairman has been let down by other people.
Levy has faced growing criticism this season and repeatedly had his name chanted at games with a section of supporters eager for the long-serving board member to depart.
Eighth-placed Spurs are currently searching for a new permanent head coach and managing director of football while they could find themselves not in Europe for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
Meanwhile, record goalscorer Harry Kane is about to enter the final year of his contract, but Mason leapt to the defence of Levy before the last match of the club’s season at relegation-threatened Leeds on Sunday.
He said: “It hurts him, it hurts everyone committed to this club and everyone who really cares and wants this club to be successful.
“One thing I will say is he’s spent money, he’s tried and I just think ultimately he has probably been let down by other people but that’s football.
“That happens and hopefully we can get things right quickly, make good decisions and it can turn around.”
Optimism was rife at the beginning of the campaign, but Spurs have lost 14 times in the Premier League, conceded 62 top-flight goals – their worst against tally since the 2002-03 term – and seen their trophy drought extend into a 15th season.
Mason pulled no punches when asked about positives, adding: “I think the biggest positive will be the future.
“And if we’re clever and if we do it right, then I think we’ll look back on this season and say it was tough, disappointing but ultimately it made us realise what we want to be.
“It made us realise who we are, what our history and DNA probably suggests we are, what our fans want, what our fans demand and hopefully there is a connection very soon where we look back and say disappointing season, absolutely yes, but it helped us.”
It was just over two months ago when Antonio Conte had his post-match outburst at Southampton and accused his own “selfish players” of not being a team or wanting to play under pressure.
Spurs have won only twice during the ensuing nine matches but Mason rejected any notion his old boss was right given the games in hand Newcastle, Liverpool and Brighton held over a club that were fourth at the start of April.
“We haven’t won an away game since January, conceded 60+ goals this season so this isn’t something that has just happened in recent weeks,” ex-Tottenham midfielder Mason stated.
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“Obviously we were left in a position in the league table that was probably false, in terms of other teams had games in hand.
“When you level them out, I think the first game we had against Man United (on April 27) we might have been seventh in the table so there were a lot of things that were probably false.
“One thing I will say is I respect everyone that I have worked with and I have learnt off a lot of people, but at the same time I am my own person and believe how not only this club, but how any football club I am at in the future, should work and operate.”
Mason will have a decision to make on his own future after the clash at Elland Road with the 31-year-old firmly of the belief he is ready for management following this latest caretaker spell.
He has consistently referenced the importance of “committed people” being at the club next season in recent weeks and hinted unspecified players could miss the trip to Leeds if they are not motivated to secure Tottenham a spot in the Europa Conference League with a seventh-placed finish.
“I am looking forward to it. I hope my players are looking forward to it too,” Mason said.
“I have made it very clear that if anyone isn’t up for the fight and doesn’t want to play in this type of game, then it is probably best we don’t play with them.
“I just think going forward that (commitment) is really important. That is probably the first thing we need to address.
“Whether it’s a cleaner, groundsman, members of staff, players here, coaches here, they need to be committed to this football club.
“It’s an honour to work here. I’ve played here, I felt that pride whenever I put on the shirt and for anyone who’s lucky enough to represent us next season, first of all they need to be committed to the football club.”
Eddie Howe does not want to be anywhere but Newcastle as he plots a route to lasting success after delivering Champions League football at the end of his first full season at the helm.
The 45-year-old will spend the summer working with the club’s owners and sporting director Dan Ashworth to bolster a squad already enhanced by spending in excess of £250million for the challenges which lie ahead.
In doing so he will have to make a series of tough decisions, but not about his own situation.
Asked if his long-term future lies at St James’ Park, Howe said: “Very much so, there is no other thought in my mind.
“For as long as I’m wanted, Newcastle is where I want to be. I’m hugely excited about next season and hopefully beyond.”
Howe has been linked repeatedly with the England job in recent years and his early success on Tyneside after his sterling work at Bournemouth has seen his reputation blossom.
However, he is not a man to rest on his laurels and knows what lies ahead may prove even more difficult as he attempts to balance the demands of domestic and European football.
He said: “It can be tougher [playing in Europe]. I don’t want to come across as negative or pessimistic in any way, or almost having that mindset going into next season. We need to go into next season full of positivity and full of what can be.
“We want to compete, we want to try to win a trophy, so we are very, very ambitious to move things on, but the challenges will get harder and we have to be better.”
Tyneside has been bathed in euphoria since Monday night’s 0-0 draw with Leicester ensured just a third Champions League campaign for the club and took the pressure off Sunday’s trip to Chelsea.
However, while he is determined to make an impression among Europe’s elite, Howe has no intention of forgetting the bread and butter of the Premier League.
He said: “I look at the Premier League as your first target, the foundation to your season, really, so we won’t be going away from all eyes on the Premier League, all eyes on making sure we start as well as we can and we try to be as consistent as we can.
“We won’t be taken off course in terms of our focus. The Champions League will start later on. It’s the foundation that we’re looking at and that’s the Premier League.”
If the quest for Europe was something of a pipe dream back in August, the desperation to end a trophy drought which dates back to 1969 remains after despite February’s Carabao Cup final defeat, and that will not be pushed into the background either.
Howe said: “We won’t look at the domestic cups and sacrifice them for the Champions League. That’s not my mindset sitting here now.
“We want to try to win a trophy and we came very close this year. We want to go one step further.”
Erik ten Hag believes ever-improving Manchester United star Marcus Rashford can become a 40-goal-a-season forward.
The 25-year-old pressed reset last summer after the most chastening year of his career, kicked off by his heart-breaking penalty shoot-out miss in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.
Post-tournament shoulder surgery kept Rashford sidelined and an initial flurry of goals on his return quickly dried up amid widespread criticism.
But a priceless pre-season under new boss Ten Hag led to a resurgence, with Rashford scoring his 30th goal of the season in all competitions in Thursday’s 4-1 win over Chelsea.
Rashford’s best haul saw him become the first United player to reach 30 goals since Robin van Persie a decade ago, but Ten Hag believes the best is yet to come.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement in his game,” the United boss said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League finale against Fulham. “I’m convinced he could score even more.
“I think when you take, for instance, the last 10 games, he didn’t score so many goals. I think only two or three.
“So, yeah, he can improve but I am happy from where he was last season to what he did now, that he brings himself back.
“We supported him where we could, with the way of play but also in his mental mindset, so we are happy with that.
“But, yeah, we have to push for more and I am sure he’s capable to score 40 goals in a season, to make also for him the next step.”
Asked if Rashford’s form takes the pressure off getting a striker in the summer, Ten Hag said: “We need across the squad more scoring abilities.
“You can’t be dependent on one. But it can also come from this squad, but we need more scoring abilities.”
Ten Hag has stressed the need for additions and internal improvements after a promising first season in the dugout.
United won February’s Carabao Cup and face Manchester City in the FA Cup final after wrapping up a Champions League return with a game to spare.
“We have to look to ourselves,” Ten Hag said about the next step. “We want to win the cup but that is for next Saturday and we have to do everything that’s in our power.
“I think in many aspects we can improve with this group of players, with this team. I know where we have to improve. I think there is a lot of room for improvement, yes.”
Ten Hag feels “fantastic in this club” and says Manchester feels like a home away from home, where the reaction to people he meets on the street is “absolutely positive”.
That feedback would be even greater from the red half of the city if United can stop rivals City’s treble charge at Wembley in the FA Cup final.
Asked if the FA Cup final was a free hit given what they have achieved already and City’s standing or a chance to send a statement, Ten Hag retorted: “Both not.
“But when I was here one year ago, I said we wanted to win trophies. We have won one, so we want to go for the highest.
“But that is a long, long way, it’s going to be a project. That’s not over one year. We’re talking over one to three years.
“But when there’s an opportunity to win a trophy, for every player it’s massive.
“I have to count but there are not so many players in our team, in our squad who have won the FA Cup. The FA Cup is huge for everyone in the world.
“You can have won the Champions League, you can have won so many titles, but when you have the opportunity to win the FA Cup, it goes all over the world, global-wide, a huge reputation.
“I know from the Netherlands how big the FA Cup is, so we have the opportunity to win that.
“We are also realistic (that) it’s not going to be easy but I can assure you one thing: we will give everything that’s in our power to get the cup.”
Mikel Arteta believes the timing of injuries that hit his squad late in the season ultimately cost Arsenal in their bid to hold off Manchester City and win the Premier League.
The team’s collapse largely coincided with a back injury sustained by defender William Saliba during their Europa League exit to Sporting Lisbon in March, with stand-in centre-back Rob Holding struggling to match the standard set by his team-mate.
Arsenal were also without strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu and midfielder Mohamed Elneny for large parts of the season as they were eventually chased down by City despite leading the table for 248 days.
It hands the club the unwanted record of the most number of days spent top of the league without becoming champions.
Collecting just nine points from their last eight games extinguished the challenge from Arteta’s side, but the manager pointed to three draws in April – away at Liverpool and West Ham and at home to bottom-side Southampton – as the period where critical damage was done to their title hopes.
The Gunners threw away two-goal leads at Anfield and the London Stadium before gifting Saints a 3-1 lead at the Emirates, from which they could not recover to win.
Arteta felt his team should have beaten all three opponents in spite of Saliba’s absence, but noted that the title was usually won by sides that did not suffer the bad luck with injuries that hit Arsenal this season.
“There were a few things (that caused the collapse) because we could have won at least three of the games that we drew without Willy and two of them really comfortably,” said Arteta. “But we didn’t.
“We had some critical moments where we didn’t maximise the opportunity that we had in front of us. You have to arrive at this stage with 24 fit players in the best condition, ready to go.
“It happened last season. In the last stages we lost three or four key players and it’s happened this season.
“It’s a big lesson, because when you look who wins and how doesn’t win, they have the 24 of them with the knife in the teeth, ready to go physically and mentally, all going for it and they can have real momentum. We didn’t have that again.
“Timing is everything. Moments define the season in your own way and for opponents. That’s dictated by many, many, many factors and you have to acknowledge that. There are certain things you don’t control and certain other things not.
“We fail in certain (moments) in our control, but I’m sure there are things we could have done different or better.”
Arteta was asked whether he feared for Arsenal’s prospects of challenging again next season, given the difficulties that Liverpool have endured this campaign after pushing City to the final day last May.
Jurgen Klopp’s team have failed to make the top four despite finishing a point behind the champions last season after a pulsating title race.
As well as the loss of key players and feeling the impact of an ageing team, it had been suggested that there had been a mental hangover at Anfield from last year’s pursuit of Pep Guardiola’s side.
“Whatever we do now in the last game and what we’ve done in the last week is just to build into what is going to happen afterwards,” said Arteta.
“Painting a very clear picture of where we want to go and who wants to be part of that journey.”
The manager also reiterated his commitment to the club after a year in which his personal stock has risen greatly.
He added: “I am very happy here, I’m very happy with my contract. Let’s move on and let’s have a great season again.”
Leicester boss Dean Smith knows he will have fulfilled a “big ask” if he can guide his side to Premier League survival on Sunday.
The Foxes must beat West Ham at the King Power Stadium and hope Everton do not win against Bournemouth if they are to avoid relegation to the Championship.
Smith was parachuted into an eight-game SOS mission following Brendan Rodgers’ sacking at the beginning of April but has recorded just one victory from his first seven games and accepts that his side have not done as well as he thought they would.
The 52-year-old has experience of producing the great escape as he led Aston Villa to seven points from their final four games of the 2019/20 season to beat the drop and says something similar would be required.
Smith said: “When you first come in you look at games and I looked at Man City, Liverpool and Newcastle and knew they were going to be tough to get points out of. I expected us probably to win our home games and nick points away from home, with probably the exception of Liverpool.
“We are a few points short of where I expected to be and that’s why it has come down to the last one.
“This would be a very proud day if we do it, but we have to win our game and rely on other results. Each escape will have its own merits, the one at Villa with four games to go was seven points. That in itself was a big ask, this has been a big ask and hopefully we can do it.”
It is only two years ago since Leicester were winning the FA Cup and fighting for Champions League qualification, but they have dropped quickly after having to balance the books in the league.
And Smith says that shows just how tough the league can be for those outside the traditional ‘big six’.
“This league is precarious. You’ve got to have really good models now to stay in the league,” he said.
“You look at Brighton and Brentford, two really good models of clubs, one I know very well because I worked there.
“It is hard. You need the finance behind it but it’s not just about finance as you can see in Brentford’s case.
“There are many different ways to stay in the league but it’s a real tough league. Very quickly you can go and lose two or three games on the spin. All of a sudden that just drains the confidence of players.”
David Moyes admits he finds it impossible to switch off during the close-season.
The West Ham boss is resigned to losing captain Declan Rice this summer and will be inundated with calls from agents suggesting replacements.
“I am the exact opposite of switching off, I am on my phone all the time, there’s recruitment and things going on,” said Moyes.
“When you talk about the job as a manager, it is so full on. I am sure there are some managers who say ‘no problem and I’ll put my phone away’. I have never been like that, I am always on my phone and available.
“I am getting 400 different names put to me every day, a lot of them you don’t know, some of them you do know and some of them you go, ‘I quite like him’.
“When you are doing nothing, the agents start to get busy and that’s when it becomes a difficult time as a manager to switch off.”
Moyes can at least relax in the knowledge West Ham are safe from relegation ahead of Sunday’s trip to Leicester, who are still in the drop zone.
The Hammers also have a Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina in Prague to look forward to next month.
“I hope to be playing plenty of golf, just trying to recover as it’s been a real difficult year for the club and myself,” added Moyes.
“I think we’ve been a good side, but we’ve maybe not shown that we are a good side that often this year.
“But I just see it as a huge achievement for the whole of West Ham as a football club, to be in a European final.
“I don’t know if I would have said this when I came back to the club three years ago, you wouldn’t have believed me at all. The supporters were probably thinking that as well. If I wasn’t at West Ham, I would have said ‘you’re off your head’.
“Maybe the draw in Europe has been a bit kinder to us – but that’s part of being in the cup competitions.”
Pep Guardiola has no doubt “goal machine” Erling Haaland is ready to fire in Manchester City’s two upcoming finals.
The prolific Norwegian’s output has slowed in recent weeks with just one goal in his last six games.
For someone who has plundered 52 in a remarkable season that is a relative drought but that is hardly troubling Guardiola ahead of the FA Cup and Champions League finals.
Premier League champions City face Manchester United at Wembley next weekend before travelling to Istanbul to take on Inter Milan for the European crown seven days later.
City manager Guardiola said: “I’m not going to doubt about the scoring machine, Erling, right now.
“We had the chances. Maybe he’s waiting for the right moment. He will be ready in the right moment to score the goals. He’s ready.
“I’m very pleased he’s achieved all he’s achieved, and the goals and the records.
“Then he goes to Brighton and plays the way he played. He still did damage (without scoring).
“He could say, ‘I’m waiting for the two finals’ but it’s completely the opposite and I like that.”
Guardiola has been impressed by how Haaland has dealt with expectation in his first season in English football.
“I don’t feel he’s felt much pressure,” Guardiola said. “I think he’s handled it really well. He laughs, I think, when people (mention) expectations.
“I remember in the Community Shield, we lost 3-1 and he missed one clear chance – all the memes, all the people talked about that.
“I was close to him and he said, ‘Don’t worry, I will score goals’. He’s this type of guy. He has incredible self-confidence in himself that all he needs is the chance to score the goals.
“It doesn’t matter what happened, he’ll never lose confidence. You define the football players and the athletes in the bad moments. It’s how you react.”
City, who secured the title last weekend, wrap up their Premier League campaign at Brentford on Sunday.
The Bees inflicted City’s only home defeat of the season when they won 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium with an Ivan Toney double in November.
Toney will not be involved this time after the striker was banned for eight months for breaching betting regulations.
Guardiola hopes the player bounces back after he has served his punishment.
Guardiola said: “Everyone has problems. If he made a mistake, you accept it and learn from that and (take) a new opportunity. I’m pretty sure he will be (back) better.”
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