Liverpool still hold out hope they can scrape into the top four but their late charge for Champions League football could be derailed if manager Jurgen Klopp’s comments about referee Paul Tierney come back to bite them.

Following the dramatic 4-3 victory over Tottenham, in which the Reds needed an added-time winner from Diogo Jota to extend a four-match winning run after squandering a 3-0 lead from the opening 15 minutes, Klopp said he did not know what the official “has against us”.

Klopp was booked for his over-zealous celebration in front of fourth official John Brooks but said of Tierney’s attitude: “What he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited was quick to respond, saying in a statement: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.

“Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”

But it is Klopp’s suggestion of bias which is likely to land him in trouble with the Football Association and could lead to him receiving a touchline ban for Liverpool’s remaining few matches.

He was previously warned about his conduct after being banned for one match and fined £30,000 after the FA successfully won an appeal against the leniency of his punishment for berating an assistant referee during October’s home win over Manchester City.

The absence of Klopp from the touchline for any or all of Liverpool’s eminently-winnable remaining matches against Fulham, Brentford, Leicester, Aston Villa and Southampton could kill their momentum and blow their outside chances of catching fourth-placed Manchester United, who are currently seven points ahead with a match in hand.

One mistake and the best Liverpool can hope for is Europa League football but they came close to throwing it away against Spurs having coasted into a three-goal lead through strikes from Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah.

Harry Kane equalled Wayne Rooney’s Premier League tally of 208 goals just before half-time, leaving only Alan Shearer (260) ahead of him in the all-time list, and when Richarlison’s first league strike in added time followed Son Heung-min’s 77th-minute effort, Spurs looked like they had escaped with an unlikely draw.

However, just 99 seconds after equalising, Jota slotted in his fifth goal in four matches to spark wild – some would argue too wild in Klopp’s case – celebrations as Liverpool’s slim Champions League qualification hopes were kept alive.

“Sometimes we don’t half make it hard for ourselves,” said midfielder Harvey Elliott, back in the side after almost a month.

“We started the game unbelievably well, got three goals in quick succession, and personally I think we took our foot off the gas a little bit and allowed them to play a bit more football while not playing football ourselves.

“It’s a tough one to explain. It’s not a lack of concentration. Maybe because going 3-0 up early hardly ever happens so the way we deal with it is new to us.

“It’s always a hard situation because emotions are high, performing well and then we just decide to switch and didn’t do our game-plan.

“We decided to keep the ball and I felt it was just a bit slow in the way we moved it around and that caused ourselves problems. That’s something we need to snap out of.”

Ryan Mason, two matches into another spell as interim head coach following the sacking of Cristian Stellini after the 6-1 embarrassment at Newcastle, was less interested in Tottenham’s top-four chances now they had dropped to sixth than he was of repairing some of the recent damage.

“My priority is to get some togetherness, create some good feelings and energy around the place and bring our fans with us,” he said.

“The only way to do that is winning matches so it’s difficult to take. We’re just devastated in the way we lost the game.”

Eddie Howe is convinced Anthony Gordon will be a top player for Champions League-chasing Newcastle despite another early withdrawal against Southampton.

The £45million January signing was handed just his third start for the club in Sunday’s 3-1 comeback victory over the Saints which tightened their grip on third place, but made way at half-time for striker Callum Wilson.

Gordon, 22, had earlier passed up two good opportunities to score, including clipping the post with a 19th-minute effort after beating keeper Alex McCarthy, although Howe was happy with his contribution since his arrival from Everton and is expecting much, much more from him in the future.

He said: “We’ve seen glimpses of unbelievable potential. I’ve got no doubts – I’ve said this previously – that he’ll be a top player for us.

“Sometimes these things take a little bit longer for everyone else to see, but I’ve got no doubts.”

Gordon was also substituted 62 minutes into his full debut at Manchester City and after 56 minutes in the 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa, which came a week after reacting angrily to being taken back off having earlier being introduced from the bench at Brentford.

However on this occasion, Howe insisted the player’s reaction had been just what he would have expected.

He said: “His reaction to being taken off was very good – if there can be a very good reaction to it.

“Obviously internally, I suspect, he was very disappointed, but he didn’t let that show. There was no outward sign of a negative reaction to that, which you need in that situation.

“If I wanted to introduce Callum, I had to take somebody off. It was a process of that decision, really. I thought Anthony played well in the first half. Our best moments came through him, so it wasn’t really a slight on what he had given the team.

“I felt I had to do something to stimulate the group and give Southampton a different problem. I was delighted with the 45 minutes that he had.”

Howe’s decision paid off handsomely as the Magpies bounced back from Stuart Armstrong’s 41st-minute opener to overwhelm a side which had given as good as it got for long periods before the break.

Wilson levelled within nine minutes of his arrival and then, after substitute Theo Walcott had inadvertently turned Sven Botman’s header into his own net, scored for a second time after Joe Willock had forced Ainsley Maitland-Niles into an error.

He might have collected his first hat-trick for Newcastle had a late shot not hit the crossbar twice, but he will head into Sunday’s vital clash with Arsenal on 15 goals for the campaign and having provided the perfect response to being left out of Howe’s starting line-up despite scoring twice at Everton in midweek.

By contrast, Southampton are on the brink, six points adrift of safety with just four games to play and knowing the odds of them staying up are against them.

Boss Ruben Selles said: “We need to be more robust. We came here, we showed what we are, but we need to put the performance together for 90 to 95, 96 minutes, and that’s why we didn’t make it today.

“We just need to continue, try to put those performances in for longer in the game and if one incident or one goal is against us, to still stand there and try to get the very best out of the game.”

Roberto De Zerbi admits it will be tough for Brighton to be the best footballing team in the world while Pep Guardiola remains in management.

Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui last week attributed that status to the swashbuckling Seagulls before his side suffered a humiliating 6-0 Premier League thrashing at the Amex Stadium.

De Zerbi graciously accepted Lopetegui’s compliment following Saturday’s thumping win but rates Manchester City boss Guardiola and former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa as the planet’s leading coaches in terms of style of play.

The Italian is steadfastly committed to his free-flowing vision of the game – insisting it would be easier for Brighton to replace him than for him to change tack – and acknowledges it is impossible without talented players.

“I have to say thanks, I respect a lot him, he’s a great manager,” De Zerbi said of the comments from former Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla coach Lopetegui.

“I think we are playing well. (Yet) while Guardiola works in football, it’s difficult to play better than his team.

“But I think the credit is not for me, the credit is for my players. When we receive congratulations or these words, the credit is only of our players. I’m lucky to be the head coach, I’m lucky to work with them.

“For me, it’s an honour. I have a good confidence in myself. I think I am a good coach but to play this level of game without great players, I can’t.

“With Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa, there never can be competition.

“In a game, yes. I would like to win against Guardiola, against Bielsa, but for me it will be never a competition with them because they are the biggest coaches in the world.”

Doubles from Deniz Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck earned Brighton a club-record top-flight win against Lopetegui’s stunned visitors.

The victory moved eighth-placed Albion on to 52 points with seven games remaining in their quest to qualify for Europe.

Manchester United visit the south coast on Thursday evening – 11 days after beating the Seagulls on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Asked what he would like to see for the reminder of the campaign, De Zerbi said: “Playing like this (against Wolves), working to improve our mentality and play every game like it is the last game in our life.

“Because for us, for the club, for our fans it can be a historical result.”

De Zerbi also urged former Union Saint-Gilloise forward Undav to have greater self-belief following his first goals in English football.

“Undav is one of my biggest problems in Brighton and I want to explain why,” he said.

“He has big potential and he has big quality but it seems like he doesn’t believe in himself.

“And I would like to help him believe more in himself, because he has quality. He has all to be a player in the first XI, but he has to understand faster because the time in football flies.

“Undav is unique in our squad because he scores like a number nine and he has the quality to play like a number 10.”

Gary O’Neil played down talk about any potential manager of the year nomination but expressed his pride after Bournemouth likely clinched Premier League football for another season with a month to spare.

The Cherries stormed to a 4-1 thrashing over struggling Leeds on Sunday to put any relegation concerns to bed with Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo on target after Jefferson Lerma’s first-half brace at the Vitality Stadium.

O’Neil’s side have now drawn level with Chelsea on 39 points to all but secure safety with four games left, which appeared a long shot at the beginning of April when they were in the bottom three.

Since replacing Scott Parker following a 9-0 loss at Anfield in August, Bournemouth’s rookie boss has won 10 matches, beaten the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham and navigated several injury crises during his debut managerial campaign.

It has led to calls from Jamie Carragher, amongst others, for the 39-year-old to be nominated for Premier League manager of the year.

But O’Neil insisted: “I’m not interested but people will make decisions.

“If Mo Salah had scored his penalty (in the 1-0 win) and a few other things had gone another way, people would have been calling me the worst manager in the league and nowhere near ready for what was a big job.

“Fine margins and proud of the work the group have done. Proud I have managed to play a part with them and really looking forward to the next four to see how many points we can put on the board.

“I’m just really proud of a group I’ve worked with for quite a while now in different positions.

“To have had as many questions asked of them as they have, to have been written off by so many people and to get to 39 points with four games still to play is an incredible effort.

“I’m very proud of the group and that is everyone. Whether you have played one game, 34 games or been in the treatment room, physios, everyone has played a part. It’s been a big effort to get to this point.”

A surprise 4-0 defeat at home to West Ham last weekend increased the pressure on Thursday’s trip to local rivals Southampton but Bournemouth claimed a vital 1-0 victory before they put Leeds to the sword.

Having experienced the dejection of conceding deep into stoppage time in a 3-2 loss at Arsenal in March, the Cherries have responded with six wins from nine matches to all but guarantee their Premier League status with a month of the campaign to go.

“The players have suffered some tough moments this season,” O’Neil reflected.

“You think away to Arsenal and we were bottom of the league when we suffered that late goal so not many people saw us going on the run we did. A big effort from everyone.”

Leeds head coach Javi Gracia is under pressure only two months into his tenure but insists he has total belief in his young squad.

“There is only one way to try to change, to work and believe in the players we have,” he said.

“We are a young team and young players many times need this process to make mistakes and to learn from them, but it is something that in this moment is hard to accept.

“I believe in my players from the beginning until the end.”

Julian Alvarez admitted “every game is a final” after Manchester City returned to the Premier League summit for the first time since February with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Fulham.

City were pushed all the way by Marco Silva’s men who were resilient throughout, recovering well after conceding an early penalty which Erling Haaland converted.

Carlos Vinicius levelled the game briefly in the 15th minute, but Alvarez’ stunning strike from distance restored City’s advantage and they held on.

“This is where we wanted to be at the start of the season,” Alvarez told City’s website.

“Everyone’s put in really good work and now we’ve reached the top we need to defend it.

“Every game is a final for us and everyone’s going to pull together to make that final effort.”

The Argentinian, who has had to wait for opportunities in Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up, added: “It was really nice to score here, a really important goal at an important point of the match. Really nice to contribute.

“We knew it would never be easy coming here because of the pitch, because of how good Fulham are as a team. We were very happy to withstand the pressure and hold out.”

Fulham manager Silva was left to ponder his side’s small defensive lapses following a largely impressive performance against a team still in the hunt for the treble.

“We had a clear plan for the game. We wanted to go through the centre of the pitch, with our wingers a little more inside,” Silva said.

“If you try to block certain areas, they will look to expose others. The players, they stuck to their plan and did it well.

“The moment after we equalised the game was probably our best moment in the match.

“We cannot concede the goal in the way we did. A great strike from Alvarez, I know, but the way we build in certain areas we cannot lose the ball in that way and we gave them a chance in their counter-attack.

“In the second half we were really competitive again. We didn’t create many chances, this is true, but we didn’t give many things to them either.”

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited has refuted Jurgen Klopp’s claims that referee Paul Tierney acted improperly during Liverpool’s 4-3 win against Tottenham on Sunday.

Klopp was shown a yellow card by Tierney for his wild celebrations in front of fourth official John Brooks after Diogo Jota’s stoppage-time winner at Anfield, just 99 seconds after Richarlison had hauled Tottenham level in a seven-goal thriller.

The Liverpool manager pulled his hamstring in the process and in his post-match interview heavily criticised Tierney, accusing the match official of speaking to him in a manner which “was not OK”.

But PGMOL said in a statement: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.

“Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”

Klopp faces heavy censure by the Football Association for his comments and touchline behaviour.

The German escaped a touchline ban in October and was instead fined £30,000 by an independent commission following his sending-off for confronting referee Anthony Taylor during Liverpool’s match against Manchester City at Anfield.

After Liverpool had snatched victory against Tottenham, Klopp told Sky Sports: “We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us, he has said there is no problem but that cannot be true.

“How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”

When asked what Tierney had said, Klopp added: “I will not say anything about it. The refs don’t say what is said so I don’t say what is said.”

Klopp reignited his long-running feud with Tierney and referred back to last season’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham in London.

Klopp said: “Paul Tierney didn’t give Harry Kane a red card but Robbo (Andy Robertson) got a red card. It was not the first time, there are so many things.”

On his celebration in front of the fourth official, Klopp added: “Of course, we are emotional in these moments. It’s difficult. It is not OK, we shouldn’t do that. Yes, we are role models but we are human beings first and foremost.

“I didn’t say a bad word to the fourth official – not at all – but I pulled my hamstring probably in that moment so, fair enough, I’m already punished.

“A fair punishment for behaving not the right away. I have pain for a few days, Mr Tierney not.”

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited has refuted Jurgen Klopp’s claims that referee Paul Tierney acted improperly during Liverpool’s 4-3 win against Tottenham on Sunday.

Klopp was shown a yellow card by Tierney for his wild celebrations in front of fourth official John Brooks after Diogo Jota’s stoppage-time winner at Anfield, just 99 seconds after Richarlison had hauled Tottenham level in a seven-goal thriller.

The Liverpool manager pulled his hamstring in the process and in his post-match interview heavily criticised Tierney, accusing the match official of speaking to him in a manner which “was not OK”.

But PGMOL said in a statement: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.

“Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”

Klopp faces heavy censure by the Football Association for his comments and touchline behaviour.

The German escaped a touchline ban in October and was instead fined £30,000 by an independent commission following his sending-off for confronting referee Anthony Taylor during Liverpool’s match against Manchester City at Anfield.

After Liverpool had snatched victory against Tottenham, Klopp told Sky Sports: “We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us, he has said there is no problem but that cannot be true.

“How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”

When asked what Tierney had said, Klopp added: “I will not say anything about it. The refs don’t say what is said so I don’t say what is said.”

Klopp reignited his long-running feud with Tierney and referred back to last season’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham in London.

Klopp said: “Paul Tierney didn’t give Harry Kane a red card but Robbo (Andy Robertson) got a red card. It was not the first time, there are so many things.”

On his celebration in front of the fourth official, Klopp added: “Of course, we are emotional in these moments. It’s difficult. It is not OK, we shouldn’t do that. Yes, we are role models but we are human beings first and foremost.

“I didn’t say a bad word to the fourth official – not at all – but I pulled my hamstring probably in that moment so, fair enough, I’m already punished.

“A fair punishment for behaving not the right away. I have pain for a few days, Mr Tierney not.”

Manchester City took a step closer to a third straight Premier League title as they beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage to move top of the table.

Liverpool raced into a 3-0 lead against Tottenham after just 15 minutes at Anfield, but needed a stoppage-time winner from Diogo Jota after the visitors had got back on level terms moments earlier through Richarlison.

Away from football, Mark Selby made the first maximum break of 147 in a World Snooker Championship final, while Sergio Perez beat Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best images from the weekend’s sporting action.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou pointed to his side’s improved big-game mentality as a key factor in them going at least one stage further than last season.

The cinch Premiership leaders set up the chance to win a treble when they beat Rangers 1-0 at Hampden on Sunday to secure a Scottish Cup final date against Inverness.

Celtic have now gone six derby games unbeaten since losing 2-1 after extra-time against Rangers in last year’s Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Postecoglou said: “Twelve months ago, when we lost here, it was another tight game, but I thought last year Rangers were a very good team and they had that resilience in them. That’s why they got to a European final.

“They did what they needed to do to get the job done on the day.

“That’s been our evolution as a team this year. It’s not easy to develop that because you need time and you need to be put in that situation as often as possible. But this group has really learned quickly that when you get to these big games, the games of consequence, you have to do what’s required.

“That’s what we did and I think we have been doing it all year.

“It’s where the team is at in terms of their progression. They understand that in the big games you need to show every facet of your game and that’s what we did.”

Celtic will clinch the title if they beat Hearts at Tynecastle next Sunday and they then take on Rangers at Ibrox.

If they win both those games, the rest of the league season is likely to be geared towards trying to break the top-flight record points total.

That could help keep Celtic firmly in the groove as they prepare to face an Inverness team that beat Falkirk 3-0 in the other semi-final.

“I watched the game and it was a decent game of football,” Postecoglou said. “I thought both teams played some good football on a big occasion. We will look forward to it.

“What we have done is give ourselves a chance to have a special season.

“We haven’t done that yet though. We have still got to win the league and play off in the cup final. When it comes around we will be ready for it.”

Rangers manager Michael Beale has told his squad some players will be fighting for their futures as their “disappointing season” enters the final stages.

The Light Blues were consigned to a campaign without silverware when they lost 1-0 to Celtic at Hampden in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final.

Three consecutive defeats against their city rivals have put the Hoops well on course for the treble and cemented Beale’s desire to revamp his squad in the summer.

They still have five cinch Premiership games to play and there are important fixtures despite the near certainty that Celtic will win the league.

The visit of Aberdeen next Saturday gives Rangers the chance to avenge their recent defeat at Pittodrie and then Beale has another opportunity to mastermind his first derby win when Celtic visit Govan.

And the concluding Premiership games could be the last chances for some players to prolong their Ibrox careers.

“Some are fighting for their futures obviously,” Beale said.

“We have to play the games in front of us. It’s a big weight and responsibility wearing the shirt for Rangers. It’s a huge privilege as well.

“Next week, Ibrox will be an interesting place but the fans will be there because that’s what they do, they support their team and they expect their team to win.

“This one will sting for a few days but the problems are throughout the season. It’s been a disappointing season for a Rangers fan. From the moment we beat PSV, it promised a lot more than it’s given.

“It’s the first season in a couple of years that we haven’t won a trophy or haven’t had a big finale.

“That’s disappointing for me as the manager and everybody associated with the club.

“All we can do is move forward and do better – we need to do better.”

Beale noted that Rangers had restricted Celtic to few chances and created some big opportunities themselves when asked if he needed to sharpen their attacking threat by looking outside the club.

Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent are likely to depart at the end of their contracts and they offered nothing of note at Hampden.

Although Kent was influential in Rangers’ run to the Europa League final last season, he has only scored six goals over the past two years, while Morelos has only scored three goals against Celtic in almost six seasons.

Beale said: “That’s the story of Rangers’ season, certainly domestically: we have had the moments. We were in a final and missed big opportunities, we were in a semi-final and missed big opportunities to change the direction of the season.

“It’s been in our hands, even against as strong a Celtic team as I have seen, our team went out and played well. But where it counts, in both boxes, we have fallen short.”

Tony Finau claimed his sixth PGA Tour title and fifth in the last 20 months with a highly impressive victory in the Mexico Open.

A year after finishing runner-up to Jon Rahm at Vidanta Vallarta, Finau reversed those positions thanks to a flawless closing 66.

At 24 under par, Finau finished three shots clear of world number one Rahm, with Brandon Wu – who was joint second with Finau 12 months ago – two strokes further back in third.

“It feels amazing,” Finau told CBS. “Rahmbo’s the best, he’s on top of the world right now.

“I knew I was going to have my hands full with him all the way till the end and I didn’t know this golf tournament was mine until I just hit this green (the 18th) here.

“It’s crazy how this game is, you never think you have a tournament won until it’s over so it feels great and we’re going to enjoy this one with my family.”

Rahm, who had carded a course record of 61 in round three, was chasing a fifth win of the year and the Masters champion kept his outside chance alive with a fourth birdie of the day on the 15th, only to bogey the 17th after his tee shot plugged in the bank of a greenside bunker.

Finau began the day with a two-shot lead and immediately extended it with a birdie on the first, but was caught at the top of the leaderboard when Wu followed two early birdies with an eagle on the sixth and another birdie on the next.

However, Finau responded with a birdie of his own on the short seventh and Wu’s chances effectively disappeared when he drove into the water on the 10th to run up a double bogey.

Finau birdied the 11th and 14th to give himself some welcome breathing space and parred the last four holes to round off a brilliant week.

Mark Selby made the first maximum break in a World Snooker Championship final as he reeled off the final three frames of an exhilarating opening day to trail Belgium’s Luca Brecel 9-8 overnight at the Crucible.

Forty years after Cliff Thorburn compiled the first 147 in the tournament, four-time champion Selby polished off the 15th to add his name to the list of history-makers at the famous venue.

Selby’s maximum earned him a share of the £40,000 tournament highest break prize with Kyren Wilson, who also made a 147 in his first-round win over Ryan Day.

His achievement capped an absorbing first two sessions in which Brecel threatened to pot his way into a significant lead only for the 39-year-old to show all of his renowned tenacity to drag himself back into contention ahead of Monday’s conclusion.

Twice previously in finals, against Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins, Selby has trailed heavily only to roar back and clinch victory and he is now a heavy favourite to finish the job against Brecel, who before this year had not won a match in five visits to the Crucible.

Having carved a reputation as a comeback king after his wins over O’Sullivan and Si Jiahui, the Belgian found himself in uncharted territory as a front-runner after blazing a trail with some epic long pots to take the first session 6-2.

Breaks of 77 and 90 helped him punish Selby, who uncharacteristically missed an easy brown and two blacks off their spots and was seemingly suffering after his early-hours semi-final win over Mark Allen the previous night.

In a thrilling start to the evening session, Selby summoned a 134 total clearance only for Brecel to respond with a high-octane 99, including a series of trick-shots on the colours, to immediately restore his four-frame advantage.

But Brecel’s potting prowess was matched by a growing tendency to miss easy balls, and after potting a series of impressive long shots in the next he missed a comparatively easy red, allowing Selby to post a break of 96 to narrow the deficit to 7-4.

Another missed opportunity enabled Selby to recover Brecel’s 42-point head-start and win frame 12, but the Belgian responded well with breaks of 72 and 67 after the mid-session interval to pull 9-5 in front.

It was classic Selby territory, however, and he punished a careless Brecel split with a break of 61 before summoning his historic maximum, completed with the minimum of fuss after plucking the final problematic red away from the side cushion.

Referee Brendan Moore, officiating in his third and last Crucible final before retirement, was the first to congratulate Selby, who was also embraced warmly by a smiling Brecel.

The Belgian looked set to extend his overnight advantage when he went 48 points clear in the final frame of the evening but Selby typically managed to refocus and take the frame to leave a thrilling 2023 final on a knife-edge.

Leicester boss Dean Smith sees similarities between James Maddison and Jack Grealish as the Foxes midfielder looks to emulate the former Aston Villa man’s relegation-fighting heroics.

Smith’s side are just a point from the Premier League safety line ahead of Monday’s crucial visit of Everton, who head into the encounter one point and one place worse off.

They know just a draw will lift them out of the bottom three on goal difference after Nottingham Forest’s late 2-1 defeat at Brentford on Saturday.

Manchester City’s Grealish played a key role in Villa’s escape from relegation under Smith in 2019-20 – they survived after being four points from safety with three games left – and Smith sees the similarities with Maddison.

“I think they are different types of players but similar characters, in all honesty. Both know that they’ve got ability and both want to push themselves to become the best,” he said.

“I think, when you’ve got players that have that personality and character, they push you as coaches and you want to go and help them become better players. James seems to have that as well.

“He’s always looking to see what he can do better. He’s really engaging in the meetings we have and tactical meetings and very vocal as well. I can see that similarity (with Grealish) of wanting to push himself.

“He wants to talk tactics with you, and football. He’s a football nut, a bit like Jack was as well.”

Maddison, linked with Newcastle, has a year left on his contract while eight players – including Youri Tielemans and Jonny Evans – have deals which expire this summer.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding their futures, though, Smith believes the squad remain committed to the survival fight.

“I’m getting that feeling from all the players,” he said. “They’re all in and they’ve committed to the football club, whether their contract is up at the end of the season or not.

“I’ve already said before, that I don’t know how many are up or who isn’t. I can just see a buy-in from what they’re doing in training and what they’re saying in the meetings.

“Contracts are not my department. My remit is to come in and keep the team in the Premier League, so that’s what I’m focused on.”