Paris St Germain boss Luis Enrique has told his players to forget about their Champions League showdown with Barcelona and concentrate on the task of edging closer to another Ligue 1 title.

The Parisians go into Saturday’s home clash with bottom-of-the-table Clermont 12 points clear of second-placed Brest and right on track to claim the domestic crown for the sixth time in seven seasons.

They will turn their attention to Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash with Barca at the Parc des Princes immediately afterwards, but Enrique insists not before.

He told a press conference: “We’ve got some important matches ahead of us and we’re not champions yet, so we have to play to win.

“There’s this desire to win everything, and I want players who think about the match against Clermont and not the rest.

“It’s going to be a very tough game, without doubt one of the toughest of the season. We’re in first place, they’re 18th and they’re going to give it everything they’ve got.

“We have to see it as a challenge in front of our supporters because we’re getting ready to suffer. But we’ll have the support of our fans, who will be right behind us.”

PSG, who made it through to the Coupe de France final with victory over Rennes on Wednesday evening, are unbeaten in 26 games in all competitions ahead of the weekend fixture, in which influential skipper Marquinhos returned from injury.

Enrique said: “As well as being the captain, the role model on and off the pitch, he is very involved as if he were a young player.

“He has a vocation to improve, he always wants to progress. When you see that kind of mentality in more experienced players, it’s a powerful thing.

“He’s a great footballer, but off the pitch he’s someone who always listens and wants to help the team improve.”

Despite Clermont’s difficulties this season, they will take heart from September’s 0-0 in the reverse fixture, and also last season’s final-day 3-2 victory in the capital in which they trailed 2-0 before launching a remarkable fightback.

However this time around, manager Pascal Gastien with be without the suspended Elbasan Rashani and the injured Maxime Gonalons, Cheick Oumar Konate, Adam Mabrouk and Stan Berkani, although Johan Gastien and Neto Borges are available once again.

Hopes of any turf racing taking place in Britain on Saturday hinge on a second precautionary inspection at Uttoxeter at 7.30am.

Friday’s jumps cards at Fontwell, Wetherby and Wexford all fell victim to the persistent wet spell, while Saturday’s card at Stratford and Kelso’s Premier Raceday were also abandoned due to waterlogging.

Officials at Uttoxeter staged an initial inspection at 2pm on Friday to assess the latest state of play and while standing water remains in some areas, the track was described as raceable, prompting the team to announce a further check for raceday morning.

A statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, read: “Following our precautionary inspection at 2pm, the track is currently raceable with no rain since 7.30am.

“We are optimistic that we will be able to race tomorrow, however, due to variable forecasts, we will be holding another precautionary inspection at 7:30am.”

Saturday’s Curragh meeting, due to feature the Group Three Tote.ie Alleged Stakes, is also subject to a 7.30am inspection.

Brendan Sheridan, the IHRB clerk of the course at the Curragh, said on Friday morning: “Following a further 6.5mm of rain overnight, the Curragh remains heavy and fit for racing. Having spoken with Met Éireann this morning, there is the possibility of a further 8-11mm of rain between now and 5.35pm tomorrow.

“However, we are also faced with the prospect of Storm Kathleen which has the potential to bring high gusts of wind through tomorrow. On the basis of the forecast for further rain, we will have a 7.30am inspection on Saturday morning to assess if the track remains fit for racing.

“Should the track remain fit for racing at that point, we will continue to monitor the situation and consult with Met Éireann in relation to the high winds.”

Saturday’s racing programme is completed by all-weather cards at Chelmsford and Kempton and the disruption looks likely to continue, with Downpatrick’s Sunday meeting hinging on a 7.30am check.

Tuesday’s Flat meeting at Navan has already been cancelled, while Hexham’s jumps card on the same day also looks in serious doubt, with officials calling an inspection for 7.30am on Sunday.

Mauricio Pochettino admits it was a risk to join Chelsea given his Tottenham connections but remains determined to build a “genuine relationship” with supporters following the stunning 4-3 win over Manchester United.

Cole Palmer’s strike in the 11th minute of stoppage time was the latest winning goal on record in the Premier League and sparked an eruption of joy around Stamford Bridge, previously the scene of seething discontent as home fans have watched their side plummet down the table.

Pochettino and his players have been booed off more than once this season, with the worst reaction coming after they were beaten 4-2 by Wolves early in February, though there was also audible disquiet as they struggled to overcome Championship sides Leeds and Leicester in the FA Cup.

However, the team are unbeaten in the league since that loss to Wolves, and on top of progressing to the cup semi-final where they will face Manchester City, on Thursday they gave supporters surely their most memorable moment since Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium bought the club almost two years ago.

Palmer’s winner, his third goal of the night and just seconds after he had levelled the game at 3-3 from the penalty spot, triggered a release of emotion shared by Pochettino and home fans, and was reward for a performance in which Chelsea had shown moments of great attacking promise.

“I arrived to Chelsea in a different project than in the previous 10 years,” said Pochettino, who took over from caretaker boss Frank Lampard in July last year.

“I played with my reputation to come here, in a project to build a team with young players, talented players.

“We knew it was a massive challenge to build a team, win games and to be competitive, to take the risk with the fans.

“I said from the beginning, I want to build a genuine relationship. Not kissing the badge or doing stupid things on the touch line to win the (favour) of the fans.

“I want to prove the team the tools to win games, to make them believe in ourselves and to build a relationship. I’m not here to be a populist and a hypocrite and say ‘I love the fans’, because I know it’s about time to build this relationship.”

Pochettino spent more than five years in charge of rivals Spurs, who he guided to the Champions League final in 2019 before being sacked less than six months later.

One of his most famous games in charge came in May 2016 when his team threw away a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a bad-tempered game in west London to hand Leicester the title, a match which became known as the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have looked a long way from hitting such heights under the Argentinian, but by maintaining their unbeaten streak with the late drama against United, victory at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United on Sunday would place them in touching distance of qualifying for next season’s Europa League.

“We have nine games to play still,” said Pochettino. “If we win them all, for sure we will be in Europe.”

Harry Charlton could land his first major success since taking over the Beckhampton licence when Sleeping Lion bids for his second victory in Kempton’s Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap.

The Sunbury regular got his hands on the staying handicap on his debut for the Charlton team in 2021 before returning to finish fifth last season and the nine-year-old’s last three appearances have all come on the all-weather at this venue.

Three of the experienced stayer’s five career victories have been at Kempton and his handler believes local knowledge can see him thereabouts once again in the £45,000 contest.

“He’s not really a horse for undulating tracks and he doesn’t like soft ground so we quite often come back to Kempton,” said Charlton, who has taken over solely after a spell alongside his father, Roger.

“He’s in good form and he always runs well there, it just looks quite competitive I thought.

“I think if he runs his usual kind of race, he will be thereabouts, whether he is improving, it’s hard to say at that age, but he’s very consistent and very enthusiastic. He’s a pleasure to have around.”

James Owen is another handler who could establish himself as a leading player on the Flat this season and his impressive Catterick hurdles winner Sweet Fantasy changes tack in search of this valuable prize.

“The plan was to go to Musselburgh for the big handicap last weekend and she was declared to run but unfortunately it was called off and we have come here with her,” said Owen.

“I would rather run her on the grass but she works very well on the all-weather and has some back-form on the all-weather.

“I think the step up in trip will massively help her and she looked a very solid stayer for me over hurdles.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do on the Flat for us and I think there is more to come from what she has shown at home. Hopefully she can do it on the track as well.

“It’s nice that Aidan (Keeley) can ride them both (also partners Cannon Rock in the Rosebery Handicap). I think he is riding really well and he claims a massive 3lb and is a very good rider. He’s helping me out massively at home, so it’s nice to be able to repay him.”

James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend was a regular in the top staying contests last season and finished the year competing in the Group One Prix Royal-Oak in France.

He will carry top weight, while Andrew Balding’s Spirit Mixer is 1lb lower than when chasing home star stayer Trueshan in the 2022 Northumberland Plate and is sure to be sharper for his Lingfield return from a long 328-day absence last month.

Ian Williams’ Aqwaam landed the victory he had been threatening at Lingfield on Good Friday and will go in search of his second win in the space of eight days off a 4lb higher rating.

“He ran very well at Lingfield last time and 4lb doesn’t look too extreme against what he has achieved, so we would be hopeful of another decent run,” said Williams.

“It’s always good to pick up a decent prize, so it would be good to see him run well again.”

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool and Manchester United fans to “show a bit of class” during Sunday’s game at Old Trafford.

Last month’s FA Cup meeting was marred by incidents of tragedy chanting about the Hillsborough disaster, resulting in arrests, and additional work has been done by both clubs on the subject in the intervening weeks.

“It is super-important. I don’t hear it, honestly, when I am on the sideline. I heard after the game that it happened and it obviously is not great,” said Klopp.

“But in general it is just helpful that we educate our kids in specific things: respect, understanding, all these things.

“I just see two of the biggest clubs in the world, so let’s just show a bit of class in these moments, don’t sing this or sing that.

“Just show class, let the teams fight on the pitch, let’s play football, that is all fine. Besides that, just show a bit of class, that would be my wish for all of us.”

Klopp heads to Old Trafford knowing not only do his side have to rectify the mistakes of last month’s FA Cup defeat but avoid a similar slip-up which ultimately cost them the title five years ago.

In the first of their epic run-ins with Manchester City the Reds won 10 of their last 12 matches but draws at Manchester United and Everton saw them finish second by a point with a record runners-up points tally of 97.

Klopp has won just twice and drawn four in 10 visits to their historical arch-rivals but that has to change on his final, short trip down the M62 if they are to maintain their advantage at the top of the table.

Three weeks ago their bid for an unprecedented quadruple was ended by a goal in the final minute of extra time and it is their only defeat in the last dozen matches.

“We were really good that day but we didn’t finish the situations off,” was Klopp’s assessment as his side looked like they were running on empty in the additional 30 minutes.

“Extra time was too much for us and we couldn’t avoid the mistakes we could before (in normal time).

“It was the day we couldn’t control it any more, United turned the game around and United is a top side playing at home but we have to do what we did from minute 15 to 70-something.

“Football is not that easy. We have to find a way to cause United problems. They will try the same.

“Against this opponent, in this stadium, we better play a really good game if we want something from it.”

Liverpool have announced a two percent rise in season ticket prices for the second successive year, having frozen the cost for the six campaigns previously. Junior tickets, however, will remain the same for a 10th successive season.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Broadway Boy is ready for his Aintree assignment after missing out on the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old began his debut season over fences in September, winning at the first time of asking and then impressing with a trio of good runs at Prestbury Park.

He finished second to Flooring Porter over three miles and half a furlong in October before returning to the Cotswolds to win a Listed contest over the same trip and a valuable handicap over three miles and two.

The gelding was subsequently a distant third in the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick but was still a popular pick ahead of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival in March.

An unsatisfactory scope ruled him out of the race two days before he was due to line up, but the bay has fared well since and is preparing to run in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at the Grand National meeting.

“He’s very well, he did a bit of work on Tuesday and all being well he’s headed for Aintree,” said Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father.

“His last two trach washes have been spotless and he’s in very good form, it’s all systems go.

“He’ll go for the three-mile Grade One novice.”

The Twiston-Davies team have a nice prospect in Clap Of Thunder, a four-year-old Mount Nelson gelding with four bumper runs under his belt.

He was most recently seen in the Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper at Fairyhouse on March 31, competing among a field of 14 horses, including some expensive purchases.

Under conditional amateur Toby McCain-Mitchell, Clap Of Thunder raced at the head of the field and though he was eventually outdone by an impressive winner in Willie Mullins’ Kopek Des Bordes, the third-placed horse was nine lengths behind him and the rest of the runners were even further strung out.

The bay is owned by his trainer and will go through the sales ring in search of a new home, though the family are naturally keen for him to return to the yard for them to train for fresh connections.

“That was brilliant, we were really, really pleased with him,” said Twiston-Davies.

“He bumped into a very good horse and I imagine that will be him done for the season.

“He is for sale and he will go to the sales, but we’d like to keep him in the yard if we could.

“He’s not made to be a four-year-old bumper horse, he’s a very big horse, so that just shows the ability he’s got at this stage in his career.

“We’d like to think he’d make a very nice novice hurdler for next year, we’ve schooled him plenty already and he looks a bit of a natural.”

Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United’s dropped points are getting “more expensive” and that time is running out to secure a Champions League spot.

United conceded twice in stoppage time as Chelsea sealed a dramatic 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

The Red Devils, who sit sixth in the Premier League table, also conceded a 99th-minute leveller at Brentford on Saturday.

United are currently nine points adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham with eight matches remaining, while they are 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, who have played a game more.

With league leaders Liverpool next up at Old Trafford on Sunday, United boss Ten Hag acknowledged it will be “difficult” to bridge the gap to those above them.

“This week we’ve dropped points in stoppage time,” Ten Hag said.

“We’ve dropped five points and that’s very expensive because the points are getting more expensive because the games are running out. We know that and we have to catch up.

“We are many points behind, it will be difficult but we will keep fighting and our team has character.

“We have seen today (against Chelsea) they are resilient and we will be in the fight against Liverpool.”

When asked if United will need to produce a flawless end to the season to make the top four, he added: “Yes, but that is also what I said before (the Chelsea) match. I think so.

“I have to manage the team. We have qualities, some great players, we can play to a very high standard.”

The Dutch manager also noted the importance of United supporters avoiding tragedy chants for their meeting with Liverpool this weekend.

“It’s very important to be behind Manchester United and to support us in a positive way,” he said.

“There is a fantastic bond between the team and the fans and we want a positive mood at Old Trafford on Sunday.”

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has ordered his players not to “mope” as they attempt to finish a difficult season with a Champions League final trip to Wembley.

The reigning Bundesliga champions head for promoted Heidenheim on Saturday with Tuchel having admitted after last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat by Borussia Dortmund that their hopes of securing a 12th successive league title are over.

Leaders Bayer Leverkusen are 13 points clear of second-placed Bayern with just seven games remaining, but Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Arsenal represents an opportunity to rescue the campaign.

Tuchel told a press conference: “We want competition and the opportunity to make things happen tactically. You need alternatives for that. I’m really unhappy with the way we played against Dortmund.

“There’s no reason to hide away and mope. We’ll carry on, we tried to push the team again. We’ll carry on to the end with our heads held high.

“As unsatisfactory as the season has been, we still have one goal, which is to get to Wembley. We have to give it our all every day.

“We can’t let our conviction and ambition drop even one per cent. We’re unhappy with the situation, but we’ll do everything we can to squeeze the maximum out of it.”

Heidenheim, who lost 4-2 in the reverse fixture in November having fought back from Harry Kane’s first-half double to level at 2-2, will host Bayern in the Bundesliga for the first time, and Tuchel knows that will present its own challenges.

He said: “We need to show a reaction, do the basics again. That’s how we put the Dortmund performance behind us.

“We’ll see a classic David v Goliath game tomorrow, an emotional stadium that supports the home team. Of course, there’s a game after this that we’re looking at.

“If we want to achieve our Champions League dream, we have to deliver top performances every day, tighten up every day. We’re not going to let anyone off the hook.”

Bayern will be without the injured Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Noussair Mazraoui and Aleksandar Pavlovic for the game at the Voith-Arena, and all five remain doubts to face the Gunners.

The hosts, who sit in 11th place, will have to do without the suspended Nikola Dovedan, who has been handed a two-match ban following his dismissal in last Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Stuttgart, while fellow midfielder Norman Theuerkauf is ill.

Head coach Frank Schmidt told a press conference: “Bayern Munich, as the German record champions, is of course something special for the club and the fans with their many outstanding players and as a club as a whole.

“But in the end it’s like this: we have seven match days to go and nothing has changed in our approach. We still need points and we want to get them as quickly as possible.”

Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe and Festival absentees Hewick and Shishkin are among 12 entries for the Aintree Bowl on the opening afternoon of the Grand National meeting on Thursday.

Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe finished a clear best of the rest behind reigning champion Galopin Des Champs in the blue riband at Prestbury Park last month and could now bid for a second win on Merseyside, having claimed Grade One honours in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase 12 months ago.

Shark Hanlon made the difficult decision to take Hewick out of the Gold Cup due to the rain-softened ground, and having opted against running his charge under top-weight in the Randox Grand National, he is instead set to line up at Aintree 48 hours earlier.

Shishkin was also declared a non-runner in the Gold Cup during a difficult week at Cheltenham for Nicky Henderson, meaning he will be fresh as he looks to claim the Bowl for the second year in succession.

Other contenders for the home team include the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame, Dan Skelton’s Ryanair Chase hero Protektorat and Ahoy Senor from Lucinda Russell’s yard, while the Irish contingent interestingly features Emmet Mullins’ exciting novice Corbetts Cross.

The latter was hugely impressive when sauntering to success in the National Hunt Chase at the Festival and could now step up to take on more experienced rivals at the highest level.

Banbridge (Joseph O’Brien), Conflated (Elliott), Gentlemansgame (Mouse Morris), Jungle Boogie (Henry de Bromhead) and Thunder Rock (Olly Murphy) complete the potential field.

A dozen entries have also been made for the William Hill Aintree Hurdle, which will of course be missing last year’s winner Constitution Hill.

In his absence, leading lights include Elliott’s Champion Hurdle runner-up Irish Point, De Bromhead’s Bob Olinger and the Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe, with the latter pair having purposely sidestepped Cheltenham to be saved for this race.

Despite Constitution Hill being sidelined, Henderson could still be represented with Champion Hurdle third Luccia, Iberico Lord, Marie’s Rock and First Street all in the mix, while dual Coral Cup victor Langer Dan could step up in class for the title-chasing Skelton team.

The first of four Grade Ones is the Manifesto Novices’ Chase, which also features Corbetts Cross as well as the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Embassy Gardens and Il Etait Temps, with Turners Novices’ Chase one-two Grey Dawning (Skelton) and Ginny’s Destiny (Nicholls) perhaps the best of the British in an 18-strong field.

A total of 13 four-year-olds are in contention for the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, with Henderson’s Sir Gino looking for compensation after missing the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

His potential rivals include the Triumph Hurdle second and fourth Kargese (Willie Mullins) and Nurburgring (Joseph O’Brien), as well as the unbeaten Kalif Du Berlais (Nicholls).

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp heads to Old Trafford knowing not only do his side have to rectify the mistakes of last month’s FA Cup defeat but also avoid the sort of slip-up which ultimately cost them the title five years ago.

In the first of their epic Premier League run-ins with Manchester City, the Reds won 10 of their last 12 matches but draws at Manchester United and Everton saw them finish second by a point with a record runners-up tally of 97.

Klopp has won just twice and drawn four in 10 visits to their arch-rivals but that has to change on his final, short trip down the M62 if they are to maintain their advantage at the top of the table.

Three weeks ago their bid for an unprecedented quadruple was ended by a goal in the final minute of extra time and it is their only defeat in the last dozen matches.

“We were really good that day but we didn’t finish the situations off,” was Klopp’s assessment as his side looked like they were running on empty in the additional 30 minutes.

“Extra-time was too much for us and we couldn’t avoid the mistakes we could before (in normal time).

“It was the day we couldn’t control it any more, United turned the game around and United is a top side playing at home but we have to do is what we did from minute 15 to 70-something.

“Football is not that easy. We have to find a way to cause United problems. They will try the same.

“Against this opponent, in this stadium, we better play a really good game if we want something from it.”

Last month’s game was marred by incidents of tragedy chanting about the Hillsborough disaster, resulting in some arrests, and additional work has been done by both clubs on the subject in the intervening weeks.

“I think it is super-important. I don’t hear it, honestly, when I am on the sideline but I get told it happens and that is obviously not great,” added Klopp.

“But in general it is just helpful that we educate our kids in specific things: respect, understanding, all these kinds of things.”

Liverpool have announced a two percent rise in season ticket prices for the second successive year, having frozen the cost for the six campaigns previously. Junior tickets, however, will remain the same for a 10th successive season.

Connections of White Birch are keeping their fingers crossed Saturday’s Curragh meeting goes ahead to allow last season’s Derby third to make his reappearance in the Tote.ie Alleged Stakes.

Winner of the Ballysax Stakes on heavy ground at Leopardstown 12 months ago, John Joseph Murphy’s colt went on to finish a close second to The Foxes in the Dante at York before picking up the bronze medal behind Auguste Rodin in the premier Classic at Epsom in early June.

The grey failed to fire in the Irish Derby on his next start but rounded off his season with a close-up fourth in a Group Three on Irish Champions Weekend and George Murphy, assistant to his father, views this 10-furlong contest as a suitable starting point for his four-year-old campaign.

“We’re getting an awful lot of rain here, I don’t know what they’re getting in the Curragh, but I would imagine it will be the same,” he said.

“It’ll be tough going, but it will be loose ground and he’ll more than likely run if it goes ahead.

“He’ll definitely come on for it. Everything has been going well, we probably would have liked to have got him on the grass a couple more times, but other than that, we’re very happy with him.

“We’ll make a plan for what’s next after the weekend.”

White Birch is the highest-rated horse in a nine-strong entry list, with Noel Meade fielding a pair of multiple course winners in Lafayette and Helvic Dream.

Lafayette has struck gold at the home of Irish Flat racing on four occasions, with Helvic Dream a three-time course winner, most notably claiming Group One honours in the 2021 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Maxux, who carries the colours of Spanish footballer Alvaro Odriozola, has won twice from four previous starts for Joseph O’Brien and was last seen plundering a Group Three prize at Fairyhouse in September.

“She looks like she handles soft ground and that is what it is going to be at the weekend,” said O’Brien.

“Although it looks a really competitive race and she is taking on colts, it looks a nice starting point for her.

“We’re just hoping for a nice run and hope it’s a nice starting point. At this time of the season, it’s all about a platform that she can build on. I’m sure there will be easier opportunities at this level as the year goes on, but this is a good starting point.”

Aidan O’Brien has won four of the last six runnings of the Alleged Stakes and this year relies upon Greenland, while Crypto Force makes his stable debut for Adrian Murray, having been off the track since claiming the 2022 Beresford Stakes.

Mashhoor (Johnny Murtagh), The Shadow Lingers (Luke Comer) and Village Voice (Jessica Harrington) are the other hopefuls.

Klay Thompson hit out at Tari Eason's "lame" pre-game taunts after helping the Golden State Warriors to a huge win over the Houston Rockets, all but confirming their Play-In spot.

Ahead of Thursday's game at Toyota Center, second-year forward Eason – who is out for the season after undergoing surgery on a benign growth on his lower leg bone – was seen wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan: 'Warriors, come out and play'.

Golden State did just that as Thompson joined Stephen Curry in scoring 29 points in a 133-110 win, their sixth in a row and one which has huge implications for both teams' playoff hopes.

The Warriors occupy the Western Conference's final Play-In spot and are now four games ahead of the Rockets with six regular-season games remaining, also holding the season tiebreaker. 

Thompson was delighted to get the last laugh over Eason, warning against players trash-talking when they are unable to contribute on the court.

"That's pretty lame, especially if you're not even playing," Thompson said of Eason's T-shirt, which he removed after the game.  

"It's one thing if you are out there playing, out there competing and you can back it up. 

"But if you're just going to be trolling from the sideline… what are you doing? The times we talk smack, we're out there competing. That's all I have to say about that."

Warriors team-mate Draymond Green echoed those sentiments, saying: "I love it but if you're going to say that, you've got to play. You can't come out and say that and not play. 

"I know what type of player he is. He welcomes all of that. He welcomes the challenge and welcomes the fight.

"Hopefully next year he'll say the same thing and we won't both be fighting for the Play-In, we'll be fighting for the seeding."

For the Rockets to pip the Warriors to the final Play-In spot, they will likely need to win all six of their remaining games and see in-form Golden State drop five.

But with the Warriors pulling to within 1.5 games of the ninth-placed Los Angeles Lakers, Green is looking up, rather than down.

"It allows you to now focus on what you can do to move up," Green said. "When you're just trying to solidify, you take everything step by step. 

"The first step is to solidify ourselves a chance, to give ourselves a chance. Once you get yourself a chance, it's like; 'What's next? What's the best chance we can give ourselves?'"

Manchester United’s 4-3 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night extended a chaotic defensive season which has seen them give up the most shots in the Premier League since the turn of the year.

Here, the PA news agency looks at United’s record.

Shots fired

Having gone 3-2 up through Alejandro Garnacho in the 67th minute, United allowed Chelsea to have the final 10 shots of Thursday’s madcap game and paid the price as Cole Palmer scored in the 10th and 11th minutes of stoppage time to complete his hat-trick and win the game.

That took Chelsea’s total attempts for the match to 28 and meant Erik ten Hag’s side have faced 224 Premier League shots in 2024 – eight more than any other club.

Brentford (216), Sheffield United (206), West Ham (205) and Luton (201) are the only other teams to face over 200 in that time, with only the Hammers of that quartet currently outside the league’s bottom six.

Over the whole season United have faced 525 shots, third most in the top flight behind the rock-bottom Blades on 554 and 18th-placed Luton on 531.

The chaos at Chelsea followed Saturday’s dramatic finish against Brentford, when Mason Mount gave United a 96th-minute lead but they remarkably conceded an equaliser to Kristoffer Ajer three minutes later.

Redemption for Onana

Andre Onana faced criticism early in the season after a succession of errors – but United’s defensive record in the context of the shots they have faced paints the Cameroon goalkeeper’s contributions in a positive light.

Having replaced the long-serving David De Gea in the summer, Onana is ever-present for United this season apart from January’s 4-2 FA Cup win over Newport, when he was at the Africa Cup of Nations and Altay Bayindir deputised.

Only Luton’s Thomas Kaminski has made more saves in this season’s Premier League, 118 to 114, while Onana’s eight clean sheets rank joint second behind Arsenal keeper David Raya’s 11.

United have conceded 44 league goals and, while that gives them a negative goal difference having scored just 43, only four teams have conceded fewer – title-chasing trio Liverpool (28), Arsenal (24) and Manchester City (29) and Everton (42).

That is a significant improvement on a Champions League campaign that saw United finish bottom of their group, Onana conceding four goals to Bayern Munich in September and FC Copenhagen in November and three in each meeting with Galatasaray.