Pep Guardiola is refusing to look beyond Manchester City’s visit to Crystal Palace despite Real Madrid looming as a Selhurst Park slip-up would leave their Premier League title hopes in tatters.

A win for City in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off will move them level on points with leaders Liverpool, who head to Old Trafford for a clash with arch rivals Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.

Guardiola accepts a draw or defeat would all but end their aim of claiming a fourth-successive title so even the prospect of a trip to the Spanish capital on Tuesday evening will not divert his attention.

City are also defending their Champions League crown and take on Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the quarter-final first leg but Guardiola will only start thinking about the clash after facing Palace.

“Honestly, if we were 18 points in front of second in the Premier League, I would have two eyes on Madrid but it’s not the case,” Guardiola said.

“We’re third, not far away from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible.

“We have to win that game and after that we will have more time, not for recovery, but to prepare. So I have not had much time to see Real Madrid.

“When we have been fighting for nine or 10 months for the Premier League title, why should I be distracted now from this important game against Palace, when the distance is so close?”

Guardiola is mulling over whether to restore Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne to his starting line-up in south London after benching the pair in the 4-1 midweek victory over Aston Villa.

City will be favourites to beat a side that have claimed just two points from their last 12 and sit 14th in the table but Palace hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium in mid-December.

Guardiola, who could welcome back goalkeeper Ederson this weekend but will be continue to be without defenders Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake, is aware he cannot take the threat of the Eagles lightly if City are to remain in contention for a trophy he continues to prize above all others.

“I love it,” he said. “Of the domestic trophies, it is the most important. I’m not going to say the Champions League is not nice, of course it is.

“We have it and know how it feels in our soul and we are at peace, for the fact we’ve got it. But (the Premier League) is just the nicest because it’s more difficult, there are more games, every week, two or three games.

“The Champions League, of course, is important, but it depends on something you perhaps can’t control.

“Both are incredibly important, but the Premier League proves a lot. It shows the mentality of the teams, being there all the time for many, many years.

“From my education at home or whatever, every day you have to do the best – that means a lot to me personally.”

Phil Foden took his tally for the season to 14 goals with a hat-trick against top-four hopefuls Villa and Guardiola admitted he could be in the running for Premier League player of the season.

“He’s a contender like many others, many players play a good season,” Guardiola added. “He can be a contender for sure.”

Defending champions England kicked off their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw against Sweden in front of 63,248 at Wembley.

Alessia Russo nodded home Lauren James’ delivery to open the scoring inside 24 minutes, and the Lionesses managed to preserve their lead at the break despite Sweden threatening.

An equaliser felt imminent after the interval, and finally came when Fridolina Rolfo headed past Mary Earps, while the Lionesses were lucky not to fall behind when Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius squandered a good chance for Sweden.

Euro 2022 captain Leah Williamson watched on from the bench as Beth Mead and Lauren Hemp led a late rally, but could not find the finishing touch as the sides settled for a point.

Williamson missed out on the Lionesses’ historic World Cup campaign last summer after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament, and was also forced to pull out of February’s friendlies with a hamstring issue after being named in her first England side in 11 months.

The 27-year-old made her Gunners comeback in January but the journey has not been smooth with her most recent setback coming during Sunday’s League Cup final, which she started with a taped-up knee before being replaced in the second half.

Grace Clinton tried to volley England into an early lead, and there was worry for Sarina Wiegman when Russo went down after clattering into former Chelsea skipper Magdalena Eriksson, receiving lengthy treatment to her lower leg before she was deemed fit to continue.

Barcelona’s Rolfo came close with Sweden’s first good chance, sending Earps sprawling with a low effort that edged just wide of the far post minutes before Russo broke the deadlock.

It began with a fine effort by James to control the ball at the edge of the area and deliver a pinpoint clipped cross to the awaiting Russo, who stooped to head home in the 24th minute.

Sweden looked to reply on several occasions and largely looked the more threatening side in the half’s closing stages, but England clung on to their lead as Wiegman made her first change, swapping Clinton for Ella Toone, before Lucy Bronze had a weak header simply saved by Jennifer Falk.

Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson made a pair of his own changes, a move that proved prescient when England momentarily switched off and allowed substitute Rosa Kafaji to make an instant impact, delivering the cross for Rolfo to nod past Earps.

England were lucky not to concede a quick second when Arsenal’s Blackstenius, who netted the winner in the Gunners’ Conti Cup final, found herself one-on-one with Earps but directed her effort wide.

On came more Euro 2022 stars – that tournament’s Golden Boot winner Mead in place of James and Chloe Kelly, who memorably scored the winner in that tournament’s final, while Jess Carter replaced Chelsea team-mate Niamh Charles.

The Lionesses had less than 10 minutes to alter the outcome, and they came close when Hemp latched on to the rebound of her own effort and fired a shot that Falk, who had slide out to make the initial save, would have had no chance of stopping.

It took a well-placed Eriksson to clear off the line, the stalemate standing after a fine save from Falk to deny Mead and preserve the point.

Rotherham’s relegation from the Sky Bet Championship was confirmed after they lost 1-0 at home to Plymouth.

Leam Richardson’s team knew only victory would keep their outside hopes of survival alive but they could not muster a fightback after Bali Mumba had put Argyle ahead in the first half.

Interim head coach Neil Dewsnip was in the dugout for the visitors after Ian Foster’s catastrophic reign was brought to an end earlier this week, with Argyle only picking up one win in their last 11 matches.

The run dragged them deep into relegation trouble of their own but Mumba’s strike gave them only their third victory on the road this season and moves them four points clear of the drop zone.

Rotherham’s first effort came from Seb Revan, who, encouraged by his goal on Easter Monday, took aim from distance but fired high and wide.

Plymouth threatened when a set-piece bobbled around the six-yard area before being eventually scrambled away by the Rotherham defence.

The visitors’ Callum Wright could not get a shot away in time from a promising position as he was charged down by Hakeem Odoffin, before Wright spurned an even bigger opportunity when he was unmarked from Ryan Hardie’s cross but headed off target.

Plymouth made the decisive breakthrough in the 32nd minute when Mumba poked in after a cross from Morgan Whittaker evaded Revan and found the full-back lurking unmarked at the back post. He cut in and managed to finish beyond Viktor Johansson’s grasp at the near post.

Argyle top-scorer Whittaker was becoming more influential early in the second half and he was close to doubling their lead with a driven effort from range.

Rotherham had a decent opening when a deep corner from Sam Clucas ran all the way through to Cohen Bramall at the back post but the full-back’s effort was weak.

The hosts threatened again through Revan who cut in from the right flank and stung the palms of Michael Cooper, with the rebound just evading Tom Eaves.

Argyle were still trying for a killer second goal and Johansson had to be alert to Ryan Hardie’s touch from Adam Randell’s impressive front post delivery.

Substitute Adam Forshaw’s curling effort had Johansson temporarily worried but it was just off target.

Plymouth really should have secured the victory in the final minutes but Dan Scarr’s header was kept out, then Ben Waine’s effort cannoned off the post.

Waine was denied again by an onrushing Johansson when one-on-one but the margin at the end was just one goal.

AC Milan are in good physical and mental shape for the crucial games ahead, their coach Stefano Pioli said ahead of the visit of Lecce to San Siro.

The Rossoneri sit comfortably in second place in Serie A, six clear of Juventus but 14 adrift of city rivals Inter Milan, and have a mouth-watering Europa League quarter-final tie against Roma to look forward to, with the first leg being played at home next Thursday.

Lecce, who have made a positive start under new coach Luca Gotti with four points out of six, will have it all to do against an in-form Milan who are looking for a fifth straight Serie A win.

“We’re coming into the important part of the season in good shape, especially mentally, and I think our play is at a good level too,” Pioli told reporters at a pre-match press conference.

“Having managed to work with a lot of players consistently in every training session and in every game and not having had any setbacks, or any problems during the week, automatically ensures the team is in good condition.

“I am ever more convinced that (the players’) physical condition depends on their mental state.

“We have already had four wins in a row earlier this season but came up short at the fifth – tomorrow we have a new chance to make the most of our qualities with lots of focus and concentration, because we face a team that since changing coach has yet to concede a goal.

“They created a lot of problems for Roma in their last match. We’ll need a convincing performance.

“So far we are doing very well. We must continue like this because the end of the season will determine various situations.”

Pioli welcomes Danish defender Simon Kjaer back from injury but will be missing Malick Thiaw, who has a foot problem.

“The fact that Malick is not called up also depends a lot on the Europa League,” Pioli said.

“As a precaution he will be left at home, but with the great hope that he can be there against the Giallorossi.”

Pioli praised the efforts of forwards Rafael Leao and Samuel Chukwueze ahead of the Lecce match.

“We arrive at the most important moment with Rafa in excellent condition, I am very happy with what he is doing,” Pioli said.

On Chukwueze, he added: “I am very satisfied with his journey, we had a video meeting with him on Friday, his data is even superior to that of (his time at) Villarreal, he must continue like this.”

Lecce were the opponents the very first time Pioli coached the Rossoneri back in October 2019.

The club are 13th, four points above the relegation zone.

Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic are coming to the boil nicely for the title run-in as he prepares to welcome captain Callum McGregor back for Sunday’s mouthwatering showdown with city rivals Rangers.

The Hoops have been hindered by injuries to key men throughout the campaign but the possible return of winger Luis Palma and their influential skipper could restore them to full strength for the trip to Ibrox.

McGregor has been sidelined for the last four matches with an Achilles issue sustained in the 7-1 win over Dundee at the end of February, and Rodgers is relishing the prospect of having the 30-year-old back in the frame at a time when Celtic hold a one-point advantage over a Gers side with a game in hand.

“We’ll do one final run with Callum tomorrow in our last session but he’s done remarkable to be back, he’s way ahead of schedule from what we thought,” said Rodgers, who cut a relaxed figure during his pre-match media briefing on Friday.

“It just shows you his professionalism and how hard he’s worked so he’ll be involved in the squad, and if he is, then it’s great news for us in every capacity because we’ll have a clean bill of health, really, for probably the first time this season. But we’ll make a final call on that tomorrow.

“He’s the type of player who can probably get by at 80 per cent. He has that level, that quality. But you also have to think about the fact there are remaining games throughout the season.

“It’s just about being logical and finding out where he’s at with all his tests and measurements. He’s been training, and clearly his quality is there, but we just have to gauge whether he starts, whether he comes into the game or what involvement he has.”

Celtic won 1-0 on their last visit to Ibrox back in September without influential players like Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate, so Rodgers – who clearly feels his team have adopted the role of underdogs in the title race – is heartened by the prospect of going across the city with his full squad available.

“The squad is much stronger (than September),” he said. “Just piecing together what the team and bench might be, we are going to have a bench that can really affect the game if needed.

“That power, pace and quality. We have a lot of tools that we didn’t have available earlier in the season but still, the mindset is important in these games and we go with a positive mind.

“They’re always big games and that’s what I’ve always relished and loved. Celtic v Rangers, Rangers v Celtic, they’re always fantastic games. The storyline for me is always about opportunity.

“I go back to the first game (at Ibrox). It wasn’t just a good lesson in football, but also in life because in that first game individually, collectively, as a club we were written off arriving into Ibrox, and it feels as if the narrative is pretty much the same, even though both teams are on four wins and a loss from their last five games.

“For me, it’s about the opportunity to go there and, like what we did earlier in the season and what we have done on a number of occasions, show that we have that mentality to get through any difficult moments in the game for us, but then come through in the end. That will be our focus this weekend.”

With another derby to come at Celtic Park after the split, Rodgers does not see Sunday’s game as make-or-break for either team.

“There will still be six games for us, so there are still a lot of games,” he said. “It might not seem a lot of games but it is a lot of games in a football context because so much can change in those six games.

“My focus is purely on getting a positive result and then we can assess it afterwards.

“This is an important game for both teams. Our mindset is to go and do what we did earlier in the season, which is to win.”

Jamaica’s Khadija “Bunny” Shaw could cop March's Barclays Women's Super League Goal-of-the-Month award, as well as Manchester City Women’s Player-of-the-Month award after being shortlisted for both following her exploits throughout last month.

Shaw registered the historic achievement of being the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer when she overtook Georgia Stanway’s mark of 67. During that period, the prolific Jamaican had goals against Everton, Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United and Liverpool.

The towering 27-year-old striker now has 70 career goals for the north England powerhouse, which she joined three years ago, and 19 so far this season.

City’s manager Gareth Taylor in a recent interview, heaped praises on Shaw for her record-breaking feat.

“She’s a unique player, not only does she give us the goals, but she’s also a big focal point,” he said.

Shaw, City’s Player-of-the-Year for last season, faces stiff competition for the March award from midfielder Jess Park, who has also been shortlisted for the Barclays Women's Super League Goal-of-the-Month award.

Both players were nominated for finishes in the 4-1 victory at Liverpool last weekend.

Park’s goal, City’s second, came as she danced through a compact Liverpool defence and tucked calmly into the corner.

Shaw’s unstoppable strike from range came just two minutes later and had City 3-0 up in 24 minutes.

After four wins from four across the month, City are top of the table on 46 points having played a game more than defending champions Chelsea, who are on 43 points.

To win the award, Park or Shaw will have to see off six other strikes.

On the list are Hanna Bennison of Everton, Bristol City’s Megan Connolly, West Ham’s Viviane Asseyi, Lee Geum-min and Elisabeth Terland of Brighton and Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert.

Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged Tottenham will not be restricted like some clubs when it comes to spending in the summer transfer window.

Spurs announced their 2022-23 financial results on Wednesday, which showed total revenue for the Premier League club had increased to £549.6million, up from £444m for the previous year.

Club chairman Daniel Levy also revealed they were “in discussions with prospective investors” over a minority stake in Tottenham, and while a loss of £86.8m was recorded, this was put down to “significant and continued investment in the playing squad”.

The breaches of Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules by Everton and Nottingham Forest, which resulted in points deductions, contributed towards a quiet January transfer window – with Spurs one of the biggest spenders.

A similarly muted summer transfer window is anticipated, but Tottenham could again buck the trend with a plethora of additions despite overall losses of up to £232m over the past three years, due to an annual depreciation charge of £72m being included owing to the club’s stadium rebuild.

“My discussions around those kinds of issues are not the minutiae of a balance sheet,” Postecoglou explained ahead of Sunday’s visit of Forest.

“It is about us planning to build a side that can potentially be successful. So, that’s what we’re doing and nothing that is going to come out in the balance sheet is going to disrupt those plans because those plans are done in alliance with the people who make the balance sheets.

“It is not like ‘oh, we are going to wait for the financial results before we start thinking about who we’re going to sign’. All this stuff is already in planning.

“We kind of know what position we’re in and what we need to do in the summer. That doesn’t mean it’s all going to come to fruition of course, because there are all sorts of other factors that come into it.

“Our planning is well under way in what we need to do. But there’s no doubt that from our perspective, we are not one of the clubs who are going to be as restricted as others.

“From my perspective, I’ve had a clear line of communication about where we are as a football club and nothing I’ve taken on has surprised me in any way. We’re in a good position and hopefully we can build on that.”

It was put to Postecoglou that Champions League qualification would be beneficial from a financial standpoint, but the Australian doubled down on his assertation that a top-four finish is not his aim for this season – it is instead to see clear signs of progress in terms of their playing style.

He added: “We’re not banks, we’re football clubs. We’re not financial institutions. I don’t get measured by the balance sheet at the end of the year.

“What I’m saying is, Champions League, great. Money, great. Does that mean we’re going to finish third next year? No, in fact it is probably going to be more challenging.

“So my role in that is not to worry about the financial pressure of making Champions League.

“It is to create a squad that hopefully can compete in the Champions League and keep improving in the Premier League and have success in the cup competitions. That’s where I differentiate.”

Rangers boss Philippe Clement insists Sunday’s Old Firm game at Ibrox will not be decisive in terms of the cinch Premiership title race.

With eight fixtures remaining, the Light Blues are one point behind reigning champions Celtic with a game in hand.

Rangers lost 1-0 to Celtic at Ibrox in September when Michael Beale was in charge and went down 2-1 at Celtic Park in December in Clement’s first experience of a Glasgow derby, and there will be another Old Firm game at Celtic Park after the split.

However, the Belgian somewhat played down the significance of Sunday’s lunchtime clash in Govan.

“It is always a big game, it is a six-point game and we know we have another one in a few weeks but it is not yet a decisive game,” said Clement, who revealed that left-back Ridvan Yilmaz, who injured himself on international duty with Turkey, will be assessed for his fitness.

“So whoever wins is not champions. It is not like that. I am happy with what I have seen from my team after the last Old Firm game.

“We have had 11 games until now and we took 30 points from 33 and we could have taken more points in the Motherwell game, it could have been better than that and we scored more goals than Celtic in that period and less goals against.

“So that is really good consistency but not a guarantee for anything.

“It is a really big step forward from the beginning of the season and my first part of the season that there has been more consistency.

“Bigger squad, better results, more people ready to do the job so I see my team growing month by month and this is the next challenge.

“But don’t forget this, there are still a lot of games to play, not only the two Old Firm games.”

Clement also believes there will be no psychological impact on his players regardless of the result.

He said: “No, because my message has been really clear from the beginning. I don’t want a team that after a disappointment stay in the disappointment and they have proven that, not too much because we haven’t had too much disappointment.

“And I don’t want a team that when they have a really good moment like it was in Seville (beat Real Betis 3-2) that they stay in that emotion and the next game they are not there. That is stupid because you lose the points.

“So there will not be a difference, whatever the result but we are of course going to go full out to get the three points.”

On Yilmaz’s condition, Clement said: “We will make a decision tomorrow or even on Sunday around that.

“He has been training but not enough with the team to ensure he is in the squad.

“(Abdallah) Sima is fit enough to start but not to play 90 minutes. It depends which part of the game you want him on the pitch so that is my decision.”

Pep Guardiola is unsure about whether to restore Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne to his Manchester City line-up at Crystal Palace on Saturday with Real Madrid looming next week.

The pair were unused substitutes in midweek as City stayed three points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool by brushing aside Aston Villa 4-1, with Phil Foden bagging a sensational hat-trick.

But as a visit to Palace at lunchtime on Saturday is followed by a mouthwatering trip to the Spanish capital to face Real on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, this season’s leading goal-scorer Haaland and key playmaker De Bruyne might be kept on ice once again this weekend.

“I don’t know yet,” Guardiola said, when asked about the prospect of Haaland and De Bruyne returning to face Palace. “Playing at 12:30pm and playing two days ago, I have to think. There are so many games.

“We play less than two and a half days after our last game. Some players recover quicker than others. A long week is completely different but a short week, you have to talk with doctors, physios and staff.

“We are used to playing every three days over many months and months. For many, many years it has happened that way.

“We play 12:30pm, it’s perfect. More time to recover for the next game in Madrid. We then play on Saturday against Chelsea in the FA Cup afterwards, it’s not fair but we are going to do it.

“We take one game at a time and don’t give up. We are not new to European competitions so the players know how to handle it, not all the time but most of the time.”

City, who could welcome back goalkeeper Ederson at Selhurst Park but are still without defenders Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake, have dropped just six points in an unbeaten 13-match league run.

But with both Liverpool and Arsenal ahead of them, Guardiola reiterated that all City can do to keep alive hopes of a fourth successive league crown is win all of their eight remaining fixtures.

“I hope so but it doesn’t solve the problem if we don’t do our job,” Guardiola said after being asked about whether he expects their title rivals to drop points.

“If we were at the top of the league it would be in our hands, that’s not the case, so what we have to do is win our games. I hope it happens but we cannot control it.

“The quality of the opponent is why we have to keep going and at the end we will realise which team is there.”

Guardiola, who said he had “no opinion” on rumours of a luxury tax being imposed on Premier League clubs to help regulate on overspending, admitted he is wary of upcoming opponents Palace.

The Eagles have taken points in six of their last 12 meetings with City, winning in December 2018 and October 2021 along with four draws – most recently coming from 2-0 down in December with goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise.

“They’ve always been tough,” he added. “I think (manager Oliver) Glasner is doing a really good job.

“The quality is there with (Eberechi) Eze, (Jordan) Ayew and Mateta. They have good structure, strong defensively with (Joachim) Andersen leading the back five, the physicality is always there. Selhurst Park is always difficult.”

Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi has ramped up the pressure on Athletic Bilbao ahead of the Copa del Rey final by suggesting expectation may be too much for the Basque club.

Discounting the Spanish Super Cup, Bilbao have not won a trophy since a league and cup double in 1984.

Since then they have lost all six finals they have reached, during which time Mallorca won their maiden Copa del Rey in 2003.

“They have more experience in this game but they haven’t won in 40 years and they are favourites – but they have too much pressure. More than us,” Muriqi told Cadena SER.

“We can use it to our advantage and if we start the game well, we will have our chances.

“All players dream of winning a final. Physically we are not doing anything special but mentally I think that you have to prepare it a little differently.

“I have experience and I know how I have to handle it. I will handle it like a normal day. Everyone has to prepare themselves, it’s not up to the coach.”

Nevertheless, the Kosovo international believes experienced boss Javier Aguirre can make a difference.

“When I look to the sideline and I see Javier Aguirre there, I feel like we have another player,” he added.

“He has that experience and knows how to talk to the referee, how to motivate, how to demotivate. We are lucky to have this coach.”

Bilbao have an experienced coach of their own in Ernesto Valverde, who masterminded a quarter-final win over his former side Barcelona before beating Atletico Madrid to reach the final.

Defender Oscar de Marcos believes the game in Seville is a chance for the team to write their names into the club’s history books.

“I’m thinking about many former team-mates who have been here before,” he told a press conference.

“Some never made it to the final, others got this far, some with me, and we never took that last step.

“They lived through much more challenging situations so that we can enjoy this Copa final.

“We’re all just passing through this club and trying to leave our own legacy.”

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.

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.”

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.

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.”

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.”