Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin admits defensive blunders have very likely cost them their top-flight status after a 3-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock left them needing a football miracle.
Cinch Premiership bottom club United need to beat in-form Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday and hope Killie beat Ross County and somehow engineer an eight-goal swing along the way.
Goodwin appeared to be masterminding a United revival after being appointed as the club’s third manager of the season on March 1 but they have now lost four matches on the trot.
United gifted Kyle Vassell two first-half goals and never really looked like getting back into the game before substitute Innes Cameron netted late on following a counter-attack.
Goodwin said: “I came in and people thought I was mad, but I genuinely thought I could turn it around and we did get a bounce from the players.
“Unfortunately the defensive frailties reared their head again and ultimately that’s what’s cost us. It’s one of the lowest points in my career.
“We will go to Motherwell on Sunday and give it our best shot. I am one of the biggest optimists out there so I will always try to be positive and believe the impossible can sometimes happen.
“But, of course, it’s an eight-goal swing so we have to go to Motherwell and score a hell of a lot of goals then hope Kilmarnock hammer Ross County. The likelihood of that happening is obviously very slim.
“But at the same time we have to go to Motherwell and play for pride and try to earn back the respect of the fans.
“The fans have every right to show their emotions the way they did at the end.
“There isn’t a player in there who can’t accept their part in it. There are good, talented individuals within the squad.
“But as a team this season simply hasn’t been good enough and I said that to them in the dressing room.
“As managers, myself, Jack Ross and Liam Fox we will take our share of the blame because we are in it together.
“As a team it hasn’t been good enough and the league table doesn’t lie.”
Killie manager Derek McInnes hailed his side after they kept themselves in pole position in the survival race, but they still need at least a point at home to County to avoid a relegation play-off.
McInnes said: “There is still work to do, nobody is over-celebrating or getting ahead of ourselves, but it’s important we enjoy the moment.
“The supporters came up in huge numbers and it’s great to send them home probably feeling a lot more optimistic.
“But we have still got a tough game to navigate, it’s all or nothing. It is set up nicely for both teams and we have a job to do but what pleased me was the performance and our approach to the game.
“We were very confident, we asked the players to play with optimism and belief and we had that. We were aggressive with our work and imposed ourselves on the game and with the position Dundee United were in, getting that first goal was crucial.
“All week I have been getting asked about the pressure and anxiety of players and how we handle that and I thought the players dealt with the game really well.”
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Guardiola suggests Man City's recent form played part in signing new contract
Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.
The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.
"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.
"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."
Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.
He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".
"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."
Leicester's Fatawu ruled out for rest of season with ACL injury
Leicester City manager Steve Cooper confirmed Abdul Fatawu will miss the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) while playing for Ghana against Angola during the international break.
Fatawu has featured in all 11 of Leicester's Premier League matches so far this season and has registered two assists.
No Leicester player has attempted (61) or completed (29) more dribbles than him, while his 30 crosses is also a team-high in the top-flight this season.
"It's not good, it's a serious injury," said Cooper ahead of their match against Chelsea on Saturday.
"It's a real blow, first and foremost for him, being a young player and having an injury as serious as what an ACL is.
"Albeit, it can be quite common in sport, and in particular football, but it's still a serious injury.
"For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well.
"He's obviously a big talent and a young player, as exciting as he can be at his age, with lots to learn.
"It's only a pause, and we will make sure, as difficult as it is at the moment for him, that he comes back being a stronger player and person, which, with the mentality and character that he has, I think will be the case."
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