Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson looks likely to miss the champions’ crucial title clash with Arsenal later this month after suffering a thigh injury at Liverpool.

The PA news agency understands the Brazilian is facing a three to four-week lay-off after being forced off in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Anfield following a clash with Darwin Nunez in which he conceded a penalty.

Ederson stayed on the field for the resulting spot-kick, from which Alexis Mac Allister scored to cancel out John Stones’ opener, but needed to be substituted soon after.

City, who are one point behind joint-leaders Arsenal and Liverpool, are due to face the Gunners in their next Premier League outing in just under three weeks, on March 31.

He could also be ruled out of the visit of Aston Villa the following Wednesday.

Number two Stefan Ortega is likely to deputise for this Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Newcastle, while the injury would also make Ederson unavailable for Brazil’s friendly with England at Wembley on March 23.

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson looks likely to miss the champions’ crucial title clash with Arsenal later this month after suffering a thigh injury at Liverpool.

The PA news agency understands the Brazilian is facing a three to four-week lay-off after being forced off in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Anfield following a clash with Darwin Nunez in which he conceded a penalty.

Ederson stayed on the field for the resulting spot-kick, from which Alexis Mac Allister scored to cancel out John Stones’ opener, but needed to be substituted soon after.

City, who are one point behind joint-leaders Arsenal and Liverpool, are due to face the Gunners in their next Premier League outing in just under three weeks, on March 31.

He could also be ruled out of the visit of Aston Villa the following Wednesday.

Number two Stefan Ortega is likely to deputise for this Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Newcastle, while the injury would also make Ederson unavailable for Brazil’s friendly with England at Wembley on March 23.

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo was encouraged by their performance against Manchester City and hopes the point they earned at Anfield will ultimately be important in the title race.

Pep Guardiola’s side were probably happier with the 1-1 draw even though it left them third in the table, a point behind Liverpool who were kept off top spot by Arsenal’s goal difference.

The Gunners still have to go to the Etihad Stadium and should both Liverpool and City win all their remaining games, Jurgen Klopp’s team would be crowned champions.

“Second half we had more chances than Man City so, yeah, we are disappointed about the result but we need to move forward,” Endo told the club’s official website.

“But the way we played, with how we created the chances, I think it was amazing. If we keep playing like we did, the results will come.

“At the end of the season, this one point might be important. That’s what we want to say. So, we need to keep playing like (this) and just try to win every game.”

Liverpool have history of taking the title race down to the final day against City, missing out by a point on two occasions as in 2018-19 they finished second with a record 97-point haul and in 2021-22 when they were runners up on 92.

In the first instance they won nine and drew one of their last 10 games – denied by City’s remarkable finish of 14 successive victories – and in 2022 they won all but two of their final 18 fixtures, drawing against City and Tottenham.

It appears the Reds will have to do something similar, if not better, if they are to win a second title in four years but, due to the nature of the three-horse race, no-one is quite sure what will be required.

“I don’t think I have ever been involved in a title race with three teams,” said manager Klopp, whose side are still in contention to win four trophies this season despite struggling with a host of injuries.

“Germany was usually Bayern, but in one year we (Borussia Dortmund) became champions it was Leverkusen, and here there was only one team (City) who became champions usually and we stepped in between one time.

“I literally don’t know if it changes something. We have 10 games to play, so obviously nothing is decided. There are plenty of games.

“The next one in the league is Brighton at home, traditionally it is not our favourite opponent. It is not that we think, ‘Thank God it’s Brighton’.

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“That is a tough game for us. At one point we play Tottenham here, we have to go to Aston Villa.

“I would prefer to have 30 points between us and all the other teams but the realistic thing is are we really in that race from a performance point of view.

“But we need the players back. All the stories we created with the kids and stuff are wonderful, wonderful, I couldn’t be happier about that, but of course we fight for the biggest prize in football.”

Barcelona boss Xavi has declared Tuesday’s Champions League tie with Napoli as their most important game of the season.

The two sides shared the first-leg honours in Italy three weeks ago, with Robert Lewandowski’s effort cancelled out by Victor Osimhen for Napoli in the 1-1 draw.

Five-time winners Barcelona have not reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League since the 2019-20 season, and Xavi is in no doubt as to the significance of the round-of-16 second-leg return at Estadi de Montjuic.

“It’s the most important game of the season and we are prepared with enthusiasm,” said Xavi.

“It’s been four years since we’ve been in the quarter-finals and that’s how we approach it.

“We want to compete against an opponent who, even though they’re not in the best moment, has the foundation of being Serie A champion.

“We need a full stadium. The fans have to be loud and turn Montjuic into a pressure cooker.”

Barcelona have been hit by injuries with Pedri (hamstring), Frenkie De Jong (ankle), Ferran Torres (hamstring), Gavi (knee) and Alejandro Balde (hamstring) all sidelined.

But the Catlans extended their unbeaten run to eight games with a 1-0 LaLiga win over Mallorca on Friday.

Xavi said: “The youngsters are key. We have to let them enjoy the moment.

“We have some important players out, but we will compete. I am very happy with my players.

“We have to play as a team if we want to be in the Champions League quarter-finals.

“We were the better side over there and on Tuesday, we have to be the better side here.

“I don’t think Napoli will sit back with the tie as it is. I expect to face a brave Napoli side who will play from the back and try to control possession.”

Napoli trio Amir Rrahmani, Cyril Ngonge and Jens Cajuste remain injury doubts after sitting out the 1-1 Serie A draw with Torino on Friday.

Francesco Calzona’s maiden game as Napoli coach was the first leg and the Italian champions are unbeaten in his five games, with two wins and three draws.

Calzona said: “We will go there with respect for the opponent but without fear. We are Napoli.

“We have started a journey and the team has made an important step forward.

“The boys have shown me great availability from day one from all points of view. There is a great desire to do well and five useful results don’t happen by chance.

“Sometimes we have to concede something, but we have to be more careful about the details. Little by little we will adjust this aspect too.”

Premier League clubs have held private talks with the promoter of the European Super League since a landmark court ruling in December, the promoter’s chief executive has said.

English football’s co-called ‘big six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – were founder members of the original Super League project in April 2021 but quickly withdrew amid fan protests and pressure from the football authorities and the British Government.

All six publicly distanced themselves from efforts to launch a new competition in the wake of a ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on December 21, but Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22 which promotes the Super League concept, insists English clubs have been involved in dialogue with his organisation since then.

Asked directly whether there had been conversations with Premier League teams since the ECJ ruling, Reichart told the PA news agency: “Yes of course. It’s absolutely a logical and natural process.

“Everyone is trying to get a sense of what the ruling could mean, it’s the professional obligation of clubs to know what this change in club governance in Europe could mean for them.

“It’s a great opportunity, why shouldn’t everybody have a look at it neutrally and decide what’s best for their clubs, their members and their fans? We are aware that clubs all over Europe are currently involved in that process and we try to assist them and help them.”

The ECJ said UEFA’s criteria governing how rival competition organisers access the market must be transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate.

Reichart said there were clubs in Europe who had publicly declared support for UEFA and its existing competitions who have subsequently held new talks with A22.

“There’s still a situation where (clubs) hate getting calls from the political establishment every time they stick their head out of the window,” Reichart said.

“We haven’t put out a deadline, we haven’t said ‘this ship is sailing now’ and we haven’t invited people to come out with declarations because we don’t want (other clubs) to then get calls saying ‘now you have to counter that declaration which came out of your domestic league’.

“This is not an initiative which tries to divide the football community into two parts. I think it’s absolutely fair and good for us to talk with those clubs off the record, not out in the daylight, so that they are not pressured, not co-opted, so that they can actually contribute and make up their mind.

“In the UK you still have a lot of misconceptions that have to be challenged and we have to explain ourselves better.

“But even the concept of breaking away, or inviting clubs to leave the Premier League, that was never the intention of this initiative and it never will be.”

Reichart admitted the Super League concept “resonated more easily” with clubs in the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) compared to their English counterparts.

“They are in a situation where their domestic TV revenues, which is their main base of income, is just losing competitiveness year after year to bigger leagues,” Reichart said.

“They would love to be more exposed to a bigger, united European single market that helps them retain their talent, make their investments and stay competitive. This is a rationale that is resonating with Scottish clubs more easily than with English clubs, who are part of the wealthiest domestic league.”

A court in Madrid is set to hear the Super League case again on Thursday, having now received the answers to the questions it asked the ECJ about whether UEFA’s 2021 rules which blocked the Super League’s formation were anti-competitive.

Liverpool and Manchester City’s draw on Sunday left the Premier League title race poised for a thrilling last 10 matches.

Leaders Arsenal and second-placed Liverpool are level on points, with City one behind and here, the PA news agency looks at how the battle is shaping up.

Deja vu

City have won five of the last six titles, a run only interrupted by Liverpool’s 2019-20 triumph.

There are strong echoes of the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons, which both saw City champions by a single point ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.

Liverpool finished the former season on a nine-match winning run to push City all the way, only for Pep Guardiola’s men to win their last 14 to stay ahead.

City won nine and drew three of their last 12 in 2021-22 to hold off a Liverpool side who won 16 and drew two of their last 18, including a 1-1 draw between the two rivals.

That scoreline has been repeated in both this season’s meetings – and with Klopp leaving his post in the summer, that sees his Premier League head-to-head with Guardiola finish six wins to five in Klopp’s favour with seven draws. City have scored 32 goals to Liverpool’s 27.

Both are flying again in the second half of this season, with City winning 10 and drawing three games since their last defeat at Aston Villa on December 6. Liverpool have won eight of their last 10 but could be left to rue Sunday’s draw and a defeat to Arsenal.

A new player has entered the game

The difference this time around is the emergence of Mikel Arteta’s side, who made a game run at last season’s title before fading in the home stretch.

Since returning from this season’s winter break in Dubai they have won eight consecutive league games, scoring 33 goals and conceding four – which could be significant if it comes down to goal difference. Arsenal’s is currently seven better than Liverpool’s and 11 better than City’s as they are the league’s top scorers, with 70 goals, and also have the best defensive record with 24 conceded.

Last season a seven-match winning run from February took them eight points clear – having played a game more than City – but they won only three of their last nine and lost 4-1 to City along the way to finish five points behind.

Victory in the title battle would be Arsenal’s first since 2004 and they will need to channel the spirit of Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” – who went that full league season unbeaten – if they are to avoid a repeat of last season’s near miss.

Up for grabs

The challengers have similar run-ins, with four opponents – Aston Villa, Brighton, Tottenham and Wolves – common to all three. Liverpool have Villa away but Spurs and Brighton at home, the inverse of City and Arsenal’s fixtures, while Wolves welcome Arsenal to Molineux but travel to City and Liverpool.

Tottenham’s visit on the weekend of April 27 stands out among Arsenal’s fixtures and Liverpool also face a derby, with a date to be confirmed for their trip to Everton. City have completed their engagements against local rivals Manchester United, who still have to play Liverpool and Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Liverpool have bottom club Sheffield United still to play, while Arsenal and City both host 18th-placed Luton. The average current league position of Arsenal’s remaining opponents is 9.3, compared to 9.5 for City and 10.1 for Liverpool.

Midfielder Rodri insists Manchester City will embrace the challenge of having to win at least nine of their remaining 10 matches to lift a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League.

The 1-1 draw at Anfield left Pep Guardiola’s side in third place, albeit only a point behind Arsenal who top the table on goal difference from Liverpool.

City face Arsenal next at home at the end of the month, followed by potentially-tricky tests against Aston Villa and Tottenham – also at the Etihad – but as the draw at Anfield was only the second time they have dropped points in the league since mid-December, the Spain international is confident they can put together another winning run.

“We need a break. We have the FA Cup game (against Newcastle) and then go to the international teams so it will be good for us to refresh and give the last push at the end of the season,” he said.

“We know how good we are in the last part of the season, we just need to charge the batteries again and focus on the last 10 games.

“It seems you have to win nine or 10 games to win this Premier League. This is the challenge and we are going to go for it.”

Rodri accepted they were not at their best against Liverpool despite taking the lead through John Stones and having the better of the first half.

Liverpool bounced back after the break and following Alex Mac Allister’s equalising penalty, it was the hosts who looked more likely to win.

“An incredible game. We started really well in terms of chances and dominance and I think it was quite good. The second half was their half,” added the City midfielder.

“Of course with the crowd and the way they played and pressed, we weren’t clinical enough to find the spaces.

“We made a few mistakes but with the high press it is difficult, you are not precise with the ball and that’s what happened in terms of the penalty.

“It was a mistake, but at the end we competed. It wasn’t our best performance, but it wasn’t a bad point here.

“They are fighting for the Premier League like us and we got a point. It means a lot.

“We are there in the fight and this club is about the mentality of the team. Sometimes when we don’t play well, (it’s important) we don’t lose.

“Sometimes it is the opposite and we are the team who has to defend a little bit more. We didn’t create many chances and it is what it is, we have to adapt sometimes.

“We wanted three points, but in the final analysis it is fair.”

What the papers say

Manchester United are set to triple the salary of 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in order to keep him at the club until 2030, according to the Sun. Academy graduate Mainoo has played 19 games for the club so far this season, with two goals to his name.

The Mirror says Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will reportedly approve a mega £100million deal for 19-year-old Benfica midfielder Joao Neves.

Liverpool have shortlisted Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann and Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim in their search for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement, according to Football Insider.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Kieran Tierney: Arsenal are reportedly ready to sell the 26-year-old Scottish defender but the club want £20million for his services.

Jakub Kiwior: AC Milan are in talks with Arsenal over the 24-year-old Polish left-back, according to reports in Spain.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was handed a seven-match suspension for his headbutt on Hull midfielder David Meyler on this day in 2014.

The Football Association also fined Pardew £60,000 in imposing the toughest managerial punishment in Premier League history.

Pardew was given a three-game stadium ban followed by a four-match touchline suspension after clashing with Meyler during Newcastle’s 4-1 win at Hull on March 1, 2014.

With his side trailing 3-1, Republic of Ireland international Meyler raced over to get the ball to take a throw-in quickly by the Newcastle dugout.

Pardew responded by leaning in to Meyler and moving his head towards him.

After the FA hearing, Pardew said: “As I have made clear, I deeply regret the incident and again wholeheartedly apologise to all parties for my conduct, which I understand was not acceptable.

“I will accept the punishment handed down by the FA.”

Newcastle had issued their own statement after fining Pardew £100,000.

“We have held discussions with Alan, who has offered his sincere apologies,” the club said. “It is clear he deeply regrets his actions.”

Pardew’s four-year spell at Newcastle came to an end in December 2014 when he was given permission to talk to Crystal Palace about their managerial vacancy.

Now 62, Pardew has managed West Brom, ADO Den Haag, CSKA Sofia and Aris Thessaloniki since leaving Palace in 2016.

Lionel Messi sat out Inter Miami’s 3-2 home Major League Soccer defeat to Montreal on Sunday as he was rested.

Messi had played every minute of Miami’s first three MLS fixtures this season since joining up with co-owner David Beckham’s franchise in July, but watched from the stands as they slipped to their first defeat.

Miami’s assistant coach Javier Morales had hinted to reporters on Saturday that Messi could be rested, saying: “We all know Leo and he is a player who wants to play every game.

“I think we will have a conversation with him, see how he feels, see how he is and try to decide what is best for him because he has played 90 minutes every game and we will make the best decision thinking about the future.”

Messi took a heavy knock to the shin after scoring in Thursday’s 2-2 CONCACAF Champions Cup draw with Nashville, but Morales said that was not the reason why the 36-year-old did not feature.

Jurgen Klopp was adamant Liverpool should have been awarded a stoppage-time penalty in a dramatic end to his title-chasing side’s 1-1 draw with champions Manchester City.

An absorbing top-of-the-table Premier League contest at Anfield was halted for a late VAR check after City’s Jeremy Doku caught Alexis Mac Allister in the chest with his boot but nothing was given.

The Reds had already been given one penalty early in the second half, with Mac Allister converting to cancel out John Stones’ 23rd-minute opener.

Liverpool manager Klopp told Sky Sports: “This situation, on all positions on the pitch, is 100 per cent a foul and it’s a yellow card.

“He hit the ball but he can only hit the ball because his foot was right there. If the ball is not there, he kills him.

“It’s as easy as that. It’s a penalty for all football people on the planet. If you don’t think it is one then maybe you’re not a football person.”

Klopp was nevertheless happy with his side’s performance against a strong City team.

Whilst City twice hit the woodwork in the second half Liverpool, who have been hampered by a lengthy injury list in recent weeks, had spells of dominance and several chances to win the game themselves.

The result left Arsenal leading the table on goal difference only from Liverpool, with City just a point further back with 10 games remaining.

Klopp said: “We would have loved to use one of the massive chances we created.

“Yes, we are lucky when (Jeremy) Doku hit the post but we played an exceptional football game.

“For us, besides the result, the most important information is that we are right there. We go the distance.

“For us it is probably a little bit like, how did we get through all that and that we are still there? It is crazy with all these games and the squad situation we have.

“Today I saw the best 53 minutes we had against Manchester City. It was exceptional how we played.”

City boss Pep Guardiola admitted his side had survived an onslaught in the second period.

He said: “We spoke at half-time that in this stadium, if you have to defend something, you have to play and play and play.

“We gave away the penalty and, sooner or later, with this stadium, you have 15 or 20 minutes and it looks like a tsunami coming for everybody who has the ball.

“It is not easy but we never stopped trying to play. They had their chances, we had our chances and at the end of the game it (draw) is what happened.”

Guardiola, whose side are chasing a fourth successive Premier League crown and a sixth in seven years, is pleased to be involved in the thick of another title race.

He said: “Still there are 10 games to go, 30 points to play for, one point difference.

“The important thing is still we are there, after where we came from in previous seasons still we are there.

“Except one year when Liverpool won it with a lot of points, we were always there.”

Bayer Leverkusen regained their 10-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga by beating 10-man Wolfsburg 2-0 at BayArena.

Nathan Tella headed Xabi Alonso’s side into a first-half lead, nine minutes after Wolfsburg defender Moritz Jenz had been sent off for his second yellow card, and Florian Wirtz ensured maximum points with a late second.

Leverkusen extended their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga this season to 25 matches and notched their sixth straight league win to stay well in front of Bayern Munich, who thrashed Mainz 8-1 on Saturday.

Eintracht Frankfurt consolidated in sixth place after hitting back to win 3-1 at home against nine-man Hoffenheim.

United States defender John Brooks headed Hoffenheim into an early lead, but was shown a straight red card for his challenge on Omar Marmoush before Frankfurt equalised through on-loan Leeds centre-back Robin Koch.

Second-half goals from Dina Ebimbe and Mario Gotze put Frankfurt in control and Hoffenheim were then reduced to nine men when Ozan Kabak received his second yellow card.

Freiburg followed up their midweek Europa League win against West Ham with their first Bundesliga victory in seven matches, triumphing 2-1 at Bochum.

Real Madrid opened up a seven-point gap at the top of LaLiga after beating Celta Vigo 4-0 at the Bernabeu Stadium.

Vinicius Junior’s close-range finish gave Real a half-time lead and own goals from goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and Carlos Dominguez put Carlo Ancelotti’s side, without the suspended Jude Bellingham, in full control.

Turkey midfielder Arda Guler stepped off the bench to score his first goal for the club in stoppage time as Los Blancos extended their unbeaten league run to 22 matches.

Athletic Bilbao closed the gap on fourth-placed Atletico Madrid to two points after Gorka Guruzeta and Saul Coco’s own goal secured them a 2-0 win at Las Palmas.

Real Betis lost 3-2 at home to Villarreal with both sides ending the game with 10 men after Chimy Avila and Alberto Moreno were shown their second yellow cards after clashing in the second half.

Alexander Sorloth fired the winner for Villarreal three minutes before Avila and Moreno were sent off in the 70th minute.

Guido Rodriguez and Willian Jose twice put Betis ahead, with Alex Baena and a Sokratis Papastathopoulos
own goal levelling in each half.

Andoni Gorosabel’s first goal for Alaves clinched them a 1-0 home win against Rayo Vallecano and lifted them 10 points clear of the drop zone.

AC Milan leapfrogged Juventus into second place in Serie A as Christian Pulisic’s solitary first-half goal sealed a  1-0 home win against Empoli.

Milan moved one point above Juve, who were held 2-2 at home by Atalanta.

Goals after the break from Juve pair Andrea Cambiaso and Arkadiusz Milik cancelled out Teun Koopmeiners’ opener for Atalanta, but the Netherlands midfielder struck again to earn the visitors a point.

Diego Llorente fired in a stoppage-time equaliser for Roma in a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina to lift Daniele De Rossi’s side up to fifth in the table.

Michael Folorunsho’s deflected shot sealed Verona a 1-0 win at Lecce and lifted his side out of the bottom three up to 13th in a congested bottom half of the table.

Verona striker Thomas Henry was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for violent conduct after clashing with Lecce defender Marin Pongracic.

In Ligue 1, Paris St Germain were held to a third successive domestic draw, 2-2 at home against Reims, as Kylian Mbappe started on the bench.

Mbappe, who is rumoured to have agreed to a deal to join Real Madrid in the summer and was withdrawn at half-time in last week’s 0-0 draw at Monaco, was a 73rd-minute substitute, but had few chances.

Marshall Munetsi gave Reims a shock early lead and, after Yunis Abdelhamid’s own goal and Goncalo Ramos had put PSG ahead, Oumar Diakite levelled for the visitors before the interval.

Monaco sit third, 11 points behind PSG, after Eliesse Ben Seghir’s second-half goal secured them a 1-0 win at Strasbourg.

Canada forward Jonathan David scored two late goals to earn Lille a 2-2 draw at Rennes and lift his side into the top four.

Lille trailed 2-0 at the interval through goals from Ludovic Blas and Arnaud Kalimuendo, but David struck in the 84th minute and then in stoppage time to salvage them a point.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit goals in either half as Marseille won 2-0 at home against Nantes.

Le Havre edged two points clear of the drop zone with a 1-0 home win against Toulouse and Metz boosted their survival hopes by beating fellow strugglers Clermont by the same score.

Mauricio Pochettino has insisted he will never quit Chelsea and hit out at “completely unfair” criticism of his young team.

The 52-year-old Argentinian has seen his side unfavourably compared to Blues teams of the past since taking over in July, with the London club having won five Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during the last two decades.

Pochettino’s team are 11th in the table ahead of Monday’s meeting at home to Newcastle, however, with a second consecutive season without European competition appearing almost certain.

Supporters have turned on the head coach and his players in recent weeks, including last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Brentford when the team surrendered a first-half lead and dodged defeat only with a late equaliser.

Monday’s game will be their first in the league in front of their own fans since being booed off at the end of a 4-2 defeat to Wolves early in February, and there was also criticism after they failed to beat a depleted Liverpool team in the Carabao Cup final two weeks ago.

Chelsea have the youngest squad in the league since co-owner Todd Boehly embarked on a mission to clear out the club’s more established players in favour of expensive but less experienced recruits, and Pochettino feels some of the analysis has been out of order.

“I feel young,” he said. “I don’t feel 52. It’s true that (the players) are young, but we like to help them. We like to talk, to train, to support. We are supporting them.

“The fans don’t know. The players are so young, playing at Wembley in a final. Maybe they didn’t sleep the night before. Sometimes, to analyse with different parameters and the way that you assess is completely unfair.

“Today it is a different Chelsea. If you are going to judge us, comparing the past of Chelsea, for sure no-one is going to win. No-one is going to succeed. No-one is going to be nice with you.

“The fans are not going to love any more another coach at Chelsea. If you compare with the past, when you are in a different project, people need to understand. I’ve tried to explain. I talk, I move my mouth, but you don’t hear.

“I knew it was going to be tough. I knew we were going to need time and belief. The project is about young players, building a new team.”

Asked if he would consider walking away, he replied: “No. Why? Never.”

The situation is in marked contrast to Pochettino’s previous role as head coach at Paris St Germain, where he worked with an established squad assembled by owners who prioritised signing experienced players ready to compete for the biggest honours.

“We love challenge,” Pochettino said. “We came from a different project at Paris St Germain.

“Here the challenge is massive. We accepted to come here knowing that it’s never easy. The pressure and the feeling that you are Chelsea and you need to win.

“But we are so excited to be here and support this project.”

Kieran Trippier has backed young pretender Tino Livramento to establish himself as England’s right-back as he attempts to fend off his advances for both club and country.

Livramento, a £32million summer signing from Southampton, is likely to replace Trippier in Newcastle’s starting line-up for Monday night’s Premier League trip to Chelsea as the 33-year-old faces a spell on the sidelines with a minor calf injury.

However Trippier, who has been the standard-bearer for much of what the Magpies have achieved in the last two years, knows the 21-year-old is gunning for his places in both the Newcastle team and the England squad.

He said: “Tino, for such a young guy, is unbelievable. I’ve had loads of talks with Tino, firstly to try to help him. I know he’s my position, but I don’t want to be selfish.

“He’ll be unbelievable for Newcastle in the future and an England right-back as well. That’s how highly I rate him.”

That is a view shared by Magpies head coach Eddie Howe, who has been hugely impressed by Livramento’s performances to date at left-back, right-back and in midfield, a process which continued last weekend when he scored a superb solo goal in a 3-0 victory over Wolves after replacing the injured Trippier.

Asked if the youngster’s challenge had to be to oust the former Burnley, Tottenham and Atletico Madrid man on both the domestic and international stages, Howe said: “Of course. If you ask Tino, that will be his aim and if you ask me, I’d want every player to feel the same way.

“If you’re not in the team, your aim and ambition should be to try to get into the team, to try to prove you’re better than the team-mate that you’re competing against.

“If you have that in your squad, I think you’ve got a healthy squad, you’ve got a good balance between being a good team-mate and fighting for your place.

“Tino has shown all those qualities this year. He has been learning and developing behind the scenes, he’s been no doubt picking things up off Kieran and I’ve enjoyed seeing them both battle against each other.”

Trippier will miss the trip to Chelsea and the FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester City which follows it, as well as England’s friendly double-header against Brazil and Belgium as a result of the injury which has robbed him of the opportunity to atone for the error which cost his side a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Asked what had been going through his head as he uncharacteristically allowed Mykhailo Mudryk to score a late equaliser 12 days after he had gifted Everton two goals, he said: “Do you know what? I don’t actually know.

“It was a strange one, really. I was just making a mistake and then making another mistake. I haven’t got any excuses, really.

“It’s just you make a mistake and you want to try even better and then because you’re trying so hard, you make another mistake, and it’s not me.”

Nick Montgomery was pleased to report Martin Boyle is stable in hospital after injury curtailed his part in nine-man Hibernian’s 2-0 Scottish Gas Scottish Cup defeat by Rangers at Easter Road.

Midfielder John Lundstram bundled in the opener in the 23rd minute after goalkeeper David Marshall had saved a penalty from captain James Tavernier before Boyle was taken away on a stretcher after landing following a duel with defender John Souttar.

Hibs defender Jordan Obita was sent off in the 68th minute for picking up the second of two yellow cards for using an arm to stop substitute Rabbi Matondo before Nathan Moriah-Welsh was shown a straight red by referee Steven McLean three minutes later for a two-footed challenge on Lundstram.

Striker Fabio Silva added a second as Rangers joined Aberdeen and Celtic in the semi-final draw, with Championship side Morton hosting Hearts on Monday night.

Hibs boss Montgomery gave a positive post-match update on Boyle, saying: “I’ve just had a report that Martin is stable and that’s the most important thing.

“Football is just a game and while Martin’s an important player for us, he’s a human being too.

“I think it’s a bit of concussion and maybe a little bit of neck pain. Fingers crossed he makes a speedy recovery because he was in a bit of pain.”

Montgomery was unimpressed with Lundstram’s reaction to Moriah-Welsh’s tackle.

He said: “I haven’t seen Jordan’s incident to be honest. I know he was on a yellow. He tried to hold Matondo off but apparently he’s caught him on the back of the head with his arm.

“Jordan is an experienced player so, if he has done something that is deemed a yellow card, you don’t want that.

“Nathan is just 21 years old, he’s new to first-team football. And, to be honest, it was right in front of me.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for John Lundstram. He’s a top, top player. But I thought the way he went down, Nathan didn’t catch him.

“I’ve seen that one back and he’s gone across him to try to block him playing a ball down the line, probably knock it out for a throw-in. But John has gone down.

“And the referee was very quick to give the card. To be honest, I was really surprised he didn’t go to the VAR monitor to have a look, considering it was three metres from where the incident happened.”

Rangers boss Philippe Clement called for “reckless” tackles to be taken out of the game as he discussed Moriah-Welsh’s red card.

He said: “If you put a hand or an arm in the face you can get a yellow, that everybody knows.

“The (Moriah-Welsh) tackle was a few yards away from me. It is a reckless tackle with the studs in front and it doesn’t matter then if you break a leg or not.

“It is just reckless. I think it is important to get that kind of tackle out of the game.

“In the last couple of weeks sometimes when we didn’t get the red card and I was not happy about that.

“I think tackles like that are not good for Scottish football, English football, Belgian football, German football. Players need to know if you tackle like that you get a red card.

“It is for nobody good because it is a danger to injure someone if you go in like that.”

The Belgian was frustrated with Dujon Sterling and his replacement Ross McCausland having to come off and both will be assessed ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League last-16 game against Benfica at Ibrox, with the tie balanced at 2-2 following last week’s game in Lisbon.

Ryan Jack, Abdallah Sima, Oscar Cortes, Kieran Dowell and Danilo are also carrying injuries.

Clement said: “I am not happy, of course, that Dujon and Ross had to come off. It is not a good thing.

“We are going to see in the next couple of days if they are going to be available for Thursday or not.”