Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.

Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.

The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.

Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.

He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.

“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”

Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.

The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.

Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.

It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.

Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.

Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.

QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.

Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.

Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.

Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.

Arda Guler scored in the first half to earn a second-string Real Madrid side a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Friday, moving the LaLiga leaders a step closer to a record-extending 36th Spanish title.

With five games remaining, Madrid climbed to 84 points and extended their lead to 14 points over second-placed Barcelona, who have a game in hand and host Valencia on Monday.

Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti rested several key players ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, but his side did just enough to secure the three points.

The winner came from 19-year-old Turkish midfielder Guler, making his first start for Madrid after signing from Fenerbahce, when he turned home Dani Carvajal's cross in the 29th minute.

Minnesota United forward Tani Oluwaseyi is relishing his chance in the first team ahead of their clash with Sporting Kansas City.

The Loons have enjoyed a strong start to the MLS season and sit fifth in the Western Conference.

Sporting KC, meanwhile, sit three points below them in 10th having won just two of their opening nine matches.

Oluwaseyi scored the opening goal in Minnesota’s 3-0 win over Charlotte last weekend, which ended a run of three games without a victory.

Asked how it feels to break into the starting line-up after spending his first year at the club on loan, Oluwaseyi, who has scored a joint-high three goals, said:

“It's something that I've been waiting for, for I guess the last three years.

“I hoped that I could do it in year one, and that was kind of the goal going in, but everyone has a different journey, which is very evident in the game.

“So it took a couple of years, but I think being here now, being given the opportunity, the biggest thing for me is just grabbing an opportunity and making the most with it.”

Jonas Eidevall insists Arsenal are still focused on their title push despite being given a 0 per cent chance of winning the Women’s Super League by the Opta supercomputer.

The Gunners sit in third place ahead of Sunday’s match against Everton and are six points behind leaders Manchester City.

Chelsea occupy second place, three points ahead of Arsenal, but with a game in hand on the teams around them.

Asked if he thought his side could do something special despite the Opta supercomputer’s prediction, Eidevall did not rule his team out of the race.

He said: “It's about for us focusing on what we can control.

"The Opta supercomputer is definitely one of the things that we can't control. So, they can make their calculations, but we have to focus on our performances.”

Oscar Pareja is thrilled with the character his Orlando City players showed in their 2-2 draw with CF Montreal last time out.

Orlando conceded late against Montreal – in the 88th minute, in fact – but Ivan Angulo scored deep into stoppage time to salvage a point.

It was a result that extended Orlando’s unbeaten streak to four MLS games, as the Lions look to propel themselves up the Eastern Conference standings.

Next up is a home game against Toronto FC, and Pareja was proud of the resilience his team displayed.

He said: “I've seen the character of the team, and the willingness that we have with this group of players is incredible. It has happened already [this season], and then the last good result has shown that this group has a lot of intentions all the time to be upfront and try to propose the game.

“When we are at a disadvantage, we want to equalise with a lot of character, that's what we have. Once we start being more precise in the last third, I think we're going to have less problems, but we are resolving them and, really, I congratulate the players. I think they're doing a great job, they don't give up in any minute and today if we played five minutes more I think we win the game.”

Pareja knows his team must tighten up at the back, though.

He added: “We are trying to have more cohesiveness with the players that are starting or playing in the games. Our lines have to be better. Conceding early goals, or conceding goals especially in the first half for us, is something that we need to resolve, we need to figure it out. How can we be more solid? Not saying that it's just a defender’s problem, it’s a collective problem. We all have to be in charge. We need to be much better.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Orlando City – Duncan McGuire

McGuire scored three goals in his first two matches against Toronto. Five players in MLS history have scored in their first three matches against Toronto, most recently Josef Martinez in 2017-18.

Toronto FC – Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty

Marshall-Rutty set up Prince Owusu for Toronto’s lone goal on Saturday. Either Marshall-Rutty (two assists), Owusu (four goals) or both have been involved in each of Toronto’s last five MLS goals.

MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN

Toronto FC’s 1-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday was its fourth victory of the season, equalling their total from all of last season. Only one of the Reds’ last 25 regular-season matches dating back to late June has ended in a draw.

However, Orlando have lost only one of their last 16 regular-season home matches (W9 D6) dating back to late April 2023, a run that includes a 4-0 win over Toronto in July.

Indeed, Orlando are unbeaten in eight straight matches against Toronto (W6 D2) including winning the last four in a row. This is the Lions’ longest unbeaten run against a single opponent in regular-season play while they’ve won five in a row against an opponent once before, doing so against the Crew from 2018-21.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Orlando City – 59.6%

Toronto FC – 16.1%

Draw – 24.3%

Manchester City's title hopes took a blow with the announcement that Khadija Shaw has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a foot injury.

Shaw currently sits top of the Women’s Super League golden boot race with 21 goals in 18 games this season, a total which puts her well ahead of closest rival Lauren James, who is eight behind.  

But she picked up her injury during Man City's 5-0 WSL victory over West Ham last weekend, a match in which she had scored twice in the first half, and will now miss the crucial final weeks of the top-flight campaign. 

City have been reliant on the Jamaican's goals this season and will miss her in what is likely to be one of the most exciting run-ins in WSL history. 

Chelsea sit three points behind City, however they have a game in hand and goal difference could end up being the determining factor if both teams are able to win all their remaining games.

The Citizens’ manager Gareth Taylor confirmed the Shaw blow in his pre match press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash with Bristol City, saying: “We have an issue with Bunny, she’s sustained a foot injury which will keep her out of the game for certain and potentially longer.

“It’s such a difficult one for Bunny because she’s had an incredible season. 

“We had a feeling it might be an issue when she came off the pitch [against West Ham] even though it was non-contact.

“She’ll be well looked after by the medical team.”

City will have to think about who can fill the shoes of their star striker, but Taylor was confident about his team’s options despite the injury to Shaw.

"Bunny is our main number nine, but Mary [Fowler] has played there, Lauren [Hemp] has played there. Chloe [Kelly] is capable of playing there, Jess [Park] can do a really good job there," he said.

"Of course, we all understand what Bunny brings, she is such a box player, she gives us a different way of playing. Now, we will have a different kind of number nine."

City did, however, have some good news to share as they have tied down Lioness Lauren Hemp on new three-year contract extension keeping her at the Joie Stadium until 2027.  

Hemp has won four trophies, while scoring 65 goals in 157 appearances, and has been a key player in the evolution of Taylor’s side.

Man City have secured the winger, who was out of contract at the end of the season and has attracted the attention of some of Europe's elite clubs such as Barcelona. 

This term she has proved as productive as ever for City, scoring nine goals and adding six assists. She will also be key in the coming matches after the news of Shaw's injury misery.

"I feel at home here in Manchester," Hemp said after signing the deal. 

"With the squad we have here, we are always learning and it’s so special to be involved at a club where we’re capable of achieving anything.

"I’m so passionate about this club and there’s no place I’d rather be. I’m very excited to keep this journey going for the next few years."

Rob Edwards is keen for Luton Town to ignore the scrutiny surrounding them in the relegation battle as they prepare for another big game against Wolves.

The Hatters sit one point from safety in the relegation zone after back-to-back 5-1 defeats against Manchester City and Brentford.

While Nottingham Forest also lost last weekend, being beaten 2-0 by Everton, Burnley beat Sheffield United to move them two points behind Luton.

Asked how he is handling the pressure of the relegation battle with only four games left, Edwards said: “The stakes are high already, we all know what it means and it's really important to everyone that's in this at the moment, a number of clubs that are still fighting to try and avoid it and be in the league next season, it's so important.

“Everyone wants to try and stoke the fire I think. We've got a title race on at one end and obviously, there's a relegation battle we're involved in. It's exciting, it's good that we're in the fight, and we've got a chance to get out of it, but really, all I am concerned about right now is our performance tomorrow.”

Oliver Glasner is hopeful that Crystal Palace can maintain their recent winning run when they travel to Fulham on Saturday.

After a run of five games without a victory, the Eagles have won each of their last three games, beating Liverpool, West Ham and Newcastle United.

Their 2-0 win over the Magpies on Wednesday also secured their Premier League safety for another season.

Glasner has given credit to his team’s attitude in turning around their recent run of form but does not want them to slow down despite reaching their goal.

He said: “The players give us confidence because they are listening. Every day we were sitting here and having a meeting and showing them videos and nobody was sleeping, so that gives us good feedback!

"Now we have 39 points and I think it shouldn't be our target to say ‘39 points, oh well done, staying in the Premier League’ because then I would say 'come on guys, go wherever you want and take vacations' – but no.

"We want to improve, we want to win games, and we have the next chance tomorrow at Fulham."

Wilfried Nancy was delighted with the spirit and grit his Columbus Crew team displayed as they sealed a 2-1 CONCACAF Champions Cup win over CF Monterrey.

The Crew are in a great position to progress to the Champions Cup final after their first-leg win in midweek.

Now, Nancy will turn his focus to a league clash with his former club CF Montreal, but he stressed his pride with his team for their performance against Monterrey.

“I'm really proud of the guys,” said Nancy.

“Because we did a really good game in terms of when we had the difficult moments, we were together. And when we had the ball, we tried to play our game and we had good opportunities also, and we were able to unbalance them.

“We try to convince [the squad] that when we play high-level sport, it's a game of mistakes.

The idea is no matter what happened, can we find a way to bounce back? So we work on that during the practice, but at the end of the day, you have to live this situation. And I think that we've worked upon in the past. So now they’ve been better and the chemistry is better. And they were able to sort it out.”

The Crew are the reigning MLS Cup champions, though they have drawn their last three league fixtures.

While Columbus sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, Montreal are three points back in 10th place.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

Hernandez scored his 34th MLS goal (including playoffs) in the Crew’s draw on Saturday. Only the Philadelphia Union’s Daniel Gazdag (36) has more goals than Hernández since he made his MLS debut in July 2022.

CF Montreal – Ariel Lassiter

Lassiter put CF Montreal ahead against Orlando on Saturday with an 88th-minute goal, only to see the Lions equalize in stoppage time. It marked just the second time in club history that Montreal scored a go-ahead goal after the 75th minute but failed to win the match, also doing so against the Fire in 2017.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS WIN

Montreal have lost 17 of their 25 away matches in all competitions (W5 D3) dating back to the start of last season, being outscored, 56-21, in those games.

Columbus are unbeaten in 17 straight regular-season home matches (W12 D5) following a pair of draws with D.C. United and the Portland Timbers. The only longer run in club history was a 22-match streak in 2008—09.

Columbus won both of their matches against Montreal last season after winning just two of the previous eight (D2 L4). Montreal (2-1 in August 2022) are one of two visiting teams to record a win at Lower.com Field since June 2022.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 56.4%

CF Montreal – 18.6%

Draw – 25%

Erik ten Hag urged his players not to get complacent against a Burnley side who are still fighting for their place in the Premier League.

After a run of four games without a win in the top-flight, Manchester United came from behind with late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund to beat bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Wednesday.

The Red Devils sit in sixth place on 53 points, three more than Newcastle United below them, but have not yet secured a place in Europe next season.

When asked what kind of challenge Burnley would pose, Ten Hag was full of praise for the way Vincent Kompany has set up his team.

“They play high-intensity football. They have changed their approach slightly in the season. They have had good results and are hard to beat, and all the compliments to Vincent and his staff.

“We can’t afford to think [it’s only X] about any opponent. With the team we have available, we have to be creative. We have to take every opponent with 100% focus. We can’t allow and do a little bit less.”

Burnley’s survival hopes were given a huge boost last weekend with an impressive 4-1 win against Sheffield United, leaving them just three points behind Nottingham Forest in 17th.

With just four games left of the season, Kompany highlighted the characteristics have kept the Clarets within touching distance of the teams around them.

He said: “The biggest thing is consistency, hard work and making sure to not get distracted by the outside noise has been the main factor. We haven't found the recipe for Champions League football yet, but we are improving every game.

"I know we still have a chance and that's all that matters to me, whether it's two teams, three teams or four teams still in it, it doesn't matter too much to me.”

Paris Saint-Germain can wrap up the Ligue 1 title this weekend, and with the Champions League and Coupe de France still to play for, they are in the best possible form, according to manager Luis Enrique.

PSG host relegation battling Le Havre on Saturday, and a win will secure the league title with three games still to play, leaving them to concentrate on a Champions League semi-final with Borussia Dortmund and the cup final against Lyon.

"I think we are heading into the final phase of the season in great form," said Luis Enrique.

"I wouldn't have imagined this scenario going as positively as this, but what happens in the future is what happens. I would say we are in fantastic form in every way. We have almost every player available. Our supporters are very happy.

"The club has so much ambition to achieve something else. It is a really attractive end to the season, which we are motivated for, and we will continue to fight to achieve all our targets."

Jurgen Klopp refused to assess his final season at Liverpool just yet, despite the campaign seemingly starting to fizzle out.

Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Everton in the Merseyside derby dealt a huge blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes.

The Reds are now three points clear of leaders Arsenal, while they are two points behind second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Klopp has just four matches left of his Liverpool tenure, though he is not ready to assess the final season of his stint just yet.

"I would not assess it now. I have no clue, so I am not in the mood to give up, wave the white flag kind of thing," he said ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Ham.

"I just think we have to look after ourselves; just make sure that we play better football. I said after the game 'why should a team who play like us against Everton be champions?' But the football we played before, a lot of good stuff. In January we looked invincible, with a depleted squad. Everybody went in the same direction, go for it, squeezed out results.

"So, we deserve to be where we are. I want us to use the situation, don't feel the pressure, for whatever reason it is. The boys are incredible footballers and I see it as my job to create that atmosphere where they can be the best versions of themselves – and that's obviously how I have failed.

"I don't know how it happened, but I didn't see anything of what I wanted us to be in the Everton game."

Klopp did, though, reminded the media that Liverpool have performed above expectations.

"Did anyone expect us to become champions at the start of the season? No, but it developed in this direction," Klopp added.

"Just to explain how different it is. We cannot go back to the point where we say 'yeah, well [qualifying for the Champions League] is good enough'. It is very good, but because we were so close, we are very, very disappointed in this moment in time. We cannot change that."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Jarrod Bowen

Bowen has scored in both of West Ham’s meetings with Liverpool so far this season – the only Hammers player to score in three different games against the Reds in a single campaign is Geoff Hurst in 1964-65.

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Salah has received criticism for his recent form, but he has scored 11 goals for Liverpool against West Ham in all competitions, only netting more against Manchester United (14) in his Reds career.

MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

West Ham have won just one of their last eight Premier League home games (D5 L2), beating Brentford 4-2 in February. They lost against Fulham last time out but haven’t lost consecutive home league games since a run of three in November/December 2022.

Liverpool have already beaten West Ham 3-1 in the Premier League and 5-1 in the League Cup so far this season. This is the 11th different campaign in which they have faced the Hammers 3+ times, but they have never managed to beat them three times in any of the previous 10.

Since keeping back-to-back clean sheets against Liverpool in the 2015-16 campaign, West Ham have conceded at least once in each of their last 15 against the Reds, conceding multiple goals in 12 of those games.

Liverpool have only won more Premier League games against Crystal Palace (13) than they have against West Ham (12) under Klopp.

West Ham have lost 12 of their last 14 Premier League games against Liverpool, with both exceptions in this run coming at home (1-1 in February 2019, 3-2 in November 2021).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 21.7%

Liverpool – 52.5%

Draw – 25.8%

Bayern Munich's search for coach Thomas Tuchel's successor is not distracting the team from their preparations for next week's Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid or their final Bundesliga matches.

That was the vow from Tuchel before Bayern first face Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday with the league title already secured by Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern will part ways with Tuchel at the end of a disappointing domestic season, a year earlier than his contract.

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick confirmed this week there had been contact with Bayern while several other coaches have been linked with the club.

Tuchel, however, said the team was shutting out any such distractions as they chase a spot in the Champions League final.

"In the next 11 days it can only be football and the goals we can still reach," Tuchel told a press conference. 

"We want to collect points [in the Bundesliga] to get the best result and reach the Champions League final.

"For anything else, there is just no capacity at the moment, whether it is comfortable or uncomfortable despite the many issues."

With no chance of domestic silverware and Bayern battling to hold on to second place, three points ahead of third-placed Stuttgart whom they face in 10 days, Tuchel said it was clear Tuesday's game against Real Madrid was on everyone's mind already.

"I can accept and it is important that we all accept it that there is this background noise against Frankfurt," Tuchel said. 

"We don't have to tell ourselves a fairytale that we are only thinking 100% about Eintracht.

"There is this background noise that the Real Madrid game plays a role. When I get my coffee in the morning people don't say 'good luck for tomorrow' they say 'good luck for Tuesday' to me."

Bayern still have some injury concerns for the coming games with Dayot Upamecano doubtful after twisting an ankle in training and Leroy Sane racing to get fit in time for Tuesday.

Tuchel said: "We have a test [against Frankfurt] and either we are distracted or we find solutions. Put on ear plugs or headphones and study for the test. That is my task." 

The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss was also asked about over 12,000 Bayern supporters signing a petition asking for him to remain at the club.

"Even though this topic is good for me when they [the fans] wish you to stay, it's not something that is a priority and it isn't allowed to be a priority," he said.

"Whether it's pleasant or unpleasant, I don't allow myself to be influenced by it. We're only focusing on every day counting towards our goals and there is no exception here.

"This question is like the neighbour that is noisy at three in the morning, if we're honest! I'll set my headphones to noise-cancelling mode and ignore that. 

"This topic won't help me on Saturday and won't help me on Tuesday - and it is not my topic."