Phil Neville believes the Portland Timbers have not picked up the points their performances have warranted this season, but he knows the time has come for them to put their foot down ahead of Sunday's Cascadia Derby against the Seattle Sounders. 

Portland sit 12th in the Western Conference standings, below the Sounders on goal difference, after going eight MLS matches without a victory.

Their 10 points through 11 games in 2024 represents their joint-worst return at this point of any MLS campaign (alongside 2014).

Neville, however, believes they have deserved more as they prepare for a run of three home games in their next four.

"I think the first thing to say is we are not making any excuses – the results have not been as good as we wanted," he said.

"We've not got our just rewards but now we look forward to a stretch where we've got to perform better and get better results, we've got to put our foot down on the gas." 

The Sounders have also struggled this term, though they have taken four points from their last two MLS games against the Philadelphia Union (3-2) and LA Galaxy (0-0).

They then overcame Louisville City on penalties in the U.S. Open Cup in midweek, and coach Brian Schmetzer hopes they can carry on their momentum from that game on Sunday. 

"This club has had a long history in the U.S. Open Cup, I like the tournament. It was certainly a challenge against a good, well-coached Louisville team," Schmetzer said.

"We came out on top and hopefully this propels us a little bit in our league play."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portland Timbers – Maxime Crepeau

Portland have conceded at least once in a club-record 17 successive regular-season matches, allowing 37 goals in that time.

Goalkeeper Crepeau has faced 41 shots so far in MLS this term, preventing 1.13 goals according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, conceding 14 times from 15.8 xGoT faced.

Seattle Sounders – Raul Ruidiaz 

Ruidiaz has 12 goals in 16 previous MLS matches against Portland (including playoffs), the most goals scored by any player against the Timbers in MLS play. 

It's also the most goals scored by any MLS player against a single opponent since Ruidiaz made his debut in the competition in July 2018.

MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN

The Timbers are unbeaten in six straight matches against the Sounders (four wins, two draws), the longest streak in all competitions by either team in the MLS era of their rivalry. 

Portland have also won their last two home matches against Seattle after the Sounders won four of the previous five meetings at Providence Park.

Seattle's 10 points through 11 matches this season are tied for the second-worst start in club history, having only collected eight points at this stage in 2018. Though the Timbers have been in dismal form themselves lately, this fixture could come at a good time for them.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Portland Timbers – 41.5%

Seattle Sounders – 30%

Draw – 28.5% 

Hubert Busby Junior has been reappointed as Head Coach of the Jamaica Senior National Women’s Team, the Jamaica Football Federation announced in a statement on Friday.

This is Busby's second stint with the team, having held the position from 2020 to 2021.

He was removed from the position when the JFF requested FIFA to investigate unsavory media reports originating in Europe. FIFA subsequently cleared Busby.

“The Jamaica Football Federation is pleased to announce that after careful consideration and due process, our technical committee has recommended the immediate reappointment of Hubert Busby as head coach of the Senior Women's National Team,” the JFF said in Friday’s release.   

“Based on his vast experience and knowledge of the squad, we think he is the perfect individual to take the team through the next stage of its development,” it continued.

Xavier Gilbert, who was acting in the role of Head Coach since October 2023, will revert to his previous role as assistant coach.

Busby's first task will be to take charge of the 23-member squad which will play two international friendlies against Brazil on June 1 and June 4 in Brazil.    

Eighteen members of the group for the two games were members of Jamaica’s history-making 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, while former Liverpool midfielder Jade Bailey makes a return to the team which is missing prolific striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw and Kalyssa 'Kiki' Van Zanten due to injuries.

The squad is set to depart for South America on May 26. 

Squad: Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Jade Bailey, Denesha Blackwood, Kayla McKenna, Allyson Swaby, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Vyan Sampson, Peyton McNamara, Page Bailey-Gayle, Trudy Carter, Kameron Simmonds, Tiffany Cameron, Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Niya Cardoza, Liya Brooks, Amelia Van Zaten, Jody Brown, Israela Groves, Davia Richards, Lauren Reid

After midweek cup triumphs for both teams, all eyes turn to MLS this Saturday as Western Conference hopefuls Los Angeles FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps meet at BMO Stadium.

Ahead of Saturday's contest, Vancouver sit fourth in the West with 18 points from 10 games, with LAFC three points further back despite playing an additional match.

Vanni Sartini's hosts were in Canadian Championship action on Wednesday, beating Calgary 2-1 in the first leg of a quarter-final tie with a starting lineup containing five Canadian players. 

Sartini believes the experience of that match will serve his young players well, saying: "We want to do well in that competition and it fits with what we want to do, which is developing a lot of young players, guys who haven't played a lot for us.

"I'm really happy that we could play five of them, also because I think in this competition, if they have to give one per cent more to win, they will because it's their national competition."

LAFC, meanwhile, beat the Las Vegas Lights 3-1 to reach the last 16 of the U.S. Open Cup, a tournament they have never previously won.

Forward Kei Kamara scored his first LAFC goal in that match, and he hopes it will serve to kickstart his campaign.

"It was a battle but it's good for us to come here and get the win and move onto the next round," he said.

"Personally, it was nice to get a goal and wash that drought off, even though it was in the cup, to pick the team up and help us into the next round." 

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga 

Bouanga has scored seven goals in six career matches against the Whitecaps in all competitions, including scoring in all four MLS encounters with them (including playoffs). 

The only player to score in five straight MLS meetings with Vancouver is Raul Ruidiaz, who did so between 2020 and 2022.

Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White

White has scored in each of the Whitecaps' last three away matches. Only three players in team history, including White himself in 2023, have scored in four straight on the road in regular-season play.

MATCH PREDICTION – LOS ANGELES FC WIN

LAFC have won four of their last six matches against Vancouver in all competitions (one draw, one defeat) with all four wins coming in the CONCACAF Champions Cup or MLS Cup Playoffs. 

In regular-season play, LAFC have won only one of their last eight against the Whitecaps, drawing three and losing four. However, they are favourites to improve on that record here.

Saturday's hosts are unbeaten in nine straight home matches (seven wins, two draws) dating back to the end of last season. LAFC have previously recorded three runs of 10 or more home matches without defeat in their history, and they will fancy their chances of repeating the trick.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Los Angeles FC – 56.8%

Vancouver Whitecaps – 18.5%

Draw – 24.7% 

Eddie Howe has highlighted Newcastle’s home form as a high point this season as they prepare to welcome Brighton to St James’ Park.

The Magpies moved to sixth in the table after a thumping 4-1 win over Burnley last weekend and have now lost just one of their last seven matches.

At home, Newcastle are unbeaten in their last seven outings, scoring four or more goals in four of those matches.

Asked how he was feeling ahead of their final home match of the season, Howe was full of praise for his team.

He said: "We have loved playing at home this season. I have been really pleased with how we have performed at home.

"We have a good feel, a good energy, and we've been very aggressive in our play. We are thankful for the support we have received from the fans - the crowd have embraced our style. It's been a good partnership between the crowd and the players."

Brighton ended a run of six without a win with their 1-0 win over Aston Villa last Sunday, though that dip in form cost them a place in Europe next season.

While disappointed by that outcome, Roberto De Zerbi wants to use that as motivation for his team to finish the season strongly.

"I think we have to be happy or sad depending on the attitude we showed. I think we have worked well, and we give our best, and then we have to accept the result," De Zerbi said.

"When the new season starts you might have new and different players. You close the last season and start another season. For sure, we start the motivation [now]."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Newcastle United – Anthony Gordon

Gordon has been involved in more home goals than any other Newcastle player in the Premier League this season (16 – nine goals, seven assists). It’s the most by a player at St James’ Park in a single top-flight campaign since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 (18 – 15 goals, three assists).

Brighton – Simon Adingra

With top-scorer Joao Pedro out through injury, Brighton will be looking to Adingra to make something happen. Despite not getting on the scoresheet against Aston Villa last time out, the winger had the joint-most shots (four, all on target), while having the most touches in the opposition box.

MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE UNITED WIN

Having failed to either win or score in their first four Premier League home games against Brighton (D2 L2), Newcastle have won 2-1 and 4-1 respectively in their last two against the Seagulls at St James’ Park.

Newcastle have scored in all 18 of their Premier League home games so far this season. They last scored in 100 per cent of their home league games in a single campaign in 1982-83, while they last did so in the top-flight in 1958-59.

However, Brighton are looking to complete the league double over Newcastle for the third time, previously doing so in 2020-21 (Premier League) and 1978-79 (second tier).

The Seagulls won 1-0 against Aston Villa last time out, ending a six-game winless run in the Premier League. However, they’ve not won back-to-back league games since a run of three in September.

Newcastle have scored at least four goals in nine different Premier League games this season – only in 1895-96 in the second tier (10) have they done so in more league games in a single campaign.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Newcastle United – 45.1%

Draw – 27.6%

Brighton – 27.3%

Serhou Guirassy scored a second-half goal for Stuttgart to secure a 1-0 victory away to Augsburg, setting a new club record in the process.

Stuttgart have won their 22nd match this term, an incredible feat as they have never secured this number of victories in a single season. What makes this even more remarkable is, this time last year they were playing in a relegation play-off.

Guirassy scored the opening goal of a game for the 11th time this season. He is the only non-German player to do so more often in a season since Bremen's Ailton in 2003-04 (12 times). The forward increased his tally to 26 for the season with his strike just three minutes into the second half.

Seb Hoeness' side have scored in 30 of their 33 games - only Bayer Leverkusen (31) have scored goals in more matches in the German league this season. As they dominated the tie, Chris Fuehrich went close to adding a second, only to be denied by Augsburg keeper Tomas Koubek.

This win lifts Stuttgart to second in the table above Bayern Munich, with the Bavarian side welcoming Wolfsburg to the Allianz Arena on Sunday.

Hoeness' team have already secured Champions League football for next season and, with one game left, this season has been a turnaround fans could only have dreamed of at the beginning of the season.

Data Debrief:

Stuttgart are undefeated in their last three games in the German Bundesliga - their last longer unbeaten streak since a run of 11 between January and April 2024.

Stuttgart have kept a clean sheet in 11 of their 33 games, only Bayer Leverkusen (15) have done this more often in the German Bundesliga this season.

Augsburg have lost their last four games in the German Bundesliga. Their last joint-longest losing streak was from February to May 2020.

Girona let an away win slip as Jon Guridi's last-gasp effort snatched a 2-2 draw for Alaves on Friday to leave the visitors' hold on second place in the LaLiga in jeopardy.

The visitors grabbed an early lead through defender Eric Garcia's towering header off a corner only four minutes into the game before Guridi equalised in the 12th with a close-range finish.

Despite Alaves looking more dangerous, Girona restored their lead just before half-time thanks to Yangel Herrera's superb strike into the top-right corner.

Michel's side had chances to extend their advantage after the break, but Guridi scored his second deep into stoppage time after capitalising on a loose ball in the box to seal the draw.

Girona have 75 points, only two clear of Catalan rivals Barcelona, who host Real Sociedad on Monday. Real Madrid have secured the league title, sitting on 87 points with four games left.

Alaves remain 11th with 42 points.

Data Debrief:

Guridi, who scored the first LaLiga brace of his career (63 appearances) against Girona, scored Alaves' latest goal in the competition in the 21st century at 98:37.

Girona are unbeaten in their last four LaLiga matches but missed the chance to make it four wins on the bounce in the league for the first time since a run of five in November 2023. 

Champions Inter Milan hammered relegation-battling Frosinone 5-0 in Serie A on Friday, with Simone Inzaghi's side securing their biggest winning margin this season.

Davide Frattesi opened the scoring for Inter in the 19th minute, sending the ball in with his knee from a Marcus Thuram pass, which deflected off one of Frosinone's defenders.

Marko Arnautovic doubled the lead for Inter at the hour mark with a low first-time finish into the middle of the goal and Tajon Buchanan made it 3-0 with his debut Inter goal, before substitute Lautaro Martinez and Thuram sealed the win.

Inter, who on Saturday suffered their second league defeat of the campaign when they were beaten 1-0 by second-from-bottom Sassuolo, also maintained their chances to beat the club record of 97 points set in the 2006-07 season.

Currently on 92 points, they next host Lazio on May 19 before ending the season at lowly Hellas Verona.

Frosinone sit 17th on 32 points with two points separating them from the relegation zone before 18th-placed Udinese travel to Lecce on Monday.

Data Debrief: Goals, goals, goals

Inter scored three goals in the final 15 minutes of the match - the Nerazzurri have now scored 21 goals in that period this season, more than any other team in the league.

With this win, the Nerazzurri have now won 4600 points in Serie A (since 1929-30), becoming only the second team to reach this milestone in the competition's history after Juventus.

David Moyes says he and West Ham made the right decision for him to leave at the end of the season.

West Ham announced on Monday that Moyes would be stepping down as their manager, with Julen Lopetegui reportedly lined up as his replacement.

The Hammers have slipped away from the European places in recent weeks, with a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea last time out extending a four-game winless run.

Speaking for the first time since the announcement, Moyes said he was comfortable with how it played out: "Look, there's a lot of things in football that can be done a lot better.

"But I'm really comfortable with the situation. I'm comfortable with the board, so at the moment, everything's fine. It's football.

"I think it's the right decision for both parties, for myself and the club and we'll go our separate ways having had, I think, a really good four-and-a-half years. "

Luton Town sit three points from safety after a 1-1 draw with Everton last Friday and know that a defeat against West Ham could see them relegated if Nottingham Forest avoid defeat against Chelsea.

Rob Edwards was upbeat about his team’s chances despite only having two games left, saying: "I don't think it would be a miracle at all. We have been in worse situations as a football club and still got out of it!

"We know what we have to do. We have got to pick up points and that has got to start [against West Ham].

"Of course, it's not [mission impossible]. We will concentrate on ourselves. Obviously, we know that we are going to need some help [from other teams], but we all know how hard it is to win in the Premier League.

"We have got to try and do that - obviously Forest and Burnley have got difficult games as well."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Jarrod Bowen

Bowen has scored 16 Premier League goals this season – the last West Ham player to net more in a single top-flight campaign was Tony Cottee in 1986-87 (22).

Indeed, no player has scored more headed goals in the Premier League this season than Bowen (five).

Luton Town – Alfie Doughty

Doughty has created 67 chances for Luton Town this season in the Premier League – since 2003-04, the only Englishmen to create more chances in their debut season in the competition are James Maddison (100 in 2018-19) and Rickie Lambert (81 in 2012-13).

MATCH PREDICTION: WEST HAM WIN

West Ham are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games against promoted sides (W8 D2) since a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in August last season. At home, they have won six of their last seven such games since a 2-1 loss to Brentford in October 2021.

The Hammers are also looking to complete their first league double over Luton since 1983-84, following their 2-1 win at Kenilworth Road earlier this season.

However, West Ham have lost three of their last four Premier League games (D1), shipping five goals in each of the last two defeats (2-5 v Crystal Palace, 0-5 v Chelsea). Indeed, the Hammers have conceded 5+ goals in four different league games this season, last doing so more in 1965-66 (6).

Since beating Brighton 4-0 in January and moving outside the relegation zone, Luton have won just one of their last 15 Premier League games (D4 L10), with defeat in this match leaving them on the cusp of relegation back to the Championship.

Luton have both scored and conceded in 29 of their 36 Premier League games this season, a joint-competition record alongside Swindon in 1993-94 and Southampton in 1994-95. The last side to see both themselves and their opponents score in more top-flight matches in a single campaign were Newcastle in 1985-86 (31).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 56.5%

Draw – 23.9%

Luton Town – 19.6%

Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that he will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season.

Mbappe, who joined PSG on a permanent deal from Monaco in 2018 after spending a season on loan, has made 305 appearances for the club, scoring 255 goals, 42 of which came in European competition.

The 25-year-old helped them win Ligue 1 six times, including this season, three Coupe de France titles and two Coupe de la Ligue trophies.

Mbappe, who is out of contract this year, will not be staying at the Parc des Princes at the end of the season, with reports suggesting he could join Real Madrid.

In a message posted on his social media channels, Mbappe said: "I've always said that I would speak with you when the time comes, and so I wanted to announce to you all that it's my last year at Paris Saint-Germain.

"I will not extend, and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks.

"I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday."

"It's a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honour to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world, which allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player by being alongside some of the best in history, to meet a lot of people and to grow as a man with all the glory and the mistakes I've made.

"I want to thank the teammates, all of the teammates that I had. All the coaches, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Christophe Galtier and Luis Enrique.

"It's hard, it's hard and I never thought it would be this difficult, to announce that to leave my country, France, the Ligue 1, a championship I have always known, but I think I needed this, a new challenge after seven years. 

"It's difficult and, of course, there are some people, I want to thank above all these are the fans. I know I am not the most demonstrative player. I haven't always lived up to the love you all gave me for the seven years, but I never wanted to cheat. I have always wanted to be effective. 

"PSG is a club that never leaves anyone indifferent. We can love it or hate it. I made the choice of loving it and I did it for seven years, with ups and downs, of course, but I do not regret any moment, signing with this prestigious club.

"It's a club that I will keep in memory my entire life. I will tell everybody my whole life, that I had the chance to play here. I won't be a player anymore, but I will continue to watch every game, of course, because it's a club that I will always be interested in, and I will always closely follow up its news.

"It was me with my qualities and defects, but I tried to give the best version of myself during those seven years. But beforehand I want to say thank you because without you all I would not have experienced half of the emotions I felt. And just for that, I am grateful for life. 

Mauricio Pochettino says it would not be "the end of the world" if he were to leave Chelsea at the end of the season.

The Blues have lost just one of their last 12 matches in the Premier League, and they thrashed West Ham 5-0 in their last game to make it four home wins on the bounce.

Chelsea now sit in seventh place with a place in Europe next season within their reach, but rumours continue to spread that Pochettino’s future at the club is not safe.

Pochettino stressed that he wants to be involved in the conversations about the club’s plans at the end of the season, which is when a decision will be made.

He said: "If we are happy, perfect. But it is not only if the owners are happy or the sporting directors happy... You need to ask us also, because maybe [we] say, ‘we are not happy’ and we accept the situation, and we need to split.

“It is not going to be the first time the coaching staff at the end of the season decide to not keep going. But at this end, it is always the opposite way. It is always the owners or the sporting directors.

"If we split it’s not a problem, it will not be the end of the world."

At the other end of the table, Nottingham Forest boosted their survival hopes with a 3-1 win over already-relegated Sheffield United last Saturday to move three points clear of the drop.

With Forest still not safe with two games to go, Nuno Espirito Santo admitted this was his toughest season as a manager so far.

"It’s been hard but I’m repeating myself. Since day one we embraced the challenge," said Nuno.

"There were a lot of things we were not expecting, but we dealt with them in the proper moment and in the right way. With the right attitude and working together, we can overcome the obstacles, and we have had a lot."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood

Wood has scored more goals than any other Nottingham Forest player in the Premier League this season (12). However, in 11 meetings with Chelsea in the competition, he has never found the back of the net, something he will want to change at the weekend.

Chelsea – Cole Palmer

Palmer has been involved in 30 Premier League goals this season, scoring 21 and assisting nine.

The last Chelsea player to be involved in more was Eden Hazard in 2018-19 (31 – 16G 15A), while 2009-10 was the last time a Blues player scored more in a league campaign (Didier Drogba 29, Frank Lampard 22).

MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN

Chelsea have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games (W6 D5), though they are winless in their last five away from home (D4 L1).

The Blues have won just two of their last 10 away league games against Forest (D4 L4), winning 1-0 in November 1994 and 3-1 in February 1999.

Following their 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in September, Forest are looking to complete their first league double over Chelsea since 1978-79, when they were reigning top-flight champions under Brian Clough.

Indeed, Forest have only lost their final home league match in one of their six previous Premier League campaigns (W4 D1), doing so against Sheffield United in 1992-93 with a 2-0 defeat that confirmed their relegation.

Chelsea’s Premier League games have seen 129 goals this season (F70 A59), the third most after Sheffield United (135) and Newcastle (134). Only in 2009-10 (135) have the Blues' games produced more goals (F103 A32).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nottingham Forest – 25.5%

Draw – 27.6%

Chelsea – 46.9%

Treble-chasing Bayer Leverkusen are offering supporters free tattoos to commemorate their Bundesliga-winning season and record-breaking unbeaten run.

Xabi Alonso's team, undefeated across all competitions this season, reached the Europa League final with a 2-2 comeback draw against Roma on Thursday, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win.

That result also stretched their unbeaten run this season to 49 matches across all competitions, surpassing Benfica's long-standing European record of 48, set between 1963 and 1965.

"A special action at the end of a special season. Bayer 04 are offering fans, until the end of the season, the opportunity to choose one of many Bayer 04 tattoos for free," the club said in a statement.

"Book your appointment now to eternalise this unique season on your skin."

Having sealed their first ever Bundesliga title, Leverkusen are also through to the DFB-Pokal final.

They will face second-tier Kaiserslautern in that showpiece game on May 25, three days after they take on Atalanta in the Europa League final.

Chris Armas believes the Colorado Rapids are already developing a winning mentality, as they bid to continue their strong start to the campaign against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.

Colorado sit fifth in the Western Conference standings with 18 points from 11 games after beating New York City FC 2-1 on their travels last week, their fifth win of the campaign.

That is as many victories as they managed throughout the entirety of last season, and another win on Saturday would take them past the 20-point mark, which they required 27 matches to surpass in 2023.

"Often I'm just watching and learning from the best teams and coaches, that could be in our league, it could be around the world, but when the whistle blows we know how to ramp it up," Armas said this week.

"If you have this ability to ramp it up on game day, then that becomes the norm. You can be light-hearted, you can enjoy training, but when the whistle blows out there it is game on.

"You can see that's becoming who we are, that we know our roles and the players are clear on what they do. We hold them to it and they're now starting to hold each other more accountable."

The 'Quakes are bottom of the West with seven points, though they recorded just their second win of the season against Los Angeles FC last week.

Amahl Pellegrino scored in that 3-1 derby win, and he hopes it can be a turning point for the team, saying: "Football is an easy thing when you have confidence. 

"To get a huge win with a good performance makes things easier because you start to believe in what you're doing in training. We just have to continue."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Colorado Rapids – Cole Bassett 

Bassett recorded a goal and an assist in last week's win over NYCFC, his fifth regular-season match with at least one goal and one assist for the Rapids. 

Only three players have ever enjoyed more such games for Colorado in their MLS history.

San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza 

Espinoza assisted two of San Jose's three goals against LAFC last time out, his eighth multi-assist match in MLS, tied for the most of any player since he joined the league in 2019 (with Carles Gil and Mauricio Pereyra).

MATCH PREDICTION – COLORADO RAPIDS WIN

Colorado are unbeaten in 12 straight regular-season home matches against San Jose (six wins, six draws) with the Earthquakes' last win in Commerce City coming in 2013. 

This equals the Rapids' longest regular-season home unbeaten run against any opponent, having also gone 12 without defeat versus the LA Galaxy between 2003 and 2009.

With San Jose only recording two wins so far this campaign, the Rapids will be confident of maintaining that impressive record.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Colorado Rapids – 48.2%

San Jose Earthquakes – 24.6%

Draw – 27.2%

Andoni Iraola sees his nomination for the Premier League's Manager of the Season award as something for everyone at Bournemouth to be proud of, vindicating their progress in 2023-24.

Bournemouth welcome Brentford to the Vitality Stadium for their penultimate game of the campaign on Saturday, with a top-half finish still on the cards.

The Cherries have already surpassed their previous record points haul in the top flight, accumulating 48 despite failing to win any of their first nine matches under Iraola – a run which led to suggestions he could lose his job.

However, they have been rewarded for sticking with the Spaniard, who is up against Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery in the Manager of the Season voting.

"I think it's something for the club. People think that we have done a very good season and it's good to see yourself get this kind of recognition," Iraola said on Friday.

"I think we still have a lot of room to grow and we have to continue improving because, in the end, the Premier League is very demanding.

"I think the other nominees are on another level, I would say. They are the top four teams in the league.

"It's good that a club like us receives this kind of recognition but in the same way it could have gone to Sean Dyche or Gary O'Neil, they are also doing very good jobs."

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has heaped praise on his opposite number, saying: "He's done well this season. Praise to him and everyone around Bournemouth. 

"He had a tricky start and it's just another example that there are a lot of good coaches out there and that football is brutal and unpredictable.

"But the best leaders are there with a calm head and a steady hand – they keep going. They've done well in many ways, definitely."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Bournemouth – Dominic Solanke

Solanke has opened the scoring in nine different Premier League games so far this season, more than any other player. 

His goals have also been worth a league-high 15 points for the Cherries this term – can he fire them one step closer to a top-half finish?

Brentford – Ivan Toney 

Toney has failed to score in any of his last 10 Premier League games for Brentford. 

Only in his first 11 Football League appearances for Northampton Town in 2013-14 has he failed to find the net in more consecutive league games for a single team. With time running out to impress England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2024, he needs to end his drought.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Brentford's last two Premier League games have seen them lose 1-0 to Everton and draw 0-0 with Fulham. They have not failed to score in three or more consecutive league games since a run of four in March and April 2019.

The Bees have, however, kept a clean sheet in their last two away league games against Bournemouth, last doing so on three consecutive visits between 1991 and 1994 in the third tier.

The Cherries are winless in their last six league games against Brentford since a 1-0 Championship victory back in August 2014, drawing two and losing four.

With little of substance on the line, it would be no surprise to see this one fizzle out into a draw. 

Bournemouth have only won their final home league game in one of the last four seasons, beating Millwall in the Championship in 2021-22 but losing their other three in that span.

Brentford, meanwhile, have seen four of their last seven Premier League matches finish level, their only defeat in that run coming at Goodison Park two weeks ago.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Bournemouth – 32.6%

Brentford – 39.1%

Draw – 28.3%

While Pep Guardiola feels Rodri was deserving of a nomination for the Premier League's Player of the Season award, he expects the midfielder to shrug off that rejection and stay focused on the title race.

Rodri was surprisingly omitted from the eight-man shortlist for the league's top individual prize when it was revealed on Thursday, with team-mates Phil Foden and Erling Haaland making the cut.

That is despite the Spaniard playing a key role as City chase an unprecedented fourth straight league title, and three wins from their last three matches will ensure they edge out Arsenal to retain their crown.

Ahead of Saturday's trip to Fulham, where City have a chance to go top of the table before Arsenal face Manchester United on Sunday, Guardiola said there was no doubt over Rodri's importance.

"He has been one of the best. The nominated players deserve it, other players also deserve it. The winner of the trophy will deserve it, and the ones who don't will too," Guardiola said.

"We know what we think of the importance of him, how magnificent and extraordinary he is as a player. He should not be worried about it.

"When I won [Manager of the Season], it's because we won. It's because your team won a title, won games. The award is not for me – I didn't play one minute."

Fulham caused a stir earlier this week when their social media accounts posted a video of some players flying kites during a training session, sparking fears among Arsenal fans that the mid-table side may be 'on the beach'.

Boss Marco Silva, however, insists that is not the case, saying: "They had one moment after training. It's not even a case to be talked about.

"I have been asked, as we say in England, whether the players are going to be on the beach. It's not the case. If my players are a little bit relaxed, I am the first one to put some pressure on them."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Rodrigo Muniz

Fulham's recent drop-off in form has coincided with the goals drying up somewhat for Muniz, who will be looking to return to form on Saturday.

He scored eight times in eight Premier League appearances through February and March but has since netted once in his last six – in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out at Craven Cottage.

Manchester City – Rodri 

Rodri has assisted six goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, including two last week against Wolves. 

City have not lost any of their last 47 Premier League games in which the Spaniard has featured, the fourth-longest unbeaten run any player has ever recorded in the competition.

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

City have won their last 15 meetings with Fulham in all competitions. It is the joint-longest winning run any team has ever managed against another in competitive English football history, with theCitizens also having 15-game sequences against Bournemouth and Watford.

Fulham have only won one of their previous 15 home Premier League games against City (five draws, nine defeats), winning 2-1 under Chris Coleman in November 2005.

They have also gone three home games without victory, drawing with Crystal Palace and losing to Newcastle United and Liverpool in what represents their worst run on home soil this season.

With City unbeaten in their last 20 Premier League games (16 wins, four draws), it's difficult to see a surprise taking place on Saturday.

Guardiola's champions have been truly rampant in recent weeks, winning their last six league games while netting four or more goals in five of them – against Aston Villa (4-1), Palace (4-2), Luton Town (5-1), Brighton and Hove Albion (4-0) and Wolves (5-1).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 15%

Manchester City – 61.7%

Draw – 23.3%

Under-fire Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job at the end of the season, saying Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have too much "common sense" to sack him.

Ten Hag has faced fierce criticism throughout a dismal season for the Red Devils, who are languishing in eighth in the Premier League table and are in danger of missing out on European qualification.

Monday's crushing 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was United's 13th in the Premier League this season – their most in a league campaign since 1989-90 (16) – and their 18th in all competitions in 2023-24. 

They last suffered more in a single campaign in 1977-78 (19), while their overall tally of 81 goals conceded this term is their most since 1970-71 (82).

With the club preparing to enter a new era after handing control of football operations to minority shareholder Ratcliffe, Ten Hag's future has been the focus of much speculation.

On Friday, the Dutchman was asked if he felt his job could be under threat even if United beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.

"No. The owners have common sense," he replied.

"You see we have had 32 different backlines, we've used 14 partnerships at centre-back. When they see we don't have a [fit] left back, they know that will have a negative impact on results. 

"It’s a huge FA Cup final. We are happy to be there. It can be a highlight for us this season. 

"We know the reason we are underperforming is because of injuries. No team will perform when you have so many injuries in key areas."

Asked if he felt any unease about the fact INEOS had not made a public statement in support of him, Ten Hag said: "This question you have to make to the owners, not to me.

"It's my job to speak to you. I don't care if they do or they don't. I am working on improving and developing my team."