Premier League
Decision on Wenger Waits Till FA Cup Final
The future of Arsenal’s manager, Arsene Wenger, will be determined after the FA Cup final which pitched the club against Chelsea.
Sports Village Square gathered from South Africa’s online publication, Omnisport, that the embattled manager’s future at Arsenal appears likely to be settled at a board meeting after the FA Cup final, although the veteran manager tried to remain typically evasive on the issue.
Wenger is out of contract at the end of this season and has persistently batted away enquiries over his future. Arsenal have won six of their past seven Premier League matches but will miss out on Champions League football unless they are able to better Liverpool’s result against Middlesbrough when they host Everton on Sunday.
It would be the first time the Gunners have finished outside the top four under Wenger’s tenure, which began in 1996, and fan protests against his reign have continued despite the recent upturn.
Asked at a pre-match news conference whether this weekend would mark his final game in charge at Emirates Stadium, he said: “Of the season, yes.”
Pressed on whether it would be his last game ever in north London he replied: “I cannot tell you that.
“I think what is most important for us is to win the football game that we play on Sunday.
“After that, what happen to me is less important. I’m here to serve the club and the best way to do it is to win the next game.”
Questioning then turned towards Arsenal’s post-season board meeting
“I think it’s after the FA Cup,” Wenger said, before answering in the affirmative that “things would be finalised”.
When the topic was brought up again and it was put to the 67-year-old that his future would be decided at the board meeting, he replied: “I didn’t say that. You interpreted it like that. I don’t know [how you should interpret it].
I have been asked if there is a board meeting before the cup final and I said ‘after’.
“Of course I will be there and at the moment we should focus on the short term and what’s going on this Sunday and in the cup final.
“I don’t know [what will happen at the meeting]. There are many aspects of the football club that have to be discussed at a board meeting.
“One is, of course, what is happening with the manager, the future, the players to come in and things like that.”
Addressing whether there would be an announcement a few days after the meeting, Wenger added: “Yeah, of course.”
Premier League
Maguire handed suspended prison sentence for 2020 brawl

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.

Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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