Premier League
Tottenham coach, Postecoglou has no qualms in disappointing King Charles and relegating Burnley
Tottenham Hotspur Ange Postecoglou visited Buckingham Palace this week but the Australian could leave King Charles disappointed on Saturday by relegating Burnley, a club the British monarch has a soft spot for.
Speaking ahead of the game in which Tottenham will try to halt a four-match losing sequence in the Premier League and send Burnley down, Postecoglou recalled his royal date.
“We got an invite from the Australian government. Me and the other Aussies in the group, Mile (Jedinak), Scott (Munn), Charlie Grant from the women’s team. It was nice, a different experience,” Postecoglou told reporters.
Burnley will be relegated unless they win at Tottenham and Postecoglou was asked about the King’s allegiance and whether he had any qualms about upsetting him.
“Probably why they kept him away from me!” he said. “I would be happy to disappoint him on that front. No problem.”
The Tottenham contingent did not meet Charles personally and Athens-born Postecoglou joked he might have got himself thrown out if he had.
“Yeah, but I didn’t get within 10 feet of the King and if I had of got closer I probably would have asked him about the Parthenon marbles and I would probably have got thrown out,” he said.
“It was nice for me and my wife. These are experiences you are just fortunate because of the position I hold, not necessarily who I am.
“When you’re in that space it’s special. So, yeah, it was a good day.”
Greece has long-called for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures — or Elgin Marbles — which were transported from Athens to London in 1807 and sit in the British Museum.
Speaking of more usual topics, Postecoglou said Tottenham’s poor end to the campaign which is likely to have scuppered their Champions League qualification hopes has not changed his thinking about what the club need to do in the close season.
“The planning for the summer has been in hand for quite a while,” he said. “We know what we need to do. Nothing in that space has changed. So for me, how players and staff deal with adversity is more important for our growth than a reflection of us wanting to make more changes.”
Spurs avoided humiliation after a late push at Anfield last weekend, but the 4-2 defeat left them in fifth place and seven points behind Aston Villa, although they have one game in hand.
The loss came after their 4-0 thrashing at Newcastle United, followed by a 3-2 home defeat by Arsenal and a 2-0 loss at Chelsea but Postecoglou said clear thinking was needed rather than knee-jerk reactions.
“I think I have been consistent in saying we have got a challenge at the moment — a short term challenge,” Postecoglou said. “A significant rebuild, and the challenges will always be there and it is how you approach them.
“From my perspective, I need to be clear-headed about what we want to do and what we want to achieve. It is fair to say everyone is trying hard, it’s not because of a lack of trying — we need to stay calm and clear-headed.”
-Reuters
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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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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