BURTON, England: Marcus Rashford was left out of England’s provisional squad for the European Championship on Tuesday.
The Manchester United striker has paid the price for a disappointing season at club level and failed to make the cut for Gareth Southgate’s initial 33-man selection.
Jordan Henderson and Reece James were also left out.
“These are difficult calls, you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,” Southgate said. “With Marcus, I feel players in the same area of the pitch have had better seasons, it’s as simple as that.”
Rashford was arguably the biggest name to be omitted — especially after enjoying a career-best campaign two seasons ago when he scored 34 goals for club and country.
It has been a different story over the past year when he has managed just eight goals for a United team that suffered their lowest-ever Premier League finish — eighth.
He responded later on Instagram to say he was “Wishing Gareth and the boys all the best” for the Euros.
The squad will eventually be reduced to 26 players on June 8, with the Euros kicking off in Germany on June 14.
Rashford’s United teammate Kobbie Mainoo was selected after an outstanding breakthrough season and Chelsea forward Cole Palmer was also included.
Palmer was likely one of the forward options Southgate referred to when explaining Rashford’s omission after he scored 22 Premier League goals in his first season at Chelsea — a record only bettered by Erling Haaland.
Henderson and James were also notable omissions.
Former Liverpool captain Henderson misses out after his decision to leave Anfield for the Saudi Arabian league last year, while James’ absence comes on the back of an injury-plagued campaign for Chelsea.
Henderson has remained a part of England’s set up despite his controversial decision to join Al-Ettifaq. He left after just six months and completed a move to Dutch giant Ajax, but a muscle injury late in the season convinced Southgate to leave him out.
“Hendo has given himself every chance. The determining factor is the injury he picked up around the last camp. He’s missed five weeks,” Southgate said. “He hasn’t been able to get to the intensity in the games since then.”
James, who missed the Qatar World Cup because of a knee injury, has struggled with his fitness for much of the past season and played only 11 games.
Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones were called up for the first time, as well as Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.
Southgate said United defender Luke Shaw is “up against it” to prove his fitness after an injury-disrupted season.
“This has been as complicated a group as I can remember picking, and we’ve had quite a few complicated ones,” the England manager said.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Man United’s Rashford left out of England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad after disappointing season
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Man United’s Rashford left out of England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad after disappointing season
- “These are difficult calls, you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,” Southgate said
- Rashford was arguably the biggest name to be omitted
Saudi Arabia down Korea to move into Asia U17 final
- Saudi goalkeeper saved two spot kicks to give the young Green Falcons a 3-1 shootout victory
- There were opportunities on either side but the Green Falcons’ best chance of the first half came seven minutes before it was over
TAIF: Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi was the hero once more on Thursday as Saudi Arabia beat South Korea on penalties to move into the final of the U17 Asian Cup.
After 90 minutes of tense final semifinal action ended 1-1, the goalkeeper saved two spot kicks to give the young Green Falcons a 3-1 shootout victory.
Roared on by thousands of fans at the Okadh Stadium in the western city of Taif, the hosts, who last won the title way back in 1988, found it difficult however to get past the South Koreans who were looking for a third title in total.
Both had squeezed through their respective quarter-finals via a penalty shootout, Saudi Arabia defeating Japan while Korea got past Tajikistan, and it was not a surprise that the opening exchange were relatively quiet.
There were opportunities on either side but the Green Falcons’ best chance of the first half came seven minutes before it was over. Abdulrahman Sufyani was in a good position and had time to guide his header into the top corner, but his effort went just wide.
The Koreans broke the deadlock just before the break. A free kick from midway inside the home half caused problems. The ball fell to Oh Ha-ram. And while his first-time fierce shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, he was on hand to fire home the rebound.
Saudi Arabia pushed forward from the start of the second half in search of the equalizer. Incredibly, it came with the last action of the game.
The Korean goalkeeper, Park Do-hun, desperate to clear, brought down Abdulaziz Al-Fawaz, and after a lengthy and tense VAR intervention, the penalty was given and then Abubaker Saeed smashed home with 99 minutes on the clock.
That meant a penalty shootout. Al-Otaibi saved from Jeong Hyeon-ung and Kim Do-yeon to win the game for his team.
The victors will now go on to a final against either Uzbekistan or North Korea on Sunday.
The journey is not over, however, as the focus will be on preparing for the 2025 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in November.
Liverpool on brink of title, Leicester and Ipswich prepare for drop
- Arne Slot’s Liverpool have turned this one into a procession as rivals fell by the wayside
- Slot looks certain to become only the fifth manager to win the Premier League in his debut season in English football
LONDON: Liverpool can wrap up a record-equalling 20th English title on Sunday when Leicester City and Ipswich Town are both likely to have their relegation from the Premier League confirmed.
After several nail-biting Premier League title races that went down to the wire, Arne Slot’s Liverpool have turned this one into a procession as rivals fell by the wayside.
Despite trailing champions Manchester City and Arsenal early in the campaign, Liverpool have been top for all but one week since Sept. 28 and three points at 19th-placed Leicester could see them join Manchester United as England’s most-crowned club.
For that to happen, second-placed Arsenal would also have to lose away to third-from-bottom Ipswich.
But whatever the outcome of this weekend’s games, Slot looks certain to become only the fifth manager to win the Premier League in his debut season in English football — the others being Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City) and Antonio Conte (Chelsea).
While Liverpool’s second Premier League title in six seasons has looked inevitable, so has Leicester’s return to the Championship after a woeful campaign.
Leicester snapped an eight-game losing run in the league to draw at Brighton last week but are 17 points behind 17th-placed West Ham United with six games remaining and anything other than a shock win over Liverpool will put them down alongside bottom club Southampton who visit West Ham on Saturday.
Ipswich, who are 14 points behind West Ham, may hope that Arsenal are still celebrating beating Real Madrid to reach the Champions League semifinals when they host Mikel Arteta’s team at Portman Road on Sunday.
The Suffolk club have at least shown some fight this season but defeat by Arsenal, along with wins for West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, would mean that for the second season in a row the three promoted clubs go straight back down.
With the issues at the top and the bottom all but decided, the battle for Champions League qualification is at least providing some tension in the closing weeks.
Arsenal look set to qualify, but the five clubs below them are battling for the three other places.
Third-placed Newcastle United (59 points) visit seventh-placed Aston Villa (54) on Saturday while fourth-placed Nottingham Forest (57) are away at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.
Outgoing champions Manchester City (55) are currently hanging on to fifth place but can ill-afford any slip-ups at a rejuvenated Everton on Saturday.
Chelsea (54) have slipped down to sixth place after successive draws and, with a tough-looking run-in, will be desperate for a victory at Fulham on Sunday.
Bournemouth, Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion are all still harboring hopes of qualifying for Europe. Bournemouth are at Crystal Palace on Saturday while Brighton visit Brentford.
Fourteenth-placed Manchester United are on course for their worst finish since 1990 and Ruben Amorim’s side will seek to snap a three-match winless run in the Premier League as they host Wolves on Sunday.
Nigerian federation, league and club found negligent for player’s death, says FIFPRO
- Martins, who played for Nasarawa United, died aged 23 when he collapsed during a match where the medical services were deemed insufficient
- The National Industrial Court of Nigeria ruled the club "breached their duty of care"
NAIROBI: A Nigerian club, the league and the country’s football federation (NFF) were found negligent for the death of player Chineme Martins after he collapsed during a game in March 2020, players’ union FIFPRO said on Thursday.
Martins, who played for Nasarawa United, died aged 23 when he collapsed during a match where the medical services were deemed insufficient.
According to FIFPRO, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria ruled the club “breached their duty of care” toward Martins and they must compensate his family.
The court also said the league, the NFF and match commissioner had a duty of care to ensure the club complied with relevant regulations and they breached it.
FIFPRO added that an NFF report concluded that there was neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist at the game while there was “no functional ambulance at the stadium” when he collapsed.
“The court’s ruling stated it was ‘reprehensible’ that Martins was allowed to play without complete medical tests,” FIFPRO said in a statement.
“An echocardiogram was never conducted on Martins at the start of each of his three seasons with the club – and without the provision of adequate medical facilities at the Lafia Township Stadium.”
FIFPRO said its lawyers had helped the player’s family pursue the claim of negligence.
“I hope that the appropriate medical provisions are put in place for Nigeria’s footballers going forward, so that no family has to endure the pain we have suffered,” Martins’ brother Michael said.
Reuters has contacted the NFF and the Nigeria Premier League for comment.
Egyptians take on South Africans in African Champions League semis
- Holders Al Ahly continue their bid for a fifth title in six seasons in Pretoria on Saturday
- Egyptian giants Al Ahly are the dominant force in African football and have won 12 previous Champions League titles
CAPE TOWN: Two Egyptian clubs face two from South Africa this weekend in the semifinals of this season’s African Champions League in a rare bilateral contest.
Holders Al Ahly continue their bid for a fifth title in six seasons in Pretoria on Saturday against Mamelodi Sundowns, a side who once handed them a record defeat but have too often exited in the knockout stages after dominating the group phase.
Also on Saturday, Pyramids will be hoping to consolidate their fast-track emergence as a force in the African game when they take on Orlando Pirates in Soweto.
The return legs are both in Cairo next Friday with the winners advancing to the two-legged final at the end of May and in early June.
Egyptian giants Al Ahly are the dominant force in African football and have won 12 previous Champions League titles while the other three semifinalists have two triumphs between them — Pirates in 1995 and Sundowns in 2016.
But despite their strong track record, Ahly are not favorites after unconvincing performances in the league phase, where they were runners-up in their group.
There has been criticism of their Swiss coach Marc Koller in recent days after they also stumbled against Pyramids in the Egyptian league.
Sundowns handed Ahly a record 5-0 defeat in the 2019 quarter-finals and also scored five against them in Pretoria two years ago in the group phase.
But the South African club, owned by the family of Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe, have a long history of falling short in the knockout rounds.
Pyramids are competing in the Champions League for only the second time.
The club was formed in 2008 but moved to Cairo a decade later after being taken over by Saudi investors and are well placed to win a first Egyptian championship at the end of this season.
Opponents Pirates were one of only two unbeaten sides in the group competition and have won three away matches in north Africa in this season’s campaign.
But they will need home success on Saturday to ensure a defendable lead to take to Cairo for the return leg.
It is not the first time clubs from two countries have clashed in both Champions League semifinals.
In the 2020, Al Ahly beat Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca 5-1 on aggregate in their semifinal, while Zamalek were too good for Raja Casablanca, winning 4-1 over their two ties.
Al Ahly edged Cairo rivals Zamalek 2-1 in the final in the Egyptian capital.
Bayern defender Stanisic sorry for pushing ball kid in Champions League loss
- “Every team in the world tries to run down the clock a little," Stanisic told German media
- “It was also maybe a bit stupid of me and I'm sorry that I pushed him”
MILAN: Bayern Munich defender Josip Stanisic has apologized for pushing a ball kid during the Champions League quarterfinal loss at Inter Milan.
Stanisic pushed the ball kid off his stool after the boy appeared to throw the ball away to delay Stanisic taking a throw-in during added time. Bayern were seeking another goal to force extra time and went on to lose Tuesday's game 4-3 on aggregate.
“Every team in the world tries to run down the clock a little. They did that a bit better than some others," Stanisic told German media in comments broadcast on Wednesday by sports website RAN.
“It was also maybe a bit stupid of me and I'm sorry that I pushed him. In that moment I was just really annoyed that these little games were being played and I found that unnecessary.”
Inter's coaching staff spotted the incident immediately and appealed to the referee. Stanisic was not booked.
UEFA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it would pursue any disciplinary proceedings against Stanisic.
