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Ange Postecoglou says he is "just not interested" in mounting scrutiny on Tottenham Hotspur's record defending set-pieces.

Spurs have had an issue facing set-pieces throughout the season, with only four Premier League teams conceding more from such situations than their 14.

Two of the goals Tottenham conceded in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal came from corners, with Ben White clearly targeting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Postecoglou said on Wednesday: “Eventually I will create a team that has success and it won’t be because of working on set-pieces."

When asked if he was bothered by the number of goals Spurs are letting in from dead-ball situations, he said: “I’m just not interested in it. I never have been.”

Postecoglou then added, in reference to his time at Celtic where his first season was similarly littered with goals conceded from set-pieces: “Enough of you have done enough research on me to know this is not the first time I’ve been questioned about set-pieces in my coaching career.

“There is an underlying reason for that which I’m very, very comfortable with.”

When pushed on that reason, Postecoglou said: “Do a bit of work, mate. Come on. Eventually I will create a team that has success and it won’t be because of working on set-pieces.

This is believed to be a reference to the fact that Celtic worked through their issues defending set-pieces in those early months to end up with the best record facing such situations in the Scottish Premiership in his second season.

Postecoglou also elaborated on the clarification Spurs sought from the PGMOL on the level of protection Vicario is getting at set-pieces.

“We seek clarification in case certain things have changed,” he said. “You never know. We just wanted some clarity on what the actual position is on interference on the goalkeeper. I’m ancient, mate, but I always thought that the goalkeeper was a bit of a protected species. Maybe that’s shifted now and I missed the memo.”

Postecoglou added that Spurs had “not really” received the clarification they were after.

On White’s role in deliberately disrupting his keeper, Postecoglou said: “I don’t take a lot of interest in that stuff, never have. I’m not casting judgment, but I just don’t really care. If people are going to think that’s going to give them an advantage or whatever, I just don’t worry about that stuff. I just try to focus on building teams that win things.”

Spurs travel to Chelsea on Thursday night needing a win to close the gap on fourth-placed Aston Villa, who are currently seven points clear having played two games more.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic says his side have a "good opportunity" to reach the Champions league final following their first-leg victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the last four.

Dortmund secured a 1-0 victory over PSG with a goal from forward Niclas Fullkrug.

The breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck delivered a long pass, expertly controlled by Fullkrug with his first touch before slotting it past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

This narrow win gives Dortmund a slight edge heading into the second leg in Paris next Tuesday.

Speaking to DAZN, Terzic said: "It was a well-deserved win, a good team performance. We could have scored more goals, but so could they. That's why the result is OK from my point of view.

"We ran a lot, but that's necessary in a game like this. You have to earn your way to Wembley. All we need now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week. We have a small lead and a good opportunity."

Chelsea's hopes for the Women's Super League (WSL) title took a major hit with a dramatic 4-3 loss to Liverpool, leaving Manchester City in the driving seat.

Emma Hayes' team initially took the lead with Aggie Beever-Jones' ninth-minute header, but Liverpool turned the tide with goals from Sophie Roman Haug and Gemma Bonner.

Despite Beever-Jones' late equaliser and a subsequent own goal from Teagan Micah, Bonner's stoppage-time header secured victory for Liverpool.

With only three matches left, Chelsea, the reigning WSL champions, find themselves six points behind City, who have two games remaining.

CF Montreal midfielder and MLS All-Star Mathieu Choiniere has requested a trade from his boyhood club, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.

Choiniere’s contract expires at the end of next season and he had been in talks with the club for an extension. After months with no resolution, those discussions are dead and Choiniere requested a trade.

Several MLS clubs inquired with Montreal about Choiniere’s availability before the end of the primary transfer window. Sources say there is expected to be a list of suitors looking to acquire him this summer.

Choiniere, 25, enjoyed a breakout year in 2023 and has continued from strength to strength this season. The versatile midfielder has started all nine games for Montreal this season under new head coach Laurent Courtois. He has made 126 appearances for the club.

He has two caps with the Canada national team and is in the mix to go to the Copa America with his country this summer.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has ordered Manchester United’s non-football staff back into their offices in Manchester and London — insisting the club must end its work-from-home culture.

The initiative has been led by INEOS and was trailed to staff members during a meeting on Wednesday. These plans did receive some previous pushback from members of the United’s executive leadership, including interim chief executive Patrick Stewart, whose impending departure was announced on Tuesday night.

The news from Ratcliffe received mixed reviews, with some staff members energised by INEOS’ desire to shake things up, while others will have their life-work balance inconvenienced by the diktat. Ratcliffe wishes to bring United in line with INEOS’ policy of employees returning to their offices full-time.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is close to agreeing a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2028.

The Ukrainian’s current contract expires in 2025, but the two parties are in the final stages of negotiations to renew his deal for a further three years.

The Athletic reported in March that the club had already begun talks with the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, and that the intention was to get the deal done as soon as possible.

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Matty Cash says Aston Villa have gone under the radar as they seek to complete "a special season."

Cash, who has made 46 appearances across all competitions this campaign, insisted Villa "deserve to be where they are". Presently, Unai Emery's side are three games away from winning the UEFA Conference League and are on track to secure Champions League qualification.

“We’re really excited but pretty calm at the same time," said the 26-year-old.

"We deserve to be where we are. You’re not there by luck, you’re there because you deserve to be. The manager is a key part of it by being so demanding with us.

"We’ve got through the games well and we are in a great position. We believe we can do it. If you finish in the top four and win a European competition it is a special season. There’s still work to do and still get over the line."

Cash believes Villa have been overlooked at points this season, with focus centred on the progress of the Premier League's 'top six'.

“I do think a lot of people on the outside talk about the top clubs more than Villa being fourth in the league. But that’s not what we focus on but I do agree with what you’re saying the top six clubs are talked about more, but we don’t mind going under the radar and being the underdogs.”

Villa host Olympiacos on Thursday night in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final.

Unai Emery has reiterated the Premier League remains Aston Villa's main objective ahead of the UEFA Conference League semi-final first leg tie against Olympiacos on Thursday.

Villa have the chance to reach a first European final in over three decades against Olympiacos and will be without Emiliano Martinez, who is ruled out through suspension.

The Argentina international suffered an injury in Villa's 2-2 draw against Chelsea on Saturday and remains a doubt ahead of the next league fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

Emery, speaking in his press conference before Olympiacos, insisted the Premier League is "the most important". Villa currently sit fourth and on track to secure Champions League qualification.

“No way," the 52-year-old replied when asked if he is prioritising one competition more than the other.

"The best teams in the world are my point of view and my reference as a coach. The winners in England, Spain, France - Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City - are my reference when I am trying to play in different competitions.

"We are very excited about the Conference League, we are very motivated with the Premier League. It’s not changing my first message when we started the season - the most important in 38 matches is the Premier League - then we can add FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Conference League. Then, like we are now, being contenders in the Conference League, the importance is changing.

"The first objective is the Premier League but we are not refusing the Premier League and we are playing both in each competition. My idea is to keep going in our development after Conference League and Premier League.”

While Martinez, Youri Tielemans (groin) and Alex Moreno (calf) remain ruled out, Emery hopes to have Nicolo Zaniolo available.

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Although the 26-year-old is still under investigation by the FA for alleged betting breaches, his departure seems inevitable and the manner in which he leaves will decide whether or not he will be viewed favourably by supporters.

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Ange Postecoglou insists he does not believe Tottenham Hotspur struggle to defend set-piece deliveries.

Spurs conceded two goals from corners in their 3-2 defeat against Arsenal on Sunday — and only four teams have let in more from set-pieces than their 14 in the Premier League this season.

In the immediate aftermath of the north London derby, Postecoglou said that “If I thought fixing defensive set pieces was the answer to us bridging the gap then I’d put all of my time and effort into that.”

Sven-Goran Eriksson has praised the "unbelievable amount of money" raised during his guest appearance as manager of the Liverpool Legends game earlier this year.

In January, former England manager Eriksson estimated he had “about a year” to live after being diagnosed with cancer and said “he always wished to be the manager of Liverpool”. The 76-year-old, who is suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer, formed part of the management team for the Liverpool club legends’ match against Ajax legends in March.

A record sum of £1.2million was raised by the LFC Foundation to help its charitable work in the area.

"It was an incredible day and something I will never forget," Eriksson said. "To know that the occasion helped to raise so much for the LFC Foundation makes it even more special for me.

"It is an unbelievable amount of money that has been raised for the LFC Foundation."

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney say they have plans to expand the club’s Racecourse Ground to a capacity of approximately 50,000.

The Racecourse currently seats 12,600 fans but will have a capacity of 16,000 once existing construction on the world’s oldest international football stadium is completed.

Wrexham have enjoyed unprecedented success since McElhenney and Reynolds took control of the club in February 2021, securing back-to-back promotions from the National League in the 2022-23 campaign and then League Two this season.

That means the Welsh club will play in League One — the third tier of English football — for the first time in 19 years next season.

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