Key events
You may be wondering why the Championship playoff final kicks off at 3:01pm rather than 3pm this afternoon.
The change has been made as part of the Every Minute Matters campaign – a collaboration between the EFL and the British Heart Foundation which aims to inspire supporters to learn CPR, equipping them with vital skills that could help them save someone’s life.
Launching at the playoffs last season, the campaign has already inspired 270,000 people to learn CPR. Now, the EFL and the British Heart Foundation want to encourage 360,000 people to learn a lifesaving CPR technique.
The EFL Chief Executive Officer, Trevor Birch, said: “The Sky Bet Play-Offs are a special moment in the football calendar and tens of thousands of supporters will be at Wembley Stadium across the weekend with millions more tuning in from home. By kicking off all three Play-Off Finals one minute later, Every Minute Matters continues to harness the power and visibility of football to encourage even more people to learn CPR, which could ultimately help to save even more lives.”
Arsenal are ready…
Manchester City wrap up their Premier League campaign on Sunday with a game Pep Guardiola believes is “by far” their most important of the season. City head to Fulham knowing a draw will almost certainly secure a top-five spot and a place in the Champions League for next season.
After winning the title in the past four seasons, it is a relatively modest target but Guardiola recognises it is the least of the club’s expectations. The City manager said: “If we want to play in the Champions League, we have to take a result there. This is what we are going to do. Of course, it’s really important.” Asked if it was the most important game of the season, Guardiola said at a press conference: “By far.”
City go into the game in third place on 68 points, two ahead of Newcastle, Chelsea and Aston Villa. Nottingham Forest, a point further back, are also still in contention for a place in the top five. Given a superior goal difference over all their rivals, a draw should be sufficient for City but Guardiola is taking nothing for granted against a Fulham side that could finish as high as ninth. PA Media
“Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s having the experience of doing it in other moments,” Leah Williamson told The Guardian this week. “The Euros final was fairly level to this in terms of testing my ability to manage the emotions of the day and occasion. I’m just going to enjoy it.
“If I think that the fact that I’m an Arsenal fan is going to get in the way I have to shift, because that’s not my focus for the day – my job is to be a player, a player that wants to do it for the fan in me.”
Suzanne Wrack spoke to Arsenal defender Leah Williamson this week about her journey from being a mascot for the Gunners in 2007 to now playing in a Champions League final.
Sam has messaged in from Lisbon…
“In Lisbon for the WCL final with my daughter Eleanor. Weather fantastic – just nailed our first Pastel de Nata for breakfast. Going to wander round taking in the sights and then head to the stadium around 3. Seen a couple of Barca fans also far.
“Predicting an Arsenal victory (please) COYG.”
Today’s key fixtures (all times BST)
Women’s Champions League (5pm)
Championship (3:01)
Scottish Cup (3pm)
Serie A
La Liga
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Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (3:15pm)
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Espanyol v Las Palmas (5:30pm)
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Leganes v Valladolid (5:30pm)
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Alaves v Osasuna (8pm)
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Getafe v Celta Vigo (8pm)
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Rayo Vallecano v Mallorca (8pm)
Our very own Ben Fisher will be on hand to answer any Championship playoff final questions at around 1:15pm BST this afternoon. Send them in to Matchdaylive@theguardian.com or leave a comment below!
In case you missed it, Scott McTominay was the hero as Napoli secured the Serie A title with a 2-0 win over Cagliari last night.
As always, I want to hear from you today! Are you off to a match? Are you in Lisbon for the Women’s Champions League final? If so, what’s the weather like? Because I can confirm that in London it’s absolutely miserable – take note if you’re heading to Wembley.
Feel free to also send in any score predictions, feelings, thoughts and all that jazz.
Klopp ‘disappointed’ with Alexander-Arnold boos
A disappointed Jurgen Klopp turned off the TV when he heard fans of his former team Liverpool booing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is set to leave this summer after two decades at the club, during a 2-2 home draw with Arsenal earlier this month.
Liverpool-born Alexander-Arnold, who joined the club in 2004 when he was six, debuted for the senior team when Klopp was the manager.
The 26-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, has made 353 appearances for Liverpool, winning the Premier League, the Champions League and the Club World Cup during Klopp’s tenure.
“I watched the game when he came on and I heard the booing,” Klopp said at a fundraising event for the LFC foundation on Friday. “I am old so I thought it might be my hearing, so I switched up the volume … I needed another 10 seconds to realise and I switched the TV off. I honestly couldn’t have been more disappointed in this moment. This is not us, 100% not us.”
England international Alexander-Arnold also featured prominently as Liverpool won the Premier League again this season under new manager Arne Slot.
Slot earlier said he was not sure if Alexander-Arnold would make his final appearance for the club in Sunday’s home game against Crystal Palace, after which Liverpool would lift the Premier League trophy.
Klopp, who is set to attend Sunday’s match, held up an Alexander-Arnold Liverpool shirt to show his support for the player. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who leads the league’s scoring charts with 28 goals, also spoke out earlier in support of his teammate, saying Alexander-Arnold did not deserve the boos.
Klopp said Liverpool fans should not forget what Alexander-Arnold has done for the club. “I don’t tell you, you should not be disappointed, you should not be angry. I tell you, don’t forget. This club doesn’t forget,” he said. “Every day he gave absolutely everything for this badge … after 20 years he decided he wanted to go somewhere else. If somebody should be angry about this, it’s the owners, but they’re not.”
Preamble
Hello, good morning and welcome to another matchday live! We have some huge games to look forward to this afternoon – including a European final.
Arsenal face Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final at Estádio José Alvalade, with Renée Slegers in search of her first major trophy as a manager. The North London side go into the match as major underdogs having not won the Champions League since 2007 – back when Leah Williamson was just a mascot. Meanwhile, the Liga F giants have their sights set on their third successive European title.
Also this afternoon is the Championship playoff final between Sheffield United and Sunderland. Fans were in full voice across London yesterday as they prepared for the highly-anticipated Wembley meeting, with a place in the Premier League at stake. Sheffield United finished 14 points above their rivals in the table earlier this month, but as we all know anything can happen at the home of English football.
And it’s the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park, where Aberdeen take on league champions Celtic. I’ll be getting you warmed up and ready for these games throughout the day with the help of Rob Smyth, so be sure to stick with us!
