Thursday, October 10, 2024
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Build-up to Premier League season finale – BBC.com

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Build-up to final weekend of the Premier League and Women's Super League seasons
Manchester City have the advantage over Arsenal going into Sunday's Premier League title deciders
Coach Roberto de Zerbi to leave Brighton after final game
Phil Foden named Premier League's Player of the Season
Southampton beat West Brom to book spot against Leeds in Championship play-off final
Get Involved: #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Jonty Colman and Ben Collins
Thank you very much for stopping by to today's football news live text.
Tomorrow is all set for a brilliant final day in the Premier League.
It is not the only final day this weekend, as Chelsea have just clinched the Women's Super League title with a 6-0 win at Manchester United. You can follow our dedicated live text on the WSL here.
A reminder of today's top story and Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi will be leaving the club by mutual consent following the Seagulls' clash with Manchester United tomorrow.
We will be back tomorrow afternoon with live coverage from all 10 Premier League matches taking place on the final day of the season.
Liverpool v Wolves (Sun, 16:00 BST)
BBC World Service
Jurgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool having led the club to eight trophies – including the Champions League and a first Premier League title.
But what do you know about his Black Forest roots, and his journey from second division footballer to managerial master?
Sportsworld's John Bennett takes you to Klopp's home village of Glatten, to Mainz where he was a player for a decade, then tasted promotion and relegation as a manager – and to Dortmund where he won trophies, became a celebrity and had a pop song written in his honour.
This BBC World Service programme, which won an SJA award for best audio documentary in 2021, is the comprehensive backstory of one of the most revered coaches of modern times – updated to include Klopp's nine years at Anfield and the legacy he leaves in Liverpool.
Hear from school friends, players, executives and fans about how he developed his coaching philosophy, his big personality, his gifts as an orator and the man-management skills that set him apart from many of his peers.
Listen now on BBC Sounds
Liverpool v Wolves (Sun, 16:00 BST)
Football Focus
Dion Dublin and Shay Given were joined on Football Focus by Redmen TV's Paul Machin to discuss the legacy Jurgen Klopp leaves ahead of his final game as Liverpool manager tomorrow.
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Football Focus: How Jurgen Klopp changed Liverpool
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Think it's a good decision to go as he has not been happy this season, I am sure Tony Bloom has a replacement in the wings.
Jon
Arsenal v Everton (Sun, 16:00 BST)
Football Focus
Football Focus' Alex Scott sits down with ex-Premier League forward Thierry Henry to reminisce about Arsenal's Invincibles – as he gives his thoughts on the this season's title race against Manchester City.
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Thierry Henry on Arsenal's Invincibles, Saka and Man City
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
Is it unfortunate that Liverpool didn't get to speak to De Zerbi as a candidate?
Anon
Much less confusing than the battle for Europe is the two-way battle avoid the final relegation spot.
Nottingham Forest start the day in 17th, three points clear of Luton Town.
More concerning than that for the Hatters is their ranging goal difference. Forest sit on -19, with Luton much further back on -31.
Therefore, if Luton win at home to Fulham and Nottingham Forest last away at already-relegated Burnley, Luton would still require a 12-goal swing in their favour to stay up.
At BBC Sport, we are running Player of the Season votes for each of the Premier League's 20 clubs.
Each team has four options to choose from.
Have your say on your team's Player of the Season by clicking here and voting for your star of the campaign.
Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown has named his Premier League team of the season speaking to The Football News Show.
Take a look at his team and his reasons for his selections below.
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The Football News Show: Michael Brown picks his Premier League Team of the Season
Brighton could finish in the top half of the Premier League for a second straight season tomorrow.
A win at home to Manchester United would guarantee that, while a draw or defeat would need them hoping that Bournemouth fail to better there result away at Chelsea and Crystal Palace fail to win at home to Aston Villa.
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
Brighton Simpsons: McKenna for me.
Oxygeneral: Right decision, he has been poor for a while now.
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Brighton fans, what is your reaction to De Zerbi leaving the club?
Who should replace him? Where does he go next?
Have your say via our usual channels.
Roberto de Zerbi has managed 88 matches in charge of Brighton in all competitions.
De Zerbi has won 38 matches, drawn 22 and lost 28, giving him a 43.18% win ratio.
That spell included Brighton's first ever European campaign, reaching the round of 16 before being knocked out by Roma.
During his time in the Premier League, De Zebi has picked up 97 points from 69 league games. In that time, only seven teams have picked up more league points.
Brighton v Man Utd (Sun 16:00 BST)
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom has said he hopes the Seagulls supporters will give Roberto de Zerbi a deserved send off following his final game in charge of the club tomorrow.
Bloom said: “Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans.
“We have mutually agreed to end Roberto’s contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future.
“I am sure our fans will give Roberto and his staff a wonderful and fully deserved send off at the Amex before, during and after tomorrow’s match.
“In the meantime, I’d like to thank Roberto and his staff for all their hard work in the past two seasons. They all leave our club on good terms and with our very best wishes for the future.”
More on the news that Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi will be leaving the club after tomorrow's clash with Manchester United.
Brighton have confirmed that De Zerbi will leave the club via mutual consent.
De Zerbi said in an official statement: “I am very sad to be leaving Brighton, but I am very proud of what my players and staff have achieved with the support of everyone at the club and our amazing fans in the past two historical seasons.
“We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values.
“I have really enjoyed an intense and challenging two years working in the Premier League, not least competing in four major competitions this season. Leaving now provides me with time to take a break before deciding on my future plans.”
Read the full story on De Zerbi's exit here.
Some breaking news coming out of Brighton and Hove Albion, who have announced that manager Roberto de Zerbi will be leaving the Amex Stadium after tomorrow's clash with Manchester United.
The Seagulls currently sit tenth in the Premier League table, with De Zerbi departing after succeeding Graham Potter in September 2022.
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
Sheff Utd v Tottenham (Sun, 16:00 BST)
BBC Sounds
Former Arsenal and Manchester City left-back Gael Clichy has been discussing Ange Postecoglou's recent analysis that Tottenham's "foundations are really fragile".
Speaking on Planet Premier League, Clichy said: "The reaction of the manager, I think it is the correct one because you can talk about not wanting your rivals to be champions but you can't really tell your players that you don't want your fans to have that feeling of not wanting to win.
"If the feeling within the stadium was even 20% of that, then you have a real problem because they are still a club that is not belonging to elite, top-level football.
"I think this is the first thing [they need to sort] before bringing in top players. This is the thing that you want to change.
"Mikel Arteta arrived at Arsenal and changed everything, without naming names. He came in and said 'I don't want this guy, I don't want this guy and I don't want this guy. I'm not saying they are not good players, I'm not saying they are bad people, but I'm just saying that they are not right for what I want to achieve. Will I be able to achieve those things without them? I don't know but one thing is for sure, me being in charge, I want them out'.
"Then, with time, you change that environment and you change that culture – that is very important.
"I think Tottenham need to be focused on changing that philosophy and that feeling of being a 50-50 club. They have to change that as soon as possible because time goes. You can keep on bringing players of different calibre, but if the environment is not right, you will not perform."
Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds
Chelsea v Bournemouth (Sun, 16:00 BST)
Chelsea
Chelsea have the chance to secure European qualification tomorrow, which seemed a long way off after their 4-2 home defeat by Wolves in February.
And boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he feared being sacked after that game, with his team having been booed off after a seventh defeat in 14 Premier League games left the Blues 11th in the table.
Asked if he ever believed he was about to be dismissed, Pochettino said: "I think after Wolves. It was a tough moment that defeat at home. In this moment, when you are a coaching staff you feel the loneliness.
"You feel like everyone is seeing you like you're guilty of something that you don't know. We felt the loneliness. We were alone after the game, waiting. I think we spent two hours [in the stadium]. That was the longest time after a game that we were there, looking between us in a very small room.
"We were more sad than thinking we would be sacked. It was an unfair situation. It was a situation we didn't deserve."
Asked whether he could see a way out after the Wolves loss, Pochettino added: "Not really. The problem was the circumstances [with injuries]. They were really, really bad."
So as things stand, whoever finishes in fifth place will advance into the Europa League, while sixth gets Europa Conference League football.
However, should Manchester City beat Manchester United in next week's FA Cup final, that will change, so sixth is entered into the Europa League and seventh reaches the Europa Conference League.
Tottenham should confirm themselves Europa League football are guaranteed to finish in fifth or sixth.
They start the day fifth and three points clear of Chelsea in sixth. However, should they suffered defeat against Sheffield United and Chelsea win at home to Bournemouth, the Blues will overtake their London rivals on goal difference and guarantee themselves Europa League football.
Chelsea need at least a point to guarantee top-six football. Chasing them is Newcastle United, who need to win at Brentford and hope Chelsea lost, which would see the Magpies finish sixth on goal difference.
Manchester United in eighth can go level on points with Chelsea, but their chances of European football rely on them either winning the FA Cup final, or them picking up more points at Brighton than Newcastle do at Brentford.
While the title race is the primary talking point on the Premier League's final day, there is still plenty up for grabs across the division.
In Europe, the final make up of the Europa League and Europa Conference League spots are to be decided.
At the bottom of the table, the final relegation spot is yet to be confirmed, although that feels more of a formality than a battle.
Anyway, let's run through it all with you…
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