Premier League

IT’S a final-day scrap to survive which is too close to call but one thing is certain for the three clubs fighting for their lives.Every one of them would love to have their manager still in his playing days and at the heart of their defence today.
Sam Allardyce is aiming to save Leeds from the dropCredit: PA
Sean Dyche’s Everton are in pole position to suriveCredit: Getty
Leicester enter today’s games in the bottom threeCredit: Reuters
Centre-backs didn’t come more uncompromising than Sean Dyche, Sam Allardyce and Dean Smith when they were pulling on their boots.
All great characters, great leaders and great fellows. I’ve got a lot of time for them all and, having been in that position myself, know what they’re going through.
But I tell you this — if those three in their peak were playing for Everton, Leeds and Leicester, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be in this position.
By this evening, two of them will be heading for the Championship.
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They will be in the depths of despair and it is absolutely horrendous, believe me.
To be honest, I never saw this coming at the start of the season. I don’t think many did.

Most thought Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest would go straight back down.
Instead all three promoted clubs have been fantastic and deserved to survive . . . which means two massive clubs will go.
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Harry doesn’t think Everton would be in a relegation scrap if Dyche was still playing in his pompCredit: Getty

As a manager, all you can do in this final week is try to take the pressure off your players. Tell them to keep their mind on their job, because they can’t affect anything elsewhere.
I had both sides of it over the years, and it’s horrible. At Birmingham we had to win our last game at Bristol City, who were on a decent run, to stay in the Championship.
Blackburn and Nottingham Forest were both winning — there’s nothing worse than hearing those scores coming in — which meant it was three points or bust for us.
Fortunately we managed it, and the sense of relief was unbelievable.
But I suffered the other side of it too, when I was at Southampton with a last-day relegation.
We had to beat Manchester United at home, and were a goal up, but they won 2-1. That was probably the worst dressing room I’ve ever been in.
You’re so low it’s scary. You feel responsible to all those fans, the players, the staff, knowing it affects people’s jobs. It’s a massive blow to your pride and takes some coming back from.
So I will have every sympathy for whoever goes through that tonight — and of the three, there’s no doubt Everton are in pole position, because a win keeps them up regardless.
But there’s no way beating Bournemouth is a gimme. They’ve been on a bad run and Gary O’Neil won’t want to finish with another defeat.
They’ve thrashed them twice this season, and can play without any pressure, while for Everton it couldn’t be any higher.
Of course, Dean will think his Leicester can beat West Ham at home, and I’m sure he’s hoping they have half an eye on their Europa Conference final in a week or so.
And Sam will definitely have Leeds revved up against a Spurs side who have fallen off a cliff.
But they’re also dependent on certain other things going their way, and as much as you tell them to just focus on their job, the crowd will let them know what’s happening elsewhere.
As a manager, you just hammer home the message “don’t go out with a whimper” — and pray it gets through and they do the business.
So for me, it’s Dychey and Everton to survive by the skin of their teeth again . . . and if I’m right, my heart will go out to Big Sam and Deano.
STILL CUP FOR IT
FOR an old head like me, the FA Cup final is still one of THE huge sporting occasions — and this year’s could be really special.
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The first all-Manchester final and the chance for City to take the second step towards the Treble. How much would United love to be the ones who stop them!
Well sorry Reds fans,  I just can’t see it. Pep Guardiola’s team has been fantastic all season, and although I’m sure it will be close, it’s a City win for me.
Manchester City are aiming to win a historic trebleCredit: Getty More

TWO teams are set for Premier League heartbreak this weekend as the relegation trapdoor rears its ugly head.Everton, Leicester and Leeds will slug it out to avoid filling the last two spots and join Southampton in the Championship next season.
Leeds have called for Sam Allardyce to save them from relegationCredit: AFP

All three have sacked managers this season after a truly dismal campaign.
One of them has their destiny in their own hands. But you would be a fool to rule out some final-day drama.
Here, SunSport runs through the permutations for each and delivers a prediction that will have some fans already welling up with tears.
Everton
It’s pretty simple for the Toffees – win and they are safe regardless of what Leeds and Leicester do.
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A draw against Bournemouth makes things more complicated. It would mean goal difference comes into play should one of the other two, or both, win.

Leicester have a six better goal difference of -18 compared to Everton’s -24. Leeds though are worse on -27.
And a defeat would mean curtains for Everton if either of Leeds or Leicester win.
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TV Channel? Everton’s home clash against Bournemouth will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.
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What time is kick-off? The crucial game will kick off at 4.30pm.
What’s the team news? The major worry for Sean Dyche is concerning Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose injury battles are continuing.
Nathan Patterson is also up against the clock to make the game.
Seamus Coleman is definitely out, while Vitalii Mykolenko and Ben Godfrey are also serious injury doubts.
Jordan Pickford has been the only bright spark for dismal Everton this seasonCredit: Rex
Leicester
The Foxes simply have to win to stand a chance of survival.
They host West Ham, who may have one eye on their Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.
And even with victory it still depends on what Everton do against Gary O’Neill’s Bournemouth.
A draw is useless, as of course is defeat.
TV Channel: Dean Smith will lead his Foxes into battle and it will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League.
What time is kick-off? The crucial game will kick off at 4.30pm.
What’s the team news? Johnny Evans and Wilfried Ndid are facing a race against time to shake off injuries for the big game.
James Justin, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Ryan Bertrand are all out.
Leicester will be desperate for some Jamie Vardy magic this weekendCredit: Alamy

Leeds
Sam Allardyce has been wheeled out to to inspire a survival mission in West Yorkshire – but it’s looking increasingly bleak.
But a home clash against a ropey Tottenham outfit is certainly a winnable one.
But like Leicester, even that would be in vain should Everton win.
The Whites have a worse goal difference by three compared to Everton, so if they win and Everton draw that would come into play.
TV Channel: This crunch clash will be shown live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate.
What time is kick-off? The crucial game will kick off at 4.30pm.
What’s the team news? Allardyce is seriously sweating over the fitness of strikers Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo.
They picked up injuries in the defeat to West Ham.
Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams are still out injured.
Jack Harrison is facing up to the prospect of Championship football next seasonCredit: Rex
Prediction
We are going to really go wild and say that ALL THREE teams will win this weekend.
But that will mean relegation for Leeds and Leicester.
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Everton could even lose to Bournemouth and still survive if both Leicester and Leeds fail to win.
But Sean Dyche is a wily gaffer, and he will refuse to accept his team doing anything other than guaranteeing safety on their own terms. More

TILING Liverpool Legend Steven Gerrard’s roof gave this footballer the desire to “make it” in the beautiful game.Flitting around non-league, the winger made ends meet by roofing in his native Merseyside.
The midfielder came up against former client Steven Gerrard in the Premier LeagueCredit: Action Images – Reuters
It was one one particular job where he came face-to-face with one of England’s finest ever players in Gerrard.
In between fixing the slates on a gym and games room extension, the footie ace was given cans of coke and sausage rolls from Gerrard’s kind missus Alex Curran.
He started his footballing journey with Gerrard’s own Liverpool at just nine years old.
However seven years later he was let go.
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But working for the Liverpool icon stimlated a real desire to succeed.
And it paid off, the now 35-year-old joined Football League side Plymouth in 2008.
Three years later Brighton swooped in for the tricky player, before in August 2012 Cardiff paid £1m for him.
He achieved Premier League promotion in his first season – setting up a top-flight tussle against the bloke he had done a roof for years earlier.
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It is of course Craig Noone!
The Kirkby-born midfielder did actually play against Gerrard in the Carling Cup and FA Cup in the 2011-12 season during his time at Brighton.
After the Carling Cup game he sprinted to Gerrard to ask for his shirt, got the Reds ace to sign it, and still has it framed in his house.
But it was for Cardiff where he experienced what he would have only dreamt about – playing top-flight football against an icon of the game.
There was only one player Noone was going to make a beeline for hereCredit: PA
Craig Noone managed to get Steven Gerrard’s shirt after a cup gameCredit: Rex
Speaking about hiring Noone all those years ago, Gerrard said in the Daily Mail: “While he was starting out as a footballer, he worked as a roofer part-time and he did some work in my house.”
And on that experience, Noone told WalesOnline: “I did the gym and games room at Steven Gerrard’s, it was a big extension on the house.
“When you were working there you’d see his lifestyle – go to training at 9am and come home at 1.30pm or 2pm while I was slogging it out – and you’d be thinking: ‘I need to do that one day’.
“I didn’t want to be a roofer for the rest of my life. I always knew I wanted to be a footballer and I was going to work as hard as I could to achieve it.”
Noone, who made 158 appearances for Cardiff between 2012-2017, has just been released by Australian side Melbourne FC after two seasons Down Under.
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So it may well be that his remarkable footballing journey has come to an end.
Craig Noone, now 35, has just been released by Australian side Melbourne FCCredit: Getty More