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      Crystal Palace need to move on from Roy Hodgson or face being stuck in a rut, says Eagles legend Andy Gray

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      IF Crystal Palace want to move on, then they need to do it without Roy Hodgson.
      That is the view of Eagles legend Andy Gray, who fears his former club are getting stuck in a rut.

      Roy Hodgson’s future has been subject to much discussion at Selhurst ParkCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Crystal Palace legend Andy Gray, who played more thna 200 games for the Eagles in two spells at Selhurst Park, has called on the club to make a changeCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Hodgson, who turns 74 in August, took charge after replacing flop Frank de Boer in September 2017.
      Brought in to steady the ship in South London, Hodgson has always beaten the drop.
      Gray hit 51 goals in 242 Eagles appearances over two stints in the 1980s and 1990s — before leaving to join London rivals, and Sunday night’s opponents, Tottenham.
      He feels Palace may not be able to aim any higher than survival with the ex-England manager at the helm.

      Gray said: “It’s not a case of sticking with him or letting him go. Roy Hodgson is 73 and he came into the club to stabilise it. But that’s all he’s going do — stabilise the club.
      “The club haven’t given him plenty of money to spend, so it’s not just the manager but it’s everyone connected with the club to recruit and buy players.
      “Roy has got the squad that he’s got and it’s a squad which will stay in the Premier League. But it’s not going do anything other than that.
      “This squad has got more chances of staying up than going down anyway because he hasn’t got the worst squad.”

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      I just think the current Palace side have got one star and rely on him heavily.
      Andy Gray

      Palace hero Gray, helped them reach the 1990 FA Cup final and finish third in the top flight a year later — but he feels they now need to address their over-reliance on Wilfried Zaha.
      The Eagles lost a staggering 18 times in 20 Premier League outings without the Ivorian before winning 2-1 at Brighton on February 22.
      They are now unbeaten in three but have put in two goalless home draws since — against Fulham and Manchester United — as they still struggle to find the net.
      Gray, now 57, added: “I just think the current Palace side have got one star and rely on him heavily.
      “It just doesn’t free up anybody else to put their authority down. If you look at Palace you look straight to Zaha.

      Christian Benteke was defended by Gray for his role in the teamCredit: Reuters
      “It’s not really a team where you say there’s like five players, that even if Zaha is having a bad game, they can make Palace a very, very good team — which we had back in the day.
      “No one ever said that without Ian Wright we wouldn’t do this or do that. Zaha is great but Palace need to build a squad that doesn’t rely on one player.”
      Zaha, 28, is set to return for the trip to Spurs — but whether he makes a big move in the summer or stays put, Gray believes Palace should embark on an overhaul regardless.
      He added: “They are not going get £100million for Wilf, are they? Forget about the money for Zaha and rebuild the side regardless, with him in mind or with him out of mind.”
      Belgian striker Christian Benteke has often been criticised for his lack of goals but for Gray the lack of service to feed off is to blame.

      The Palace legend wants to see more of Eberechi Eze to elevate the team’s creativityCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      He added: “If you don’t rely on one player and you’ve got other people doing their bit, then people like Benteke will get chances.
      “Benteke in the system doesn’t get the chances he got at Aston Villa. The Crystal Palace system doesn’t suit him and it shows.
      “Everybody can see that Christian isn’t getting the service. But when he does get service, he performs.
      “They also have Eberechi Eze who is a good prospect but one swallow doesn’t make a summer, he’s got to do that season after season.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Former Southampton ace Kevin Phillips fires relegation warning and tells Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team to ‘get nastier’

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      SOUTHAMPTON need only look back to the 2004-05 season to see how you can slip out of the league if you get sloppy.
      Harry Redknapp’s side were out of the bottom three in mid-March thanks to a Peter Crouch-inspired win at Middlesbrough.

      Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has overseen a difficult run of resultsCredit: AFP

      But five defeats in their last eight saw them finish bottom of the pile.
      They missed out on safety by only two points in one of the most tightly-contested relegation scraps in Premier League history.
      It serves as a warning to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s current crop that if they do not buck up their ideas, they could suffer the same fate.
      Kevin Phillips was part of Redknapp’s squad that year, along with the likes of Crouch, Graeme Le Saux and Jamie Redknapp.

      The 47-year-old, one of only nine players to score 30 league goals in a season, told SunSport: “We had some good players then and shouldn’t have gone down.
      “But just because you’ve got good players, you can still get sucked in and get relegated. You can’t take anything for granted. If Southampton want to learn anything from that season, it’s that, yeah, they’ve got good players, but that doesn’t mean anything.
      “People can quickly come up from behind you and overtake you, if you don’t perform. Hasenhuttl will know that.”
      Phillips thinks Southampton will have enough to get themselves out of it but is alarmed by his old side’s current slump.

      Kevin Phillips was part of the Saints side relegated in 2005Credit: Rex Features

      Hasenhuttl’s men were top of the Premier League after beating Newcastle in November.
      They looked ready for a European push when seeing off Liverpool 1-0 at the start of January — a game which saw Hasenhuttl break down in tears of joy at the final whistle.
      But it is the Saints fans who have wanted to cry since, with a shocking run of eight defeats in their nine league games since that famous victory.
      That includes the 9-0 battering at Manchester United which, amazingly, was the second time Hasenhuttl had suffered that record-equalling scoreline in his St Mary’s tenure.
      During that run, Phillips has been carefully watching star striker Danny Ings, who has netted just once in his last eight league games.
      The former England forward added: “When you’re playing for a team where they rely on you so much, the pressure is immense.

      I have noticed recently that Danny is snatching a little bit more at his opportunities
      Kevin Phillips on Danny Ings

      “It doesn’t help when the club is in the slump that it’s in.
      “I have noticed recently that Danny is snatching a little bit more at his opportunities and pulling the trigger a little bit too soon. Against Everton, he was dropping way too deep for my liking.
      “I want to see Danny Ings playing on the shoulder of the defenders and let the other players do the other side of the game.
      “It’s natural when you’re playing in a side who are not keeping the ball to go searching for it.
      “All I can suggest is you go and look at your videos of when you were scoring and try to be a bit more composed in front of goal. He still gets in decent areas.
      “Maybe he should take a leaf out of Jamie Vardy’s book.
      “Jamie’s not bothered if he only has five touches in a game but they normally occur around the box and often result in a goal.”

      England hopeful Danny Ings has struggled for goals of lateCredit: AFP

      Jamie Vardy has retained his goalscorer’s instinctCredit: Reuters
      Southampton’s bad run has left them seven points above the relegation zone.
      It intensifies the pressure ahead of Saturday’s trip to Sheffield United.
      Phillips added: “Southampton will have seen Sheffield United’s fighting spirit against Aston Villa. They’ll be looking over their shoulders in terms of Fulham, who play some really good stuff and are capable of beating anyone.
      “Like Hasenhuttl said in the week, maybe they’ve got to get a bit nastier. Instead of this free-flowing, exciting team that they have been, maybe it’s time to roll the sleeves up, rough teams up and try to win games that way.
      “Seven points is nothing, really. It can be made up in the space of a week.
      “I think Southampton will surprise someone along the way where they’ll just nick a result where no one expects them to.
      “But confidence is very low and Sheffield United is a huge, huge game for the football club.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      If Boris Johnson lands 2030 World Cup I’d be happy to hang off Wembley zip-line with him, says Karren Brady

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      MY guess is that Boris Johnson would be happy to hang off a zip line at Wembley should our bid for the 2030 World Cup be successful.
      His enthusiasm for taking a shot extended this week to a £2.8million funding offer.

      Boris Johnson greeted the 2012 Olympics with great enthusiasm while he was Mayor of LondonCredit: Barcroft Media

      Baroness Brady, on a zip-line as imagined by SunSport

      This can only be for starters. There would not be much change out of £25m for the overall bid.
      Boris would love to take the promise of the greatest one-sport event in the world into the general election of 2024, the year the football associations of the world make their decision.
      But in fairness to our Prime Minister he is a great, sometimes barely controlled, enthusiast.
      Indeed, celebrating the 2012 Olympic Games was how the Mayor of London came to be stuck 15 feet above the ground, holding a plastic Union Jack in either hand.

      Britain loved those games and the world watched, entranced by them — the spectacle, the handsome backdrops, the pomp and ceremony, the whole razzle dazzle of the best in sport.
      In all they cost a lot but brought masses of investment and loads of joy. Just as the World Cup would.
      It is 55 years since England hosted — and won — the competition and it really is time that we welcomed it again.
      But this proposal will be different. England will be joined by Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a unification I think only football could deliver.

      Wembley is set to host the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final this summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      There are, though, drawbacks to a combined British Isles team, mainly that the five nations have separate FAs and three of them would vigorously safeguard their historic right to independence.
      Opponents might also shout ‘foul’ at a five-vote headstart when the ultimate decision is made.
      The corruption that we now know brought about the election of Russia and Qatar will not be repeated and certainly not in the form it took in 2010, as Fifa have had to drain their swamp of corruption.
      We have to believe that Fifa’s new process will be honest. The truth is simply that if we’re not in the running, we can’t win it.
      The competition already promises to be immense and because our bid would be on behalf of the five football associations there are bound to be internal tensions.
      These have to be overcome. No other campaign will have our strengths but it is wise to be cautious not to over-emphasise these.
      We know what happened in 2010 to our high-power submission that came to a humiliating first-round end — a massive snub to England’s delegation, which included Prince William and the then-PM David Cameron.
      There’s no need to go too deeply into that defeat.

      England’s star-studded delegation couldn’t sway the votes in 2010Credit: PA:Press Association

      Qatar were announced as 2022 World Cup hosts back in 2010Credit: Reuters
      There was evidence within months that the vote had been rigged.
      Russia in 2018 and then Qatar four years later?
      How could it be otherwise when some 40 individuals and entities have been charged with corruption offences ranging from racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
      But the truth behind what happened in 2010 has to be put to one side.
      No one likes sore losers. Fifa have introduced a new conclusion — each member country now has a vote and our appeal to them has to be much more persuasive than the chant ‘bring football home’.
      I am sure we will showcase our talent at organising big tournaments this summer when London hosts the two semis and final of the newly structured Uefa European Championships.
      Meanwhile, the five FAs must make an official bid encouraged by Uefa who are bound to press the case that it is our continent’s turn.

      England’s bid will be bolstered by the rest of the British IslesCredit: Reuters
      Already in the ring for their backing is a strong host combination in Spain and Portugal, plus another from four countries based on Romania.
      Worldwide there are already two further two bids but I can’t help thinking that it ought to take something very special to beat the appeal of the British Isles.
      And should we win, I’d be delighted to join Boris on a zip line waving the five flags.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Man Utd DO miss Paul Pogba – and the French star’s absence is even affecting Bruno Fernandes’ performances

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      MANCHESTER UNITED do miss Paul Pogba — it is as simple as that.
      Since coming off injured in their 3-3 draw with Everton, United have only scored more than one goal in a Prem game against Newcastle.

      Paul Pogba has been absent for Manchester United’s dip in formCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Bruno Fernandes was crowded out in the draw at Crystal Palace in the weekCredit: Guardian News & Media

      And it is no coincidence. They are missing his range of passing and his ability to drive at players.
      The question was, ‘Can Pogba and Bruno Fernandes play together?’.
      But now it is clear that, without Pogba, a certain amount of Fernandes’ freedom is taken away.
      When they are both on the field they make space for each other, depending on who the opposition decide to mark.

      But in the Frenchman’s absence teams found that if you stop Fernandes, you now stop United.
      Against Chelsea, N’Golo Kante went man for man and at Crystal Palace it was James McCarthy and Luka Milivojevic.
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      And being the player he is, frustration leads Bruno to go deeper and deeper in search of the ball.

      Other players need to stretch the game to help create space for him.
      With Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani all looking to penetrate central areas, it does not happen.
      The movement between the front four is amazing and can really hurt the opposition.
      But without full-backs going forward at the same time, this side becomes narrow and particularly easy to defend against.
      Luke Shaw is back to his best — but Aaron Wan-Bissaka must refine his attacking play.

      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has used split strikers to expose City’s weakness on the break.
      Yet Pep Guardiola has evolved this City team and I don’t see many weaknesses.
      But if United are to get anything, they need to be brave and press high.
      As West Ham showed, City can be caught in transition — as long as the first pass after winning the ball goes forward.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Southampton stars turning to their wives as amateur psychologists to get over relegation fears, reveals boss Hasenhuttl

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      RALPH HASENHUTTL revealed his Southampton players are using their WIVES as psychologists to get over relegation fears.
      The Saints are 14th and without a league win in nine games – and have been dragged into the dogfight down the bottom with 12 games remaining.

      Ralph Hasenhuttl has revealed the mental strain of Southampton’s poor runCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Ryan Bertrand pictured with his partner

      Three points against lowly Sheffield United tomorrow could spark a surge to safety – but the current pandemic restrictions mean the squad have not had access to psychological experts.
      Boss Hasenhuttl said: “At the moment, our psychologists are our wives at home, I think. We are not allowed to see anybody else.
      “In our bubble we have fewer people so it’s tough for us to use a psychologist at the moment.
      “For a Zoom meeting maybe it’s possible, but I try to be the psychologist for the guys.

      “When they need somebody else to talk to, my assistant coaches can speak to them, as can the physios and doctors.
      “There are other people who can give them a cuddle if they need or something else.

      It is not nice but it is nothing you cannot turn around without the right game plan and the right effort
      Ralph Hasenhuttl

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      “But, finally, we are not sick or something like that.

      “We don’t win games at the moment.
      “That is not nice but that is nothing you cannot turn around without the right game plan and the right effort and this is what we need to have.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Steve Bruce can’t trust anyone as Matt Ritchie bust-up exposes Newcastle civil war

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      FROM man manager to man handler, is there even a Newcastle 11 Steve Bruce can trust any more?
      Training-ground bust-ups and subsequent leaks are nothing new but Bruce’s ruck with Matt Ritchie on Tuesday exposed the civil war engulfing Tyneside.

      Steve Bruce has become embroiled in a relegation fight with Newcastle this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Bruce must somehow galvanise his mutinous troops for Sunday’s must-win humdinger at West Brom.
      And how ex-Toon boss Sam Allardyce must have chuckled.
      The Baggies manager snubbed a return to St James’ Park in the summer of 2019, with Bruce reportedly 11th on owner Mike Ashley’s wish list after Rafa Benitez’s exit.
      While loyalists remain, it is anything but a happy camp after two wins in 17 games.

      So just who can Bruce — lauded for his man-management skills — count on at The Hawthorns?
      Firstly, he is without his three best players in Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron through injury.
      And it is safe to assume Bruce’s sparring partner Ritchie will not feature.
      After the 1-1 draw against Wolves the winger called his manager a “coward” for throwing him under the bus on TV over failing to deliver tactical instructions as he came on from the bench.

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      On hearing this, the Newcastle boss stormed out of his office to confront and “shoulder barge” the winger.
      But Ritchie was far from the only one Bruce — who gave the squad a day off yesterday — dug out last weekend.
      Jamal Lewis was blamed for not stopping the cross before Ruben Neves’ equaliser, with Martin Dubravka criticised for not saving it.
      And Joelinton was blasted for missing a great chance to win it.
      Dubravka was in goal for Karl Darlow, who was raging after discovering via social media that he had been dropped.
      The Longstaff brothers have not played in six weeks.

      Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League
      Sean bore the brunt of the humiliating 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United and has not played since.
      Matty was brought in from the cold at the end of December but, after providing some much-needed energy in midfield, was discarded.
      With goals needed, maybe Dwight Gayle is the man.
      But starting just one game since his late clincher in December’s 2-1 win over ten-man West Brom, what must he think?
      And spare a thought for Joe Willock. Six months on loan at Newcastle from Arsenal sounds dreamy. The reality is anything but.
      Then there is Graeme Jones. Some Toon stars reportedly believe the season can be saved if Bruce is replaced by the new Magpies coach.
      While a win at the Baggies will save him from the chop, a defeat could force Ashley to act.
      Sunday will prove beyond doubt just how many are still fighting for their Geordie manager.

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      Cardiff could land extra Euro 2020 games if Dublin forfeits rights to host matches over coronavirus rules

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      CARDIFF could take advantage of staging Euro 2020 games if Dublin forfeits its hosting rights.
      The FA of Ireland are becoming increasingly resigned it cannot give Uefa its required guarantees of allowing fans into the Aviva Stadium by next month’s deadline.

      Cardiff’s Principality Stadium could be granted hosting duties if Dublin forfeits its rightsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Irish Government scientists are reluctant to reopen turnstiles given the current state of Covid-19 in the country.
      And the Welsh capital, rather than another English city, is likely to be given the chance to take up the four matches planned — three group games and a last-16 clash which could involve England — for the Aviva Stadium.
      Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited Uefa to stage more games in the UK if other hosts are unable to meet their requirements.
      Uefa have reiterated their plan to retain the current 12-country format but there are growing doubts over not just Dublin as hosts but also Glasgow, due to hold three games in England’s group, and Bilbao.

      That could open the door for Cardiff to be invited back into the Euro party — even if Wales play their own group fixtures in Baku and Rome.
      The Welsh capital was one of the two bidding cities to miss out when the host venues were chosen by Uefa in 2014, along with Stockholm and both countries are set to be asked to come to Uefa’s rescue should any of the hosts officially withdraw.
      Staging games in Wales would be welcomed by the UK Government and also avoid the scenario of two matches being played in the same country on the same day, as would happen if the Dublin games were switched to England.

      Dublin’s Aviva Stadium is supposed to host matches this summerCredit: Sportsfile – Subscription

      Sweden are due to meet Slovakia in the Aviva on June 18, the same day as England play Scotland at Wembley.

      Uefa would have no issues in playing games at the Principality Stadium, which hosted the 2017 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus and has a capacity of 74,000, some 20,000 more than the Aviva.
      Bilbao looks the next most unstable brick in the Euro wall and moving the games planned for there to Stockholm would at least see the host nation involved in one game, when Sweden face Spain.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Mick McCarthy lands two-year Cardiff deal on eve of hitting incredible 1,000-game milestone as a manager

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      MICK McCARTHY goes into his 1,000th game as a manager riding high at Cardiff.
      McCarthy, 62, has had a stunning impact in the Welsh capital since replacing Neil Harris in January — and Big Mick was rewarded with a new two-year contract to stay on until 2023.

      Mick McCarthy, who will take charge of his 1,000th game on Friday, has impressed since taking the helm at Cardiff CityCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Seven wins and three draws in his ten games in charge have transformed the Bluebirds from Championship relegation fodder to play-off hopefuls.
      Ahead of tonight’s trip to face Huddersfield, McCarthy said: “I have enjoyed every minute of the time we’ve had at this great club so far and we’re delighted to be staying.
      “I’d like to thank Vincent Tan for offering us the opportunity to do that.
      “I was 32 when I became a manager. I’m a bit more comfortable in the role now.

      “I’m cool with my age, my experience, my big nose and my wrinkly forehead.
      “My hair is dropping out but I don’t give a flying f**k.
      “It’s just all about getting results — and at the moment it’s great.
      “But there is also no point getting carried away and having your head in the clouds.

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      “I don’t b******t anyone or waffle. I tell the players the way it is and what it is I want. Everybody gives you a pat on the back — then suddenly there is a knife in their hand.”
      McCarthy was initially appointed until the end of the season.
      Chairman Tan said: “I’m confident Mick is the right man to take us forward.”
      McCarthy is set to turn to rookie left-back Joel Bagan, 19, at the John Smith’s Stadium after Joe Bennett ruptured his anterior cruciate knee ligament in Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Derby.

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