talkSPORT

Mauricio Pochettino has told talkSPORT he dreams of returning to Tottenham one day.

The Argentine manager also jokingly abstained from questions over his past links with the Manchester United job.

Pochettino was announced as the head coach of the United States men's national team in September after a one-year spell at Chelsea.

His Stamford Bridge tenure followed a five-and-a-half season stint at Spurs, during which he competed for two Premier League titles.

Fans chanted his name towards the end of Antonio Conte's dramatic reign in 2023, and it is clear the club is still close to Pochettino's heart.

Reflecting on his surprise Spurs exit in 2019 on talkSPORT Drive, he said: "To be honest, the day that I left the club always I was thinking one day to come back.

"It's not that I was thinking before the offer from the USA national team, I was thinking to come back.

"The day that I left I was thinking I would love to one day come back to Tottenham because like I told in the past, I said for me, I felt empty in the moment that I left.

"It was like an unfinished job and that is why. It's a feeling, it's a feeling, it's a dream.

"I don't know how you can take or I can explain or describe but I think for sure it's a club that is always going to be special for me.

"And I would like to one day to have the possibility again to try to arrive in a situation that we are back to finish in a different way."

Pochettino is no stranger to the Premier League given his experience with Southampton, Spurs and Chelsea.

He is considered one of the top coaches around, and Man United were famously linked with his services on more than one occasion.

The 53-year-old was a target before Erik ten Hag took charge in 2022, with talkSPORT also reporting his interest in the job following his Chelsea exit last summer.

talkSPORT Drive presenter and avid United fan Andy Goldstein was keen to know more on the rumours, but was left disappointed.

He asked: "One final question, and if you answer it I will send you a bowl of lemons… I’m a Manchester United fan, how close were you to managing my club?"

Pochettino responded: "Okay. Thank you very much! I will send my address."

Goldstein replied: "Do you not want the lemons?

"How close? Was there a conversation? That's my last question. Was there a conversation at one stage?"

Pretending to not understand the question, Pochettino responded: "Sorry, sorry, sorry. If I, sorry?"

Goldstein continued: "I was just asking, was there a conversation with United at any stage for you to take over there?"

But Pochettino didn't back down from his jokey response and said: "I don't… I cannot hear!"

Pochettino has already taken charge of the USMNT on six occasions, with wins coming in five of those matches.

He looks set to manage the United States when they host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.

However, his attention will currently be focused on the upcoming international break when they face Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals on March 20.

The Europa League and Europa Conference League round of 16 ties will come to an end this evening.

In north London, Tottenham Hotspur face the most important game of the season as they look to overturn a 1-0 deficit against AZ Alkmaar.

Manchester United's tie with Real Sociedad is locked at 1-1 as the two teams head to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Rangers can seal a famous aggregate win over Fenerbahce after beating the Turkish giants 3-1 in the first leg.

And in the Europa Conference League, Chelsea have a narrow advantage over Copenhagen.

Europa League and Europa Conference League rounbd of 16 ties

Europa League

Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Roma (3-2)

Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1 Ajax (6-2)

Lazio 1-1 Viktoria Plzen (3-2)

Olympiacos 2-1 Bodoe/Glimt (2-4)

Europa Conference League

Cercle Brugge 2-0 Jagiellonia Bialystok (2-3)

Djugaarden 1-0 Pafos FC (1-1)

Lugano 3-1 NK Celje (3-2)

Rapid Wien 0-1 Borac Banja Luka (1-2)

You can recap of all the action in our live blog below...

Tottenham vs AZ Alkmaar: Team news

Right, we have the starting XIs for Tottenham's must-win Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar.

The big news is that Micky van de Ven is fit enough to start alongside Cristian Romero at the heart of the Spurs defence.

The duo haven't played together since they started against Chelsea in December.

Archie Gray and Mathys Tel have been dropped to the bench while Wilson Odobert starts over Brennan Johnson.

Dominic Solanke leads the line.

Meanwhile, former Spurs striker Troy Parrott is up front for the Dutch side.

Can he come back to haunt Tottenham?

Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence, Bergvall, Maddison, Sarr, Odobert, Son, Solanke

Subs: Austin, Bissouma, Tel, Udogie, Gray, Johnson, Davies, Whiteman, Scarlett, Moore

AZ: Owusu-Oduro, Maikuma, Goes, Penetra, Wolfe, Clasie, Buurmeester, Koopmeiners, Sadiq, Poku, Parrott

Subs: Martins Indi, Verhulst, Belic, Dekker, Smit, De Wit, Meerdink, Zoet, Bouziane, Dijkstra, Van Dujin

War of words

Ahead of Fenerbahce's game against Rangers this evening, Allan Saint-Maximin has been axed from the squad.

The former Newcastle United winger has been dropped by Jose Mourinho, and a fierce war of words has started.

The Frenchman hit on Instagram with a message that read: "It will take more than this to defeat me.

"When a lie takes the elevator, the truth takes the stairs. It takes longer, but it always arrives in the end. If God is with us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31."

To which Mourinho said: “I didn't know Maxi had a talent for poetry. He used a poem about life and stairs. I'm good at that too.

“I can only say that when a footballer trains well, he will become fit, can climb stairs, and does not need an elevator, but if he doesn't train well if he comes in late and is overweight, he needs an elevator to go up because he gets tired very quickly on the stairs.”

'I was stating a fact'

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has defended his infamous trophy comments from earlier in the season.

The Australian essentially promised Spurs fans that they would win something this year because he always does in his second season.

As Tottenham prepare to face AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie against the Dutch side.

They are in the bottom half of the Premier League, and out of both domestic cups.

And with the Europa League Tottenham's last chance of silveware, Postecoglou has responded to his initial comments.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he said: "I wasn’t making anything up. I was asked the question, and I answered it.

"Critics have used it for their own purposes, suggesting I’m making a bold claim, but I was stating a fact.

"Usually in my second season, I win things.

"That's the whole idea. The first year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully, the second year is going to win things."

Huge night

Attention now turns to the Europa League, as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Rangers all look to make it through.

Meanwhile, in the Europa Conference League, we have Chelsea in action as well.

The biggest game is arguably in north London with Spurs taking on AZ Alkmaar.

They trail 1-0 from the first leg, and if they lose, their season is pretty much over, meaning the pressure on Ange Postecoglou is intense.

At Old Trafford, Man United are locked at 1-1 with Real Sociedad, so that tie can go either way.

However, Rangers are in a much better position, starting their game against Fenerbahce 3-1 up on aggregate.

And in the Conference League, Chelsea have a narrow 2-1 lead over Copenhagen.

Europa League

Europa Conference League

Cruel twist

REAL MADRID HAVE BEATEN ATLETICO MADRID ON PENALTIES!!

But wow, what way to decide such a highly-charged tie, with Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez's spot-kick registered as a miss despite striking the ball into the net.

But when kicking the ball, the former Manchester City star slipped and inadvertently kicked it twice before he beat Thibaut Courtois.

Atleti goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved a penalty to deny Lucas Vazquez but Marcos Llorente striking the crossbar allowed Antonio Rudiger to squeeze in the winning penalty.

Real Madrid's reward for their win is a quarter-final date with Arsenal.

The match was taken to extra time with Diego Simeone's men winning 1-0 on the night through Conor Gallagher's goal after just 27 seconds.

Vinicius Junior skied a penalty in the second half after Kylian Mbappe was fouled, but in the end it was Atleti who paid the penalty.

Job done

Arsenal and Aston Villa have sealed their places in the Champions League quarter-finals with both sides enjoying stress free evenings.

A much-changed Gunners side played out a 2-2 draw at home to PSV Eindhoven, going through 9-3 on aggregate.

An Oleksandr Zinchenko piledriver put Arsenal ahead on six minutes but they were pegged back by Ivan Perisic's tidy finish.

Declan Rice nodded Mikel Arteta's men back in front just before the break before Couhaib Driouech ensured the spoils were shared on the night.

Arsenal will face the winners of the Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid tie, which is going to extra time with the tie 2-2 at aggregate with Conor Gallagher's strike after 27 seconds giving Diego Simeone's men a 1-0 win after the 90.

Villa, meanwhile, breezed to a 3-0 win over Club Brugge, going through 6-1 on aggregate.

A brace from Marco Asencio and Ian Maatsen's deflected effort in the second half saw Villa through to the quarters.

They will face Paris Saint-Germain, who got the better of Liverpool on penalties last night.

GOAL - Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 agg)

IT'S PARTY FOOTBALL FROM VILLA!

Marco Asensio is loving life at Villa Park, the Spaniard bagging his second of the night to put Aston Villa well on the way to the quarter-finals.

The strike, a low effort with his weaker right foot from close range, is his seventh goal in eight appearances for the club.

Elsewhere, Arsenal have been pegged back to a 2-2 draw at home to PSV Eindhoven, meaning Arsenal are 9-3 up on aggregate.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid have missed a glorious chance to go ahead against Atletico Madrid on aggregate with Vinicius Junior skying a penalty at the Wanda Metropolitano.

GOAL - Aston Villa 2-0 Club Brugge (5-1 agg)

ASTON VILLA HAVE ONE FOOT IN THE QUARTER-FINALS!!

That should be that with Marco Asensio and Ian Maatsen scoring against ten-man Club Brugge.

Asensio fired into the roof of the net after being picked out with an intricate through ball by Leon Bailey.

And their second of the night came just moments ago when Maatsen fired in from close range after fancy footwork by Morgan Rogers.

Villa fans, looks like you can start booking your tickets for Paris.

Half time

It's half time in all of tonight's Champions League matches, and it's looking good for the Premier League teams.

Arsenal are 2-1 up against PSV Eindhoven, 9-2 on aggregate, thanks to goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice.

It's 0-0 at Villa Park with Aston Villa on track to book their place in the quarter-finals, having beaten Club Brugge 3-1 in the first leg in Belgium last weekend.

The flashpoint of the relatively uneventful match saw Brugge defender Kyriani Sabbe get sent off for bringing down Marcus Rashford with the Villa loanee through on goal.

Things are hotting up in Madrid with the Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid tie locked at 2-2 on aggregate with Conor Gallagher's strike just 27 seconds into the Wanda Metropolitano putting the home side ahead on the night.

GOAL - Arsenal 2-1 PSV Eindhoven (9-2 agg)

DECLAN RICE IS ON THE GOAL TRAIL

After his fine effort during their draw to Manchester United, Rice has got himself another goal.

This time it was a header as the midfielder nodded home a searching cross from the right by Raheem Sterling to give Arsenal the lead on the night.

The goal was a record-breaking moment for assist provider Sterling, who becomes the first English player to be involved in at least one goal for four different clubs in the Champions League.

Sterling had previously managed to contribute in the Champions League for Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Arsenal are chasing a record of their own with one more goal seeing them equal the highest winning margin in a Champions League tie.

They'd equal City, who beat Schalke in the last 16 of the 2018/19 season, 10-2 on aggregate.

GOAL - Arsenal 1-1 PSV Eindhoven (8-2 agg)

Arsenal have been pegged back, not that it'll have much effect on deciding the victor of the last 16 tie.

Although a bug bear for Gunners fans will be the fact that PSV's equaliser has comes from a player who used to play for Tottenham.

A tidy finish by Ivan Perisic, who was a Spurs player between 2022-24, has seen the Dutch side go level on the night following a rocket of an opener by Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Just the six goals without reply for PSV to get now!

Should Arsenal get the job done as expected, they'll face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

GOAL - Arsenal 1-0 PSV Eindhoven (8-1 agg)

WHAT A HIT, SON!

Just in case there was any doubt over whether Arsenal would book their place in the quarter-finals, they now have a seven-goal advantage in their tie.

An unlikely source for the opener at the Emirates Stadium with Oleksandr Zinchenko scoring a superb goal from distance.

The left-back is playing in midfield tonight with Mikel Arteta making seven changes to the XI that started during Arsenal's 1-1 draw at Manchester United last weekend.

GOAL - Atletico Madrid 1-0 Real Madrid (2-2 agg)

THE STANDOUT TIE OF THE LAST 16 IS ALL SQUARE!

Atletico Madrid have taken the lead inside the first minute of the second leg clash against Real Madrid, to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.

The goalscorer is an unlikely one indeed with Conor Gallagher scrambling the ball home.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gallagher put the ball in from close range as he reacted first to a deflected low cross from the right by Antoine Griezmann.

This is just Gallagher's third goal for Atletico Madrid, and no doubt his most important one to date.

It's an historic strike for Gallagher too. Having scored after just 27 seconds this is the fastest goal scored by an Englishman in Champions League history.

Full time - Lille 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (2-3 agg)

Borussia Dortmund will meet Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals as they claimed a turnaround win over Lille.

After the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in Germany last week, it was advantage Lille at half time as they led 1-0 through Jonathan David's sixth-minute strike.

David's effort trundled between the legs of Gregor Kobel in a hairy moment for the Dortmund goalkeeper.

The Bundesliga giants had plenty of chances to get level before the break but for some super goalkeeping by Lucas Chevalier making great saves.

Meanwhile, Brazilian defender Alexsandro cleared a goalbound shot off the line with Chevalier beaten.

But Dortmund got their equaliser through Emre Can's emphatic penalty before a thunderous strike by Maximilian Beier denied the French outfit their first ever Champions League quarter-final.

Confirmed

Aston Villa are eyeing a Champions League quarter-final date with Paris Saint-Germain and continue their European fairytale.

In order to do that they need to preserve their 3-1 lead against Club Brugge ahead of the second leg at Villa Park tonight.

Listen to full commentary of Villa vs Brugge, live on talkSPORT.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Rashford, Watkins

Subs: Zych, Olsen, Disasi, Digne, Torres, Asensio, Onana, Bogarde, Bailey, Ramsey

Club Brugge: Mignolet, Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper, Nwadike, Jashari, Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis, Jutgla

Subs: Jackers, Romero, Vetlesen, Vermant, Nilsson, Skoras, Nielsen, Siquet, Spileers, Campbell

All change

Unsurprisingly, Mikel Arteta has rung around the changes to his Arsenal starting line-up for their clash against PSV Eindhoven.

The Gunners have a six-goal advantage going into the second leg at the Emirates Stadium tonight having thumped the Dutch side 7-1 in last week's first leg.

Only David Raya, Gabriel, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino have kept their place in the starting XI from their draw at Manchester United last weekend.

Arsenal: Raya, White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jorginho, Zinchenko, Sterling, Merino, Tierney

Subs: Neto, Setford, Saliba, Partey, Odegaard, Martinelli, Timber, Trossard, Calafiori, Butler-Oyedeji, Kabia, Nwaneri

PSV: Benitez, Ledezma, Nagalo, Obispo, Malacia, Til, Schouten,

Babadi, Bakayoko, Perisic, Driouech

Subs: Drommel, Schiks, Karsdorp, Flamingo, Dest, de Jong, Lang, Boscagli, Bajraktarevic, Veerman, Land

The winner of this tie, which let's face it will be Arsenal, face either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

GOAL - Lille 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (2-3 agg)

DORTMUND HAVE TURNED THIS TIE AROUND!!

The German side had plenty of opportunities to level in the first half after Jonathan David's early opener, but now they're on the verge of a place in the quarter-finals.

Dortmund got their equaliser on 54 minutes when former Liverpool star Emre Can struck home a penalty with an emphatic strike.

And moments ago Maximilian Beier put Dortmund ahead on the night and on aggregate with 65 minutes played.

A reminder, the winner of the tie will face Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Half time - Lille 1-0 Borussia Dortmund (2-1 agg)

Lille are 45 minutes away from a first ever Champions League quarter-final.

They lead Borussia Dortmund 1-0, and 2-1 on aggregate, at the Stade Pierre Mauroy courtesy of Jonathan David's goal on six minutes.

An attack down the left saw the ball get crossed to David, who struck straight at Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, only for the ball to trundle through his legs and into the net.

Dortmund have asked plenty of questions though with Lille keeper Lucas Chevalier making saves, including multiple stops during an almighty goalmouth scramble that somehow didn't result in an equaliser.

Meanwhile, Brazilian defender Alexsandro cleared a goalbound shot off the line with Chevalier beaten.

GOAL - Lille 1-0 Borussia Dortmund (2-1 agg)

The French side strike first blood in the second leg through Jonathan David's opener on six minutes.

But it's some very questionable goalkeeping from Gregor Kobel as David's meek strike rolls through his legs and into the net.

After the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Westfalenstadion, it's Lille who will be going through as things stand.

The winner of this tie will come up against Barcelona, who got the better of Benfica, in the quarter-finals.

Feast of football

After a classic night of Champions League action we have some more mouth-watering fixtures on the continent.

Aston Villa will be looking to finish the job against Club Brugge as they take on the Belgian side, live on talkSPORT tonight at 8pm.

Arsenal are almost certain to finish the job against Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven with the Gunners boasting a 7-1 advantage going into tonight's second leg at the Emirates Stadium.

It'll be a tight affair at the Wanda Metropolitano, with Real Madrid 2-1 up on aggregate against inner-city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Meanwhile, the early kick-off sees Lille lock horns against Borussia Dortmund with the two level at 1-1 on aggregate.

Lille: Chevalier, Meunier, Diakite, Alexsandro Victor, Ismaily, Mukau, Andre, Bouaddi, Cabella, David, Arnar Haraldsson

Subs: Mannone, Caillard, Mandi, Gudmundsson, Gomes, Sahraoui,

Fernandez, Bakker, Akpom, Andre Gomes, Mbappe, Cossier

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Gross, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson, Sabitzer, Can, Adeyemi, Brandt, Beier, Guirassy

Subs: Meyer, Yan Couto, Bensebaini, Ozcan, Reyna, Duranville, Chukwuemeka, Sule, Watjen, Kabar, Bynoe-Gittens, Lisewski

Injury updates

Liverpool manager Arne Slot also provided injury updates on Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate.

The England international limped off after going over on his ankle midway during the second half.

Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate could barely move as he left the field in extra time.

However, ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United, it's mixed news.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, he said: “Konate was just tired, but with Trent, I’d be surprised if he played on Sunday.”

'Incredible performance'

Liverpool manager Arne Slot was disappointed to see his side crash out of the Champions League, but he was delighted with the performance.

The Reds lost 1-0 on the night at Anfield, meaning they drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain on aggregate.

But the French giants won 4-1 on penalties.

However, despite losing, Slot was proud of his players.

Speaking to Amazon, he said: "It was the best game of football I have ever been involved in.

"It was an incredible performance, especially if you compare it with last week. We were creating chances and then we were 1-0 down. We ran out of luck after last week.

"We played the perfect game, except for scoring a goal. It was similar to Paris last week, when they played the perfect game. And then in extra time, they were maybe a little bit better."

Oh dear

Curtis Jones' missed penalty in the shootout means he equals a pretty unwanted record.

He becomes just the second Englishman to miss a penalty in a Champions League shootout.

The Liverpool midfielder saw his penalty stopped by Gianluigi Donnarumma during the 4-1 defeat on penalties for the Reds tonight at Anfield.

He now joins John Terry on that list.

Redemption

Last week, Gianluigi Donnarumma faced one shot on target, and he let it past him.

Many people argued that the Italian should have done much better with Harvey Elliott's strike after getting a hand to it.

But this was his redemption story.

Throughout the game, he made a succession of punches and clearances, and then in the penalty shootout, the Italian denied Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones.

He then spent a long time after the game celebrating with the PSG fans, and why not.

Coming of age

Paris Saint-Germain have always been a team that have flattered to deceive in the Champions League.

They've had some of the best footballers in the world represent them in over the past few years, but it always felt like a bunch of individuals rather than a team.

But this Luis Enrique side is very different.

The recruitment model has shifted to buying young and hungry players, and this was a night they came of age.

The penalties from all of the PSG players were out of this world, and they will be a match for anyone.

Paul McVeigh's football career may not have been as glittering as some of his peers, but his journey from the Premier League pitch to the corporate boardroom is a story of transformation.

The former Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, and Northern Ireland forward has carved out a niche for himself.

He has blended his footballing experiences at the top level with his expertise as a psychologist to deliver motivational keynote speeches to some of the world’s biggest companies.

There has been plenty of life after sport for McVeigh, who has smashed the stereotype that professional footballers are not very intelligent. So much so that he even wrote a book called ‘The Stupid Footballer Is Dead’.

The cliche, and something McVeigh was told from an early age, was to enjoy football while it lasts… it will be the best days of your life.

That’s why even at 17 he was thinking about what was after the curtain came down on his career.

He told talkSPORT.com: “It was interesting because it's probably the complete opposite of where I am now, but I had a massive inferiority complex when I first came over from Northern Ireland.

“I actually think it really was highlighted whenever I met Jürgen Klinsmann. On my first day at Tottenham, I met this absolute superstar, World Cup winner, but I looked at him and just thought, there is no way in the world I'm ever going to get to that level of what Jürgen Klinsmann is.

“I just never thought I would ever do it. So to be able to have that as my benchmark from day one, to try and aspire to, and very quickly, I just started tying myself up in knots of going, people like me don't do this and we're never going to be able to achieve this.

“To be able to have that as your kind of mindset was a pretty destructive belief system that was kind of running rife in my life.

“Then I read a book by an American, let's call a personal development guru called Tony Robbins, and the book just completely changed my life.”

Klinsmann wasn’t the only star McVeigh encountered during his time at Spurs. Before he even signed for the club, he went over on trial at the age of 11 and ended up starring in a TV advert with Paul Gascogine just after Italia 90.

Managed by another World Cup winner, Ossie Ardiles, McVeigh also played alongside England legends like Teddy Sheringham and Sol Campbell. These early experiences were pivotal in shaping his understanding of excellence.

“To play up front with Teddy Sheringham, who had already starred for England in Euro ’96 and won the Golden Boot, was incredible,” he says. “It set the bar for the rest of my career. What I learned was that the difference between top players and world-class players wasn’t just technical ability—it was their psychology and mindset.”

This exposure to elite performers laid the foundation for McVeigh’s later career as a speaker and psychologist, where he frequently draws on these experiences to inspire others.

In his talks, McVeigh often uses Cristiano Ronaldo as the ultimate example of what can be achieved through sheer determination and an unrelenting mindset.

Having played against Ronaldo during the Portuguese star’s early years at Manchester United, McVeigh witnessed firsthand the stark contrast between Ronaldo’s raw potential and the finished product he would later become.

“When Ronaldo joined Manchester United as an 18-year-old, he wasn’t even in the top 10 players at the club, let alone the Premier League,” McVeigh explains. “He was a good young player, but he wasn’t like Wayne Rooney, who was head and shoulders above him at the time.”

But what set Ronaldo apart was his work ethic and his ability to improve consistently. McVeigh describes Ronaldo’s rise as a masterclass in the ‘aggregation of marginal gains’, the idea that small, incremental improvements can lead to extraordinary results over time.

“By 2008, Ronaldo had become unstoppable,” McVeigh says. “He’d won the Champions League with United, gone on to Real Madrid, and become a five-time Champions League winner. His dedication, drive, and belief in himself were unparalleled. It all came down to his mindset.”

For McVeigh, Ronaldo’s story is not just a footballing tale but a universal lesson in the power of self-belief and perseverance. “He’s the best example I’ve ever seen of someone reaching the very pinnacle of their profession—not just in football but across all industries.”

McVeigh retired from football in 2010 and his transition to the corporate world was anything but conventional.

Recognising a gap in the market, he set out to become the first Premier League footballer to deliver keynote speeches to global companies. “Football is the number one sport in the world, yet no one from the Premier League had entered this space,” he explains. “I saw an opportunity.”

He’s done just that and set up Football Business Speakers, where their talent roster includes the likes of Yaya Toure, Andy Cole, and Emmanuel Petit.

Looking back on his footballing career, McVeigh is quick to highlight the players and managers he admires most. Teddy Sheringham, he says, was the best player he ever played alongside, not just for his technical ability but for his humility and kindness.

“Teddy would sit with the youth team players and talk about their weekends. He didn’t have to do that, but he did.”

As for the best he ever faced? That honour goes to Thierry Henry and the Invincibles-era Arsenal team. “It was like men against boys,” McVeigh says. “Henry still haunts me to this day.”

One regret, perhaps, is never playing under Sir Alex Ferguson. “I would have loved to experience his management style,” McVeigh says. “The stories and legends about him are fascinating. He was the greatest.”

Whether he’s sharing lessons from his time at Tottenham, analysing the mindset of Cristiano Ronaldo, or inspiring business leaders to reach their full potential, McVeigh’s message is clear: success starts with the right mindset.

From the pitch to the boardroom, his story is one of transformation—and it’s far from over.

Tottenham welcome AZ Alkmaar to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Thursday in what could prove to be their most pivotal 90 minutes of the season.

Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar best bets

Heung-Min Son to score - 7/5 on BetMGM

Tottenham to win and both teams to score - 9/5 on BetMGM

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Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar odds

Find the latest match odds for Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar on BetMGM. Odds are subject to change.

Tottenham - 4/9

Draw - 18/5

AZ Alkmaar - 5/1

Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar prediction

Tottenham hope to claw back the deficit after losing 1-0 away from home in the first leg. An Own goal from midfielder Lucas Bergvall the difference between the sides, with an inspired display from Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario the only thing keeping Tottenham in the tie.

Goals from Pape Matar Sarr and Heung-min Son salvaged a draw for Spurs in the Premier League on the weekend, despite going 2-0 down to Bournemouth, but they remain winless in their last three games.

Spurs head into Thursday's game without Rodrigo Bentancur, the midfielder is suspended following his yellow card in the first leg. However centre backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven will be welcome returns as both made their first appearances in some months in Tottenham's 2-2 draw over the weekend.

AZ Alkmaar didn’t play on the weekend so head into Thursday's game well rested and with confidence flowing following their result against Spurs, which was their seventh win in their last nine games.

The Europa League is Tottenham’s last opportunity at silverware this season, and despite the lackluster performance in the first leg I expect Spurs at home to have too much for AZ Alkmaar, with a similar outcome to their meeting in the group stage.

Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar betting tips

Despite not being as prolific as he once was, Heung-Min Son remains Tottenham’s go-to man when things are tough. The Spurs skipper scored the equalizer on the weekend to earn a point for Spurs, with his 11th goal of the season.

Tottenham’s defence remains an issue for them with only one clean sheet in their past seven games, and without Vicario’s heroics in the first leg this game could’ve been out of reach already.

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How to watch Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Date and time: Thursday 13th March 2025, 8.00pm

How to watch: TNT Sports 3

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Tottenham welcome AZ Alkmaar to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Thursday in what could prove to be their most pivotal 90 minutes of the season.

Tottenham hope to claw back the deficit after losing 1-0 away from home in the first leg.

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An Own goal from midfielder Lucas Bergvall the difference between the sides, with an inspired display from Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario the only thing keeping Tottenham in the tie.

Goals from Pape Matar Sarr and Heung-min Son salvaged a draw for Spurs in the Premier League on the weekend, despite going 2-0 down to Bournemouth, but they remain winless in their last three games.

Spurs head into Thursday's game without Rodrigo Bentancur, the midfielder is suspended following his yellow card in the first leg. However centre backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven will be welcome returns as both made their first appearances in some months in Tottenham's 2-2 draw over the weekend.

AZ Alkmaar didn’t play on the weekend so head into Thursday's game well rested and with confidence flowing following their result against Spurs, which was their seventh win in their last nine games.

How to watch Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Date and time: Thursday 13th March 2025, 8pm

How to watch: TNT Sports 3

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There is 'no future' for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham if they fail to beat AZ Alkmaar, believes ex-Arsenal star Perry Groves.

On Thursday it's do or die in Tottenham's bid to end their 17-year trophy drought with Postecoglou's side slumping to a 1-0 loss away to Dutch outfit AZ in the first leg of their Europa League last 16 tie last Thursday.

The north London outfit registered just one shot on target despite boasting 62 per cent possession away from home.

It was a lacklustre attacking display across the board, with on-loan winger Mathys Tel hooked at half-time.

Tottenham rebounded with a much-needed result at home against the high-flying Bournemouth on Sunday as an 84th-minute penalty from Heung-Min Son salvaged a 2-2 result.

Although Postecoglou will have been pleased with the way his side fought back from 2-0 down, the fact the Cherries had eight shots on target and one goal chalked off for offside will be cause for concern.

The Australian knows his team cannot afford to be carved open in a similar manner on Thursday when AZ arrive for the second leg.

Given the Europa League is also Postecoglou's last hope of maintaining his claim he always wins trophies in his second season, Groves believes anything other than progression to the quarter-finals could sound the death knell for the manager's time in north London.

“I will guarantee you that Micky van de Ven will play on Thursday because they look more assured with him at the back," Groves said on talkSPORT.

"He just gives everybody else a little bit more calmness because he's so quick.

"This is going to be the biggest game of his (Postecoglou's) career on Thursday here against AZ because his job rests on that game.

“If they go out and don't win that game he gets the sack and it might be at the end of the season.

"But there will be no future for him if they don't win that game and win the Europa League.”

Groves added: "I don't think the players are 100 per cent invested in Ange Postecoglou because he's not coming up with answers when they're coming against all these problems when they're losing games.

"They don't have another way to play."

As outlined by Groves, the return of Van de Ven after six games away will be vital to Tottenham's hopes.

The Dutchman came on at the hour mark in place of Cristian Romero against the Cherries for his first Premier League minutes since December.

Given Van de Ven's importance to Tottenham's daring high line, he couldn't have timed his return any better given the implications of what a defeat or draw on Thursday could mean for the club.

Postecoglou was evidently pleased for the 23-year-old to get some more minutes into his legs but was fully aware of what the atmosphere might have been had his side lost against Bournemouth.

"I think so for the general noise that would have been around the place if we didn't get something out of the game today," Postecoglou said to talkSPORT in the mixed zone.

"I think the response at the end at least gives us a chance now to focus on Thursday night.

"I think from our perspective getting minutes into Romero, Micky and obviously Dom [Solanke] was great.

"It was good to give Sonny and Lucas a bit of a rest because they've played a lot of football recently.

"From that perspective I think it is beneficial, but I think more importantly is that we got something out of the game which at least gives us some momentum."

Tottenham's draw with Bournemouth leaves Postecoglou's side 13th in the Premier League on 34 points.

However, if West Ham beat Newcastle on Monday night, live on talkSPORT, then Spurs will drop down to 14th.

But league position will matter for nought, at least momentarily, if Postecoglou's side can overturn the deficit against AZ on Thursday.

GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Bournemouth: Pape Matar Sarr

GOALS GALORE!

We have a third goal in only a matter of moments.

Pape Matar Sarr's cross ends up finding the back of the net after it rebounds off the post and in.

That's lifted the Spurs support.

Can they mount a comeback in the last 20 minutes?

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Leicester: Marc Cucurella

AND NOW CHELSEA LEAD!

Marc Cucurella fires in from outside the box to finally find a way through the Leicester defence from the edge.

He fires low and into the bottom corner from range.

That's a goal that will move them into the top four.

The Foxes now need to try and fight back.

Or they're heading to an 11th loss in 12.

GOAL! Tottenham 0-2 Bournemouth: Evanlison

BOURNEMOUTH HAVE A SECOND!

Evanilson marks his first start since coming back from injury with a goal, perfectly chipping Guglielmo Vicario.

Justin Kluivert slots the Brazilian through and it's brilliant.

The Cherries are on their way to sixth place in the Premier League.

Spurs are going to lose again.

Hey Micky

Now, here's some positivity for Spurs.

Micky van de Ven makes his long-awaited return.

He hasn't made a Premier League appearance since December but now he's finally back fit and ready to feature.

The home fans chant his name as he steps onto the pitch.

Van de Ven has replaced Cristian Romero, while Rodrigo Bentancur has come off for James Maddison too.

We're into the last half an hour.

Typical Vardy

Jamie Vardy was spotted walking out of the tunnel for the second half downing a can of Red Bull.

Can he lead Leicester to a much-needed win?

He's just had the Foxes' first shot on target, with Robert Sanchez getting down to push behind.

So far in the second half, Chelsea have had the most of the ball and a couple of shots at goal themselves.

But they're still yet to find the back of the net.

Back in north London, Heung-min Son's curling effort has bounced just wide of the post as Spurs look for an equaliser.

OFFSIDE!

Bournemouth have been denied a second goal!

It was another superb move from the Cherries as they moved down the left wing and broke through.

Marcus Tavernier was played in behind, and he squared it to Justin Kluivert who smashed into the back of the net.

But VAR takes a look and rules the goal out though, with Antoine Semenyo caught offside in the build-up.

Spurs get away with one.

Back underway

Here we go then, the second halves are underway.

Bournemouth have outclassed Spurs so far, so they'll be confident of taking three points home from this position.

But Ange Postecoglou is sure to have had some harsh words for his side at the break, meaning they may come out fighting.

Captain Heung-min Son has come on for Brennan Johnson, with Lucas Bergvall replacing Yves Bissouma.

Chelsea have probed and pressed, but they're being held by Leicester as we head into the second 45.

Can they find a way through? Or will the Foxes steal something?

Half time boos

The half-time whistles have blown.

Bournemouth lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and they've deserved it, with the Cherries showing more quality.

There are some massive boos from the home fans at the break...

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Leicester are locked at 0-0.

Cole Palmer's first-ever penalty miss in the Premier League has kept the Foxes in the game.

Ruud van Nistelrooy's side have only had one shot so far though, with Enzo Maresca's men having 10 without finding the net.

Inevitable

Rodrigo Bentancur picks up his obligatory yellow card.

He has now been booked 11 times across all competitions.

That's the joint-most of any Premier League player alongside Manuel Ugarte, Joelinton and Will Hughes.

Spurs continue to struggle against Bournemouth, with neither side really managing to gets shots away.

It's been quite scrappy and we haven't seen an effort since Dominic Solanke has a header saved 12 minutes ago.

PENALTY SAVED!

COLE PALMER MISSES A PENALTY!

Victor Kristiansen committed the foul in the box on Jadon Sancho, and Palmer stepped up to take...

But his cold streak continues, as Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen gets down to his left to save!

Palmer hasn't scored or assisted in his last six Premier League games, and he couldn't end that run from the spot!

That's the first penalty he's ever missed in the top flight.

It was the 13th he had taken and the best 100% success record from the spot in the competition has now been ended.

Adrian Durham live on talkSPORT: "That does represent a new low for Cole Palmer."

Nightmare continues

Cristian Romero is really struggling out there.

He's now brought down Justin Kluivert on the edge of the box, mistiming his tackle and dangling a leg.

Luckily, Kluivert hits the wall.

It's his first appearance of any kind since December and that's certainly showing, as he's well off the pace.

Perry Groves live on talkSPORT: "You said Romero has been rusty, he needs some WD40.

"He's been Bournemouth's best player."

Bumping heads

At Stamford Bridge, both sides have had chances.

Leicester's Bilal El Khannouss has fired into the hands of Robert Sanchez from the edge of the box.

And at the other end, Cole Palmer has seen a shot blocked.

It's Chelsea who have had most of the ball so far, with a couple of corners being cleared by the Foxes.

Pedro Neto has clashed heads with Wout Faes, which has led to a delay in the game with Neto left bloodied.

Both players have been bandaged up by medical staff.

'A sackable offence'

What a woeful start this is for Spurs!

We're not even at the five minute mark yet and they should be two or three nil down already!

Bournemouth win the ball up high again after Cristian Romero's pass to Yves Bissouma invites pressure.

This time it's Justin Kluivert who breaks through, but his shot is saved by Guglielmo Vicario who denies the Cherries again.

Marcus Tavernier then has a header saved too.

Adrian Durham live on talkSPORT: "The first four minutes of the game have been a sackable offence for Ange Postecoglou."

Welcome back, Cristian

It's almost an instant nightmare for Cristian Romero...

After 20 seconds, he passes the ball straight to Evanilson and the Bournemouth striker is sent clean through on goal.

Fortunately for Romero, Evanilson's strike is saved brilliantly by Guglielmo Vicario who gets down really well.

The Argentinian breathes a sigh of relief.

Spurs have started this game on the back foot and they're really struggling to keep possession.

Kick-off!

We're underway in today's 2pm kick-offs!

Tottenham Hotspur are locked level on points with four different teams - Mancheser United, Everton and West Ham.

A win would move them clear in 13th and give them some momentum heading into a crucial end to the season.

As for Bournemouth, they can jump up to sixth in the Premier League if they pick up three points.

At Stamford Bridge, Enzo Maresca faces his former club, looking to move Chelsea into the top four.

Meanwhile, Leicester are now six points from safety in the relegation zone and they are desperate for a win.

Stick with us for updates...

Long-awaited returns

Dominic Solanke is making his first start in the Premier League for Spurs since January's north London derby.

Having him back up front will be a big boost for Ange Postecoglou, who now has a focal point in the final third.

Bayern loanee Mathys Tel hasn't scored in the league since his move, so Solanke has come straight in to replace him today.

Spurs also have Cristian Romero back at the other end of the pitch.

He's making just his 13th start of the season in the Premier League and his first since December 2024 - a 3-4 defeat to Chelsea.

The Argentinian returning to the back four is going to hopefully bring some stability to Postecoglou's side.

Romero starts next to Kevin Danso for the first time.

Injury boost

We also have some early team news for this afternoon's later game between Arsenal and Manchester United...

And it's good news for the Gunners.

According to The Athletic, Gabriel Martinelli is going to be back in the matchday squad for the first time since February 5.

Martinelli has missed the last three Premier League games, but he will now come back to boost Mikel Arteta's attacking options.

Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka's return to training is also nearing.

Saka had surgery on his hamstring in December and Arsenal have majorly missed his presence on the pitch.

However, he's now tipped to be back training with the squad this month - with an April return to playing likely.

It will give Arteta two of his main stars back for the run-in, although he will still be missing Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

A few surprises

The teams are in for the 2pm kick-offs!

Spurs captain Heung-min Son has been dropped for their clash against Bournemouth, with Wilson Odobert starting.

Dominic Solanke returns from injury up front while Cristian Romero features for the first time since December.

James Maddison and Mathys Tel are both on the bench too.

As for the Cherries, Evanilson starts up front and Justin Kluivert comes back into the team after a rest in the FA Cup.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Danso, Spence, Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr, Johnson, Odobert, Solanke.

Subs: Kinsky, Udogie, Van de Ven, Gray, Bergvall, Maddison, Son, Tel, Scarlett.

Bournemouth XI: Kepa, Cook, Hill, Huijsen, Kerkez, Christie, Adams, Kluivert, Semenyo, Tavernier, Evanilson.

Subs: Dennis, Soler, Scott, Brooks, Jebbison, Ouattara, Sinisterra, Akinmboni, Silcott-Duberry.

At Stamford Bridge, Reece James absent for Chelsea.

He's reported to be ill, while Romeo Lavia features in the Blues' squad for the first time since January 14.

Wesley Fofana starts against his former club at right-back with James and Malo Gusto both sidelined.

Meanwhile, Leicester have changed their system and look to be playing a five-at-the-back formation.

Conor Coady slots into the defence while Luke Thomas starts at wing-back and Patson Daka partners Jamie Vardy up front.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Fofana, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Neto, Palmer, Sancho, Nkunku.

Subs: Jorgensen, Chalobah, Badiashile, Antwi, Acheampong, Amougou, Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall, George.

Leicester XI: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Coady, Kristiansen, Thomas, Ndidi, Soumare, El Khannouss, Daka, Vardy.

Subs: Stolarczyk, Okoli, Ricardo, Coulibaly, Winks, Buonanotte, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew.

Erik ten Years

Erik ten Hag was planning to be Manchester United manager for 10 years, according to his former first-team coach.

Ex-Premier League striker Benni McCarthy was part of Ten Hag's backroom staff at Old Trafford for two years.

And he's now revealed that the Dutchman planned to be at Man United for a decade before being sacked two years into his tenure in October last year.

McCarthy told BBC Sport Africa: "I was given an incredible opportunity to work with one of the biggest and best clubs in the world under the guidance of Erik ten Hag.

"I learned utmost professionalism because the manager I worked under was not just a disciplinarian, but he was the best and one of the most unbelievable professionals I've ever seen in the game.

"Extremely hard-working, very dedicated, very passionate, he planned on being the Manchester United coach for the next 10 years.

"That was his vision."

New director

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Andrea Berta to become their new sporting director, talkSPORT understands.

The Gunners have been searching for a new transfer guru following Edu's exit in November.

Edu had spent five years at the Emirates Stadium, having returned to the club in 2019.

Interim sporting director Jason Ayto had been a candidate for the role, along with former Gunners midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

Former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth was also linked with the role, having suddenly left Old Trafford in December.

However, Berta is set to be handed the job.

The Italian had been linked with joining AC Milan in recent weeks following his exit from Atletico Madrid.

Berta spent 12 years with the Spanish giants before leaving the club in January.

Full-time: Wolves 1-1 Everton

It's all over at Molineux and it ends one goal apiece.

The 1-1 scoreline means that David Moyes' side are now eight games unbeaten in the Premier League.

A draw sees Wolves go six points clear of the relegation zone while Everton are now 16 points clear of the drop zone.

GOAL! Wolves 1-1 Everton - Marshall Munetsi

It's game on at Molineux!

Just a matter of minutes after Everton took charge of the game, Marshall Munetsi grabs an equaliser.

Wolves are in real need of points to bolster their survival hopes and they'll be hoping to kick on now and grab another.

Troy Deeney slammed criticism of Tottenham's Mathys Tel as 'massively unfair' but one January signing did not escape the former Watford star's wrath.

Tel's temporary switch to North London from Bayern Munich, which could turn permanent if Tottenham take up the £50million option to do so, generated plenty of buzz.

After all, the 19-year-old winger had been courted by the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United once it was clear Bayern were willing to loan him out.

But one phone call from Ange Postecoglou convinced the teenager to join.

Six games later and Tel has just one goal to his name - a consolation strike in a 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa - and was hooked at half-time during Tottenham's dismal 1-0 loss to AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League last Thursday.

Yet Deeney was quick to protect the teenager and deemed criticism of Tel 'massively unfair.'

"He's moving countries, he's in London," Deeney told talkSPORT.com.

"I don't care what anyone says, London has distractions, as we all know.

"You're now trying to learn a team, a team that's depleted and injury-prone. By the way, you're meant to go in and enforce that and change it.

"He hasn't played enough games to know who and what he is. So I think it's massively unfair.

"You won't see the best of him, probably not next season, but the season after. But they're going to have to put a framework in and around him."

Deeney was also quick to stress it is incredibly difficult to create space for a player like Tel, who has bucketloads of potential, to grow in the environment he finds himself in at Tottenham.

Instead, it's all about the here and now, especially since Tottenham's hopes for a trophy hang by a thread following the loss to AZ.

It's why Deeney is always reluctant to hype up young talents as they find their feet in the professional game.

"When you go into Spurs, you can't have promise," Deeney said.

"Come in and play, change us, fix us now. That's the difference. That's why I'm always keen to not over-praise young players because they do this.

"All of us did this. They have one good game, three good games, then maybe have four bad ones. We're just getting used to it, we're emotional, we're all over the place.

"You don't know what you're doing for the first 100 games, I don't care what anyone says."

Deeney's stance on younger players explains why he unafraid to be incredibly critical of one piece of Tottenham's January business: Kevin Danso.

Danso joined the north London side on loan from Lens, but Tottenham have an obligation to make it permanent for £21m in the summer.

Tottenham nipped in at the last minute to hijack Wolves' deal for Danso as Postecoglou desperately sought reinforcements at centre-back thanks to a multitude of injuries to defenders.

The mere fact Tottenham felt compelled to move for a player initially destined for Wolves, who sit 17th in the Premier League, said it all for Deeney about the club's recruitment.

"None of the players that they have brought in have hit the ground running," Deeney said.

"Again, Spurs fans are going to go mad but this is the harsh truth. The centre-half, Danso, was going to go to Wolves. That's it, enough said.

"He was at Southampton when I was running past him, and I can't run past f*** all. You've wasted money. [Radu] Dragusin, £25million on Dragusin. There's £50m on two centre-halves who are f****** s***.

"You've got to look at recruitment. Again, the two centre-halves I'm on about, you're going to be mad at me, but it's the truth. I've watched enough football to know this Premier League ain't for you."

With Tottenham only a draw away from bowing out of the Europa League, many will hope Tel can ignite a stagnant attack for the second leg on Thursday.

However, Postecoglou and his side have the more pressing issue of a Premier League fixture to worry about as they host high-flying Bournemouth on Sunday.

Defeat to the Cherries would mark Tottenham's 15th league defeat this term and would undoubtedly add to what is already a tense atmosphere amongst supporters given their reaction to Guglielmo Vicario attempting to rally them after the AZ loss.

Tottenham hope to bounce back from their disappointing midweek result, as they host Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium this Sunday.

Tottenham v Bournemouth best bets

Justin Kluivert to score or give an assist - 7/5 on BetMGM

Bournemouth to win and both teams to score - 12/5 on BetMGM

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Tottenham v Bournemouth odds

Find the latest match odds for Tottenham v Bournemouth on BetMGM. Odds are subject to change.

Tottenham - 8/5

Draw - 14/5

Bournemouth - 29/20

Tottenham v Bournemouth prediction

Ange Postecoglou’s men had seen an upturn in their Premier League form, winning three on the bounce before their 1-0 loss to Manchester City. However Spurs will likely have one eye on the second leg of their Europa League tie with their hopes of winning their first piece of silverware since 2008 now firmly up in the air.

Yesterday's Europa League clash added insult to injury, quite literally, for Spurs. Forward Dominic Solanke made his return after almost three months, coming on with 20 minutes to go only to be taken back off following a clash with AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro. Postecoglou said following the game that it was just a knock, so there is hope Solanke can feature against his former side.

Their visitors, Bournemouth, currently sit 7th in the Premier League and a win could take them as high as 5th depending on the results of the teams around them.

In their last Premier League outing, The Cherries suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Brighton, Justin Kluivert's 12th goal of the season was not enough to prevent Andoni Iraola’s men from picking up their first away league defeat in over three months. That loss was the Cherries third in their past four league games, after going on an incredible run which saw them go eleven games without a defeat.

However, Bournemouth will be heading into Sunday's game on a high after beating Wolves on penalties last weekend to book themselves a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

When the two teams collided in December, it was the Cherries that came out on top. Winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from their highly rated defender Dean Huijsen. That win was only their second against Spurs since 2019.

Only the top three teams have picked up more points away from home than Andoni Iraola’s men. Whereas, despite winning four of their first five, Tottenham have only one once in their nine home fixtures since, with six losses. Even with returning defenders for Spurs, Bournemouth’s speed in attack should cause problems with the space Tottenham leave behind, which leads me to believe a 3-2 win for Bournemouth is the most likely outcome.

Tottenham v Bournemouth betting tips

Cherries midfielder Justin Kluivert is already having the greatest goal scoring season of his career with 17 goal contributions this year, including nine in his last seven league games. The Dutch midfielder will be hoping that streak continues against a lackluster Spurs team.

Only league leaders Liverpool have scored more goals than Ange Postecoglu’s men this season, despite the north London side sitting 13th in the table. Tottenham’s defence will have a boost with both Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven returning to the squad midweek, but with less than 90 League minutes since November between them, I don’t expect them to be at their best from the jump, so goals should be expected.

Justin Kluivert to score or give an assist - 7/5 on BetMGM

Bournemouth to win and both teams to score - 12/5 on BetMGM

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How to watch Tottenham v Bournemouth

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Date and time: Sunday 9th March 2025, 2.00pm

How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League

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Establishes time and monetary limits before playing

Only gambles with money they can afford to lose

Never chase their losses

Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed

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'Let's see'

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been speaking to the media ahead of their game against Southampton this weekend.

The Reds are flying high at the top of the Premier League and are also edging towards the next round of the Champions League after a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Slot largely has a fit squad to choose from but was without Cody Gakpo in midweek.

The Dutchman travelled with the team to Paris but watched on from the sidelines, and he is doubtful to be involved this weekend as well.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Slot said: He didn't train yesterday yet, let's see if he can train today.

"A close call, not a long-term one but had some pain yesterday. Let's see where he is today."

Mixed news

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has provided an update on Sven Botman and Alexander Isak ahead of facing West Ham on Monday, and the Carabao Cup final.

Botman has already been ruled out of the Wembley showpiece with knee surgery required, but Howe has now revealed the Dutchman is set to miss eight weeks.

That would see him miss the majority of the season.

However, after some unverified rumours earlier in the week regarding Alexander Isak, the Toon boss has confirmed that his star striker is fine and has trained all week.

On Botman, he said: "Sven, we have been trying to get him back to full fitness, he was very close to the Brighton game but the day before he felt something again in his knee.

"This week he has had the same discomfort so it looks like he will have to have an operation. He needs a small operation to clear out some fluid and then he should be fine again.

"We hope he should be back in about eight weeks."

And on Isak: "He's fine. He came off (on Sunday) feeling fatigued, a tightness in his body. But he's trained every day this week."

Deal agreed

Arsenal have been heavily linked to Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich over the last few days.

However, the Gunners have now been dealt a major blow to their hopes, as Kimmich has now agreed a deal to stay at Bayern.

The midfielder was out of contract in the summer, and he would have had plenty of suitors from around Europe - including PSG.

But, according to Sky Germany, a total agreement has now been reached between him and the club.

Kimmich will sign a new deal with the German giants until 2029, with final paperwork set to be completed this week.

An announcement could be made before Bayern's Champions League last 16 second leg against Leverkusen next Tuesday.

'He deserves this moment'

Ruben Amorim praised Joshua Zirkzee for his recent performances after he scored during Man United's draw this evening.

Zirkzee netted his first European goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

The Dutchman and Rasmus Hojlund have been misfiring this season, but they both started again in Spain.

And manager Ruben Amorim spoke about the duo post-match.

On Zirkzee, Amorim said: “He deserved it, he is working well and he is improving a lot of things in his game.

"He deserves this moment and he was important for us today."

On Hojlund, the United boss continued: “He is trying really hard.

"He made the runs, we know that Real Sociedad has a high line and he used his pace to win and fight.

“He has to continue playing and not being anxious.”

New role?

Enzo Maresca has revealed that he believes Reece James is a midfielder and not a defender.

James has spent his career as a right-back, right wing-back or a centre-back as part of a three-at-the-back system.

But Maresca has started to play him further forward and in a midfield role, and that's where he played this evening.

The Chelsea captain was alongside Moises Caicedo in front of the defence, scoring in a 2-1 win against Copenhagen.

Speaking post-match about James' new role, the Blues boss said: "We know how important he is for us.

"He's our captain, a fantastic player. We need him fit, so that is our duty, our target because for sure he is going to help us.

"He can play in many positions because the good players can play in many positions.

"You can ask Reece, when I signed for Chelsea, the day after I sent him a video about seeing him as a midfielder.

"I see Reece as a midfielder. Since day one. I sent him a clip when he was on holiday about how he can be a midfielder.

"He has played in full-back, central defender, so the main target for us is to keep him fit."

Maresca added: "First of all, when you watch a player you sometimes need to use imagination and imagining a player doing something.

"I watched some of his games when he was on loan at Wigan where he scored a fantastic goal from 25 or 30 metres.

"The best thing about Reece at the moment is he is helping the team with leadership."

Another injury blow

Tottenham have potentially been dealt another injury blow as Dominic Solanke hobbled off against AZ.

Spurs lost to their Dutch opposition in the Europa League and also lost Solanke again, in his first game back.

The striker hadn't played a game since January 15 and now there's potential that he's going to be out again.

However, Ange Postecoglou is hoping it's nothing serious, saying: "I think it was a knock, hopefully it's nothing too bad."

On the game itself, Postecoglou added: "Too many times we were just circulating the ball without any real intent to hurt them.

"No fault for the goal, it happens. It's more about the collective tonight rather than the individuals.

"Collectively, we were nowhere near the level we needed to be and that's the thing we need to address."

Setback

Scotland and Middlesbrough have suffered a major blow after on-loan Liverpool winger Ben Doak was ruled out for a further period following an operation.

Doak has not played since January 25 because of a thigh injury and it has now emerged he has undergone surgery.

Boro manager Michael Carrick told a media conference: "He's back at Liverpool doing a bit of rehab. We'll see how that goes and how long he's going to be out for.

"It's unfortunate for us as a squad and Ben individually. He will be back stronger and he will be back soon enough."

When asked if he would return to the Championship club this season, Carrick said: "We will have to wait and see. It's hard to say either way. Liverpool are going to look after his rehab initially and see where it progresses from there."

Doak is set to miss Scotland's two-legged Nations League play-off against Greece later this month as Steve Clarke's side bid to stay in the top tier.

The 19-year-old's performances were a key factor in Scotland improving to the extent they avoided bottom spot in their group and automatic relegation. The former Celtic player set up three of Scotland's final four goals of the competition.

Doak has delivered three goals and seven assists in 24 Championship games this season and was named EFL Young Player of the Month for November.

Out of this world

FIFA are considering increasing the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams to mark the centenary of the event.

The biggest tournament in world football currently hosts 48 teams after being recently increased from the traditional 32 for the 2026 competition.

The 2030 World Cup will be held in Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, where the inaugural edition was staged, set to host three games.

"A proposal to analyze a 64-team FIFA World Cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member in the 'miscellaneous' agenda item near the end of the FIFA Council meeting held on March 5, 2025," a FIFA spokesperson told Reuters.

"The idea was acknowledged as FIFA has a duty to analyze any proposal from one of its Council members."

The report stated that the suggestion was greeted with 'stunned silence'.

Postecoglou must win Europa League to keep his job

Simon Jordan believes that Ange Postecoglou's future as Tottenham boss hinges on the club winning the Europa League.

Speaking on White and Jordan, he said: “Ange Postecoglou needs it to save his job because Tottenham are built upon playing in Europe.

“I can’t see how it’s not the case. He has the built in and legitimate excuse of having massive injuries and I like Ange and want Tottenham to do well, but in the games that they’ve lost they’ve had full teams out against teams at the bottom of the league and the players on the pitch should have been enough to overcome the adversity.

“If you finish 12th in the league and don’t get anywhere in the cup competitions, how is that success?

“It’s a disaster economically. People look at Tottenham and think it’s a good club to be involved with and most managers would bite your hand off to be with a club like that.

“They’ll find a replacement a replacement for Ange Postecoglou – whether it’s the right one or they’ll go in the right direction, who knows. But if they finish 12th or 13th in the league and don’t get anywhere in the club, I’ll be surprised if he’s still in the job.”

Not done yet

Virgil van Dijk has warned Liverpool's Champions League suffering is not yet over after coming through a gruelling examination against Paris St Germain in the Parc des Princes.

"It should be a great game and we have to be ready to suffer as they are a very good team who were unbeaten for a very long time," said Van Dijk of the second leg.

"A team that has blown sides away this season and we have managed to keep a clean sheet (PSG failed to score at home for the first time this season), get a 1-0 win and put ourselves in a good position.

"I think you could see, it was not the usual game we like to play.

"We don't want to be playing this way because everyone who plays football wants to have the ball a lot and wants to be dominating opponents.

"But we played against a team with a lot of quality, world-class quality, and they made it very difficult for everyone in the world so far and they made it difficult for us but we found a way and we have to try to finish it off next week."

'It's hard to accept'

Newcastle defender Lewis Hall has admitted he is finding it hard to accept his season is over due to a broken bone in his foot.

Hall sustained the injury in his side's Premier League defeat by Liverpool at the end of last month and is set to undergo surgery.

The 20-year-old has established himself as the Magpies' first-choice left-back this season after his loan move from Chelsea was made permanent in a summer deal which could rise to £35million including add-ons.

Hall told Newcastle's official website: "It's quite hard to accept at the minute, but I'm still young and there are many opportunities ahead, I'm very confident in that.

"I haven't had it before in my career, but watching us train every day and watching the team play is something that I'm really not looking forward to, but I've got so much faith in the boys to get us over the line and do what we need to do."

Ben Doak returns to Liverpool for treatment

Michael Carrick has confirmed that Ben Doak has returned to Liverpool to undergo rehabiliatation.

The on-loan Liverpool starlet - who was the subject of significant Premier League interest in January - has undergone surgery on a problem that has ruled him out since January.

Explaining the situation, Middlesbrough boss Carrick said: "Ben's back at Liverpool doing a bit of rehab which is can be quite normal so he's back with Liverpool and we'll see how that goes and how long he'll be out for.

"For now we'll have to wait and see.

"It was quite recent, he was doing his rehab and then it came about (that he needed surgery) so it's unfortunate for all of us but it's part of the game and he'll be back stronger and soon enough."

Asked if it means he's played his last game for Middlesbrough, Carrick said: "It's hard to say either way, to be honest."

Doak has scored three goals and provided seven assists in 24 matches for the EFL side.

Tragic news from Instanbul

A Rangers supporter has died in a road traffic accident in Istanbul ahead of the team's Europa League last-16 showdown with Fenerbahce at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.

The Ibrox club announced the news in a statement on Thursday morning.

It read: "We are devastated to have learned of the passing of one of our supporters in a road traffic accident overnight in Istanbul.

"The immediate thoughts of everyone at the club are with their family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

"We are remaining in constant contact with both the Turkish and British authorities over this tragic incident."

More than 2,000 Gers fans have made the journey to Turkey to watch their team take on Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce side this evening.

Fenerbahce expressed their "condolences to Rangers FC and the community".

A statement from the Gers' hosts, translated from Turkish, read: "We have learned with deep sorrow that a Rangers FC fan who came to Istanbul to support his team in the first match of the UEFA Europa League last 16 round, where Fenerbahce will host Scottish representative Rangers FC, passed away as a result of a traffic accident.

"We would like to express our condolences to the family of the deceased fan, the Rangers club and the community."

A Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: "We are aware of the death of a British man in Turkey and are in touch with the local authorities."

Battle of the Buffet

Rio Ferdinand has proven so committed to his verbal feud with Liverpool fans - by conceding one of his most historic Arsenal battles.

The Manchester United legend riled up Reds supporters during his live TV commentary of the club's 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Ferdinand called for a red card against Ibrahima Konaté for his shove on Bradley Barcola that went unpunished by the referee and VAR.

The former England defender boldly stated: “That is a foul. The push is in the back, so it's a foul. If that's not a red card I'll be amazed.”

Ferdinand later doubled down on his comments in a post on social media, by writing on X: "Just to clarify for all the Liverpool fans who are still tweeting me… Konate should’ve been sent off last night!"

In response, a clip of the 46-year-old's similar challenge on Freddie Ljungberg during the 'Battle of the Buffet', also known as 'Pizzagate', was shared in the comments.

Ferdinand wrote alongside a laughing emoji: "Foul, straight red. Got away with it."

Man United famously beat Arsenal 2-0 at Old Trafford in October 2004 which ended the latter's record-breaking 49-match unbeaten run.

It sparked a melee between the two sets of players in the tunnel afterwards - in which Cesc Fabregas infamously hit Sir Alex Ferguson with a slice of pizza.

Bull by the horns

Alan Brazil has claimed that Red Bull is looking to invest in Celtic.

He told talkSPORT Breakfast: “The big news, of course, Rangers, if that goes through, that will be interesting, with the San Francisco 49ers putting money in. They are part of Leeds as well.

“I was told this a few weeks ago, but I was told it was advanced talks.

“I thought, interesting. I also heard Celtic and Red Bull were interested in taking a piece of Celtic. But I don’t know if that is true or not. You get so many things sent to you, don’t you?!”

Arne Slot has 'defied a myth' with Liverpool reign

Simon Jordan believes that Arne Slot deserves huge credit for the job he's doing at Liverpool this season.

Asked if a treble for Slot would surpass Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola’s similar success, Simon Jordan said: “Of course because they built teams and he inherited one and had to stamp his personality onto it.

“He’d be setting himself a bugger of a task to emulate that because he’d have set the highest standard that he can – the only thing he can do is go and win four trophies.

“Slot was given a beautiful set of cards and people didn’t forecast that he could do this – he hasn’t added to it and so he’s defied the myth that you need to surround yourself with your own people.

“If you’re an effective manager and you point people in the right direction then you can achieve outcomes.

“There’s a whole number of defining factors: Salah is at the highest level he’s been, they’ve seen the decline of other sides in the league but that’s not to diminish Liverpool.

“They romped through the Champions League group – the only competition they didn’t turn up to was the FA Cup and that’s because they chose not to, they’ve got a League Cup to look forward to.

“This isn’t a Liverpool side that has been irreplaceable or the rock and roll era of Jurgen Klopp, but they dug in, bit down on the gum shield and ground out result against a formidable PSG side who are very difficult to play against.”

'Jose is not stupid!'

Alan Brazil says that he could see Jose Mourinho managing Rangers, even if he would prefer him to lead his beloved Celtic.

The Special One discussed the prospect of managing in Scotland and with the Gers job currently available, it provided a big talking point in the talkSPORT Breakfast studio ahead of tonight's clash between his Fenerbahce side and Rangers in the Europa League.

“Don’t even think about going there, Jose," Brazil said. "There’s only one place to go – don’t even think about it!

“You never know with the new people coming in, the San Francisco 49ers, they’re going to clear the can of worms out, put their own people in and Rangers will come back.”

Responding to Gabby Agbonlahor suggesting that Mourinho will end up in Saudi, Brazil said: “Jose’s got enough money!

“Jose will know that Rangers are a sleeping giant. He’s not stupid, he’s clever and with the right funding and his knowledge it would be interesting.”

Asked if he could see it happening, Brazil said: “Yeah, I could.”

'Best performance of my life'

Alisson Becker described his performance against Paris Saint-Germain as 'the best of his life'.

The Brazilian shot-stopper made nine saves in theLiverpool goal - joint-most as a Reds player, and the most of any goalkeeper for the club since records began in 2003.

“Yeah probably of my life, so far, hopefully,” he honestly said.

“The manager was telling us how difficult it would be to play PSG, how good they are with the ball, we have to be ready to suffer.

“So when you see the clips as well from the opponent you know what is coming, so much quality on their side.”

'English Robbery'

Liverpool's Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain has been slated by L'Equipe.

The notoriously brutal French publication claimed that the Reds' 1-0 win over PSG was a 'robbery'.

Luis Enrique's side dominated the game with 71 per cent possession, 27 shots and 10 shots on target - a stark contrast to Liverpool's two shots and one on target.

While Alisson Becker's masterclass in goal played a key role, the Merseysiders were perhaps fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men when Ibrahima Konate avoided a red card for what appeared to be a professional foul.

But as we all know there's only one stat that matters and that was aided by Harvey Elliott's 87th minute winner as the Parc des Princes which has given Arne Slot's side the advantage in their last-16 tie.