Ben White and Eddie Nketiah celebrate a win over Brighton
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have hit out at Arsenal defender Ben White for his “embarrassing” play-acting during their 3-0 win over Brighton.
The Gunners arrived at the Amex Stadium after dropping to third in the Premier League table following Manchester City’s 4-2 win over Crystal Palace but Mikel Arteta’s side ended the weekend top.

Alan Shearer: What a f*****g joke

A Bukayo Saka penalty got Arsenal on their way in the first-half before second-half goals from Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard completed an impressive win.
Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Man Utd on Sunday meant that Arsenal held onto top spot heading into the final seven matches of the season.
White produced another excellent display against the Seagulls but he drew criticism after clashing with former team-mate Pervis Estupinan.
Estupinan responded to a White barge with a slight nudge, which saw the Arsenal defender fall to the ground clutching his throat.
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And Lineker and Shearer were not happy with the Arsenal defender and called his reaction “very embarrassing”.
Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast, Match of the Day host Lineker asked: “Should we mention the Ben White incident?”
Related video: Simon Collings reacts to Brighton 0-3 Arsenal (Dailymotion)

Former Newcastle and England striker Shearer responded: “Yes we should! What a f*****g joke.”
Lineker added: “What I don’t understand, I don’t like and never have liked play-acting. I don’t get it or understand why players do it, but especially now when you’ve got so many cameras at the ground and you’ve got VAR anyway that will look back at incidents.
“Do you not think to yourself, that’s a bit embarrassing doing that? And Ben White is not the only one by the way, lots of players do it, but I just don’t know why you’d bring that on yourself. You just look at prat.”
Shearer added: “Absolutely, it was embarrassing, very embarrassing.”

Ben White ‘felt disrespected’ by England assistant Steve Holland

White has been in the spotlight a lot over the last month after he decided to reject an England call-up from Gareth Southgate for the March friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
The Daily Mail reported the ‘real truth’ behind White’s England snub last week with claims the Arsenal defender ‘felt disrespected’ by England assistant boss Steve Holland.
The report revealed:

‘Multiple sources have expressed contrasting reflections, amid claims the root of the issue is a verbal confrontation during a squad meeting at the team’s Al Wakrah base in Qatar during which White could not provide the answer to a question from Holland with regards to Arsenal’s season.
‘Verbals ensued, inflamed by the fact Kyle Walker was asked the same question with regards to Manchester City and answered immediately.
‘According to sources, the fact the incident transpired in front of the squad resulted in White feeling disrespected and on November 30 he flew home.’

A source added: ‘His relationship with Steve was a part of it, but there are other layers to it.’

Everton given two-point deduction for PSR charge but ‘devastating third breach’ looms

A general view of Goodison Park
Everton have been deducted another two points for their second breach Premier League profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
The Toffees have already been docked six points this season for breaching Premier League PSR in the period up to the 2021-22 season, and now they have been given a further sanction after a second complaint was served in January for the period ending June 30, 2023.
ls on hotels and holidays!

Everton drop down to 16th after latest points deduction

Everton had intially been docked ten points but got it reduced to six points on appeal and now the extra two points confirmed by the Premier League means Sean Dyche’s have lost eight points this season.
The latest two points has seen them drop down a place in the Premier League to 16th with Everton still two points clear of 18th-placed Luton Town, who occupy the final relegation place.
The Premier League said in a statement: “An independent commission has given an immediate two-point deduction to Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSRs) for the period ending season 2022/23.
“Over a three-day hearing last month, the independent commission heard evidence and arguments from the club in respect of a range of potential mitigating factors for its admitted breach of £16.6million, including the impact of its two successive PSR charges.
Related video: Everton deducted further two points by Premier League (Dailymotion)

READ MORE: Premier League winners and losers: Arsenal, Luton and Grealish brilliant; Chelsea, Liverpool and Emery poor
“Having done so, the commission determined the appropriate sanction to be a two-point deduction, taking effect immediately.
“The independent commission reaffirmed the principle that any breach of the PSRs is significant and justifies, indeed requires, a sporting sanction.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had some sympathy for Everton at the time of their first breach and claimed the club were “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.
“I think, unfortunately for Everton, they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Carragher said on The Overlap on finding out Everton’s initial ten-point punishment for their first breach.
“The Premier League now, there’s so many other clubs and it’s almost: ‘We’re making a stand, to stop people breaking rules and thinking they can get away with things.’


“The actual owners of Everton and the people at the top of the club, can’t be angry. You’ve been working with the Premier League, they’ve been telling you how close you’re getting and you still overstep it – so where is the thinking?”
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane added: “Could Everton not just hold their hands up and take their medicine? I know it’s extreme, 10 points, it brings a bit of closure to Everton, they’ve had a few tough years.
“We all think from a footballing point of view, they’ve got enough to stay up, if you look at it they’ve won four games they’ll have enough to stay up. They’ve got a cup game coming up, get the feel-good factor back at the club, take the medicine and move on – learn from their past mistakes.”

Could Everton face a third breach?

Football Insider has warned that ‘Everton face devastating third breach’ with football finance expert Kieran Maguire insisting that the Toffees could decide to sell players before June 30th if they need to avoid another sanction.
“I think Everton have an opportunity to redress the cost issues from the summer of 2024 onwards,” Maguire told Football Insider.
“That’s where they have ended up.
“Everton now have losses of £135 million over the past two years, so it does lead me to be concerned that there is danger of a third breach.
“They have an opportunity in the transfer window before June 30th to address that.”

Leao calls ex-Real Madrid striker a ‘clown’ after AC Milan star is told Foden, Rashford are better

Rafael Leao
AC Milan star Rafael Leao has hit out at ex-Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano after the pundit claimed Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford are better than him.
Leao has emerged as one of the best young wingers in Europe and he’s been in superb form this season. He has 12 goals and 12 assists in his 38 appearances across all competitions.

“The problem is that he thinks he is a phenomenon…”

The Portugal international’s form for Serie A giants AC Milan is fuelling reports linking him with Paris Saint-Germain as he is reportedly being eyed as a potential replacement for Real Madrid-bound Kylian Mbappe.
Despite this, Leao has been criticised by Cassano, who has argued that the AC Milan standout is not as good as Foden, Rashford or Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
“Leao thinks he is a genius and some even agree with him,” Cassano told Domenica Sportiva.
“I just consider him a good player and I have not changed my mind on that. For five-and-a-half months he didn’t score in a poor league like Serie A. Years ago, he would’ve struggled to play in the sixth or seventh team in Serie A.”
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“We’re talking about a normal player…”

He added: “If I go and see Rashford as a winger last year he scores more than 25 goals and plays in a wonderful championship.
“[Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia arrives and has a wonderful championship. Foden is a year younger and this year he has already scored 21 goals and 10 assists, they are top players.
Related video: Manchester City train ahead of Real Madrid Champions League quarter-final (Reuters)

“In Italy, the championship is not good and the problem is that he thinks he is a phenomenon and there is a lot of people who believe in it.
“He’s a good player and has great physical strength, stop. So Kaka, Rui Costa, Vinicius? What are we talking about? We’re talking about a normal player who has physical strength.”
Taking to social media to respond, Leao made it clear how he feels about Cassano.

Pep Guardiola has decided against playing Ballon d’Or contender Foden and Kevin De Bruyne together in recent games but the Belgium international thinks they can combine in the same XI.
“Phil has been amazing this season so he deserves it, it keeps me on my toes to give me that little push,” De Bruyne said in an interview for Man City’s website.

READ MORE: Do you care about the ‘tiresome obligation’ of the Champions League?
“It’s possible (to play together in midfield with Foden). When I started with David Silva, nobody thought it would be possible but we managed it in a way.
“David was the older player and I was younger and the runner, now it’s going to be a bit vice versa. I don’t see why not. I don’t think we’ve done it that much. If I can do it with Julian (Alvarez), who is more of a striker, then I can also do it with Phil.”

Championship winners and losers returns! Leeds United in negative column while Leicester City impress

Farke and Mavididi
F365’s Championship winners and losers column is back! We start as we mean to go on by giving Leeds United a kicking, while Leicester City are back on top…
 

Winners

Leicester City
The Foxes took a major step towards returning to the Premier League on Saturday as Stephy Mavididi’s late goal earned Enzo Maresca’s side a much-needed 2-1 victory against relegation-threatened Birmingham City.Leicester had looked set to run away with the Championship title but an inopportune mid-season sticky patch saw them lose four matches in the space of six games and it suddenly left them at risk of missing out on promotion completely.
Under threat of becoming bottlers, Leicester’s decline in form proved that Maresca’s Manchester City-inspired winning machine are indeed human, but normality has resumed since Bristol City beat them in their first game after the international break.


They were under huge pressure when they hosted play-off chasers Norwich City on Easter Monday but fought back after Gabriel Sara’s opener to earn a priceless three points.
Leicester had difficulties against Birmingham – who are fighting for their lives under returning manager Gary Rowett – but they found a way to get over the line and with their three rivals dropping points, it felt like a massive result.
Fans of the Championship have been spoiled this season as the fight at the top and bottom is still wide open. Leicester, Ipswich Town, Leeds United and Southampton have been a level above everyone else this season. But barring their recent dip, the Foxes have comfortably been the most consistent of the promotion contenders and are deservedly back in control at the summit.
A difficult summer awaits Leicester with FFP issues likely to force the sale of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (and others, perhaps), but if you ignore the incoming treacherous waters and focus on this season, they remain on track to win the league by amassing over 100 points and will go down as one of the great teams ever seen in the Championship.
Related video: Reaction to Bristol City draw as Sunderland prepare for Leeds United test (Dailymotion)

READ MORE: Leicester City stars reassigned due to FFP… Man Utd land £25m target, Newcastle solve defensive crisis
 
Norwich City
The Canaries are also deserving of some love. At the beginning of this season, head coach David Wagner was under immense pressure and it felt at one stage that it would only be a matter of time before he lost his job with Frank Lampard touted as a potential replacement. But clubs are not always right to twist rather than stick (especially if Lampard is an option) and Norwich have benefited from not being trigger-happy with Wagner, who has managed to turn this season around after a difficult start.
A glum post-relegation campaign saw Norwich finish 13th last season after being expected to contend for promotion, but they are back where they want to be this term.
Norwich have gone under the radar compared to the four automatic promotion contenders, but they have been among the in-form Championship teams this season as they have won ten of their 16 league games in 2024.
After Leicester handed them a rare defeat on Easter Monday, Norwich picked up three points against arch-rivals Ipswich Town – who were on a three-match winning run – on Saturday to boost their play-off hopes. They now have a four-point advantage over seventh-placed Coventry City, who have a game in hand.

Norwich could end up facing Ipswich Town in the play-offs if Leeds United pip their local rivals to second place.
As impressive and as refreshing as Ipswich’s surprise promotion tilt has been, Norwich would likely welcome a play-off clash more than Kieran McKenna’s squad as they have not been beaten in the East Anglian derby since April 2009.
They may have broken their promotion-relegation yo-yo last season but Wagner has rejuvenated Norwich and even without the injured Jonathan Rowe, the presence of Sara and Josh Sargeant gives them a great chance of going up via the play-off route.
 

Losers

Leeds United
Time for the big fat losers and we start with Leeds United, who passed up a great opportunity to move ahead of Ipswich Town at the weekend.Following Ipswich’s loss to Norwich, Leeds would have gone two points clear of their promotion rivals had they beat Coventry City, but they came unstuck on the road to suffer a league defeat for the first time in 2024.
Leeds have not been their usual selves since returning from the international break as they had to rely on last-gasp goals to draw 2-2 at Watford and then beat Hull City 3-1 on Easter Monday.


Like Norwich, Coventry have improved as this season has progressed as they are fighting for a top-six spot while they also prepare for an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.
So Leeds can be forgiven for losing to Mark Robins’ team, but these bumps on the road are coming at an awful time for the West Yorkshire side as they attempt to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. If they do, they could save Kalvin Phillips from his Manchester City nightmare but recent results will be a worry for Championship specialist Farke.
READ MORE: Ranking Championship auto promotion candidates by how much we’d like them in the Premier League
 
Millwall
Down at the bottom, Millwall have endured a torrid week…The Lions initially benefited from their board hitting the panic button to snatch Neil Harris from Cambridge United to task the club legend with saving the club from relegation.

We were not convinced this was the right move at the time but this risk initially paid off as a run of three wins in four eased Millwall’s relegation fears.
But they have since crashed down to earth as the effects of their new manager bounce have worn off.
Now winless in four, Millwall suffered damaging losses to Rotherham United – whose relegation was confirmed by losing to Plymouth Argyle on Friday night – and Huddersfield Town, while victories for three of the teams around them have dragged Harris’ side right back into the mire as they are just two points clear of the bottom three.
These two results were bad enough on their own, but the manner of Millwall’s performances were as much of a concern and it does not get any easier for Harris with a home match against Leicester City coming up this week.
After ending Rowett’s largely successful stint as manager due to his dull style of play, Millwall have taken two steps back by bringing back Harris after the failing Joe Edwards experiment increased their relegation worries. Regardless of how this season ends, another change in the dugout will be required in the summer as the current boss is surely not the long-term answer.