Tottenham fans might not be too heartbroken if City win on Sunday (Picture: Getty)
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has urged supporters to stay ‘united’ when they take on Manchester City on Sunday – even if a good result for the visitors puts a dent in Arsenal’s title hopes.
Spurs welcome City to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday with a superb record against Pep Guardiola’s side having beaten them at the Etihad back in August.
Arsenal fans will find themselves in the very rare position of cheering on their hated rivals – while some Spurs supporters might be able to live with a City victory if it keeps the pressure on the Gunners at the top.
A small section of Spurs fans were seen doing the Poznan – the back-to-goal celebration adopted by City fans – after Erling Haaland scored in the same fixture in 2024, securing a win that denied Arsenal a chance to win the title on the last day of the 2023-24 season.
It is already set to be a tense Sunday in Tottenham with more protests against the board planned with organisers also encouraging supporters to stage a walkout.
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A big win fort City at Spurs in 2024 effectively sealed the title (Picture: Getty Images)
While Frank understands the long history between Spurs and Arsenal, he insists the team’s focus is solely on securing all three points.
‘First and foremost, the fans, especially the 3000 that travelled to Frankfurt [in the Champions League on Wednesday], was amazing support throughout the game,’ Frank said.
Frank insists every Spurs fan is ‘supporting the team’ (Picture: Getty)
‘It was fantastic to see their happy faces. The fans at home to Dortmund were amazing and when we are united together as a group magic things can happen. So it is all about that.
‘I understand there is a long history in the club that I can’t and will not question. My focus and the players focus is we do everything to beat City.’
Quizzed on those Poznan scenes from 2024, Frank added: ‘It’s a free world people can do what they want to do. Every Spurs fan is supporting the team. And it’s about that.’
In this week’s edition of the Football Interview, Kelly Somers speaks to Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz. They discuss his introduction to football and when he knew he would pursue a career in the sport. They also get into his breakthrough at Leverkusen aged just 17, becoming the club's youngest player to play in the division. Wirtz also speaks about signing for Liverpool and how he can reach his maximum potential.
The England international was sensational off the bench in the Champions League midweek against Napoli, setting up both goals for Joao Pedro as the Blues sealed a huge victory in Italy.
Palmer’s injury issues this season have been carefully managed by Chelsea and while Liam Rosenior warned this week the club must continue to ‘look after him’, he all but confirmed his place in the side today.
‘[He’s] absolutely fine,’ Rosenior said on Friday.
‘He’s available to start tomorrow, so I’m really happy about that – like I am when any player’s available to start.’
Palmer has completed a full 90 minutes on just four occasions this season.
Chelsea are still without Dario Essugo after his recent setback while Romeo Lavia is another still unavailable alongside long-term absentee Levi Colwill.
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Tosin Adarabioyo was back in training this week following his hamstring injury but is not thought to be in contention to return today.
Chelsea XI to face West Ham – Metro prediction
With Reece James playing the full 90 minutes in Naples midweek, another start could be unlikely, particularly with the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg with Arsenal looming next week.
Chelsea vs West Ham TV channel, live stream and kick-off time
Chelsea vs West Ham kicks off at 5:30pm today (Saturday 31 January).
You can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event with streaming also available through the Sky Go app and NOW TV for subscribers.
All eyes will be on the Champions League draw today (Picture: Getty)
The Champions League play-off draw will take place today where the 16 teams who finished 9th-24th in the league phase will find out who they will play in the next stage of the competition.
Here’s everything we know about the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw today, including what time it starts, how to watch on TV and how it all works.
What time is the Champions League play-off draw?
The Champions League play-off draw will take place today (Friday, January 30) at 11am GMT.
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16 teams will learn their Champions League fate (Picture: Getty)
The draw will be available to watch live on TNT Sport 1.
It can also be streamed live on Uefa’s website and the Champions League app.
How does the draw work?
The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase and form four seeded pairs. Those are clubs in positions nine and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, and 15 and 16.
There will also be four unseeded pairs from the league phase standings: positions 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22, and 23 and 24.
Clubs in each seeded pair will be drawn against two clubs in each unseeded pair: clubs 9 or 10 against clubs 23 or 24, clubs 11 or 12 against clubs 21 or 22, clubs 13 or 14 against clubs 19 or 20, and clubs 15 or 16 against clubs 17 or 18.
Teams from the same national association can be drawn against each other in the play-offs.
Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026 Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026 Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026 Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026 Final: 30 May 2026
When is the Round of 16 draw?
The round of 16 draw will occur on Friday, 27 February, with the eight teams that advance from the knockout phase play-offs joining the eight teams that qualified automatically from the league phase.
Watkins was forced off with a hamstring injury in the first half of Villa’s 3-2 win over Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The striker, who has scored eight goals in the Premier League this season, will now be assessed ahead of Villa’s game at home to Brentford this weekend.
‘He felt something, but not a lot,’ Emery said after Villa’s win over Red Bull Salzburg.
‘We will test him. Hopefully, we are thinking that is not a lot. I don’t know if he will be available for Sunday.’
Tammy Abraham is in line to make his second debut for Aston Villa this weekend (PA Wire)
Watkins’ potential absence means Tammy Abraham is in line to make his second debut for Villa against Brentford on Sunday.
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Earlier this week, Abraham completed his return to Villa in a £18.25 million deal from Turkish side Besiktas.
The 28-year-old had a loan spell at Villa for the 2018-19 campaign, helping the club win promotion from the Championship with 25 goals in 37 appearances.
Beware, West Ham fans: your team is starting to show some signs of life in the Premier League.
Successive losses to Wolves and Nottingham Forest at the start of the year made their season look as good as over but, just like that, two wins against Tottenham and Sunderland have pulled them back to within five points of safety.
Those wins were West Ham’s first since early November and might finally be a sign that Nuno Espirito Santo can make a difference in their desperate attempts to stay in the division.
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Surely they are still favourites to go down?
Of course, but last weekend’s round of fixtures showed that we might be in for a tighter fight at the top and bottom of the league than expected for the remaining 15 games.
If West Ham can find a way to win six or seven of those they could overtake at least one of the sides above them – but who?
Nottingham Forest’s squad looks too good to go down, but they remain inconsistent and have the small matter of the Europa League knockouts to contend with. Leeds are playing well but face four of the top five before the end of February. Crystal Palace don’t look like they can buy a win at the moment and Spurs play Man City, Man United, Newcastle and Arsenal in their next four.
If the Hammers end next month within touching distance of one or two of those teams, anything could happen.
Why have West Ham struggled this season?
Take your pick of issues. Ten years after leaving Upton Park and the atmosphere at the London Stadium still tends to be either non-existent or incredibly angry.
The manager was brought in to replace an under-performing Graham Potter in September. Potter’s record at West Ham was poor – the former Brighton boss lost over half of his 23 league games in charge and picked up just 23 points in that time.
Espirito Santo hasn’t fared much better and could also face the sack, having lost exactly half of his league games in charge and winning just four in 18.
The club also started their season by selling one of their best players in Mohamed Kudus, and just this week have lost another one: Lucas Paqueta.
Why did West Ham sell Lucas Paqueta?
The Brazilian is heading home. (Picture: Getty)
Selling your best players in the midst of a relegation battle isn’t usually the advice given to struggling clubs.
But Lucas Paqueta had been unhappy at West Ham for a considerable amount of time, and struggled to find consistency this season after being cleared of FA match-fixing charges last summer.
So when the Brazilian’s boyhood club Flamengo came in with a £36.5million bid this week, in some way it made sense to cash in.
At statement from the club said: ‘Lucas has made it clear that, for personal and family reasons, he wishes to return home to Brazil and make a fresh start after being cleared in July 2025 of FA misconduct charges that took two years to be resolved – a situation that caused him significant mental strain.
‘Despite the Club doing everything possible to persuade Lucas to stay, he has remained adamant that his wish is to leave. Therefore, the Head Coach and the Club have reluctantly agreed to accept his transfer request.’
It hasn’t been the most exciting of transfer windows in a January where West Ham are looking to add goals to the team.
Fulham’s Adama Traore has joined to link up with Santo after their time together at Wolves, but the Spaniard has only scored more than three times in a season twice in ten years.
Crysencio Summerville is finding form for West Ham at the right time.
Summerville and Bowen are key to their survival
There have been some green shoots – Crysencio Summerville has stepped up in recent weeks, and his teammates would do well to get him and Jarrod Bowen the ball in space as often as possible.
Ten of the Dutchman’s 29 shots this season came against Spurs and Sunderland, and he netted in both.
The winger was highly regarded when signed from Leeds in 2024, but a bad hamstring injury meant he missed much of last season.
There have been rumours that Roma are trying to sign Sumerville before the transfer deadline on 2 February, a move that would surely spell disaster for the rest of the season.
The Hammers have a fourth round FA Cup trip to Burton Albion waiting on Valentine’s Day – but if they beat Burnley and nick a result against either Chelsea or Manchester United between now and then, who knows what might happen?
Luis Enrique’s side beat Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the play-offs before they knocked out Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal en route to the final, where they ran out 5-0 winners over Inter.
Speaking after PSG’s draw with Newcastle, Luis Enrique was adamant that his side should be considered as favourites to win the Champions League for a second successive season.
‘It was a very good first half. We started positively. We missed a penalty, but we created chances. The equaliser just before half-time hurt,’ Luis Enrique said.
Arsenal are the only team to win all eight of their Champions League league phase games (Reuters)
‘Physically, Newcastle are strong. We knew that before the match. We deserved to win, not by a huge margin, but by a little more. We face very different teams in Ligue 1.
‘I have nothing to reproach my players for, even if some didn’t perform at their usual level. I don’t see anyone as a bigger favorite than us in the competition.’
Luis Enrique added: ‘We can be better, get better results. But we’re here, we’re ready. We’ll see who we play against, Monaco or Qarabag.
‘I’m very demanding of my team. We have to analyse who we’re going to face. We had 13 points before the last match. We deserved to win against Newcastle. The defeat in Lisbon, however, was undeserved.’
