BBC
Liverpool have joined Arsenal and Manchester United in showing an interest in Borussia Dortmund's Netherlands winger Donyell Malen, 25. (Bild - in German)
West Ham boss David Moyes is planning a new bid for Manchester United's England centre-half Harry Maguire, 31, in the summer. (Sun)
England forward Marcus Rashford, 26, is set to snub a potential move to Paris St-Germain and stay at Manchester United. (Sun)
Atletico Madrid have enquired about a summer move for English forward Mason Greenwood, 22, but Manchester United have set a £50m asking price. (Football Transfers)
Greenwood's Manchester United team-mates have backed him to play again for the Red Devils after his loan spell at Getafe. (Sun)
Chelsea target Leny Yoro wants to join Real Madrid, although Lille are asking for 100m euros (£85.6m) for the French defender, 18. (Marca - in Spanish)
Newcastle United will be forced to sell one of their key players this summer in an effort to balance their books. (Football Insider)
Christian Eriksen will leave Manchester United at the end of the season if a suitable offer comes in for the 32-year-old Denmark midfielder. (Football Transfers)
Brighton are keeping tabs on Arsenal's English winger Reiss Nelson, 24, before a potential summer move. (Football Insider)
Brighton also maintain an interest in Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after failing with a January bid for the English midfielder, 25. (Talksport)
Inter Milan are confident that Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez, 26, will sign a new contract. (Fabrizio Romano)
France striker Olivier Giroud, 37, wants a Major League Soccer move to either Los Angeles or New York when his contract with AC Milan expires at the end of the season. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)
Liverpool are closely monitoring Ajax's 18-year-old Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato. (Football Insider)
Manchester City are in advanced talks to sign 14-year-old USA youth forward Cavan Sullivan, who is part of the academy at Philadelphia Union but is yet to sign a professional contract. (The Athletic - subscription required)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United and Liverpool are set to do battle over Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen, according to reports.
THE SUN
Marcus Rashford is set to snub a potential move to PSG - and stay at Manchester United.
Blackburn's owners say they are not looking to sell the club - despite problems getting cash out of India.
West Ham boss David Moyes is planning a new bid for Manchester United and England centre-half Harry Maguire in the summer.
Eric Cantona has hinted he would be interested in a role at Manchester United under the club's new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Luke Littler is taking a brief break from the relentless pressure of the PDC Tour, pulling out of the Players Championship in Germany to try and avoid being hit by burnout.
Andy Murray says he wants to go to the Olympic Games in Paris this summer but not if he is being selected "just because it might be the last tournament I play".
Nicky Henderson has shut down his Lambourn yard to try to get to the bottom of the mystery virus which has affected his horses and led to a series of bad performances at the Cheltenham Festival.
DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United could try to scupper Manchester City's efforts to sign Lucas Paqueta this summer with a player-plus-cash deal for the West Ham midfielder which could see Harry Maguire head to the London Stadium.
Arsenal could be tempted to try and make a move for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak this summer with main rivals Manchester United likely to be hit with a "transfer ban" by the Tyneside team because of their move for sporting director Dan Ashworth.
DAILY MIRROR
Liverpool owners FSG are considering a move for Benfica technical director Pedro Marques, previously on the staff at Manchester City, as they aim to start building a multi-club model.
Potential Premier League target Benjamin Sesko, who has scored 11 goals in 34 games for RB Leipzig this season, will reportedly be available for around £43m this summer because of a release clause in his contract.
INDEPENDENT
An investigation found nine Premier League players escaped sanction despite testing positive for banned substances last season.
THE GUARDIAN
Tiger Woods is set to attend a meeting on Monday between PGA Tour plsyers and the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the result of which could have a significant bearing on his decision over taking on the USA Ryder Cup captaincy.
THE ATHLETIC
Manchester City have won the race to sign 14-year-old American prospect Cavan Sullivan, who recently won the Golden Ball at the CONCACAF U15 Championships, even though he won't be able to play for the club until the age of 18.
DAILY STAR
Former Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi appeared to try and kick a fan in the head amid a pitch invasion following Fenerbahce's victory at Trabzonspor.
Cole Palmer is set for a bumper pay rise at Chelsea.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic have reportedly made a "concrete offer" for RKC Waalwijk star Etienne Vaessen with the goalkeeper approaching the end of his contract.
SCOTTISH SUN
Neil Warnock is on standby for yet another return to management.
Guardian
Nicolò Zaniolo grabs point for Aston Villa as VAR denies West Ham at the last
John Brewin at the London Stadium
After Tottenham’s pain, only a slight gain for Aston Villa. Though perhaps a draw and a three-point advantage over their fellow Champions League chasers will eventually prove enough when a first defeat in London under Unai Emery had beckoned.
Following Spurs’ capitulation at Fulham, Nicolò Zaniolo crashed home Villa’s equaliser from Moussa Diaby’s cross. Emery’s in-game management rescuing a point and, at the final whistle, the overriding emotion was relief for Villa and rage from the home fans at the final twist in the tale. Within injury time, it took five minutes and 37 seconds of VAR deliberation – the longest yet in the Premier League – in consultation with Jarred Gillett, the referee, to rule out a late winner from Tomas Soucek for a handball.
“It’s better to win but we draw and we have to accept it,” said Emery. “We changed tactics in the second half and we got chances to score a goal and in the end we did score.”
West Ham, denied two goals by technology ruling handball, could be far more frustrated. “The referee decided it was handball,” said Emery. David Moyes accepted the decision but only in passive-aggressive fashion. “You can contact Howard [Webb] yourself,” he said, arms folded. “If VAR think it’s right, then it’s right. I think football people see these things differently.”
The result only added to West Ham’s current existential wrangling. There is a considerable constituency of West Ham fans who would like their club to be managed by a more risk taking, progressive manager. So much for stability, a European trophy and this season’s Europa League run. That Villa, poor until Emery made his changes, were there for the taking will only add to the doubters’ case file.
“We done a job on them in the first half,” said Moyes. “Their substitutions altered it.” That Moyes’ team play percentage-game football rather than that employed by the game’s hipper protagonists, also counts against him. He rather enjoys putting one over on such types, but his team could not mirror defeats of Brighton, Tottenham and Arsenal by denying Emery, despite Villa’s obvious fatigue. Goalscorer Michail Antonio backed up by Lucas Paquetá, Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus was an uncharacteristically adventurous starting selection but Villa’s momentum eventually reverted West Ham back to a more conservative approach.
Perhaps that initial selection smelled Villa blood. Ollie Watkins, chasing an England place in the event of Harry Kane’s injury, was risked despite a gashed knee while Morgan Rogers, 21, was making his first start. Jhon Durán, 20, was also making a first league start of the season. He lasted just the first half. Without John McGinn, banned for his mid-air surgery on Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie, Villa lacked drive.
Vladimir Coufal, getting in the spirit of that attacking lineup by bombing on from full-back, supplied Antonio’s goal, a low cross demanding a diving header, a speciality for the striker. Antonio angled the ball where Emiliano Martínez could not reach for a first goal since August.
Matty Cash and Diaby’s half-time arrivals were Emery’s successful attempt to inject energy, the former’s arrival shunting Ezri Konsa back into central defence. Konsa was soon an important figure in the melee that seemed to have brought Antonio a second goal, only for VAR to rule the striker’s arm had made a crucial touch.
That situation was echoed in the final seconds, yet more confusion reigning. The goalpost seemed to get in the way of Stockley Park’s operatives as their footage shunted back and forward repeatedly until Gillett was called across to decide.
If Antonio’s energy levels were exhausted, his team lacked a focal point once he was withdrawn, and Zaniolo’s equaliser reflected the growing swell of pressure and his eye-catching impact. “Zaniolo is working and he is focused,” said Emery of the Italian, lesser spotted this season. His goal may yet prove crucial.
Had Cash, in the dying embers, not blocked a James Ward-Prowse shot and then VAR intervened more fatefully, Villa might have left London with even less. Their duel with Spurs over fourth and fifth is a significant distance from being decided.
The Athletic
VAR vs West Ham: The video-checking system wins another round
By Roshane Thomas
It was another game in which manager David Moyes opted to be cautious with his choice of words when bemoaning his lack of luck with VAR.
West Ham United had two goals ruled out for handball in their 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, having had penalty appeals turned down in their 2-2 draw against Burnley in the Premier League and 1-0 loss to Freiburg in the Europa League over the past couple of weeks.
Michail Antonio scored the opener against Villa but had a second goal disallowed for handball when Jarrod Bowen’s corner was adjudged to have come off Antonio’s forearm.
Then, in added time, the longest VAR check in Premier League history (five minutes and 37 seconds) saw West Ham denied a late winner. It looked as if Tomas Soucek had won it for the Hammers, as he and Bowen tried to get the ball over the line after James Ward-Prowse crossed it in, but the VAR review ruled it out for handball.
“I have nothing to say on the VAR decisions,” said Moyes. “You can contact Howard (Webb) yourselves and get the results of who you speak to regarding it. I thought we performed really well in the first half but Aston Villa played well in the second half and put us under pressure. Our performance was good overall and we went on to create more chances.
“Yes (there is frustration), but you have VAR and if they think it’s right, then maybe they are right? But I think football people see things differently. Maybe that’s why I see some of them differently. We had two incidents last week where it hit a player’s arm and not one of them went our way.”
Moyes might run the risk of being fined if he were to give his honest thoughts. In November, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was charged by the Football Association (FA) after he branded the VAR decision not to rule out Anthony Gordon’s goal in his side’s 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park “an absolute disgrace”.
In September 2022, Moyes and former captain Declan Rice avoided punishment by the FA for the comments they made after Maxwel Cornet’s equaliser against Chelsea was disallowed by VAR official Jarred Gillett.
This season, Moyes has often voiced his frustrations with VAR being inconsistent.
Against Burnley, West Ham felt they should have been awarded a late penalty when the ball struck Sander Berge’s hand. VAR looked at the incident and a penalty was not awarded because Berge headed the ball onto his own hand when attempting to clear it.
“I’ve got to say the decisions went so badly against us today,” said Moyes of that incident. “Berge heads the ball or tries to head the ball in front and it hits his arms. We had a situation not unlike this in midweek. You don’t jump with your two arms in front of your face because you can only head it back that way. If your arms are in the wrong places and you head it against them, why would that not be punished?”
Against Burnley, Danny Ings scored the equaliser, his first league goal since February 2023, but the 31-year-old striker initially had a goal ruled out by VAR, which said Antonio was offside in the build-up.
In added time during the 1-0 first-leg loss to Freiburg, the VAR advised referee Alejandro Hernandez to watch replays at a pitchside monitor of the ball hitting Noah Weisshaupt’s raised arm. Despite a four-minute delay, the referee decided not to give a penalty.
“I’ve looked at it and I think it’s a penalty,” said Moyes. “Nowadays, if you have two hands above your head, it’s in an unnatural position. I can’t see why the referee didn’t choose to give a penalty. In the Premier League, I’m not sure that would be given, but in UEFA competitions in Europe, they’re normally given by the referees. I watch Spanish football and German football and nearly every handball is seen.”
In the 2-2 draw away to Sheffield United in January, West Ham were denied a late penalty by VAR after Anel Ahmedhodzic fouled Bowen. PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) released VAR audio of the incident and the officials agreed there was “something of nothing in there. Absolutely fine”.
TNT Sports pundits Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole, both of whom are former West Ham United players, felt it was a penalty. Ahmedhodzic claimed the footage had been edited in West Ham’s favour.
“Did you see the Sheffield United player come out today?” Ferdinand said on his podcast FIVE. “I thought it was a penalty and he’s going, ‘Oh he’s biased towards West Ham’. What are you talking about?
“Mate, if I started to dissect your defending, before anything, you’d be on the floor. You should just be quiet… and just go, ‘You know what, actually, the situation, it ain’t clear cut either way’.”
Moyes, on the other hand, had to be mindful of his choice of words following the Villa game.
“I am certainly not going to talk about any referees, for sure I don’t want to get myself into trouble,” he said.
“You should ask the referee and see what they think. We have got to the stage where we are settling for a level of officiating where we are all shrugging our shoulders and saying, ‘OK’. We are shrugging our shoulders again and seeing what they do. We don’t know what they are going to do.”
Moyes is certainly due some luck with VAR.
The Athletic
West Ham denied late winner vs Aston Villa – handball rule explained
By Roshane Thomas
West Ham United were denied a late winner in Sunday’s Premier League game against Aston Villa after a lengthy VAR check eventually led to the goal being disallowed for handball.
In added time, West Ham thought they had sealed a 2-1 victory, but VAR checks showed the ball had deflected off Tomas Soucek’s right arm. Play was was delayed for five minutes and 37 seconds — which is the longest VAR check in Premier League history — before referee Jarred Gillett was advised to go to the pitchside monitor by VAR.
“I have nothing to say on the VAR decisions,” said West Ham manager David Moyes after the game.
“Yes (there is frustration), but you have VAR and if they think it’s right, then maybe they are right? But I think football people see things differently. Maybe that’s why I see some of them differently. We had two incidents last week where it hit a player’s arm and not one of them went our way.”
It is the fourth time in two weeks that VAR decisions have gone against West Ham following handball incidents. Danny Ings had a goal disallowed in the 2-2 draw against Burnley, and the Hammers were not awarded a penalty in their 1-0 Europa League first-leg loss at Freiburg.
Michail Antonio scored the opener in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, but the 33-year-old forward also had a goal disallowed after half-time when he was adjudged to have diverted Jarrod Bowen’s corner in off his forearm.
But what is and isn’t handball?
What is handball?
First, it is worth highlighting that it is not handball every time the ball strikes the hand/arm of a player on a football pitch, nor is it a handball if the ball strikes a player’s shoulder. The boundary for where it becomes a potential offence is the part of the arm in line with the bottom of the armpit.
The laws of the game state that it is deemed handball if a player:
“Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example, moving the hand/arm towards the ball”
“Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger”
That second point generates the most controversy because that rule is caveated by adding that it is not handball if the position of their hand/arm is a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.
However, in practice, those rules have been about as clear as mud, with no two handball situations being the same. Each close call is, therefore, judged on its own merit, which explains the perceived inconsistency of decisions in the Premier League and beyond.
How do the rules differ when a goal is scored?
When a goal is scored, the handball law is more simple.
If the last touch before the ball crosses the goal line touches the goalscorer’s hand/arm, the goal will not stand. If the ball touches the goalscorer’s hand or arm at any point between him/her receiving the ball and scoring the goal, the goal will not stand.
For both of those, the position of the scorer’s hand is irrelevant and it does not matter whether the touch on the hand/arm was intentional.
Callum Wilson was an unfortunate victim of this rule in Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool in April 2021. His initial strike was saved by Alisson, who was less than a yard away, and deflected onto his arm — which was against his body — before he finished into the empty net.
As it had been missed on-field, the video assistant referee intervened and recommended that the goal should be disallowed as the ball ricocheted off Wilson’s arm.
How has the rule changed?
The handball rule is one of many that has changed in recent years. The latest tweaks were implemented by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
Previously, along with the goalscorer, the assisting player used to be punished for any use of a hand/arm. Any touch, however accidental, with the hand/arm from the last attacking player before the goalscorer previously meant the goal would be ruled out. That rule was scrapped after Josh Maja was denied an equaliser for Fulham against Tottenham Hotspur in March 2021, when a clearance hit the hand and arm of his team-mate, Mario Lemina, before the ball dropped to Maja.
