Key events
From one of the game’s greatest ever goalkeepers, Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, an extract from his autobiography.
I sorted out my mind: “Come on, Gigi,” I said to myself, and I gave myself strength: “When the game is over you can stop playing football. Just take on this hour and a half and then say goodbye to it all.”
Hearts just have to win today:
Such a big game for Leeds, safe from relegation, just about. Now for a chance to play in a first FA Cup semi-final since 1987 and reach a first final since 1973.
Hsve Liverpool seen the last of Mohamed Salah? At least Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz scored for Liverpool against Crystal Palace, a belated downpayment or two.
What a battle at the bottom, West Ham and Spurs both looked down at one point. Amd yet there’s still four games to go, and so much to play for.
Chelsea v Leeds will see Calum McFarlane taking charge, and the caretaker has had to do some sweeping up after Marc Cucurella’s barber was the latest to leak team news.
“Of course, everyone at the club has to feel responsible, staff and players. We need to, the players know that, staff and all that, we’ve spoken. We know the recent form has not been good enough and we’re going to do absolutely everything we can and work as hard as we possibly can to make sure we can put in a good performance on Sunday and I think that’s where it starts.
“I think a lot of football is about momentum and we obviously have had a bit of a losing streak. That can change with one positive result and one positive performance and what we’re going to be able to do.
On the leaks: “It has been addressed. It’s been addressed previously. It’s something that we are looking into and it needs to stop. “We’ve spoken to them about the importance of that and making sure it doesn’t happen again.”
City and Pep Guardiola had Arsenal on their minds, too. The Gunners moved back to the top. Mikel Arteta had City on his mind, by little coincidence.
Saturday’s FA Cup tie was a slowburner but took off in the last 15 minutes. For a brief monent, the shock was on. Then City did City.
Preamble
Good morning, and welcome. Saturday was a big day in the Premier League, and in the FA Cup. We will have all the reaction here. Sunday is all about Chelsea v Leeds, about as evocative an FA Cup tie as there can be, In Scotland, Hibs v Hearts, an Edinburgh derby with so much riding on it, 40 years of hurt in the Jambos’ case.
That and all the morning news, as it happens. Join me.