Premier League team news and EFL clockwatch: weekend countdown – live

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On this day in 1973… Sunderland shock Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final.

“Good morning Rob,” says David Horn. “I haven’t yet read your 9,000 word magnum opus. (I’m still at work, so have a semi-decent excuse), but I did ask ChatGPT to summarise it for me in 15 words. It came back with ‘Arsenal triumphs over Liverpool at Anfield, marking turning point in their season under Arsène Wenger’ so I feel like that’s captured the essence of what you were trying to convey.”

Like Evan Ferguson, I’m sensing an opportunity here.

Sky Sports are showing an interview with the boy of the moment, Brighton’s Evan Ferguson. He is so level-headed, but there’s a look in his eye as well, the kind we are contractually obliged to describe as “steely”.

This is what he had to say when asked about Graham Potter leaving the club.

I took it differently to the others. I think for those already settled in and playing under Potter, it was different, but I saw it as an opportunity to try and get myself in the team.

To quote another Ferguson, when talking about a young Paul Scholes: ‘If he doesn’t make it, we might as well all pack up and go home.’

Liverpool v Arsenal team news, culled absent-mindedly from the news wires

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz will make his long-awaited return to the squad against Leeds at Elland Road in 10 days’ time.
Manager Jurgen Klopp said the Colombia international, out since October with a knee injury, is on the verge of a comeback.
“The plan with Luis is that he will be available 100 per cent for Leeds (on 17 April),” said Klopp, ahead of Sunday’s visit of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
“Again, it looks good, everything is fine, but it was a long, long injury and so we have to be careful. We will probably not involve him for Sunday.”
Midfielder Thiago Alcantara, sidelined for two months with a hip problem, is fit to return, however, while Virgil van Dijk will be back after illness forced him to miss Tuesday’s draw at Chelsea.
“Thiago looks slightly different. He was not out that long, trained now three, four times with the team and might be available but we have to check how he feels today,” added Klopp. “Virgil, completely normal, was back in training.”

On this day in 1982… Klaus Augenthaler mistakes himself for Franz Beckenbauer in a European Cup semi-final.

This is a story about Diego Maradona and Mexico 86, so Og Mandino’s services are not required to sell this one.

Liverpool v Arsenal (Sunday, 4.30pm) is the game of the weekend. We’ll have a number of preview features later in the day. In the meantime, here’s a modest little 9,000-word humblebrag I rustled up in my spare time.

It’s not very good. Read it anyway. (NB: link contains adult language so don’t open it in front of your kid, unless they already talk like a docker.)

The Women’s World Cup is just over three months away, and England’s preparations went up a notch with last night’s Finalissima against Brazil at Wembley. You’ll never guess who scored the winner.

Meanwhile, here’s Barney Ronay on the latest developments at Chelsea

Chelsea have now re-hired the guy they sacked so they could hire the guy who was sacked so they could hire the guy who was just sacked, thereby allowing the rehiring of the guy they sacked before the guy they sacked.

Championship

Burnley will be promoted with seven games to spare if they win at Middlesbrough tonight and Luton fail to win at Millwall in their lunchtime game.

Second-placed Sheffield United, who look good for automatic promotion after last Saturday’s drama, host Wigan at 3pm.

Here’s Max Rushden, trying to make sense of this most peculiar Premier League season.

It is hard to know whether this is the best season for The Greatest League In The World™ or some kind of Premier League nadir. Are Nicola Berti and Andrea Silenzi laughing at us during their late-night radio show on Parlare Di Sport?

So, what are you looking out for this weekend? Ah, sorry, that’s not included – this is strictly a football blog – but read it anyway.

Preamble

Hello, happy Easter* and welcome to our Good Friday football blog. We’ll have the usual Premier League build-up until lunchtime – give me team news, man, and be done with it – before we segue seamfully into a Football League clockwatch.

Let’s start with a strikingly non-judgmental list of this week’s Premier League fixtures.

Saturday (3pm unless stated)