Premier League reaction & Champions League race latest as Forest draw at Palace
It is still in Forest's hands - Earnshaw
Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottm Forest
Former Nottingham Forest striker Rob Earnshaw told 5 Live Breakfast that while fans will be disappointed to see their side dropping down the table, he believes Champions League qualification is till in their hands:
"It looks a little bit more difficult, but you know what, in my opinion I actually still think it is in their hands.
"They are still sixth, there is only two points the difference between [Forest and] Chelsea and Newcastle [in fifth and fourth, respectively].
"But when you have been in third for so long it is a little bit more disappointing when you see yourself start dropping and dropping.
"Two weeks ago they were probably nailed on and now they are in sixth, so it is very difficult. But I say it is in their hands because they have probably got the best fixtures out of the whole lot."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Arsenal reignite interest in Newcastle and Chelsea target as asking price slashe
Arsenal are showing an interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi again, as the defender heads into the final year of his contract. The 24-year-old was a target for the Gunners 12 months ago, along with a number of other clubs including Newcastle, Liverpool and his former team Chelsea. The Eagles stuck firm to their lofty asking price of £70m and no deal was done, with Guehi staying put and going on to win the FA Cup with Palace. However, the England international's contract at Selhurst Park expires next year so his price tag will be significantly lower this summer. The Mirror report that with Guehi now much more affordable than a year ago, Arsenal's interest has been reignited, although their pursuit of him will not be straightforward. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Not only will there be plenty of competition again from their Premier League rivals, but the 23-cap England international may take some convincing to move to the Emirates. Mikel Arteta has established a very reliable partnership at centre-back in Gabriel and William Saliba, one that will not easily be broken. Gabriel signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal earlier this month and the club is working on Saliba doing the same. There is interest from Real Madrid in the Frenchman and the Gunners are very keen to keep hold of the impressive centre-back. That puts in question their interest in Guehi as he will not want to move to any club where he would not be a guaranteed starter. The Athletic report that Arteta wants genuine competition to his first-choice central defenders and Arsenal made a move for Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen before he made his £50m transfer to Real Madrid. Newcastle made three bids for Guehi last summer, going as high as £60m, but could not convince Palace to sell. With a return to the Champions League, the Magpies could come back with another offer as he is now likely available for less than they bid in 2024. Joined from Chelsea in July 2021 for £18m Appearances: 155 Goals: 8 Trophies: 2024/25 FA Cup Guehi has offered little on his future, saying before Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final: 'My only focus is this game. 'My only focus is the fact that I am under contract at Palace. So as far as I am concerned, I am a Palace player.' Last month The Sun reported that Guehi may choose to run down his contract at Crystal Palace and see his options expand further when he will be available on a free transfer next summer. Real Madrid and Barcelona have been touted as possible destinations for the defender if he were to leave Selhurst Park on a free. MORE: When does the transfer window reopen and why has it closed? MORE: Son Heung-min casts doubt over Tottenham future with response to Spurs exit link MORE: Chelsea submit new offer for Jamie Gittens as Borussia Dortmund respond
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Babis Kostoulas, 18, is incoming Premier League star compared to Gabriel Batistuta and was eyed by Arsenal and Man Utd
BRIGHT PROSPECT Babis Kostoulas, 18, is incoming Premier League star compared to Gabriel Batistuta and was eyed by Arsenal and Man Utd GREEK wonderkid Charalampos Kostoulas is set to complete a record-breaking move to the Premier League after just one season at senior level. And absolutely no one in Greece is shocked by this development, which SunSport revealed was in the works last month. Advertisement 3 Olympiacos wonderkid Babis Kostoulas is joining Brighton 3 Kostoulas is moving to Brighton after a record-breaking deal 3 Brighton have signed a very promising prospect in Kostoulas SunSport understand Brighton are set to complete the signing of Kostoulas, 18, on Wednesday after sealing a whopping £34million deal with Olympiacos. The teenage sensation will undergo a medical before putting pen to paper on a lucrative deal that may run for four years, with the option to extend for a further one, worth £1.3m per season, plus bonuses. That makes Babis - which is short for his forename - the most expensive Greek signing of all time as he overtakes Kostas Manolas' £30m move from Roma to Napoli in 2019. The Greece Under-21 international started making noise in the country almost two years ago while rising through the ranks at Olympiacos. Advertisement The forward - who can cover both wings, play behind the striker and spearhead the attack himself - showed immense killer instinct, surprising speed and fantastic technique from the age of 16. Babis quickly earned comparisons to Argentina legend Gabriel Batistuta and was thus nicknamed "Babistuta" by everyone who got to witness his talent. The versatile striker lived up to the hype last season with Olympiacos' Under-19s as he led them to Uefa Youth League glory with five goals and two assists in nine matches. Kostoulas and co made history as they became the first ever Greek team to win a European trophy, shortly before Olympiacos' seniors won the Europa Conference League. Advertisement CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The wonderkid's impressive introduction comes as no surprise as he was mentored from his father who knew everything about winning silverware and competing in the Champions League with the Greek giants. Thanassis Kostoulas joined the Piraeus outfit in 1999 and spent eight glittering years that saw him winning seven league titles and two Greek Cups. I can win the Ballon D'or says Brighton's Carlos Baleba The former centre-back amassed a total of 202 appearances, 15 of which were in the Champions League against the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid. Advertisement And Thanassis saw his son following his footsteps this season as he was quickly established as a key member of manager Jose Luis Mendilibar's first team. Babis broke his goalscoring duck in November during the derby against PAOK in the fiery and intimidating ground of Toumba Stadium. That night he became Olympiacos' youngest ever league goalscorer at the age of 17 years, five months and 11 days. A series of impressive performances in the Europa League soon followed and he played a critical role in Olympiacos' journey to the Last 16, which saw them finishing in the top eight of the league phase. Advertisement Many believe Mendilibar's side would have made it farther if their wonderkid was never injured. Attracting Premier League interest Kostoulas went on to cut a prolific figure in Greece and helped his team win the Double in their 100-year anniversary with seven goals and two assists in 35 appearances before picking up a muscle injury at the end of the season. SunSport revealed how his impressive displays quickly caught the attention of the Premier League with Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Brighton showing interest. The Prem giants faced competition from other elite outfits, such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and AC Milan. Advertisement But it was the Seagulls who won the race for a player who started the season with a release clause worth a mere £423,000 on Transfermarkt. Sources suggest Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler made Kostoulas his top "personal choice" as the club continues to poach the world's brightest prospects following the likes of Yves Bissouma, Moises Caicedo and Kaoru Mitoma. This comes shortly after the Seasiders also landed Babis' 19-year-old compatriot Stefanos Tzimas from Nurnberg following a £20.8m deal. Olympiacos could have made more Olympiacos could have waited longer to sell their brightest wonderkid in eight years, but opted on going down the same route they took with their last gem. Advertisement Panos Retsos burst onto the scene in the 2016-17 campaign immediately after getting called up from the youth ranks, just like Kostoulas. Retsos impressed so much that he was handed the armband at the age of 18, making him the club's youngest ever captain. And Olympiacos decided to strike while the iron was hot to sell the centre-back to Bayer Leverkusen for a then record £14.8m. Evangelos Marinakis' club could have got an even higher price than the money they're receiving from Brighton. Advertisement Kostoulas would have played in the Champions League and probably even the World Cup with Greece, where he has yet to receive his first senior call-up, if he had stayed put. Hefty sell-on clause The Greek champions run the risk of jumping the gun but played it smart by adding a sell-on clause worth up to 12 per cent. And that could prove to be a genius move as the attacker has the qualifications to emulate other Brighton prospects that went from total anonymity to global superstardom and astronomical transfers. His football skills speak for themselves, but what many don't know about is his personality. Advertisement Kostoulas inspires tremendous confidence that he perfectly combines with humility. And it shows in his interviews with a posture and eloquence we rarely see from footballers, especially youngsters - nothing like Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer. Olympiacos never really got to enjoy Kostoulas, but even just one year proved enough for every single fan to understand his true impact - just like Yaya Toure who left a year after his arrival in 2005 and went on to make history. Brighton have hit the jackpot in terms of discovering another rare gem, but they will have to show their usual patience and support to get the most out of this kid. Advertisement Because this is a player that has been going from strength to strength without much sign of slowing down since his academy days that convinced everyone a move to an elite club was simply imminent.
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
England booed off after shock defeat to Senegal
Harry Kane had got England off to a fine start against Senegal by continuing his run of scoring in every game under Tuchel, who was critical of his side's efforts in Barcelona and spoke of his desire for the team to play with a smile. Thomas Tuchel's suffered a first defeat as England boss (Mike Egerton/PA) But happiness was in short supply in Nottingham, where Anthony Gordon wasted a glorious chance shortly before Ismaila Sarr capitalised on poor defending by debutant Trevoh Chalobah and a sleeping Kyle Walker. Senegal, ranked 19th in the world, were always going to be Tuchel's toughest test since taking charge and Habib Diarra went on to fire through the legs of Dean Henderson, who had made some important saves on his second start. Substitute Jude Bellingham thought he had levelled late on, only for Levi Colwill to be adjudged to have handled upon VAR review, and second-half introduction Cheikh Sabaly added another for the visitors in stoppage time. This was England's first ever defeat to an African side, having gone unbeaten in the previous 21 encounters, and looked possible from the outset with Idrissa Gueye and Nicolas Jackson denied early on by Henderson. But Tuchel's side struck the first blow with just seven minutes on the clock in Nottingham. Eberechi Eze did well to win the ball, with Conor Gallagher helping it wide for Gordon to get away a shot that former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy could only spill into the path of Kane to turn in from six yards. Senegal responded well to that setback, with Henderson denying Diarra from distance before stopping Crystal Palace team-mate Sarr's powerful header. Gordon should have settled England's nerves in the 28th minute by applying the finish Walker's low cross merited, with that glaring miss under pressure at the far post proving costly. Henderson stopped Gueye but poor defending allowed Senegal to level in the 40th minute. Chalobah failed to stop Jackson hooking over a cross that Sarr beat a switched-off Walker to turn home. The rusty-looking right-back was booked for a foul soon after his role in the first goal conceded under Tuchel. England were breathing a sigh of relief five minutes later when Diarra lashed over, with Nottingham Forest favourite Morgan Gibbs-White's introduction bringing a huge cheer. Kane was among those withdrawn as part of that triple change but Ivan Toney was left on the bench, leaving England without an out-and-out striker. Something needed to change from Tuchel's perspective, but unfortunately it was the scoreline. Diarra all too easily got behind left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly and ran on to drill through Henderson from a tight angle in the 62nd minute, sparking wild celebrations from the pockets of Senegal supporters. England were denied an almost immediate leveller as Eze smartly flicked on for Gibbs-White to test Mendy. The pair linked up brilliantly again soon after, with Saka denied expertly by Mendy's right hand. Henderson stopped Jackson scoring from distance and Pape Gueye struck narrowly wide as home fans became increasingly frustrated. England looked to have been rescued in the 84th minute by substitute Bellingham, who took a touch and stabbed home from close range. But referee Stephanie Frappart was sent to the pitchside monitor and ruled the goal out for a handball by Colwill in the build-up. Toney was finally introduced but the only other goal would come from a Senegalese boot as Lamine Camara broke and played across for Sabaly in stoppage time.
