Neil Warnock has agreed a one-year extension to stay on as Huddersfield boss for the 2023-24 season, the Sky Bet Championship club have announced.
The 74-year-old came out of retirement in February for a second spell in charge of the Terriers, having previously been their manager from 1993 to 1995, and guided them to safety in the second tier.
The team recorded seven wins and four draws in their final 15 matches of the campaign as they moved out of the relegation zone and finished 18th in the table.
Warnock, whose assistant Ronnie Jepson has also agreed a one-year extension, said on Huddersfield’s official website: “After having conversations with (the club’s new chief executive) Jake Edwards, it became obvious that this was going to be a difficult job for me to leave and for anybody new to come into after what we’d built at the end of last season.
“I’ve agreed to stay on alongside Ronnie and, just as we did when we came back last February, we’re going to try and do the best we can with our squad that we can hopefully make one or two additions to.
“We’re quietly confident – I know what the club is all about and I have to say, the response I got after those last two games (home wins against Sheffield United and Reading) is something I’ve never experienced in my whole life. This is now a chance for me to put something back into the club and give us some stability during this transitional period.
“Once I knew that Sharon (his wife) was okay with me continuing, I’ve been fully concentrating on knuckling down to do the best we can in trying to get this great club up the league.”
Edwards said: “We’ve heard Town fans loud and clear, both at the Reading game and ever since. You all wanted ‘one more year’ under Neil and Ronnie, and this had to be our first order of business as we prepare for the new season.
“Neil and Ronnie have incredible knowledge and skill as a management team – that was clear in the job they achieved here at the end of last season. They also have an amazing connection with this club and our supporters, which is also so valuable.
“We’re so pleased Neil has agreed to stay on for another season. I know how determined he is to build on the job he’s done last season, and he offers us great experience and stability on the football side as we prepare for the prospective change of ownership.”
Ipswich Town promoted to Premier League after 22-year absence
Ipswich Town secured their return to the Premier League after a 22-year absence by seeing off Huddersfield Town 2-0 at Portman Road on Saturday.
Kieran McKenna's side, who only earned promotion from League One last year, required a point on the final day of regular-season fixtures.
Wes Burns put Ipswich on their way with a 27th-minute strike, before Omar Hutchinson sealed the deal early in the second period.
As it turned out, even a loss would have seen Town go up as Leeds failed to pick up the three points they needed in a 2-1 loss to Southampton.
Joel Piroe cancelled out Adam Armstrong's goal, but Will Smallbone restored the visitors' lead before half-time at Elland Road and at it remained that way.
Leeds will now face Norwich City in the play-offs after the Canaries dropped from fifth to sixth with a 1-0 loss to Birmingham City.
West Brom's 3-0 win over Preston North End ensured they finished the season in fifth, meaning a play-off semi-final date with Southampton.
Despite their home win over Norwich, Birmingham joined Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town in being relegated to the third tier.
That is due to Plymouth Argyle defeating top-six chasers Hull City 1-0, while Sheffield Wednesday eased to a 2-0 victory at Sunderland.
Rotherham's relegation was confirmed last month, while Huddersfield were effectively already down barring a miraculous set of results on the final day.
Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth: Gunners put pressure back on Man City in title race
Arsenal put the pressure back onto Manchester City in the Premier League title race after their comprehensive 3-0 triumph over Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta's side moved four points clear at the league summit with this victory but Man City have two games in hand, the first of which comes at home to Wolves later on Saturday.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time, with Arsenal securing a deserved reward for their first-half dominance.
Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice made sure of three points with late finishes as defeat left Bournemouth – who had an Antoine Semenyo strike ruled out in the closing stages – 10th in the table.
A flowing Arsenal move almost ended in Trossard converting Ben White's 10th-minute cross, only for a last-gasp Marcos Senesi block to thwart the Belgium forward.
Bournemouth had Mark Travers to thank soon after as the goalkeeper denied fizzing efforts from Kai Havertz and Saka, as well as a one-on-one with William Saliba.
Travers' one-man resistance continued when pushing away Thomas Partey's low left-footed curling attempt before Rice fired narrowly wide following Havertz's delicate header.
Yet Arsenal finally got their breakthrough as Travers felled the marauding Havertz – with the VAR confirming the spot-kick decision – before Saka coolly swept into the bottom-left corner from 12 yards.
Saka should have doubled his tally after the interval but arrowed a glorious opportunity straight at Travers following a smart offload from Havertz, who went close minutes later.
The otherwise unneeded David Raya was forced into action at the other end to deny Dominic Solanke after 53 minutes, while Justin Kluivert whipped a free-kick just over.
That spell of Bournemouth pressure came to an abrupt end with 20 minutes to go when Rice twisted to play through for Trossard, who slotted a smart right-footed finish into the bottom-right corner.
The Cherries thought they had snatched a goal back just three minutes later but Semenyo's rebounded strike after Ryan Christie hit the crossbar was ruled out for a Solanke foul on Raya, with the VAR confirming the on-field decision.
Arsenal then suffered a similar fate with the officials as Gabriel Magalhaes' rocketed volley was disallowed for offside, but Rice was not to be denied in stoppage-time as he fired Gabriel Jesus' throughball under the helpless Travers.
Advantage Arsenal thanks to super Saka
Arsenal have won 14 of their 16 Premier League games so far in 2024, dropping points only against Man City (0-0) and Aston Villa (0-2) this year.
That incredible run of form ensures a tantalising title race will continue towards the final two games of the season, when Arsenal travel to Manchester United and then host Everton on the last day.
Their success this term can be somewhat apportioned to star winger Saka, who became the first player to score 20 goals for Arsenal in a season across all competitions since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019-20 (29 goals).
Saka is also the first Englishman to do so for the club since Theo Walcott in 2012-13 (21 goals) as the England international continues to deliver in key moments for the Gunners.
Cherries blunted by dominant Gunners
Bournemouth had won 1-0 at Wolves and 3-0 against Brighton in their last two Premier League games before this – but they have never triumphed in three consecutive top-flight games without conceding.
A wait for three straight such victories will go on into next season, though Andoni Iraola will look back on this campaign with fond memories.
They have never won more matches in a top-flight season than their 13 in 2023-24 (also 13 in 2018-19) and – despite this underwhelming performance – will have another chance to set an outright club record when they host Brentford before visiting Chelsea on the final day, with a top-half finish still possible.
Juve boss Allegri thinks Roma will be hungry after Leverkusen loss
Juventus and Roma are involved in the battle for Champions League qualification in Serie A and, after the latter's defeat in Europe, Massimiliano Allegri expects to face a side hungry to bounce back.
Roma, who lost their Europa League semi-final first leg 2-0 to German champions Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday, are fifth in the league standings after one win in three league games.
"We will find an angry Roma from Thursday who want to get back to fighting for the top-four positions and we will need a good game from our side," Allegri told his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's game in Rome.
"Roma are strong, they are doing very well. It will be a fascinating game, but difficult and complicated."
Juventus are third despite their dramatic decline in the second half of the season and victory on Sunday would secure their Champions League place.
Allegri's side lost once in the first half of the campaign, but have suffered four defeats in the second part and are on a run of one win in eight league matches.
"In the first half we scored 46 points, in the second half we didn't manage to do what we did in the first round, we have done much worse," Allegri said.
"We are close to the goal, and we need to stay focused.
"Until we have mathematical certainty, we need to be careful. Football always gives you surprises."
Daniele De Rossi has turned Roma's season around since taking over from Jose Mourinho in January, with the club ninth in the standings at the time, and Allegri was full of praise for the young manager.
"Daniele brought enthusiasm and light-heartedness," Allegri said. "That is despite Mourinho's excellent work. In football you forget quickly, but Roma have played two European finals in two years.
"Daniele is young, he is just starting out and he can have a good career. I actually played with his father at Livorno, in 1986. Alberto's playing career was coming to an end, a wonderful person."
Serie A will have five Champions League spots next season.
Juventus have 65 points, one ahead of Bologna who have a game in hand, with Roma on 59. Atalanta are sixth, two points behind Roma with a game in hand.
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