Everton manager Sean Dyche hopes captain Seamus Coleman’s return will help bring some much-needed leadership to his relegation-threatened side.

The Republic of Ireland international has missed the last three matches with a hamstring problem and during that time the Toffees have picked up just one point, conceded seven times and even in the goalless draw at Crystal Palace looked over-exposed at right-back.

Coleman is expected to be fit to regain his place in the team and bolster a flank on which has seen stand-ins Mason Holgate, who was sent off for two yellow cards at Selhurst Park, and Ben Godfrey look out of their depth.

The 34-year-old is also the most progressive option of the three when it comes to being confident enough to overlap in attack but it is his experience which may be most needed as they head into a must-win game against fellow strugglers Leicester.

“He’s a very important player with his history and understanding of the club,” said Dyche.

“He has been a loss for us so we do look forward to him being back. Until the second goal (in Thursday’s 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle) it was a very good performance but after the second goal that’s the big challenge for me.

“Where did the mentality go? How quickly did that change? Who re-grips it? Who in our team goes ‘right, OK, let’s re-grip what we’re doing here’ because we weren’t a million miles away? You can’t wait for it to happen.”

The Newcastle defeat was hugely-damaging, not only because it left them with just two more home matches – one of which is against Manchester City – to extend their 69-year top-flight stay, but because of the effect it had on morale.

Players looked shot at the final whistle, at which time Goodison Park was half-empty as the supporters who had lined the streets to greet the team coach with their pyrotechnics and flags had headed for the exits after Newcastle’s third went in.

Asked whether he thought the team had lost the fans, Dyche added: “I don’t think so. I think they will be backing the club to the end.”

Roberto De Zerbi admits he “made some mistakes” by not affording more first-team opportunities to Billy Gilmour and Deniz Undav before their starring roles in Brighton’s stunning 6-0 win over Wolves.

The peripheral pair were handed just their third Premier League starts for the Seagulls during Saturday’s club-record top-flight victory and seized their chances with standout performances.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gilmour was hailed as the best player on the pitch by his manager, while German forward Undav bagged a brace to claim his first league goals in English football.

De Zerbi’s decision to begin with key trio Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma on the bench raised some eyebrows but was quickly forgotten as his reshuffled starting XI delivered in devastating style.

“We are enduring a very tough period, we are playing so many games in a row and we are not used to playing so many games,” the Brighton boss said of his decision to rotate.

“I thought it was good and right to give Mac Allister, Mitoma and Caicedo one game to recover and for Billy Gilmour and Undav and the players who are playing less the possibility to show their quality.

“But the level of Mac Allister, Mitoma and Caicedo is high and to make competition is difficult for Gilmour.

“Gilmour, I think, was the best player on the pitch and I must admit possibly in the past I made some mistakes with him and with Undav because I didn’t give them many possibilities to play.

“But for me it’s difficult. To play without Mac Allister, Mitoma, Solly March, Moises Caicedo, it’s difficult.”

Brighton’s thumping success was the perfect response to a difficult week as Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck claimed two goals apiece.

Albion suffered penalty shoot-out heartache at the hands of Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final last Sunday and then had their European push dented by a 3-1 midweek loss at relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

De Zerbi now has a positive selection headache going into Thursday’s rematch with Erik ten Hag’s United in the league but could be without Joel Veltman after he was substituted in visible distress.

The Italian coach conceded he should have withdrawn Dutch defender Veltman earlier, particularly as fellow right-back Tariq Lamptey is sidelined.

“I hope it will be a small problem,” De Zerbi said of Veltman, who has recently been troubled by a hamstring issue.

“It’s important for us, especially in this moment, because we are playing without Lamptey.

“With or without Joel changes a lot of things because only Pascal Gross can play as a right-back.”

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui urged his players to quickly move on from the Amex Stadium humiliation.

The former Real Madrid manager also feels it is important to put the current situation into perspective given his club were bottom of the table when he took over following the World Cup.

Wplves host local rivals Aston Villa next weekend, with work still to do to eradicate relegation concerns.

“All together we have to be ready for the next fight because we are in the middle of the battle,” said the Spaniard.

“We lost one battle but not the war, so we have to continue to achieve our aim in the end of the season.

“We are aware that we have not done anything yet and we need to get more points.

“We have to recover our energy and our confidence because we have to remember four months ago we were in the bottom.

“It’s a good thing to remember where we were. Now at least we have the possibility to be out of the relegation and that is a very big aim for us.”

Former Castleford full-back Zak Hardaker was banned for 14 months by UK Anti-Doping on April 30, 2018 following a failed drugs test.

The punishment was backdated to September 2017, when he tested positive for cocaine.

Hardaker’s representatives Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors said in a statement: “We believe the correct verdict has been returned and we would like to thank the tribunal for their professionalism. This was a truly exceptional case, where the drug use was never linked to performance enhancement.

“In this regard Zak would never take any substance to achieve an unfair advantage and we are pleased that the decision of the tribunal has recognised this fact.

“The last two years have been an extremely difficult period for Zak who, away
from the public eye, has bravely battled a number of personal traumas.”

Castleford announced in February 2018 that Hardaker had been sacked with four years left on his contract after initially dropping him for the Super League Grand Final against his former club Leeds and then suspending him.

The failed drugs test was revealed after a Super 8s game against the Rhinos the previous September, with Hardaker also missing the 2017 World Cup.

It was the latest dark chapter in Hardaker’s career. In 2014, while at Leeds, he was banned for five games after being found guilty of homophobic abuse in a match and a year later he agreed to take an anger management course after admitting assaulting a student.

Hardaker signed for Wigan while still suspended, joining them in November 2018, but the controversies continued.

Before his comeback, he was arrested for drink driving, and Hardaker was released by Wigan in 2022 following more disciplinary issues.

He subsequently rejoined Leeds before moving on again to his current club, newly-promoted Leigh Leopards.

Jon Rahm shot a course record 61 as his bid for a fifth win of the year moved up a gear in the third round of the Mexico Open.

The Masters champion went out in 29 to move within two of leader Tony Finau.

Akshay Bhatia, playing in just his sixth PGA Tour event, will join the tournament’s big two names in the final group after equalling the previous Vidanta Vallarta course record of 63 to sit alongside Rahm on 17 under.

Rahm, who hit 17 greens in regulation, had the chance of a rare 59 but missed birdie putts on 15 and 16 before seeing his drive at the 18th plug in a fairway bunker as he had to settle for a par.

He said following his round: “It was a great round. The swings didn’t feel that different today to the first two days. The first two rounds, a couple of the not-so-good swings cost me a little bit too much

“Today, everything just seemed perfect. Made a lot of great swings and the ones that weren’t great, still gave myself a good result.”

The world number one needed just 25 putts as he equalled his career-low round.

“I think that’s the difference usually in a course like this,” he said. “To get to 10 under you’re going to have to make a few lengthy ones, and combined with really good ball-striking, great round. Really happy with what I did and just glad I gave myself a chance.”

Rahm, who is looking to defend a PGA title for the first time, could become the first player with five wins on the tour before May since Johnny Miller in 1974.

Finau, the only other member of the world’s top 20 in the field, birdied five of his last seven holes as he carded a 65 to maintain his lead heading into the final round.

Rahm, who beat him to the title 12 months ago, briefly edged ahead before the American’s strong finish.

Bhatia, 21, leapfrogged into the final group with an eagle on the last having played a practice round with Rahm and Finau earlier in the week.

Brandon Wu, who was second alongside Finau last year, is a shot further back and the only other person within five strokes of the lead.

Ben Taylor edged into the top 10 with a 66, two better than fellow Englishman Harry Hall.

Four-time champion Mark Selby came through a late-night battle with Mark Allen to set up a World Snooker Championship final with Crucible history maker Luca Brecel.

The 39-year-old was embroiled in a tense thriller with the Northern Irishman, eventually getting over the line with a 17-15 victory at 12.48am on Sunday morning – just 12 hours before the final is due to start.

Selby, who last won the tournament in 2021, probably thought he would have been done and dusted much earlier as five successive frames at the start of Saturday’s evening session put him one away from victory shortly before 10pm.

Yet, he had to wait the best part of three hours before potting the final ball as Allen hit back with five successive frames of his own and threatened to take it even deeper into the night.

Selby said: “I was just happy to get over the line, I felt I played well from 11-10 to 16-10 and then missed a couple of chances.

“At 16-15 he probably goes favourite because he had the momentum. It means everything to be back, I want to try and win it now I’m in the final.

“I don’t feel too bad right now, but I haven’t been sleeping too well while I’ve been here. If I don’t sleep well tonight there is something wrong.

“Luca will be fresh, he has had a night off, but if it means I only get 10 hours and playing in the World Championship final, I’d rather have that than have 24 hours off and be driving home.”

While Selby will have a quick turnaround before Sunday’s final, Brecel will have been tucked up and relaxed after he created history earlier in the day in his semi-final win over Si Jiahui.

The Belgian, who conquered Ronnie O’Sullivan in the quarter-final, produced the largest comeback at the famous Sheffield venue, winning 11 frames on the spin to turn a 14-5 deficit into a 17-14 victory.

He became the first player in Crucible history to overturn a nine-frame deficit and booked his first World Championship final, having never previously got past the first round.

Brecel said of his miraculous recovery against the 20-year-old Chinese debutant: “At 14-12, 14-13 I knew I had a chance, but I think 14-14 I was really believing it because I could see he was struggling and I was playing great stuff.

“But I knew I could have lost as well. To win is absolutely unbelievable, it is the biggest game of my life. I was in disbelief, I was shaking.

“The whole game I was expecting to lose, even with a session to spare, so to even have a chance to win was the craziest feeling ever in my body and I can’t believe I did it.

“I have never won a game here and now I am in the final, it is some story. It is going to take a while to sink in.”

Xavi believes Lamine Yamal will go on to achieve great things after the teenager made Barcelona history with his LaLiga debut against Real Betis on Saturday.

Yamal was introduced as a late substitute at Camp Nou as Barca cruised to a 4-0 victory over Betis, restoring their 11-point lead at the summit.

The La Masia academy product, aged 15 years and 290 days, became the Blaugrana's youngest player in LaLiga history.

Yamal almost teed up a late goal for Ousmane Dembele, only for the winger to falter in front of goal, and Xavi believes the midfielder has the talent to make his mark.

The Barca coach said: "I've told him to try things. At 15 years old, he is a talent and a special player. 

"He has been able to score, he has assisted and when you see him in training you see that he can be very great."

Raphinha scored one goal and assisted another in the thrashing of Betis, with Andreas Christensen and Robert Lewandowski also on target and Guido Rodriguez scoring an own goal.

The Brazil winger echoed Xavi's sentiment on Yamal, saying: "When I was 15 years old, I played for my neighbourhood team.

"It's incredible. It would have been incredible to score a goal."

Raphinha suggested Barca must repeat performances such as the one against Betis, which was in stark contrast to their showing in Wednesday's surprise 2-1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano.

He added: "The Rayo game was very tough. We needed to respond with a victory.

"Xavi warned us, we knew we needed a better attitude and be better on the ball. If we want to win the league, we have to play like this."

Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp has warned his team-mates they cannot afford to start poorly away to Liverpool.

Spurs bounced back from their humiliating 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle last weekend by earning a 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Thursday.

Cristian Stellini lost his job after Tottenham conceded five times in the opening 21 minutes at St James’ Park and his replacement Ryan Mason watched Jadon Sancho break the deadlock in the seventh minute in midweek.

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While Spurs were able to hit back from 2-0 down to salvage a point at home to the Red Devils, it further dented their slim top-four hopes, but Skipp insists they can win at Anfield on Sunday.

“Every game you have to start strongly in the Premier League, so this one will be no different,” the Tottenham academy graduate admitted.

“I hope we can use that second half to build on but we know it is a new game, with new challenges so we have to be on it from the first minute. We know what Anfield is like.

“For sure (we can win) because of that second half and performances throughout the season. We’ve beat Man City, beat Chelsea, there are performances that show we are definitely capable.

“It is just about finding that team spirit, the togetherness that we showed in the second half especially and to go to difficult places and know moments will be difficult but to push and dig in.”

Despite being only 22, Skipp is highly respected in the Spurs dressing room and repeatedly referenced the importance of being unified following the draw with Manchester United.

Mason had preached similar before and after the midweek fixture after the 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle was the latest low of a poor campaign for Tottenham.

Skipp added: “Second half I think everyone upped their levels five to 10 per cent and that shows when we are together, a collective and everyone ups their game, what we can do.

“Now we really need to build on that. We are not getting carried away because we’ve had second halves like that before, but we really need to use that as a positive.

“Everyone was disappointed: the whole club, staff, players. We were all really disappointed and we massively let everyone down with our performance at Newcastle.

“We knew we had no choice but to react and to show the togetherness that we know is in there. It is really about enhancing and finding that.”

Mason’s first big decision after he replaced Stellini was to revert back to Spurs’ favoured 3-4-3 formation but he stated Thursday’s second-half rally was more about sticking together.

However, Skipp revealed Tottenham’s third manager of the season made key tactical tweaks during half-time that helped change the course of the match.

“Ryan has been brilliant in just reinforcing and trying to get belief back into the players,” Skipp said of Mason.

“He has been brilliant in terms of small details he has changed. Obviously he hasn’t had as long as he’d want (in training) but there are things that helped everyone.

“At half-time everyone was aware of what we needed to do and also a few tactical things we changed, perhaps stopping their midfield getting easy possession because at times they had easy possession.

“A few tactical changes really helped us push up the pitch and stop worrying about what was behind us.

“I think we started the second half really strongly, so that gave everyone the belief but it would have been easy after the (Newcastle) performance for people to hide but I don’t think anyone did.

“It was really about showing everyone that we have got a team that is capable of fighting.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned his team not to “destruct” by listening to people saying the title race is already over.

City are now firm favourites to win the Premier League for a fifth time in six years following their convincing 4-1 win over leaders Arsenal in midweek.

The champions trail the Gunners by just two points with two games in hand and they could move top with victory over Fulham on Sunday.

Guardiola acknowledges City, who are also bidding for Champions League and FA Cup glory, have a chance to achieve something special this season but he insists it is far from done yet.

The Spaniard said: “At the end of the season, fighting for the title is the best feeling that we can have and the Premier League is in our hands.

“It doesn’t matter what happens in London, at the Emirates, it depends on us.

“We must just look at ourselves, perform every single game like we’ve performed the last two, three, four months, do everything and we’ll be closer and closer to the something exceptional.

“We cannot deny, winning another Premier League, how exceptional it would be.

“When you have that depending on us – you can drop it because you are not good, but not because you destruct or you start to listen to the wrong messages that it is already done. It is done when it is done and still, it is not done.”

Guardiola is building an extraordinary legacy at City having already won nine major trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016.

He has also had a transformative impact on English football as a whole with the style of play he has introduced and the high standards he has set.

His impact is likely to be felt long after he moves on but he claims leaving behind happy memories, rather than trophies or a redefined game, is what matters most to him.

The 52-year-old said: “The legacy will be, I’ve said many times, if in 10-25 years people in the UK or Great Britain, or here in Manchester especially, still remember that period. What happened would be the legacy.

“That people enjoyed watching us – that’s enough, that people remember in 10-15 years with a smile and say, ‘How nice was that period of seven, eight, nine years when we were together’?

“Come on, that is the biggest compliment, better than any trophy or things you can give.

“Honestly I don’t know (how I’ll be viewed). I’m not concerned about that. My concern is to live the moments and now it’s Fulham – the rest doesn’t matter.

“In life, when it’s gone it’s gone. When you pass away, you pass away and they remember you, your close family for a few days and after it’s gone. It’s sad but it’s true. The manager will be replaced.

“The nicest things are what you leave and I don’t want to leave history. I want to leave them what we live now.

“That’s why I like to be here because still we have the chance to continue to do something to make people happy.”

Sixth seed Coco Gauff slumped to a third-round exit at the hands Paula Badosa at the Madrid Open on Saturday, while Mirra Andreeva celebrated her 16th birthday by setting up a meeting with Aryna Sabalenka.

Badosa – the highest-ranked Spanish player in the women's draw – needed just 71 minutes to wrap up a 6-3 6-0 win over last year's Roland Garros runner-up, thrilling a supportive home crowd at the Manolo Santana Stadium.

Badosa edged a competitive start on the clay, with each of the first five games featuring break points, before the 25-year-old forced a series of errors from Gauff to take the opener.

The second set was far more straightforward, the error-prone Gauff rounding out the match by losing eight consecutive games to miss out on a spot in the last 16.

Gauff was not the only seed to be humbled on Saturday, with Caroline Garcia falling to a 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 loss in her meeting with Egypt's Mayar Sherif.

Sabalenka – the highest-ranked player in action on Saturday – enjoyed a more productive outing, however. 

She saw off a spirited challenge from Colombia's Camila Osorio to clinch a 6-4 7-5 victory, teeing up a last-16 meeting with surprise package Andreeva. 

Playing on her 16th birthday, wildcard Andreeva celebrated in style with a 6-3 6-3 win over Poland's Magda Linette, continuing a dream run which has also seen the Russian eliminate Leylah Fernandez and Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Two-time world champion Peter Wright produced a great escape against Krzysztof Ratajski in the Dutch Darts Championship.

Wright looked dead and buried against the Pole in European Tour event in Amsterdam as he trailed 5-1 in the race to six.

But he was able to reel off five successive legs to claim victory and make it through to Sunday afternoon’s quarter-final.

One man who did tumble was Dirk van Duijvenbode.

The Dutchman got a little too excited during his walk-on and tripped over on the stage while dancing in front of his home crowd.

However, he was able to literally pick himself up and beat Irishman Dylan Slevin, although he needed a 129 checkout in the final-leg decider to win 6-5.

Home favourite Michael van Gerwen began his quest for Dutch glory with a 6-2 win over Gabriel Clemens, winning four legs in a row, while defending champion Michael Smith had too much for Jim Smith in a 6-4 success and will now meet Wright in the last eight.

There were also wins for Nathan Aspinall, Luke Humphries, Josh Rock and Dave Chisnall but Jonny Clayton and Rob Cross were eliminated.

Barcelona edged closer to the LaLiga title with a 4-0 win over 10-man Real Betis.

Andreas Christensen, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha scored inside 40 minutes before Guido Rodriguez’s late own goal rounded off the scoring as the leaders cruised to victory.

Betis substitute Edgar Gonzalez, who was on the pitch for just 21 minutes, was sent off for two yellow cards after 33 minutes.

Victory leaves Barca, who had won one of their previous four league games, 11 points clear of Real Madrid at the top with six games remaining.

Earlier, Karim Benzema’s hat-trick inspired Madrid to a 4-2 win over Almeria.

The striker – who has scored three trebles in April – helped Madrid briefly close the gap at the top to eight points.

Benzema’s close-range finish after five minutes meant he became the second Real Madrid player to score 350 goals in all competitions after Cristiano Ronaldo.

The striker added a second after 17 minutes following Rodrygo’s brilliant assist and completed his hat-trick from the spot when Lucas Vazquez was tripped by Largie Ramazani.

Lazaro pulled a goal back for the visitors in first-half stoppage time but Rodrygo made it 4-1 two minutes after the restart, although Lucas Robertone grabbed another consolation.

Benzema was denied a penalty after a VAR check as Madrid cantered to victory while, earlier, already relegated Elche beat Rayo Vallecano 4-0.

In Serie A, Alexis Saelemaekers’ dramatic leveller deep in stoppage time kept AC Milan ahead of Roma in the race for the top four.

Tammy Abraham had struck in the third minute of stoppage time with a goal which looked set to send Roma above AC Milan, only for Saelemaekers to level four minutes later to secure a 1-1 draw.

Mid-table Torino lost 2-1 at home to Atalanta after Duvan Zapata’s late winner added to Davide Zappacosta’s goal. Antonio Sanabria had levelled earlier for Torino.

RB Leipzig beat Hoffenheim 1-0 thanks to Chelsea-bound Christopher Nkunku to tighten their grip on fifth place in the Bundesliga.

Freiburg beat Cologne 1-0 to close the gap on third-placed Union Berlin who drew 0-0 with Bayer Leverkusen.

Eintracht Frankfurt and Augsburg drew 1-1, struggling Stuttgart beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1, while Schalke beat Werder Bremen 2-1 to boost their survival hopes.

In Ligue 1, England Under-21 striker Angel Gomes scored in Lille’s 3-0 victory over Ajaccio.

Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas progressed to the third round of the Madrid Open but there was no such luck for Felix Auger-Aliassime on Saturday.

Second seed Medvedev cruised past Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori 6-4 6-3, teeing up a meeting with Alexander Shevchenko, who overcame Jiri Lehecka in straight sets.

Tsitsipas was made to work by Dominic Thiem, but the fourth seed battling from a set down to win 3-6 6-1 7-6 (7-5).

World number 40 Dusan Lajovic provided the shock of the day by defeating seventh seed Auger-Aliassime 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7-5).

Denis Shapovalov, the 21st seed, was another surprise second-round loser, falling 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-1) to China's Zhang Zhizhen.

Taylor Fritz avoided adding to the list of notable early eliminations in the Spanish capital, the eighth seed battling to a 7-6 (13-11) 6-4 victory over Christopher O'Connell.

Fritz's fellow American Frances Tiafoe progressed with a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) triumph over Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry, while 14th seed Tommy Paul crashed out after a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) defeat to Roman Safiullin.

Seeds Alex de Minaur and Sebastian Baez also navigated their way through to the third round, defeating Marco Cecchinato and Marcos Giron respectively, as did Cameron Norrie at the expense of Yosuke Watanuki.

Logan Costa and Thijs Dallinga both scored twice as Toulouse thrashed holders Nantes 5-1 in a one-sided Coupe de France final, handing Les Violets their first major trophy in their current guise.

Nantes never looked likely to defend their crown at the Stade de France, falling behind within four minutes as centre-back Costa climbed to head Branco van den Boomen's corner home.

Toulouse's dream start continued as they capitalised on another set-piece six minutes later, Stijn Spierings crossing for Costa to nod in from close range after Nantes half-cleared a free-kick.

Nantes almost got one back as Gabriel Suazo denied Mostafa Mohamed with a goal-line clearance, but Toulouse had a third 23 minutes in, Dallinga racing onto Suazo's pass to beat Alban Lafont with a dinked finish.

Any slim hopes of a Nantes comeback were then crushed as Dallinga tapped in his second after Lafont saved from Fares Chaibi, stunning Les Canaris' supporters into silence.

Nantes captain Ludovic Blas got one back from the penalty spot when Rasmus Nicolaisen scythed down Fabien Centonze with 15 minutes remaining, but Zakaria Aboukhlal swiftly blasted into the top-left corner to round off the scoring for Toulouse.

While Toulouse can celebrate lifting a first major trophy since predecessors Toulouse FC won this competition in 1957, Nantes must recover quickly as they battle to preserve their Ligue 1 status.