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• Xavi 'convinced' Barcelona U-turn is right decision

  Xavi believes staying at Barcelona is the right decision after he performed a U-turn on leaving the club.

  Reports emerged on Wednesday that Xavi, who had initially decided to leave Barca at the end of the season, had changed his mind.

  Confirmation arrived on Thursday, with Xavi and Barca's club president Joan Laporta holding a press conference.

  And Xavi has no doubt he is making the right call.

  “You know that I am a very big Barcelona fan and I always try to do the best for the club," he said, as reported by Football Espana.

  "The most important thing is to think about the institution. When we met with the president I put my position at his disposal, but I saw that I enjoy great confidence from the president and the entire board.

  "The players have been very important, they have made me see that this project has to continue. We are working well, it is a winning project. The project is not finished.

  "The fans have also made me see that I must continue. The staff too. I think about what is best for the club.

  "In January I thought it was best to leave, but now I see it differently. I think it is the best decision.

  "I am 100 per cent committed. The trust they have placed in me again is spectacular. Let's get to work."

  Crunch talks with Laporta were reportedly key to Xavi's decision, and Barca's president added: "It's great news that Xavi is staying. Stability is one of the keys to success."

  Since taking charge of Barca in 2022, he has taken charge of 137 games in all competitions, winning 85 of them (62 per cent), drawing 24 and losing 28.

  His team have scored 261 goals, winning two trophies – the 2022-23 LaLiga title and the 2022-23 Supercopa de Espana.

  Barca's last-gasp defeat in El Clasico last weekend saw them fall 11 points behind LaLiga leaders Real Madrid with just six games remaining.

• FC Dallas v Houston Dynamo: Arriola says hosts must pay supporters back

  Midfielder Paul Arriola says FC Dallas need to start paying their supporters back in Saturday's Texas derby against the Houston Dynamo, having failed to impress in the early stages of the season.

  Dallas sit 13th in the Western Conference standings with just five points from eight matches in 2024, their only victory coming against the San Jose Earthquakes in their season opener.

  They have only taken two points from seven matches since then, putting head coach Nico Estevez under pressure. 

  However, Arriola says a clash with their biggest rivals at Toyota Stadium represents a chance to put things right.

  "Our fans have been great all season, we haven't shown up for them. It is motivation for us to go and beat Houston on Saturday and obtain three points," he said. 

  Dallas were beaten 2-1 by the Colorado Rapids last time out, leading Estevez to question his players' character. 

  "We turned up with fear, lacking in determination and character," the Dallas boss said after that match.

  "It is very difficult to play like that because Colorado are one of the hardest working teams in the league on both sides of the ball."

  Houston, meanwhile, are preparing for a second straight meeting with a state rival, having suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Austin FC – their third loss of the year – last week.

  Star midfielder Hector Herrera made his first appearance of the season from the bench in that match, playing 30 minutes after recovering from a groin injury.

  Head coach Ben Olsen said of the Mexican's return: "You can see when he comes on the field, the game changes for the better in some areas.

  "Right after he came on, the pressure was turned up on them. We got into so many dangerous spots, but still that connection in the box just wasn't there."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  FC Dallas – Petar Musa

  Musa is the only Dallas player with multiple goals to his name in MLS this season, having netted his second goal of 2024 in last week's loss to Colorado. 

  Can he provide attacking inspiration for a team with just seven goals in eight games this year? 

  Houston Dynamo – Hector Herrera 

  While it remains to be seen whether Herrera is ready for a start, he could have a sizeable impact upon his return to action.

  Last season, the Mexican led all Houston players for chances created (77), passes into the final third (835) and assists (13) in MLS play.

  MATCH PREDICTION – FC DALLAS WIN

  Dallas have made their second-worst start to an MLS campaign, only taking fewer than five points by this stage of a season when they earned four in 2009. They did, however, go on to make the playoffs that year.

  With home advantage on their side, perhaps things will start to turn on Saturday. The Dynamo haven't won consecutive away MLS matches within a single season for almost 11 years, and they won their last road game 2-1 against Minnesota United.

  Dallas tend to turn up for the derby, having gone unbeaten through their last 13 regular-season home matches against Houston (eight wins, five draws) in a run which stretches back to September 2011.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  FC Dallas – 44.6% 

  Houston Dynamo – 26.5%

  Draw – 28.9%

• Man Utd matchwinner Fernandes: Criticism part of the job

  Bruno Fernandes said Manchester United's players cannot afford to get annoyed by outside criticism, after he scored twice to fire the Red Devils to a much-needed win over Sheffield United.

  Erik ten Hag's team were roundly criticised for their performance in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City, as they surrendered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 before inching through in a penalty shoot-out.

  They had also gone four Premier League games without a win (three draws, one defeat) prior to Wednesday's meeting with the rock-bottom Blades, with their hopes of Champions League football all-but over.

  They twice trailed as Sheffield United threatened a huge upset, but Fernandes scored twice and supplied an assist as they fought back to claim a 4-2 win.

  Asked whether the noise around Sunday's semi-final win had affected the mood at Old Trafford, Fernandes told Sky Sports: "That's part of the job. 

  "You can be in a run of games where you win eight or nine in a row, and when you lose one you know you'll be criticised. 

  "Being at Manchester United demands winning every game, so it's part of the job. If there is anyone in the dressing room still not used to that, they will get used to it!

  "Being a Manchester United player demands being ready to receive as much criticism as praise. We receive praise when we do good things so we can't be annoyed by the criticism.

  "When people want to do that, they might have a point. We can think in a different way, but we have to take it in the same way as we take the credit they give us."

  Ten Hag's team did look disjointed for long periods on Wednesday, though, and they have now conceded 50 Premier League goals this season.

  The Red Devils have now shipped a half-century of goals in two of their last three Premier League campaigns, having done so just once in their previous 29.

  Ten Hag, though, was content with most aspects of their performance, saying: "It was a good game for the crowd, they saw four goals and many chances that we created.

  "I think we played quite well, we created many more chances, so there's many positives. But also negatives. Conceding two goals from giveaways, that's unacceptable.

  "We want to play dynamic, attacking football. That is what we want to see. Since the winter we have created lots of chances and also scored a lot of those chances."