Ryan Mason insists Tottenham are still a “big club” and an attractive proposition for managers despite the ongoing search for a new head coach.

Spurs saw another contender to permanently replace Antonio Conte exit the running this week after Feyenoord boss Arne Slot committed his long-term future to the Eredivisie club before he signed a new deal on Friday.

Tottenham held an interest in Slot but the PA news agency understands no direct discussions with the 44-year-old took place.

Mason is under no illusions the top job at Spurs remains desirable.

“It is Tottenham Hotspur, it is a big club. Not just for managers or coaches, but for staff members, for players,” Spurs’ acting head coach said before Sunday’s trip to Leeds.

“Anyone here should feel the privilege and honour to represent the badge. If they don’t, then they shouldn’t be here. It is as simple as that.

“Maybe these people (like Slot) you might be mentioning, I don’t know who because I’ve not been looking at the press, but if their name is out there, they are not exactly moving themselves away from it. They know it is a big club.

“They know if Tottenham and their name is being linked, it is a massive positive for them.

“It is a big club, we know it is. Every manager and every coach knows it is a big club, players do, fans do.

“You can really feel it when you are here, when you are in our stadium. This will stay a big club and will be attractive for whoever is in charge next season.

“I am sure players as well will want to come here.

When Conte left his position on March 26 Tottenham were firmly in the race for Champions League qualification, but they travel to relegation-threatened Leeds on Sunday with only a faint chance of securing a place in the Europa Conference League.

Mason insisted that, while European football for next season is crucial, the most important task for the club is to put a plan in place.

“Obviously it has its implications and it’s not where the football club wants to be. We definitely want to be competing in Europe,” the 31-year-old stated.

“Any European competition is important for a club this size but at the same time the most important thing, regardless of whether we’re in or out of Europe, is that there is a plan and there is commitment from everyone to that going forward.”

During the last few weeks, Mason has repeatedly referenced the need for commitment at the club without going into specifics.

Even before Conte departed two months ago, the future of the Italian was uncertain with his deal set to expire this summer anyway.

Mason again refused to be drawn on whether any coaches, players or members of staff had lacked commitment this season, but admitted the squad had been affected by the turmoil off the pitch.

He added: “The results before he (Conte) left weren’t amazing. I don’t think results have dipped a huge amount.

“Obviously we were in a different position but I think you could feel it, you could feel it the weeks leading up to it there was uncertainty and it’s never great to have that uncertainty.

“We’ve probably been in that situation for the last eight weeks where there’s been a lot of uncertainty.

“That is why one of my main things when me and my team of people came in, I wanted to create a togetherness and make us feel part of something towards the end of the season.”

Julen Lopetegui admits the uncertainly surrounding his future cannot be allowed to drag on.

The former Real Madrid manager’s long-term future at Molineux has been in the spotlight.

Financial fair play regulations will impact the club’s spending power this summer and Lopetegui has previously said he only discovered the constraints last week.

He has been calling for investment since securing Premier League safety and the manager will continue to speak to chairman Jeff Shi about what backing he will receive – but knows there needs to be a quick resolution.

He said: “I hope – we will see.

“I want to solve the problems. Maybe me or the club aren’t able to solve them 100 per cent, but I think we have to try, for our fans, for our club, for our history and for our future.

“If we want to be demanding in the future we have to demand now with ourselves and with this summer.

“I have a contract and I’ve been here for six months. I’m very happy here and I hope I can continue being happy here.

“But we have a problem and we must be honest and look each other in the eyes to try to solve the problems.

“Maybe not 100 per cent, but maybe 80 per cent, who knows?

“This is all. About my future, I have a contract and we will see what is going to happen, This is football, we don’t know.

“We have to talk, it’s not about one or two days. We have to talk about the solution and the future to be able to have a squad ready to compete again.

“This year has been a wake-up call. We have to learn why it has happened and to overcome and make our homework this summer. It’s not about one or two days. We need a clear picture.

“It’s important to have the squad ready. Maybe not 100 per cent of players but maybe 90 per cent. For me it’s very important, to have the squad ready to start working with us on July 1.”

Wolves to go Arsenal for Sunday’s Premier League finale and Joao Moutinho will not feature and is likely to have played his last game for the club as he is out of contract in the summer.

Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) is out while Lopetegui himself is banned from the touchline for collecting four yellow cards.

He added: “On Sunday we have an important match because it’s the last of the season. They have been very close to winning the Premier League and will want to make a good match in front of their fans. We have to be ready to compete with them.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp does not believe Mohamed Salah will be looking for an escape route in search of Champions League football.

Writing on social media after Manchester United’s win over Chelsea on Thursday consigned Liverpool to the Europa League next season, the Egypt forward said he was “devastated” and there was “absolutely no excuse” for not finishing in the Premier League’s top four.

Last summer the 30-year-old signed a new contract, making him the highest-paid player in the club’s history, but even if next term goes to plan and they regain their place in the Champions League he will be close to entering the final 12 months of that deal.

Asked whether he was concerned about Salah’s immediate future after his rare public statement, Klopp said: “No worries, no. I only heard what he said but I couldn’t read anything that could lead in that direction.

“Obviously Mo loves being here and Mo was part of it. He said apologies for what ‘we’ did – not apologies for ‘what the other guys did, but I had to go with them’. It is all fine.

“If ever a player would come to me and said, ‘oh, we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, I have to leave’, I would drive him to the other club myself.

“I would take the key, (and say) ‘come in the car, where do you want to go, I drive you’.

“That would be something I never could understand. It is, I would say, ‘oh, we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, I need to work in the Champions League so I go’.”

Klopp said if that was a mentality he accepted he too would be looking to leave.

“I am responsible for this mess, or whatever, so you cannot go in these moments,” he added.

“It is not the case with Mo, not at all, and nobody else told me. They ask if they can have a longer holiday or whatever – but nobody asks me if after the holiday they have to come back.

“So that was not in our conversation.

“I saw him now in the canteen and he was smiling. I don’t know for which reason as I didn’t ask him, but he is not in a bad mood. That’s it.

“We didn’t point fingers at each other. That’s all good. If you don’t qualify for the Champions League, the best place you can possibly end up is fifth, so that’s what we did.

“If you’d have asked me 10 games ago if that was possible, I’d have said no. That the boys did that is really good but it’s not perfect.

“We didn’t end up fifth because of the last 10 games, we ended up there because of the lack of consistency before that.

“We didn’t deliver what everybody wanted or expected but we are still really united, that’s the good thing about it.”

Failure to qualify for the Champions League is set to cost Liverpool at least £50million next season but there may be implications in the shorter term as UEFA’s second-tier competition is likely to be less attractive to leading players.

The club have already pulled out of the running for primary target Jude Bellingham after the asking price for the Borussia Dortmund midfielder became prohibitive, and reports this week suggested Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount’s preferred destination is Manchester United.

Klopp is keen to get his business done early and is hopeful finishing fifth will not put a spanner in the works of their planning.

“I don’t think so but we will see. That is obviously possible, it’s always possible things don’t go as quick as you want. It’s not only possible, it is probably likely,” he added ahead of Sunday’s final match of the season at Southampton.

“The better the players you want the lesser is the desire of the other club to let him go and that’s exactly what we are prepared for.

“But it’s a long window and a long pre-season and a long break in-between so we have time. If we get in players tomorrow or in six or seven weeks it is not a game-changer for me to be honest.

“In an ideal world they all sign tomorrow and I can tell them when to be here and we can start giving them the plans for the summer break but that will not likely happen.”

Mikel Arteta praised the influence of Granit Xhaka in helping Arsenal carve out their surprise title challenge this season but would not be drawn on whether the midfielder will still be at the club next season.

Xhaka has been a key figure alongside Thomas Partey in Arteta’s midfield this campaign, becoming a respected leadership presence and redeeming himself in the eyes of supporters after a public spat in 2019 threatened his place in the squad.

Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen have been heavily linked with a move for the 30-year-old, whose contract is due to expire at the end of next season.

He spent four years in Germany with Borussia Monchengladbach before Arsene Wenger brought him to Arsenal in 2016 for around £30million, but he endured a strained relationship with fans culminating in a confrontation as he was substituted during a game against Crystal Palace at the Emirates four years ago.

Then manager Unai Emery subsequently stripped him of the captaincy and his time at the club looked to be over.

But this season has seen a full rehabilitation for the Switzerland international as Arsenal ran Manchester City to the final weeks of the season for the title and returned to the Champions League after a six-year absence.

“For me (he’s been) crucial – really, really important at every level, and I think for the team and the club as well,” said Arteta, who said he would not comment on the futures of any of his side until after Sunday’s Premier League finale against Wolves.

“In the great moments like this season he has had, and in the difficult ones, because I think we have become a better club and better people and we have understood certain situations much better than just judging them.

“I think the club and a lot of people have done really good to dig in there to understand what happened emotionally and why those reactions were happening.

“Having the courage to say, ‘OK, turn around to the situation, face it’. There’s going to be a moment of doubt but if you believe in what you’re doing and you go face-to-face and you say what you feel, normally things work out pretty well.

“When you look how he behaved. We have some others who are absolutely a joy for those boys, the way they treat them. And he has an honest and unique willingness to help them. It’s not an act, it’s genuine.

“It makes the difference. We have four or five in that dressing room who have been critical for these players to grow, to have the right support, to inspire them and in the right moment to challenge them when it’s necessary to get them in the right direction when they are tempted to go somewhere else. You need that in that dressing room.”

Arteta said he would take the time to recharge himself after a draining campaign in which Arsenal led the table for 248 days before slipping away, a record for any side that has failed to win the title.

The team were eight points clear as recently as early April before a string of draws against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton weakened their advantage, allowing Manchester City to finally overtake them with a thumping 4-1 win at the Etihad.

The manager predicted the challenge will be even tougher if Arsenal aim to prevent City from winning a record fourth-straight crown, but planned to switch off from football for a period over the close season.

“I have the necessary energy to go into the last game and really feel again that connection, play well, win the game and finish the season in the right way,” he said.

“Then I have another kind of energy without that being so physical and so demanding and being there every single day but to have the time to think as well; to plan what we want to do, to try execute it, but to recharge my batteries as well next to my family, next to my friends, on a beautiful beach just not thinking about football.

“It’s very important (to be able to switch off). Me personally I have to get better at that but I think I have some good help around.”

Partick Thistle continued their goalscoring spree to reach the cinch Premiership play-off final with a 5-0 win over 10-man Ayr at Somerset Park.

Scott Tiffoney hit a double and Jack McMillan, Steven Lawless and Kevin Holt were on target as the Jags secured an 8-0 aggregate victory.

Championship runners-up Ayr had top goalscorer Dipo Akinyemi sent off to cap a miserable play-off experience for the striker and the club.

Thistle will take on either Kilmarnock or Ross County in the two-legged final with the Staggies needing to win at Rugby Park on Sunday to avoid a difficult obstacle to retaining their top-flight status.

The Jags have scored 16 goals in four play-off wins and have only lost once in 17 games since Kris Doolan took charge.

Although a fourth-placed team in the Championship has never won the play-offs, Thistle now have an extra two days’ rest then their opponents before the first leg next Thursday after having a full week between both games against Ayr.

Ayr midfielder Reece McAlear had an early strike saved but the sting was taken out of the game in the seventh minute when McMillan netted his third goal of the play-off campaign.

The right-back provided the impetus to the move with a run into the box and his cross eventually fell for Aidan Fitzpatrick, whose shot was stopped by Ayr goalkeeper Charlie Albinson. McMillan was perfectly placed to nod the rebound over the line.

There were chances at either end in the following moments but Thistle looked the more dangerous side and the home side’s slim hopes disappeared in the 25th minute when Akinyemi was sent off.

The striker, who missed the first leg through illness, reacted angrily to being held by Aaron Muirhead and tried to push the defender away.

The man whose 24 goals earned him the PFA Scotland Championship player of the year award caught the defender in the face with his arm and Muirhead went down and received treatment.

Referee Colin Steven took a long time to deliver his punishment but Akinyemi was already walking towards the tunnel before the red card was shown.

Ayr manager Lee Bullen did not appear to be in agreement and pointed his finger at someone on the pitch.

His mood worsened two minutes later when Thistle doubled their lead on the counter-attack.

Fitzpatrick broke down the left, took his time and picked out Tiffoney at the far post to knock home. The former Ayr loan player celebrated by putting his finger to his mouth in front of the home support.

Albinson saved one on one from Brian Graham before Tiffoney added another goal in the 54th minute. A wonderful first-time pass from Steven Lawless sent McMillan down the right and his low cross was turned home from six yards.

Lawless netted in the 63rd minute with a reverse finish after Albinson had palmed away Kevin Holt’s cross.

Substitutes Anton Dowds, twice, and Danny Mullen missed good chances for the visitors before Holt headed home Kyle Turner’s 88th-minute corner.

Barry Robson has demanded that his Aberdeen players do not even think about taking it easy at Celtic Park on Saturday even though they have achieved their objective.

The Dons sealed third place in the cinch Premiership – and likely European group-stage football next term – by beating St Mirren 3-0 on Wednesday so they have little to play for other than personal pride when they visit the champions.

Robson is adamant there is no chance of him allowing his team to slip into holiday mode for their final match of the campaign.

“The players deserve a huge amount of credit for how they have performed but the message was made clear in training that the season isn’t over yet,” he said.

“We’ve got a huge game to come. The sign of a good team is being able to go right to the very end and we need to go to the very end because Celtic Park is one of the hardest places you’ll ever go to play football, especially against an Ange Postecoglou team who are relentless in the way they play.

“They have got a cup final to come afterwards so I’m sure all their players will be at it. They’ve been phenomenal this season but we need to go down there and be brave and be right at it. If we do that, we have a chance.”

Robson will be forced into two changes as on-loan Hoops defender Liam Scales is ineligible to face his parent club, while striker Bojan Miovski was carried off injured on Wednesday and will see a specialist on Monday.

Beyond that, Robson is of no mind to tinker with his team too much as he wants to ensure Aberdeen have a chance of finishing with a win.

“No,” he said when asked if he was planning to mix his team up. “We’re going down to the best team in the country.

“You can’t take that lightly because they’ve got some real top players. We need to go down there and put a performance on. We’re there to represent Aberdeen Football Club so we need to make sure we’re at it.

“I’ve been in this game far too long and you can’t take a game lightly. I’m not a big believer in playing friendlies either. Every game means something.”

Robson refused to be drawn on reports this week suggesting the Dons were close to agreeing a deal to sign on-loan Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson on a permanent deal, insisting he would not comment on any transfer until it was officially confirmed.

Asked how much of a rebuild he anticipates this summer, Robson said: “We’re the same as anyone else.

“Every manager will be busy with players coming in and going out. It’s the same at every club but hopefully we can take some good players in that can help us.”

Jim Goodwin held “positive” talks with Dundee United chairman Mark Ogren but is waiting to see if he will be given an extended chance to lead the club’s attempts at revival.

Goodwin led United to three consecutive wins to get them out of the cinch Premiership danger zone after being appointed on an interim basis but a fourth loss on the bounce on Wednesday all but consigned them to automatic relegation.

A 3-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock means United need to win at Motherwell on Saturday and hope the Ayrshire side beat Ross County while achieving an eight-goal swing on the Staggies.

Goodwin has made it clear he would “love” to stay on as United boss beyond the end of the season but his future remains unclear.

The Irishman said: “I have just met the chairman for the first time face to face over the last couple of days. I spent hours with him just giving him my overview on what I have experienced during my time here.

“He has made a hell of an investment financially from his own personal wealth into the club.

“He is a man that in business is used to succeeding and he certainly didn’t come to Dundee United to be having this kind of experience.

“So whatever the outcome is on Sunday, he is fully behind supporting the club in trying to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again in the future.

“He is determined to put things right, from his own point of view but also for the supporters as well.

“We had good, positive talks but there has been nothing decided with regards to my long-term future.

“I have explained to him that I have loved my time at the club, I have met some great people here. There are some fantastic people behind the scenes doing some great things in a lot of the other departments.

“But unfortunately a club is always going to be recognised on what happens on the pitch and unfortunately as a team we haven’t been good enough and all the other good things have been brushed under the carpet.”

Goodwin wants his players to restore a modicum of pride at Fir Park.

“Although we are not mathematically down, we need a minor miracle to happen on Sunday to get that play-off place,” he said.

“We are not going to throw the towel in, of course, but I don’t want to sound silly and look silly by sitting here saying to you guys that we are going to achieve it.

“But we have to put a team on the park that is going to play with pride and try and finish the season on a positive note.

“It’s an eight-goal difference, we would need to score a hell of a lot of goals and hope Kilmarnock do similar to Ross County, but look, there is a one per cent chance possibly, but we know how difficult that task is going to be.

“We have to go and give a good account of ourselves as a group and not go down to Motherwell waving the white flag.

“There is personal pride at stake for the players, myself and the rest of the group. We owe it to ourselves first and foremost but more importantly we owe it to the supporters, because what has happened in the last four games has been unacceptable.”

United might have to aim for a glut of goals without their only experienced striker. Steven Fletcher played through a torn groin muscle during Wednesday’s defeat.

Goodwin said: “Steven is playing through the pain barrier for the club, whether he is going to be able to do the same on Sunday, we will wait and see.”

Frank Lampard said turning around Chelsea’s fortunes will be the next manager’s problem as he prepares to bow out from his interim role after Sunday’s game against Newcastle.

The team’s wretched season slumped to a new low with a 4-1 thumping against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday, the ninth defeat of Lampard’s 11 games in charge.

If results go against them on the final day they could finish as low as 14th and equal their worst placing in the Premier League era.

They are already guaranteed to end with their lowest points tally in the competition, with the fewest number of goals the club have scored in a Premier League campaign.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be appointed as the club’s next permanent manager in the coming days and his in-tray will include quickly slimming down a bloated first-team squad and installing cohesion in a team that has lost its way since Graham Potter was sacked in April.

Chelsea have won only once in the almost two months since Potter was removed seven months into a five-year contract, and the task of rediscovering the team’s form has seemingly grown more daunting with each defeat.

A remedy has proved beyond Lampard in his short time in charge, and he was asked whether the incoming manager will have the toughest job of any Chelsea boss in the last 20 years.

“It’s a good headline but I don’t know,” said Lampard. “It remains to be seen, I can’t jump into the future.

“I think it is a fantastic job because it is the Chelsea job and when I took it first time (in 2019) I came I probably got it it was because a lot of top managers didn’t want that, I know that for a fact.

“I enjoyed the process and I enjoyed coming in and I wish the new manager well.

“I don’t know… it’s his problem I guess – is that the headline you wanted?”

One of the hindering factors during Lampard’s reign has been the size of the squad, with 34 first-team players vying for selection following co-owner Todd Boehly’s whirlwind transfer activity during his first 12 months in control.

It has meant limited playing time for younger members of the squad, even those signed for large fees and with high expectations.

Carney Chukwuemeka joined from Aston Villa for £20million last summer but has struggled for minutes, whilst Noni Madueke arrived for £29m from PSV Eindhoven and has featured just 11 times.

Both players started the loss at Old Trafford and played 82 minutes before being substituted and Lampard said he was pleased with the application of players that came in having not been regulars in the side.

“I don’t want to go into individuals,” he said. “I thought Carney did really well (against United) coming in to midfield with personality. It has been one of the harder parts of my job with the numbers in the squad.

“Going with a team to win important games and working with the younger players who we haven’t seen before because normally there is a process and a pre-season.

“We haven’t had that time. I thought Carney did well, I thought Noni did pretty well again and the flip of that was that Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta) was fantastic with his captaincy and attitude.

“It is 70 per cent of the game how you apply yourself and your attitude.”

Marco Silva insists his focus is on the future with Fulham as the Cottagers seek to secure a record Premier League points return on the final day of the season.

Silva has previously said he will seek assurance that Fulham share his ambition before entering into talks over a new contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season.

But the 45-year-old Portuguese – who has been linked to Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli – said he is in dialogue with the club’s hierarchy “every single day” to push Fulham forward.

“Normally I don’t talk too much about the situation,” Silva said ahead of the trip to Manchester United on Sunday.

“But we are here and I am talking every single day with people to keep planning and improving this football club as best as we can, as we did from the first day.

“This is the main focus for us. I’m under contract with this football club and this is the main thing.”

After promotion from the Sky Bet Championship last season, Fulham will end up 10th whatever happens at Old Trafford.

It will be their first top-half finish in the Premier League since coming ninth in 2012.

But Fulham have the incentive of eclipsing the 53 points they achieved in the 2008-09 season under Roy Hodgson.

Silva said: “There are three points to fight for, that is the main thing.

“From the first day they (players) know what our demands and standards are every single time.

“Even if we can not go for a difference in position right now, the points are still there and it’s for us to fight for.”

Fulham’s successful season has seen Silva join Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Newcastle’s Eddie Howe and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery on a six-man shortlist for the managerial award.

“These sort of nominations make all of us proud but it is a consequence of how the team perform,” Silva said.

“Even though the name is there, it is not an individual thing, it is a collective.

“It is a consequence of the season Fulham Football Club has had, but I am proud my name is in there.”

Former United winger Daniel James could be denied the chance of an Old Trafford return because of a hamstring problem.

Another former United player, midfielder Andreas Pereira, is definitely out with a fractured ankle, while Tim Ream (arm) will also be absent.

Rory McKenzie aims to make the most of the adrenaline rush of Kilmarnock’s survival battle.

Killie maintained 10th place in the cinch Premiership with a 3-0 win at Dundee United on Wednesday but they still need a result against Ross County to avoid a relegation play-off.

McKenzie has made more than 350 appearances for Killie but he still experiences nerves ahead of occasions like Sunday’s Rugby Park clash.

The 29-year-old said: “I have tried to put a spin on it that one day I am not going to be playing football, I will have a normal job, and in a few years I won’t have this feeling.

“In a few years’ time there won’t be the adrenaline rush that I have for the next three days so I am trying to spin it that way and enjoy it the best I can.

“The worst part is now. I was quite nervous leading up to the Dundee United game and the best I felt was when I was walking out. That’s when you know you are in control of it.

“Waiting about for the game for three days, you just wish the game was tomorrow, you want to get it out the way, you want to play the game.”

Manager Derek McInnes has been clear that avoiding relegation has been the aim this season as Killie look to consolidate their Championship title win.

McKenzie said: “That’s always been the goal this season, nothing else. The fact that comes down to Sunday against a team that are fighting for the exact same thing is quite exciting. Two years in a row, it’s not good for anyone’s heart.

“I probably found it mentally tougher last year, with going to win. I felt there was more pressure and I had never experienced that before. Usually it’s been about staying in the league and last year was about trying to win the league, and that was different for me.

“Don’t get me wrong, this is just as big, probably bigger but I do believe we have got what it takes.

“Against Arbroath, there was an expectation on us to win the league and I struggled with that at times.”

A draw will do Killie while County need to win.

McKenzie said: “It’s a game we just have to treat like any other and go out and try and win because we are not very good at trying to see out draws.

“We have good home form, we are good on the front foot, there will be a lot of people here, and that’s our aim, to go and win the game, not sit and wait for a draw.”

McInnes expects Kyle Vassell to play through the pain after taking a knock to an ongoing knee injury after scoring twice at Tannadice.

“We have got everybody fit from the game the other day,” the manager said.

“The only doubt is Vassell but we think he will be OK in terms of getting him out there.

“He took another knock on the injury but we are hoping he will be fine as he has been doing for the last while, not doing very much training and just getting him out there.

“Then hopefully with a positive result on Sunday we can give him a proper rest, because that’s all he needs.

“His goals have been vital but he has a charisma and confidence about him, he leads the line well, he has a bullishness about him and that rubs off. Psychologically it’s important that he is out there on Sunday.

“Joe Wright, Ryan Alebiosu and Alan Power have a chance as well.”

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas looks to have played his final game for Nottingham Forest after being ruled out of Sunday’s Premier League curtain-closer at Crystal Palace.

Navas limped out of Saturday’s win over Arsenal, which secured Forest’s top-flight status, after landing heavily when collecting a ball in injury time.

He has not recovered in time to feature at Selhurst Park and with reports in France suggesting the Paris St. Germain loanee will not extend his stay at the club, his City Ground career could be over.

Brazilian duo Felipe and Danilo, who also came off against Arsenal, are also doubts.

“Keylor is out for the game,” boss Steve Cooper said. “He won’t feature. You saw him come off right at the end of the game with a groin injury.

“Felipe and Danilo both came off as well and are doubts for the game. We’ll see about them. We’ve still got a day or two until the game, so we’ll see how they are.”

Forest’s survival is a real success given their long stint outside of the Premier League and their unprecedent squad churn last season.

After enjoying the relief of staying up, Cooper is already turning his attention to the future.

“Initially it was relief and really positive emotions,” he said. “You could see the joy that it gave the supporters and everyone connected with the team.

“No one wants to be down at the bottom of the league, fighting to stay in it, but it happens, especially at a promoted team. We had been out of the league for a couple of decades.

“And the way we had to go about it from the day we got promoted to this day, there has been so much change at the club.

“There is a feeling of satisfaction that we’ve had to contend with so many things that haven’t happened before.

“The boys have managed to get over the line and they deserve so much credit for that. For me as the days have gone by it has really now turned into motivation about how we have to improve.

“We have a tough game at palace where we are really determined to finish off the season well.”

Thomas Frank admitted Ivan Toney made mistakes but questioned the Football Association’s decision to ban him from training for four months as part of his suspension for betting rule breaches.

Toney pleaded guilty to 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules and has been banned from football for eight months and is not allowed to train with Brentford until half of the term has been served on September 17.

Frank jumped to Toney’s side as Brentford adjust to being without their 20-goal striker for the first half of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Brentford boss said: “Yes, Ivan did something wrong but what I don’t get at all is how can you not let him be involved in football at all for the first four months?

“What do you gain from that? If you want to rehabilitate people you give them education, you do something, and now he is left on his own.

“There’s no doubt for me that the first four months he could be involved in football, he should be forced to go into a hundred schools to tell them about his football and background, that’s how it should work, but I’m a football coach, what do I know?

“If I can’t speak to him, then they will have to ban me. If I am not allowed to speak to him on a support level there must be something wrong. I think you’re allowed to contact people even when they’re in prison aren’t you? So I think I’m allowed.”

Toney’s ban was reduced by the independent regulatory commission after he was diagnosed with a gambling addiction by a psychiatry expert.

In March Brentford were reported to be considering cutting ties with Hollywood Bets who have been their main kit sponsor since July 2021.

And Frank discussed the link between football and gambling sponsors and called for better ways to support players.

“I think it’s definitely something we need to look into,” Frank added.

“The cleaner the football industry could be, the better.

“Ivan has made some mistakes, now we need to get through that and we will support him. But there is no doubt that football and gambling’s relationship need to be reviewed and I think we can only look at ourselves first.

“We got a massive reminder (Toney ban), do we do enough to educate our players? I think that’s a big thing, I think the football authorities have a massive task to make sure we do this much better.”

Brentford host treble-chasing Manchester City at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday where a win depending on other results could see them qualify for the Europa Conference League – the Bees are ninth and trail seventh-placed Aston Villa by two points.

“I believe that anything can happen in football,” Frank said.

“I had a big belief before the season that we’ll do top 10, of course I didn’t know (that Brentford would be contending for Europe) but I am so pleased we are in the mix and have a chance. But we just need to beat the best team in the world.”

Malky Mackay is buoyed by the fighting spirit Ross County have shown in recent weeks as his team bid to complete their cinch Premiership survival mission this weekend.

The Staggies looked on course for automatic relegation when they languished four points adrift at the foot of the table after losing 6-1 at Hearts in their last pre-split fixture five weeks ago.

But they have bounced back strongly, collecting seven points from their last four games to jump ahead of Dundee United and ensure they cannot finish bottom of the league unless there is an eight-goal swing in the Tayside club’s favour.

County are currently 11th and in the relegation play-off spot, but a win away to 10th-placed Kilmarnock on Sunday will see them climb above Derek McInnes’s side and ensure they survive in the top flight for another year.

“I’ve got a team here that are fighting and working so hard, and that will stand us in good stead for Sunday,” said Staggies boss Mackay.

“We’re going down there and it will be a tough game, undoubtedly. I know Derek really well and both teams will be fighting for the win but we’ve put ourselves in a good spot to stay in this league.”

County showed their spirit in a dramatic showdown at home to St Johnstone on Wednesday when they roared back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3.

Mackay is hoping his team can reward their supporters with a special day to end the campaign at Rugby Park.

“The fans were fabulous the other night,” he said. “They’ve stuck with the team through thick and thin.

“They can see the team are fighting for the badge and that’s what counts most for our fans. I hope as many of them as possible go down to Kilmarnock to cheer us on.”

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell fears Calum Butcher has been left with a “nasty” injury after falling foul of Livingston’s artificial surface.

Butcher went off with a foot injury during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at the Tony Macaroni Arena and Motherwell are awaiting news on the extent of the damage.

Kettlewell said: “Calum went to plant his foot on the pitch. I’m not so sure that we would have had the issue if it was on that surface out there (Fir Park).

“It’s an awkward one, I don’t think there is much give in the artificial turf as we all know and he felt a pop in his foot. It was so innocuous in terms of putting your foot down.

“He has got a scan and we will find out the extent of that injury. We just hope the significance of the injury isn’t too bad.

“It’s a real frustration because he has been excellent for us, absolutely outstanding.

“We are disappointed but I would hope it’s not too long a period that he is out.

“It is a frustration when you see a centre-back going to jump for the ball and his foot sticks in the surface and he ends up with what looks like a pretty nasty injury.”

Kettlewell is also missing Dan Casey with an arm injury and Ricki Lamie following hernia surgery, but the central defensive injuries mean Shane Blaney got his first start under the manager at Livingston.

The Irishman sustained an injury in his third start under Steven Hammell and Motherwell’s form has meant he has needed to be patient.

The former Sligo Rovers defender is excited about playing a bigger part next season but wants to seal a seventh-placed finish when Motherwell host Dundee United in Sunday’s cinch Premiership finale.

Blaney said: “The injury came at a bad time for me personally. That’s football and I couldn’t get too down about it but it’s great to get back in and any time I have been called upon, it’s been brilliant.

“It was brilliant to get a start on Wednesday night.

“I feel like I get on very well with the manager and I really like working with him, he has been brilliant since he came in. His ideas and the way he wants to play football are brilliant and it’s right up my street.

“I am really looking forward to finishing off the season and in pre-season kicking on again.

“It was different coming at Christmas and a full pre-season is massive for any player, getting the build-up of games leading into the season. It is really exciting for me.

“I feel like I can definitely do very well here from everything I have seen.

“From being injured and being on the bench, I have seen the league now, which is a big thing. I have seen how it works, I have come into games, I have started games, I know I can do it here. I am really looking forward to next year.

“We want to finish strongly so we can build on that and head into this season and kick on again and keep this upward trajectory going.”

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes says it is “business as usual” for her side as they prepare for Saturday’s Super League finale, looking to wrap up another title.

Ahead of the season’s concluding round of fixtures, the Blues – who have won the WSL five times and for each of the last three seasons – are two points clear of second-placed Manchester United, with a goal difference better by five.

Chelsea, aiming to complete a league and FA Cup double, play bottom side Reading away, while Marc Skinner’s United are at Liverpool.

Hayes told a press conference: “I think back to every campaign, we’ve only won the league by a couple of points at best, maybe (with) a game (to spare) somewhere along the line, so this is just business as usual for us.

“The preparation is what we’d prepared for at the very beginning of the season.

“It’s not like we’ve won leagues comfortably in the past – so nothing is different from our perspective. We’ve always known from previous experience it goes to the last game.”

A win to seal the title would be a seventh successive league victory for Chelsea, who have scored 24 goals in the past six games, conceding once.

Reading, meanwhile, have lost each of their last five games, conceding 16 times across their last four.

The Royals pulled off a shock 1-0 win at home against Chelsea last season, and Hayes said: “We don’t think about that. What we think about is we are exactly where we want to be – a position to control the outcome.

“I have to keep reminding the team we’re 90 minutes away from winning the title and all of my energy’s focused on doing that.”

Regardless of what happens on Saturday, United – guaranteed at least second, their first finish in a Champions League berth – have had their best WSL campaign to date, as well making a debut FA Cup final appearance, when they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea and Skinner has said he feels his side do not “get enough credit”.

Asked about that comment, Hayes said: “They should. They’ve had an outstanding year. I’m sure Marc will build on that and make them even more competitive next year.”

Reading need to win to have any chance of surviving, lying two points adrift of 11th-placed Leicester, who have an inferior goal difference by three and go to Brighton.

Reading boss Kelly Chambers said: “If you just give up now or don’t believe then, for me, what’s the point of stepping out there on Saturday?

“There’s still a glimmer of hope there for us and we just have to give everything we can. If we are beaten by the better team, I can accept that – what I can’t accept is that we don’t turn up and fight for everything.”

Third-placed Arsenal look set to seal the final Champions League spot, currently three points clear of Manchester City and holding a goal difference advantage over them of 11.

Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners host fifth-placed Aston Villa, whose 21-goal forward Rachel Daly was named WSL player of the year on Friday, while Gareth Taylor’s City play Everton at home.

It would be the first time since 2014 that City have finished outside the European places.

Taylor said: “It’s fine margins between being successful in the season like Chelsea and where we’re at coming up short.

“With the group we have and the support, if we can squeeze more out of these players with another season, it’s exciting times.”

Saturday’s other match sees West Ham entertain Tottenham.

Meanwhile, according to Football Association statistics released on Friday, WSL attendances are up 173 per cent this season compared to the last, with the 2022-23 average being 5,272, up from 1,931.

The cumulative attendance for the current WSL campaign stands at 664,211, and all of the three highest-ever WSL crowds were achieved this season.

They were 47,367 for Arsenal against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium in September, 44,259 for Manchester City v Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in December, and 42,700 for Arsenal against Chelsea at the Emirates in January.