Football

Chelsea captain Reece James has signed a new contract running until 2032, reinforcing his status as a central figure in the club’s long-term plans as the Blues push for a Champions League place and prepare for key upcoming fixtures.

Antoine Griezmann has spoken publicly about speculation connecting him to Orlando City, stressing that his focus remains on Atletico Madrid, where he is under contract until 2027 and targeting major silverware this season.

Trent Alexander-Arnold said Real Madrid used pre-match doubts as fuel after a 3-0 Champions League victory over Manchester City, praising Federico Valverde’s first career hat-trick and insisting the tie is not finished ahead of the second leg at the Etihad.

Igor Tudor declined to comment on whether he should remain Tottenham head coach after a 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid left him with four defeats from four games and extended Spurs’ losing run to a club-record six. The night also brought intense scrutiny over his early substitution of young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

West Ham United progressed to the FA Cup last eight after a 2-2 draw with Brentford was settled by a 5-3 penalty shoot-out, with Dango Ouattara’s saved Panenka proving decisive.

Tottenham’s 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace left them one point above the drop zone, with Micky van de Ven’s first-half red card and penalty proving the turning point after Dominic Solanke had opened the scoring.

Bukayo Saka’s early, deflected goal proved enough for Arsenal to beat Brighton 1-0 at the Amex Stadium. Brighton controlled long spells and dominated possession, but Arsenal’s defensive resilience and key saves from David Raya preserved a victory that moved the Gunners seven points clear at the top, albeit having played a game more than Manchester City.

Bottom club Wolves beat reigning Premier League champions Liverpool 2-1 at Molineux as Andre’s 94th-minute shot deflected in to decide a game that swung late on. Rodrigo Gomes opened the scoring, Mohamed Salah equalised, but Liverpool were punished again in the closing moments and remain fifth in the table.

Matt Targett struck twice inside the opening 26 minutes as Middlesbrough ended a three-game winless run with a 3-1 away victory over Birmingham City at St Andrew’s, strengthening their position in the promotion race with 11 matches remaining.

Gary Neville believes Arsenal can still win the Premier League despite a nerve-racking final stretch, with Manchester City chasing and a demanding schedule forcing Mikel Arteta to balance multiple competitions.