Recent Wins over Chelsea Mean Nothing, Says Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts to his side's 1-4 victory at the end of the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026.  EPA/DAVID CLIFF
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts to his side's 1-4 victory at the end of the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026. EPA/DAVID CLIFF
TT

Recent Wins over Chelsea Mean Nothing, Says Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts to his side's 1-4 victory at the end of the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026.  EPA/DAVID CLIFF
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts to his side's 1-4 victory at the end of the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026. EPA/DAVID CLIFF

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is taking no comfort from his team's good record against Chelsea, and the Premier League leaders will be fully prepared to deal with their London rivals' adaptability when they meet on Sunday.

Arsenal beat Chelsea twice in the League Cup semi-finals recently and have not lost to them since 2021, with Arteta's side winning 10 of the last 16 matches between them.

Arsenal were held to a draw by 10-man Chelsea in November, and Liam Rosenior's Chelsea are coming into Sunday's game looking to continue a six-match unbeaten run in the league, Reuters reported.

"We know the importance of the game and the team we are going to have in front of us. We just have to prepare in the best way to earn the right to win it, as I always said," Arteta told reporters on Friday.

"What you have done two weeks or two years ago is irrelevant because every game and every context is different, the players might change, the mood of the team might be different. We are prepared."

Arteta praised Chelsea's ability to adapt to the game under Rosenior, who is yet to lose a league game as Chelsea manager.

"They can change throughout the game and they have a manager very comfortable doing that, so we are prepared for the possible scenarios we can face and then we will try to be better than them," Arteta added.

Asked if Arsenal can become the first English club to win the quadruple - including the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Champions League - this season, Arteta shrugged off the idea.

"Has it been done? That is how difficult it is," he said.

"So let's go game by game and try to earn the right to be there in the last stage of every competition, and then we will see what happens."



Egypt National Team Director: Injured Salah to Miss Rest of Liverpool Season

Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026.  EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
TT

Egypt National Team Director: Injured Salah to Miss Rest of Liverpool Season

Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026.  EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah will miss the rest of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in a 3-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace, Egypt national team director Ibrahim Hassan said on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Egyptian winger, who has announced he will leave the reigning Premier League champions at the end of the season, applauded the crowd as he walked off injured in the 60th minute.

Liverpool did not announce any update on Salah's condition. However, Hassan ⁠said the Egyptian talisman ⁠has played his last game for the reds.

"He has suffered a hamstring tear and will require four weeks of treatment," Hassan told Reuters. After nine trophy-filled seasons, Salah's journey with Liverpool reaches its conclusion.

His farewell will be marked by words ⁠rather than goals, addressing the fans following the season finale against Brentford.

Liverpool have two home fixtures remaining - against Chelsea on May 9 and Brentford on May 24 - and visit Manchester United on May 3, a side Salah has regularly tormented, and play Villa away on May 17.

Liverpool's third-highest goalscorer of all time, Salah has recorded 12 goals and nine assists across all competitions this season.

Hassan said Salah will be ⁠fit ⁠for the 2026 World Cup, where Egypt will face Belgium, New Zealand and Iran in Group G.

However, Salah is determined to recover in time for the tournament in North America, which starts on June 11 and avoid a repeat of the injury setback he suffered before the 2018 edition.

He injured his shoulder in a 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League final, and despite scoring twice in two matches, Egypt were eliminated at the group stage in Russia.


Tottenham’s De Zerbi Gives Injury Update on Solanke, Simons

Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - April 25, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - April 25, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
TT

Tottenham’s De Zerbi Gives Injury Update on Solanke, Simons

Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - April 25, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - April 25, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Tottenham Hotspur will assess the fitness of Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons after both were forced off in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, a blow for manager Roberto De Zerbi as his side battle relegation.

Solanke was substituted in the 40th minute with a muscular problem, while Simons was replaced in the 63rd minute after suffering a ⁠knee issue. Despite ⁠the setbacks, the 82nd-minute winner from Joao Palhinha secured Tottenham’s first league victory in 16 matches at Molineux. Spurs remained 18th in the standings with 34 points from 34 ⁠games, two points from safety, Reuters reported.

"Solanke has a muscular injury. I don't know what level of injury, and for Xavi it's a problem of the knee, and we're going to see in the next days, Monday or Tuesday," De Zerbi told reporters.

"For Solanke, it's not a big problem. I don't ⁠know ⁠how many games we lose him, but I would like to know the real situation of Xavi, because the knee is always different than the muscular injury."

Tottenham, who are facing the prospect of their first relegation from top-flight football since 1977, have four games remaining and next travel to Aston Villa on Sunday.


Swiatek Retires from Madrid Open Due to Illness

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 25, 2026 Poland's Iga Swiatek looks dejected after losing in her round of 32 match against Ann Li of the US. REUTERS/Ana Beltran
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 25, 2026 Poland's Iga Swiatek looks dejected after losing in her round of 32 match against Ann Li of the US. REUTERS/Ana Beltran
TT

Swiatek Retires from Madrid Open Due to Illness

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 25, 2026 Poland's Iga Swiatek looks dejected after losing in her round of 32 match against Ann Li of the US. REUTERS/Ana Beltran
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 25, 2026 Poland's Iga Swiatek looks dejected after losing in her round of 32 match against Ann Li of the US. REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Six-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek retired from her Madrid Open round-of-32 match against American Ann Li on Saturday due to illness, trailing 6-7(4) 6-2 0-3.

The fourth seed at the WTA 1000 clay-court tournament left the court in tears, having called for medical assistance during the match, Reuters reported.

"The past two days were pretty terrible, I think I have some ⁠virus," said Swiatek, ⁠who won the Madrid title in 2024.

"It's been some hours fine, some hours pretty bad. I had zero energy, zero stability, and I just felt really bad physically.

"I knew that (it ⁠was) going to be hard but I still wanted to try because I already have been sick twice in my career and I could still win most of my matches. I guess it depends on how bad it is, and I guess this time it was worse than before."

Swiatek's withdrawal deals ⁠a ⁠blow to her preparations for the French Open, a tournament the Pole has dominated in recent years, winning the title four times, most recently in 2024.

Swiatek, 24, is expected to continue her build-up to Roland Garros at the Italian Open, which runs from May 5-17.

The French Open main draw gets underway on May 24.