Steven Gerrard has all but steered Aston Villa to Premier League safety – and now could have a decisive say at the other end of the table as the title race reaches a thrilling conclusion.

Two of Villa’s final four games are against the top two, starting with Tuesday’s visit of his former club Liverpool (20:00 BST), who are chasing a historic quadruple, before taking his side to leaders Manchester City on 22 May, the final day of the Premier League season.

Gerrard was part of a Liverpool side who were three games from winning the title in 2014, only for his infamous slip to help Chelsea to victory at Anfield as City ended up finishing top instead.

Eight years on, the legendary former Reds captain can help shape the outcome of a title race that looks destined to go to the last day.

City lead nearest rivals Liverpool – the club with which Gerrard won the the Champions League, FA Cup, Uefa Cup and League Cup, and for whom he scored 186 goals in 710 appearances – by three points with three matches to play.

Gary Lineker, speaking on Match of the Day, discussed as possible last day scenario  where Gerrard could win the league for Liverpool if Villa earned victory at City.

Former Liverpool player and MOTD pundit Danny Murphy asked: “I wonder if he’s still registered to play?”

“He might run on when someone’s through with the ball and tackle,” Lineker joked. “We’ll see; it’s very exciting.”

Ex-Liverpool keeper David James told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast on Monday: “If Pep Guardiola gets to the last game of the season three points ahead, then Stevie G could do Liverpool a massive favour. It’s still not over.”

With goal difference possibly still important – City’s +68 is four better than Liverpool’s +64 – James added: “Could you imagine Stevie G’s team winning that game by enough goals to let Liverpool win a quadruple?

“It’s still possible.”

Gerrard the title decider?

Gerrard made it clear he was uninterested in a sentimental return to Anfield when Villa lost 1-0 at Liverpool  in his fifth match in charge back in December.

He is equally dismissive of talk surrounding the role Villa could play at the top of the table, insisting his focus is on getting as many points as possible “to finish in a place where we can be satisfied”.

“My job is to win games for Aston Villa and that will always be the case while I’m representing this club,” Gerrard said on Monday.

He took charge last Novemner when Villa were just two points above the relegation zone.

But they are eyeing a top-10 finish after 10 wins from Gerrard’s first 23 league games in charge, and they start against the Reds in 11th spot.

“They’re [Liverpool] a world-class team. Arguably, the best team in the world right now,” he added.

Gerrard, seen by many Liverpool supporters as Jurgen Klopp’s natural heir, has a job to do as Aston Villa manager. The rest, as far as he is concerned, is a sideshow.

“We’re well aware of the size of the challenge [against Liverpool], but it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it. I want to win, fiercely, and that is no different on Tuesday,” he said.

“In terms of Liverpool, the season is over 38 games and they play Aston Villa twice.”

Both Liverpool and Manchester City know from recent experiences they will have their work cut out to get anything from Villa.

In addition to making life difficult for the Reds at Anfield five months ago Villa pushed City, all the way before losing 2-1 at home to Pep Guardiola’s team.

Busy summer ahead for Gerrard

Only eight clubs have taken more points than Villa since Gerrard’s first game in charge on 20 November.

But he has already expressed frustration that the team has not kicked on enough, and a busy summer looms in terms of changes to the playing squad.

“I don’t think we’re going to be happy or celebrating anything this season because the team, from the beginning of the season to now, has underachieved,” Gerrard added.

“We seem to be taking two or three steps forward and looking really positive and then having a couple of setbacks. That’s the reality of where we are at.”

In the January transfer window, Gerrard brought in Everton full-back Lucas Digne, Arsenal defender Calum Chambers and Philippe Coutinho, who has scored four and provided three assists.

The arrival of former Liverpool playmaker Coutinho on loan from Barcelona included the option to buy the 29-year-old for £33m and Gerrard made it clear after Saturday’s impressive 3-0 win at Burnley that he wanted to sign the player permanently.

There are noises Villa will be busy in the transfer window once again, with reports Gerrard wants a centre-half, midfielder and a forward.

Villa’s billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens have invested £430m on signings since taking over the club in 2018 and they are set to provide Gerrard with the power to strengthen his squad, with the summer transfer window now set to play a crucial role as the manager reshapes the team.

Victories over either Liverpool or Manchester City will only strengthen Gerrard’s hand.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson and 15-time major winner Tiger Woods have been named in the 156-man field for the US PGA Championship in Oklahoma.

Woods returned to competitive golf at the Masters in April, 14 months after suffering life-threatening injuries in a car crash.

Mickelson, who has been on a break from golf after criticising Saudi Arabia’s regime, last played in February.

Golf’s second major of the year takes place from 19-22 May.

Mickelson, 51, became golf’s oldest major champion when he won at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course in 2021.

However, he lost multiple sponsors and saw his reputation tarnished after he sought to use involvement with a Saudi Arabian-backed golf super league to gain leverage over the PGA Tour.

The fallout saw him miss the Masters for the first time in 28 years.

Mickelson’s participation would see him face the media for the first time in months and, while he has been named as a provisional starter, he could still pull out at the last minute.

Woods, 46, who nearly lost his right leg in the 2021 car crash, made the cut at Augusta after opening with a round of 71 and eventually finished 47th.

Woods has already outlined plans to play The Open at St Andrews in July and, while his participation in Oklahoma will be dependent on his physical shape, he has recently played a practice round on the course.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, who won the Masters last month, and former US PGA champions Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka and Collin Morikawa are also among those set to compete.

Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles defeated their Ghanaian counterparts 2-0 in the opening match of Group B of the WAFU B U20 Championship in Niamey on Sunday, scooping all three points and putting a foot in the semi finals of a competition from where the zone’s flag-bearers to next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations will emerge.

Ibrahim Muhammad put the Nigerians’ noses in front after only six minutes, and the seven –time African champions showed composure, confidence and calmness as they dominated the Black Satellites easily.

Adams Olubi could have made it 2-0 for Nigeria towards the end of the first half but fluffed his lines after a good team move had carved open the Ghanaian rearguard and left him with only the goalkeeper to beat.

The Flying Eagles eventually made sure of the three points in the second half at the Stade General Seyni Kountché, when substitute Ahmed Abdullahi slotted into the net in the 78^th minute after a series of onslaughts left the Ghanaians in disarray.

The three points put Nigeria in pole position to qualify from a group that has only three teams. The Flying Eagles will play their last match of the group on Wednesday against Burkina Faso.

The result could determine the fate of Cup holders and reigning African champions Ghana, as they would be condemned to defeat the Burkinabes when both teams clash at the same venue on Sunday next week.  

Scorer of Nigeria’s first goal, Ibrahim Muhammad was selected as the man of the match.

Manchester United are set to lose Paul Pogba this summer and rivals Manchester City have emerged as a possible destination having lodged an offer with the Frenchman

Paul Pogba’s representatives have told Manchester City they will not be joining them despite receiving a flattering proposal, according to reports.

The Manchester midfielder is out of contract in the summer and is free to seek pastures new after no resolution regarding a new deal could be sought. Speculation emerged suggesting that City were among those weighing up a move for the world cup winner  

A switch across the divide would’ve been a huge deal and the Premier League champions put an offer on the table. Pogba and his team were keen to consider all their options but they have told those at the Etihad that they will not be accepting their terms.

Pep Guardiola is in the market for a new midfielder with Fernandinho due to return to his homeland in the summer. The 37-year-old has spent nine seasons on the blue half of Manchester and will need replacing. Pogba, however, is said to favour a package offered to him by another club and is due to depart England.

Pogba moved to United in 2016 from Juventus , joining for a club record £89m. He’s only shown his brilliance in flashes but remains a sought-after commodity and his former club, as well as PSG and  Real Madrid are keen on the Frenchman. City were warned off the 29-year-old by Jamie Carragher, who highlighted his work rate as a major issue.

He said “““`: “I wouldn’t go anywhere near him. You win the league every year, I mean he doesn’t work hard enough. There’s no doubting his ability, no one has ever doubted it. But you see the creative players City have – brilliant players and they don’t stop running, don’t stop working. That’s what makes City what they are.”

Ronaldo has scored 24 goals for Man Utd this season but he could leave in search of Champions League football.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister has ‘liked’ an Instagram post calling for him to leave Manchester United this summer.

After returning to Old Trafford in a sensational move from Juventus — following 12 years away with Real Madrid and the Italian giants — Ronaldo has been a shining light for United in an otherwise disastrous campaign. The 37-year-old has scored 24 goals in all competitions including 18 in the Premier League.

However, there has been little to celebrate from a team perspective. Indeed, having seen their title hopes descend into tatters before the November international break, United can no longer qualify for the Champions League and it is now five years since they last got their hands on any form of silverware.

Ronaldo has not played in the Europa League (since it was in its previous guise as the UEFA Cup) since he was a teenager with Sporting Lisbon before his first memorable spell at Old Trafford. However, that is the prospect, at best, that awaits him unde Erik Hag next season.

Yet it’s been suggested by many that the decorated forward could leave United. A lengthy Instagram message from a well-followed fan page argued so and that post was liked by Ronaldo’s sister Katia Aveiro.

In part of a caption translated from Portuguese, the Instagram post read: “It is very sad to see Cristiano Ronaldo in this situation with this Manchester United team. Now we are without a place in the Champions League.

“Cristiano does not have to stand [stay] as proof of love for the club, the greatest proof of that was he returned to Manchester United having also had a proposal from Manchester City with clearly a much superior squad, coach and by recent history.

“Cristiano has to think about Cristiano now. Manchester United will still last another thousand years. Cristiano, you have four more, five years of your career. Look for a better team now because you deserve it and because you still have a lot of football [trophies] to win.”

Manchester United are set for a summer of huge change once Erik ten Hag arrives and Cristiano Ronaldo’s future remains uncertain despite the player expressing his wishes

Cristiano Ronaldo has told his teammates he will stay at Manchester United– but only if Erik ten Hag wants him.

 The Portuguese super star to Old Trafford in the summer but a poor season for the Red Devils means huge changes are expected this summer. Ten Hag will arrive from Ajaxand put his own stamp on things in Manchester which has cast doubt over Ronaldo’s future.

United signed the 37-year-old less than 12 months ago and the forward has a year left on his deal, which he is keen to see out. Ronaldo has continued to find the net regularly but has copped criticism for altering the team’s style and his leadership.

The club will miss out on the top four and a squad overhaul is expected, but Ronaldo wants to remain in Manchester if Ten Hag has him in his plans.

A source told the media: “Ronaldo told the players he’s not going anywhere unless the club say they don’t want him. No one is more disappointed than him about how the season has panned out. But he doesn’t want to leave on a low and wants to help get the club back into the Champions League  and try and win a trophy next year.

“However, he has told them if the new boss wants to go in a different direction, then he will have no hard feelings and has no regrets about coming back to Old Trafford.” Ronaldo has scored 24 times for the Red Devils since joining from Juventus. 

His actions in the defeat last time out at Brightosaw Ronaldo find himself in the spotlight. He laughed as the Seagulls scored one of their four goals in what was another humiliating defeat for the Red Devils.

After the traumatic exit from qualifying its team for the Qatar 2022 World Cup and its attendant loss of possible $12 million windfall, the Nigeria Football Federation were handed yet another financial headache as FIFA has ordered that dismissed  coach, Gernot Rohr be paid a compensation totalling  $377,879.46 (N156.7million).

The money is to be paid within 45 days.  The NFF thus have a deadline of June 12.

Only days ago, in the same framework of World Cup qualifying in which the body will get nothing, it is compelled to pay a fine of 150, 000 Swiss Francs ($154,000) (N62,214,000).

This has put the indebtedness of the body at $531, 879.46 (N220.5million). The debt profile is further compounded by the fact that the NFF had agreed to pay Rohr’s salary from November 2021 when he was dismissed to December 2022 when the contract was expected to lapse.

The NFF had agreed to pay Rohr’s salary until the end of his contract, which expires in December 2022, but the Franco-German went to football’s world governing body Fifa to demand an additional sum for breach of contract without just cause.

According to BBC, Rohr, 68, had sought a total of £1m  but has been granted $377,879.46 after a FIFA tribunal decided his claim was “partially accepted insofar as it is admissible”.

The ruling by the FIFA players’ status chamber added that the NFF would be sanctioned if Rohr was not paid in full within 45 days.

“If full payment (including all applicable interest) is not made within 45 days of notification of this decision, the respondent [the NFF] shall be imposed a restriction on receiving a percentage of development funding, up until the due amounts are paid,” said the FIFA decision.

According to a BBC report, “the NFF, which is on the verge of announcing another foreign coach for the Super Eagles, will not be appealing the decision.

“And a top official of the football body has hailed the Fifa ruling as a victory for the West African nation.

“This sum basically reflects whatever is left to pay him as previously agreed until the end of December 2022,” the source, who wished to remain anonymous, told BBC Sport Africa.

Despite speculations in some media outlets in Nigeria that the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo could host the final match of this year’s CAF Champions League, the press release by CAF has dismissed such as there was bid from Nigeria.

Rather, only the Senegalese Football Federation and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation made bids.

According to CAF, the Senegalese federation withdrew their bid, leaving only Morocco which have now been awarded the hosting rights of the match slated for 30 May.

Earlier with rife speculations that the final match might be played in Morocco, the Egyptian FA had protested to CAF that none of the four countries that produced the semi-finalists clubs should not be allowed to host the final match which as per the previous CAF leadership decision of 17 July 2019 will be determined by a one-leg final, instead of the usual two-legged, home and away final.

However, CAF stated that there are on-going discussions on the possibility of reverting to the old home and away format for subsequent editions.0