Petr Cech believes Arsenal will have to win all their remaining if they are to secure a place in the top five of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently six points adrift of fifth-placed London rivals Chelsea, with both sides having a maximum of 15 points to play for from their five remaining league games this season. Arsenal's best hope of qualifying for European football, next season, however, could lie in winning this term's Europa League, where they face Atletico Madrid in a two-legged semifinal. Sunday saw Arsene Wenger's men suffer a fifth successive away league defeat when they lost 2-1 at Newcastle and Arsenal goalkeeper Cech told the London Evening Standard on Wednesday: "We are in the two competitions, so now need to keep switching between them and do our best. We are in a position now where we must win all our remaining games and hope it lifts us in the table. "We are in a very difficult moment because everybody else has a big advantage.&

Arsenal   are unlikely to follow up their interest in   Anthony Martial   should the forward leave Manchester United this summer. Speculation persists that Martial has become frustrated at a lack of first-team opportunities following  Alexis Sanchez ’s arrival from the Gunners in January.  Arsenal boss  Arsene Wenger  enquired about the possibility of including either Martial or  Henrikh Mkhitaryan  as part of a swap deal for Sanchez but was told the former would not be made available. However, relations between Martial and United boss  Jose Mourinho  have soured since then with Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid closely monitoring the situation. Martial is valued at around £60million despite having a year left on his contract and the Gunners are thought to have prioritised other areas to strengthen this summer, namely in central defence and central midfield while they will also look for a goalkeeper as a long-term replacement for Petr Cech. READ MORE

Alexis Sanchez's arrival at Old Trafford has pushed Anthony Martial further down the Manchester United pecking order and his future is uncertain. Is it time to move on? Anthony Martial was in outstanding form when Manchester United confirmed the signing of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January. The Frenchman had scored in consecutive Premier League games against Everton, Stoke and Burnley, delighting supporters and impressing Jose Mourinho enough to hold down his place on United's left flank. His displays presented a conundrum for Mourinho, but Sanchez had been brought in at great expense and he was not there to sit on the bench. The Chilean took up residency on the left straight away, with Martial switching to the right to make room. The message was clear: Martial had moved behind Sanchez in the pecking order before a ball had been kicked. Unable to cut inside and use his stronger foot and with his confidence seemingly dented, Martial's performances suffered.

Injured Brazil striker Neymar has targeted May 17 for a return to training and vowed to work harder than ever to be ready for this year's World Cup in Russia.   The Paris St Germain player, who became the world's most expensive footballer when he joined the club from Barcelona in August, had an operation on his foot after being injured in a French league game against Olympique de Marseille on February 25. He has been receiving treatment in Brazil and said he expects to be training exactly a month before the five-time champions play their World Cup opener against Switzerland on June 17. "I get my final exam, if I'm not mistaken, on May 17 and then I'll be free to play," he told reporters at a news conference in Sao Paulo. "I had an exam last week, it is all perfect, evolving well, so I hope that continues so I can get back as soon as possible... "I am having treatment every day, and from the moment I start training I am going to work harder

The prospect of a winter break is closer than ever with the Premier League happy in principle to introduce it from the 2019/20 season, Sky Sports understands.  From February 2020, Premier League clubs will have a staggered break that will guarantee all 20 clubs at least 13 days between games. Here, we take a detailed look at how the proposal works, the possible pitfalls and what effect it can have... When would the winter break take place? The notoriously busy festive period will remain intact, don't worry. The annual two-week break in late January/early February will come in from 2020 onwards that would allow all Premier League clubs to have at least 13 days off between games. Unlike other European countries who have a complete shutdown of their top division in December, the Premier League break would be staggered so there would be no weekend without Premier League football because there would be five games on the first weekend and five on the following week

Who should win the PFA Players' Player of the Year award this season? Vote here from the star-studded list of nominees. It is that time of year again. As another enthralling Premier League season draws to a close, it is time to look back on who has really impressed, and reward that individual who has taken his team to the next level. Here is the list of nominations for this year's PFA Players' Player of the Year and we are asking you, our readers, to decide who deserves the award most by casting your vote below. Kevin De Bruyne ( 9/4 with Sky Bet ) Manchester City needed someone to help lift them from nearly men to champions, and Kevin De Bruyne has done just that, firing in one defence-splitting pass after another to steer City towards that third Premier League title. De Bruyne has three more assists than any other player in the top flight. David de Gea ( 80/1 with Sky Bet ) With Manuel Neuer out injured, there are few who could doubt David de Gea is th

Lionel Messi was thrown on as a substitute but 10-man Barcelona were relieved to escape with a draw as Celta Vigo came within a whisker of inflicting the Catalans' first league defeat of the season on Tuesday. Messi was introduced after an hour at the Stade Balaidos and looked to have inspired another Barca victory when Paulinho gave the visitors a 2-1 lead four minutes later. But Sergi Roberto was sent off for preventing Iago Aspas sprinting clear and in the 82nd minute the former Liverpool striker made it 2-2, albeit with a large slice of luck given the ball brushed his hand on its way into the net. Vigo pushed for a late winner and should have had it when substitute Lucas Boye went through one-on-one but he took too long and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made a crucial stop. "I think we deserved to win the game," Celta Vigo coach Juan Carlos Unzue said. Earlier, a superb strike from Ousmane Dembele had been cancelled out by Jonny Castro's close-range finish as B

Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and his Manchester City team-mates made up almost half of the Professional Footballers' Association's Premier League team of the year revealed on Wednesday. Right-back Kyle Walker, centre-back Nicolas Otamendi, midfielder David Silva and striker Sergio Aguero were also named in the XI. Tottenham were the only other team to have more than one representative, boasting three players in defender Jan Vertonghen, midfielder Christian Eriksen and striker Harry Kane. Manchester United's only inclusion was goalkeeper David de Gea, while left-back Marcos Alonso was the sole player from dethroned champions Chelsea. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, with 30 league goals this season, was also included. The six nominees for the men's PFA players' player of the year award are De Bruyne, Silva, De Gea, Kane, Salah and Manchester City's Leroy Sane. The PFA Awards ceremony will be held in London on Sunday. PFA members from the 92 Premier League

Jupp Heynckes' Bayern Munich marched into another Champions League semi-final on Wednesday despite 10-man Sevilla holding them to a goalless draw at home in Wednesday's second leg. Bayern progressed to the last four of the competition for the seventh time in nine seasons as they prevailed 2-1 on aggregate following their first-leg victory in Spain last week. "Sevilla are a good team – for a long time we couldn’t get a grip on the midfield, but we stopped them scoring – that was important," said Bayern winger Arjen Robben. Sevilla's bid for a first semi-final appearance fell short in spite of shutting out Bayern's attack and restricting the hosts to just 51 percent possession.  "I'm proud of my team, they showed great personality and character against a very strong opponent, it wasn't easy," said Sevilla boss Vincenzo Montella. "We can be proud of what we've done here, and all throughout this Champions League." The S

uventus president Andrea Agnelli called for the video assistant referee (VAR) to be used in the Champions League after his side were knocked out by Real Madrid in a thrilling quarterfinal second leg which was decided by a debatable injury-time penalty.   Cristiano Ronaldo blasted home from the spot in the 98th minute after Mehdi Benatia was judged to have fouled Lucas Vazquez, giving double European champions Real a 4-3 aggregate victory. Juventus, who had lost 3-0 in Italy, had squared the tie with a double from Mario Mandzukic and another goal from Blaise Matuidi in a stirring comeback, and were seconds from forcing extra-time in a stunned Bernabeu when the penalty was awarded. Amid Juve's angry protests after the decision, their goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon was shown a red card for pushing referee Michael Oliver. "A goal-line official behind the line isn't the same thing as an official in front of a video replay," Agnelli told reporters. "

Gianluigi Buffon has slammed referee Michael Oliver for awarding Real Madrid a last-gasp penalty, saying "he has a rubbish bin instead of a heart." Real Madrid forward Lucas Vazquez was brought down in stoppage time by Medhi Benatia, with English referee Oliver pointing to the spot for  Ronaldo to convert for a 4-3 aggregate victory  in the Champions League quarter-final second leg. In a dramatic match, Juventus had come back to 3-3 in the tie following their 3-0 first-leg defeat, but late protests for the penalty award saw Buffon sent off on his final Champions League appearance. Juventus were left fuming with the late decision after fighting back to 3-3 on aggregate  After the game, Buffon ranted about Premier League ref Oliver, criticising him for "not having the sensitivity" to understand the game. Buffon said: "There must be some sensitivity to understanding the importance of some moments and if you do not have this sensitivity

"Robbery of the century". There were a range of opinions splashed across the front pages of the Spanish and Italian newspapers on Thursday after Real Madrid's dramatic Champions League victory over Juventus. Real needed a controversial injury-time penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo to secure their progress to the semi-finals. The goal gave Real a 4-3 aggregate win after Juventus had recovered from a 3-0 first-leg defeat to level the tie at the Bernabeu. While Juventus players raged at the awarding of the penalty,  Marca's  front page simply reads "It was a penalty!", with a picture of Medhi Benatia appearing to push Lucas Vazquez from behind. "Madrid suffers like never before, but advances like always," adds the Madrid-based paper. Another Madrid-based publication,  AS , goes with "from panic to the semi-finals" with contrasting views of the penalty from Gianluigi Buffon, who was sent off for his protestations, and Ronaldo. H

Former Italy star Andrea Pirlo on Thursday defended Gianluigi Buffon for his Champions League outburst as he named the veteran goalkeeper among his line-up for his testimonial on 21 May. "If I'd been on the pitch, it would have burnt to go out like that," said Pirlo, "when you play a game like that and then lose the chance to play for it 10 seconds from the end, it makes you crazy." Juventus beat Real Madrid 3-1 on Wednesday night, but were eliminated 4-3 on aggregate in the quarterfinal after English referee Michael Oliver awarded the Spaniards a hotly contested 97th-minute penalty which Cristiano Ronaldo converted. Pirlo – a former Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan midfielder – called time on his illustrious career last November after winning the 2006 World Cup, two Champions League titles and six Serie A trophies. And he presented details of his farewell game 'La Notte del Maestro' (The Night of the Master) which will take place next month

  Juventus defender Medhi Benatia said he was "disgusted" by the world of football after conceding the stoppage-time penalty which allowed Real Madrid to snatch victory in their Champions League quarterfinal tie. "I'm proud of my team and I'm proud of our comeback but I am more and more disgusted by this world of football," he told BeIN Sports after Juventus won the second leg 3-1 but were eliminated 4-3 on aggregate. "What I say might sound harsh, but when you make an effort like we did, a referee can't be allowed to award a penalty in the 93rd minute and torpedo our hopes," said the Moroccan. "The game should have gone to extra time. If I had committed a foul, I would have said so honestly." Beaten 3-0 at home in the first leg, Juve staged a stunning fightback to lead 3-0 at the Bernabeu until Benatia was ruled to have fouled Lucas Vazquez and Cristiano Ronaldo converted the penalty. Benatia challenged Vazquez from beh

Gianluigi Buffon raged late into the night after a wild match in Madrid as the Juventus legend was sent off in what was probably the final Champions League match of an extraordinary career. The veteran goalkeeper's frustration spilt over at the Santiago Bernabeu after Juventus beat Real Madrid 3-1 on the night, but were eliminated 4-3 on aggregate in the quarterfinal after English referee Michael Oliver awarded the Spaniards a hotly contested 97th-minute penalty. "In place of a heart he has a rubbish bin," raged 40-year-old Buffon after Oliver pointed to the spot after Mehdi Benatia's challenge on Lucas Vazquez in the dying minutes. Buffon was given his first ever red card in 117 Champions League games and after Wojciech Szczesny had taken his place in the Juventus goal, Cristiano Ronaldo coolly slotted home the spot kick to put defending champions Real Madrid through to the semifinals. "You have to be a murderer to make the last two decisions the refe