News

The possibility of a “toxic Tynecastle”, fans “voting with their feet” and questions being asked of head coach Neil Critchley amid a battle to stay clear of relegation trouble.

The implications of Hearts’ Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Aberdeen have the potential to run deep no matter how brave their display was in the face of much Hampden adversity.

Former Tynecastle striker and manager John Robertson suggested the game “kind of sums up the season” for Hearts.

“Close but not quite close enough,” he said on Sportsound. “Close to getting into the knockout stages of the Conference League, close to getting into the top six, close to getting it to penalties today, but not quite close enough. “

However, Robertson thought there was little more Critchley could have done, given Hearts were reduced to 10 men just before the break – when Michael Steinwender was sent off for a professional foul – then Cammy Devlin picked a second yellow card shortly before the Oday Dabbagh’s late winner.

“The first red, you couldn’t really argue,” he said. “The second, there’s no intent from Devlin, he’s just trying to hook the ball away and can’t see the Aberdeen player.

“They went to a 5-3-1, defended bravely and had sporadic attacks. It looked like they would get to the penalty kicks, but it was just pure numbers in the end.

“For the amount of bravery and effort they put in, they didn’t get what they deserved. Aberdeen weren’t particularly great today, but they are through. “

Fellow pundit Leanne Crichton agreed with Robertson’s pre-match suggestion that Tynecastle “could become a very toxic place until the end of the season”.

“For Hearts, it’s a real sucker punch after also not making the top six,” the former Scotland midfielder said. “A lot of home fans might decide to vote with their feet. “

BBC Scotland chief sports writer Tom English thought there were “nuances” to Hearts’ latest failure.

“I feel for Hearts because they emptied themselves with 10 men, then nine. They defended heroically for much of the afternoon.

Critchley gave a confident “yes” when asked if he will be given time to steer his Hearts side to the “positive future” he envisages.

His team head into the five remaining bottom six league games on the back of four games without a victory.

“It really hurts,” the head coach told BBC Scotland. “Gutted for the players, gutted for the supporters.

“I thought we were brilliant. We were the better team in the first half and then to defend as well as we did for as long as we did with 10 men, I thought we showed real grit and character.

“The least we deserved was to take it to penalties. “

One more point and they would have had an outside chance of European qualification, but last week’s goalless draw with Motherwell means they are now only six points clear of Dundee in the relegation play-off spot.

“I am not concerned because I see what we’ve got in the dressing room,” Critchley insisted. “We are gutted right now, but we’ve got more than enough fight and character to be fine.

Critchley thought decisions by referee John Beaton turned the game.

Steinwender was ordered off for tripping Topi Keskinen some 45 yards from goal as he tore towards the Hearts box and Devlin was shown a second yellow shortly before Aberdeen’s extra-time winner.

“I have to be careful because I’ll get into trouble, but the red came out very quickly and he was a long way from the goal,” Critchley said of the first-half dismissal.

“The second one has cost us the opportunity to go to penalties. Cammy shouldn’t have been booked initially, then the second one, the player just gets in front of him. The referee has to show a bit of understanding of the situation. “

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who scored a first half own goal when Pape Gueye’s header struck him after cannoning against the bar, agreed.

“We’re pretty angry,” he said. “I thought we were doing well. We were going to take it to penalty kicks and take our chances there.

“Unfortunately, the big moment comes from a second yellow card for Cammy. I feel a little bit let down by that, but he’s got that split second to make that decision.

“The referee felt that was a yellow card. We obviously don’t. “

Critchley insists that “one game can’t change a strategy” as he looks to the longer term.

With four teams below them, Hearts should have enough of a cushion to avoid that relegation play-off, but they must dust themselves down quickly.

Aryna Sabalenka took a photograph on court of a disputed ball mark during her quarter-final victory over Elise Mertens at the Stuttgart Open.

World number one Sabalenka disagreed with an “out” call on her shot when she was break point down against Mertens.

At the changeover, with Sabalenka trailing 4-3, the Belarusian asked umpire Miriam Bley to check the mark, before walking over to see it herself.

She then took a photograph of the mark with a member of her team’s phone before receiving a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct from Bley.

Sabalenka did not let the incident distract her, regrouping to break back immediately and going on to win 6-4 6-1.

She shook hands with Bley at the end of the match but said in her on-court interview: “When I gave her a handshake, there was a very interesting look and a very strong handshake. Never had it before. “

Asked if she squeezed the hand back, Sabalenka said: “No, it’s OK. Why would I play this game with someone like her? It’s OK. “

Sabalenka will face Jasmine Paolini for a place in Monday’s final after the Italian beat Coco Gauff 6-4 6-3.

Ostapenko is the first player to beat five-time major champion Swiatek on every surface – once on grass, four times on hard courts and now once on clay.

Swiatek often struggles against Ostapenko’s powerful groundstrokes which rush her forehand and draw out the errors in her game.

The Pole came into the match with an 11-1 record in Stuttgart, having won the title in 2022 and 2023, but she could not fend off Ostapenko.

Ostapenko hit 29 winners to Swiatek’s 17, with eight double faults not helping Swiatek as Ostapenko attacked her second serve.

Ostapenko broke Swiatek’s serve three times to take the first set but was scrappier in the second, allowing Swiatek to level the match.

But Ostapenko won 12 of the first 15 point of the deciding set to take control, eventually taking the match on a long Swiatek forehand.

“She’s a great clay-court player but I won the French [Open] as well, so I can say the same thing about myself, ” the 27-year-old said.

“I have so much respect to her and her team but every time I step on the court with her, it’s a battle and I’m ready for it. “

Halo World Championship

Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 19 April to 5 May

Debutant Lei Peifan stunned defending champion Kyren Wilson by fighting back from 6-2 down to triumph 10-9 as the ‘Crucible curse’ struck again in the first round of the World Snooker Championship.

Wilson becomes the 20th player to succumb to the so-called curse, with no first-time winner able to retain the world crown since the tournament moved to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in 1977.

“It is really hard to take. I gave it my all and Lei came out extremely positive this evening and potted some incredible balls,” Wilson told BBC Sport.

“It really hurts to be honest. As a debutant he held himself together incredibly well and I’d like to wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.

“He seems like quite a cool character. He showed no emotion at all. “

Joe Johnson (1987) and Ken Doherty (1998) came the closest to breaking the ‘curse’ but fell at the final hurdle.

“It’s obviously been built up into something it’s not, because other players have gone on to win it.

“I’m sure it’ll be broken at some point but unfortunately I won’t be that person,” added Wilson.

The chances of an upset had looked slim heading into Saturday evening, despite Lei winning the final frame of their morning session to trail 6-3.

However, the 21-year-old from China, who had to win two qualifying matches just to reach the televised stages of the tournament, reeled off another six consecutive frames once play resumed.

Lei, who won the Scottish Open in December, knocked in pot after pot as he crafted six half century breaks and scored 544 points during that burst to move on to the cusp of victory.

In contrast Wilson, who has claimed four ranking tournaments this term, looked completely out of sorts and managed a meagre 44 points until he stopped the rot in the 16th frame with his second century break of the match.

The 33-year-old Englishman cleared up to pinch the 17th frame after Lei broke down on 60 and then made a half century of his own to draw level at 9-9.

But the world number 39 held his nerve and sealed a famous victory with a break of 66 in the decider.

“He is a legend, I am so proud I could beat him,” Lei said.

Lei, one of a record 10 Chinese players in this year’s first round, will now face either Jak Jones – the player Wilson beat in the 2024 final – or former UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong.

World number 14 Xiao Guodong is in control of the other match that got under way on Saturday morning.

Xiao and Matthew Selt made two century breaks apiece in the opening nine frames, but the Chinese player will take a 7-2 advantage into Sunday’s concluding session.

Three-time champion Mark Williams is 5-4 ahead of China’s Wu Yize.

The Welshman won the opening three frames but was then forced to watch on as Wu constructed superb breaks of 120 and 136, as well as two half-centuries to edge 4-3 ahead.

Williams took the final two frames of the session, with that match scheduled to be played to a conclusion on Sunday afternoon.

Barry Hawkins also established a slender 5-4 lead over Iran’s Hossein Vafaei.

England’s Hawkins crafted three half centuries, while Vafaei’s break of 123 was arguably the highlight of a match that concludes on Sunday evening (19:00 BST).

Meanwhile, 2010 world champion Neil Robertson is in danger of an early exit.

The Australian, who failed to qualify for last year’s tournament but is now back into the world’s top 10, trails England’s Chris Wakelin 7-2.

Wakelin opened the match with a 108 break and the world number 20 later reeled off four frames in a row to lead 6-1.

10:00

14:30

19:00

Halo World Championship

Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 19 April to 5 May

Debutant Lei Peifan stunned defending champion Kyren Wilson by fighting back from 6-2 down to triumph 10-9 as the ‘Crucible curse’ struck again in the first round of the World Snooker Championship.

Wilson becomes the 20th player to succumb to the so-called curse, with no first-time winner able to retain the world crown since the tournament moved to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in 1977.

“It is really hard to take. I gave it my all and Lei came out extremely positive this evening and potted some incredible balls,” Wilson told BBC Sport.

“It really hurts to be honest. As a debutant he held himself together incredibly well and I’d like to wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.

“He seems like quite a cool character. He showed no emotion at all. “

Joe Johnson (1987) and Ken Doherty (1998) came the closest to breaking the ‘curse’ but fell at the final hurdle.

“It’s obviously been built up into something it’s not, because other players have gone on to win it.

“I’m sure it’ll be broken at some point but unfortunately I won’t be that person,” added Wilson.

The chances of an upset had looked slim heading into Saturday evening, despite Lei winning the final frame of their morning session to trail 6-3.

However, the 21-year-old from China, who had to win two qualifying matches just to reach the televised stages of the tournament, reeled off another six consecutive frames once play resumed.

Lei, who won the Scottish Open in December, knocked in pot after pot as he crafted six half century breaks and scored 544 points during that burst to move on to the cusp of victory.

In contrast Wilson, who has claimed four ranking tournaments this term, looked completely out of sorts and managed a meagre 44 points until he stopped the rot in the 16th frame with his second century break of the match.

The 33-year-old Englishman cleared up to pinch the 17th frame after Lei broke down on 60 and then made a half century of his own to draw level at 9-9.

But the world number 39 held his nerve and sealed a famous victory with a break of 66 in the decider.

“He is a legend, I am so proud I could beat him,” Lei said.

Lei, one of a record 10 Chinese players in this year’s first round, will now face either Jak Jones – the player Wilson beat in the 2024 final – or former UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong.

World number 14 Xiao Guodong is in control of the other match that got under way on Saturday morning.

Xiao and Matthew Selt made two century breaks apiece in the opening nine frames, but the Chinese player will take a 7-2 advantage into Sunday’s concluding session.

Three-time champion Mark Williams is 5-4 ahead of China’s Wu Yize.

The Welshman won the opening three frames but was then forced to watch on as Wu constructed superb breaks of 120 and 136, as well as two half-centuries to edge 4-3 ahead.

Williams took the final two frames of the session, with that match scheduled to be played to a conclusion on Sunday afternoon.

Barry Hawkins also established a slender 5-4 lead over Iran’s Hossein Vafaei.

England’s Hawkins crafted three half centuries, while Vafaei’s break of 123 was arguably the highlight of a match that concludes on Sunday evening (19:00 BST).

Meanwhile, 2010 world champion Neil Robertson is in danger of an early exit.

The Australian, who failed to qualify for last year’s tournament but is now back into the world’s top 10, trails England’s Chris Wakelin 7-2.

Wakelin opened the match with a 108 break and the world number 20 later reeled off four frames in a row to lead 6-1.

10:00

14:30

19:00

For Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side, the celebrations at full-time at Goodison Park on Saturday pointed to a monumental result in the context of their substandard campaign.

City have set the benchmark in English football, as the first side to win four top-flight titles in a row, but they will relinquish their hold on the trophy this season.

They also fell in the Champions League play-offs – and for 84 minutes on Merseyside, it seemed like they were facing a real battle to compete in Europe’s elite club competition next term.

But two late goals from the emerging star Nico O’Reilly and experienced midfielder Mateo Kovacic gave City a hard-fought victory at Everton.

Asked how big the result was, Guardiola told BBC Sport: “I would say big. We have five, six games left and with the moment they had after [winning against] Nottingham Forest away, [and given that] Liverpool and Arsenal could not win here, it is massively important.

“I’ve tried to convince the players that qualifying for the Champions League is a huge achievement in this country and in this league.

City were facing the prospect of being out of the Premier League top five come the end of the weekend, but picked up a pivotal result to strengthen their hopes of Champions League football in 2025-26.

The performance of English teams in Europe means the Premier League has received an extra fifth spot in the continent’s premier club competition for next season, which leaves City in a healthy position.

But they needed a late show on Merseyside for all three points and the reaction at the end highlighted how important a victory it was.

City players and staff made their way over to the corner of the stadium where their joyous supporters were housed, taking their acclaim and being serenaded with chants for Guardiola and the departing Kevin de Bruyne.

Victory in their next game against Aston Villa, who are also chasing a top-five place, will go a long way to sealing a coveted Champions League spot.

“If you win you have character, if you don’t win you don’t have character – this is the motto,” said Guardiola.

“What these players have done for one decade, I am so grateful for, whatever has happened – this season more than ever, in the toughest period for many reasons especially injuries.

“We were more or less stable, kept going and going for the next time. We are miles away from Liverpool and Arsenal but tonight we sleep fourth.

“It is in our hands but we have a final on Tuesday, three games at home, two away and hopefully we can achieve this big success to qualify for the Champions League. “

Injuries have had a substantial impact on City this season – and the absences of Nathan Ake, Manual Akanji and John Stones have provided a chance to Manchester-born O’Reilly.

He has been deployed as an inverted left-back, often drifting into midfield, and his runs forward have contributed to City’s attacking threat.

At 20 years and 29 days, O’Reilly became the fourth-youngest player to score in back-to-back Premier League appearances for City after Kelechi Iheanacho, Gabriel Jesus and Phil Foden.

“My defending and positioning while defending is definitely improving,” O’Reilly told Sky Sports. “Every day I am just learning and I am grateful for that. “

The left-footer has had an instant impact since being drafted into the team, having had a hand in six goals across his past six appearances for City in all competitions.

“He’s not really a left-back,” Guardiola told BBC Match of the Day. “I would say all of our left-backs score, Josko Gvardiol before and now Nico. He is an attacking midfielder.

“We have passes, passes and passes and then we can arrive brilliantly into that position. He has arrived from the academy and is helping us a lot. I am more than grateful. He is taking his opportunity. “

Team-mate Ilkay Gundogan described O’Reilly as being “very humble and shy” and someone who “doesn’t talk much”.

The German midfielder added: “In terms of talent and quality, not just his size but playing in a position that isn’t natural for him at left-back, he’s been doing amazing in recent weeks.