OptiNews - Friday 16 to Thursday 22 March 2018

Sourced from The Independent article

The dates and kick-off times for the FA Cup semi-finals have been confirmed

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Manchester United and Tottenham will face off in their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday April 21, the Football Association has announced.

Jose Mourinho’s side will take on Spurs at Wembley, where the north London club are currently tenants, with a 5.15pm kick-off.

Tottenham will technically be the away side after they were drawn out of the hat second, despite playing their home fixtures at the the national stadium this season.

Chelsea and Southampton contest the other last-four tie the following day, on Sunday April 22, with a 3pm kick-off.

The FA has also confirmed that VAR will be in use in both matches.

Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Ticket Information: Chelsea vs Saints

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We have received an allocation of 33,411 tickets in the West end of Wembley Stadium for our Emirates FA Cup semi-final tie against Chelsea, which takes place on Sunday 22nd April at 3pm BST.

Tickets for the game will be sold ONLINE ONLY, with details as follows…

*Concessions are defined as Over-65s, 18-21 year olds and Under-18s.

All 2017/18 Season Ticket Holders are guaranteed a ticket providing that they purchase them in one of the four Season Ticket windows detailed below.

The criteria for this fixture has been set taking into account all competitive first team fixtures played that are not included in your Season Ticket. For the avoidance of doubt, this totals 19 fixtures (every Premier League away game up to and including Newcastle United, away Emirates FA Cup ties at Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic, and the two home cup ties against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Watford).

Tickets will go off sale at 8.30am each day, and the ticketing website will close at this point to allow for the next sale to be prepared in time for 9am.

We have used the above criteria to reduce queuing times online for Season Ticket holders, however please remember that at the time of going on sale, it will be very busy and a lengthy queue is to be expected. Please use all the time allowed to purchase your ticket, as all Season Ticket holders are guaranteed a ticket providing they purchase within the timeframes detailed above.

Season Ticket holders who require accessible seating will follow the same purchase criteria as above. For full information on how to purchase when you qualify, please see the section below entitled ‘Accessible Seating’.

Tickets are limited to one per eligible Supporter Number, and a maximum of EIGHT tickets can be bought in any one transaction. No amendments can be made to tickets once purchased under any circumstances, so please thoroughly check which tickets you are about to purchase before confirming your order as there will be no opportunity to alter tickets once the purchase has been completed.

All tickets will be sent out via Royal Mail, and tickets bought by supporters based in the United Kingdom will NOT be available for collection. We will e-mail supporters once their tickets have been dispatched, however no tickets will be sent before Thursday 5th April. All tickets bought by supporters outside of the United Kingdom will need to be collected from the Ticket Office at Wembley Stadium on the day of the game – full details will be communicated via e-mail closer to the time.

Following the sale to Season Ticket holders, tickets will go on sale to Official Members, based on how many qualifying fixtures they have purchased in the 2017/18 season. Priority will in the first instance be given to Official Members who purchased their Membership before the Wigan Athletic fixture on Sunday 18th March. All home Premier League fixtures up to and including Stoke City, all Emirates FA Cup games from this season (both home and away) and the Carabao Cup fixture vs Wolverhampton Wanderers count towards the criteria, meaning that there are a total of 21 games which can be used to qualify in this sale. Please remember that tickets bought against someone else’s Supporter Number cannot be transferred to your own.

Once this sale has been completed, tickets will go on sale to Official Members who purchased their Membership AFTER Sunday 18th March, based on how many qualifying fixtures they have purchased in the 2017/18 season.

Tickets will go off sale at 8.30am each day, and the ticketing website will close at this point to allow for the next sale to be prepared in time for 9am.

Official Members who require accessible seating will follow the same purchase criteria as above. For full information on how to purchase when you qualify, please see the section below entitled ‘Accessible Seating’.

Tickets are limited to one per eligible Supporter Number, and a maximum of EIGHT tickets can be bought in any one transaction. No amendments can be made to tickets once purchased.

Subject to availability, following the sale to Official Members, tickets will then go on sale to supporters without a Season Ticket or Official Membership, based on how many qualifying fixtures they have purchased in the 2017/18 season. All home Premier League fixtures up to and including Stoke City, all Emirates FA Cup games from this season (both home and away) and the Carabao Cup fixture vs Wolverhampton Wanderers count towards the criteria, meaning that there are a total of 21 games which can be used to qualify in this sale. Please remember that tickets bought against someone else’s Supporter Number cannot be transferred to your own.

Please note that no guarantee can be given that any tickets will remain at this point, and if tickets are available it is likely that the choice of seating will be extremely limited.

Any tickets remaining will go on sale in the following order…

Tickets will go off sale at 8.30am each day, and the ticketing website will close at this point to allow for the next sale to be prepared in time for 9am.

Should there still be tickets remaining after this sale, a further announcement as to ticket sales will be made in the afternoon of Friday 13th April.

Supporters who require accessible seating will follow the same purchase criteria as above. For full information on how to purchase when you qualify, please see the section below entitled ‘Accessible Seating’.

Tickets are limited to one per eligible Supporter Number, and a maximum of EIGHT tickets can be bought in any one transaction. No amendments can be made to tickets once purchased.

Supporters who require accessible seating will need to meet the criteria set out above. As Wembley Stadium offers a free Enabler to all qualifying disabled supporters, we are unable to process these tickets online, and, as such, all accessible seating, both Wheelchair and Ambulant, will need to be purchased by calling 02381 780780. In order to purchase accessible seating, the club must first have received proof of eligibility. For full details, please click here.

We have been allocated 100 Wheelchair spaces, with 90 in the Lower Tier, and ten in the Upper Tier, broken down as follows…

All tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis to supporters who qualify.

An allocation of tickets has been reserved for supporters who require step-free access to their seats. These seats are limited, however we will endeavour to assist with any accessibility requirements you may have. There are no restrictions on where you may purchase Ambulant seating. Wembley Stadium has escalators to access the Upper Tier, however we would always suggest that you purchase the seats you feel are most appropriate for you. If you have any queries regarding the suitability of seats, please discuss this with the staff when purchasing your tickets.

All accessible seats, both for Wheelchair users and Ambulant supporters are priced at £30 each with an Enabler issued free of charge.

Club Southampton seasonal guests should contact their Account Manager to request tickets. No tickets will be sold to Club Southampton guests through the Ticket Office.

Official Coach Travel will be available for this fixture and can be purchased along with your match tickets.

The coaches will depart from either Southampton (exact location TBC), Eastleigh (exact location TBC) or Winchester (exact location TBC), and will not call at the other locations. Please be sure to select the appropriate pick-up location when purchasing your coach travel.

If you require wheelchair accessible coach travel, please contact the Supporter Relations department by e-mailing supporterrelations@saintsfc.co.uk.

Coach travel is priced at £23 per person, and the departure times are as follows…

Tickets are restricted to one per Supporter Number. Fans can purchase more than one ticket in each transaction by linking other eligible accounts with theirs using our friends and family function.

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Sourced from talkSPORT article

Premier League 2017/18: Players with most crosses this season revealed and ranked

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The 2017/18 Premier League is drawing to a close, and serious discussions have started as to who has been the best player this season.

England’s top flight has been dominated by Manchester City, but standout performers can been found at Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur as well.

Using statistics is a great way to determine just who has been the best, and, using data courtesy of EA SPORTS, talkSPORT.com are taking an in-depth look at the players leading certain areas of the game.

You can see the players with the most crosses taken this season (excluding corners) by clicking the right arrow, above…

Data Courtesy of EA SPORTS, the Lead Partner of the Premier League.

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 21/03/2018 17:56:52

| | Semi Final Ticket Details Confirmed - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
|

| Southampton, Chelsea get FA Cup semi-final dateSBNATIONSTMARYSMUSINGS |

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

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#SaintsFC’s @chazaustin10 discusses his return, Mark Hughes’s arrival and the #PL run-in:

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Sourced from BBC article

Wigan Athletic 0-2 Southampton

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Mark Hughes called Southampton’s win over Wigan “a statement of intent” as they reached the FA Cup semi-finals in his first game in charge.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg fired in from a second-half corner, shortly after Christian Walton had saved his header.

Wigan’s keeper then made an outstanding save from Manolo Gabbiadini’s penalty after Dan Burn had brought down the striker.

Cedric Soares slotted past Walton to confirm the win in stoppage time.

“It was an important day for the players today,” said Hughes. “I have been really impressed with the quality of the talent I have.”

The former Stoke boss said his players still “have work to do” as they fight to stay in the Premier League but added that they would enjoy the victory.

It was a good start for Hughes, who replaced Mauricio Pellegrino as Southampton boss this week after he was sacked with the club one point above the Premier League relegation zone.

He said his side “stood up to Wigan” after the League One promotion contenders created a number of chances throughout the game.

Shortly before Cedric’s goal - like Hojbjerg’s, his first for the club - Paul Cook’s side almost grabbed an equaliser through Noel Hunt, whose sidefoot volley was headed over the bar by Southampton defender Jack Stephens.

Wigan could have scored in the first half too as Gary Roberts, Will Grigg and Cheyenne Dunkley all came close.

Roberts’ effort looped over the bar after Dunkley almost poked home Burn’s deflected strike in an exciting half full of chances.

Southampton had the upper hand after the break, though, as they booked a place in the last four for the first time since 2003.

Wigan eliminated three Premier League teams on route to the quarter-finals, ending Manchester City’s hopes of a clean sweep of trophies with a stunning upset in their fifth-round tie after also knocking out Bournemouth and West Ham.

The Latics are chasing the League One title and hope to achieve automatic promotion to the Championship.

Southampton may be in the relegation zone, with just one win in 17 Premier League games, but could yet end the season by winning the FA Cup for the first time since 1976.

And there was plenty for new boss Hughes to be encouraged about as his side reached the semi-finals.

He set his team out to attack - naming two forwards in Gabbiadini and Guido Carrillo - and it paid off as the Saints created a number of chances, particularly in the second half, when they were much more direct.

Gabbiadini should have scored on at least one occasion - and that lack of ruthlessness will be one frustration for Hughes.

But the Italian found himself in the right positions and did well to earn the penalty.

Wigan created a number of first-half chances as they produced another terrific performance against a Premier League side.

Roberts’ looping strike was arguably their best opening, while Michael Jacobs should have slipped a pass to Gavin Massey after a great run later in the half - instead seeing his shot blocked.

The Latics were left to rue their missed chances when Southampton came out in the second half with more intensity and urgency.

Nathan Byrne’s misplaced pass gifted Gabbiadini a golden opportunity to break the deadlock - only to be denied by Walton, who had an outstanding game in goal for Wigan.

That error was an isolated moment, though, as Wigan defended with solidity and attacked with bravery throughout, and were given hearty and deserved applause as they left the field at the end.

Based on their performances in the competition, the Latics have more than enough in the tank to secure promotion and can be considered League One title contenders.

Wigan manager Paul Cook: "You can’t ask for any more from your players. The first half, we were excellent. We expected that response from Southampton and we wish them well in the semi-finals. We were playing some great players and in the end their quality came through.

“The goalkeeper was outstanding. He works very hard and gets his rewards. I’d like to see Noel Hunt’s chance again. That felt like a key moment and most of those seemed to go to Southampton today.”

Southampton manager Mark Hughes: "It was an important day for the players today. I have been really impressed with the quality of the talent I have. They have lost a bit of confidence recently but they are good players.

"We stood up to Wigan. It was a statement of intent and a start. We have work to do in the Premier League, but we will enjoy this moment.

“We did not create enough in the first half, but we were resolute throughout and made the right decisions in the key moments.”

Wigan travel to Walsall this Wednesday in League One (19:45 GMT); Southampton are not back in action until Saturday, 31 March, when they go to West Ham in the Premier League (15:00 BST).

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Sourced from The Telegraph article

Man Utd, Spurs, Chelsea and Southampton fans to be offered most expensive FA Cup semi-final tickets ever after FA confirms price hike

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The Football Association have confirmed a steep increase in ticket prices for the FA Cup semi-finals and final to be held at Wembley.

For the first time since 2015, the FA have raised prices for final stages of the competition with fans charged up to £20 more for semi-final tickets and £30 more for final tickets.

While the cheapest ticket for the semi-finals, which will be contested between Manchester United and Tottenham on April 21, and Chelsea and Southampton on April 22, remains at £30, the most expensive ticket will now be £80.

That is in comparison to the £60 fans had to pay for a Category A ticket last season. Category B tickets are this year priced at £65, up from £50, while a Category C seat will cost £45 instead of £40.

The most expensive ticket for the final will now cost £145, instead of £115, while a Category B seat is priced at £115, up from £85, and a category C ticket is £80 instead of £65. The cheapest ticket has been frozen at £45.

In an article on the FA’s website, Andy Ambler, director of professional game relations, attempted to explain the pricing policy for this season’s semi-finals and final.

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Sourced from talkSPORT article

Every Premier League team’s run-in ranked - from hardest to easiest

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We’re entering the final stretch of the Premier League season and despite Manchester City being runaway leaders, there is still plenty to be decided.

Whether it be who finishes in the top four, or who gets relegated, talkSPORT is the place to follow all the latest football news.

Some clubs are in a better position than others to achieve their respective goals as they have a perceived easier set of fixtures.

But which Premier League clubs have the best run-ins? Click the right arrow above to find out…

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 21/03/2018 18:57:07

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| Palace have a low conversion rate when it comes to penaltiesCROYDONADVERTISER |

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 21/03/2018 19:57:20

| | Walsall v Wigan Athletic: A tough one to plan forWIGANTODAY |

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 21/03/2018 20:57:33

| | Four Italian clubs hope to sign Southampton starREADSOUTHAMPTON |

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

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Young #SaintsFC duo included in latest #Lionesses Under-15s training camp: http://sfcne.ws/EnglandWU15

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Video: Austin on return from injury

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Watch our extended interview with Charlie Austin, who discusses the long road back from his hamstring injury, as well as what Mark Hughes has brought to the squad as Southampton’s new manager.

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Austin can’t wait for first-team return

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The striker tore his hamstring in the 1-1 draw with Huddersfield at St Mary’s back in December.

By scoring earlier in the game, Austin took his 2017/18 Premier League tally to six goals in five starts, but has been powerless to prevent Saints’ struggles since.

“It’s been a frustrating time, being injured. It wasn’t like being out for two weeks – it’s been 14 weeks now,” he said.

“I was in such good form and that was the hard thing, because I’d had to bide my time for ages to get in.

“When I did get in, it was all going well personally. I was helping the team and we weren’t losing many games.

“Then the injury came and I thought ‘this is all I need’. I knew I’d done something bad because I’ve done a few hamstrings before but never as bad as that.

“I worked with the team – all the medical staff and the fitness guys – to get where I am now.

“Whilst that was going on, as a team we were underperforming and that’s why we’re in the situation we are.

“Verbally you can help the team, but it’s a physical sport and you need to be on the pitch helping them – that’s what I couldn’t do.”

Now with his sights set on a return to Premier League action, Austin is ready to embrace the pressure that comes with that, as a consequence of Saints’ precarious position in the table.

“It’s good to have that light at the end of the tunnel and this is the last tick in the box – it’s great to be back with the lads,” he added.

“All the hard work I’ve done with the physios and Bill (Styles, first team sports scientist) has paid off and hopefully I can stay fit until the end of the season.

“Now I’m back, we’ve got a big eight weeks and I’ll put all my energy into helping the team drive forward to stay in the Premier League.

“It’s pressure. Some people like being in those scenarios, some people hide from it.

“You’ve got to embrace it – as men and as footballers. We’re under a lot of pressure at the moment, don’t get me wrong, but we need to push forward.

“Being a big character that I am and part of this great team, I feel there’s enough character, talent and work ethic, and with the new coaching staff coming in with new ideas, it’s going to really help us.”

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@TeleFootball - Telegraph Football

Man Utd, Spurs, Chelsea and Southampton fans to be offered most expensive FA Cup semi-final tickets ever after FA c… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/976486586752884736

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 21/03/2018 21:57:48

| | Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland thanks new Southampton boss Mark Hughes for handing him his 'big break’STAFFSLIVE |
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| The stat Watford had a perfect record in until this seasonHERTFORDSHIREMERCURY |
| | Austin relishing pressure on Saints returnSPORTSMOLE |
| | Southampton legend says Man United star joining Tottenham is “obvious” | TottenhamBlog.comTOTTENHAMBLOG |

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@sosoboufal19 - sofiane boufal

Hi everyone :grinning:
I’ve just joined the Twitter Community :arrow_right: @sosoboufal19 .
See you there :ok_hand:t4:

Salut à tous :grinning:
Je viens d… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/976568762068623366

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Blogs – Fresh Saints

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@Matt_Law_DT - Matt Law

FA accused of ‘shamelessly milking supporters’ after revealing semi-final and final price hikes #thfc #cfc #mufchttps://twitter.com/i/web/status/976543549260001282

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