‘Data places us in the top four in the table’ says Pochettino, manager of 11th-place Chelsea

Quote

“I thought he’d miss his penalty. Not trying to say I’m like Houdini or anything like that, but I did call it.”

Truly, there is only one Rio Ferdinand.

Number: 10,094

The attendance in Tallaght on Friday night for Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians, the highest in the league in 33 years.

From leaky defences to leaky pipes

It was no great surprise when Barcelona completed a 5-2 aggregate defeat of Norway’s SK Brann in the Champions League quarter-finals last week, they did, after all, win the competition last season. What did come as a shock after the second leg, though, was the announcement by Brann’s Australian international Larissa Crummer that this was her last ever game of professional football - the 28-year-old was retiring and returning home.

Zurich Classic win could be catalyst for Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy

---

Keep It Tight review: Deirdre O’Kane and Emma Doran combine brazen charm with disarming realness

---

I am that deeply suspect Irish creature, a mother of an only child. It was by choice

---

Bowel cancer: ‘I truly know what it means to live and am genuinely loving life’

---

“I’ve given 28 years to football, so it’s just time to switch it round and be a good mum and be there for the family for once,” she said of her wife and two children back home. Thirty-three Australian caps, league titles with Sydney and Melbourne City, a spell with Seattle Reign in the United States before moving to Norway, it was a lively career.

Did she make her fortune? “I’m straight back into work when I get back on Wednesday,” she said. That’d be a no. She’s a plumber by trade, so she’ll be dealing with leaky pipes from here on in instead of, well, punishing leaky defences. A heck of a career switch.

Word of Mouth

“It is easy to find data to kill someone, but today’s data puts us in the top four in the table. For different reasons, we are not getting the results we deserve.”

Mauricio Pochettino, manager of, eh, 11th placed Chelsea.

“It’s ridiculous that people are saying Kobbie Mainoo is going to be the ‘next big thing’ because we just don’t know...... [but] if he can develop in this way, you’ve almost got a bit of a Zidane or Gascoigne type player, a Pogba.”

YouTuber and football pundit Mark Goldbridge dampening down the hype - ish.

“I’ll do whatever I can do for Palmeiras, it’s me trying to give something back, even if it’s one per cent, even without a leg I will play.”

How committed is Brazil’s Endrick to his club before he sets sail for Real Madrid? Very.

Keys the insider

Monday: “My information is that Alonso has decided on Liverpool - they have got him to agree to become their next manager.”

Richard Keys exclusively revealing that Xabi was Anfield-bound.

Saturday: “Alonso announced yesterday that he’s staying. And in my opinion, that is a huge mistake. I would question the size of his cojones. Bayer Leverkusen are Leicesterkusen, they will never again have a season like this. I think he has bottled it.”

Richard Keys exclusively revealing that his ‘information’ is decidedly iffy.

More Word of Mouth

“Oh no Phillips is coming on. 4-3 Newcastle incoming.”

West Ham fan @Charlie_Fry_, armed with a crystal ball, when poor old Kalvin came on on Saturday when the Hammers led 3-1. And yes, they lost 4-3.

“The press tried to make it all philosophical. But the best sense of it was: you make me speak, I speak and who cares whether the words make sense.”

All these years later, Eric Cantona suggests that “when the seagulls follow the trawler it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea” possibly had no meaning at all. Gutting.

“One day Leon will be regarded as the best player in the world. Messi is getting older, Cristiano’s getting older, Neymar has injury problems and is getting older, Mbappe as well. Leon has no cap on his potential. You’ve not seen anything yet.”

High praise for Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey…. from, well, his agent (and adopted father) Craig Butler.

• Join us for The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast live in Belfast on April 10th
• Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date