Alexandre Lacazette concedes that it is “going to be difficult” for Arsenal to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. As things stand, with eight games remaining, the Gunners’ fate rests in their own hands. Unai Emery’s side sit fourth in the table at present, two points clear of Manchester United and three ahead of Chelsea. They are also only one behind arch-rivals Tottenham, with their north London neighbours having endured a wobble to suggest that third spot is still up for grabs. Lacazette is looking forward to what promises to be an intriguing run-in but admits that securing a return to the Champions League will not be easy with so many sides still in the hunt. The France international striker told Sport360: “It’s going to be difficult of course, but exciting as well. “It’s been a good battle all season so we just want to win every single game and finish third or fourth. It will be good for us and our fans.” Arsenal are considered to have a favourable finish to their Premier League schedule. Wolves, Watford and Leicester are the only sides currently perched inside the top 10 that they are set to face. They do have the added distraction of a Europa League bid, with Napoli next up at the quarter-final stage of that competition. The Gunners are feeling refreshed, though, after taking in a warm-weather break in Dubai and Lacazette is upbeat ahead of a return to domestic action against Newcastle on Monday. He added: “It was a good idea by the club to bring the players available here to Dubai. It’s been good weather, it was a good pitch, great facilities. Everyone enjoyed it and we worked well for one week. “Now we have to come back to London and stay focused on the Premier League and Europa League.” Once their efforts in 2018-19 come to a close, it has been revealed that Arsenal will be facing Bayern Munich, Roma and Real Madrid in the next International Champions Cup. Those meetings with European heavyweights will be taken in during July, as Emery’s side ready themselves for the next Premier League season.

Manchester United are facing their “most important appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson left”, says Andy Cole, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemingly the right man for the job. The Red Devils have been without a permanent manager since parting with Jose Mourinho in December. Solskjaer was handed the reins on an interim basis and has overseen 14 wins from 19 games, with United back in the hunt for a top-four finish and through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Cole believes that immediate impact at Old Trafford has made his fellow Treble winner the favourite to remain at the helm, telling Sky Sports: "I would give him the job. "When he came to the club I could see why they were doing it, but we've got to be all brutally honest - I don't think anyone could have sat here and said he would do as well as he has. "He has gone in, he has galvanised the club, they've got results at the right time." Cole added, with Solskjaer having suffered back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Wolves heading into the international break: "Fair enough, they have lost the last couple, but I just think he is trying to get Manchester United playing the way they used to play - attractive football, scoring goals and being entertaining. "His staff have had a lot to do it with as well. Bringing Mike Phelan back was essential." While backing Solskjaer’s claims to landing a full-time position at United, former frontman Cole concedes that the club have to get their next coaching call right after failed experiments with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho. He said of a team still struggling to find a suitable successor to an iconic boss who headed into retirement on the back of a Premier League title triumph in 2013: "We all know this is possibly the most important appointment since Sir Alex left. "When people are talking about Manchester United finishing in the top four of the Premier League and it's time to celebrate, I am scratching my head. "That's not something to celebrate. It is Manchester United. For me you celebrate winning the league, getting to the European Cup final or winning the FA Cup, or whatever. "It's a massive appointment and if Ole does get the job, no doubt he will know just how tough it is to try and propel the club forward and be competing with Manchester City and Liverpool."

Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti said there has been too much talk about Mauro Icardi amid uncertainty over the star's future in Milan. Icardi has not played since he was stripped of the captaincy last month, with the disgruntled striker claiming to have been injured but Inter initially said tests could not uncover a specific issue. Linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Napoli amid a contract stand-off, Icardi returned to Inter training on Tuesday. Asked if Icardi could be in line to face Lazio in Serie A action on Sunday, Zanetti said: "I think we have talked about him too much. "Now we must focus on the field because it is fundamental for the season finale." Inter are third in Serie A, two points clear of fourth-placed AC Milan following their derby victory prior to the international break. Zanetti added: "We have the goal of qualifying for the Champions League, 10 games are left and on Sunday we meet a direct rival. The team is preparing for the match as best as possible with the coach." There has been talk of unrest between Icardi and some of his Inter team-mates as speculation grows over his future. Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar, however, told Sport.sk : "You should ask Icardi what happened. "Of course, us players have no problem with him, nor does he with us. It's up to him to put an end to this situation." Games against Juventus, Roma and Napoli are all still on tap for Inter as the club looks to hold onto their position in the table and earn a Champions League place for next season. 

RC Strasbourg face off against EA Guingamp in the final of the 2018-19 Coupe de la Ligue (French League Cup) at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille on Saturday night. table.tableizer-table { font-size: 14px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #00a9ce; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } Game RC Strasbourg vs EA Guingamp Date Saturday, 30 March Time 9:00 PM CET (01:30 AM IST, Sunday, March 31)   Which are the teams in the final? RC Strasbourg are playing in the top division of French football, Ligue 1, for the second year running after a nine-year absence. Le Racing have won the Coupe de la Ligue thrice (1963-64, 1996-97 and 2004-05). The Blues have won the Ligue 1 in 1978-79 and the second division thrice, most recently in 2016-17. They have also won the other cup competition in France, Coupe de France, in 1950-51, 1965-66 and 2000-01. Their opponents, EA Guingamp got their first taste of top-flight football in 1995 since their inception in 1912. Having been in and out of the Ligue 1 thrice since, the Red and Blacks have won the Coupe de France twice (2008-09 and 2013-14). However, this will be their first appearance in a Coupe de la Ligue final. How to watch LIVE in India? The match can be viewed LIVE in India, free of charge, on all Goal platforms. Goal India will be live streaming the game on the website, YouTube channel and Facebook and Twitter pages as well. Click here to watch it on Goal.com Where is the final? Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, the 50,083-capacity home stadium of LOSC Lille, who were themselves eliminated by Strasbourg from the competition earlier host the final. What is at stake? The winners get en entry to the 2nd qualifying round of the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League. The prize at stake becomes appealing as Strasbourg are currently placed 10th in the Ligue 1 table while EA Guingamp sit just a point above direct relegation on the 18th spot. Interestingly, record champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will not be a part of the Coupe de la Ligue final for the first time in six years. Their roll of five consecutive triumphs (2013-14 to 2017-18) in the knockout competition came to an end when EA Guingamp defeated them in the quarterfinals earlier this season. Road to the final - RC Strasbourg Third Round, 30 October 2018: Strasbourg 2-0 Lille : Goals from Youssouf Fofana (13') and Dimitri Lienard (81') dashed hopes of Lille playing the final at their home stadium. Round of 16, 19 December 2018: Olympique Marseille 1-1 (2-4 pen) Strasbourg : Jonas Martin (18' Pen.) and Luiz Gustavo (80') cancelled out each other as the game moved to a shootout where Strasbourg prevailed. Quarterfinal, 8 January 2019: Olympique Lyon 1-2 Strasbourg : Ludovic Ajorque (26' Pen.) and Lamine Kone (52') scored on either side of a Bertrand Traore (49') goal in Lyon. Semifinal, 29 January 2019: Strasbourg 3-2 Bordeaux : Ludovic Ajorque (49') and Lebo Mothiba (55', 60') put in three inside eleven minutes for the hosts. Younousse Sankhare (14') and Jimmy Briand (82') strikes went in vain. Road to the final - EA Guingamp Third Round, 31 October 2018: Guingamp 0-0 (3-2 pen) Angers : Marcus Coco, Gussouma Fofana and Ludovic Blas all scored in the shootout after a goalless ninety minutes. Round of 16, 19 December 2018: Nice 0-0 (1-3 pen) Guingamp : After another drab draw, Alexandre Mendy, Felix Eboa-Eboa and Yeni N'Gbakoto scored from the spotkicks. Quarterfinal, 8 January 2019: Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Guingamp : Champions PSG were cruising home with a Neymar (62') goal but the French giants gifted two late penalties for Yeni N'Gbakoto (81' Pen.) and Marcus Thuram (90+3' Pen.) to score for a shock exit for the eight-time winners. Semifinal, 29 January 2019: Guingamp 2-2 (5-4 pen) AS Monaco : Rony Lopes (18') and Aleksandr Golovin (24') put the former French champions ahead. Alexandre Mendy (46') and Marcus Thuram (55') levelled as the game went to penalties. Ronny Rodelin, Nolan Roux, Pedro Rebocho, Lebogang Phiri and Marcus Coco scored to see Guingamp through to their first ever Coupe de la Ligue final.

Thibaut Courtois would like Belgium team-mate and Chelsea star Eden Hazard to join him at Real Madrid. Hazard revealed in early February he had made a decision over his future, but the star attacker is yet to announce his plans. The 28-year-old, whose contract runs until 2020, has long been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu and Courtois wants Hazard to move to the La Liga giants. "I don't know if he is going to sign for Real Madrid, nor do I know if the club want him," the goalkeeper told Onda Cero on Wednesday. "For me, he is a great player, but I don't decide those things. "Each one decides what he does with his life. For me, he is one of the best in the world and as a friend I would like him to be here." Courtois played four seasons at Chelsea before making the switch to Madrid in August last year. Hazard has scored 13 goals and provided 11 assists in 29 Premier League games this season, with Chelsea sitting sixth in the table. The 28-year-old scored on his 100th appearance for Belgium on Sunday but dismissed reports that a deal with the Spanish giants is already done. "There is still nothing," he said when pressed by for an answer about his Madrid future while on international duty . Chelsea return to Premier League action Sunday as they travel to face Cardiff City, with a clash against Brighton to follow on Wednesday.  The Blues are also still in the running in the Europa League, where they are set to face a quarter-final against Slavia Praha, with the first match to be played on April 11 and Chelsea hosting the second leg a week later with a crunch clash against Liverpool tucked in between.