FA Cup news and buildup, EFL and more football – matchday live

Tottenham Hotspur have moved swiftly to appoint Igor Tudor as interim head coach until the end of the season, hours after parting company with Thomas Frank following Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle that left the club 16th in the Premier League. The 47-year-old Croatian, who has never managed in England, arrives with a résumé that blends domestic silverware in his homeland with a reputation for short, intense tenures across Europe.

Tudor’s playing career was anchored by nine trophy-laden years at Juventus, where he won two Serie A titles and earned 55 caps for Croatia, scoring against England at Euro 2004. Since moving into the dugout he has collected the 2013 Croatian Cup with Hajduk Split, rescued Udinese from relegation in 2018 and, most recently, steered Juventus to fourth place last spring before an eight-game winless run cost him his job in October. “I understand the responsibility I have been handed,” Tudor said on Friday. “My focus is clear: to bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.”

The timing is critical. Spurs host Burton Albion in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday evening, while a relegation battle looms domestically. Chairman Daniel Levy has left the door ajar for a broader reset in the summer, with Mauricio Pochettino—currently in charge of the United States—already being mentioned as a possible permanent successor.

Across the country, Newcastle must cope without captain Bruno Guimarães for up to eight weeks after the Brazilian suffered a hamstring tear in the same mid-week victory that hastened Frank’s exit. Scans confirmed the extent of the injury on Wednesday; Eddie Howe admitted the midfielder “definitely felt something” but had to stay on because the bench had been stripped of midfield options. Guimarães could miss at least ten matches, a setback that threatens to derail the Magpies’ push for European qualification.

Cup romance is on the menu at the Pirelli Stadium, where League One Burton look to spring a famous upset against West Ham. The Brewers’ starting XI features former Premier League academy products such as Revan and Shade, while Julen Lopetegui has rotated his Hammers selection, handing a debut to 17-year-old midfielder Lamadrid and recalling experienced heads like Kanté and Areola.

Southampton’s meeting with Leicester at St Mary’s offers an instant replay of Tuesday’s remarkable Championship encounter, when the Saints overturned a 3-0 half-time deficit to win 4-3 with Shea Charles’ 96th-minute strike. Russell Martin’s side will hope for a less dramatic route into the fifth round, yet Leicester, buoyed by the pace of Abdul Fatawu and the finishing of Patson Daka, remain dangerous.

Wrexham are still celebrating their first appearance in the last 16 since 1995 after Josh Windass’ goal edged out promotion rivals Ipswich. Phil Parkinson, whose side sit sixth in the Championship, urged fans to savour the moment: “Every season in football is special and you’ve got to savour it.” The Red Dragons, promoted in each of the past three campaigns, will learn their fifth-round fate during Monday night’s draw.

In Europe’s major leagues, the headline fixture sees Inter Milan host Juventus in Serie A tonight, a clash that could have title ramifications for both. LaLiga offers Real Madrid against Real Sociedad, while the Bundesliga’s afternoon programme features Bayern Munich away to Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund—fresh from a 4-0 rout of Mainz in which Serhou Guirassy struck twice—looking to keep pace at the top.

Back in England, the FA Cup fourth-round weekend also doubles as a stage for fringe players and emerging talents. Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton, Aston Villa and Burnley are all in action, while Millwall, Derby and Preston seek Championship momentum alongside cup progress.

Off the pitch, England confirmed Thomas Tuchel will remain head coach through Euro 2028 after a qualifying campaign that sealed World Cup passage. The draw for this autumn’s Nations League pitted the Three Lions against Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic in Group A3.

With managerial chairs spinning—Nottingham Forest are poised to unveil Vítor Pereira as their fourth head coach of the season after Thursday’s dismissal of Sean Dyche—and injuries mounting, the weekend’s fixtures promise as much intrigue on the touchline as on the pitch.