Tuesday’s briefing: Old Firm fallout continues as Spurs seek change of fortunes

Scottish PFA chief Fraser Wishart insisted player safety must remain the priority as the fallout from the ugly scenes that marred the end of Rangers’ Scottish Gas Scottish Cup clash with Celtic continues.

Elsewhere, beleaguered Spurs boss Igor Tudor hopes his side’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid will bring respite – but not a shift in focus – from their Premier League plight.

West Ham completed the FA Cup quarter-final line-up with a penalty shootout win over Brentford, while Paul Scholes apologised to former Manchester United team-mate Michael Carrick over a high-profile social media remark.

Scottish PFA chief insists safety must be priority

PFA Scotland chief executive Wishart has called for stronger sanctions on clubs if player safety is put at risk.

Wishart condemned the “unacceptable” scenes that followed Celtic’s cup win over Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday when home fans charged towards travelling supporters who had invaded the pitch to celebrate.

Nine people were arrested in the 24 hours after the quarter-final, one in connection with an alleged assault on a Celtic member of staff and player, while footage has also shown a Rangers fan aiming a kick in the direction of Celtic defender Julian Araujo.

The players’ union boss said in a statement: “Player safety is not optional. It is not negotiable. A footballer’s workplace is the pitch.

“What unfolded is yet another stark reminder of the escalating risks faced by professional footballers in Scotland simply for doing their jobs.”

Tudor stresses Premier League remains priority

Tudor has acknowledged Tottenham’s main priority is Premier League survival but urged them to use the Champions League to switch momentum.

Spurs are back at Atletico Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano for the first time since they lost to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final and the north London club are mired in a relegation fight after an 11-match winless league run this year.

Already with an eight-player injury list, any further absentees could damage Tottenham’s hopes of staying up and Tudor agreed when asked if Tuesday’s last-16 first leg was a free hit and a chance to try some new ideas.

Tudor said: “I agree with both things. Focus on us, playing a team who has a story in this Champions League, what they have experienced, they have quality.

“We need to do our best in terms that we need to grow, as you said also because our first aim is the Premier League, this needs to be said publicly.”

Dango Ouattara miss sends Hammers through

Brentford forward Dango Ouattara fluffed a Panenka-style penalty as West Ham reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in a decade with a 5-3 shootout win.

The Burkina Faso international’s outlandish attempt was easily caught by Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola before Konstantinos Mavropanos converted the decisive spot-kick.

Hammers captain Jarrod Bowen and Brentford top scorer Igor Thiago each scored twice during normal time as an entertaining fifth-round tie ended in a 2-2 draw.

West Ham will face Leeds in the quarter-finals, while League One giant-killers Port Vale earned a lucrative trip to Chelsea. Manchester City take on Liverpool and Arsenal travel to Championship Southampton.

Scholes insists he did not mean to offend Carrick

Scholes has insisted he did not mean to offend his former team-mate Carrick after a social media barb aimed at the Manchester United head coach on Wednesday night.

Scholes posted that “Michael has definitely got something special about him, (because) United have been crap last four games,” shortly after United lost 2-1 at Newcastle.

Despite the loss, the first since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim, United sit third in the Premier League and are challenging for Champions League qualification.

And responding to criticism of his comment, Scholes, speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, said: “Michael is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in football – he’d be the last person I would want to offend.

“I think people have just took it differently from what was meant. The only thing I was saying was that I don’t think they played that well the last four games, and he’s still managing to get results.”

What’s on today

Another big night of Champions League action sees Liverpool and Tottenham travel to Galatasaray and Atletico Madrid respectively, while Newcastle prepare for a glamour tie against Barcelona at St James’s Park.

As the Championship promotion races continues to heat up, third-placed Millwall host Derby, while play-off rivals Wrexham and Hull also square off in north Wales.