The app lets shoppers create personalised notifications, including a stock check function, so you can see if the items you want to buy are available before heading to the store.
Plus, Primark has told shoppers that the app also makes its popular click-and-collect service easier to use.
The brand previously rolled out its click and collect service to all 189 UK stores, allowing shoppers to pay for items online and pick them up in stores.
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Primark launches app in the UK
Primark first launched its app in Ireland and Italy last summer, but it is now available to download in the UK on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Discussing its new feature, Kari Rodgers, UK Retail Director at Primark, said: “We know our customers expect great value and an effortless shopping experience, wherever they are.
“Our new app puts exactly that in the palm of their hand, from personalised updates on the latest trends to faster, more convenient ways to browse and shop via Click & Collect.
“This is just the next step in bringing everyday value to more UK shoppers in a way that’s simple, seamless and built around their needs.”
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Matt Houston, Chief Customer and Digital Officer at Primark, shared: “Following the successful launch of our app in Ireland and Italy, we’re excited to bring an even smarter, more connected shopping experience to the UK.
“Customers are increasingly turning to digital tools that make shopping easier and more rewarding, and we’re confident that our app will deliver an intuitive, personalised experience that’s been carefully designed to help them get the most out of every Primark visit.”
Will you be using Primark’s new app? Let us know in the comments.
Ofgem has issued an urgent warning to every household with gas and electricity meters.
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It has warned that people could not only be breaking the law but also putting their lives at serious risk. Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) acts as the UK’s energy regulator. As a non-ministerial government department, its principal role is to protect the interests of energy consumers. In a recent post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ofgem warned: “Tampering with your meter is illegal and could be dangerous.”
The alert also includes a link to the Ofgem website, which explains that “energy theft” takes place when individuals attempt to cut their gas and electricity bills by interfering with their meters. It cautions: “It can cause property damage, injury or death.”
According to Ofgem, meter tampering leads to one death every 10 days, with electric shocks, severe burns, house fires, fatal gas leaks and explosions all being potential outcomes of energy theft. The regulator has also advised people to “be wary of people offering to reduce your energy bills by making changes to your meter.”
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Common signs a gas meter has been tampered with include:
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pipes that appear misplaced
dials that aren’t moving or are obscured
gas flowing despite no credit on prepayment meters
the meter installed backwards with dials concealed
the odour of gas around the meter box
rubber tubing where metal piping should be
Typical indicators of electricity meter interference include:
exposed wires, coiled around components or attached with clips
broken casing
electricity flowing despite no credit on prepayment meters
The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.
When I found out I was having my first boy five years ago, I was elated and excited … and then worried about anger. There had recently been yet another school shooting, followed by yet another rash of headlines about boys, guns and rage.
I understand the roots of that kind of violence are deeply complex, and that in my own life I am surrounded by loving, empathetic men. But I was also a hormonal soon-to-be first-time mom (who, in hindsight, was probably grappling with a touch of perinatal anxiety). I worried that I would raise an angry young man.
I was not alone. Concerns about boys and anger abound, as comedian and writer Michael Ian Black captured in his viral 2018 New York Times opinion piece The Boys Are Not All Right. “The man who feels lost but wishes to preserve his fully masculine self has only two choices: withdrawal or rage,” he wrote. The story has more than 2,100 comments. Clearly it struck a chord.
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Now that I know my boys and have spent years watching their beautiful, complex little personalities unfold, those fears I held during my pregnancy seem distant and reductive. Of course they do not inherently struggle with anger simply because they are boys. And yet they do lash out — sometimes in frustration, sometimes when I ask them to do something they don’t want to. What I want is to help them navigate that anger, so they can experience the feeling, but not be overwhelmed by it.
“Parents need to give their children the tools to understand their feelings, and it needs to be developed just like developing understanding of other complicated and abstract concepts,” said Steven Meyers, a professor of psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago.
So, first and foremost, it helps to understand the basics of what anger is: basically, a response to a perceived threat. The body releases adrenaline (the hormone that plays a key role in the fight-or-flight response) and the heart rate and blood pressure go up. It is absolutely fine — and sometimes really positive — to feel angry.
It’s when that anger is not managed in a healthy way that it can become problematic. So here are some tips for parents to keep in mind.
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First, understand that there can be differences in how boys and girls experience and express anger.
Obviously, there is so much nuance when it comes to individuals, emotions — and how they express those emotions. It is not fair, nor accurate, to say that all boys experience anger one way, while all girls experience it another. And research shows it is a myth that boys and men experience anger more than girls and women.
Yet experts say there can be big broad-strokes distinctions parents might want to at least have in mind as they help guide their children through all of this.
“Psychologists have a saying that boys externalise and girls internalise. This means that boys are more likely to take their anger and distress and direct it outward, where it can become verbal or physical aggression. On the other hand, girls are more likely to direct their anger and frustrations inward towards themselves, so it can become self-blame or even depression,” Meyers said. “Naturally, this is a simplification, but there are gender differences in the rates of these different disorders between girls and boys, as well as between women and men.”
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Help your child learn how to label his feelings.
“The first step to stress and anger management is to help your child identify what’s going on, and to empathise with it,” said Kelsey Torgerson Dunn, a social worker who runs a private counselling practice in St. Louis that focuses on anxiety counselling and anger management for children and teens. Young kids don’t always recognise what they’re experiencing. Heck, adults struggle to identify their root feelings a lot of the time. But if you don’t understand what the problem is — in this case, feelings of anger or frustration that might lead a child to act out — you can’t solve the problem. Labelling the feeling is so important.
In a younger kid, that might mean explicitly describing their emotions — like, “your body looks like it’s feeling frustrated,” Dunn offered by way of example, or “it seems like you are feeling angry, because I told you ‘no.’” Don’t worry about being presumptuous or getting it wrong. Your kid might turn around and tell you that they’re not actually feeling angry, they’re feeling XYZ thing — and that’s totally fine. You’ve prompted them to identify what is going on internally.
Older kids and teens probably won’t respond all that well to those kinds of prompts, but they might still need some help identifying their feelings in the moment. So for them, labelling might sound something more like, “If I were in this situation, I’d probably feel pretty mad. Walk me through what’s going on for you,” Dunn recommended.
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“
One sentence that I often use when working with boys is that ‘you can feel whatever you want to feel, but you can’t always do whatever you want to do.’
– Steven Meyers, psychologist
Be soothing.
Although parents might react to a child’s anger or outburst by walking away (and strategic ignoring can certainly be one way to help diffuse tantrums), experts say there is a strong argument to be made for soothing children.
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“Anger can overwhelm young children. They do not necessarily have the ability to calm themselves down so that they become more reasonable,” Meyers said. “There are many ways to soothe and comfort an angry young child, but it may require a shift in the parent’s mindset or focus in the moment.”
Be patient and calm. Make it clear that you’re not looking to just stifle or deny their anger in the moment — which is especially important with boys, who have historically been taught to bottle up their emotions. The goal is ultimately to help your kids get to a point where they’re able to self-soothe, perhaps by taking deep breaths, walking away or taking a few moments to themselves to calm down. By acting calm and soothing in the moment yourself, you’re modelling compassion for oneself and for others, which is a very good thing.
Provide consequences.
Don’t confuse being soothing with being permissive.
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“Consequences are needed when anger spills over into aggression, especially as boys get older,” Meyers said. “One sentence that I often use when working with boys is that ‘you can feel whatever you want to feel, but you can’t always do whatever you want to do.’”
Consequences can take many different forms, depending on how old your child is, what the specific circumstances are, and what his personality responds to — and, of course, those things can change by the day. But things like brief time-outs or loss of privileges can be powerful tools in teaching boys that there is a difference between emotions and behaviours. Spend a bit of time thinking about the types of consequences you’re comfortable with, so that you’re not blurting out random threats after your child has expressed their anger in a way you’re not comfortable with. Certain strategies work better for some children than others, so you might need to recalibrate and try out a few things.
Remember, what you’re trying to teach is that it is absolutely OK to feel angry and to express that you are feeling angry. It is not OK to act out on that anger in an aggressive way.
If you’re worried about your child’s anger, ask for help.
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“Psychologists use the standards of frequency, duration, intensity, and age-appropriateness when they assess whether a behaviour is a symptom of a disorder,” said Meyers, so those are criteria parents who are concerned about their son’s anger or aggression should pay attention to. There aren’t hard and fast rules about what’s typical and what’s not, but if your son seems to be struggling with anger on a daily basis, that might be a sign something more serious is going on, Meyers said.
Dunn said it’s also helpful to consider whether certain behaviours — like aggression — are happening across settings, such as if your child is having similar problems at home and at school. That kind of consistency signals that it is less about the particular situation in which they find themselves, and more about their general response to feelings of anger.
If you’re concerned, experts say talking to your child’s paediatrician is a good place to start, and checking in with his teachers can also be helpful. It might take some digging.
“Parents don’t always know what is going on underneath their sons’ anger. There might be stress, or anxiety, or depression,” Dunn said. “It’s important to find out what it might be.”
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The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.
Steeped in history, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has stood as a dominating spectacle close to the England-Scotland border for almost 2000 years.
But rangers say an increasingly common sight along the famous 84‑mile route, which stretches from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway, is dog mess left beside the path, or worse, poo bags stuffed into gaps in the historic wall itself.
Margaret Anderson, a senior ranger at NNPA, said she wants to highlight the issue “before it becomes a bigger problem”.
“Northumberland National Park rangers and volunteers are cleaning up dog fouling at locations across the national park every day,” said Margaret.
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“It’s an issue the rangers and volunteers have noticed more of recently, where dog poo bags are being hidden either in the wall or in places that are more out of sight.”
A hotspot for illegal dumping is reportedly in the section of the wall close to Steel Rigg, along the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail towards Sycamore Gap.
At times, dog poo bags have also been captured lining parts of the Steel Rigg car park (Image: NNPA)
The ranger is encouraging dog owners to “visit responsibly” and “do their bit to keep the National Park unique and special for everyone who visits”.
“It’s a real shame when we find dog poo bags left in the national park – it really does spoil the tranquil beauty of the place and the experience for others,” she said.
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“We love seeing people out enjoying the countryside for their health and wellbeing. One of the best parts of the job is meeting people in the national park.
“Most dog owners are brilliant and are already doing the right thing; we just need more help keeping it looking its best.”
NNPA are currently averse to adding more bins along the route; something it believes “would spoil the natural beauty of the landscape”, Margaret added.
The ranger said that even if there is no nearby bin, taking it a little bit further “makes a big difference”, adding: “If you’ve bagged it, just take it with you.”
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She said: “Dog poo might seem like it just disappears, but it sticks around longer than people think and can upset the balance of delicate ecosystems, including plants, wildlife and water quality, which are really important for nature to thrive. It can also transmit diseases to livestock.
“Poo bags, even the biodegradable ones, don’t just vanish overnight; they can take years to break down.
“We’re all here because we love these places, so let’s look after them together.”
Park chiefs advise that members of the public should not approach those suspected of dog fouling, but they can report it to NNPA via its website.
Britney Spears has voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility (Picture: REUTERS)
Britney Spears has checked into rehab after a ‘huge wake-up call’.
The singer, 44, has entered a substance abuse treatment facility just one month after she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
An insider has now revealed to Metro that Britney will take ‘as long as she needs’ in treatment and checked herself into the facility voluntarily.
A source said: ‘Britney’s arrest was a huge wake-up call for her.
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‘Her decision to get finally get help was her own choice and it’s incredibly brave that she’s taken the first steps towards a healthier future.
‘She’ll be there for as long as she needs and wants to leave feeling like she’s in a much better space both physically and mentally.’
Spears was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Ventura County, California, on March 4 (Picture: NORTH-SUNSET / BACKGRID)
Spears will ‘take as long as she needs’ in the facility (Picture: Instagram)
A representative for Spears confirmed to Metro that she has voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility.
The Oops!…I Did It Again singer reportedly ‘isn’t struggling with one substance in particular’, but is instead putting her mental and physical health first and taking time to focus on herself.
On the evening of March 4, she was arrested near her home in Thousand Oaks, just outside of Los Angeles after a police officer allegedly saw her swerving from lane to lane.
Although she wasn’t injured, police took her to hospital to take tests and determine her blood alcohol level and whether there were drugs in her system.
After being stopped, she then ‘showed signs of impairment’ and submitted to a series of field sobriety tests before briefly being taken to jail.
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Spears in due in court on 4 May after the DUI (Picture: Getty)
Soon after a representative for the singer said what unfolded was a ‘completely inexcusable unfortunate incident’.
‘Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time,’ they said.
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Referencing her sons and family, they added: ‘Her boys are going to be spending time with her. Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for wellbeing.’
She was then booked into a cell where she was described as ‘emotional and crying’, before being released three hours later.
If convicted, Britney would be facing her first DUI offence and be banned from driving.
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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Manchester United host Leeds this evening as they continue their push to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
After Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa all dropped points this weekend, Michael Carrick’s side have the opportunity to pull away from their rivals and solidify their hold on third place in the Premier League.
There will be considerable rust to shake off as they head to Old Trafford, though. This match will be United’s first since their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth on March 20 – a full 24 days ago.
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The Red Devils have lost only once since Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim, but that form will mean little as they return from a lay-off of over three weeks.
Leeds, meanwhile, were in FA Cup action last weekend as they pipped West Ham on penalties, and are fighting to keep their place in the top flight. As things stand, they are just three points clear of the drop zone.
Sitting level on points with Nottingham Forest and only one clear of 17th-placed West Ham, a win would go a long way to boosting their survival chances.
How to watch Manchester United vs Leeds
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TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts at 6.30pm BST on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, complete with expert insight and analysis.
Eamonn Holmes has thanked his supporters for their well wishes after suffering a stroke.
Last week, it was reported that the former This Morning was recovering in hospital following a stroke.
A representative for GB News, where Eamonn is the host of the daily breakfast show, told HuffPost UK on Saturday: “Eamonn was taken ill last week and it was later confirmed he had suffered a stroke. He is currently responding well to treatment.
“Eamonn has asked for privacy as he focuses on getting better. His colleagues and everyone at GB News wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to the People’s Channel when he is ready to return.”
“As my beautiful granddaughters put it so well – I will do my best to get well SOOM,” he joked. “Thank you for all of your many many good wishes, they give me strength.”
Eamonn Holmes is recovering after suffering a stroke last week
David Fisher/Shutterstock
His son Declan also said (as reported by The Independent): “What happened came as a real shock, but dad is doing okay given the circumstances and we’re taking it one step at a time.
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“I just wanted to share a quick message to say we hugely appreciate all the messages, it means a lot to us as a family. For now, we’re focused on him and keeping things steady around him.
“We’d really value a bit of privacy as we navigate it, and what lies ahead, but thank-you again for the support as it means so much to dad and the rest of the family.”
Outside of This Morning and GB News, Eamonn is known for his work on the likes of ITV’s GMTV and Sky News’ Sunrise.
In recent history, he has spoken candidly about his health issues, undergoing a double hip replacement in 2016 and spinal surgery due to chronic pain in 2022.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule came to a crushing end despite being propped up by Donald Trump’s administration who sent US Vice President JD Vance to support Orban
08:02, 13 Apr 2026Updated 08:12, 13 Apr 2026
Hungarian Prime Ministr Viktor Orban suffered a crushing defeat and sent shockwaves across the world as Donald Trump humiliatingly loses his top ally in Europe.
Hungarians signalled they wanted an end to Orban’s 16-year rule and instead voted to give Tisza party leader Peter Magyar a thumping majority. Orban’s rule was characterised by pivoting away from the European Union in favour of Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
But when it appeared clear a crushing defeat was at hand, Orban conceded, commenting: “The election results are not final yet but the situation is understandable and clear. The election result is painful for us, but clear. The responsibility and possibility of governing was not given to us. I have congratulated the winner.
It was clear the defeat struck a bitter nerve in Moscow, wth Kirill Dmitriev sharing his view in a reply to Tommy Robinson’s claim the election loss meant Hungary had “fallen.” Dmitriev said: “This will just accelerate the collapse of the EU. Check if I am right in 4 months.”
Orban’s loss will prove to be a humiliation for the Trump administration, who sent Vice President JD Vance to prop up the Hungarian’s flagging campaign. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer commented on the news with a warning, saying: “Pay attention, Donald Trump. Wannabe dictators wear out their welcome.”
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House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said: “Far-right authoritarian Viktor Orban has lost the election. Trump sycophants and MAGA extremists in Congress are up next in November.”
Other world leaders celebrated Magyar’s win as an opportunity to reset Hungary’s relationship with the rest of Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had been a target of Orban’s ire, said on X/Twitter: “Congratulations to @magyarpeterMP and the TISZA party on their landslide victory. It is important when a constructive approach prevails. Ukraine has always strived for good-neighbourly relations with every European country, and we are ready to advance our cooperation with Hungary.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Congratulations @MagyarPeterMP on your election victory. This is an historic moment, not only for Hungary, but for European democracy. I look forward to working with you for the security and prosperity of both our countries.”
In a post on Sunday, Trump wrote: ‘Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible on foreign policy’.
He added: ‘I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
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Donald Trump took aim at Pope Leo XIV by saying he was ‘weak on crime’ (Picture: AP/Getty)
‘I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a country that was sending massive amounts of drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers into our country.’
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He also praised Leo’s brother Louis, adding: ‘I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!’
Pope Leo XIV addressed St Peter’s Square on Sunday before Trump’s latest social media post (Picture: Getty)
Trump later told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, where he landed with Air Force One: ‘I don’t think he’s doing a very good job.
‘I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.’
Over the weekend, Pope Leo said a ‘delusion of omnipotence’ was fuelling the US-Iran war, and demanded political leaders to stop and negotiate peace.
Louis Prevost is the elder brother of the Pope and told ABC in October 2024 that he was a supporter of the MAGA movement.
In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, Prevost said he was viewed as ‘the black sheep of the family’, adding he toned down his tweets and Facebook posts because they always ‘end up on the news’.
In the same chat, he revealed he speaks to Leo ‘maybe once a week’.
Forum Theatre Billingham will stage Sleeping Beauty from December 2, 2026, to January 3, 2027, featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Michael Marouli and Britain’s Got Talent 2025 Golden Buzzer winner Max Fox.
Michael Marouli will take on the role of Carabosse in what promises to be a lively and glamorous festive production.
Michael Marouli (Image: Supplied)
Mr Marouli said: “I am beyond excited to be performing in the North East and bringing some Drag Race glamour to Billingham.
“Panto is all about larger than life characters, fabulous costumes and having fun with the audience and this role lets me do all of that and more.”
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Max Fox (Image: Supplied)
Max Fox will star as Prince Max of Middlesbrough, bringing what the theatre team describes as “charm, energy, and show-stopping vocals” to the pantomime stage.
Mr Fox said: “I’m delighted to be performing this Christmas in Billingham as Prince Max.
“It is such a fun role, and I can’t wait to bring the vocals and energy.
“I loved performing in Billingham recently on a touring show, the audience were fantastic, so I’m thrilled to be returning.”
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The cast also includes several familiar faces.
Warren Donnelly (Image: Supplied)
Warren Donnelly, known for roles in Shameless and Coronation Street and award-winning for his performance in Beauty and the Beast in 2022, will return as The King.
Jessie Williams, who previously played Angela Darling and is known for The Dumping Ground and The Return of Tracey Beaker, returns as Fairy Sparkle.
Charlotte Flower (Image: Supplied)
Charlotte Flower, last year’s Tiger Lily, will play Princess Aurora, and Lewis Pallett moves from the ensemble to play Wormtail.
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Audience favourites will also return.
Liam Mellor will return as Chester the Jester, and resident dame Robert Squire will reprise his role as Queen Betty of Billingham.
Lewis Pallett (Image: Supplied)
The production promises something for everyone.
Organisers have revealed that this year’s pantomime will include a 3D scene, colourful comedy, musical numbers, and a cast full of personality.
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Theatre bosses say demand is already high.
Jessie Williams (Image: Supplied)
Tickets are selling quickly, with Forum Theatre describing it as “the pantomime of your dreams.”
Details on booking
Tickets can be booked at the theatre’s box office or online at the Billingham Forum’s website.
They know that if they beat Arsenal at home they will have definitively swung the title race, and that a win over Burnley can put them back on top. Mikel Arteta’s side are equally aware that even a draw still keeps the trophy in their hands.
You could say it’s the best possible setting, except this is not a meeting of two challengers both going in on their best form. It’s only one.
While Arsenal endure a long week of the soul at the worst possible time, City are coming together in a confidently exuberant manner. You could feel it among the fans, one of them captured drinking from an Arsenal bottle. You could feel it all around the stadium, amidst the anger of Chelsea fans, and – eventually – the many empty seats.
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Manchester City cut the gap to six points on leaders Arsenal after beating Chelsea (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)
City supporters were singing like they were champions in waiting, for the first time in some time, and it was entirely justified.
They even made up some of the goal difference, winning 3-0. Arsenal can lament that Bournemouth were a much sterner challenge than Chelsea at this stage of the season, but that’s their own problem.
City meanwhile just added to Liam Rosenior’s problems, too.
Having initially come up with quite an effective gameplan, the young Chelsea coach had no response to Pep Guardiola’s half-time adjustments. It is yet another big game that the Catalan has swung through his own tactical insight, and an admittedly burgeoning squad.
They don’t really look “in transition” now.
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Guardiola, for his part, pointedly said “it is the mindset, not the tactics”.
Nico O’Reilly has quickly matured into one of the best performing players in the league, and one of the most decisive.
His goals against Arsenal ensured he has already secured one trophy for City, and the crucial opener here – another towering header – may well have sent them on the way to the most important they can yet win.
It also caps a spell that is comprehensively impressive in another way.
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Nico O’Reilly (left) broke the deadlock for Man City (AFP via Getty Images)
While Arsenal have struggled against Southampton and Bournemouth, having looking so tepid in that Carabao Cup final, City have in the same sequence beaten: the current league leaders; the reigning English champions and the reigning world champions.
All of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have been dispatched in three different competitions with a record of nine goals scored and none conceded, to put Guardiola’s team in the best possible mindset for next Sunday and maybe the most important win of all.
Within that, though, there might also be a genuine football lesson.
Wider debates can be made about the advantages that come with the nature of the City project, and there will of course be references to the ongoing Premier League case – the club insist on their innocence. Taking the current situation as it is with Arsenal still six points clear after a game more played, though, only one side looks to actually be looking to maximise what they can do.
City are pushing out the margins of their play, expressing themselves, while Arteta’s team are playing within the margins, constraining themselves.
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Man City are pushing out the margins of their play while Arsenal look to be constraining themselves (Action Images via Reuters)
That may well be crucial, especially if this does come down to goal difference, as is highly possible.
Just look at the contrast from the closing stages of both of this weekend’s key title games.
Outside a frustrated and harried Eberechi Eze, Arsenal couldn’t really get on the ball. They couldn’t even sustain a wave of pressure, their attackers so frustrated, while the whole team struggled to just… play.
Against that, Rayan Cherki was in full flow. He was again loving it, just using another pitch as a canvas.
Rayan Cherki was exceptional again for City (REUTERS)
There was the artful ball to O’Reilly for the opener and then the incisive run and through ball to set up Marc Guehi.
It is remarkable to think that this was actually City’s first league win since 28 February, even if it is just two games.
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That is how much has transformed over the recent cup interlude.
Jeremy Doku finally thundered in the third to just reflect a team playing without any doubt or hesitation.
They’d hit three in 17 minutes. It barely mattered that Erling Haaland again didn’t score.
Erling Haaland didn’t score again but it barely mattered for City (REUTERS)
The difference with Arsenal on Saturday couldn’t be more apparent, as the City fans asked whether they were watching over in north London.
“You have to play to win,” Guardiola said, while making a pointed comment about how going out of the Champions League has actually helped keep his side fresh.
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Arsenal have now seen City ramp up in April a lot. When asked about a near-perfect record in this month during his time at the club, Guardiola laughed “it’s the sun”.
He was so relaxed afterwards he was imparting life lessons about “doing your best”.
Pep Guardiola celebrates with his players at full-time (Action Images via Reuters)
By City’s third goal, a lot of Chelsea fans weren’t watching. Stamford Bridge had started to empty long before the end.
A malaise has engulfed the place. By that point, Enzo Fernandez’s punishment barely seemed relevant. Rosenior said the midfielder is now “in the clear” and he’s now “looking forward” to having him back. Are Chelsea’s fans really looking forward to anything, though?
The only teams they have beaten since 4 March are Wrexham and Port Vale.
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Some allowances can be made for Rosenior in a situation that was complicated even before he came in – and he here pointed to Marc Cucurella’s disallowed goal – but was he ever ready for this?
Liam Rosenior has entered dire straits as Chelsea boss (AFP via Getty Images)
It was abject. Even his substitutions seemed too late.
City are meanwhile coming to form at exactly the right time.
Far from a first Arsenal title since 2004, this is currently looking like it’s set up for a repeat of 2023.
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