English Football League Championship

Fans at Saturday's EFL Championship match between Millwall and Derby County booed as the players took a knee to protest against racism after the opening whistle.

The FA issued a statement:

According to The Athletic's Ryan Conway, Colin Kazim-Richards and Andre Wisdom were among the Derby players who spoke to the team at halftime and "told them to make each other proud in the second half and to win the game."

Earlier this month, the United Kingdom government allowed clubs to welcome back a limited number of supporters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Millwall were permitted to cap their attendance at 2,000 at The Den.

Speaking on BBC's Final Score, former England international Micah Richards addressed the situation.

"There are 2,000 so you can pinpoint the people going," he said. "There are no excuses. I am sick to death of talking about this situation."

"It is so disheartening because it is like we have come so far but we have so far to go. I don't even like talking about the matter. It feels like it falls on deaf ears. It is time and time and time again."

Footballers across Europe have been kneeling since action resumed following a mass lockdown amid the spread of COVID-19 to raise awareness of social justice issues and show support for the Black Lives Matter cause.

Millwall's players said Friday in a statement the act of kneeling "provides an opportunity for us to do exactly that and continues to allow all those playing to publicly showcase their support—on behalf of the whole squad—for the fight against discrimination."

Derby County were 1-0 winners Saturday thanks to a 69th-minute goal from Jason Knight.

Wayne Rooney believes he still has what it takes to play in the Premier League and hopes to take Derby County up to the highest level of English football in the near future.

Per Sky Sports, the former England international told reporters all he needs is the right players around him:

"I still felt I could do it when I was at Everton, but other people made their decisions on that. Now my ambition is to get Derby back in the Premier League and hopefully play my part there for them.

"Ryan Giggs was able to play into his late thirties in the Premier League and Gareth Barry says he wants to do it at 40. It's important to understand football. It is not all about running round, it is about using your head to play the game.

"Sometimes that gets lost, because you don't score as many goals or whatever. Given the right team around me, then I could still play in the Premier League. The two teams I played for in the Premier League were Manchester United and Everton. I am at Derby now, and hopefully we can get there with them."

The 34-year-old also discussed his ambition to move into coaching, citing the success of former players like Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Scott Parker.

Rooney has joined Derby, where his 18-month contract will start in January. He'll have the role of player-coach with the Rams, who have not enjoyed a strong season and sit closer to the relegation zone than the play-off places.

Rooney played in the Premier League between 2002 and 2018, making his debut with Everton before moving to Manchester United in 2017. He's the team's all-time top scorer and won five Premier League titles with the Red Devils as well as the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League.

He returned to Goodison Park in 2017, but couldn't find much success with his former club and moved to MLS less than a year later. With D.C. United, the veteran forward got back on track:

In his final season in MLS, Rooney scored 11 goals and added seven assists, but DC United lost to eventual MLS Cup finalists Toronto FC in the first round of the play-offs.

Derby will hope Rooney's scoring form carries over to the Championship. Martyn Waghorn leads the team with six goals scored, and the Rams have the third-worst attacking record in the division, ahead of only Wigan and Middlesbrough.

They're winless in their last five Championship outings and are coming off a 1-0 loss to Millwall.

A Queens Park Rangers youth team abandoned a friendly match in Spain after players said they experienced racist abuse from the opposing players. 

Per the club's official website, the under-18 side faced AD Nervion FC on Aug. 8 as part of a pre-season tour of Seville. A QPR player informed coach Paul Furlong they were being racially abused, and Furlong told his players to leave the pitch.

Club CEO Lee Hoos backed the coach and players for their decision and said he believes clubs would not be able to get away with such behaviour in England:

"We take a very strong stance against racism and will not tolerate one of our players being subjected to the despicable comments experienced. I applaud Paul Furlong and his staff for reacting in such a manner and doing everything within their powers to protect the players. I am also very proud of our Under 18s who showed such maturity in the face of unacceptable provocation.

"Had this incident occurred in England I have no doubts the issue would be dealt with swiftly with a strong punishment by the FA. Unfortunately, it seems some countries have a long way to go in this respect and I urge UEFA to take the strongest possible action as incidents of this nature are happening far too often.

"At QPR we must not, and will not, stand for it. We have made many great strides in tackling racism in football but sadly there is still a long way to go. Racism in football is a reflection of problems within society and what's incredible is that we were warned of similar alleged incidents that had taken place in the region before we played there."

Hoos also expressed hope UEFA will make a statement on the matter, and the club confirmed they are "in dialogue" with the FA.

Per Rob Harris of the Associated Press, QPR did not reach out to the Spanish football association:

Kick It Out, an organisation that concerns itself with equality in football, also published a statement on the incident:

According to the Mirror's Darren Lewis, it is the latest in a series of alleged racist incidents this summer.

Arsenal defender Jordi Osei-Tutu, who is on loan at VfL Bochum, walked off the pitch after alleged abuse by a St. Gallen player last week. The week before, the sister of Fulham's Cyrus Christie was allegedly struck and received racist abuse in front of her mother in the stands at Barnsley.

Last season, Raheem Sterling was the target of racist abuse from Montenegrin fans while playing for England. He hit back on Twitter:

Per Sky Sports, the Montenegro coach said he heard no racist abuse during the match, a 5-1 win for the Three Lions. UEFA charged the nation with racist behaviour, as well as four other transgressions during the contest.

Former Manchester United star and current DC United striker Wayne Rooney is reportedly in talks with Championship club Derby County to take on the role of player-coach.

According to the Telegraph's James Ducker, he would work under current manager Phillip Cocu, who replaced Chelsea boss Frank Lampard in the summer.

Rooney previously talked about his desire to become a manager after his playing days are over, per Ducker: 

"I'm taking the steps to get my badges completed and when I finish playing I'll see what opportunities come up. There's already offers which have been made, but at the minute I'm still a player and I want to enjoy playing, and then I'll see which offers are right when I do finish."

The 33-year-old left England for MLS in 2018, finding immediate success with DC United. He scored 12 goals in 21 matches in his debut season and was voted team MVP. This tremendous effort was arguably his top moment of the campaign:

According to Ducker, he's contracted to DC United until 2020.

His strong play in MLS would indicate he could still be an effective option up front for Derby, who qualified for the play-offs last season before losing to Aston Villa in the final. His experience at the top level could be what pushes the Rams over the top and into the Premier League.

Player-coaches are rare in football, but not unheard of. Vincent Kompany left Premier League champions Manchester City for a similar role with boyhood club Anderlecht in the summer.

Aston Villa have returned to the Premier League for the first time since 2016, beating Derby County 2-1 in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium on Monday.

Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn sealed Villa's route back to the English top flight, while Martyn Waghorn got one back for Derby late on after getting a faint touch on Jack Marriott's shot.

Villa weren't afraid to go long early against a Derby side more comfortable keeping the ball on the deck. The direct approach soon paid dividends as confusion was obvious in the Rams defence:

Unfortunately, further goal-mouth incidents were in short supply during a slow first half. The cautious fare was difficult to take given the number of creative talents on the pitch.

Eventually, the technicians on both sides began to exert themselves:

It made sense for Villa to keep the ball in the air considering their quality and threat from the flanks. Both El Ghazi and Ahmed Elmohamady were keeping Derby on the back foot with direct running and early crosses.

Fittingly, those two players combined for the opener a minute before the break when El Ghazi headed in a cross from the former Hull City man Elmohamady.

The goal was just reward for a player who had been enterprising and industrious during the opening 45 minutes.

El Ghazi and Villa continued to overpower Derby after the restart. On-loan Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham routinely unleashed pace and strength as he led the line brilliantly and ran the Rams ragged.

Derby also remained stretched out wide where El Ghazi was proving particularly difficult to handle. The 24-year-old was central to Villa's second goal when he cut in from the left and unleashed a shot which took a wicked deflection.

Goalkeeper Kelle Roos misjudged the flight of the ball and was beaten to it by McGinn. The ex-Hibernian midfielder got enough purchase on his header to punish Roos' indecision.

McGinn took the plaudits, but it was El Ghazi's wizardry that made the goal.

Derby naturally became increasingly desperate at two down and poured more and more players forward. Marriott was proving the biggest threat, dragging a shot inches wide before another drive aimed for the bottom corner took the slightest of touches off Waghorn to give Derby hope.

It was as close as Derby got, though, despite having seven minutes of injury time to work with. Many of manager Frank Lampard's skilled match-winners failed to sparkle; on-loan Liverpool winger Harry Wilson made the wrong choice too often in the final third.

By contrast, Dean Smith saw his Villa team play to its strengths superbly. There will be more stylish sides in the Premier League next season, but Villa know how to maximise resources to win matches, a quality sure to boost their bid to stay up.

Aston Villa and Derby County will battle it out for the last Premier League ticket in the Championship play-off final on Monday at Wembley Stadium.

Oddschecker shows that bookmakers have the Villans as favourites, handing them 5-4 odds, compared to 13-5 for the Rams. A draw (after 90 minutes) comes in at 23-10.

Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, with live-streaming options available via Sky Go (UK) and ESPN+ (U.S.).

Per the Times' Oliver Kay, a victory on Monday could be worth up to £170 million to the winner:

It's an incredible opportunity for the teams that finished in fifth and sixth place in the Championship but took care of business once the play-offs started.

Derby lost 1-0 at home to Leeds in their semi-final first leg, but a 4-2 spectacle at Elland Road booked their spot at Wembley.

Jack Marriott was the hero, scoring two goals: the equaliser just before half-time and the goal that secured the win. Coach Frank Lampard also received plaudits after the contest:

Scott Malone was sent off in the dying minutes, and he will be suspended for the final. Per WhoScored.com, Curtis Davies and Craig Forsyth remain absent through injury, while Craig Bryson could return to fitness in time for the final.

James Chester and Orjan Nyland won't feature for Villa, and loanee Axel Tuanzebe is a doubt after picking up a knock in the second leg of their semi-final triumph over West Bromwich Albion.

Villa won the first leg 2-1 before losing the return 1-0, setting up a penalty shootout. Tammy Abraham got the winner for the visitors, while Jed Steer saved two penalties in the shootout.

The stopper explained he was well prepared for the occasion:

Villa have plenty of experience in the squad and played in last year's play-off final, losing to Fulham. They had a clear edge over Derby during the regular season, winning both matches by a combined score of 7-0.

Derby star Mason Mount didn't feature in either of those matches, however, and stopping the talented Chelsea loanee will present quite the challenge for the Villans.

Abraham remains the danger man for Villa, with three goals and an assist in his past four outings. He scored 25 goals in the regular season, 10 more than Derby's top scorer, Harry Wilson.

Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Derby

Qatar Sports Investments, the state-backed group that controls Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, are reportedly looking to buy a stake in Leeds United, signaling their move into English football.

According to the Financial Times, Leeds are holding talks with six different investors, including QSI. A source said: "Qatar Sports Investments will be entering English Football, and Leeds is the club of their choice. Qatar has been looking into the prospects of entering English Football for the past two years."

Per the report, the Qatari group is seeking as much as a controlling stake in the club, but Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani would prefer to sell a minority stake.

Earlier this month, French newspaper Le Parisien (h/t TalkSport) reported QSI have considered withdrawing their funding from PSG, with their lack of success in Europe cited as a factor. In April, the Telegraph's Jason Burt reported on their interest in purchasing a Championship club. 

Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Queens Park Rangers were named as potential targets, with the group looking for a club with "potential and a significant fanbase." Leeds United would fit that description.

Three-time champions of England, the Peacocks are something of a sleeping giant who were on the verge of securing Premier League football this season. Led by manager Marcelo Bielsa, the talented side finished the season in third place, six points behind Sheffield United and an automatic promotion spot.

In the play-offs, they beat Derby County 1-0 in the first leg of their semi-final tie, only to lose the return leg 4-2. 

On top of their history, Leeds also have a significant fanbase that comes with a reputation for being hated by other supporters (warning: strong language):

Per Ben Jacobs of BeIN Sports, Leeds are an appealing club but don't fit the mold of QSI's usual targets. They also passed on the chance to invest in the club before:

Leeds have been in the Championship since the 2010-11 season, with this season's third-placed finish their highest since.

Derby County will play Aston Villa in the EFL Championship play-off final after defeating Leeds United 4-2 at Elland Road on Wednesday. 

The Rams progressed to the Wembley showpiece 4-3 on aggregate as the hosts faltered in defence.

Leeds had taken the lead through Stuart Dallas, but Derby drew level on the night as early substitute Jack Marriott scored on the stroke of half-time.

Frank Lampard's men took control of the tie early in the second half, with Mason Mount finding the net immediately after the restart and Harry Wilson making it 3-1 from a penalty shortly before the hour mark.

Leeds showed their grit and determination as they faced elimination, and Dallas levelled the aggregate score at 3-3 after 62 minutes.

However, the killer blow was delivered in the final moments as Marriott sent his team to the final.

The home side would have believed they had one foot in the final during the first half. Dallas was clinical from close range after just 24 minutes to give the West Yorkshire giants the advantage on the night, creating a significant two-goal cushion.

Lampard's team responded and turned the screw on Leeds, finally being rewarded as the game entered injury time in the first half.

Marriott had the traveling fans celebrating seconds after coming off the bench for Duane Holmes, and he slotted home to give Derby hope.

Sky Sports Statto highlighted the moment:

Derby were energised by their equaliser, and two goals in 12 second-half minutes gave the Rams the advantage they craved.

Mount and Wilson were the heroes as Lampard and the bench celebrated wildly at turning the game around.

However, the drama continued as Leeds supporters raised the roof, helping their team back in the game.

Dallas finished with conviction to make it 3-2, and the goal was awarded despite TV replays showing the scorer was marginally offside.

Both teams went searching for a winner in the closing stages, with Leeds pushing hard for another strike, but it was left to Marriott to grab his brace with just five minutes remaining.

Leeds lost Gaetano Berardi to a second yellow and Derby's Scott Malone was given his marching orders as both teams were reduced to 10 men in the final stages of a pulsating battle.

Leeds could not capitalise during a frantic finale as their campaign ended in disappointment.

Derby and Villa will face off on May 27, with the winner returning to the top flight of English football.

Aston Villa defeated 10-man West Bromwich Albion 4-3 on penalties to advance to the EFL Championship play-off final on Tuesday.

The second leg of the semi-final ended 1-0 to West Brom and 2-2 on aggregate, triggering extra time and penalties with the away-goal rule not in use in the Championship play-offs.

During a frantic contest in the West Midlands, the home side took the lead against the run of play in the 29th minute through Craig Dawson.

The 29-year-old sent the West Brom fans into rapture as his header levelled the aggregate score.

Sky Sports Football shared Dawson's magic moment:

Villa continued to dominate possession but West Brom had the wind in their sails as they looked for a second.

The hosts had the better of the best attacking moments in the first half. However, there was a lack of quality in front of goal as they failed to work Villa goalkeeper Jed Steer.

Broadcaster and Villa supporter Stan Collymore gave his thoughts at half-time:

Jack Grealish's influence was increasingly present in the second half and Villa appeared the more cultured unit as they controlled the flow of traffic.

The West Brom crowd was muted with 10 minutes to play as their side was reduced to 10 men. Chris Brunt made a rash tackle on John McGinn and the referee produced a second yellow for the midfielder.

Baggies hearts were in their mouths in the final minutes, and it was left to West Brom keeper Sam Johnstone to make a miraculous point-blank save from Albert Adomah with three minutes remaining.

McGinn twice had opportunities to settle the tie late in the match but the Scotland international fluffed his chances to be the hero before the final whistle.

Extra time saw Villa remain purposeful in possession but Johnstone was a significant barrier as the home side's defence stayed firm.

The contest stayed level, taking the tie to penalties, and it was the Villa who booked a spot in the final at Wembley on May 27.

Steer saved Mason Holgate's opening penalty to give Villa the advantage and the stopper repeated the feat as he kept out Ahmed Hegazi's effort.

Villa's superior technique was clear as they found the net, and the away side completed the 4-3 victory, despite Adomah blasting over the bar.

Tammy Abraham slotted home the winning spot-kick to send his team to the showpiece final.