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English Premier League 2021/22 Season Discussion

Chelsea beat bottom club Norwich 3-1 as Mason Mount scored one and made another on the day his club's long-term future was thrown into uncertainty.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe says Bruno Guimaraes is "capable of the unexpected" after the Brazilian scored a spectacular winner on his full Newcastle debut to down Southampton and stretch the Magpies' unbeaten Premier League run to nine matches.

Roy Hodgson said his Watford team were "running out of time" to preserve their Premier League status after being thrashed 4-0 at Wolves.

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch felt his players looked "chained by the pressure" to perform for their fans as Aston Villa condemned them to a sixth successive Premier League defeat.
 
Liverpool reduced leaders Manchester City's advantage to three points as victory at Brighton extended their Premier League winning run to eight games.

Luis Diaz continued the fine start to his Liverpool career as he raced on to Joel Matip's superb pass and headed past the onrushing Robert Sanchez after 19 minutes.

The Brighton goalkeeper was fortunate not to receive any punishment as he clattered into the Colombian forward, whose celebrations were put on hold as he received treatment following the high challenge.

Mohamed Salah sealed the three points with a second-half penalty awarded after a handball by Yves Bissouma - with the Egypt forward's 20th strike of the campaign bringing up Liverpool's 2,000th Premier League goal.

It is a fifth successive defeat for Brighton, for whom Danny Welbeck went closest to scoring with two minutes remaining but Alisson produced a fine save to avoid any late complications.

Liverpool's victory maintains the pressure on title rivals Manchester City, who travel to Crystal Palace on Monday (20:00 GMT).

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60628391
 
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Manchester United beat Tottenham to move into the Champions League places.

The 37-year-old hit a stunning long-range strike to give them the lead, only his second goal of 2022.

Harry Kane levelled with a penalty following an Alex Telles handball, then Ronaldo converted Jadon Sancho's cross.

Harry Maguire scored an own goal to equalise for Spurs before Ronaldo powered in a header from a Telles corner for his hat-trick.
 
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Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal are "obliged" to be playing Champions League football after they moved back into the Premier League top four with a 2-0 victory against Leicester.

Kai Havertz produced a last-gasp moment of brilliance to snatch a 1-0 win for Chelsea over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, on a day when football club ownership was firmly in the spotlight.

Ukraine international Andriy Yarmolenko was emotional as he scored the opener against Aston Villa in his first West Ham appearance since the outbreak of war in his native country.

Leeds landed a first victory under manager Jesse Marsch in stunning fashion as Joe Gelhardt struck in injury time to beat relegation rivals Norwich 2-1 and send Elland Road into raptures.

Cucho Hernandez scored twice as Watford boosted their hopes of securing Premier League survival with a 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary's.

Everton slipped further into danger with a fourth successive Premier League defeat as Wolves earned a hard-fought 1-0 win at Goodison Park.
 
Is this the day that Man City have handed Liverpool the title?

0 0 versus Crystal Palace.
 
Is this the day that Man City have handed Liverpool the title?

0 0 versus Crystal Palace.

A little early for this esp since LFC are away to Arsenal(who are in form) but defo a huge moment in the title race!

Thanks Eagles :klopp
 
Palace has done us a big favour here providing we can win at the Emirates. Although it won't be easy we do have a good record away at Arsenal. After the lucky win at Everton when the home side was denied a clear penalty this time the luck was on the side of Palace. It's not over 'til the fat lady sings:inzi2
 
Crystal Palace hold wasteful Man City to draw

Manchester City missed their chance to go six points clear at the top of the Premier League as they were held by a resilient Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

City dominated proceedings, twice hitting the woodwork, while defender Aymeric Laporte failed to find the net with the goal at his mercy in the first half.

The result means Liverpool can cut City's lead to one point by beating Arsenal on Wednesday.

In front of a boisterous crowd, Palace frustrated their opponents although they created little themselves going forward.

A point keeps them 11th as they boosted their own hopes of a top-half finish.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60642772
 
Harry Kane scored as Tottenham reignited their top-four hopes by condemning Brighton to a sixth successive Premier League defeat.

England forward Kane raced onto Rodrigo Bentancur's incisive pass to drive a low effort past Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and seal a deserved win for the visitors.

The goal brought up Kane's 95th away from home in the Premier League, a new record and, but for some errant finishing, he could have added to his tally.

Cristian Romero had earlier put Spurs in front, deflecting in Dejan Kulusevski's low effort past a helpless Sanchez and into the bottom left corner.

The result sees Antonio Conte's side move up to seventh in the table and was the perfect response to their defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford last Saturday.

However, the ease with which the Italian's side won will concern Seagulls manager Graham Potter, whose side remain 13th having won just once in their last 10 matches.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59536759
 
Alex Iwobi struck in the ninth minute of stoppage time as 10-man Everton ended a four-game losing streak with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Newcastle at an ecstatic Goodison Park.

Frank Lampard's side had Allan sent off in the 83rd minute after an initial booking for a foul on Allan Saint-Maximin was upgraded to a red card by referee Craig Pawson following a VAR review.

But after withstanding a barrage of late Newcastle pressure, the hosts stole possession in midfield, allowing Iwobi to carry the ball forward, exchange passes with substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and slide home a cool finish to seal an improbable victory.
 
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised the "character, courage and quality" of his team as they strengthened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League with a narrow victory at Aston Villa.

Bukayo Saka was the standout player as the Gunners secured a sixth win from seven games to move four points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.

The England international scored the only goal in the first half with a low drive from the edge of the area after Villa failed to properly clear a cross into the box.

"You can see the connection they have. It is phenomenal to watch," Arteta told BT Sport.

"If you want to be a top team, you have to win home and away. We are doing that consistently and we have to continue. We really want [to finish in the top four] and we are going to give it a go."

Villa improved after the break and went close when Ollie Watkins' deflected shot clipped the outside of the post, before substitute Danny Ings sent a looping header on to the roof of the net.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/60806902
 
Just Stop Oil: Why protesters are tying themselves to goalposts


If you've been watching the football recently, you may have noticed there have been some pretty weird stoppages.

It's had nothing to do with VAR - or the actions of players.

Protesters have been running onto the pitch and attempting to tie, handcuff or glue themselves to the goalposts.

It's so far happened during four matches, with varying levels of success.

In the game between Everton and Newcastle on 17 March, the match had to be stopped while security attempted to remove 21-year-old Louis McKechnie - who was eventually cut free using a pair of bolt cutters and was led from the ground, to boos from the crowd, by police.

Merseyside Police have confirmed he was arrested and charged with pitch encroachment and aggravated trespass.

Who is responsible for these protests?
The group that has claimed responsibility is called Just Stop Oil.

They describe themselves as a "coalition of groups working together" to demand the government stop the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal in the UK.

"We must urgently end our reliance on fossil fuels to avoid irreversible changes in the earth's climate system," their website says.

The group says it wants action both in the short and long-term to reduce demand for fossil fuel energy - such as home insulation and renewable energy.

A protester attempting to attach themselves to a goalpost during the Arsenal and Liverpool game
If the tactics seem familiar, it's because - like other groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain - Just Stop Oil claim to be willing to use "non-violent civil resistance" to make their point in public spaces.

That includes things such as strikes, boycotts, mass protests and disruption.

Some people have criticised those types of methods as being too extreme and creating too much disruption to people's lives.

After the protest during the Everton game, presenter Gary Lineker said in a tweet whether "you approve of this young man's methods or not, he's right, his future is perilous".

In videos and messages posted online, those involved in the action have spoken about their involvement.

Kai, 20, locked onto the goalpost at the Emirates Stadium during the Arsenal vs Liverpool match on 16 March.

"I don't want food to run out for me or my loved ones when severe weather events mess up our food supply. I don't want billions of people to be forced from their homes," he says.

"If we lose control of our climate, which is exactly where we're headed at the moment, then we put everything and everyone at risk.

"My generation won't have a future."

Louis said "it's 2022 and it's time to look up, time to step up and not stand by".

"It's time to act like it's an emergency," he adds.

Christy, who attempted to disrupt the Wolves vs Leeds game on Friday, said "it's ordinary people who suffer most".

He added: "I trust the people and the people need to know how serious this is".

Speaking before the Tottenham vs West Ham match this weekend, Nathan, 22 from Coventry said: "Right now millions around the world are reduced to fighting for their lives - rather than watching football."

"We don't have to stand by and watch this happen. Ordinary people can say no, not in my name."

Sport is not the only thing the group has been involved in disrupting, with protesters pictured at the Bafta Awards.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-60795041
 
<b>Prospect of reintroducing five substitutions in Premier League to be discussed at meeting</b>

The prospect of five substitutes being allowed in Premier League matches is likely to move closer on Thursday.

It is due to be one of the significant topics for discussion at the shareholder meeting of all 20 clubs.

It is thought a formal vote on the matter is unlikely but in debating the topic the clubs are signalling it is something they are willing to consider.

Five substitutes were introduced across the game in May 2020 after the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, controversially, the Premier League became the only major competition to ditch the rule for the compressed 2020-21 season because some objected that it gave the clubs with bigger squads an unfair advantage.

A succession of managers, including Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, spoke out against the decision.

The Liverpool and Manchester City managers both said the decision was partly responsible for a spate of muscular injuries across the top flight.

In October, football law makers the International Football Association Board (Ifab) recommended that five substitutions be implemented permanently in the sport.

While nothing changed for the 2021-22 campaign - even though five substitutes are allowed in FA Cup matches - it is now viewed as likely that clubs will accept five substitutes at the Premier League's annual general meeting at the end of the season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60926124
 
Confirmed:

<b>Premier League clubs will be able to make five substitutions each game from next season after shareholders agreed to change the rules.</b>

The substitutions can be made on three occasions during a match, plus at half-time, and a total of nine substitutes can be named on the teamsheet.

Five substitutes were introduced across the game in May 2020 after the shutdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Clubs then voted against continuing the rule for the compressed 2020-21 season.

The Premier League was the only major competition to abandon the rule because some clubs felt it gave those with bigger squads an unfair advantage.

A number of managers spoke out against the decision, with Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola both saying the it was partly responsible for a spate of muscular injuries across the top flight.

Nothing changed for the 2021-22 season, although five substitutes are allowed in FA Cup matches, and in October football law-makers the International Football Association Board recommended that five substitutions be implemented permanently in the sport.

At a shareholder meeting of all 20 Premier League clubs, it was also confirmed that this summer's transfer window will open on 10 June and will close at 23:00 BST on 1 September, in line with other European leagues.

In addition, the Premier League will remove twice-weekly testing of players and staff from 4 April and move to symptomatic testing only.

Other key updates included the removal of the requirement for clinical passports to access previously restricted areas at training grounds and on matchdays, as the Premier League returns to business-as-usual operations.

A Premier League statement said: "The wellbeing of players and staff remains a priority and the Premier League will continue to monitor the national Covid-19 situation and adapt league-wide protocols as required, in line with the latest guidance from public health authorities and medical experts."

<b>https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60945430</b>
 
FT: Liverpool 2-0 Watford

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Liverpool beat struggling Watford to complete a remarkable return to the top of the Premier League - for a few hours at least.

The Reds trailed Manchester City by 14 points on 15 January, but a 10th straight league win at a raucous Anfield took them above Pep Guardiola's side, whom they meet on 10 April.

Diogo Jota's 20th club goal of the season - and his third in as many appearances in a red shirt, 34 seconds after Alisson made a huge save to deny Juraj Kucka - helped seal a tense win.

Portugal forward Jota jumped between two Watford defender to meet a cross and head past Ben Foster as Joe Gomez marked only his second league start of the season with an assist.

Fabinho's late penalty - after Kucka's rugby-style challenge on Jota - secured the points.

Despite sealing a potentially significant win, Liverpool were not at their fluent best.

Joao Pedro wasted a glorious chance to equalise in the second half as Watford remain third from bottom, three points from safety.

Liverpool are two points ahead of City, who face struggling Burnley at Turf Moor at 15:00 BST.
 
Think that’s Top 4 race over for United. They just can’t seem to win matches any more.
 
Manchester City made an instant return to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over struggling Burnley.

Christian Eriksen scored his first goal for Brentford as they closed in on Premier League safety by outclassing Chelsea 4-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United suffered another blow in the battle for a Champions League spot as they were held 1-1 by Leicester at Old Trafford.

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard warned his players they are playing for their futures after they lost 2-1 at Wolves - a result that boosted the hosts' hopes of playing in Europe next season.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch believes his side will "only get better" despite them being denied a third straight win by James Ward-Prowse's free-kick in a hard-fought game with Southampton.

Neal Maupay's missed penalty summed up Brighton's frustration as they were held to a goalless draw at home by Norwich, the Premier League's bottom side.
 
Think that’s Top 4 race over for United. They just can’t seem to win matches any more.

They were, again, extremely poor.

Should have lost the match but got bailed out by some dodgy VAR stuff.
 
<b>West Ham 2-1 Everton</b>

West Ham moved up to sixth in the Premier League with a win over 10-man Everton, a result that keeps the Toffees in relegation trouble.

Aaron Cresswell scored a wonderful free-kick to open the scoring for the hosts when he curled the ball past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at London Stadium.

But Everton, without an away league win since 28 August, started the second half brightly as Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck the angle of post and crossbar before Mason Holgate's well-controlled half-volley made it 1-1.

However, they were only level for five minutes. Michail Antonio burst clear of the Everton defence and his shot was blocked by Pickford but the rebound fell to Jarrod Bowen, back in the side after recovering from a fractured foot, and he steered the ball into the unguarded net.

Things then got worse for the visitors when captain Michael Keane was sent off midway through the half for his second bookable offence, following his second late challenge on Antonio. There was no way back for the visitors after that.

Everton are 17th in the Premier League, three points clear of 18th-placed Watford. On Wednesday they face a vital game at Burnley, who are 19th.

For West Ham it was a welcome win after two losses in their past three matches had dented their hopes of automatic qualification for Europe, and dropped them to eighth in the table.

The Hammers have never played in the Champions League and are now three points behind Tottenham in fourth - the last qualifying spot. Spurs, who beat Newcastle 5-1 later on Sunday, have a game in hand while fifth-placed Arsenal have played three games fewer than the Hammers.

This result continues a hugely impressive season for David Moyes' side, who face Lyon in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday with Barcelona a potential semi-final opponent if they get there.

If they win that competition it would be their first European trophy since lifting the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965 and would secure a Champions League spot, regardless of their final Premier League position.

At a packed London Stadium, Cresswell's brilliant free-kick gave them the lead and they had chances to make it 2-0 but Pablo Fornals shot just over and Antonio, after rounding Pickford, could only shoot into the side-netting from a tight angle.

Those misses looked to have been costly when Holgate, a last-minute addition to the Everton side after Donny van de Beek was injured in the warm-up, superbly controlled a half-volley after Richarlison had nudged the ball into his path.

But only a few minutes later Everton's Alex Iwobi lost possession, Antonio broke clear and Bowen scored the follow-up for his 13th goal of the season in all competitions.

The result continued a terrible run of form for Everton in matches played outside Goodison Park. Indeed, their total of six points from 14 away games this season is the lowest from any of the 92 sides in the Premier League or the EFL.

Their past two away games had seen them thrashed 5-0 and 4-0 by Tottenham and Crystal Palace respectively, with boss Frank Lampard challenging his side's players to show their character after the second of those losses.

He will be pleased with how they started the second half and their equaliser, but equally frustrated by the manner in which they quickly fell behind again and the dismissal of Keane after he had given Michael Oliver no choice but to send him off with a rash sliding challenge on Antonio when already on a yellow card.

Everton, who recently announced losses of £120.9m for the 2020-21 season, have played in English football's top flight in every season since 1954-55, but they face a battle to keep that run going with 10 games of their season remaining.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60890391
 
Arsenal missed the chance to move back into the Premier League's top four and strengthen their hopes of Champions League football as they were stunned by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

The Gunners would have moved above Tottenham with victory but fell behind early on through Jean-Philippe Mateta's header following a free-kick.

Things got worse for the visitors a few minutes later when Jordan Ayew got away from two Arsenal defenders and bent a shot beyond Aaron Ramsdale.

Arsenal were outfought and outworked in the first half, their only shot on target a Gabriel header at Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

The visitors showed improvement after the break and should have at least got one back as Martin Odegaard shot wide when unmarked inside the box, while Eddie Nketiah hit the woodwork.

Palace made sure of a hugely impressive win when Wilfried Zaha was brought down inside the box late on and the forward stepped up to convert the penalty.

The victory, Palace's first at home in the league in 2022, moves them up to ninth while Arsenal remain fifth and outside the top four on goal difference, albeit with a game in hand.
 
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta apologised for his side's performance in their surprise defeat at Crystal Palace and accepted it was not good enough for the north London club.

The visitors had gone into the game looking to move back into the top four and strengthen their hopes of Champions League football.

But they were second-best throughout at Selhurst Park as former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, now in charge of the Eagles, got one over his former side in some style.

"It is time to accept the criticism, put your hand up and apologise because this performance was not good enough for this club, but then react," Arteta said.

"From the beginning we were not at the races. When you come here you have to compete, you have to win duels and second balls and be aggressive and we were none of those."

The Gunners would have moved above rivals Tottenham with victory or even a draw but fell behind early on through Jean-Philippe Mateta's header following a free-kick.

Things got worse for the visitors a few minutes later when Jordan Ayew got away from two Arsenal defenders and bent a shot beyond Aaron Ramsdale.

Arsenal showed some improvement after the break and should have at least got one back as Martin Odegaard shot wide when unmarked inside the box, while Eddie Nketiah hit the woodwork.

Palace made sure of a hugely impressive win when Wilfried Zaha was brought down inside the box late on and the forward stepped up to convert the penalty.

The victory, Palace's first at home in the league in 2022, moves them up to ninth while Arsenal remain fifth and outside the top four on goal difference, albeit with a game in hand.

An opportunity missed by Arsenal

A dreadful start to the season had seen the Gunners briefly flirting with the relegation places but they have been transformed as the campaign has gone on.

They went into this game knowing they had a huge opportunity to put themselves in the driving seat for Champions League football next season with a win and they had every right to feel confident of getting it on the back of six wins in their last seven games.

But they never got going against a tenacious Palace side as they lacked the same level of aggression as their hosts.

Arsenal have that game in a hand over Tottenham, so still have the opportunity to make amends for this poor performance and recent form suggests this display was an outlier.

However, Arteta knows they will need to show significant improvement in the coming games to ensure they end the season in the top four, particularly after Spurs thrashed Newcastle 5-1 on Sunday.

To make matters worse, Arsenal could be without full-back Kieran Tierney for a period of time as he missed the game with a knee injury, while midfielder Thomas Partey went off injured in the second half.

Vieira gets one over his old team in some style

Palace boss Vieira is a club legend at Arsenal following many years of dominating the middle of the park for the Gunners, and he came within seconds of a famous win at the home of his former side in October.

Back then, an injury-time equaliser by Alexandre Lacazette broke Palace fans' hearts but there was nothing to spoil the party this time as Palace produced a stunning display.

They were more aggressive than Arsenal and showed more desire, with every single member of the Palace team playing their part in what is undoubtedly one of the standout results of Vieira's impressive reign at Selhurst Park.

"It was a really good team performance," said Vieria. "There have been games where we performed well but didn't take our chances but in this game we performed well from the start and we managed to win the game and not concede.

"I don't think it is the best performance, it is the performance we want and expect. At the beginning of the season we had some highs and lows. This time we played well from the first minute and I am really proud of the players.

"Our objective now is to try and perform like that and that is the challenge for us."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60896557
 
Big game tonight.

Relegation battle nine pointer.

Burnley v Everton.
 
Maxwel Cornet scored a late winner to earn Burnley a vital win over fellow strugglers Everton in their bid to remain in the Premier League.

The Ivorian capitalised upon two poor errors by Jordan Pickford and Ben Godfrey in the 85th minute to earn Sean Dyche's side only their fourth league win of the season.

It lifted them to within one point of safety behind Frank Lampard's fourth-bottom side.

In an entertaining and feisty encounter in wet and blustery conditions, the hosts took a 12th-minute lead when an unmarked Nathan Collins scored at the back post from a corner.

But the advantage did not last long as Richarlison stroked home the first of two penalties in the 18th minute when Ashley Westwood was adjudged to have tripped Anthony Gordon.

His second came four minutes before half-time and was tinged with controversy.

Despite Vitaliy Mykolenko being tripped by Aaron Lennon, referee Mike Dean did not think it amounted to a spot-kick, until he was advised by the video assistant referee to review it on the monitor and then overturned his decision.

The home support showed their disgust with that call, but their mood improved after the break when a great burst by Charlie Taylor led to him crossing for Jay Rodriguez's equaliser in the 57th minute.

And although Everton created the better chances as the second half wore on, Cornet's seventh goal of the season could not have been more crucial as it sent the home fans wild.
 
Newcastle 0-0 Wolves

Lot of activity but no goals!
 
Wolves very poor first half, but they got away with conceding a goal through VAR and they will now improve after the break.

Newcastle looking sparky but limited end product so far.
 
Newcastle 1-0 up from the penalty spot.

Fully merited and deserved.

Wolves have looked painfully average and have offered nothing going forward.
 
Newcastle took a huge step towards Premier League survival as Chris Wood's penalty proved enough to beat a blunt Wolves side at St James' Park.

The January signing slammed home the second-half winner at the Gallowgate End after being fouled by Wolves keeper Jose Sa at the end of a flowing team move.

VAR checked if Sa had made adequate contact, after an earlier review had denied Wood in the first half, when he saw a goal chalked off because team-mate Bruno Guimaraes was narrowly offside in the build-up.

Wolves failed to touch the ball in the Newcastle area in a dire opening 45 minutes and manager Bruno Lage will wonder why it took until the 80th minute for his side to work home keeper Martin Dubravka when Fabio Silva forced a diving save.

Newcastle - who saw Allan Saint-Maximin fire over the bar before Wood's goal and Guimaraes go close to adding a second - thoroughly deserved to follow a run of three straight defeats with this win.

It moves them 10 points clear of the relegation zone - though 18th-placed Burnley have two games in hand - while Wolves stay eighth and lose crucial ground in their push for a Europa League spot.
 
FULL-TIME
Everton 1-0 Man Utd

All over! Everton have a HUGE three points which gives them a bit of breathing space over Burnley for at least a day.

Manchester United remain in seventh, outside of the Champions League qualification spots.
 
Everton secured what could prove a priceless victory in their battle to avoid relegation as lacklustre Manchester United were beaten at Goodison Park.

Frank Lampard's side were plunged into even deeper crisis when they lost at fellow strugglers Burnley in midweek to leave them facing the prospect of dropping into the bottom three this weekend if results went against them.

In a game low on quality but high in tension, Everton's victory came courtesy of Anthony Gordon's 27th-minute drive, which took a heavy deflection off United captain Harry Maguire to leave keeper David de Gea wrong-footed.

Everton keeper Jordan Pickford made two important early saves from Marcus Rashford and a vital late block from Cristiano Ronaldo, but there was rarely any sense of siege as United lacked urgency, failing to break through in another blow to their hopes of making the Premier League's top four.

This could be a huge result in Everton's season, stopping the rot and lifting some of those dark clouds that were starting to gather over Goodison.

Everton's win was as far from a classic as it is possible to be but in the wider context it could mean more than so many others this season.

Frank Lampard's side remain in trouble but the psychological lift provided by this victory, which removes the prospect of dropping into the bottom three for now at least, saw an explosion of joy around this famous old stadium when referee Jon Moss blew the final whistle.

Everton dug deep for victory and had several figures who personified exactly what they will need if they are to maintain their Premier League status.

It was fitting that Gordon was the match-winner, the local hero loved by Everton fans for his tireless energy and invention. The supporters warm to him because of his attitude and his deflected strike was a fitting reward.

Richarlison is another who has been exempt from criticism, apart from the fact he might have scored more goals. The Brazil striker's work-rate is exceptional, chasing down every lost cause and he brought Goodison Park to its feet in the second half when he juggled the ball on his head by the touchline before winning a corner. He reacted by pumping his fists at the Gwladys Street End to raise the temperature inside an already frantic stadium.

And, once more, goalkeeper Pickford made a vital contribution, denying Rashford twice early on as well as Paul Pogba and Ronaldo after the break.

The deafening noise at the final whistle told the story, as Lampard joined in celebrations with the fans at the conclusion of a win that cannot be over-valued.

BBC
 
HALF-TIME
Arsenal 0-1 Brighton

That's the end of the half too. A few players are frustrated the added time hasn't been tallied up due to that lengthy VAR check.

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FULL-TIME
Arsenal 1-2 Brighton

Brighton hang on to win three points. A surging comeback from Arsenal in the dying minutes but it was too little, too late.

How big of an impact will that have on their top-four hopes?
 
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HALF-TIME
Man City 2-1 Liverpool

What a half of football!
 
Burnley Football Club can confirm the Club has parted company with manager Sean Dyche, assistant manager Ian Woan, first-team coach Steve Stone and goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer.

Dyche was the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, having been in charge of the Clarets for nine-and-a-half years, overseeing a period which will go down as one of the most successful in the Club’s history.

During this time, the team was promoted twice from the Championship, achieved two top-half Premier League finishes and qualified for Europe for the first time in 51 years.

Chairman Alan Pace said:

“Firstly, we would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Sean and his staff for their achievements at the Club over the last decade.

“During his time at Turf Moor, Sean has been a credit both on and off the pitch, respected by players, staff, supporters, and the wider football community.

“However, results this season have been disappointing and, while this was an incredibly difficult decision, with eight crucial games of the campaign remaining, we feel a change is needed to give the squad the best possible chance of retaining its Premier League status.

“Under-23s coach Mike Jackson, assisted by Academy Director Paul Jenkins, Under-23s goalkeeping coach Connor King and Club Captain Ben Mee have been asked to take charge of the team for Sunday’s game with West Ham United.

“The process of replacing Sean has begun and further announcements will be made to supporters in due course.”
 
FT: Tottenham 0-1 Brighton

Leandro Trossard's superb late goal gave Brighton a gutsy win that dealt a blow to Tottenham's hopes of finishing in the top four.

Following a game of few clear-cut chances, Trossard swerved into the Spurs area in the final minute of normal time before producing a fine finish past Hugo Lloris.

Steven Bergwijn then missed a chance to equalise at the start of stoppage time - one of the home side's rare opportunities.

Spurs stay in fourth, just ahead of Arsenal, while Brighton - in 10th - are on course for their highest-ever top-flight finish.

Graham Potter's side enjoyed the better of a first half where Spurs looked oddly sluggish despite not having played for nearly a week, but after the hosts appeared to improve in the second half, they were undone by a combination of poor defending and fine skill from Trossard.

The Belgian eluded Eric Dier before opening up his body to send a shot with the outside of his right foot low into the far corner of the net.

Spurs pay price for slow start

Spurs did not look anything like the side that came into the game on a run of four consecutive wins -which had started with a 2-0 victory at Brighton, and in which they had scored 14 goals and conceded just two.

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were shackled effectively Brighton, with the South Korean not managing a shot on target until nearly an hour in - with an effort that was comfortably blocked in the Albion area.

They were slow out of the blocks and while more fired up after the break, presumably after manager Antonio Conte had aired his views to the team at half-time, they lacked the kind of sharpness required to unlock the Brighton defence.

It could be an opportunity missed for Spurs, with Arsenal seeking a win at Southampton later on Saturday to draw level on points with a game in hand.

Spurs face Liverpool on 7 May and then their north London rivals five days later in games that could decide whether they play in the Champions League next season.

BBC
 
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West Ham came from behind to dent managerless Burnley's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League in a match tainted by a serious injury to Ashley Westwood.

Tomas Soucek equalised from close range to cancel out Wout Weghorst's opener as West Ham extended their unbeaten home run to eight games in all competitions.

The Hammers could have snatched victory late on but they found an inspired Nick Pope, who produced three big saves in the final stages, standing in their way.

Both sides started with attacking intent but the game took a turn for the worse when Westwood was stretchered off with a worrying ankle injury after what looked like a innocuous challenge with Nikola Vlasic.

Play was stopped for eight minutes with medical staff from both clubs attending to the Burnley midfielder.

Burnley interim boss Mike Jackson said: "He's gone to hospital and we're waiting for an update. We're hoping he's OK - our thoughts are with him.

"You could see it wasn't good from the reaction of the players. He looked distraught, but fingers crossed.

"When you see Declan Rice come over and say it's not good, you know it's not. The lad himself put his hand up, and he doesn't usually go down.

"It could be the end of his season, but there is a squad here ready to play. Josh Brownhill came in and has done really well."

No-one was more visibly upset than Vlasic, who dropped to his knees with concern, but the incident appeared to galvanise the lowly visitors. Three minutes after Westwood's departure, Burnley scored the opener.

Maxwel Cornet's corner was met by Jay Rodriguez, who could only divert the ball against the crossbar, before Weghorst rose highest to head in the rebound.

Cornet had the chance to double the visitors' lead after being brought down inside the area by Lukasz Fabianksi, but his poorly hit penalty went wide.

The Clarets sacked boss Sean Dyche on Friday but remained resolute under the interim guidance of Under-23s coach Jackson and injured club captain Ben Mee until Soucek salvaged a draw for the hosts.

The result means Burnley move to within three points of safety, although they have played a game more than 17th-placed Everton, while West Ham remain seventh, five points outside the Champions League places.

Burnley made headlines on Friday after they dismissed Dyche, who was the Premier League's longest-serving current manager, having taken over at Turf Moor in October 2012.

Two days later, the Clarets headed to an in-form West Ham side who had just booked their place in the Europa League semi-final.

The Hammers started brightly and Jarrod Bowen's whipped effort was well kept out by an acrobatic save from the influential Pope.

The seriousness of Westwood's injury was noted almost instantly as the midfielder, who fell to the ground after a fair coming together for possession, waved on the medical staff frantically.

It seemed to hand Burnley the impetus, as they went down the other end and opened the scoring, while Weghorst's celebrations were muted in testament to his team-mate's misfortune.

When Cornet was released from inside his own half before running clear and rounding Fabianski, they had the chance to double their lead with their first penalty of the season, but it was missed.

Those are the chances that will need to be converted if Burnley are to achieve the unlikely and retain the top-flight status.

In the end, the Clarets were punished, courtesy of Soucek's shoulder as he connected with Manuel Lanzini's free-kick.

As the Hammers pushed on for the winner, Pope stood firm and showed the form that resulted in an England call-up last month. Two excellent saves to deny Michail Antonio came either side of a Gordon Banks-esque dive to keep out Issa Diop's header.

Should Burnley fail to survive, they will have a battle on their hands to retain Pope's services.

BBC
 
Already

Liverpool 1-0 Man Utd

Could be very one-sided.
 
HALF-TIME
Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd

Men against boys. Embarassing.
 
Liverpool vs Manchester United 3-0

Liverpool moved top of the Premier League as they outclassed Manchester United at Anfield and dented the visitors' hopes of a top-four finish.

Liverpool, who started a point behind Manchester City, led when Luis Diaz stroked in Mohamed Salah's low cross.

The home side continued to dominate and Salah slotted in a deserved second from Sadio Mane's reverse pass.

United showed slight improvement before Mane swept in a third and Salah's deflected effort sealed a routine win.

After their 5-0 win at Old Trafford in October, Liverpool are the first club to score at least eight Premier League goals against United in a single season.

The victory moves Jurgen Klopp's side two points clear of defending champions City, who have seven matches left to play and can regain top spot when they face Brighton on Wednesday.

United, who could have moved level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham, remain sixth. On Saturday, the Red Devils go to fifth-placed Arsenal.

BBC
 
The atmosphere was incredible at Anfiled last night!

I must have seen over 30 matches between Utd and LFC but never have I seen so much domination from one side.

Great to see Mo Salah back to his very best too. :salah

We need Brighton(in good form) to beat or at least draw with City tonight but unlikely.
 
Big match for Man City tonight.

First time they've not been top of the table and the pressure and injuries increasing.
 
LFC have the greater momentum in my opinion. They are playing the more fluid football and their goal difference is superior.

They are going to absolutely annihilate Everton at Anfield in the Merseyside Derby. They are that good right now and the Toffees under Lampard are so poor that it could easily be 6-0 to Liverpool (plus). This will give the Reds a huge amount of swagger going into their final fixtures.

City just have to win all of their remaining games and the title is theirs, but their remaining away meetings against an in-form Leeds side and a very strong West Ham team could be tricky.

I think Liverpool will win the league on the last day.
 
Eddie Nketiah scored twice as Arsenal boosted their chances of qualifying for the Champions League with a thrilling victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The 22-year-old scored at the start of each half as the Gunners ended a run of three successive Premier League defeats.

Emile Smith Rowe was also on target as Arsenal twice led in the first half only for Timo Werner and Cesar Azpilicueta to level soon after for Chelsea.

Bukayo Saka put the seal on the victory with a penalty in added time after he been brought down by Azpilicueta.

Arsenal stay fifth despite the win but are now level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham while Chelsea are five points better off in third.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60269088
 
Manchester City restored their one-point advantage over Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with victory over a resolute Brighton.

Needing a win to reclaim top spot after Liverpool's win over Manchester United, City were frustrated in the first half.

But Riyad Mahrez's finish soon after the break eased the growing tension.

And a deflected strike from Phil Foden and neat effort from Bernardo Silva ensured City top spot with six games to go.

The next round of fixtures are at the weekend, with City hosting Watford on Saturday before Liverpool take on Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday.

Brighton leave with no points but can take heart from another competitive away display, coming after victories at Champions League-chasing Arsenal and Tottenham.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60717451
 
Burnley produced one of their finest performances of the season to beat Southampton at Turf Moor and keep their hopes of Premier League survival alive.

The Clarets earned their first win in the post-Sean Dyche era, and just their fifth in the league this season, to close to within one point of 17th-placed Everton with six games to play.

Connor Roberts scored a timely first goal for the club when he curled a delightful opener into the far corner and Nathan Collins headed in to double their lead before half-time.

With interim boss Mike Jackson in the dugout, the hosts delivered an impressive attacking display but also showed the grit associated with their decade under Dyche to keep any Saints revival at bay.

It is a victory that sets up a tantalising relegation scrap heading into the run-in, as Burnley look to earn a seventh successive season in the top flight at the expense of the Toffees, or potentially even Leeds United.
 
LFC have the greater momentum in my opinion. They are playing the more fluid football and their goal difference is superior.

They are going to absolutely annihilate Everton at Anfield in the Merseyside Derby. They are that good right now and the Toffees under Lampard are so poor that it could easily be 6-0 to Liverpool (plus). This will give the Reds a huge amount of swagger going into their final fixtures.

City just have to win all of their remaining games and the title is theirs, but their remaining away meetings against an in-form Leeds side and a very strong West Ham team could be tricky.

I think Liverpool will win the league on the last day.

I also think Liverpool will win it but think it might be over before the last day due to that goal difference

Both teams are incredible and they have set such high standards, going to be brutal on whoever finishes 2nd (similar to Liverpool finishing 2nd that season on 97 points)

Ultimately that lack of striker is what will cost City, it already affected them in games against Palace and Southampton and think it will affect them in the away games they have left

Either way it's going to be an exciting finish
 
Team news - Ronaldo returns as Man Utd make five changes
Arsenal v Man Utd (12:30 BST)

Eddie Nketiah keeps his place after scoring twice in Arsenal's 4-2 win at Chelsea in midweek.

The Gunners make just the one change to the starting line-up, with Cedric Soares replacing Rob Holding in defence.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Soares, White, Gabriel, Nuno Tavares, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Elneny, Saka, Nketiah.

Subs: Lacazette, Holding, Tomiyasu, Pepe, Leno.

Cristiano Ronaldo returns as Manchester United make five changes to the side which lost 4-0 at Liverpool in midweek.

Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford all drop out, with the others coming in being Raphael Varane, Alex Telles, Jadon Sancho and Scott McTominay.

Man Utd: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Telles, Sancho, Matic, McTominay, Fernandes, Elanga, Ronaldo.

Subs: Bailly, Jones, Maguire, Mata, Henderson.
 
HALF-TIME
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd

Well, we can't grumble at that for lunchtime entertainment.

This is a great game of football.

Arsenal flew out of the blocks, took complete control, but have had their confidence knocked a bit by a Manchester United side who battled back and are far from out of this.
 
FULL-TIME
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd

A fine afternoon for Arsenal. They move into the top four. It looks like a two-horse race now for fourth.

Manchester United left to reflect on missed chances, none bigger than Bruno Fernandes' penalty at 2-1.
 
Tottenham held by Brentford as Eriksen shines


Tottenham's top-four hopes suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw by Brentford, with Bees midfielder Christian Eriksen impressing against his former club.

The Denmark midfielder, facing Spurs for the first time since he left for Inter Milan in January 2020, was given a warm reception by players and fans before kick-off in west London.

He was central to much of Brentford's attacking play, particularly from set pieces, and they were inches from a dramatic late winner when his added-time free-kick was headed onto a post by Ivan Toney.

Another Eriksen corner in the first half was also headed onto an upright by Toney, while Pontus Jansson's header was cleared off the line by Harry Kane in the second half.

Tottenham, in contrast, failed to produce any clear-cut opportunities as they came up against a resilient Bees defence.

Kane did come close to snatching the points, but his looping header went just wide with David Raya at full stretch.

Antonio Conte's side are now two points behind Arsenal in fifth after their north London rivals beat Manchester United in Saturday's early kick-off to move the Gunners into the final Champions League qualification position.

The draw moves Brentford above Brighton into 11th and onto 40 points, with the Bees now all but certain of Premier League survival.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61125044
 
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