Category: English Premier League

Igor Thiago looms over Leeds, Newcastle need to bounce back from Barça and Viktor Gyökeres aims for hero status

• Premier League top scorers: latest top-flight standings

Though Manchester United continued to win after playing brilliantly against Manchester City and Arsenal in Michael Carrick’s first two games as manager, the quality and coherence of their performances decreased thereafter. Lacking balance without the injured Patrick Dorgu, they’ve been rescued on three separate occasion by Benjamin Sesko’s goals – goals which eventually forced him into the team at the expense of Amad Diallo. But though Amad is easier to omit than Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, both of whom are older, dearer and more productive, without him United lacked a dribbler: a player eager to run at opponents, who isn’t necessarily seeking the quickest route to goal, and whose quick feet in tight spaces are invaluable against disciplined defences. It is no coincidence that on his return to the starting XI, against Villa last weekend, United delivered their best display since those early weeks. Though, at some point soon, Sesko’s form will again demand his inclusion, this time it is unlikely to be Amad who makes way. Daniel Harris

Bournemouth v Manchester United, Friday 8pm

Brighton v Liverpool, Saturday 12.30pm

Fulham v Burnley, Saturday 3pm

Everton v Chelsea, Saturday 5.30pm

Leeds v Brentford, Saturday 8pm

Newcastle v Sunderland, Sunday 12pm

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Wolves come back from two goals down to make it three games unbeaten for the Premier League’s bottom club

Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!

The teams are on their way out …

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Pep Guardiola’s team have ground down other title contenders in the past with their relentless winning streaks. But those days appear to have gone

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This has been a strange season for Manchester City. Every now and then, they’ve threatened to produce the sort of run that used to define them. They won eight games in a row from the end of November to the end of December, then six in a row in February. At which point the tendency has been for a sort of mental muscle memory to kick in and to think that, even if they haven’t been playing that well, even if this doesn’t look like the City sides of old, this is the start of one of those relentless bouts of form that has ground down challengers in the past. After all, some of those past runs began uncertainly.

But this is a very different City. Even Pep Guardiola sounded bemused after Saturday’s draw with West Ham, noting how “in the past always we found the way to win this kind of game … this season, the fact that we didn’t score goals for the amount of chances, it’s punished us”. He seemingly had no explanation for that, muttering about the “unfairness” of the world that his side had not got the results he feels their football has deserved.

This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@theguardian.com, and he’ll answer the best in a future edition.

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Robyn Cowen is joined by Jonathan Wilson, Lucy Ward, and Dan Bardell as Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points, Spurs come up with a performance at Anfield, Manchester United win again, and Chelsea get emotional about a huddle On this podcast: limbs of the season at the Emirates as 16-year-old Max Dowman becomes the Premier League’s youngest ever scorer to help Arsenal over the line against Everton, before Manchester City drop more points at West Ham thanks to the face of Konstantinos Mavrapanos. Is this the night Arsenal won the title … part 47? At the bottom Spurs *checks notes* show promise under Igor Tudor, Richarlison netting a last-minute equaliser against Liverpool to prove the old adage that the fifth time’s a charm. Chelsea lose after Paul Tierney infiltrates their pre match huddle. PGMO’s response to Liam Rosenior’s complaints will be interesting. And Manchester United cement third place with victory over Aston Villa as Bruno Fernandes moves closer to a record amount of assists in a single season. We have a hotel boycott, an update from Texas plus your questions and that’s today’s Guardian Football Weekly.

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Max Dowman’s magic, Konstantinos Mavropanos shows heart and Chelsea go all LinkedIn but fail to link up

It is easy to say that Tottenham have a goalkeeping problem. Antonin Kinsky was brought in against Atlético Madrid precisely because Igor Tudor was having doubts about Guglielmo Vicario. Back in the lineup at Anfield, Vicario didn’t cover himself in glory for Liverpool’s opener. Dominik Szoboszlai is good at free-kicks – a quarter of the 16 scored in the Premier League this season have been his – but he’s had to come up with extraordinary strikes to beat goalkeepers such as David Raya and Gianluigi Donnarumma. His effort on Sunday wasn’t too far off centre and Vicario should have saved it, a weak wrist letting him down. But the Italian rallied, producing an exceptional save down low to tip a Cody Gakpo shot on to a post. He and the rest of a sturdy, if makeshift, Spurs defence provided them with a platform to get back into the game. Tottenham can delve into the transfer market in the summer to sign a goalkeeper but, until then, they need Vicario to make vital interventions in big moments in their fight for survival – Kinsky is unlikely to get another opportunity. Billy Munday

Match report: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham

Match report: Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa

Match report: Arsenal 2-0 Everton

Match report: Chelsea 0-1 Newcastle

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Dominic Szoboszlai’s free-kick gave Liverpool the lead, but Richarlison’s late equaliser earned Spurs a crucial point, their first under Igor Tudor

As for Tottenham, Tudor persists with the 3-4-3 formation that could barely suit his players less. Pedro Porro is plays on the right of the central-defenders, which might work better than Joao Palhinha – Terry Venables always liked a full-back there for their speed on the cover and ability to get forward. In midfield, meantime, Archie Gray – the only player not to shame himself in recent weeks – continues in his preferred position, finally doing what he was bought for while, up front, Solanke returns presumably because he couldn’t be risked in Madrid.

I’m really excited to see how Ngumoha does. I love what I’ve seen of him so far, in particular his desire to attack his man, something you can teach, and his timing, which you probably cannot. As we saw last evening, extreme talent is undeniable.

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Daniel Farke is trying to stay cool. Having moved to within touching distance of Premier League safety when Leeds beat Nottingham Forest last month, picking up only three points from their past five games could be raising a few jitters among supporters. But Farke and his players were the ones celebrating at full-time here after earning a point that could be priceless to their hopes of survival.

Had Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted from the spot after Will Hughes had gifted them a penalty then things may have looked very different. Up until that point, Leeds had been the much better side as Crystal Palace again struggled against their physical approach. But the sending off of Gabriel Gudmundsson after a comical moment when the referee, Thomas Bramall, briefly forgot that the Sweden defender had already been cautioned changed the complexion of the game.

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⚽️ Updates from the match at Old Trafford (2pm GMT)
⚽️ Premier League table | Email Tim with your thoughts

1 min Villa get forward right away but the first free kick goes to United. Harry Maguire lobs it long, to little effect.

Bruno Fernandes addresses the United huddle, with no ref in the middle. The cameras find Emi Martinez, who was sent off here in May.

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On 71 minutes came a classic Manchester United riposte, via Matheus Cunha, to Ross Barkley’s equaliser moments before. From around halfway, the peerless Bruno Fernandes glanced up and steered the ball through an inside left channel for Cunha. United’s No 10 galloped forward and as Emiliano Martínez loomed large the Brazilian’s curled finish was a peach that kissed the far right of the net, Cunha stepping forward before the Stretford End to soak up the ecstatic adoration.

Fernandes’ assist was his second of the contest and 16th in total in the Premier League: a record for United, this term’s competition high, and a latest argument for him winning the player of the season awards.

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A draw that had huge ramifications at both ends of the Premier League

Manchester City get the ball rolling. A fine Saturday-evening-pints atmosphere!

The teams are out! Pretty bubbles in the air. West Ham in claret and blue, Manchester City in second-choice black. Not sure that’s the best combo for colour-blind fans, but that particular consideration seems to have fallen by the wayside pretty much across the board this season. We’ll be off in a minute.

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Humbled English clubs must realise that what works against the very good turns out to be inadequate against the best

If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. If the only tool you have is a set play, the solution to everything starts to look like a pre-programmed move based on blocking runs. And perhaps that’s especially true if you’re worn out, knackered by the attrition of a persistent schedule of two games a week against teams who are frustratingly well organised and physically imposing. Think? Dribble? Make a surprising run? Who has the bandwidth for that? Just sling it to the back post and get in the way of the keeper.

Arne Slot had spoken in the buildup to Liverpool’s defeat by Galatasaray on Tuesday of how difficult it is to create chances in modern football, and how set pieces are a way to circumvent the sophisticated defensive setups of most Premier League teams. He is certainly not alone in taking that approach in the Premier League. But the Champions League is not like the Premier League. The crowding of the six-yard box, the full bearhug grappling, the meat wall to block the goalkeeper … it turns out all of those are penalised by European referees, and that is a problem for Premier League teams.

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Burnley and Bournemouth played out a tepid goalless draw that does little to help either team’s Premier League ambitions. The Clarets managed just a fourth clean sheet in the league this season, but remain eight points adrift of safety with eight games left, while Bournemouth are now unbeaten in 10 matches but really needed three points to boost their European hopes.

Both teams hit the woodwork while Evanilson had a very early shot cleared off the line but neither did enough to merit victory.

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Max Dowman came on to rescue the Gunners and become the youngest scorer in Premier League history

The players are out there. Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s stand-in captain, leads his team as they hand-slap their way along the Everton line. Mikel Arteta greets David Moyes with the obligatory hug, plus a broad smile. The crowd sing North London Forever and give themselves a round of applause.

“Bayern have just drawn 1-1 at Leverkusen too,” says Lenny Peters. “So it’s clearly a tough place to go.”

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With nine games to go, we assess the Premier League teams behind Arsenal and Manchester City who are most likely to fill the remaining berths

Reasons for optimism: Michael Carrick recently professed himself as “definitely a glass half-full” manager so the interim surely looks at the final nine games and sees a huge opportunity. Particularly positive here are the fixtures with Aston Villa (Sunday), Chelsea (18 April) and Liverpool (2 May): three chances for Manchester United to seriously damage the Champions League qualification prospects of the three teams currently directly below them and enhance their own. Carrick’s men are third but only three points above Liverpool in sixth and, with fifth probably enough for a Champions League berth, beating even one of the three would be a big boost to hopes – provided results are rosy in United’s other fixtures.

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Leaders Arsenal host Everton on Saturday while struggling Tottenham head to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday

Saturday 3pm Venue Turf Moor

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