Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson and Barney Ronay to discuss all the weekend’s Premier League action
Continue reading...Premier League: talking points from the weekend’s action
Arne Slot is fuming, Mikel Arteta’s big risk pays off and Josh Dasilva enjoys an emotional return for Brentford
Arne Slot was seething as he lamented the decision to allow Manchester United’s second goal to stand despite claims of handball by Benjamin Sesko. “The curve on the ball changed so there must have been a contact,” argued the Liverpool head coach. “But it’s no surprise to anyone that if there is a VAR intervention then the decision goes against us. It’s happened to us all season.” As PGMO confirmed at the time, however, there “was no conclusive evidence that Sesko handled the ball before scoring”. Slot was stretching it to pin Liverpool’s latest defeat on poor refereeing. United’s movement pulled the visitors apart in the first half and, without the injured Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak, the threat from Liverpool was nonexistent until capitalising on two errors early in the second half. Defeat stemmed from an anaemic first-half performance, nothing else. Andy Hunter
Match report: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool
Match report: Arsenal 3-0 Fulham
Match report: Newcastle 3-1 Brighton
Match report: Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham
Match report: Brentford 3-0 West Ham
Match report: Leeds 3-1 Burnley
Continue reading...Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened
Spurs produced a display full of passion against much-changed Villa to jump out of the bottom three
De Zerbi speaks. Has he seen improvement in the players since the win at Wolves? “Yes, they are working very well.
“I’m very happy to work with these guys. My target is to help them to show what we are.”
Continue reading...Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened
Manchester United confirmed their Champions League qualification as Kobbie Mainoo hit a winner against their rivals
“Thanks to the Isak injury, yet again Slot is forced to fight fires rather than just manage,” laments Ian Copestake. “Unless it is in January, I hope one day he will be able to say, ‘same team as last year.’”
Now that would be a turn up for the Trent.
Continue reading...Manchester United seal Champions League return as Mainoo ends Liverpool comeback
On 75 minutes up stepped Kobbie Mainoo with the coolest of winners before the Stretford End to cause bedlam among home fans and wrest the bragging rights Manchester United’s way.
After a raid down the left Alexis Mac Allister’s weak clearance rolled to the midfielder who beat Dominik Szoboszlai to punch home a finish that bested Freddie Woodman to the Liverpool goalkeeper’s right.
Continue reading...Arsenal 3-0 Fulham: Premier League – as it happened
Arsenal have opened a six-point lead over Manchester City in the title race after a comprehensive home victory over Fulham
“My thanks to Richard Hirst, but if we’re talking races to the grave, I’m probably a way ahead of him,” writes Charles Antaki. “So should the Arsenal men’s team fail at this Premier League hurdle, the next may be beyond my span. Today, the universe has a chance to right the wrongs of the women’s unsatisfactory performance at Lyon; but given that the universe seems to show absolutely no interest in righting wrongs of any description, and there are a few around at the moment, I’m not particularly hopeful. But, as ever, we shall see.”
Mikel Arteta’s pre-match thoughts
Some of the changes are forced. There are other reasons as well – we need a lot of energy, freshness and quality as well.
[On Myles Lewis-Skelly playing in midfield] He’s been very patient, extremely understanding about the situation and he deserves another chance. Every time he’s played, he’s done really well.
Continue reading...Barnes wraps up Newcastle win against Brighton to ease pressure on Howe
Brighton had limbered up for this trip to Tyneside by working out with an acclaimed German cage fighter. The idea was that a spot of mixed martial arts training would toughen up Fabian Hürzeler’s players at set pieces and enable them to pack a collective punch far too powerful for Newcastle to resist.
Happily for Eddie Howe and his players it did not quite work out like that. On a day when Yasir al-Rumayyan, Newcastle’s chair, and a delegation of his colleagues from the club’s majority owners, Saudi Arabian’s Public Investment Fund, looked on from the director’s box, Howe’s team finally ended a debilitating run of five straight defeats.
Continue reading...Bueno gives Wolves share of spoils after Sunderland’s Ballard sent off for hair pull
Sunderland had Dan Ballard sent off for hair pulling as their hopes of European football next season were dented by a 1-1 draw at already-relegated Wolves.
Ballard was given his marching orders in the 24th minute by referee Paul Tierney after a check with VAR determined the Sunderland centre-back had tugged at the long braids of Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare.
Continue reading...Championship finale: Ipswich, Millwall and Middlesbrough vie for automatic promotion – live
⚽ Updates from a crucial afternoon of football action
⚽ Ten things to look out for | Scores | Tables | Mail John
Bill Preston gets in touch: “I think Wednesday beating West Brom and finishing on zero points, the same as they began the season with*, would be fitting. It would reflect a new start to the club, a fresh page, a story yet to be written.
“Although, one can’t help but feel I’ll be writing the same email again this time next year albeit into the League One finale if they get the expected fourteen points deduction post takeover and slide again.”
Continue reading...Leeds United 3-1 Burnley: Premier League – as it happened
Anton Stach’s superb early goal sparked a comfortable victory that moved Leeds to the brink of safety
1 min Peeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeep! Leeds kick off from right to left as we watch.
A reminder of the teams
Continue reading...Premier League team news: predicted lineups for the weekend action
Arsenal host Fulham on Saturday aiming to build a six-point lead before Manchester City go to Everton on Monday
Saturday 3pm Venue Gtech Community Stadium
Continue reading...Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend
Eddie Howe is under pressure, Rayan needs protection at Bournemouth and John Stones returns to Everton with City
The equation is simple. If Leeds beat relegated – and now managerless - Burnley at Elland Road on Friday they will reach 43 points and be extremely unlikely to meet the same fate as their opponents. Daniel Farke’s losing FA Cup semi-finalists are then scheduled to travel to Tottenham, but victory against Burnley, who they pipped to the Championship title last season, would settle nerves in West Yorkshire. Farke, though, does not necessarily expect a straightforward match. “There’s definitely no complacency,” he said, speaking before the news of Scott Parker’s departure. “I’ve got so much respect for Scott. I’d say there’s not one time this season Burnley were played off the field. They’re always very competitive, they’ve had many tight games.” As Mike Jackson takes caretaker charge at Turf Moor, Farke hopes another three points will persuade Leeds to extend his own contract. Louise Taylor
Leeds v Burnley, Friday 8pm (all times BST)
Brentford v West Ham, Saturday 3pm
Newcastle v Brighton, Saturday 3pm
Wolves v Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
Arsenal v Fulham, Saturday 5.30pm
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Sunday 2pm
Manchester United v Liverpool, Sunday 3.30pm
Continue reading...PSG and Bayern’s box-fresh talents or Premier League title tussle: you can only have one | Barney Ronay
The Premier League isn’t as fun and fizzy as PSG v Bayern but that’s the price of the twice-weekly churn that rewards discipline and sacrifice
In the novel Rabbit, Run, John Updike has one of his characters, a groovy and progressive 1960s priest, calling round to talk to his fellow minister, a hard German Lutheran, about the secret doubts he harbours about his faith. Is the doctrine really necessary? Is hell just, you know, a metaphor? He likes Jesus. But maybe he also likes sinful things, like sex and recklessly open attacking football.
The hard German Lutheran takes one look, curls his lip and tells the groovy progressive priest to get down on his knees in the kitchen and beg for forgiveness. Who is he to reason with divine suffering? Life is pain. Joy is pain. Pain is pain. Frankly, the groovy priest who likes flying full-backs and an open midfield disgusts him. He will burn in hell for his spineless debauchery. The groovy priest leaves in tears.
Continue reading...Manchester City frustrated by fixture crunch of three key games in seven days
City face crucial games on 13 May, 16 May and 19 May
Alternative date for Palace game has been chief problem
Manchester City are understood to be frustrated after being left facing three decisive fixtures in the space of seven days next month.
City’s match against Crystal Palace, which was postponed from 21 March owing to their participation in the Carabao Cup final, has been scheduled for Wednesday 13 May. The trip to Bournemouth, originally scheduled for 17 May, had to be moved after City progressed to the FA Cup final to face Chelsea on 16 May, and has been slated for 19 May.
Continue reading...Casemiro’s decision to leave Manchester United is final, insists Michael Carrick
Brazilian going in the summer after four years
Interim manager says the situation is ‘pretty clear’
Michael Carrick ruled out any reversal of Casemiro’s departure from Manchester United in the summer after the Brazilian scored in ’s 2-1 win against Brentford.
The midfielder’s header on 11 minutes was his ninth goal in the Premier League, second only for United to Benjamin Sesko, who registered just before half-time to seal victory.
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