Category: Football (Soccer)

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.

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.

⚽️ 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.