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Daniel Storey is away on holiday – how dare he! – so i’s team of football writers have put together The Score in his place.
The Premier League title race looks set to go right to the wire with just a point separating the two teams at the top of the table. Arsenal remain in the lead for now having beaten bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. Second-placed City meanwhile crushed Nottingham Forest by a two-goal margin.
Elsewhere, Everton secured their safety after edging past Brentford, thanks largely to Idrissa Gueye. There was no such luck however for Sheffield United, who became the first side to have their relegation from the top flight confirmed this season.
Scroll down for our verdict on every team (listed in table order).
Bournemouth at home. Manchester United away. Everton at home. What a tantalising remaining three fixtures — win them all and Arsenal are probably Premier League champions, for the first time in 20 years.
Probably. Maybe it’s wrong to tempt fate like this. Arsenal fans might not want to hear it. It is, after all, the hope that kills you.
The title is still in Manchester City’s hands. They have a game in hand and a clean sweep will seal a sixth title in seven seasons.
Still, it feels as though Arsenal have come through one of those weeks in which if ever a title charge was going to careen off the rails it was this one, concluding it with two wins, six points and eight goals scored against two London rivals. By Sam Cunningham
Read more: Tottenham vs Arsenal player ratings – White immense and Maddison anonymous
There’s much to admire about Manchester City, including Pep Guardiola’s choice of touchline attire.
But more than the poise of Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri’s positioning and the presence and power of Kyle Walker, perhaps the most important quality of all as they chase another Premier League crown is their absolute sense of purpose.
Having seen leaders Arsenal throw down the gauntlet earlier in the day by beating Tottenham , City proved they possess the character as well as the calibre to perform under pressure. The reigning champions reminded us they know how to win ugly. Or at least by utilising focus and concentration; two essential traits of every trophy laden team.
“We showed character and personality, that’s what everyone will say,” Guardiola said, after watching City move to within a point of the summit with a game in hand. “It is in our control and we extend the run in. If we’d drawn, we would not have had a chance.”
Still, Forest exposed some defensive weaknesses which will convince Mikel Arteta’s side that the title race could be set for another twist yet. But, worryingly for the Spaniard, City remain unbeaten against domestic opposition since December 6th. And there were two more assists for the peerless De Bruyne, who carved the match winning openings for Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland.
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However, at this stage of the campaign, it could be the likes of Mateo Kovacic who haul City across the line.
“I knew, with the number of games we’ve had, it was going to be dangerous,” Guardiola continued. “We were lucky with the chances they had.”
Despite their perilous position in the table, Forest ensured Guardiola’s 300th top-flight fixture in charge of the visitors was not a comfortable experience. Indeed, had Chris Wood brought his shooting boots, the outcome might have been very different.
The loss of Ederson through injury will also concern Guardiola, with the goalkeeper failing to recover properly after colliding with Willy Boly.
But his possible absence from some of City’s upcoming games was counterbalanced by the appearance of Haaland. Within nine minutes of coming on, and in front of father Alf-Inge who represented both clubs, the Norwegian was back doing what he does best; skipping past a defender before producing an ice-cool finish which effectively sealed City’s victory.
“The second half was much better,” Guardiola noted. “But the players were good at suffering to get there.” By James Shields
Read more: 115 reasons why Man City’s dominance is a disaster for the Premier League
The Mo Salah conundrum was bubbling away as a quiet sub-plot to the grand narrative of Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour. Here it exploded into full view as the pair bickered on the touchline. Salah can have no argument that Klopp dropped him and Darwin Nunez to the bench unfairly, an inevitable consequence of the shambles at Goodison Park last Wednesday.
It is unfair to say Salah’s attitude – he warned there would be “fire” if he spoke about the incident after the game – will tarnish any perception the incoming Arne Slot might have of him, but it nevertheless feels another final reminder that it is time for Liverpool to cash in ahead of a new era. He will not be the only remnant of the old guard being ushered towards the way out.
Aside from that, the marking for Michail Antonio’s goal was inexcusable. Everything good West Ham did was fairly predictable, but Liverpool look devoid of ideas when it comes to overcoming low blocks. At the end of a gruelling season that might have ended in an unlikely quadruple, they are inevitably exhausted by emotion and uncertainty. Slot’s imminent arrival was understood to be greeted with glee in the dressing room and he is clearly highly respected, but the loss this group are about to suffer appears too great. By Katherine Lucas
Read more: Arne Slot is walking into a Moyesian nightmare at Liverpool
Morgan Rogers is proving to be an inspired signing for Aston Villa (Photo: Getty)
There’s a fair argument that Aston Villa shouldn’t really take anything from their 2-2 draw with Chelsea. They were clearly exhausted after playing eight games in 28 days, Emiliano Martinez was substituted at half-time having kept a clean sheet and something appears to happen to Mauricio Pochettino’s side under the Villa Park lights. These things happen.
But if they want to learn any lesson from that match, it’s that Morgan Rogers is an inspired signing, indicative of how Unai Emery can help Villa weather the upcoming profitability and sustainability storm. The 21-year-old now has three goals and an assist in his past five Premier League games, scoring a thunderous near-post finish on Saturday evening.
Halesowen born-and-bred, Rogers spent four years in Manchester City’s academy with Cole Palmer — whose celebration he shares — after nine years at West Brom. He only needed seven months with Middlesbrough to earn his top-flight move, and in the three months since, Emery has gone from apparently calling him a “Championship player” to starting him regularly.
Rogers’ development shows how quickly and clearly Emery can improve players, supported by Monchi’s phenomenal recruitment. If Villa are now going to have to sell players to pass PSR in the coming seasons, fans should have confidence that this backroom team can find and fine-tune players of any value into an elite team.
And in Rogers, they really have a gem — a 6 ft 2 winger who also ranks in the top 10 dribblers per 90 in this season’s Premier League. He may well go from the Championship to the Champions League in less than a year. By George Simms
Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are enduring a particularly painful present — a 4-0 thrashing by Newcastle United, closely followed by defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal, towards the end of a season that has failed to live up to its early promise.
Unbeaten in Postecoglou’s first 11 games in charge, leading the Premier League table playing a refreshing brand of ballsy attacking football, it had seemed as though the Australian had reinvented football — until he hadn’t.
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But, as it nears the end of Postecoglou’s first season as Tottenham’s manager, how did his contemporaries fare in their first seasons?
Mikel Arteta took over at Arsenal in December 2019 and his first 38 league games saw a return of 57 points. There were sticky patches between then and now, including when he was very close to being sacked, but Arsenal’s owners stuck with him and look at them now: challenging for the title in successive seasons, a first Premier League trophy in two decades almost within reach.
Jurgen Klopp was appointed Liverpool manager in October 2015 and won 65 points in his first 38 games. By all accounts, the seasons that followed have been exhilarating for fans.
A quick glance at the table shows Postecoglou has already accumulated 60 points with five games still remaining. The chance of catching and overtaking Aston Villa in that fourth Champions League spot is still alive — even a brutal final run of games, which includes playing away to Chelsea and Liverpool and with Manchester City visiting in May, features Burnley and Sheffield United, meaning Postecoglou is likely to surpass Klopp’s early Liverpool record.
Worth remembering, too, that Spurs lost Harry Kane last summer. The absence of his goals, his aura, and his impact on the pitch would represent massive upheaval for any club, particularly one with a new manager. By Sam Cunningham
Read more: Tottenham showed all the best and worst bits of Angeball in Arsenal defeat
United’s goal tally is by some distance the lowest in the top six and of the teams in the top half of the table only Wolves have scored fewer.
The trend mirrors last season when United were the only team in the top six not to breach the 60-goal mark. United have managed only 52 in 36 games this season, which suggests they are on course to repeat the sub-60 total.
The one goal they did manage against Burnley came from the unlikely source of Antony, who jumped on a misplaced pass to steer the ball past the ‘keeper. It was a much-improved display from the Brazilian, who showed how threatening he can be when the game is stretched and he has space to attack.
Beyond that Bruno Fernandes came closest with a first-half shot against a post. Though United had plenty of the ball and gave the impression of being busy around the box, for the most part Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric was untested.
At the other end Andre Onana kept United in it with a string of high class saves. As ever with Onana, fallibility is never far away. It was his clumsy mistake from a corner, landing a blow on the head of an attacker, that led to Zeki Amdouni’s equaliser from the spot after VAR corrected the referee’s error in waving play on.
Just as Coventry City managed a week ago, and Sheffield United for 80 minutes on Wednesday, Burnley competed on equal terms. United remain a patched-up XI overreliant on the capacity of skipper Fernandes to conjure match-winning moments. By Kevin Garside
Read more: Man Utd’s overreliance on Bruno Fernandes has become desperate
Saturday was one of the most bizarre 5-1 wins in Newcastle’s history. You could make a case that the first 45 minutes was the worst at St James’ Park this season – certainly since another struggler, Nottingham Forest, ran riot on Boxing Day. Disjointed and disinterested, they were thankful for the commitment of Dan Burn – almost single-handedly keeping Sheffield United at bay – and the excellence of Alexander Isak.
He feels inevitable right now, two more goals pushing him towards 19 for the season and into the slipstream of the ailing Erling Haaland. He is the more complete forward than the Manchester City man and at 23, his potential is scary. His movement, mobility, instincts, pace and power are already world class – and he turned the game here.
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For all that this has been a bruising campaign, unpicking some of the certainties around Eddie Howe in the minds of a portion of Newcastle fans, they are sixth and bearing down on a Europa League place.
That’s remarkable given the injuries. Newcastle could have picked almost a whole XI of injured/suspended players* that would be very competitive in the Premier League on Saturday but it’s not really talked about anymore. Instead it is Guimaraes and the black and white tipping point that dominates the agenda.
* For the record, here it is. Just a striker light of a full team (and Callum Wilson only returned on Saturday).
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Targett; Joe Willock, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley; Miguel Almiron, Joelinton. By Mark Douglas
Read more: Why Bruno Guimaraes’s Newcastle future isn’t as simple as a £100m release clause
If you want a metaphor for David Moyes’ West Ham – something that by all accounts, we will not be able to say beyond the next few weeks – then look no further than Michail Antonio. Well into the second half, he had managed just 11 touches, through little fault of his own, and ended the day with two shots – and crucially, a goal. That is always the thing about this West Ham – it could be so much worse, so many of their supporters turned up fearing another drubbing like the one dealt by Arsenal.
The plan was clearly to stick with the low block and rely on Jarrod Bowen and to an extent, it worked. Bowen drove at Liverpool, opened the scoring and could have had another. There is so much to like about Mohammed Kudus too, albeit his decision-making continues to frustrate – a brilliant dribble past Trent Alexander-Arnold, only to be dispossessed, and scuppering another fine counter by holding too long and failing to find Antonio.
Moyes only has one game left at the London Stadium and however mixed the reviews on his reign, he deserves a decent send-off for all he has done in Europe. They are still on a run of one win in nine and it will not be an inspired end to his reign, but West Ham could have easily laid down and instead fought back. Another European run next year could still be on the cards, albeit there will almost certainly be another manager in the dugout. By Katherine Lucas
Stealing possession back 11 times, making five tackles and 15 passes into the final third, earning four fouls and even taking two ill-advised potshots, Moises Caicedo looked reminiscent of the £100m player he is against Aston Villa.
In fact, in a team that would pay anything for some reliability and responsibility, he looked temporarily priceless.
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Whether helped by Enzo Fernandez’s absence or the simple culmination of a season’s improvement, something clicked for Caicedo at Villa Park. He is unlikely to ever escape his price tag, but a disastrous start led to criticism so stark that his recent development has been somewhat underappreciated.
In a double pivot with Conor Gallagher, there were glimpses of a sustainable future midfield for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Gallagher, who set up Chelsea’s first before curling in a second with his weak foot from range, also reminded the club of his quality and value.
Yes, Chelsea were still vulnerable in transition, and yes, they still conceded twice to an exhausted Villa team, but in a season which has provided constant questions, there were the makings of some answers here.
Gallagher is still heavily linked with a summer move, which remains insane regardless of the financial mess Chelsea have got themselves into. As both their captain and spiritual leader, against Villa it was impossible to miss the Cobham kid’s significance both mentally and physically. By George Simms
When Bournemouth replaced Gary O’Neil as manager last summer with the former Rayo Vallecano coach Andoni Iraola, many apparent experts questioned the decision and, as late as 27 October, were pointing to a dismal run of nine Premier League games without a win to start this season as proof that they were right. Yesterday Iraola’s Cherries overtook O’Neil’s Wolves and moved into tenth place, the top half of the table. They also reached 48 points, their best ever total in the Premier League and still have three games still to play.
Win all three and they might even approach the European places. While Brighton, well beaten at the Vitality Stadium, were still taking about Europe in the build-up to this game, nobody put Bournemouth and Europe in the same sentence. But they are just five points adrift of seventh place, which would mean entry to the Europa Conference League.
Yesterday they were content to let Brighton have the ball between the two penalty areas and dominate what went on inside them, scoring three times through Marcos Senesi, Enes Unal and Justin Kluivert and limiting the visitors to one shot on target.
“This group deserves to arrive at this point,” Iraola said. “The players have been growing through the season. Brighton are a difficult team to play against but we were really disciplined and when we recovered the ball we had spaces to exploit. We were the ones creating the chances.”
Senesi headed in from close range after 13 minutes when Brighton failed to clear a corner, Unal planted an unchallenged header past Bart Verbruggen early in the second half, and Kluivert almost broke the net with a fierce shot after charging past Lewis Dunk. By Nick Szczepanik
Hwang Hee-chan played a full 90 minutes for the first time since December (Photo: Getty)
This may have been the game that exorcised Wolves’ defeat by Coventry in the FA Cup quarter final.
Since those two late, late goals snatched defeat from victory at Molineux, Wolves have fallen apart as if they realised there was nothing much worth playing for. The next three games at Molineux were all lost with manager, Gary O’Neil, describing the third, against Bournemouth, as the worst of the season. The 2-1 win over Luton was perhaps the minimum O’Neil could have asked for.
However, that this was Hwang Hee-chan’s first goal since the 4-1 victory at Brentford in December was a further reason for optimism, as was the fact that this was the first time this season Hwang and Matheus Cunha had started together. The way the South Korean and the Brazilian combined suggested it could be a pairing that will lead the Wolves attack well into the new season. By Tim Rich
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi questioned his team’s motivation now that a second successive European campaign is out of reach.
“Tough result, tough period,” he said. “We are sorry for the performance and for this moment. We are not able to give our best and our best is not enough. We have to find the energy to finish the season in a different way. Injuries and motivation as well.
“Motivation is 80 per cent of our work. In my time every game was challenge with a target but now we are too many points from Europe and we are working without a clear target. I’m suffering a lot but I’ve worked in football for 30 years and I know these moments can happen. We have to be honest with ourselves and analyse this performance.”
He hinted once again that injuries had been part of the problem but Bournemouth were only able to field eight substitutes, including two goalkeepers and three players who had not made a Premier League appearance. Yet they made light of it.
The problem was that his players had 70 per cent of the possession but did very little with it, mustering only one shot on target. They are without a win in six games and their only goal in April was an own goal scored by Arijanet Muric in the 1-1 draw away to Burnley, which underlines their recent impotence. Not every player looked as committed to their cause as Bournemouth’s did, although skipper Lewis Dunk was an exception, single-handedly defying the home side at times. De Zerbi needs more like him and substitute Julio Enciso, who briefly threatened to spark a comeback that never quite materialised. By Nick Szczepanik
It is a truth, almost universally acknowledged, that if Fulham score the opening goal at Craven Cottage, they will secure all three points.
Not since the opening day of the 2022/23 season, when Liverpool came back to force a 2-2 draw, had the visitors fallen behind and come away with something as Crystal Palace did on Saturday. Although Rodrigo Muniz scored once more, his 10th of the season and his first since the 3-3 draw at Sheffield United a month ago, the Brazilian struggled to impose himself.
Calvin Bassey, however, performed admirably as Fulham were pushed on to the back foot in the first half. Yet a lot of the spark that ran through Fulham in February and March seems to have drained from Marco Silva’s side. It is a flatness that needs to be addressed. By Tim Rich
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Jeffrey Schlupp called his stunning equaliser at Fulham “the best goal of my career”. It was his first since the opener in the 2-0 win at Burnley in December and, without it, there would have been a profound sense of injustice in the away section at Craven Cottage.
Frankly, Palace should have had this match won by the interval. Even when there is little to play for, there are ways to end a campaign and 11 goals in their past five games should encourage season-ticket renewals.
When managers talk about “the performance matters rather than the result” as Oliver Glasner did, eyes tend to roll. However, this was a performance that merited more than a 1-1 draw. It is not often that Crystal Palace would look forward to playing Manchester United as they will on Bank Holiday Monday but the way Palace are attacking and the way Erik ten Hag’s side are defending, they would fancy their chances. By Tim Rich
Read more: Marbella, ‘beasting’ and six-day weeks – how Glasner transformed Crystal Palace
“If you know your history….” chorused Goodison Park on the final whistle as Everton ensured they would be playing top-flight football for the 71st consecutive season.
This season has been a facsimile of the previous two which have seen despair, pessimism and not a little self-loathing as Everton teetered near the brink only to pull away amid euphoric scenes. Everton found their form and their feet when it mattered – four of the last five matches have been won – with the 6-0 capitulation at Chelsea sandwiched in between.
Wednesday night’s defeat of Liverpool will be remembered longer than any of the other victories and Sean Dyche would point out that only the top three have a better defensive record. That should be a marker for next season which everyone in the blue half of Merseyside would hope is considerably duller. By Tim Rich
Although Thomas Frank’s side were guaranteed a place in the Premier League for a fourth successive season before kick-off at Goodison Park, there are some worrying trends.
Since November, Brentford have only beaten one club outside the bottom four. That was Wolves, who have a very similar turnover. Despite the encouragement of draws with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brighton, this is something for the club to ponder as they prepare to sell Ivan Toney in the summer.
Unlike say Villa, who lost £139m in their first two seasons back in the Premier League, Brentford have consistently made a profit. Toney’s sale will give Frank money to spend but, despite the celebrations, Saturday’s defeat at Everton is further proof that Brentford no longer punch above their weight. By Tim Rich
Time clearly isn’t a great healer. Not inside the City Ground at least.
But Nuno Espirito Santo, the Nottingham Forest manager, can take some comfort from the fact his players channelled the sense of grievance his club feels following a series of well-publicised refereeing controversies into a combative performance against Manchester City.
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Seven days after furiously lambasting Stuart Attwell, whose VAR calls they believe cost them at least a point during a defeat by Everton, Forest ensured Pep Guardiola’s 300th Premier League fixture in charge of the reigning champions proved an uncomfortable experience.
Never mind the dubious tweets or points deductions, if Forest can replicate aspects of this display in their remaining three outings, they should be confident of survival – providing Nuno’s frontline remembers how to finish.
“I take heart from that and we must believe in what we are doing,” he said, after watching striker Chris Wood miss a series of chances. “We must realise what is ahead of us.
“The fans were very encouraging when we had the ball and that also helped. I thought we played a very good game overall, against very difficult opponents. But we showed real belief, even if there were situations when we could and should have done better.”
If the booing of the Premier League anthem was predictable, together with the taunting of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville who had criticised Forest’s “mafia” like questioning of Attwell’s integrity, the challenge they posed City definitely wasn’t. Inside a bear pit of a stadium, where every free-kick awarded to the visitors was volubly questioned, Forest carved a number of opportunities against opponents for whom game control is everything. More, statisticians documenting the action revealed at half-time, than any other team this season.
The only trouble was, none of them were taken. After Morgan Gibbs-White and Wood had both gone close, Josko Gvardiol headed City in front with a near post header after ghosting in front of Murillo to meet Kevin De Bruyne’s cross.
Murillo compounded his mistake by hooking over from close range following an even worse miss by Wood before Erling Haaland announced his return with a clinical finish after stepping off the bench.
With Forest remaining only a point above the drop zone, they will be glad that relegated Sheffield United are next on their agenda.
“Against City, you know you have to press correctly because if you don’t they take advantage of the spaces you leave,” Nuno said. “We had a plan and showed belief in that. We must carry on doing the same.” By James Shields
No wonder Rob Edwards looks so worried… (Photo: Getty)
If in August you had told Rob Edwards that his side would be third bottom and in sight of safety with three games to go, it would have been a scenario the Luton manager would gladly have taken.
However, after a 14th match without a win, Edwards knows that Luton, despite all the praise for their pluck and spirit, have collapsed when they needed to be steady.
Perhaps the physicality and the long balls no longer surprise their opponents. The loss at Wolves was Luton’s 22nd defeat of the season. You would have to go back to Coventry in 1984/85 to find a team that survived in the top flight after losing this many or more.
This was in a 42-game season in which Coventry won their final three games to stay up. Luton will do well to match that and plenty now hangs on the trip to Everton, which looked like being a pivotal encounter for both teams. Now there is just one club desperate for a win. By Tim Rich
Vincent Kompany was rightly proud of his team. They did not look second best at Old Trafford and were it not for two world class save by Andre Onana to keep out Lyle Foster on each first-half occasion, Burnley might have vaulted above Luton and out of the bottom-three.
The problem, as ever, is with execution in the hardest part of the pitch in which to operate, the final third. Burnley twice shot wastefully over the bar having cracked United wide open in the opening half. Though United pushed them back, the Burnley defence held its shape to keep the ball away from goal.
The goal United did score resulted from a rare error from Sander Berge, who left a square pass short to let in Antony. Apart from that Burnley were neat in possession, particularly playing the ball out from the back, where they always seemed to have an extra man.
Though it took VAR to spot Onana’s infringement and persuade John Brooks to give the penalty that brought them level, it was reward for Burnley’s willingness to throw men forward in search of an equaliser.
Kompany was proud of the courage showed by his inexperienced team on the ball, and of the way they took the game to United. If they maintain this standard over the final three games, they will give themselves a decent shot at survival. By Kevin Garside
Chris Wilder talked a good game when he spoke about remedying the many issues that have suffocated Sheffield United this system.
Culture, recruitment, leadership – you could have ticked off the buzz words one by one as he pledged to make next season’s Blades unrecognisable from the group whose relegation was confirmed after a second-half collapse at St James’ Park.
Wilder certainly carries the swagger of a man with all the answers, from the performative huddle he convened after the final whistle at Newcastle to suggesting he nearly “had a heart attack” trying to get messages onto the pitch as goals rained in for the home side.
The problem is this: it is a good three years since Wilder was able to oversee any sort of meaningful run of results at one of the three clubs he’s managed. What makes Blades owner Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud sure he is the right man for this rebuild other than the intoxicating whiff of red and white nostalgia?
Wilder said a lack of leadership was the reason for Newcastle running amok in the second half and the gulf in class between the two sides was gaping. But shifting the blame onto the players will only get him so far, even when a close season clear-out looks assured. He has to take responsibility for the fact that, yet again, Sheffield United had no Plan B when things starting going against them.
Wilder had a 27 per cent win ratio during a short, 11-game spell at Watford last season and has overseen three wins in 23 since his return to Bramall Lane. They have been outgunned in the Premier League but so are Luton and Burnley, who both retain survival hopes.
That the Blades depart the Premier League with three games to play in a season where two relegation rivals have been docked points tells it own story. It has not been the worst Premier League season of all time but that is about the only comfort they can take from it.
If they can build around classy midfielder Oliver Arblaster, who was the best player in the first half at just 20 years old, they have a chance. Gustavo Hamer should prosper in the Championship too but there is a lot of mediocrity in their squad and a lot of work for Wilder to do. He will have to roll back the years to make it work. By Mark Douglas
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Daniel Storey is away on holiday – how dare he! – so i’s team of football writers have put together The Score in his place.
The Premier League title race looks set to go right to the wire with just a point separating the two teams at the top of the table. Arsenal remain in the lead for now having beaten bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. Second-placed City meanwhile crushed Nottingham Forest by a two-goal margin.
Elsewhere, Everton secured their safety after edging past Brentford, thanks largely to Idrissa Gueye. There was no such luck however for Sheffield United, who became the first side to have their relegation from the top flight confirmed this season.
Scroll down for our verdict on every team (listed in table order).
Arsenal
Bournemouth at home. Manchester United away. Everton at home. What a tantalising remaining three fixtures — win them all and Arsenal are probably Premier League champions, for the first time in 20 years.
Probably. Maybe it’s wrong to tempt fate like this. Arsenal fans might not want to hear it. It is, after all, the hope that kills you.
The title is still in Manchester City’s hands. They have a game in hand and a clean sweep will seal a sixth title in seven seasons.
Still, it feels as though Arsenal have come through one of those weeks in which if ever a title charge was going to careen off the rails it was this one, concluding it with two wins, six points and eight goals scored against two London rivals. By Sam Cunningham
Read more: Tottenham vs Arsenal player ratings – White immense and Maddison anonymous
Manchester City
There’s much to admire about Manchester City, including Pep Guardiola’s choice of touchline attire.
But more than the poise of Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri’s positioning and the presence and power of Kyle Walker, perhaps the most important quality of all as they chase another Premier League crown is their absolute sense of purpose.
Having seen leaders Arsenal throw down the gauntlet earlier in the day by beating Tottenham , City proved they possess the character as well as the calibre to perform under pressure. The reigning champions reminded us they know how to win ugly. Or at least by utilising focus and concentration; two essential traits of every trophy laden team.
“We showed character and personality, that’s what everyone will say,” Guardiola said, after watching City move to within a point of the summit with a game in hand. “It is in our control and we extend the run in. If we’d drawn, we would not have had a chance.”
Still, Forest exposed some defensive weaknesses which will convince Mikel Arteta’s side that the title race could be set for another twist yet. But, worryingly for the Spaniard, City remain unbeaten against domestic opposition since December 6th. And there were two more assists for the peerless De Bruyne, who carved the match winning openings for Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland.
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However, at this stage of the campaign, it could be the likes of Mateo Kovacic who haul City across the line.
“I knew, with the number of games we’ve had, it was going to be dangerous,” Guardiola continued. “We were lucky with the chances they had.”
Despite their perilous position in the table, Forest ensured Guardiola’s 300th top-flight fixture in charge of the visitors was not a comfortable experience. Indeed, had Chris Wood brought his shooting boots, the outcome might have been very different.
The loss of Ederson through injury will also concern Guardiola, with the goalkeeper failing to recover properly after colliding with Willy Boly.
But his possible absence from some of City’s upcoming games was counterbalanced by the appearance of Haaland. Within nine minutes of coming on, and in front of father Alf-Inge who represented both clubs, the Norwegian was back doing what he does best; skipping past a defender before producing an ice-cool finish which effectively sealed City’s victory.
“The second half was much better,” Guardiola noted. “But the players were good at suffering to get there.” By James Shields
Read more: 115 reasons why Man City’s dominance is a disaster for the Premier League
Liverpool
The Mo Salah conundrum was bubbling away as a quiet sub-plot to the grand narrative of Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour. Here it exploded into full view as the pair bickered on the touchline. Salah can have no argument that Klopp dropped him and Darwin Nunez to the bench unfairly, an inevitable consequence of the shambles at Goodison Park last Wednesday.
It is unfair to say Salah’s attitude – he warned there would be “fire” if he spoke about the incident after the game – will tarnish any perception the incoming Arne Slot might have of him, but it nevertheless feels another final reminder that it is time for Liverpool to cash in ahead of a new era. He will not be the only remnant of the old guard being ushered towards the way out.
Aside from that, the marking for Michail Antonio’s goal was inexcusable. Everything good West Ham did was fairly predictable, but Liverpool look devoid of ideas when it comes to overcoming low blocks. At the end of a gruelling season that might have ended in an unlikely quadruple, they are inevitably exhausted by emotion and uncertainty. Slot’s imminent arrival was understood to be greeted with glee in the dressing room and he is clearly highly respected, but the loss this group are about to suffer appears too great. By Katherine Lucas
Read more: Arne Slot is walking into a Moyesian nightmare at Liverpool
Aston Villa
Morgan Rogers is proving to be an inspired signing for Aston Villa (Photo: Getty)
There’s a fair argument that Aston Villa shouldn’t really take anything from their 2-2 draw with Chelsea. They were clearly exhausted after playing eight games in 28 days, Emiliano Martinez was substituted at half-time having kept a clean sheet and something appears to happen to Mauricio Pochettino’s side under the Villa Park lights. These things happen.
But if they want to learn any lesson from that match, it’s that Morgan Rogers is an inspired signing, indicative of how Unai Emery can help Villa weather the upcoming profitability and sustainability storm. The 21-year-old now has three goals and an assist in his past five Premier League games, scoring a thunderous near-post finish on Saturday evening.
Halesowen born-and-bred, Rogers spent four years in Manchester City’s academy with Cole Palmer — whose celebration he shares — after nine years at West Brom. He only needed seven months with Middlesbrough to earn his top-flight move, and in the three months since, Emery has gone from apparently calling him a “Championship player” to starting him regularly.
Rogers’ development shows how quickly and clearly Emery can improve players, supported by Monchi’s phenomenal recruitment. If Villa are now going to have to sell players to pass PSR in the coming seasons, fans should have confidence that this backroom team can find and fine-tune players of any value into an elite team.
And in Rogers, they really have a gem — a 6 ft 2 winger who also ranks in the top 10 dribblers per 90 in this season’s Premier League. He may well go from the Championship to the Champions League in less than a year. By George Simms
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are enduring a particularly painful present — a 4-0 thrashing by Newcastle United, closely followed by defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal, towards the end of a season that has failed to live up to its early promise.
Unbeaten in Postecoglou’s first 11 games in charge, leading the Premier League table playing a refreshing brand of ballsy attacking football, it had seemed as though the Australian had reinvented football — until he hadn’t.
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But, as it nears the end of Postecoglou’s first season as Tottenham’s manager, how did his contemporaries fare in their first seasons?
Mikel Arteta took over at Arsenal in December 2019 and his first 38 league games saw a return of 57 points. There were sticky patches between then and now, including when he was very close to being sacked, but Arsenal’s owners stuck with him and look at them now: challenging for the title in successive seasons, a first Premier League trophy in two decades almost within reach.
Jurgen Klopp was appointed Liverpool manager in October 2015 and won 65 points in his first 38 games. By all accounts, the seasons that followed have been exhilarating for fans.
A quick glance at the table shows Postecoglou has already accumulated 60 points with five games still remaining. The chance of catching and overtaking Aston Villa in that fourth Champions League spot is still alive — even a brutal final run of games, which includes playing away to Chelsea and Liverpool and with Manchester City visiting in May, features Burnley and Sheffield United, meaning Postecoglou is likely to surpass Klopp’s early Liverpool record.
Worth remembering, too, that Spurs lost Harry Kane last summer. The absence of his goals, his aura, and his impact on the pitch would represent massive upheaval for any club, particularly one with a new manager. By Sam Cunningham
Read more: Tottenham showed all the best and worst bits of Angeball in Arsenal defeat
Manchester United
United’s goal tally is by some distance the lowest in the top six and of the teams in the top half of the table only Wolves have scored fewer.
The trend mirrors last season when United were the only team in the top six not to breach the 60-goal mark. United have managed only 52 in 36 games this season, which suggests they are on course to repeat the sub-60 total.
The one goal they did manage against Burnley came from the unlikely source of Antony, who jumped on a misplaced pass to steer the ball past the ‘keeper. It was a much-improved display from the Brazilian, who showed how threatening he can be when the game is stretched and he has space to attack.
Beyond that Bruno Fernandes came closest with a first-half shot against a post. Though United had plenty of the ball and gave the impression of being busy around the box, for the most part Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric was untested.
At the other end Andre Onana kept United in it with a string of high class saves. As ever with Onana, fallibility is never far away. It was his clumsy mistake from a corner, landing a blow on the head of an attacker, that led to Zeki Amdouni’s equaliser from the spot after VAR corrected the referee’s error in waving play on.
Just as Coventry City managed a week ago, and Sheffield United for 80 minutes on Wednesday, Burnley competed on equal terms. United remain a patched-up XI overreliant on the capacity of skipper Fernandes to conjure match-winning moments. By Kevin Garside
Read more: Man Utd’s overreliance on Bruno Fernandes has become desperate
Newcastle United
Saturday was one of the most bizarre 5-1 wins in Newcastle’s history. You could make a case that the first 45 minutes was the worst at St James’ Park this season – certainly since another struggler, Nottingham Forest, ran riot on Boxing Day. Disjointed and disinterested, they were thankful for the commitment of Dan Burn – almost single-handedly keeping Sheffield United at bay – and the excellence of Alexander Isak.
He feels inevitable right now, two more goals pushing him towards 19 for the season and into the slipstream of the ailing Erling Haaland. He is the more complete forward than the Manchester City man and at 23, his potential is scary. His movement, mobility, instincts, pace and power are already world class – and he turned the game here.
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For all that this has been a bruising campaign, unpicking some of the certainties around Eddie Howe in the minds of a portion of Newcastle fans, they are sixth and bearing down on a Europa League place.
That’s remarkable given the injuries. Newcastle could have picked almost a whole XI of injured/suspended players* that would be very competitive in the Premier League on Saturday but it’s not really talked about anymore. Instead it is Guimaraes and the black and white tipping point that dominates the agenda.
* For the record, here it is. Just a striker light of a full team (and Callum Wilson only returned on Saturday).
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Targett; Joe Willock, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley; Miguel Almiron, Joelinton. By Mark Douglas
Read more: Why Bruno Guimaraes’s Newcastle future isn’t as simple as a £100m release clause
West Ham
If you want a metaphor for David Moyes’ West Ham – something that by all accounts, we will not be able to say beyond the next few weeks – then look no further than Michail Antonio. Well into the second half, he had managed just 11 touches, through little fault of his own, and ended the day with two shots – and crucially, a goal. That is always the thing about this West Ham – it could be so much worse, so many of their supporters turned up fearing another drubbing like the one dealt by Arsenal.
The plan was clearly to stick with the low block and rely on Jarrod Bowen and to an extent, it worked. Bowen drove at Liverpool, opened the scoring and could have had another. There is so much to like about Mohammed Kudus too, albeit his decision-making continues to frustrate – a brilliant dribble past Trent Alexander-Arnold, only to be dispossessed, and scuppering another fine counter by holding too long and failing to find Antonio.
Moyes only has one game left at the London Stadium and however mixed the reviews on his reign, he deserves a decent send-off for all he has done in Europe. They are still on a run of one win in nine and it will not be an inspired end to his reign, but West Ham could have easily laid down and instead fought back. Another European run next year could still be on the cards, albeit there will almost certainly be another manager in the dugout. By Katherine Lucas
Chelsea
Stealing possession back 11 times, making five tackles and 15 passes into the final third, earning four fouls and even taking two ill-advised potshots, Moises Caicedo looked reminiscent of the £100m player he is against Aston Villa.
In fact, in a team that would pay anything for some reliability and responsibility, he looked temporarily priceless.
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Whether helped by Enzo Fernandez’s absence or the simple culmination of a season’s improvement, something clicked for Caicedo at Villa Park. He is unlikely to ever escape his price tag, but a disastrous start led to criticism so stark that his recent development has been somewhat underappreciated.
In a double pivot with Conor Gallagher, there were glimpses of a sustainable future midfield for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Gallagher, who set up Chelsea’s first before curling in a second with his weak foot from range, also reminded the club of his quality and value.
Yes, Chelsea were still vulnerable in transition, and yes, they still conceded twice to an exhausted Villa team, but in a season which has provided constant questions, there were the makings of some answers here.
Gallagher is still heavily linked with a summer move, which remains insane regardless of the financial mess Chelsea have got themselves into. As both their captain and spiritual leader, against Villa it was impossible to miss the Cobham kid’s significance both mentally and physically. By George Simms
Bournemouth
When Bournemouth replaced Gary O’Neil as manager last summer with the former Rayo Vallecano coach Andoni Iraola, many apparent experts questioned the decision and, as late as 27 October, were pointing to a dismal run of nine Premier League games without a win to start this season as proof that they were right. Yesterday Iraola’s Cherries overtook O’Neil’s Wolves and moved into tenth place, the top half of the table. They also reached 48 points, their best ever total in the Premier League and still have three games still to play.
Win all three and they might even approach the European places. While Brighton, well beaten at the Vitality Stadium, were still taking about Europe in the build-up to this game, nobody put Bournemouth and Europe in the same sentence. But they are just five points adrift of seventh place, which would mean entry to the Europa Conference League.
Yesterday they were content to let Brighton have the ball between the two penalty areas and dominate what went on inside them, scoring three times through Marcos Senesi, Enes Unal and Justin Kluivert and limiting the visitors to one shot on target.
“This group deserves to arrive at this point,” Iraola said. “The players have been growing through the season. Brighton are a difficult team to play against but we were really disciplined and when we recovered the ball we had spaces to exploit. We were the ones creating the chances.”
Senesi headed in from close range after 13 minutes when Brighton failed to clear a corner, Unal planted an unchallenged header past Bart Verbruggen early in the second half, and Kluivert almost broke the net with a fierce shot after charging past Lewis Dunk. By Nick Szczepanik
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hwang Hee-chan played a full 90 minutes for the first time since December (Photo: Getty)
This may have been the game that exorcised Wolves’ defeat by Coventry in the FA Cup quarter final.
Since those two late, late goals snatched defeat from victory at Molineux, Wolves have fallen apart as if they realised there was nothing much worth playing for. The next three games at Molineux were all lost with manager, Gary O’Neil, describing the third, against Bournemouth, as the worst of the season. The 2-1 win over Luton was perhaps the minimum O’Neil could have asked for.
However, that this was Hwang Hee-chan’s first goal since the 4-1 victory at Brentford in December was a further reason for optimism, as was the fact that this was the first time this season Hwang and Matheus Cunha had started together. The way the South Korean and the Brazilian combined suggested it could be a pairing that will lead the Wolves attack well into the new season. By Tim Rich
Brighton
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi questioned his team’s motivation now that a second successive European campaign is out of reach.
“Tough result, tough period,” he said. “We are sorry for the performance and for this moment. We are not able to give our best and our best is not enough. We have to find the energy to finish the season in a different way. Injuries and motivation as well.
“Motivation is 80 per cent of our work. In my time every game was challenge with a target but now we are too many points from Europe and we are working without a clear target. I’m suffering a lot but I’ve worked in football for 30 years and I know these moments can happen. We have to be honest with ourselves and analyse this performance.”
He hinted once again that injuries had been part of the problem but Bournemouth were only able to field eight substitutes, including two goalkeepers and three players who had not made a Premier League appearance. Yet they made light of it.
The problem was that his players had 70 per cent of the possession but did very little with it, mustering only one shot on target. They are without a win in six games and their only goal in April was an own goal scored by Arijanet Muric in the 1-1 draw away to Burnley, which underlines their recent impotence. Not every player looked as committed to their cause as Bournemouth’s did, although skipper Lewis Dunk was an exception, single-handedly defying the home side at times. De Zerbi needs more like him and substitute Julio Enciso, who briefly threatened to spark a comeback that never quite materialised. By Nick Szczepanik
Fulham
It is a truth, almost universally acknowledged, that if Fulham score the opening goal at Craven Cottage, they will secure all three points.
Not since the opening day of the 2022/23 season, when Liverpool came back to force a 2-2 draw, had the visitors fallen behind and come away with something as Crystal Palace did on Saturday. Although Rodrigo Muniz scored once more, his 10th of the season and his first since the 3-3 draw at Sheffield United a month ago, the Brazilian struggled to impose himself.
Calvin Bassey, however, performed admirably as Fulham were pushed on to the back foot in the first half. Yet a lot of the spark that ran through Fulham in February and March seems to have drained from Marco Silva’s side. It is a flatness that needs to be addressed. By Tim Rich
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Crystal Palace
Jeffrey Schlupp called his stunning equaliser at Fulham “the best goal of my career”. It was his first since the opener in the 2-0 win at Burnley in December and, without it, there would have been a profound sense of injustice in the away section at Craven Cottage.
Frankly, Palace should have had this match won by the interval. Even when there is little to play for, there are ways to end a campaign and 11 goals in their past five games should encourage season-ticket renewals.
When managers talk about “the performance matters rather than the result” as Oliver Glasner did, eyes tend to roll. However, this was a performance that merited more than a 1-1 draw. It is not often that Crystal Palace would look forward to playing Manchester United as they will on Bank Holiday Monday but the way Palace are attacking and the way Erik ten Hag’s side are defending, they would fancy their chances. By Tim Rich
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Everton
“If you know your history….” chorused Goodison Park on the final whistle as Everton ensured they would be playing top-flight football for the 71st consecutive season.
This season has been a facsimile of the previous two which have seen despair, pessimism and not a little self-loathing as Everton teetered near the brink only to pull away amid euphoric scenes. Everton found their form and their feet when it mattered – four of the last five matches have been won – with the 6-0 capitulation at Chelsea sandwiched in between.
Wednesday night’s defeat of Liverpool will be remembered longer than any of the other victories and Sean Dyche would point out that only the top three have a better defensive record. That should be a marker for next season which everyone in the blue half of Merseyside would hope is considerably duller. By Tim Rich
Brentford
Although Thomas Frank’s side were guaranteed a place in the Premier League for a fourth successive season before kick-off at Goodison Park, there are some worrying trends.
Since November, Brentford have only beaten one club outside the bottom four. That was Wolves, who have a very similar turnover. Despite the encouragement of draws with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brighton, this is something for the club to ponder as they prepare to sell Ivan Toney in the summer.
Unlike say Villa, who lost £139m in their first two seasons back in the Premier League, Brentford have consistently made a profit. Toney’s sale will give Frank money to spend but, despite the celebrations, Saturday’s defeat at Everton is further proof that Brentford no longer punch above their weight. By Tim Rich
Nottingham Forest
Time clearly isn’t a great healer. Not inside the City Ground at least.
But Nuno Espirito Santo, the Nottingham Forest manager, can take some comfort from the fact his players channelled the sense of grievance his club feels following a series of well-publicised refereeing controversies into a combative performance against Manchester City.
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Seven days after furiously lambasting Stuart Attwell, whose VAR calls they believe cost them at least a point during a defeat by Everton, Forest ensured Pep Guardiola’s 300th Premier League fixture in charge of the reigning champions proved an uncomfortable experience.
Never mind the dubious tweets or points deductions, if Forest can replicate aspects of this display in their remaining three outings, they should be confident of survival – providing Nuno’s frontline remembers how to finish.
“I take heart from that and we must believe in what we are doing,” he said, after watching striker Chris Wood miss a series of chances. “We must realise what is ahead of us.
“The fans were very encouraging when we had the ball and that also helped. I thought we played a very good game overall, against very difficult opponents. But we showed real belief, even if there were situations when we could and should have done better.”
If the booing of the Premier League anthem was predictable, together with the taunting of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville who had criticised Forest’s “mafia” like questioning of Attwell’s integrity, the challenge they posed City definitely wasn’t. Inside a bear pit of a stadium, where every free-kick awarded to the visitors was volubly questioned, Forest carved a number of opportunities against opponents for whom game control is everything. More, statisticians documenting the action revealed at half-time, than any other team this season.
The only trouble was, none of them were taken. After Morgan Gibbs-White and Wood had both gone close, Josko Gvardiol headed City in front with a near post header after ghosting in front of Murillo to meet Kevin De Bruyne’s cross.
Murillo compounded his mistake by hooking over from close range following an even worse miss by Wood before Erling Haaland announced his return with a clinical finish after stepping off the bench.
With Forest remaining only a point above the drop zone, they will be glad that relegated Sheffield United are next on their agenda.
“Against City, you know you have to press correctly because if you don’t they take advantage of the spaces you leave,” Nuno said. “We had a plan and showed belief in that. We must carry on doing the same.” By James Shields
Luton Town
No wonder Rob Edwards looks so worried… (Photo: Getty)
If in August you had told Rob Edwards that his side would be third bottom and in sight of safety with three games to go, it would have been a scenario the Luton manager would gladly have taken.
However, after a 14th match without a win, Edwards knows that Luton, despite all the praise for their pluck and spirit, have collapsed when they needed to be steady.
Perhaps the physicality and the long balls no longer surprise their opponents. The loss at Wolves was Luton’s 22nd defeat of the season. You would have to go back to Coventry in 1984/85 to find a team that survived in the top flight after losing this many or more.
This was in a 42-game season in which Coventry won their final three games to stay up. Luton will do well to match that and plenty now hangs on the trip to Everton, which looked like being a pivotal encounter for both teams. Now there is just one club desperate for a win. By Tim Rich
Burnley
Vincent Kompany was rightly proud of his team. They did not look second best at Old Trafford and were it not for two world class save by Andre Onana to keep out Lyle Foster on each first-half occasion, Burnley might have vaulted above Luton and out of the bottom-three.
The problem, as ever, is with execution in the hardest part of the pitch in which to operate, the final third. Burnley twice shot wastefully over the bar having cracked United wide open in the opening half. Though United pushed them back, the Burnley defence held its shape to keep the ball away from goal.
The goal United did score resulted from a rare error from Sander Berge, who left a square pass short to let in Antony. Apart from that Burnley were neat in possession, particularly playing the ball out from the back, where they always seemed to have an extra man.
Though it took VAR to spot Onana’s infringement and persuade John Brooks to give the penalty that brought them level, it was reward for Burnley’s willingness to throw men forward in search of an equaliser.
Kompany was proud of the courage showed by his inexperienced team on the ball, and of the way they took the game to United. If they maintain this standard over the final three games, they will give themselves a decent shot at survival. By Kevin Garside
Sheffield United
Chris Wilder talked a good game when he spoke about remedying the many issues that have suffocated Sheffield United this system.
Culture, recruitment, leadership – you could have ticked off the buzz words one by one as he pledged to make next season’s Blades unrecognisable from the group whose relegation was confirmed after a second-half collapse at St James’ Park.
Wilder certainly carries the swagger of a man with all the answers, from the performative huddle he convened after the final whistle at Newcastle to suggesting he nearly “had a heart attack” trying to get messages onto the pitch as goals rained in for the home side.
The problem is this: it is a good three years since Wilder was able to oversee any sort of meaningful run of results at one of the three clubs he’s managed. What makes Blades owner Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud sure he is the right man for this rebuild other than the intoxicating whiff of red and white nostalgia?
Wilder said a lack of leadership was the reason for Newcastle running amok in the second half and the gulf in class between the two sides was gaping. But shifting the blame onto the players will only get him so far, even when a close season clear-out looks assured. He has to take responsibility for the fact that, yet again, Sheffield United had no Plan B when things starting going against them.
Wilder had a 27 per cent win ratio during a short, 11-game spell at Watford last season and has overseen three wins in 23 since his return to Bramall Lane. They have been outgunned in the Premier League but so are Luton and Burnley, who both retain survival hopes.
That the Blades depart the Premier League with three games to play in a season where two relegation rivals have been docked points tells it own story. It has not been the worst Premier League season of all time but that is about the only comfort they can take from it.
If they can build around classy midfielder Oliver Arblaster, who was the best player in the first half at just 20 years old, they have a chance. Gustavo Hamer should prosper in the Championship too but there is a lot of mediocrity in their squad and a lot of work for Wilder to do. He will have to roll back the years to make it work. By Mark Douglas
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