Premier

City have three home games remaining – against Brentford, Palace and Aston Villa, on the final day of the season (24 May).

Their remaining away match is at in-form Bournemouth, who City play just three days after their FA Cup final.

While City are aiming for a domestic treble, Arsenal now have a realistic chance of claiming both the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

Their European semi-final against Atletico Madrid is finely poised before Tuesday’s second leg after a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital last week.

Arsenal‘s three remaining league games are at relegation-threatened West Ham, then home to already-relegated Burnley before a final-day trip to Palace.

“I am worried for the West Ham game,” added Henry. “Like I was worried for Manchester City‘s match today.”

BBC Sport pundit and former England captain Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, has predicted on his BBC podcast Arsenal will win all of their remaining league games and lift the title.

He said: “We’ve heard a lot about Arsenal cracking under pressure, but Guehi has never been in a position where he’s challenged for the Premier League, [Antoine] Semenyo hasn’t. And I think you’ve seen tonight might be the first sign of that.

“I think it’s Arsenal‘s year. And I hope it is for Arteta’s sake. The work he’s put in over the last five years, and then against his former boss, Guardiola – if he goes and wins that title, that is huge for him.

“Arsenal are very consistent while City can be a little bit up and down. City at their best, you’re the best team in Europe.”

City, though, will be left extremely concerned by their capitulation against Everton, having gone ahead but been unable to see out the game.

January signing Guehi was culpable for the opening goal and City’s defence were sliced open time and time again – Everton should have been out of sight by the time they conceded a 97th-minute equaliser.

City fans who had left the stadium had to scramble back when Haaland scored to give their side hope, before Doku earned a point.

Guardiola looked to the positives by saying: “A really good performance. We played outstanding in the first half. Really, really good.

“In the second half, they made a step up and we maybe weren’t as aggressive and after [that] we gave away the goal.

“They came back and made it a proper English game – so, so aggressive in the duels.

“But in general, we made a really good performance.”

Wrexham’s dream of reaching the Premier League is over, for this season anyway.

And for Ryan Reynolds, it was tough to stomach.

“I am completely gutted by today’s result but incredibly proud of our season,” the actor wrote on X after the Welsh club he co-owns missed out on a place in the playoffs in the second-tier Championship by drawing 2-2 with Middlesbrough in a dramatic final round of the regular season on Saturday.

That allowed Hull to jump ahead of Wrexham and into sixth place — the fourth and final spot in the playoffs — courtesy of a 2-1 win over Norwich in a match played at the same time.

The winning goal for Hull, by Oli McBurnie in the 67th, appeared to be scored from an offside position but there are no video reviews in the English Football League.

It ended Wrexham’s unprecedented run of three straight promotions under its famous owners — a streak that began by getting out of the fifth tier in the 2022-23 season and has been documented in the globally popular, Emmy Award-winning “Welcome to Wrexham” series.

Still, seventh place marked the Wrexham’s highest finish in its history, bettering the 15th position it achieved in the second tier in the 1978–79 season.

“We’ve come a long way in five years and this was the best result in our 150+ year history,” Reynolds wrote alongside a graphic that showed how Wrexham has risen from the National League. “More to do. But for now, we have so much to be proud of, Reds.”

Elsewhere, Ipswich secured the second automatic promotion spot behind champion Coventry — and an immediate return to the Premier League — by beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0.

Ipswich is owned by U.S. investment group Gamechanger 20 Limited and counts pop star Ed Sheeran as a minority shareholder.

Joining Hull in the playoffs, which begin next week and are over two legs, are Millwall, Southampton and Middlesbrough.

Millwall will face Hull, and Southampton will meet Middlesbrough.

Best-ever finish by Wrexham

It was a memorable campaign by Wrexham in its first season in the second tier since the 1980s.

However, the short-term pain was acute, and Wrexham’s players sat on the ground and looked disconsolate after the final whistle — even though the Hull-Norwich match hadn’t finished.

Wrexham started the day in sixth place, ahead of Hull on goal difference, and conceded in the fourth minute to Middlesbrough, only to score through Josh Windass and Sam Smith for a 2-1 lead by the 41st.

Middlesbrough hit back immediately with a 43rd-minute equalizer but Wrexham finished the stronger, squandering a string of great late chances for a winner that would have secured a playoff place on goal difference.

Wrexham’s Josh Windass squats on the field and looks dejected following a draw with Middlesbrough on Saturday.

(Michael Steele / Getty Images)

In the end, Wrexham finished two points behind Hull.

“This squad as it stands, with a preseason together, will be even stronger next year,” said Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, who oversaw a summer spend of around $40 million last year.

“Of course we’ll always look to add to that to try and give ourselves an even better chance … we know where we’d like to strengthen and what we need to improve on. We’ll do that and we’ll make this squad as strong as we possibly can to mount a challenge next year.”

Douglas writes for the Associated Press.

Follow our live build-up, with full team news coverage, ahead of our text commentary stream.

Who: Manchester United vs Liverpool
What: Premier League
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, May 3 at 3:30pm (14:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 11:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Manchester United host old rivals Liverpool for a game that could prove crucial in the battle for Champions League qualification.

United have improved considerably ⁠under caretaker boss Michael Carrick, who took charge following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal.

They sit third in the table, three points ahead of Liverpool, and need two more points to secure a top-five finish and a spot among Europe’s elite next season.

Liverpool come into the match on the back of three successive Premier League wins.

United boss Carrick relishes ‘special’ Liverpool rivalry

Carrick believes Manchester United against Liverpool is always a “standout” fixture even though neither of the clubs are challenging for the Premier League title this season.

“Certainly one of my favourite games, without doubt it’s a standout game,” the United boss said. “There’s big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams, but certainly this one is right up there.

“The history, the ups and downs the past has produced in these types of games and the excitement and entertainment, and the emotion, which is a huge part of it. It makes it a really special game.”

The former United midfielder said the club had made great strides since last season, when they finished a miserable 15th in the table, 42 points behind champions Liverpool.

“I just think this probably shows the improvements of the group, really, and getting stronger,” he said.

“And to be coming into this game in such a good position, on the back of good results, and trying to achieve and moving forward.

“So, fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us. But that’s not something, really, we’ve focused on going into this game. I think it’s a one-off game.”

Fernandes and the art of the assist as record beckons

Manchester United captain Bruno ⁠Fernandes is one assist away from the single-season record of 20 shared by Thierry ⁠Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Carrick believes Fernandes should be rewarded with the league’s Player of the Year award for his performances this season.

“Hopefully he does [win it],” Carrick said after Monday’s 2-1 win over Brentford.

“He deserves it for the impact he has had and the moments he’s created, whether it’s creating or scoring or having other influence within the group. He’s had a big season.”

Salah ruled out of United game but will return before end of season

Liverpool forward ⁠Mohamed Salah will miss ⁠Sunday’s game due to a muscle injury, but manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday that he was expected to return before the end ⁠of the season.

Salah was forced off during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace last week with a hamstring concern, prompting fears it could end his campaign and potentially his Anfield career, with the Egyptian ⁠set to leave at the end of the campaign.

Liverpool said on Wednesday the injury was not as serious as initially feared and that Salah should feature again before the campaign concludes.

“As we know from Mo [Salah], he is always working incredibly hard when he is fit but also when he is injured to be back ‌as soon as possible,” Slot told reporters.

“We expect him to be back for the final part of the season but not for Sunday [against Man Utd].

“In all ways, it is a big relief that his injury is minor, so he is able to play for us and at the World Cup. If ever there was a player that deserves a big send-off, it is definitely Mo.”

‘I have seen ‌how good they are’

Slot praised Carrick for improving United and stressed the importance of the game.

“We ⁠are aware of the fact that it is a very big game, not only because we play United but also to qualify for Champions League and ⁠to get the highest possible position in the league table,” ⁠Slot said.

“We always know that they are really good but now they are showing it in the league table. It might be a bit of an advantage that they only play once a week.

“When we have played them every time, I have seen ‌how good they are and now they have, especially under Michael Carrick, become more consistent in their results.”

Head-to-head

The two clubs have met on 243 occasions, with Manchester United winning 92 games to Liverpool’s 82, while 71 of the matches ended as draws.

Last five encounters:

• October 19, 2025: Liverpool 1-2 Man Utd (Premier League)
• January 05, 2025: Liverpool 2-2 Man Utd (Premier League)
• September 01, 2024: Man Utd 0-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
• April 07, 2024: Man Utd 2-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
• March 17, 2024: Man Utd 4-3 Liverpool (FA Cup quarterfinal)

What happened in the last game between the two sides?

Harry Maguire scored a late winner as United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in October to inflict a then fourth straight defeat on the champions.

Bryan Mbeumo put United in front after two minutes and although Cody Gakpo equalised in the 78th minute, Maguire grabbed his club’s first win at Anfield since 2016 with an 84th-minute header.

United’s team news

Carrick said forward Matheus Cunha had returned to training after a recent injury setback and should feature and he also said he was hopeful that Luke Shaw would be fit enough to play.

Matthijs de Ligt is still working his way back to full fitness and will not be involved against Liverpool.

Predicted starting XI:

Lammens (goalkeeper); Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Liverpool’s team news

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is still out with an injury, but Slot said he is “very close” to being able to train with the squad again.

Deputy keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is also sidelined for several weeks after sustaining a knee wound in the Merseyside derby win over Everton in April, so third-choice stopper Freddie Woodman is set to continue in goal after impressing in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Along with Salah, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike are also unavailable due to injury – with the latter set to miss the World Cup with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Left-back Milos Kerkez is a doubt as he has been nursing a knock.

Predicted starting XI:

Woodman (goalkeeper); Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak

If Leeds are able to retain their top-flight status, the majority of supporters are likely point to wins against relegation rivals Wolves, Burnley and West Ham as the defining moments of the season.

But Farke is almost certain to share a different view.

The 49-year-old is more likely to point to a 3-2 defeat by Manchester City in late November as the moment his side’s fortunes changed – and the numbers back it up.

After goals from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol put City 2-0 up inside 25 minutes, Leeds were left fearing the worst.

That was until Farke made an almighty roll of the dice, summoning Calvert-Lewin and defender Jaka Bijol from the bench to switch from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2.

It was a tactical switch that allowed Leeds an extra man in midfield and, crucially, offered extra support to summer signing Calvert-Lewin in attack.

Although Leeds saw a point snatched from their grasp when Foden scored a stoppage‑time winner, the performance – and a new tactical blueprint – offered both the club and Farke a road to redemption.

Leeds bounced back from the defeat against Pep Guardiola’s side by taking four points from a possible six against Chelsea and reigning champions Liverpool in the next two games.

“He was under real pressure, there was a lot of talk about his job – other managers were getting touted – and you felt if he lost against Manchester City he would lose his job,” said ex-Liverpool and Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports.

“He didn’t win that game but they changed the system that day, played with a lot of promise and since then they’ve gone on a great run and gone from strength to strength.

“The points they’ve produced since the start of December has been fantastic.”

Since then, Leeds have lost only four out of a possible 19 league games – the ninth-best record in the division.

Consequently, Farke is on course to lead a team to Premier League survival for the first team in his career after failing to do so during his time in charge of Norwich.

Who: Arsenal vs Fulham
What: English Premier League
Where: Emirates Stadium, London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, May 2, at 5:30pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

For all the talk of ‌Arsenal having blown their Premier League title hopes after being reeled in by Manchester City, the truth is that come ⁠Saturday, they could have re-established ⁠a six-point lead to pile the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side.

City’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on April 29 meant that, having trailed by 10 points a few weeks earlier, they were able to knock Mikel Arteta’s side ⁠off the summit for the first time since October.

Momentum appeared to have shifted completely, but the fixture schedule may have come to Arsenal’s rescue as they try to clinch a first English crown since 2004.

How can Arsenal re-establish their Premier League lead so quickly?

With City otherwise engaged in FA Cup semifinal action last weekend, Arsenal ⁠ground out a 1-0 home win over Newcastle United to end a four-match losing streak in domestic competitions.

On Saturday, they host London rivals Fulham while City do not play again in the league until Monday, when they face a tough-looking trip to European-chasing Everton.

While City would have two games in hand before they kick off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the prospect of again having to make up a six-point gap with ‌absolutely no margin for error would be a serious test of their resolve.

How do Arsenal and Fulham shape up for Premier League clash?

According to data analysts Opta, Arsenal are still favourites to end the season on top – but that could all change if they stumble against Marco Silva’s Fulham.

Sitting in 10th place with four games, Fulham are still very much in the hunt for European qualification and will be looking to exploit any Arsenal fatigue after Arteta’s side’s 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semis on Wednesday.

“We will go there with no fear, and play for the badge,” Fulham midfielder Josh King said.

Stat attack – Fulham at Arsenal

History will be a considerable comfort, however, to Arsenal fans struggling to cope with ⁠the title-race tension.

Fulham have played 32 times away to Arsenal in all competitions and never won.

City’s record ⁠at Everton is equally impressive, though, losing none of their last 18 in all competitions and winning 15 of them and drawing three.

Whatever the outcome of Arsenal’s derby with Fulham, a City win at Everton would then give them the chance to crank up the pressure as their next league game at home to Brentford ⁠comes the day before Arsenal’s trip to West Ham United, a fixture being described as Arsenal’s toughest in the run-in.

What happened the last time Arsenal played Fulham?

Arsenal beat Fulham 1-0 in the reverse fixture between the sides earlier this season at Craven Cottage.

Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the game on October 18, in the 58th minute.

The home side failed to register a shot on target, while Arsenal managed five and had a 63 percent share of possession.

When did Fulham last beat Arsenal?

The west London club secured a 2-1 home win in the Premier League two seasons ago.

Raul Jimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored the goals to turn the game around following Bukayo Saka’s fifth-minute opener.

Head-to-head

This will be the 67th meeting between the sides, with Arsenal winning 44 of the encounters and Fulham claiming the spoils nine times.

The first match between the sides came in 1904 in an FA Cup tie that Arsenal won 3-2.

The next game came 10 years later when the sides met in the league for the first time, with Fulham exacting revenge with a 6-1 home win in the old Division Two.

Arsenal team news

Both the German and fellow forward Eze were injured in the Premier League win against Newcastle last week, but the latter shrugged off his knock to appear as a substitute against Atletico.

Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino are both definite absentees through injury, but Riccardo Calafiori returned to the bench for the Champions League game in midweek and could be in line for a start.

Arsenal predicted starting lineup

Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze

Fulham team news

Former Tottenham winger Ryan Sessegnon could return from a knock sustained in Fulham’s last outing, but Alex Iwobi’s thigh problem means he will not face his former club.

Kenny Tete and Kevin remain confirmed absentees.

Fulham predicted starting lineup

Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze; Jimenez

Parker took charge of Burnley in July 2024 – signing a three-year contract – and led them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking with a second-place finish in the Championship.

“It has been an immense privilege to lead this great club over the past two years,” said Parker.

“I have enjoyed every moment of our journey together, but feel that now is the right time for both parties to move in a different direction.

“I reflect back with great pride on what we achieved during my time at the club, especially our unforgettable promotion season in 2024-25, and it was a true honour to lead this team into the Premier League.”

Last year, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis placed the club into a blind trust in case they qualified for the Champions League.

That could have presented a conflict with his other club, Olympiakos.

With Forest in the semi-finals of the Europa League, once again they have a chance of being in the Champions League. And Olympiakos look like being in it too.

In a blind trust, relevant parties transfer their shares to independent trustees, whereby all the decision-making of the club will rest solely under the control of the third party.

The club are controlled through a company called NF Football Investments.

Until 28 February, Marinakis was the only person with significant control.

He was removed and it was passed to another company, Pittville Four Limited, controlled by Janet Lucy Gibson, Henry Peter Hickman and Eleanor Catherine Walsh.

Those three independent trustees were also added to the football club’s board, replacing Mighael Dugher, Simon Forster and Jonathan Owen.

Forest’s problem could be that the new additions had to pass the Premier League’s owners and directors test.

It was not until 17 April that Companies House was updated.

The Premier League’s register of directors, last updated on 2 April, still lists Marinakis, Dugher, Forster and Owen.

Will the lodging of the blind trust on 28 February be enough? Or would Uefa consider 17 April to be date the club were compliant?

Forest are adamant that control was officially relinquished by Marinakis on 28 February and they will have no issue with Uefa.

Two years ago, the CFCB accepted a blind trust to admit Manchester City and Girona to the Champions League, and Manchester United and Nice to the Europa League, satisfied that multi-cub ownership issues had been resolved.

However, at the time it stated that it “will not be bound by this alternative in subsequent seasons”.

Until the CFCB makes another ruling on a blind trust, there is no absolute certainty it would be accepted.

Arsenal would move six points clear of second-placed Manchester City if they beat Fulham in their home game next week, though City, who were in FA Cup semi-final action this weekend, would have two games in hand.

That is because Manchester City were playing in the FA Cup semi-final earlier on Saturday against Southampton and are not back in league action until Monday, 4 May when they play Everton.

Having that buffer of points built up by the time of City’s next game at Everton on Monday 4 May would be a huge boost for Arteta’s side given they went into this weekend off the top for the first time since October.

According to Opta, Arsenal have a 72.44% chance of lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of the season compared to the 27.56% chance of Manchester City.

“You can’t question their fight. Arsenal have given absolutely everything on that pitch today,” former Crystal Palace and Brighton striker Glenn Murray said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Another huge three points for Arsenal to keep them top of the league.”

Arsenal are without a major trophy since the FA Cup triumph of 2020 which came in Arteta’s first season in charge.

And captain Martin Odegaard said that the effort the players put in is because every member of the team is doing what they can to get over the line.

“It was tough, very intense, very physical,” he told Sky Sports. “We did everything we could and we got the win, the most important thing was to bounce back with a win and get over the line with the three points.”

But for Odegaard, who played the full 90 minutes, and the rest of the squad attention quickly switches to the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

“This schedule is crazy,” Odegaard added. “We just have to keep going. It is the end of the season, just leave everything out that we have inside, fight every single game and we just have to keep going.

“That’s where we want to be but it is going to go all the way to the end. We are ready for it and we will fight every single day.”

While Nottingham Forest struck the first blow of the weekend on Friday, Tottenham and West Ham – unusually – both play at the same time on Saturday.

The Hammers host Everton and former manager David Moyes, with Spurs visiting already relegated Wolves.

Tottenham boss De Zerbi, whose side conceded a last-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 with Brighton in their previous fixture, said “a win can change this part of the season”.

“We are suffering, they are suffering because it is not easy to play in Tottenham in this condition of the table, but I said they have to be stronger,” he added.

“We have to live every part of the day waiting for a win and preparing for a win.”

Tottenham and West Ham have to contend with similar run-ins, with Spurs arguably facing the slightly easier of the two. The average position of the teams they still have to play is 11th, while for the Hammers it is 10th.

What West Ham do have which Tottenham do not, however, is some semblance of form.

Nuno’s team have won two and lost just one of their past five matches. Spurs have not won since last year.

“The players are improving their levels and the standards,” said Nuno. “We have been solid in defence, good in attack… sometimes not so good. Finding that balance in the remaining matches is going to be crucial for us.”

Luke Littler overcame a chorus of boos in Liverpool to strengthen his grip on a Premier League play-off place with an impressive 6-1 win over Jonny Clayton.

Manchester United fan Littler, 19, was booed throughout the night on Merseyside, but he kept his cool to claim his fourth nightly win in week 12.

The world champion saw off Luke Humphries 6-2 in the quarter-finals, but was pushed to the limit by Michael van Gerwen in the last four.

With the top four in the Premier League table going through to the finals night, Clayton leads the way overall, three points clear of second-placed Littler, who is 15 ahead of Gian van Veen in fifth.

Clayton and Littler are clear of the rest with four league-phase nights to go before finals night at London’s O2 Arena on 28 May.

When comparing his reception in Rotterdam last Thursday to the one he got in Liverpool, Littler said: “Rotterdam was way louder than this tonight.

“There was a little bit [of booing] but this week was nothing compared to last week.

“I’ve just got to forget about it. I was definitely focused and wanted to win tonight, and that’s what I’ve done.”

Littler has finished top of the table in the previous two years and is determined to do so again, saying: “I’m very close to Jonny now and I’m going to go chasing.

“I want to finish top once again and if it’s not to be then it’s not to be, but there are still four weeks left to play for.”

Littler, who was booed in Rotterdam last week following his exchange with Dutch number one Gian van Veen in Manchester three weeks ago, showed his resilience to secure another five points.

He quickly raced into a 4-0 lead over Clayton in the final after capitalising on missed doubles from the 2021 Premier League champion.

While Clayton was only able to land one out of his six double attempts, Littler averaged more than 104 and had a 60% checkout rate to secure victory.

Clayton was a significant outsider with bookmakers to win this year’s tournament. He wasn’t even fancied to make finals night.

Given his record, it was something that clearly rankled with the former plasterer.

Speaking at the Premier League media launch in early February, Clayton said: “It motivates me alright because people don’t rate me, obviously they rate the others more. Let’s see on finals night.”

A 6-4 victory against Luke Littler in the Rotterdam final last time out earned Clayton back-to-back night wins for the first time this season.

He now holds a 16-point buffer over defending champion Luke Humphries who is fifth going into night 12 in Liverpool on Thursday.

“He has sewn up a place at the O2 in London,” Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle said of Clayton after his triumph in Rotterdam.

“Jonny Clayton will be there, that is certain. He is so far clear of the rest.”

A week earlier, Clayton produced a remarkable comeback to win 6-5 against seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen in Brighton having been 5-2 down in the final.

After his victory against reigning world champion Littler in Rotterdam, Clayton revealed he re-watched his win against van Gerwen from a week earlier.

“I don’t watch many games back, but I watched last week’s game against Michael and it hurt a little bit when somebody said I was favourite to finish bottom. That really hurt,” he said.

“That really annoyed me to be honest. It’s going well for myself and I’ve got a massive smile on my face.

“I’ve been here three times before and I’ve done finals night on each one.”

At 51 Clayton is comfortably the oldest player in this year’s field, although he is consistently proving to be a thorn in the side of the game’s younger talents.

And with the £350,000 Premier League winner’s prize still well within his sights, Clayton can have no doubts that his long-delayed full-time move into darts was entirely justified. And then some.

Every year when the fixtures are announced you hear the familiar refrain that “it doesn’t matter, you play everyone twice”.

But there is no doubt that when you face a certain team can make a big difference across a 10-month campaign.

With five games remaining Spurs will definitely think their run-in, at least on paper, gives them every chance of staying up.

Next up is a trip to Wolves, whose relegation to the Championship was confirmed on Monday.

A home match against Leeds on 11 May is another Tottenham will view as an opportunity, especially if Farke’s side have ensured their safety by then.

Even a tricky-looking match at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa on 3 May comes at a good time for Spurs, as it falls between the two legs of the Europa League semi-final for Unai Emery’s men.

A visit to rivals Chelsea before hosting Everton on the final day is not a straightforward way to finish, given both teams seem likely to be fighting for European places.

But, given how tight things are, that is something all the relegation candidates will have to deal with.

West Ham host Everton on Saturday before an away game at Brentford – and it only gets tougher with title-chasing Arsenal the visitors to London Stadium on 10 May.

Even with Newcastle enduring a disappointing season, an away game at St James’ Park on the penultimate weekend is far from simple and there could be plenty riding on the home match against Leeds on the last day.

Forest arguably face the toughest last five with away games at Chelsea and Manchester United in May – the former coming just three days before the second leg of the Reds’ Europa League semi-final against Villa.

Home games against Newcastle and Bournemouth, on the last day, could be crucial but getting a result at Sunderland on Friday would help alleviate a lot of stress for Vitor Pereira’s side before the remainder of the run-in.

Manchester City relegate Burnley with 1-0 win to also take top spot from Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Manchester City completed its ominous, late-season rise to the top of the Premier League by winning 1-0 at Burnley – who are relegated as a result – thanks to Erling Haaland’s early goal, ending Arsenal’s 200-day stay in first place.

Haaland’s clinical ⁠finish after five minutes on Wednesday could have paved the way for a boost to City’s goal difference, but they ‌lacked a cutting edge in a nervy affair as Burnley dug deep.

Haaland hit the post and had other chances as City tried to give themselves a safety margin, but Pep Guardiola’s side ⁠had to make do ⁠with a surprisingly narrow victory.

“The chances were there. We created a lot. It was a fantastic game and we did everything after a demanding game three days ago [against Arsenal],” Guardiola told Sky Sports.

“We won and are top of the league, why be frustrated? Of course we can do more, but we won.

“We made a better performance than on Sunday because we created chance after chance.

“It is five games to win the Premier League now – that is the reality.”

The goal came as Haaland ran onto Jeremy Doku’s pass to convert a deft finish, allowing City to back up its 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Sunday that, for many, turned Guardiola’s team into the title favourite.

Winning by a one-goal margin left City and Arsenal tied on both points (70) and goal difference (+37). City only leads courtesy of more goals scored (66 to Arsenal’s 63).

City were nine points adrift of Arsenal after drawing with West Ham on March 14. Three straight wins, combined with back-to-back losses for Arsenal, have seen the title race turn on its head.

The result condemned American-owned Burnley to relegation after one season back in the top flight.

For Scott Parker’s side, the inevitable became a ‌reality as they are stuck on 20 points, 13 points behind ‌the ‌safety zone with only four games remaining.

Arsenal can retake top spot in the league when they entertain Newcastle United on Saturday, while City play Southampton on the same day in the semifinal of the FA Cup, before returning to Premier League action on Monday, May 4, against Everton.

“It is a big opportunity to play four finals in a row,” Guardiola added about Saturday’s match against Southampton.

“We may have to rest players, but we are ready.”

Chelsea only appointed Liam Rosenior in January, but the FIFA Club World Cup holders have lost their last five games.

FIFA Club World Cup champions Chelsea have sacked their head coach Liam Rosenior following a run of five consecutive defeats.

The 41-year-old had only been appointed as Enzo Maresco’s permanent replacement in January.

Rosenior, who started his managerial career at Derby County and Hull City in England, joined the west London club after two years in the French top flight with Strasbourg, where he won 51 of 63 matches.

Only 11 wins were secured in 23 games in charge of the Blues, however, and the recent run of losses also marked the first time the club had lost that number of games without scoring since 1912.

Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton saw the side slip to seventh in the league, a hammer blow in the chance of qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

“Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following his appointment midway through the season,” Chelsea said in a statement.

“This has not been a decision the club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season.”

Rosenior described the performance of his players in his final game in charge as “indefensible” and “unacceptable”.

Follow the live build-up, with full team news coverage, ahead of our text commentary stream of the crunch EPL clash.

Arsenal travel to Manchester City knowing their Premier League could be eradicated by next Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta has urged spluttering Arsenal to embrace the “huge privilege” of facing Manchester City in a potentially decisive showdown in the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s side are six points clear of second-placed City ahead of their blockbuster clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

But City have a game in hand on the Gunners and a victory for Pep Guardiola’s men would tilt the balance of power in their favour heading into the final weeks of the season.

Adding to the drama of the do-or-die battle, Arsenal are enduring an untimely loss of form after losing three of their last five games in all competitions.

They were beaten by City in the League Cup final, suffered a shock FA Cup quarterfinal exit at second-tier Southampton and slumped to a home league defeat against Bournemouth.

The Gunners were well below their best once again on Wednesday when they edged past Sporting Lisbon, drawing 0-0 to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory in the Champions League quarterfinals.

But, despite criticism of Arsenal’s perceived mental weakness under pressure, Arteta is convinced his players have the right character to take a huge step towards winning the Premier League.

“We have earned the right to be in this position and to be challenging, with an opportunity to win against arguably the best team and best manager this league has ever seen,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.

“That is a huge privilege. We see this as a big opportunity for us. Who is more privileged to be in this position?

“I don’t know how Pep and Man City are feeling, but I feel very privileged to have earned the right to be in this position to play such a big and great game.”

Arsenal are chasing a first English title since 2004 after finishing as runners-up for the last three seasons.

In 2023 and 2024, they squandered substantial leads that allowed City to pip them to the title.

But Arteta knows that beating City this weekend would put Arsenal in a virtually unassailable position of strength.

“Winning at this stage, then you are a bit closer,” he said.

“There are six games to go. Obviously, it is a really important one for both teams.

“It will incline the balance a little bit, but winning a game in the Premier League is so tough for everybody.”

Arsenal ‘prepare to win’ against Man City

Arteta has challenged Arsenal to learn from the pain of their League Cup loss to City in a rematch with even higher stakes.

“The pain we felt afterwards, [we need] to use that the right way on Sunday,” he said. “To learn from that game and the things that we want to change for the next one.”

Arteta refused to deny a report that a fire was lit at the club’s training ground this week in a motivational ploy after he told his team to play with “pure fire” against Sporting.

“Every game we use different themes to try and prepare for the game in the best possible way, and that depends on what we do,” he said.

“The best ones are the players’ initiative; those are the ones I love the most.”

Arsenal have failed to win any of their past 10 league games at the Etihad Stadium, losing seven of those meetings, in a barren run stretching back to 2015.

Arteta dismissed suggestions that he could tell Arsenal to play for a draw to maintain their six-point lead over City.

“We prepare every game to win, that is why we are where we are, and we are going to continue to do the same,” he said.

⁠Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ⁠has called Sunday’s Premier League clash with leaders Arsenal a final, saying defeat would end his side’s title hopes before the much-anticipated showdown at the Etihad Stadium.

City trail Arsenal by six points but have a game in hand, ⁠and victory would cut the gap while ramping up the pressure as the race enters its decisive phase.

Guardiola, however, said there was little room for error, acknowledging that anything less than three points would leave his team facing too steep a climb.

“Yes, obviously,” the Spaniard added on whether he sees ⁠the game as a final. “If we lose, it is over.”

Despite the fine margins, Guardiola said City are confident, stressing that belief is crucial at this stage of the season.

“If you could buy confidence in a supermarket, we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects,” he told a news conference. (Our confidence) is good. We are ready,” he added.

“A month ago, because we dropped points in moments, I thought we would not be here. (But) we ‌saw the calendar and said, ‘OK, we play Arsenal at home for a chance. It is six points. It is not a short distance, but we have a chance to do it.’

“That is the situation we are in. It depends on our behaviour, and everything will be said on Sunday. Our fans have sold out. Everything is perfect to play a game.”

Guardiola said Nico O’Reilly, who scored twice in City’s 2-0 League Cup final win over Arsenal, is fit after he left last weekend’s game at Chelsea clutching his left hamstring.

Solid Man City form sows unease among Arsenal fans

That thrilling victory was part of a solid City run of form, including a 4-0 throttling of Liverpool in the FA Cup ⁠quarterfinals. They have not lost a league game since mid-January.

City’s results have begun to sow unease among Arsenal ⁠fans.

“If we play like the second half (of the League Cup final) during 95 minutes and they play like the second half, we are going to win. Well, maybe not, because football is unpredictable,” Guardiola said.

“I know (Arsenal manager) Mikel (Arteta). They are going to adjust something, and we have to prepare to do it. In the end, it is more simple. It ⁠is how your players individually win the me-against-you.”

Guardiola insisted City must still raise their level if they are to sustain a title push through the final weeks.

“We need to get even better,” he said. “The first half against ⁠Chelsea (a 3-0 win on Sunday) was not bad but not great. The first 30 minutes ⁠against Liverpool was not good either. The first 30 minutes against Arsenal in the final, they were better.

“You cannot pretend that these kind of teams will be 90 or 95 minutes perfect, but this one aspect is not about the future, present or past, it’s about confidence, which is an incredible aspect.”

Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label. “I understand ‌your message, but maybe we’re not,” he said. “They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them.

“I said today to the players, it is just a football game, and we have to approach it like a football game. If you get distracted by emotions, that is ‌how ‌you lose focus.”

Guardiola said City remain proud to still be challenging on multiple fronts, even if Sunday’s result could prove decisive.

“We will see what happens,” he said. “But it is never over until it’s over, and we are still here. I am proud to be there, still challenging them.”

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe says captain Bruno Guimaraes has “a chance” of returning on Saturday after missing 12 games with a hamstring injury.

“He is desperate to help the team, desperate to be involved, so there is a possibility,” added Howe.

Joelinton begins a two-match ban for accumulating 10 bookings this season.

Bournemouth remain without Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook, although the latter is back in partial training.

They have no other absentees for the team’s first match since the announcement that head coach Andoni Iraola will leave the club at the end of the season.

Players out: Newcastle – Joelinton, Krafth, Schar Bournemouth – Cook, Kluivert

Doubt: Newcastle – Guimaraes

Key FPL notes:

● From Gameweek 28 onwards, no FPL midfielder has scored more goals than Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon (£7.4m, three).

● In Gameweek 32, Junior Kroupi (£4.6m) became the first teenager to score 10+ goals in his debut Premier League season since Robbie Keane for Coventry City in 1999-00. He has scored in back-to-back matches for Bournemouth.

● Cherries defender Marcos Senesi (£5.2m) has picked up more defensive contribution points than any other defender (44) this season. He is the sixth-highest scoring defender in the game with 141 points.

Who: Chelsea vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League (EPL)
Where: Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, April 18 at 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Chelsea can tighten up the Premier League battle for UEFA Champions League qualification when they host third-placed Manchester United on Saturday, but they will have to reverse a dreadful run of form to do so.

The Blues have only won one of their last five Premier League matches, increasing the pressure on manager Liam Rosenior in his first season in charge of the football club.

United suffered a shock home defeat by Leeds United last week and arrive with injuries and suspensions that will leave them feeling vulnerable for the first time under interim head coach Michael Carrick.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that could ignite a late-season scrap for the top five finishing spots, which offer the route to Europe’s top table next season.

How does the Premier League race to the Champions League stand?

Third-placed United will arrive at Stamford Bridge with sixth-placed Chelsea seven points behind them.

Fifth-placed Liverpool are four points in front of the Blues, while Aston Villa are fourth, level on points with United but seven down on the Red Devils on goal difference.

With Villa and Liverpool not playing until Sunday – Sunderland at home and Everton away, respectively – a Chelsea win would close the gap between third and sixth to just four points for Saturday at least.

Four clubs, including Sunderland and Everton, sit just two points behind Chelsea. A certain run of results across the weekend means just six points could separate third from tenth by the close of this round of matches.

If fans of a close race were to be particularly greedy, wins for Bournemouth and Fulham – 11th and 12th, respectively – as well this weekend could mean the gap from third to 12th would only be eight points with five games to play.

As the former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once said: “It is squeaky bum time”.

Clock ticking on Champions League qualification, admits Chelsea manager

Rosenior has warned Chelsea that their bid to qualify for the Champions League is hanging in the balance.

The Blues are on a dismal run of one win from their last seven Premier League games, placing their hopes of reaching Europe’s elite club competition in jeopardy.

It is more than six weeks since Chelsea last scored a goal in the league, but Rosenior knows there is no time left to feel sorry for themselves after last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat against Manchester City.

“As the season goes on, the less games you have left, the more important the games become,” Rosenior told reporters ahead of the game.

“We have to take advantage of this moment. We’re running out of time.

“We need to show that initiative on Saturday and play on the front foot and make up those points, which is still definitely possible.

“If I look at each game, I think it’s just come down to loss of concentration of focus in a moment that then has snowballed into the rest of the performances.

“What we have to do is manage the margins of the game a little bit better.”

Chelsea braced for fan protest ahead of Man Utd visit

A protest by Chelsea supporters is planned ahead of the United game, reflecting the growing discontent since owners BlueCo took over from Roman Abramovich almost four years ago.

Unless results improve drastically in the next few weeks, this season will be the first under the club’s American owners that the team’s league position has dropped.

Rosenior’s position is also likely to come under scrutiny after a disappointing start to his reign, which started in January when he arrived from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca.

Maresca departed by mutual consent after hinting he did not receive sufficient support from the owners.

Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo, which led some fans to criticise Rosenior’s appointment and claim he would be a puppet for the board, in contrast to the volatile Maresca.

“Every supporter has their viewpoint,” Rosenior said. “Every supporter wants their club to do well and to win games. Our job, my job, is to produce those results in the long term.”

What happened the last time Chelsea played Man Utd?

The reverse fixture at Old Trafford earlier this season resulted in a 2-1 win for the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

Following the sending off of Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez in the fifth minute, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro gave the home side a two-goal advantage at the break.

The latter, however, saw red in the last minute of the first half, but Trevor Chalobah’s 80th-minute strike was in vain as United held on for the win.

Head-to-head

This will be the 199th meeting between the clubs, with United winning 81 of the matches and Chelsea emerging victorious on 56 occasions.

Stat attack – Manchester United

United playmaker Bruno Fernandes is just three assists away from equalling the all-time record of 20 in a single Premier League season.

Chelsea team news

Chelsea manager Rosenior says midfielder Enzo ‌Fernandez has returned to full training and is available for ⁠selection for the visit of Manchester United after being dropped for disciplinary reasons.

The 25-year-old Argentina ⁠World Cup winner was omitted from the squad for the 7-0 win over League One Port Vale in the FA Cup quarterfinals and ⁠last week’s 3-0 Premier League defeat by second-placed Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez, who had been wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of the injured Reece James, had previously said he would assess his future after the World Cup ‌and expressed a desire to live in Madrid, comments for which he later apologised.

“Enzo has been with the group and has been training very, very well,” Rosenior told reporters on Thursday. “So, it’s business as usual in terms of selection for the game.

“In terms of his training, his application to training, Enzo has been fantastic as well.”

Rosenior also provided updates ⁠on defender Trevoh Chalobah, who has not played since ⁠the second leg of Chelsea’s Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, and on James, who has been sidelined since the loss to Newcastle United also in March.

“Trevoh trained today but ⁠not quite fully; it was a modified training,” Rosenior said. “We’ll make a decision on him, but he’s very, ⁠very close. Reece is a little bit further ⁠away.”

Predicted Chelsea starting lineup

Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Hato, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro

Manchester United team news

United’s first-choice centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are both suspended for the match.

Maguire was set to return from a one-game ban, but has had his suspension extended by an additional game for improper conduct following his sending off against Bournemouth last month.

Fellow centre-back Matthijs de Ligt is still sidelines by a back injury, while Kobbie Mainoo missed the defeat by Leeds with a knock and remains a doubt.

Predicted Manchester United starting lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo

Why is a Europa League place given up? This is all about applying the EPS after all other factors.

So in this example, Aston Villa have earned a place in the Champions League but finished in a league position that qualifies them for the Europa League.

Uefa rules state that the berth in the lower competition has to be forfeited and passed to another league.

For instance, La Liga had no team in the first edition of the Conference League because Villarreal won a European competition and finished in seventh.

Let’s say Villa finish fifth. The Premier League gives up the Europa League place.

Then you apply the EPS, which goes to sixth – the first team not in the Champions League.

The Conference League place drops to seventh.

If Villa finish sixth, then it is the Conference League place which is given up. After the EPS, eighth plays in the Europa League.

But could Villa winning the Europa League give England a ninth European spot? Only if they finish outside the domestic European places.

Right now that would be outside the top six – or the top seven if, say, Manchester City win the FA Cup.

As Villa are eight points ahead of seventh-placed Brentford, there is only a slim possibility this could happen.

For Forest, it’s a very simple situation as they sit 16th in the Premier League on 33 points.

Forest are out of the FA Cup, so they cannot qualify for Europe domestically.

If Vitor Pereira leads Forest past Villa and on to Europa League glory there will be a sixth English team in the Champions League, and at least nine in Europe.

This would mirror what happened with Tottenham Hotspur last season.

Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac (who recently changed his name from Rob McElhenney) have made their ambitions clear ever since their first interview as owners in 2021.

A member of the media asked the actors what their perfect ending would be? Reynolds responded: “We’d be lying if it wasn’t the Premier League.

So far, so good for the north Wales outfit. They’re one promotion away from the top flight and their latest accounts reveal a record turnover of £33.3m in the process. But was it ever really the aim to make it four promotions in a row?

At the start of their first season back in the second tier of English football since 1982, Wrexham chief executive Michael Williamson told the Telegraph, external that his aims for the season were Championship survival, a mid-table finish and to be competitive.

He proposed this to Reynolds and Mac, who immediately responded by asking what it would take to reach the top two.

Williamson went on to say that after discussions between the club’s hierarchy, they landed on: “Let’s be competitive and see where we end up.”

“If we can find ourselves in that position towards the back end of the season, I give us a very good shot of being in the play-offs. And then, ultimately, if we’re in the play-offs, I give us a very good shot of getting promoted just because of who we are and what we are and the DNA, the resilience and what it means to this town and for the squad,” explained Williamson.

The CEO also said that should promotion not be achieved this time, then that was OK too.