Super sub Scott McTominay’s thundering header secured Manchester United a late, hard-fought 2-1 victory away to fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa.
This felt like a match that the sixth-placed Red Devils could ill afford to lose given Unai Emery’s men were a place higher in the standings and able to extend an eight-point cushion to an eye-watering 11.
In-form Rasmus Hojlund broke Villa hearts on Boxing Day and got United off to a dream start when scoring in a fifth straight Premier League match, but the hosts responded brilliantly and deserved Douglas Luiz’s second-half leveller.
The match was on a knife-edge from that point and McTominay made another key contribution, scoring his fourth goal off the bench four minutes from time to seal the points at Villa Park.
Emery may well be wondering how his side ended Sunday’s match without so much as a point as Erik ten Hag celebrates his first Premier League away win in charge against a side in the top nine.
Furthermore, this was the first time this season that United have managed to win four straight matches in all competitions.
Guardiola 'pretty sure' Grealish will return to peak form
Pep Guardiola is "pretty sure" Jack Grealish will return to his form of old in a Manchester City shirt after an underwhelming 2023-24 campaign.
Grealish was one of the poster boys of City's remarkable treble-winning campaign last year, but he struggled for starts this time around.
The 28-year-old was an unused substitute in the FA Cup final loss to Manchester United and did not feature at all in City's final four games.
Jeremy Doku, who joined last August, was instead preferred from the bench at Wembley and scored for City in their 2-1 defeat.
However, Guardiola believes City's club-record signing will return to his best next season.
"He will be back," Guardiola said. "He’s struggled this season and Jeremy has made an incredible step forward as everyone has seen.
"But Jack will be back at the level of last season, I'm pretty sure."
City became the first club in English football to win four top-flight titles in a row, but they fell short in the Champions League and FA Cup, as well as the EFL Cup.
Star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has just one year to run on his contract, while others - goalkeeper Ederson among them - have been linked with a move away.
The reigning Premier League champions will also no doubt be looking to bring in new players as they prepare to defend their title once again.
"I know some players have to take a decision on whether they stay with us and some players might come," Guardiola said after the defeat to fierce rivals United.
"My sporting director says everything is fine for next year but right now, I don't know what might happen."
Xavi departs disappointed his work at Barcelona was not appreciated enough
Sacked Barcelona manager Xavi said he leaves the club disappointed after feeling his work was not appreciated enough as they finished the season with a 2-1 win at Sevilla on Sunday.
Xavi, 44, who joined Bara on a three-year deal when Dutchman Ronald Koeman left in 2021, led the Catalan giants to their 27th league title last season.
He compiled 90 wins, 23 draws and 29 defeats in 142 games in charge but was fired on Friday.
"I have the feeling that everything I have done in these two and a half years has caused an earthquake. I have been targeted many times in many situations," Xavi said.
"I think that the work has not been sufficiently appreciated. This year we haven't been up to the task because of details. We had four key games in which we couldn't finish the good work we had done," he added.
LaLiga runners-up Barcelona, who finished 10 poins behind Real Madrid, have endured a frustrating season, losing to Real in the Spanish Super Cup final, knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals and eliminated from the Champions League by Paris St Germain also in the last eight.
Xavi decided to step down in January but agreed to return in April after talks with president Joan Laporta, who later changed his mind and sacked him after a season without silverware.
"It is not for me to say the reasons or the motives. I think it is up to the president to say them. I had no choice but to accept it. It doesn't matter if I agree with the arguments.
"I'm not leaving with a sense of relief because we wanted to continue. These are decisions made by the club. We understood and respected that, but we thought it wasn't over," he added.
Xavi pointed out that while he did not agree with his departure, he accepted that the club was bigger, adding that the next coach's job would not be easy.
"He should know that he has a tough situation because Barca is a challenging club but on top of that it is in an adverse economic situation. It will not be an easy task," he said.
Meulensteen backs Slot success at Liverpool as Klopp comparisons evident
Liverpool will not see many differences between Jurgen Klopp and incoming manager Arne Slot, though the Dutchman must learn to cope with the added pressure at Anfield.
That was the message from Australia coach and former Manchester United assistant Rene Meulensteen, who expects fellow countryman Slot to succeed on Merseyside.
Slot leaves the Netherlands after three highly successful seasons with Feyenoord, during which he led them to the league title in 2023 and was named Eredivisie Manager of the Year on two occasions.
That record has Meulensteen expecting further success for the former Feyenoord boss.
Meulensteen, speaking on behalf of William Hill Vegas, told Stats Perform: "There was a lot of speculation about different names being touted with [Xabi] Alonso and Rubin Amorim, but then when Arne Slot's name came up, I didn't necessarily think that it was a bad choice and a bad decision.
"I like him. I rate him as a coach and as a person. I think he's got a likeability about him, he's a good communicator, he plays a brand of football that is very much in line with what Klopp has done over the last few years.
"You won't see many differences there, he might tweak one or two things, but it will still be high press, high energy, dynamic football.
"In my opinion, I think it's always the proof is in the pudding, but I think it's not a bad choice at all for Liverpool."
Liverpool managed 82 points in the 2023-24 Premier League, finishing nine behind Manchester City and seven adrift of second-placed Arsenal.
The Dutchman will officially take charge from next Saturday, subject to receiving a work permit, and Meulensteen believes it will be a step up for Slot.
"Liverpool are a global brand, it's a big club, it brings different expectations and winning the Premier League is the hardest thing to do," he added.
"The ambitions will be there for Liverpool. Same with the Champions League. So the difference between that step from Feyenoord to Liverpool is really in terms of the expectations, which brings a different kind of pressure.
"You need to be able to handle that, clubs like Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, City, Chelsea, you want to be successful, but at the same time play in an attractive style of football.
"It's a difficult kind of combination, and obviously he's going from the Eredivisie, the Dutch league, to the Premier League.
"That will be his biggest step up because that is where he's going to be confronted with every week.
"If he's clever, he has to bring somebody in his staff along that knows the Premier League, that understands the Premier League."
Rene Meulensteen was speaking on behalf of William Hill Vegas: https://vegas.williamhill.com
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