EPL

Another title for City – 5 things we learned in the Premier League this weekend

By Sports Desk May 21, 2023

Manchester City earned their third straight Premier League title as Arsenal faltered against Nottingham Forest, who earned a 1-0 win to secure top-flight safety.

Manchester United took another surge towards Champions League football and Brighton booked their spot in Europe next season with a win against Southampton.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at another action-packed weekend of top-flight football.

Celebrations for City as Arsenal lose out

Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions for a third successive season after Arsenal lost 1-0 by Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Gunners had spent 248 days at the top of the table and held an eight-point lead over City in March, but poor results saw Pep Guardiola’s side able to take advantage to seal their fifth title in six years with two games remaining.

With the title already secured, Guardiola made nine changes for Chelsea’s visit on Sunday, where Julian Alvarez’s goal ensured a straightforward 1-0 win for the treble-chasing side.

Forest safe in style

While Arsenal’s defeat grabbed the headlines, for Forest their victory against the Gunners was a huge sigh of relief as they secured top-flight football for another year.

Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal was the difference to earn a huge three points which means Forest are unable to be caught by Southampton, Leeds, Leicester or Everton.

Many believed Steve Cooper’s side were destined for a return to the Championship throughout the season following an 11-game winless stretch towards the end of April, but three wins in their last five games ensure another year in the Premier League.

Champions League deciders

The race for Champions League football continued with Manchester United taking another step towards a top-four finish. Casemiro scored an incredible overhead kick as United earned a 1-0 win at Bournemouth, while Newcastle, who are tied on 69 points with United, play Leicester on Monday night.

Both sides just need one point each to qualify for the Champions League after Liverpool’s draw at Aston Villa saw the Anfield club’s top four hopes take a blow.

Seagulls secure Europe

Brighton booked an historic European spot for the first time in their history after beating already-relegated Southampton 3-1.

18-year-old Evan Ferguson scored twice in the first half to send the Seagulls into Europe and strengthen their place in sixth, meaning they all but secure Europa League football with a game in hand.

Brighton could still finish level on points with seventh-placed Aston Villa, who they play on the final day, but Villa would have to overcome a near-impossible goal difference to finish above the Seagulls.

Who’s for the drop?

With Southampton’s relegation confirmed last weekend, two more teams are set to drop into the Championship next season. Forest secured safety, while Everton’s chances of survival were handed a big boost after they snatched a point deep into stoppage time against Wolves.

Yerry Mina’s last minute equaliser means the Toffees moved their points tally on to 33 points ahead of a final day showdown against Bournemouth.

They sit just one place above Leeds, who remain third from bottom after losing 3-1 to West Ham and come up against Tottenham next weekend, while Leicester face high-flying Newcastle on Monday ahead of a final day home match against the Hammers.

Related items

  • Hayes concedes title race is over as Chelsea suffer dramatic Liverpool defeat Hayes concedes title race is over as Chelsea suffer dramatic Liverpool defeat

    It has been a difficult week for Chelsea and their boss Emma Hayes.

    After seeing their Champions League dreams dashed by holders Barcelona on Saturday, they had no margin for error when they travelled to Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Wednesday.

    Six points behind Manchester City with two games in hand but an inferior goal difference, the Blues needed three points to stop Hayes' final season in charge from totalling unravelling.  

    But there was to be no respite for the Blues, who were at one point tipped for a quadruple but have been stuck in a downward spiral since losing Sam Kerr to an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the winter break.

    Matt Beard's Liverpool put on a tremendous display to win 4-3, with Gemma Bonner scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to leave Hayes certain the title is out of reach.

    "I think the title is done," she said after Wednesday's game. 

    "Of course mathematically it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.

    "This team has done a tremendous job in my time here to push for titles. 

    "I don’t know if we have ever conceded four goals in a half before. Three from set pieces is just unforgivable. But I'm going to credit Liverpool."

    Chelsea now need an almighty collapse from City, who may only require three points from their remaining two matches to seal the title, if their goal difference advantage holds firm.

    Hayes believes fighting on multiple fronts has not helped her team, adding: "We looked exhausted but I don't want to make excuses. 

    "I want to remind our fans how much success we have brought over the years. It's just not to be this year."

    Next up, Chelsea face relegated Bristol City in their final home game before Hayes departs to take the United States job, with City taking on Arsenal in Sunday's headline fixture. 

  • Sancho outshines Mbappe as Dortmund seize initiative against PSG Sancho outshines Mbappe as Dortmund seize initiative against PSG

    Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho issued a reminder of his star quality as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday.

    Niclas Fullkrug scored the winner after 36 minutes, taking in Nico Schlotterbeck's floated pass before driving a low shot beyond PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

    Fullkrug has now been involved in six Champions League goals this season (three goals, three assists), the joint-most by a German player in their debut campaign in the competition, alongside BVB team-mate Marco Reus in 2012-13 (four goals, two assists).

    The star of the show, however, was undoubtedly Sancho.

    He tormented Nuno Mendes throughout a lively performance, creating three chances for his team-mates – a game-high tally alongside Julian Brandt, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi.

    Sancho had completed seven dribbles by the halfway point, more than he managed in any full game for the Red Devils.

    By full-time, that number had crept up to 12, the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi completed 16 for Barcelona against United in April 2008, and the most on record by an Englishman at any stage of the competition (since 2003-04).

    Sancho even outshone Mbappe, who struck the far post with a curling effort early in the second half but was limited to just three shots totalling 0.17 expected goals (xG). 

    PSG did have their chances, though, with their total of 14 shots their most without scoring in any Champions League game since the second leg of their 2020-21 semi-final against Manchester City (also 14), when they were beaten 2-0 and eliminated from the competition. 

    Dortmund are now unbeaten in 11 straight Champions League home games, winning seven and drawing four. 

    It's their longest ever such streak at Signal Iduna Park, and they have also won four straight knockout games on their own turf for the first time in their Champions League history.

    While Dortmund have a valuable lead to protect in Paris next Tuesday, Edin Terzic will be expecting a strong reaction from PSG.

    The Ligue 1 champions have progressed from two of their last four Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, with the first of those successes coming against Dortmund in the last 16 in 2019-20 (1-2 away, 2-0 at home).  

  • Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Fullkrug hands hosts first-leg win Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Fullkrug hands hosts first-leg win

    Niclas Fullkrug fired home a first-half winner as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie in Germany.

    Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Fullkrug's path and the Germany international brought the ball under his spell with a wonderful touch before drilling a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.

    PSG, on the back foot for much of the first half, improved after the break and struck the woodwork twice in a matter of moments just after the restart.

    Kylian Mbappe curled an effort against the right-hand post before Achraf Hakimi scuffed a shot against the other upright on the rebound as Edin Terzic's side escaped with a first-leg lead.

    The teams will meet again at the Parc des Princes next Tuesday, with the winners of the tie facing either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – who drew 2-2 in their first leg on Tuesday – in the final at Wembley Stadium.

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