Facundo Pellistri ensured Manchester United avoided defeat in their final pre-season friendly as Harry Maguire atoned for his first-half error to help secure a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao.
Maguire, whose mistake had allowed Nico Williams to open the scoring before the break, set up the Uruguay international to level in stoppage time in front of a sell-out crowd at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Maguire, who was replaced as United captain by Bruno Fernandes during a summer of speculation over his future, was included as one of 11 changes to the side which beat Lens 3-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, but there was no place for injured £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund a day after he had been presented to the club’s fans.
Erik ten Hag’s men might have got off to the perfect start when Pellistri played Jadon Sancho in behind the Athletic defence with just four minutes gone, but his attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Unai Simon.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton was called upon to claim Inaki Williams’ 15th-minute strike as the Spaniards responded and they though they had been awarded a 25th-minute penalty seconds after United had seen their appeals waved away at the other end.
Referee Neil Doyle initially pointed to the spot after Nico Williams had been brought down by Alvaro Fernandez, only for the official to change his mind and award a free-kick, with which Heaton dealt comfortably.
However, the LaLiga side took the lead with 29 minutes gone when Oihan Sancet capitalised on Maguire’s slip-up to feed Nico Williams, who fired past the advancing keeper.
Eighteen-year-old Dan Gore tested Simon as the second-half got under way with neither side taking a backward step.
But Bilbao’s hopes of retaining their advantage were dealt a blow with 24 minutes remaining when last man Aitor Paredes was given a straight red card for hauling back Hannibal Mejbri after conceding possession to the Tunisia midfielder.
Hannibal passed up a glorious opportunity to level when he volleyed the ball over from Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross, but redemption arrived deep into stoppage time when Maguire headed down another Wan-Bissaka delivery for Pellistri to steer home the equaliser.
Man City tantalisingly close to WSL glory ahead of huge Arsenal clash
Manchester City could become Women’s Super League champions for the first time since 2016 if they can overcome Arsenal on Sunday at the Joie Stadium.
However, results would need to go their way for this to happen and Chelsea, who meet Bristol City in the late kick off, will have to lose or draw for City to be crowned champions this weekend.
Arsenal, who have already secured a Champions League qualification spot, will want to spoil City's party with a victory that would take a tight title race right to the final game of the season.
The Gunners have been formidable this season against top opposition and they have won more points in games involving the top three teams in the WSL this season (6 points) than both Man City and Chelsea (4 points each).
Recent history between the two sides shows City will need to muster a performance worthy of champions to beat an Arsenal side who already have silverware to their name this season. Beating Chelsea in the League Cup in Emma Hayes’ last season is a feat they want to replicate against City.
Arsenal have won their last two games against City in the WSL by a 2-1 scoreline and could become just the second team to win three in a row versus the Citizens in the competition after Chelsea, who did so between November 2021 and September 2022.
Gareth's Taylor's squad, however, shows no signs of letting up this season, with their consistency worthy of a championship-winning season.
Man City have won 14 straight league matches this season, with last week's 4-0 win at Bristol City moving them a step closer to the title. Arsenal, meanwhile, have won four, drawn one and lost one in their last six.
Hosts City have been almost flawless in front of their own fans this season with eight wins, one draw, and just one loss in 10 home Women's Super League contests.
City are hoping to extend a seven-match home winning streak dating back to November 2023, when an emphatic 7-0 win over Tottenham started this streak.
In league matches away from home this season, Arsenal have earned 17 points from 30 available (W5 D2 L3), so some would consider this the main reason they find themselves out of the title race at this stage.
They have recorded just two clean sheets on the road this season, their worst such total in a single campaign since 2014 (also 2).
A Blue Wall for City
A steadfast defence has made City almost impossible to beat, as they have not conceded more than once in any of their last 15 WSL games since a 2-1 away loss to Arsenal in November 2023. The last team to concede multiple goals in one or fewer matches across a single campaign were Chelsea in 2019-20 (once).
Khiara Keating has had a superb season in goal for City, keeping nine clean sheets in 20 appearances and conceding just 10 times.
Keating has faced 18.6 expected goals on target (xGOT), giving her a stunning goals prevented figure of 8.6 – she has kept out over eight more goals than would have been anticipated based on the quality of her shot-stopping – while she has a mightily impressive 81.8 save percentage.
In comparison, Arsenal’s goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger has struggled for form this term and conceded 16 goals from an xGOT of 14.9, giving her a goals prevented value of -1.1. Essentially, she has conceded one goal more than would have been anticipated based on the quality of chances she has faced.
Zinsberger has recorded five clean sheets, with a save percentage of 65.2 way down on the number of Keating – statistics that prove the importance of an elite goalkeeper if a team is to challenge for the title.
Attack is the best form of defence and City, who knew goal difference could be the difference between themselves and Chelsea this season, have been ruthless in front of goal.
However, they will have to see out the crucial last two games without the injured Khadija Shaw, who despite being ruled out for the rest of the season still looks nailed on to win the golden boot race with 21 goals for the season.
The Jamaican has greatly exceeded her 12.3 xG and has proven herself as one of the best strikers to play in the league's history.
Ones to Watch
Having scored four goals against Arsenal, Lauren Hemp has only netted more often in the competition versus Aston Villa and Everton (5 each); only two current WSL players have scored more times in the competition versus the Gunners: Toni Duggan (7) and Rachel Williams (6).
Behind Shaw, Hemp is City’s next top scorer, with nine goals from 19 games. Those goals have come from an xG of 5.1, proving Hemp’s finishing ability. Indeed, only Shaw (24) has more goal contributions for City this season than Hemp (16), who has also provided seven assists.
It is Chloe Kelly who leads the way for City when it comes to chances created, with 45 – six more than Hemp’s tally (39).
Kelly has now recorded both five goals and five assists for the second WSL season running (5 + 5 in 2023-24, 5 + 9 in 2022-23); since her first season in the competition for Manchester City in 2020-21 the Englishwoman has recorded more WSL assists than any other player (28).
Arsenal's signing of Alessia Russo at the start of the season seems to have paid off in her goal return. Russo has netted on 10 occasions, including three match-opening goals.
The attacker ranks fourth among the league's top scorers and has had 71 shots, more than any other player in Arsenal’s squad this season.
She has scored in each of her last three WSL appearances and, having never previously netted in four straight in the competition, now has the chance to set a personal record. The Arsenal forward has also now matched her goal return from last season at Manchester United by reaching double figures.
Despite being injured at the start of the season, Beth Mead has had another excellent campaign, directly contributing to 11 goals (eight goals, three assists).
The Gunners midfield will be looking to dominate the game. Victoria Pelova, in her first full season for Arsenal, has been the heart of the midfield with Kim Little. When it comes to assists, Pelova leads the way for Arsenal with five, having created 26 goalscoring opportunities for her team-mates.
But all eyes will be on Manchester City, who have won each of their last 14 WSL games, the joint-longest winning streak in the competition’s history alongside Arsenal’s run of 14 victories between March and November 2022.
Man City know a 15th win would not only break that record, but also put them on the brink of glory – they have the opportunity to become champions in their own hands and Taylor’s side are close to wrapping up a historic season.
Atletico Madrid must improve in top-four chase, says Simeone
Atletico Madrid need to step up in order to secure Champions League qualification, head coach Diego Simeone said ahead of Saturday's LaLiga trip to Mallorca.
Simeone’s men are fourth in the standings with 64 points, seven behind third-placed Girona with five matches left. Atletico lead Athletic Bilbao, in fifth place, by three points.
They were knocked out of the Champions League after a 5-4 quarter-final aggregate loss to Germany's Borussia Dortmund and Simeone feels the Spanish top flight is also getting more intense with every year.
"We are thinking about the game, hopefully we can be in the top four as we have been these years, but it is more difficult every day," Simeone told reporters at his pre-match press conference.
"There is improvement in the other teams, so we have to improve."
Atletico have struggled defensively this season, having failed to keep a clean sheet since a 5-0 home win over Las Palmas in February.
"When you talk about defence, people misunderstand and think that it's only the defenders," Simeone said.
"The defence is a team and we have conceded a lot of goals because we haven't been able to work as a team."
The Argentine said his team will have their work cut out to claim all three points against 16th-placed Mallorca.
"We have a tough opponent like Mallorca... they work with a coach who I admire for his calmness and his ability to compete," added Simeone.
"I admire those coaches. We will face a tough and difficult game.
"When the season is over and the accounts are closed, I'll be able to comment on how I feel and what I think about the objectives [since I took charge of Atletico]."
Emery demands Villa adapt after European defeat before Seagulls visit
Unai Emery says Aston Villa must adapt to the varying challenges of European and domestic football ahead of Sunday's Premier League meeting with an "amazing" Brighton at Amex Stadium.
Villa boss Emery has become renowned as somewhat of a European mastermind, having won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla and another when in charge of Villarreal.
Yet the Spaniard will have been disappointed as Villa slipped to a 4-2 home defeat against Olympiacos in Thursday's Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.
Emery acknowledged his Champions League-chasing Villa must prepare differently for different challenges in Europe as they prepare to return to domestic action against Brighton.
He said: "We want to grow up in Europe, playing Europa League and Champions League. I like it.
"The players have to adapt to that situation playing more matches than normal and then try to take experiences and manage those competitions and try to be successful in both."
European football is on the cards next term at Villa Park, too, with Emery's fourth-placed side seven points clear of Tottenham, who have played a game fewer.
Villa can move one step closer to an unlikely Champions League qualification with victory at Brighton, though Emery knows a tough task awaits against Roberto De Zerbi.
"The respect for Roberto de Zerbi is high," he added. "He is an amazing coach, he was playing very good last year.
"It is amazing how they play."
Brighton, meanwhile, are winless in six straight Premier League games and have been demolished by Bournemouth and Manchester City in recent weeks.
That winless run leaves the Seagulls 12th in the table and Brighton head coach De Zerbi is desperate for a response on Sunday, even if they are out of European contention.
"I spoke about motivation not because we want to go on holiday tomorrow or next week," De Zerbi said. "When the target is not so close it is tough to accept for a team who is used to fighting for the important target.
"This season until the Brentford game, until maybe the Burnley game, we have had the chance to qualify for another year in the Europe League.
"I think after that we lost something of energy and of motivation."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brighton – Joao Pedro
Brighton have not managed a goal from one of their own players since Danny Welbeck scored after just two minutes in the March 31 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.
De Zerbi may look to Joao Pedro to end that struggle, with the forward's eight league goals leading the club's scoring charts – though he has not scored since March 2 against Crystal Palace.
Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins has scored six goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Brighton, including a hat-trick in Villa’s 6-1 win earlier this season. It’s the most goals he’s netted against an opponent in the competition.
The England striker has also been involved in eight goals in his last five Premier League away games, scoring six and assisting two. His 10 Premier League away goals overall this season is the most of any English player in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN
The Opta supercomputer struggled to split these two sides in the pre-match predictions, though Villa are the narrow favourites for this one considering recent head-to-head clashes.
Emery's men won 6-1 in this season’s reverse Premier League fixture against Brighton – they last netted more than six against an opponent in 2020-21 vs Liverpool (8), while their most goals against an opponent in a season is 10 against Wimbledon in 1994-95.
Brighton have also lost their last five Premier League matches against Villa by an aggregate score of 14-3. The Seagulls last suffered six defeats in a row against a side between 2019 and 2022 against Man Utd.
Villa, meanwhile, will be looking to register six consecutive top-flight wins against an opponent for the first time since between 2005 and 2010 against fierce rivals Birmingham City.
The visitors may be confident of doing so given De Zerbi's men have lost their last two league games by an aggregate score of 7-0.
The Seagulls last lost more in a row in the competition in March 2022 (run of six – the third of which was at home to Villa), while they last conceded 3+ goals in three successive league matches in October 2011 as a Championship side.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brighton win – 35.4%
Aston Villa win – 35.7%
Draw – 28.9%
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