Manuel Akanji has his sights firmly set on the treble after Manchester City took a huge stride towards becoming only the second English side to achieve that feat.
City ruthlessly swept aside 14-time European kings Real Madrid 4-0 on Wednesday to power into next month’s Champions League final.
With the team also on the brink of securing their fifth Premier League title in six seasons and through to the FA Cup final, a glorious end to the season is on the cards.
Claiming all three trophies would see them emulate the achievement of rivals Manchester United – coincidentally their FA Cup opponents at Wembley – in 1999.
City defender Akanji, who joined the club from Borussia Dortmund in September, said: “First we have got to win the Premier League. That’s what we can do on the weekend and I hope we are going to do it.
“Then it’s two finals and we want to win both of them.
“It would be unbelievable. It is my first season here. It is the best team I have ever played in and we have been really confident in the second part of the season.
“I think we’ve done a really good job but we’ve got to keep it up until the end.”
Victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday would see City clinch the Premier League with two games to spare.
Manager Pep Guardiola would then have the luxury of being able to rest or rotate players ahead of their finals, against United on June 3 and Inter Milan in Istanbul a week later.
Their stunning performance against Real, when they trampled all over the most successful club in European competition history to complete a 5-1 aggregate win, puts them at short odds to complete all three.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Switzerland defender Akanji, who was responsible for City’s third goal after his glancing header was deflected in by Eder Militao. “From the first minute we stepped on the court we were confident.
“I think at home, in all the knockout games, we have had pretty impressive wins. It shows how good we are here and now we have got to do this at the weekend as well to bring home the Premier League and then two other titles too.”
Bernardo Silva set up City’s victory with two first-half goals and Julian Alvarez completed the rout late on.
Bernardo Silva is determined to right a wrong after firing Manchester City back to the Champions League final.
The Portugal playmaker struck twice as City overpowered Real Madrid 4-0 in the second leg of their semi-final on Wednesday to set up a clash with Inter Milan in next month’s Istanbul showpiece.
It marks a return to the final for City two years on from their disappointing loss to Chelsea on European club football’s top night and Silva wants to ensure the result is different this time.
The 28-year-old said: “The final of the Champions League is always an unbelievable occasion.
“I’ve only played it once and the outcome was wasn’t very happy for me. Let’s try and change that.
“We know that we play against a very tough team. I watched their game on Tuesday and they are very organised collectively.
“We’re going to study them, follow the manager’s plan once again and try to, individually and collectively, put out the best possible performance, like this one, to be as close as possible to winning that game.”
City produced one of the greatest performances in the club’s history to move a step closer to winning the competition for the first time.
Real Madrid, the holders and 14-time winners of the trophy, had no answer to City’s dizzying combination of movement, speed, strength and cutting edge.
City made a blistering start and maintained the intensity throughout. Silva put them into a thoroughly deserved lead after 23 minutes and added a second before the interval.
An Eder Militao own goal and late Julian Alvarez strike made the scoreline 5-1 on aggregate and truly reflective of their superiority. Victory could have been even more emphatic with Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois making three fine saves to deny Erling Haaland.
City’s display ensured sweet revenge for their loss to the same opponents in the semi-finals last year.
“I’m very happy because the performance was amazing,” Silva said. “From minute one, the pressure that we put on Real Madrid’s defence – we pushed them back and we created lots of chances.
“And with our people – the energy – we felt the momentum that we created. It helped a lot.
“The second half started in a weird way where they put us under a bit of pressure but I think the team was very resilient, very organised, and the difference from this year to last year was the chances – we created most of them. We took them and we scored the goals.”
The Champions League final could be the crowning moment of a glorious treble for Pep Guardiola’s City this season.
They will claim the first of the three trophies they are chasing if they beat Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
Silva said: “Yes, with our people again. Hopefully we can give them another happy day and give them the special moment of winning five (Premier Leagues) in six years, which is not easy in this country.
“We’re going to rest, sleep well, eat well and prepare well to be at our best and give that happiness to them because they deserve it.”
Manchester City moved within three wins of the treble by thrashing Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Pep Guardiola’s side need one victory from their three remaining Premier League fixtures to secure the title, while they can also win the FA Cup and Champions League by beating Manchester United and Inter Milan respectively.
City are seeking to emulate their local rivals United who achieved glory on the same three fronts under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1998-99.
Here the PA news agency compares the two sides.
Premier League
There are several parallels between this season’s title race and 1998-99.
Neither City nor United topped the table for a prolonged period until the second half of the campaign and both trailed Arsenal at various points during the run-in.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners were eight points clear of Guardiola’s side with nine games to go at the beginning of April, while Arsenal were three points ahead of Ferguson’s men with two matches remaining in 1999 – although both City and United had a game in hand.
Just as United edged out Arsene Wenger’s team with a 20-match unbeaten run, City have gone 14 Premier League games without defeat to move within touching distance of claiming a fifth title in six years.
Statistically, Guardiola’s treble-chasers have had the better season. They have amassed 85 points and scored 92 goals with three fixtures still to play, while United ended the campaign with 79 points and 80 goals scored.
Dwight Yorke top-scored for Ferguson’s side with 18 goals, which is half as many as Erling Haaland has managed for City (36).
That said, Andy Cole (17) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (12) also reached double figures for United, while only Phil Foden (10) has done so for City.
Defensively, Guardiola’s men have conceded 31 goals so far – the joint-fewest in the league alongside Newcastle. United shipped 37 goals in 1998-99, which was more than Arsenal (17), Chelsea (30) and Leeds (34).
Champions League
City topped their group ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Copenhagen, while United finished second behind Bayern Munich but ahead of Barcelona and Brondby.
Guardiola’s side have since gone on to beat RB Leipzig, Bayern and Real Madrid over two legs, thanks mainly to crushing home wins in each tie.
Ferguson’s men had fewer rounds to negotiate in 1999 – when the Champions League was contested by 24 teams rather than 32 – but they still had to get past Inter Milan and Juventus across two legs before facing Bayern in the final.
United’s European campaign was considerably bumpier than City’s, who have scored 31 goals and conceded only five on their path to the final.
The Red Devils – by contrast – lifted the trophy having scored 29 and conceded 16.
While City are yet to concede more than once in a Champions League game this season, United were involved in several high-scoring thrillers including a pair of 3-3 draws against Barcelona in the group stage and a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Juventus in the semi-final second leg.
FA Cup
As with the Champions League, City’s route to the final has been largely serene while United’s 1998-99 campaign was filled with trials and tribulations.
Guardiola’s team have cruised past Chelsea, Arsenal, Bristol City, Burnley and Sheffield United without conceding a goal, becoming the first side to reach the final with a perfect defensive record since Everton in 1965-66.
Meanwhile, as well as coming back from a goal down against Middlesbrough and Liverpool in rounds three and four, United needed replays to see off Chelsea in the quarter-finals and Arsenal in the semis.
The latter victory was especially dramatic, with Peter Schmeichel saving a Dennis Bergkamp penalty to keep the game at 1-1 and Ryan Giggs scoring a fantastic solo goal in extra time.
Manchester City moved within three wins of the treble by thrashing Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Pep Guardiola’s side need one victory from their three remaining Premier League fixtures to secure the title, while they can also win the FA Cup and Champions League by beating Manchester United and Inter Milan respectively.
City are seeking to emulate their local rivals United who achieved glory on the same three fronts under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1998-99.
Here the PA news agency compares the two sides.
Premier League
There are several parallels between this season’s title race and 1998-99.
Neither City or United topped the table for a prolonged period until the second half of the campaign and both trailed Arsenal at various points during the run-in.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners were eight points clear of Guardiola’s side with nine games to go at the beginning of April, while Arsenal were three points ahead of Ferguson’s men with two matches remaining in 1999 – although both City and United had a game in hand.
Just as United edged out Arsene Wenger’s team with a 20-match unbeaten run, City have gone 14 Premier League games without defeat to move within touching distance of claiming a fifth title in six years.
Statistically, Guardiola’s treble-chasers have had the better season. They have amassed 85 points and scored 92 goals with three fixtures still to play, while United ended the campaign with 79 points and 80 goals scored.
Dwight Yorke top-scored for Ferguson’s side with 18 goals, which is half as many as Erling Haaland has managed for City (36).
That said, Andy Cole (17) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (12) also reached double figures for United, while only Phil Foden (10) has done so for City.
Defensively, Guardiola’s men have conceded 31 goals so far – the joint-fewest in the league alongside Newcastle. United shipped 37 goals in 1998-99, which was more than Arsenal (17), Chelsea (30) and Leeds (34).
Champions League
City topped their group ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Copenhagen, while United finished second behind Bayern Munich but ahead of Barcelona and Brondby.
Guardiola’s side have since gone on to beat RB Leipzig, Bayern and Real Madrid over two legs, thanks mainly to crushing home wins in each tie.
Ferguson’s men had fewer rounds to negotiate in 1999 – when the Champions League was contested by 24 teams rather than 32 – but they still had to get past Inter Milan and Juventus across two legs before facing Bayern in the final.
United’s European campaign was considerably bumpier than City’s, who have scored 31 goals and conceded only five on their path to the final.
The Red Devils – by contrast – lifted the trophy having scored 29 and conceded 16.
While City are yet to concede more than once in a Champions League game this season, United were involved in several high-scoring thrillers including a pair of 3-3 draws against Barcelona in the group stage and a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Juventus in the semi-final second leg.
FA Cup
As with the Champions League, City’s route to the final has been largely serene while United’s 1998-99 campaign was filled with trials and tribulations.
Guardiola’s team have cruised past Chelsea, Arsenal, Bristol City, Burnley and Sheffield United without conceding a goal, becoming the first side to reach the final with a perfect defensive record since Everton in 1965-66.
Meanwhile, as well as coming back from a goal down against Middlesbrough and Liverpool in rounds three and four, United needed replays to see off Chelsea in the quarter-finals and Arsenal in the semis.
The latter victory was especially dramatic, with Peter Schmeichel saving a Dennis Bergkamp penalty to keep the game at 1-1 and Ryan Giggs scoring a wonder goal in extra time.
What the papers say
Paris St Germain are looking into making a fresh bid for Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, according to the Daily Telegraph. After this season the 28-year-old, who scored twice against Real Madrid on Wednesday, will have two years left on his contract. The fee is expected to be £70million.
The papers continue to discuss Declan Rice‘s future. The Telegraph says Arsenal are preparing a £92m offer for the West Ham midfielder – which would be a club-record transfer – while the Daily Mirror reports Bayern Munich are also interested in the 24-year-old England international.
Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp is “desperate” to keep James Milner at Liverpool, the Mirror reports, adding that the 37-year-old midfielder has been offered a coaching role at Anfield. Brighton and his former club Leeds are said to be interested in signing Milner.
Metro reports via Italian publication Il Mattino that Manchester United have moved a step closer to signing Napoli defender Kim Min-jae after agreeing personal terms. The 26-year-old only joined the club last summer in a £17m deal from Fenerbahce.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Martin Odegaard: 90min reports the 24-year-old Arsenal and Norway midfielder is set to sign a new deal with his club.
Albert Sambi Lokonga: The Daily Express says the 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder could be interested in a move to Burnley to be reunited with his former Anderlecht manager Vincent Kompany.
Manchester City are celebrating a return to the Champions League final after crushing holders Real Madrid with one of the greatest performances in the club’s history.
Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing side overwhelmed the 14-time European champions 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, booking their place in next month’s Istanbul showpiece 5-1 on aggregate.
Victory was as convincing as the scoreline suggests with Madrid struggling to live with the pace and power of City and grateful to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for preventing an even bigger landslide.
Bernardo Silva set City on their way to a final date against Inter Milan with two first-half goals before Eder Militao turned into his own net and Julian Alvarez added a late fourth.
City will now hope to lift the trophy and make amends for their loss in the 2021 final as part of what could be a glorious treble.
The first of those trophies could come on Sunday if they beat Chelsea to clinch the Premier League with the FA Cup final against Manchester United on June 3.
City manager Guardiola said: “In the Premier League we are close, we know we need one more game.
“We play against our neighbours and against an Italian team in the finals. The season is really, really good. Now we have to lift it. We are close and of course we are going to try.”
Last week’s semi-final first leg against Madrid in the Bernabeu Stadium had been an even contest.
City dominated possession for large spells but Real were more incisive on the counter-attack.
This time City refused to allow their opponents to sit back and feel comfortable soaking up pressure. They were far more dynamic and the Spanish giants could not handle their speed and movement.
The resounding win made for sweet revenge for City’s heartbreaking loss to Real and the same stage last season.
Guardiola said: “It was really tough losing the way we lost. In that moment we had to swallow poison but football and sport always gives you another chance.
“When the draw was Madrid, I said, ‘yeah I want it’.
“Everything was there – the energy we had from a year of being criticised as players for not having character when we lost.”
Carlo Ancelotti, coach of the dethroned champions, could not begrudge City their victory.
“I think that Manchester City deserved to win because they played better than us,” the Italian said.
Pep Guardiola says revenge for last season’s semi-final heartache fuelled treble-chasing Manchester City as they sealed a place in the Champions League final in style against Real Madrid.
A June 10 clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul beckons after a spectacular display of skill, strength and nous at a rocking Etihad Stadium against the reigning champions on Wednesday.
City drew 1-1 with Champions League kings Madrid last week and ran out 4-0 victors as Bernardo Silva’s brace was complemented by an own goal from Eder Militao and substitute Julian Alvarez’s effort in a stunning last-four display.
The 5-1 aggregate triumph felt particularly sweet after City’s 2021 final loss to Chelsea was compounded by last year’s agonising semi-final exit to Madrid.
“Listen, I had the feeling these last days that we had a mix of calm and tension to play this type of game,” Guardiola said of that heart-breaking late 6-5 aggregate extra-time loss last term.
“After 10 or 15 minutes, I had the feeling that all the pain that we had during one year from what happened last season was there today.
“It was so hard and tough last season when we played quite similar to today and I remember Toni Kroos gave an interview saying they could have lost 10-1 or 10-2 at the Etihad.
“Kroos is one of the best players I have ever seen and trained and when he says that it means we were there and it was really tough losing the way we lose.
“In that moment, we had to swallow poison and football and sport always gives you another chance.
“When the draw was Madrid, I said ‘yeah I want it’. I wanted it because I think today everything was there – the energy we had from a year of being criticised as players for not having character when we lost because it was football.
“Today it was there and I’m pleased for the whole organisation – for the chairman, owner, staff and especially all the players because we accepted the defeat and today we were there.”
City are overwhelming favourites with bookmakers to beat Inter, just as they are to lift the FA Cup against rivals Manchester United seven days before that date with destiny in Turkey.
Guardiola’s men are also odds-on to complete the treble, which they can kick off this weekend by wrapping up the Premier League title against Chelsea.
“We are one game away from winning the Premier League for three years in a row, and we have been in two Champions League finals and one semi-final,” he said.
“That is consistency. I always put the example of being Carabao Cup winners for four years in a row. That means the level of this team.
“There is one incredible detail in this team that I’m so proud of – they are so humble. It doesn’t matter the competition, they take every game seriously because they are so humble.
“I hate arrogance in sport, the moment that you believe you are something you are not. These guys have not done this for many years and today we got the reward they deserve.
“A final against an Italian team, people will say we are favourites and that is the worst that can happen but we have time to prepare and now we focus on Chelsea because we have to try to close the Premier League as soon as possible because we have to prepare for United and Inter Milan.”
As for dethroned champions Madrid, manager Carlo Ancelotti had no arguments with City’s progression.
“I think that tonight Manchester City deserved to win because they played better than us,” the Italian said.
“Last season was different. This season they deserve to reach the final and fight for the final. They were better than us as we were better than them last season.”
Bernardo Silva struck twice in the first half as Manchester City produced a sensational performance to dethrone holders Real Madrid and reach the Champions League final.
Eder Militao also turned into his own net and Julian Alvarez added another late on as City claimed a comprehensive 4-0 win at the Etihad Stadium to power into next month’s Istanbul showpiece 5-1 on aggregate.
City’s victory was every bit as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests with the 14-time European champions struggling to live with the pace and movement of Pep Guardiola’s mesmeric side.
Toni Kroos did hit the woodwork at 1-0 but it was a rare bright moment from a Real team that was simply overwhelmed.
It was sweet revenge for City after defeat at the same stage last season and the upcoming final against Inter Milan could now be the crowning glory of a magnificent treble.
Manchester City and Real Madrid meet again on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some talking points ahead of the decisive encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
Evenly-matched sides
The tie is evenly poised after last week’s 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu. City proved they can dominate in terms of possession but Real were sharp on the counter. Home advantage favours City but Real’s pedigree and history, with 14 European titles to their name, often comes to the fore. These aspects could cancel each other out, leaving neither side with a distinct edge over the other. The outcome is in the balance and could go either way.
Potent attacking forces
Both sides will need to be wary of each other’s attacking weapons. For City the partnership between the prolific Erling Haaland and the irrepressible Kevin De Bruyne is key. When the pair are in tune – and they often are – few can handle them. With the likes of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva adding to the supply lines, there is little opportunity to switch off when playing them. Yet Real boast a fearsome front line themselves in Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and the exciting young Brazilian talents of Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior.
Tactical planning
For the start of the game at least, City would appear to have little reason to deviate from the approach which served them well last week. They played patiently and the chances eventually came. With the talent they have on the field, they should be confident enough to take their opportunities. Yet there were options on the bench last week which could make a difference if Real continue to frustrate. Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez have all shone at different times this season and could give the hosts extra thrust. Real may also stick to the same tactic of soaking up pressure and looking to counter quickly. They even have Eder Militao back from suspension to bolster the rearguard.
Past meetings
City have played down the revenge aspect of the encounter, but last year’s loss to Real at the same stage did hurt, and they would undoubtedly love to get them back. However, this time the second leg is at home, where they have already proved they can overcome the Spanish giants. They beat them 4-3 in the semi-final first leg last year and 2-1 in the 2020 quarter-finals.
Managerial head-to-head
The game will be settled on the pitch but there is no doubting that the managers are big factors in the occasion. Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti are two of the most experienced and successful in the game. Guardiola won the Champions League twice with Barcelona but has continually fallen short with City – the 2021 final being the closest he has come – with suggestions he has often ‘overthought’ things tactically after surprise losses to the likes of Monaco, Tottenham and Lyon. Ancelotti has won the competition four times, twice each with AC Milan and Real Madrid.
Kyle Walker feels Manchester City owe it to club owner Sheikh Mansour to win the Champions League.
City are eyeing up European club football’s top prize once again after years of near misses in their quest to land the trophy for the first time.
Losing to Chelsea in the final two years ago is the closest they have come, but Wednesday brings another opportunity to reach the showpiece fixture as they host Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final.
The tie is delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital last week.
City have won the Premier League six times since the sheikh bought the club in 2008 – and are on the brink of a seventh domestic title – but the Champions League has long been viewed as their ‘holy grail’.
Right-back Walker said: “The club is missing that one and, (with) the owners and the amount of money they have pumped into this club and the investment they have done, we owe that to them.
“To get to the Champions League final against Chelsea and not perform as well as we can, we owe that to ourselves and get some revenge for ourselves because we know that was below par on that day.
“But we have a tough opponent to get past to get to the Champions League final. It’s a ‘final’, anything can happen. The first thing is getting past Real Madrid and then let’s see about the final.”
City dominated the first leg at the Bernabeu in terms of possession, but Real were incisive on the counter-attack and created more clear-cut opportunities.
Walker was involved in a tough battle with the pacey Vinicius Junior, who scored Real’s goal, and the City defender is relishing another encounter with the Brazilian.
The pair embraced in a sign of respect after last week’s meeting, but Walker has revealed there was also extra significance in the gesture.
He said: “I went to hug him because he tried to rainbow flick me, so it was kind of like, ‘Please don’t try that again – I don’t want to be a meme’.
“But boxers fight, have a good battle, and then they shake hands after, and that is the level of respect I do have for him.
“It’s the same with any other player, when it is a good game, you go and give them that level of respect because they deserve it.
“I will give him the respect he deserves (after the final whistle), but before then it is dog eat dog.
“It is a personal battle where you are coming up against one of the best players in the world.
“I have faced many over the years who have been just as good as him, but I think he is in the best form of his life, so whoever is picked to play in that position to defend against him it is going to be a great battle.”
It could be a memorable week for City, who will also retain the Premier League title if they beat Chelsea on Sunday.
Walker said: “I think it is big to everyone in that dressing room. We know the goals at the end of it – it is a massive week for the club.”
Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is hopeful of their treble chances as he believes Pep Guardiola’s side “deserve many things”.
If City beat Real Madrid on Wednesday they will be in their second Champions League final in three seasons, and that will quickly be followed by the chance to lift a fifth Premier League title in six years on Sunday with a victory over Chelsea.
A first all-Manchester FA Cup final awaits on June 3 and, after a key weekend in which Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton gave City the opportunity to win the Premier League at home with two matches to spare, Laporte admits the focus is narrowing.
View this post on Instagram“It’s massive for us and important for the season,” he said of the 3-0 win over Everton on Sunday which set up next weekend’s potential celebration at the Etihad Stadium.
“We deserve many things. Hopefully we can get the treble, but we have to be focused in every single game, do what we have done in the last few weeks even more.”
A key figure in recent matches has been midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who scored twice for the second successive game while also providing an assist for Erling Haaland in the win at Everton.
Guardiola has praised his captaincy skills, admitting the German does not say a lot but when he does his team-mates listen with the 32-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, preferring to lead by example.
It is why Gundogan is probably the most grounded of the treble-chasing squad as, when asked what is required from them for the rest of the season, he said: “To keep the group calm and not get too over-excited.
“It’s a game every three or four days so there’s not a lot of time to recover so we have to try to make the most out of it.
“We know in the final stages of the season we need every single player. It doesn’t matter who’s playing, it’s about the group and the support for each other.
“If we can keep the spirits in that way, it can be an amazing end to the season for us.”
Ilkay Gundogan helped himself to a superb double as Manchester City edged closer to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons with a 3-0 win at Everton.
As a result of their victory on Merseyside and Arsenal’s 3-0 home defeat by Brighton, a maximum of three more points from their remaining three matches, the first of them at home to Chelsea next Sunday, will secure the trophy once again.
Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men could be crowned champions on Saturday evening should the Gunners lose at Nottingham Forest, and even a draw at the City Ground would effectively end the race as a result of City’s superior goal difference after a straightforward afternoon at Goodison Park.
Gundogan took his tally to four in two matches with an expertly-executed over-the-shoulder volley and an exquisite curling free-kick.
In between, Erling Haaland scored his almost mandatory goal to make it 52 for the season, with former Everton centre-forward Dixie Dean’s record of 63 still realistically within his reach.
Arsenal, however, could not follow suit in a game boss Mikel Arteta admitted before kick-off was a must-win affair as second-half goals by Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan earned Brighton a stunning win at the Emirates Stadium.
After a keenly-contested first half, Arsenal fell behind to Enciso’s 51st-minute header and, as they desperately sought a way back into the game, the hosts were picked off by Undav and then Estupinan in a devastating display by the visitors, who are themselves on the brink of qualifying for Europe for the first time.
Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa ensured West Ham are still not mathematically assured of their place in next season’s top flight after Brentford eased to a 2-0 victory.
David Moyes made nine changes ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar but saw his side come up short against a Bees line-up deprived of the services of 20-goal striker Ivan Toney by injury, with Mbeumo and Wissa both scoring before half-time.
Danny Ings thought he had reduced the deficit after the break, but his tap-in was controversially disallowed for handball by Divin Mubama following a VAR review.
Brighton handed Manchester City the chance to clinch the Premier League title next weekend as the latest round of fixtures yielded a potentially decisive twist.
The Seagulls’ breath-taking victory at Arsenal left City four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand, meaning they can clinch the trophy for a fifth time with a home win over struggling Chelsea next Sunday.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at an eventful weekend which also saw Southampton slip out of the top flight.
Seagulls soaring
Brighton’s remarkable 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium may have been celebrated in the blue half of Manchester, but certainly not the red, nor on Tyneside or Merseyside. The Seagulls not only dented the Gunners’ title hopes, but dragged themselves back on to the fringes of the hunt for Champions League qualification with the perfect response to Monday’s shock 5-1 drubbing by Everton, edging to within four points of the Reds and eight of United and the Magpies with a game in hand on all three.
Top Gun
If Manchester City do go on to clinch the title, they will have done so with a significant helping hand from skipper Ilkay Gundogan. The 32-year-old Germany international’s double secured a 2-1 win over Leeds last weekend – and it might have been better had he converted a penalty gifted to him by Erling Haaland – and he repeated the feat in sublime style in Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Everton to further underline his importance to Pep Guardiola.
A spot of bother
Should renowned firefighter Sam Allardyce fail in his mission to drag Leeds to safety, he and his players will inevitably lose sleep over an eventful afternoon at Elland Road when Newcastle came to call. Already leading through Luke Ayling’s early strike, the home side passed up a glorious opportunity to extend their advantage when Nick Pope saved Patrick Bamford’s penalty, and their afternoon might have ended in defeat after Magpies frontman Callum Wilson showed him how to do it from the spot not once, but twice before Rasmus Kristensen’s late equaliser snatched a 2-2 draw.
Eze does it
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Crystal Palace’s reliance on Wilfried Zaha in recent seasons has piled huge weight on the Ivory Coast international’s shoulders, but in Eberechi Eze, they appear to have found someone to share the burden. The 24-year-old scored both goals in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Bournemouth, the first with an assured finish after Jordan Ayew had flicked on Zaha’s cross, and the second a stunning solo effort, to take his tally to six in his last seven appearances.
That sinking feeling
If further proof were needed that changing manager twice during a Premier League season is not necessarily a good idea, it was provided on Saturday when Southampton slipped out of the top flight with barely a whimper after a 2-0 home defeat by Fulham. Between them, Ralph Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles have managed to win only six of the 36 league games the Saints have played to date and collected just 24 points.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was unhappy with Everton defender Yerry Mina for what he implied were underhand and unsporting tactics during their 3-0 win at Goodison Park.
The Colombia international was involved in one visible incident with Aymeric Laporte at a corner in the first half in which the City centre-back slapped his opponent in the stomach following an altercation and Mina fell to the floor.
But at the final whistle Guardiola confronted the Everton defender and remonstrated with him as he followed him off the pitch. All City’s players also refused to shake Mina’s hand.
While Guardiola refused to say what Mina had actually done, his unhappiness appeared to centre on the Colombian’s handling of opponents.
“Mina? It’s not necessary what he does. Away from the football, it is not necessary to do what he does every single game,” said Guardiola.
“And I told him, ‘You are a good enough player to avoid these kind of things’.”
Asked to elaborate on his complaints, the City boss added: “He knows. Ask him. This is not physical, this is not mental.
“There are things that are not necessary to do that he does. This time with Aymeric, Jack (Grealish), everybody. Ask him. Invite him to the press conference.”
The row detracted from the ease with which City dealt with Everton, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring twice for the second game running either side of the obligatory goal – his 52nd of the season – from Erling Haaland.
Gundogan is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but Guardiola is more than happy for him to captain the side, as he did at Goodison where he led from the front with two superbly-taken goals.
“He can show again and again and again the quality and importance and his commitment, to all of us, to the club, not just scoring goals, now he has his momentum,” said Guardiola, who wants the Germany international to extend his stay.
“He doesn’t talk much, but when he talks everyone listens and this is the power of the leader. He show his leadership in every training session – arriving on time, living 24 hours your job and play like he is playing.
“He is a player that when he gets close to the box he has an incredible sense of goal. He can play as a holding midfielder no problem, he proved it years ago when Fernandinho was injured, he played in games like Burnley, long balls, you think you need a physical player, but he is so clever and he is a guy who handles the pressure well.”
Everton manager Sean Dyche said he was unaware of any allegations against Mina and the player had not mentioned anything to him.
“If he did it all the time, I wouldn’t know where he had seen it because he (Mina) hasn’t been on the pitch for weeks,” he said.
City’s 11th successive league victory leaves them requiring a maximum of six points for a fifth title in six seasons.
They inflicted a record 10th home league defeat of the season on Everton, who remain 17th and a point above Leeds, but of equal concern was the withdrawal of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin at half-time.
While the England international has scored only one goal in five games since returning from two-and-half months out with a hamstring injury, he has provided a much-needed focal point and performances have improved as a result.
Dyche, who realistically has to find one win from their two remaining matches against Wolves and Bournemouth, said he took the injury-prone striker off as a precaution.
“I had to make a call because he felt his groin and tight groins can lead to damaged groins,” he said.
“It would have been harder at 0-0 than 2-0. He wanted to carry on, but I said, ‘Dom, you are coming off’.”
On his side’s display, in which they did not trouble City, he added: “A lot of the performance was right against a top side, but you get punished if you make the slightest mistake.
“We arguably had the best chance with Mason Holgate (who missed a difficult close-range opportunity at 0-0).
“There were some outstanding performances, Dwight (McNeil) was outstanding, Doucs (Abdoulaye Doucoure), Conor (Coady) came on and affected it in a change of shape (to a 5-4-1).”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident his side can close the gap to Manchester City next season.
Wild inconsistencies in results – beating Manchester United 7-0 and Bournemouth 9-0 but losing to struggling Leeds, their only home defeat of the season – had left the Reds 20 points adrift of the Premier League leaders going into the weekend.
It has been more common for the two to push each other all the way to the final day of the season, Liverpool twice coming second by just a point, and despite their most recent troubles Klopp expects normal service to be resumed when the new campaign kicks off in August.
“There are two games a season, maybe with cups three, four or five, when you play City, Arsenal and the others,” he said ahead of the trip to struggling Leicester.
“There are five million ways to win a football game, you only have to find one. A successful season is you are ready for all the games, that you can win 25-odd games.
“If City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, Man United are all involved in that 25 then it is even better.
“But it is about can we create a team who can win the majority of the games? Yes, we can. It was never about what the other teams do.
“We didn’t become champions by a point twice and there will be some people who say it was because we didn’t have this player in that moment.
“Getting 90-odd points is absolutely insane, pretty special, and no one should take these things for granted.
“The top seven get even closer together, it will be more difficult and more competitive.
“It doesn’t make it easier but everyone with a good idea has a chance to be part of it. If you are part of the battle up there then you can win it as well.”
Liverpool’s current six-match winning run, their best sequence for more than a year, has given a glimpse of the level the side used to – and Klopp believes will again – play at.
The Reds boss has spoken regularly in recent weeks about using the end to the campaign as a platform for next season and has been pleased with the way his squad have responded.
“We show it in six weeks. I’m happy that this question has come and you don’t ask me, ‘how is it you can play such rubbish football for so long?’,” he added.
“I never questioned these boys. Never. Mentality-wise these boys are exceptional but we still couldn’t deliver for long periods of the season consistently good, successful football.
“Is that normal for human beings? The period was a bit too long, but yes.
“For everyone it is a relief to go again, to be winning again in a convincing way and not (having to) scrap three points.
“We have a clear idea of what we want to do and I saw so many good things we could build on.
“Nothing for Match of the Day, it won’t show up there, but I saw so many things in these games.
“I’m absolutely fine with the reaction now but we all think it was a bit too long until we showed it.
“All we can do is go for the last three games and make the best of what we have so far.”
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