Premier League
EPL: WILL LIVERPOOL TOPPLE CITY AT FINISH POINT?
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE
Finally, the last day of the frenetic English Premier League 2018/19 season is here!
And for the eighth time in the EPL history, the title will be decided on the last day. On the seven previous occasions, the team on top of the table going into the last Matchday won the league. Manchester City have a point advantage over Liverpool.
Liverpool themselves were the last team to blow an advantage on the last day of the league in the old English Football First Division era when Arsenal won 2-0 at Anfield to lift the title in 1989.
This has been an extraordinary season for Liverpool during which they reach the UEFA Champions League final for the second time in a row, and in contention for the EPL title.
With the least number of defeats – only one to Manchester City – in the nine-month-long campaign and the third highest points tally in EPL history, the Reds of Anfield would not have needed to fight from a point behind City but for a series of draw games at a point in the term.
The race has been fierce between both sides, City winning their last 13 domestic league fixtures and Liverpool successful in eight of their last games. They have both not lost in the league since January.
Disappointed by their ousting by Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-finals, Pep Guardiola’s squad have their fate in their hands to win the next most important trophy. They know that lifting the League Cup – and another crown through the FA Cup – will not be enough to please their fans at the end of the season.
Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool also have all to play for. It will be so disappointing if such an impressive side end the season without a trophy, although they are 90 minutes away from Champions League glory and can still topple City at the finish line.
Liverpool have not won the EPL in its present format which started in 1992. They were last champions of England 29 years ago winning the then English Football League First Division beating Aston Villa to lift their 18th domestic league title.
The Reds came closest five seasons ago in the Luis Suárez era pushing Manchester City to the wire but finishing two points behind the Citizens. Then, Liverpool had led the league two weeks to the end but a loss and a draw in their last three matches, plus City claiming their final five matches gave the Manchester club a two-point advantage in the end.
Manchester City will remember the 2011/12 season, the last time the title was decided on the last day. By the final game on May 13, 2012, City and Manchester United of Sir Alex Ferguson were deadlocked on 86 points with the former having goal difference advantage – plus 63 against plus 55.
Roberto Mancini’s City played host to Queens Park Rangers, while United were away to Sunderland. Twenty minutes into the game at the Stadium of Light, Wayne Rooney had shot United ahead and on top of the league table. Twenty-nine minutes later, Pablo Zabaleta scored to get City back on the tabletop, only for Djibril Cisse to stun City nine minutes later and level scores, while United maintained their lead over Sunderland.
Despite going one man down with Joey Barton earning a red card, QPR shot ahead of City through Jamie Mackie in the 66th minutes. United fans went wild as their side maintained their one-nil result at Sunderland and were therefore three points clear of City going into the last 24 minutes of regulation time.
It was not until added time that City turned things around, first with Edin Dzeko levelling up in two minutes of added time. United’s match at the Stadium of Light ended ahead of City’s but their players and fans had to concentrate on the drama at the Etihad Stadium.
Sergio Leonel Agüero then pulled the trigger in five minutes of added time with perhaps the last kick of the match to deliver City’s first EPL as the club last won the then English Football League First Division in 1968.
For the other teams, the battle for Champions League places is virtually over. Whatever happens at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City, Chelsea are already in the top four, and even have the opportunity of returning to the elite European club competition through the Europa if they beat Arsenal in the final on May 29 in Baku.
It looks straightforward for Spurs as well ending up among the top four. But it’s not all over as their three points and plus eight goal advantage over fifth placed Arsenal can still be cancelled this last day. Should that seemingly impossible happen, Tottenham will only feature in the Champions League next season if they win it on June 1 in Madrid (versus Liverpool).
For Arsenal, a fifth placed finish is not even guaranteed as Manchester City are only a point behind. Only victory over Chelsea in Baku will return the Gunners to the Champions League since the 2016/17 season.
If they end up in fifth and fail to win the Europa Cup, Arsenal will feature in Europa League at the group stage only if Manchester City win the FA Cup, otherwise it will be Watford (City’s FA Cup final opponents) who will be in the group stage and Arsenal drop to the second qualifying round, which will be their starting point should they come sixth and not win Europa Cup.
United are guaranteed Europa League Football next season – either in the group stage (if they topple Arsenal at No 5 and City win the FA Cup) – or the second qualifying phase if they end up sixth or fifth plus Watford lifting the FA Cup.
Watford will only feature in the Europa League if they beat Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
The seventh place in the EPL, which goes to Wolves, is also significant. If City claim the FA Cup, the Hornets will start from the second round qualifying round but will be elevated to the group stage should honours go to Wolves with the sixth placed team dropping to the second round qualifiers.
This is one of the rare season closing day that there will be no relegation battle. Huddersfield Town, Fulham and Cardiff City are all playing their last EPL fixtures having already been relegated.
The fixtures…
- Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester City
- Burnley v Arsenal
- Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth
- Fulham v Newcastle United
- Leicester City v Chelsea
- Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Manchester United v Cardiff City
- Southampton v Huddersfield Town
- Tottenham v Everton
- Watford v West Ham United (all 3pm)
Manchester United cruised to a rare comfortable home Premier League victory as goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
With the pressure growing on manager Ruben Amorim after a disappointing start to the season, Mount calmed the nerves around the ground with a fine early finish to break the deadlock.
United continued to dominate, with a spectacular save from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs preventing Bruno Fernandes from adding a sumptuous second before Sesko netted his first Old Trafford goal after 31 minutes.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty late in the first half, a decision that was overturned following a VAR intervention, but they never really threatened after the break as United eased to a third home league victory of the season.
The result put United in provisional eighth place with 10 points from seven games, two places below Sunderland on 11.
Wins, especially comfortable ones, have been in short supply for Portuguese Amorim since he took charge in November.
United supporters have slowly started to turn on the new manager as a result, with nothing short of victory over promoted Sunderland, despite the visitors’ impressive start to the season, enough to appease the disgruntled masses.
Mount’s superb control and finish was just what the beleaguered boss needed. The fine strike was the earliest United have scored in the Premier League since Marcus Rashford’s goal at Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge.
It was only a matter of time until the hosts scored again, such was their dominance. From a long throw, Sesko was alert to the flick-on before steering home his second in as many games.
United thought they had shot themselves in the foot as Sesko was penalised for a high boot in his own penalty area, only for VAR to deem it not to be a foul.
The hosts took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still should have added to their tally, with veteran Brazilian Casemiro blazing their best chance over the bar.
Sunderland did manufacture a late gilt-edged chance but Senne Lammens, making his debut in the United goal, stood tall to block, completing an assured performance from the keeper and his new teammates.
-Reuters
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Premier League champions Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the eighth minute of added time as Manchester United and Chelsea suffered 3-1 defeats on Saturday.
United slumped at Brentford and 10-man Chelsea were beaten at home by Brighton & Hove Albion, who scored twice in stoppage time.
Manchester City thrashed Burnley 5-1 thanks to two own goals and a late brace from Erling Haaland while Leeds United were held to a 2-2 draw after Bournemouth equalised in added time through 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi.
There was also a late twist at Tottenham Hotspur when Joao Palhinha struck an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
LIVERPOOL SUFFER FIRST LOSS
Liverpool were on the back foot early on when Palace took the lead in the ninth minute through a set-piece when the ball fell to Ismaila Sarr who smashed it home.
Liverpool would have conceded more if not for goalkeeper Alisson while Jean-Philippe Mateta nearly made it 2-0 when he hit the post.
Although Liverpool equalised through Federico Chiesa in the 87th minute, fellow substitute Eddie Nketiah provided late drama when he scored the winner in the 97th minute, with Selhurst Park celebrating the goal twice after VAR confirmed he was not offside.
“The boys are in really good form and think we can win every game and today we showed that,” Nketiah told the BBC.
Palace ended the day in second place, three points behind leaders Liverpool although Arsenal can go second if they beat Newcastle United on Sunday.
OWN GOALS, HAALAND GIVE MAN CITY WIN
Burnley’s Maxime Esteve became only the sixth player to score two own goals in a Premier League game as City climbed up to fourth.
Esteve scored the first when he tried to deny Phil Foden but Jaidon Anthony made it 1-1 with a shot that deflected off Ruben Dias.
Matheus Nunes restored City’s lead with a close-range effort before Esteve’s second own goal came when he looked to stop Oscar Bobb from finding the net.
Haaland struck twice in the dying minutes to hand Burnley their biggest loss of the season.
MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE AT BRENTFORD
Bryan Mbeumo received a warm welcome from the Brentford fans as he returned to his former club for the first time since his move to Manchester United but the reception paled in comparison to the roars when the home side went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes.
Igor Thiago capitalised on United’s high line for the opener when Jordan Henderson sent him through on goal in the eighth minute, before the Brazilian forward grabbed his second when United keeper Altay Bayindir spilled a save right into his path.
United pulled one back when Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club but Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before Mathias Jensen put the game out of reach in added time with a rocket from outside the box.
“We didn’t control the game, we played the game of Brentford. We were really confused (on) second balls, first balls, set pieces,” United manager Ruben Amorim said.
“The crucial moments, they were against us. Tough to lose again.”
CHELSEA SEE RED AGAIN
Chelsea had a player sent off for a second time in as many league games when Trevoh Chalobah saw red for denying Brighton a goal-scoring opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea a 1-0 lead with a close-range header but Chalobah’s red card in the 53rd minute reduced the home side to 10 men and Brighton made it count when Danny Welbeck opened his account for the season with the equaliser.
Brighton capitalised again in the 92nd minute when Maxim De Cuyper powered home a header and the visitors sealed all three points when Welbeck scored in the 10th minute of added time.
Bournemouth took the lead at Leeds when Antoine Semenyo scored from a free kick but the home side made it 2-1 when Joe Rodon and Sean Longstaff netted either side of halftime.
With Leeds close to taking three points, Kroupi volleyed home from inside the box in the 93rd minute to lift Bournemouth into a group of three clubs on 11 points.
Sunderland moved to 11 points and fourth place by beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground to leave Forest’s new manager Ange Postecoglou winless after five games in charge.
Omar Alderete’s first-half goal was the difference between the two sides with Sunderland mounting a staunch rearguard action as Forest laid siege to their goal.
Wolves were seconds away from earning their first win of the season after losing their opening five games in their worst ever start to a league campaign.
They led through Santiago Bueno’s scrappy goal early in the second half but Palhinha guided in a superb finish to send Tottenham to third place on goal difference.
-Reuters
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his side must match the level of urgency they showed against Chelsea on Saturday if they are to keep on winning.
Having tasted victory just once this season going into the game, on the back of their lowest top-flight league finish last term since they were relegated in 1973-74, the pressure was on Amorim ahead of Chelsea’s visit in the Premier League.
The early dismissal of Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gave United the platform to earn a vital win with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro but the performance, from the off, reached levels of intensity that had been lacking in recent struggles.
“Sometimes we have some moments that we feel an urgency to have a result,” Amorim said. “Today we won, it’s nice to win, but let’s not forget that return to that urgency in our game.
“We need to win the next game. That is the most important thing. In this big club it’s not a feeling that today is a really good game, let’s relax a little bit. Let’s keep that urgency. That is the most important feeling we have to take for the next week.”
In true United fashion, the hosts still made things difficult for themselves from a seemingly unassailable position, 2-0 in front with a numerical advantage in the driving Manchester rain.
Casemiro’s sending-off late in the first half gave the visitors a lifeline, with Trevoh Chalobah’s header ensuring a nervy finish at an expectant Old Trafford.
“We showed that when everything is going well, we arrange something to make it difficult,” Amorim said. “But we suffered together in the end. That was a good thing, if you look at the game we deserved to win.
“We were trying to do things a little bit too much, making a tackle that maybe we shouldn’t. It’s hard to say, because that is the pressure. I feel more pressure in some young guys sometimes.
“Maybe it’s because Casemiro cares. We score one and he has that tackle. Sometimes it’s not the pressure, they wanted too much in that moment.”
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