Premier League
CHELSEA TIGHTEN GRIP ON FOURTH PLACE AS MAN CITY ARE ON BRINK OF PREMIERSHIP TITLE
Manchester City were on the brink of clinching the Premier League title after a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday (May 1), while Chelsea maintained their hold on fourth place after beating Fulham by the same scoreline.
Pep Guardiola’s side moved 13 points clear at the top thanks to second-half goals from Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres at Selhurst Park.
City will be crowned English champions for the third time in four seasons if second-placed Manchester United lose at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
If United avoid defeat, City can seal the title with a victory against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium next Saturday.
City, who surrendered the title to Liverpool last season, overcame a mediocre first half with two goals in 84 seconds.
Aguero, making only his sixth league start of an injury-plagued season, broke the deadlock in the 57th minute when he ran onto Benjamin Mendy’s long pass and slammed a half-volley into the roof of the net from 10 yards.
It was only his fourth goal of what club record scorer Aguero has announced will be his final season with City.
Spanish forward Torres gave a glimpse of his potential when he fired home from the edge of the area in the 59th minute.
City’s 11th successive away victory in the Premier League equalled the English top-flight record.
They ere languishing in 14th place in late November but a blistering run since then has carried them to the brink of a third title in four seasons.
‘Put it in the fridge’
The treble chasers could also add the Champions League to that haul.
On Tuesday, City will attempt to reach their first Champions League final when they defend a 2-1 lead in the semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
“We can start to think about it and put it in the fridge. The Premier League is already there, it is in our hands. We need one more victory,” Guardiola said.
“I’m absolutely delighted with that after the Champions League. We could not play with much rhythm. We struggled a little bit but in the second half we deserved it.
“I will check on the Liverpool game. It’s in our hands and now we will give everything to beat PSG.”
Meanwhile, Kai Havertz’s double saw Chelsea beat struggling Fulham in the west London derby as they warmed-up for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid with a convincing win.
The German playmaker scored in each half at Stamford Bridge to lift Chelsea six points clear of fifth-placed West Ham in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.
West Ham, who have a game in hand, play Burnley on Monday.
Havertz, played in by Mason Mount’s impressive through ball, opened the scoring in the 10th minute and he sealed victory with a fine finish shortly after half-time.
“I didn’t see many teams over-perform against Fulham, they give you a hard time and are difficult to play against,” Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel told the BBC.
Turning to Havertz, he added: “There are many reasons to maybe talk about why it is a difficult situation (for him in his first season in England) but in the end you are responsible for yourself and he is.
“He must adapt as quick as possible. That is what he is doing and that is what we demand of him.”
Defeat left Fulham in the relegation zone and nine points shy of safety.
The Cottagers will likely have to win their four remaining games if they are to stay up.
“Do I believe we can win four games? Of course I do,” said Fulham manager Scott Parker. “We have no alternative.”
Brighton, however, all but assured themselves of Premier League survival with a 2-0 win at home to Leeds.
The south coast side broke a three-game goal drought when they took the lead through Pascal Gross’s 14th minute penalty after Ezgjan Alioski brought down Danny Welbeck.
Welbeck’s excellent solo effort in the 79th minute secured victory and left the Seagulls 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Everton, pushing for European qualification, host Aston Villa in Saturday’s final top-flight match.
-AFP
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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