Newcastle took a huge step towards qualifying for the Champions League with a vital 2-0 victory over top-five rivals Chelsea, while Arsenal fought back from two goals down to rescue a valuable 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday.
Sandro Tonali put Newcastle ahead after just two minutes at St James’ Park before Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off for an elbow on Sven Botman late in the first half.
Bruno Guimaraes struck in stoppage time to secure the Magpies’ seventh win from their last nine league games and lift them into third place in the Premier League.
Eddie Howe’s side, aiming to feature in the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, are three points clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa in the race for a top-five finish.
“We hung in there. We got over the line and that’s the major thing in a game like today,” Howe said.
Fifth-placed Chelsea’s first defeat in seven league games leaves their bid to return to Europe’s elite club competition in the balance.
The Blues are level on points with sixth-placed Aston Villa and one ahead of seventh-placed Nottingham Forest.
With Manchester United at home and Forest away left on their schedule, Enzo Maresca’s UEFA Conference League finalists face a tense finish to their season.
“It’s already difficult 11 v 11 in this stadium against this team so playing an hour with 10 players is not easy,” Maresca said.
Arsenal trailed to first-half goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz at Anfield.
But Gabriel Martinelli reduced the deficit before Mikel Merino grabbed the equaliser for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Although Merino was sent off for a second booking with 11 minutes left, Arsenal clung on for a vital point in the battle for the top five.
Second-placed Arsenal sit five points clear of Villa and boast a vastly superior goal difference to all their top-five rivals.
They should need just one more point to secure a Champions League berth despite winning only one of their last six league games.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was dropped to the bench by Liverpool boss Arne Slot, just days after the Merseyside-born England right-back confirmed he will leave Anfield when his contract expires in June.
Widely expected to join Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold’s decision has divided Liverpool fans and he was booed by some sections of the crowd when he came on in the second half.
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo defended Evangelos Marinakis after the owner stormed on to the City Ground pitch to confront him after a damaging 2-2 draw with relegated Leicester.
Marinakis was seen remonstrating with Nuno after Facundo Buonanotte’s 81st-minute strike dented Forest’s bid to play in the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.
“It is because of the owner and his passion that we are growing as a club. He pushes us. He wants us to be better,” he said of Marinakis, who served a five-match stadium ban earlier this season.
Manchester United slumped to a 2-0 home defeat by West Ham as their woeful league campaign hit a new low.
United were back in action after crushing Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final second leg on Thursday to set up an all-English final against Tottenham on May 21.
Tomas Soucek’s 26th-minute tap-in from Mohammed Kudus’s cross gave West Ham the lead.
United lost Leny Yoro to a foot injury in the second half, raising doubts about the French defender’s chances of featuring in the Europa League final.
Jarrod Bowen converted Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass to grab the second goal in the 57th minute.
West Ham moved above United, who are languishing in 16th place as they face their lowest league finish since being relegated in 1973-74.
Tottenham fared no better after reaching the Europa League final as Crystal Palace won 2-0 in north London.
Tottenham dispatched Bodo/Glimt on Thursday to book their place in the Europa League final.
But, under fire after a dismal domestic campaign, boss Ange Postecoglou could be sacked even if Tottenham win their first trophy since the 2008 League Cup.
Eberechi Eze struck for FA Cup finalists Palace on the stroke of half-time and again in the 48th minute.
Beaten 20 times in 36 league games, Tottenham are just one place above the relegation zone and are on the verge of their worst finish since being relegated in 1976-77.
AFP
