Ice-cool Pereira
London, UK - West Bromwich Albion improved their slender hopes of avoiding relegation from the English Premier League as they survived VAR controversy to beat Southampton 3-0, while Everton's fading top-four bid was damaged by a 0-0 draw at Brighton on Monday.
Albion saw Mbaye Diagne's goal questionably ruled out by VAR early in the first half at the Hawthorns.
But Sam Allardyce's side recovered from that blow to sweep into a two-goal lead by half-time thanks to Matheus Pereira's penalty and a Matt Phillips strike.
Callum Robinson sealed West Brom's second successive win after the interval as the Baggies built on their stunning 5-2 victory at Chelsea. Second bottom Albion move within eight points of fourth bottom Newcastle with seven games left.
The Baggies have scored eight goals in their last two games, two more than they had netted in their previous 11 combined, but their unexpected revival might have come too late to save them from slipping into the Championship.
"We have had two very important wins that are pricking up people's ears but unfortunately we have to rely on other people losing," Allardyce said.
The latest VAR row in a season of problems with the technology drew a scathing response from Allardyce. "I'm afraid so," he said when asked if VAR is a laughing stock. "There are too many of us not being given an opportunity to express how to make it better."
Southampton's limp display was the worst possible preparation for next weekend's FA Cup semifinal against Leicester. After just four minutes it looked like being a frustrating evening for Albion.
Diagne nodded in from closerange and was flagged offside, with VAR backing the onfield call because television cameras could not get the right angle to conclusively prove the striker was on or offside. But Pereira was brought down by Saints keeper Fraser Forster in the 32nd minute and the Brazilian picked himself up to dispatch the spotkick. Phillips got the second three minutes later when he converted Diagne's cross at the far post.
Robinson put the result beyond doubt in the 69th minute when he drilled in from Okay Yokuslu's pass.
Adding to Southampton's woes, Johnstone saved James
Ward-Prowse's stoppage-time penalty after Conor Townsend's foul on Moussa Djenepo.
At the Amex Stadium, Everton were hoping to close the gap on fourth placed West Ham in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League. But Carlo Ancelotti's team managed only one shot on target as their winless run extended to five games in all competitions.
Sevilla come from behind against Celta
Madrid, Spain - Sevilla gave themselves an outside chance of rejoining La Liga's title race on Monday by winning a seven-goal thriller away at Celta Vigo.
A second-half double from Ivan Rakitic and Papu Gomez snatched a 4-3 victory for Sevilla, who twice had to come from behind at Balaidos. The comeback puts Sevilla six points behind Atletico Madrid. For weeks it has looked like only Real Madrid and Barcelona could overhaul struggling Atletico but 13 points from 15 has put Sevilla back in sight of the top three.
Fourth place is all-but secure for Julen Lopetegui's side, who have a 14-point advantage over fifth-placed Real Sociedad, who they face next weekend. Celta stay tenth.
OTHER RESULTS
Monday: Hoffenheim 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Monday: Benevento 0 Sassuolo 1