City crowned champions
Nottingham Forest upset Arsenal to hand the English Premier League title to Pep Guardiola’s team
Manchester City were confirmed as the 2022-2023 English Premier League (EPL) champions on Saturday without having to kick a ball as Arsenal were beaten 1-0 away to Nottingham Forest.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s 19th-minute goal gave Forest a 1-0 win over the side second in the Premier League, that not only assures his side’s survival on their return to the topflight but means that Arsenal can’t catch Man City in the title race.
The Gunners’ loss left City with an unassailable lead of four points at the top of the points table over Arsenal, who just have one match remaining this season.
City are at the top with 27 wins, four losses and four draws in 35 matches. They have a total of 85 points. On the other hand, Arsenal have 25 wins, six losses and six draws in 37 matches and have a total of 81 points. It was City’s seventh Premier League title.
Five days after booking their place in the Champions League final by beating Real Madrid 4-0, City now have the chance of an impressive treble, given that they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3.
Newcastle United can secure their place in the next season’s Champions League with a draw at home to Leicester City on Monday night, while Manchester United need just a point from their last two games to confirm a top-four finish after United claimed a scrappy 1-0 win away to Bournemouth and Liverpool were held at home by Aston Villa.
Casemiro’s impressive early volley was enough to give Manchester United a narrow win away to Bournemouth, who had already assured their top-flight survival.
The Brazilian volleyed the only goal of the game in the eighth minute and that was enough to
give the visitors three vital points.
Roberto Firmino scored an 89thminute equaliser to give Liverpool a 1-1 draw to Aston Villa in his last appearance at Anfield before leaving the club in the summer.
Aston Villa confirmed their good form in 2023 with Jacob Ramsey’s 27th-minute opener, which came after Ollie Watkins had previously missed a penalty for the visitors.
A win for Villa in their last game should assure them a place in next season’s Conference League for next season after Tottenham’s season ended in a downbeat manner as they lost 3-1 at home to Brentford.
Although Harry Kane put Spurs ahead in the eighth minute, Brentford, who were without the suspended Ivan Toney, fought back with two second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and one from
Yoane Wissa to end a miserable season at White Hart Lane.
Yerry Mina scored a 99thminute goal, stabbing the ball home from close range, to give Everton a vital point away to Wolverhampton, who had led through Hwang Hee-chan’s first-half opener.
Everton lost key striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin through injury, but now sit two points above Leeds United, who visit West Ham on Sunday, and three above Leicester City, who have to play in Newcastle.
Finally, Fulham and Crystal Palace drew an entertaining game 2-2 in a match between two sides who have nothing to play for. Aleksandar Mitrovic scored two more goals for Fulham, while Odsonne Edouard and Joe Ward netted for Palace.