City leads title race; United concedes CL berth
Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur left a dent in the Reds’ neck and neck title race with Manchester City, which clinched a 5-0 win against Newcastle United.
Premier League
It was an eventful week for English topflight football as clubs accepted their contrasting fates. Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur left a dent in the Reds’ neck and neck title race with Manchester City, which clinched a 5-0 win against Newcastle United. This left City three points ahead at the top of the table and some margin of error in its remaining matches.
It is confirmed that Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United will not play in the Champions League next season after a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion. Man United can reach a maximum of 61 points at the end of the season, its lowest points total since 1990 (4■ points) and 1991 (51 points). For the Red Devils, the Erik Ten Hag era and the rebuild cannot come soon enough.
Arsenal marched on in its pursuit of Champions League football next season with a 2-1 win against Leeds United and win over Tottenham in the North London Derby will ensure the side a place in Europe’s premier club competition.
Chelsea, which saw a change in ownership from Roman Abramovich to the Todd Boehly-led group , couldn’t capitalise on a Romelu Lukaku brace, conceded late, and
had to be satisfied with a 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
After matchday 36, Manchester City tops the table with ■6 points. It is followed by Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal with ■3, 67 and 66 points respectively. Tottenham and Man United are fifth and sixth at 62 and 5■ points respectively.
La Liga
Real Madrid secured a record 35th League title but it wasn’t an eventful week for the Spanish champion as it succumbed to a 1-0 loss against rival Atletico Madrid. Atletico’s Yannick Carrasco found the net via a penalty in the 40th minute, which was enough for Diego Simeone’s men to secure the narrow win.
Barcelona left it very late to grab a winner against Real Betis, which has impressed throughout the season and has also won the Copa del Rey. Barca’s Ansu Fati opened the scoring in the 76th minute but the goal was cancelled soon after by Marc Bartra’s 79thminute header. With the match destined to end in a 1-1 draw, Jordi Alba showed that class was permanent, with a wonderful volleyed strike in the 94th minute to clinch the win.
Unai Emery’s Villarreal, fresh from its Champions League semifinal exit at the hands of Liverpool, played out a 1-1 draw with Sevilla. Giovani Lo Celso scored late in the ■5th minute to give a 1-0 lead to Villarreal but Sevilla’s Jules Kounde equalised in the 95th minute.
After matchday 35, champion Real Madrid is top with ■1 points. Barcelona, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are second, third and fourth with 69, 65 and 64 points respectively.
Bundesliga
Already crowned champion of Germany, Bayern Munich had to be content with a 2-2 draw against VFB Stuttgart. Kingsley Coman was sent off late in the 95th minute. Serge Gnabry and Thomas Muller found the net for Bayern while Tiago Tomas and Sasa Kalajdzic were the scorers for Stuttgart.
For Borussia Dortmund, it was a comfortable 3-1 victory against Greuther Furth. Julian Brandt scored a brace and Felix Passlack scored the other goal for Dortmund while Jessic Ngankam scored the only goal for Furth.
It was a dominant performance for RB Leipzig as it beat FC Augsburg 4-0, courtesy a brace by Christopher Nkunku and a goal each by Andre Silva and Emil Forsberg.
Bayer Leverkusen played a six-goal thriller with Hoffenheim with the former
securing a 4-2 victory. Patrick Schick scored a brace along with goals by Moussa Diaby and Lucas Alario. After matchday 33, Bayern leads the standings with 76 points. Dortmund, Leverkusen and Leipzig follow with 66, 61 and 57 points respectively.
Serie A
The race to the title is heating up in Italian top-flight football. AC Milan remains the favourite to lift its first league title since 2011 after a 3-1 win against Verona. Sandro Tonali’s brace and a goal by Alessandro Florenzi were enough for the table-topper to clinch the win.
Inter beat Empoli 4-2 to remain at Milan’s heel. A brace by Lautaro Martinez, a goal by Alexis Sanchez and an own goal by Simone Romagnoli guided the current Italian champion to the win.
Genoa shocked Juventus after beating it 2-1. Paulo Dybala opened the scoring in the 4■th minute but Albert Guomundsson equalized in the ■6th minute. To add to manager Massimiliano Allegri’s woes, Juventus conceded a penalty in added time and Domenico Criscito converted it in the 96th minute to score the winner.
For Napoli, Fabian Ruiz’s 73rd-minute strike was enough for it to win 1-0 against Torino.
After matchday 36, Milan sits on top with ■0 points followed closely by Inter with 7■ points. Napoli and Juventus are third and fourth with 73 and 69 points respectively.
Ligue 1
Champion of France, Paris Saint-germain (PSG), had to be content with a 2-2 draw against Troyes as both Neymar’s and Marquinhos’ goals were cancelled by Troyes’ Ike Ugbo and Florian Tardieu.
Marseille beat Lorient with a confident 3-0 scoreline, while elsewhere, AS Monaco beat last season's champion LOSC Lille 2-1. Metz caused an upset as it clinched a 3-2 win against Lyon.
After matchday 36, PSG is on top with ■0 points followed by Marseille, Monaco and Rennes in second, third and fourth with 6■, 65 and 62 points respectively.