Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action:

Rio Ngumoha lifts Liverpool, the tussle to be Harry Kane’s England deputy and Chelsea self-destruct

Tottenham weren’t quite as dreadful as they were in losing 4-1 to Arsenal in November, but they were still extremely so, devoid of wit, energy, solidity, creativity, quality, and everything else one would hope to see in a football team. Make no mistake, they are in serious danger of going down and, assessing their fixtures, it is not easy to see where they might win enough points to stay up – all the more so given the form of West Ham and Nottingham Forest who are both playing well. Spurs, on the other hand, haven’t won a league game in 2026 and look like they’ve forgotten how – partly, it must be said, because of an awful injury list. So, where does Igor Tudor go from here? It may well be that his only option is to pick both Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani, get balls into the box, and hope they can make enough of them to save him – which might not be The Tottenham Way^TM, but is a lot better than relegation. Daniel Harris

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Bruno Fernandes is back in his best position and more effective than ever

Bruno Fernandes is back in his best position and more effective than ever:

In another season of change at Manchester United, the playmaker has been as consistent as ever

By WhoScored

Turmoil has been no stranger to Old Trafford in recent years; the club has employed 10 managers since Alex Ferguson left in May 2013. Their 15th-placed finish last season – their lowest since they were relegated in 1974 – was a new low. But there has been one bright spot through all the disappointments: Bruno Fernandes playing world-class football and reminding everyone what United can be at their best. This season, at 32, he continues to stand out.

In November, he revealed the club had been open to the idea of him moving to Saudi Arabia. “The club wanted me to leave,” he said. “From the club I felt: ‘If you go it’s not that bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit. I decided not to go, not only for family reasons, but because I genuinely like the club.” Fans will be delighted he stayed.

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Manchester United return to top four with 1-0 win at Everton thanks to Sesko goal – as it happened

Manchester United return to top four with 1-0 win at Everton thanks to Sesko goal – as it happened:

For the third time in four games, Benjamin Sesko scored after coming off the bench, finishing a brilliant counter to take United fourth

I’m minded of Martin Buchan’s legendary response – later pilfered by Gordon Strachan – to a reporter he didn’t know putting a hand on his chest to stop him going to get a drink.

“A quick word, Martin?

And because he’d been so rude I added ‘fuck off’.”

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Supersub Benjamin Sesko fires Manchester United past Everton and into top four

Supersub Benjamin Sesko fires Manchester United past Everton and into top four:

Sir Jim Ratcliffe must be seriously conflicted, among other things. Manchester United’s advance towards the riches of the Champions League gathered momentum at Everton thanks to Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko, Brazil’s Matheus Cunha and Belgium’s Senne Lammens. While United’s largest single shareholder creates division, the unity of Michael Carrick’s diverse team proved invaluable at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Sesko made a telling impact off the bench for the second game in succession to secure a slender but precious victory in the race for Champions League qualification. Having preserved Carrick’s unbeaten record as United manager last time out at West Ham, the expensive summer signing delivered victory with a clinical finish to take his team fourth in the table, three points clear of Chelsea and ­Liverpool. Carrick now has five wins and one draw from his six games at the helm. His audition for the permanent job could not have gone much better thus far.

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend:

Chelsea must keep their heads at Arsenal, Anthony Gordon faces his old club and a key return for Sunderland

Unai Emery has seen most things in this game but he has never won at Wolves. In three and a half years at Villa, he has lost two and drawn one of his three games at Molineux. Twelve months ago they lost this fixture 2-0 and this week Emery shared his poor record to stress the difficulty of the challenge facing his side, particularly given they have won just one of their past five matches in all competitions. Emery even mentioned his visit to Wolverhampton with Arsenal in 2019, when his team trailed 3-0 at half-time and lost 3-1. For Emery, there is no better time to break his duck, with the schedule dictating that Villa could move nine points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea, who visit Villa on Wednesday, before Liam Rosenior’s side travel to Arsenal on Sunday. Victory would enhance Villa’s chances of returning to the Champions League but also pile pressure on direct rivals. Ben Fisher

Wolves v Aston Villa, Friday 8pm (all kick-offs GMT)

Bournemouth v Sunderland, Saturday 12.30pm

Burnley v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

Liverpool v West Ham, Saturday 3pm

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Premier League clubs angered by Uefa release of financial details without warning

Premier League clubs angered by Uefa release of financial details without warning:

• Chelsea left particularly frustrated by Uefa actions

• Clubs were not briefed about plans to release information

Premier League clubs are unhappy with Uefa’s decision to reveal details of their financial results before some have been published and without warning.

Chelsea’s record pre-tax loss of £355m last season formed a key part of Uefa’s European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report, which was presented by its executive director, Andrea Traverso, at the Financial Times’s Business of Football Summit on Thursday, with the losses incurred by Tottenham and Aston Villa also featuring prominently.

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Dual Gomes goals ensure Wolves beat Aston Villa and unwanted points record

Dual Gomes goals ensure Wolves beat Aston Villa and unwanted points record:

As Wolves applied the seal to only their second Premier League victory of the season, Rodrigo Gomes doubling their lead over Aston Villa deep into second-half stoppage time, Rob Edwards hared down the touchline, yelling into the stands as his players started a celebratory pile-on a few yards behind him. It was a moment of catharsis for Edwards, who beat his chest and wellied an advertising hoarding, but for Unai Emery it was a different kind of cue.

As those in old gold savoured a win over near neighbours that takes them to 13 points, ending any fears that they may not eclipse Derby’s record-low tally of 11 in 2007-08, Emery marched straight down the tunnel before the post-match handshakes.

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Bournemouth 1-1 Sunderland: Premier League – as it happened

Bournemouth 1-1 Sunderland: Premier League – as it happened:

There were contentious refereeing and VAR decisions aplenty as Evanilson cancelled out Eliezer Mayenda’s opener at the Vitality

• Read John Brewin’s report from the Vitality Stadium

Andoni Iraola: “It’s a team that has played really well this season,” he said of today’s visitors. “Starting from the goalkeeper - he has been very, very good for them. He has a really long kick so it puts you under pressure really early. Every free-kick and every set-piece situation, they put a lot of pressure on you, they manage the situations very well.”

Regis Le Bris: “We are in a tough league – a young team with injuries, suspensions and different events,” said Sunderland’s head coach, upon being asked about his side’s run of three league defeats. “We expected that a bit earlier [in the season]. It is not the best period from a results perspective. We are learning a lot, and it is often in these tough phases that you are learning more.”

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‘We missed him’: Xhaka adds steel as Sunderland share point at Bournemouth

‘We missed him’: Xhaka adds steel as Sunderland share point at Bournemouth:

Those Sunderland fans making the 700-mile round trip from Wearside, some beginning their journey at midnight, arrived to the welcome sight of Granit Xhaka’s first start since 17 January. Could the captain’s return inspire Sunderland from the slump that began in mid-December? On the south coast, a losing run came to its end. Régis Le Bris’s team claimed the point their determined performance deserved.

“To have a natural leader like that come into the team is great,” said the Sunderland defender Dan Ballard. “We’ve missed him.” Patrolling in front of defence, Xhaka maintained constant dialogue with his colleagues, encouraging, directing into position, veering into the territory of player-manager. “After three defeats it’s not easy to react and for a newly promoted side, confidence is always a topic,” said Le Bris. “I am happy with the team spirit.”

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Leeds United v Manchester City: Premier League – live

Leeds United v Manchester City: Premier League – live:

⚽ Premier League updates from the 5.30pm GMT kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Email Scott

Here come the teams! Leeds wear white, just as The Don decreed all those years ago. Manchester City in second-choice black, as per their Puma contract. A rare old atmosphere at Elland Road, as there always is, the home fans Marching On Together. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!

Sky have also just flashed up an intriguing stat that we may as well nick bears repeating. As mentioned in the preamble, during half time of the corresponding fixture in Manchester last November, Daniel Farke switched things around, changing to a back three, and nearly pulled off a great comeback …

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Liverpool’s five-star display heaps more pressure on wobbling West Ham

Liverpool’s five-star display heaps more pressure on wobbling West Ham:

The contrasting strengths of Liverpool and West Ham are reflected on the balance sheet, the team sheet and ultimately the score sheet. Arne Slot’s side improved their prospects of Champions League qualification with a peculiar victory at Anfield, the winning margin far more resounding than the performance.

In the week Liverpool announced record overall revenue of £703m in their latest accounts, most of it ploughed back into the bank balances of a title-winning team, West Ham warned that players will have to be sold this summer whether they stay up or not having suffered a £104.2m loss in the same financial year. Their prospects of avoiding relegation look bleak in the context of such a heavy defeat yet, strange as it seems, Nuno Espírito Santo could take encouragement from elements of West Ham’s display.

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Parker rues ‘injustice’ as VAR denies epic Burnley comeback in seven-goal thriller with Brentford

Parker rues ‘injustice’ as VAR denies epic Burnley comeback in seven-goal thriller with Brentford:

Scott Parker was left sad and disappointed by more video assistant referee controversy after Burnley’s spirited comeback came to nothing. The home side were 3-0 down in 34 minutes and facing hostility from their own fans, but fought back to level before having a fourth goal ruled out after Jaidon Anthony was adjudged to be a shoulder-width offside.

Mikkel Damsgaard then put Brentford back in front three minutes into injury time only for Ashley Barnes to net and spark scenes of jubilation, but his apparent equaliser was also chalked off, for handball, after a long delay.

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Barry and Pickford stun Newcastle to extend Everton’s fine away form

Barry and Pickford stun Newcastle to extend Everton’s fine away form:

As rain fell, incessantly, Eddie Howe wandered around the pitch alone. The final whistle had just gone and, with Everton celebrating a deserved win, Newcastle’s lingering hopes of a top-six finish were also blown.

Newcastle look shattered, mentally as much as physically, by a Champions League campaign that will soon pit them against Barcelona and their Premier League form is suffering accordingly.

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Manchester City close gap to two points at top after Semenyo sinks Leeds

Manchester City close gap to two points at top after Semenyo sinks Leeds:

For those wondering if Manchester City are overreliant on Erling Haaland, they offered a riposte at Leeds. It was neither a fluid nor entertaining victory but importantly it closed the gap at the top to two points, increasing the pressure on Arsenal in the process.

It helps that when the league’s top scorer is absent, City can rely on the third man in the charts. Antoine Semenyo scored his 14th of the season on a difficult night for Pep Guardiola’s side, making the full-time euphoria well deserved after what felt like a significant win. A number of City players sunk to the turf once the whistle went, having called on all their reserves to get over the line.

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Kuwait TV Channels: سيلفي بقيمة تريليون دولار.. لحظة رونالدو التاريخية...

Kuwait TV Channels: سيلفي بقيمة تريليون دولار.. لحظة رونالدو التاريخية...: في لقطة نادرة تجسّد لقاء العمالقة، اجتمع نفوذ الرياضة والثروة والسلطة في إطار واحد داخل البيت الأبيض. سيلفي رونالدو الأسطوري لم يخطف الأضواء...