The race for Champions League qualification has become even tighter in the Premier League after Chelsea beat newly-crowned champions Liverpool and Newcastle dropped crucial points at Brighton.
Yet with a record-extending 16th defeat of the campaign at Brentford, Manchester United could hardly be further away from all that drama.
Liverpool’s players were afforded a guard of honour by Chelsea as they came onto the field at Stamford Bridge for their first match as champions.
They didn’t really play like champions, though, with Chelsea running out 3-1 winners thanks to a third-minute goal by Enzo Fernandez, an own-goal by Jarell Quansah in the 56th and a stoppage-time penalty by Cole Palmer, who fired back at social media trolls after his star turn.
Virgil van Dijk’s header had made it 2-1 but Liverpool were off the pace for much of the game.
“We played very well as a team. They’re champions for a reason, but we showed desire. I just felt normal. Shit happens … sorry for my language. Obviously it happens, I went three months without scoring, but it just gives me more fight and motivation to do more for myself and for the team,” Palmer said.
“Social media nowadays is full of idiots. I don’t pay any attention to that.
“I’ve scored today and I’m happy, but it’s only one and I’ve got to keep improving and try and reach new levels. Getting chances and not scoring, it feels like you’re letting your team down. I feel like I am mentally strong anyway. I feel pride in helping the team and if I’m not doing that, I’m not happy.”
The win lifts fifth-placed Chelsea into a tie for 63 points with fourth-placed Newcastle, who needed an 89th-minute penalty by Alexander Isak to salvage a 1-1 draw at Brighton.
With Manchester City a point higher in third place and both Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa three points back in sixth and seventh, respectively, the fight to finish in the top five and qualify for next season’s Champions League looks like going to the wire. Forest have a game in hand, at Crystal Palace, on Monday.
The Premier League appears to hold little importance to Man United any more this season, with the 4-3 loss at Brentford leaving them 15th on 39 points and already certain of recording their worst-ever total in the Premier League as well as their lowest finish.
United’s focus is only on winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League by that route.
That’s Tottenham’s dream too, so Ange Postecoglou left out a slew of key players for the 1-1 draw with West Ham in a London derby between two struggling teams.
Tottenham beat Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in the first leg on Thursday and face a tough trip to northern Norway for the return game next week.
Postecoglou made eight changes against West Ham, yet still saw Wilson Odobert open the scoring in the 15th with his first league goal for Spurs. Jarrod Bowen equalised in the 27th.
“I’m proud of the players’ efforts,” Postecoglou said. “It’s not easy making so many changes and it’s going to affect the fluency and even the rhythm of the team.”
James Maddison didn’t play for Tottenham, with Postecoglou saying the playmaker’s knee injury — sustained against Bodo/Glimt — “doesn’t look great.”
Man United boss Ruben Amorim fielded the club’s youngest ever Premier League line-up.
Injury-prone Mason Mount scored his first goal of the season and winger Amad Diallo, just back after three months out, netted the third goal in stoppage time as the visitors came from 4-1 down but couldn’t find an equaliser. Kevin Schade scored two of Brentford’s goals.
A first-half goal by Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh — a former Newcastle player — looked like seeing off his old club, only for Isak to convert a penalty after Yasin Ayari’s outstretched arm in a defensive wall block against Fabian Schar’s free kick.
Newcastle had previously been awarded two penalties, only for both of them to be overturned after video reviews.
Isak moved onto 23 league goals for the season, putting him second behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (28). It’s the most by any Newcastle player in a Premier League season since Alan Shearer in 2001-02.
with AAP
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