Arsenal and Newcastle are set for a high-stakes Premier League conflict subsequent weekend because the race for Champions League qualification heats up.
After a weekend of dramatic twists, the battle for Europe is tighter than ever, with simply six factors separating second-place Arsenal from seventh-place Nottingham Forest with solely two matches remaining.
The high 5 will qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League, and Arsenal’s showdown with third-place Newcastle – now simply two factors again – at Emirates Stadium subsequent Sunday might show decisive.
On Sunday, Arsenal staged an exhilarating comeback to attract 2-2 with newly topped champion Liverpool at Anfield, whereas Newcastle cruised previous Chelsea 2-0.
Meanwhile, fourth-place Manchester City dropped factors in a scoreless draw in opposition to last-place Southampton on Saturday, falling some extent behind the Gunners.
Forest’s possibilities have been dented by a 2-2 draw in opposition to relegated Leicester City, which led to proprietor Evangelos Marinakis showing to remonstrate with supervisor Nuno Espirito Santo on the sector after the match.
Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham maintained their woeful home kind – each shedding 2-0 at residence.
United was overwhelmed by West Ham, and Spurs misplaced to FA Cup finalist Crystal Palace.
Dumped out of the Champions League semifinals by Paris Saint-Germain earlier within the week, Arsenal’s fundamental focus now could be securing a return to Europe’s high membership competitors.
But after trailing 2-0 simply 21 minutes in in opposition to Liverpool, it regarded like one other sobering day for Mikel Arteta’s group, which had already recorded only one win in its final 5 league video games.
Now it’s one in six, however Arsenal averted defeat after a second-half fightback with objectives from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, who was later despatched off.
“What we did in the first half is nowhere near the level, so to do it after is too late. We reacted, great, but the standards in those 20 minutes were unacceptable,” Arteta mentioned.
Six days after confirming he’ll go away Liverpool as a free agent, Trent Alexander-Arnold acquired a hostile reception from some Liverpool followers, who booed him as he got here on as a second-half substitute in opposition to Arsenal.
“I said to everyone that asked me that question (about the reception) that it is a privilege to live in Europe, where everybody can have his own opinion and everybody can express his own opinion,” Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot mentioned. “A few of them were not happy with him. I think all of them are not happy with him leaving the club. But a few of them showed it in a way that they booed him. And a few of them clapped.”
Two factors will assure Champions League qualification for Arsenal subsequent season, however a 3rd straight runner-up spot may very well be doubtful if it fails to beat Newcastle, which has second place in its sights after the win in opposition to 10-man Chelsea at St. James’ Park.
Sandro Tonali fired the house group forward from shut vary within the second minute, and Nicolas Jackson was despatched off for Chelsea within the thirty fifth following a VAR evaluate for a foul on Sven Botman.
Chelsea pushed for an equalizer after the break, however Bruno Guimaraes’ dipping shot from distance within the ninetieth minute sealed the win.
“We still have two games to go and lots of twists and turns that could be around the corner,” Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe mentioned. “We have to drive forward, reflect on our next game and make sure we’re ready for Arsenal because that is a very, very tough match.”
Forest’s rise from relegation battler to Champions League contender has been one of many shock tales of the season.
But that dream seems to be at risk of fading within the ultimate weeks after being held at residence by already relegated Leicester.
While some extent means Forest will likely be taking part in European soccer subsequent time period – both within the Europa League or Europa Conference League – proprietor Marinakis didn’t look within the temper to rejoice after the ultimate whistle at City Ground.
Approaching Espirito Santo on the sector, the Greek businessman regarded pissed off and appeared to remonstrate throughout a short trade earlier than they went their separate methods.
“It is because of the owner and his passion that we are growing as a club. He pushes us. He wants us to be better,” Espirito Santo mentioned, explaining Marinakis was pissed off attributable to a miscommunication between the bench and medical workers following an damage to striker Taiwo Awoniyi late on.
Forest had come again from a purpose down to guide 2-1 in opposition to Midlands rival Leicester, however Facundo Buonanotte leveled within the 81st minute.
In addition to the highest 5, England will likely be represented by a sixth group within the Champions League subsequent season, as United and Tottenham superior to an all-English Europa League ultimate, with the winner additionally qualifying.
But based mostly on home kind, neither facet seems to be able to compete with Europe’s elite.
United’s newest defeat was a club-record seventeenth within the Premier League, leaving it languishing in sixteenth place.
“Everybody is focused on the final. The final is not the biggest thing in our football club,” United coach Ruben Amorim mentioned. “We need to change a lot of things. If we don’t change the way we play and perform and feel this urgency of winning every game, we should not play in the Champions League.”
It’s even worse for Tottenham – now right down to seventeenth with a club-record 20 losses in a Premier League marketing campaign.
Source: www.dailysabah.com