Champions League winners Liverpool suffer defeat at the hands of Chelsea, while Manchester United fall to Brentford in the Premier League games
Chelsea snatched a crucial victory at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Fernandez's early goal giving them the lead. A tense encounter saw Jarell Quansah's own goal and Virgil van Dijk's late reply for Liverpool, but Cole Palmer's stoppage-time penalty sealed a 3-2 win for the Blues.
With a top-five finish in the Premier League being crucial to securing a Champions League spot, Chelsea's victory could prove pivotal. They currently sit in fifth place, level on points with Newcastle after the Magpies drew at Brighton earlier in the day. Sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, with 63 points, will join the battle if they beat Crystal Palace on Monday.
Manchester City, in third place, are only one point clear of Chelsea, setting the stage for an exhilarating final three games in the top-five race.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's manager, acknowledged the importance of the win, "Very important three points, especially at this stage in the season... For sure, Chelsea has to fight for Champions League and hopefully in the future we can fight for something more important. In this moment we are there and hopefully we can finish there."
Liverpool, champions of England, suffered their third league defeat this season, losing against Brentford. While Jurgen Klopp's team had little to play for after securing the title, Chelsea had every reason to claim a vital victory.
Meanwhile, Manchester United continue to struggle, languishing in 15th place. With a disappointing league campaign, United are focusing on winning the Europa League. They will host Athletic Bilbao in the semi-final second leg next Thursday, defending a 3-0 advantage.
In the 14th minute, Mason Mount scored for United, taking advantage of Alejandro Garnacho's pass and slotting home from eight yards. However, Brentford responded, with Luke Shaw deflecting Michael Kayode's effort into his own net in the 27th minute. United conceded again in the 33rd minute, as Kevin Schade headed Christian Norgaard's cross past Altay Bayindir.
The game took a turn as Schade scored another header for Brentford in the 70th minute. Yoane Wissa added the fourth goal in the 74th minute, poking home for his 18th league goal of the season. United felt little consolation in the remaining minutes, as Garnacho and Amad Diallo scored late goals, but the damage had already been done.
Ruben Amorim, United's coach, expressed concern over his team's persistent mistakes, "The players have to understand we cannot do this anymore, we know the context of the season and we need to change that."
Elsewhere, Tottenham aim to win the Europa League to alleviate their poor league form. Ange Postecoglou's side drew against West Ham, extending their winless streak to nine games in the league. The Australian manager could still face the sack, despite their Europa League progress.
Newcastle and Arsenal vie for the final Champions League spots, with Arsenal currently in fourth place. Both teams are embroiled in thrilling battles as the 2024/25 Premier League season heads towards its conclusion.
The success in the Premier League, a stepping stone to the Champions League, is a battle Chelsea and Newcastle are engaged in, with the former's win against Liverpool potentially shifting the race's dynamics.
Meanwhile, Manchester City, having come close in the Champions League last season, find themselves in a heated contest with Chelsea, with only three games left in the top-five race.
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