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Inter falter in title race

Romelu Lukaku scored his 25th goal of the season as Inter Milan drew with Sassuolo in a six-goal thriller.

Francesco Caputo slotted mid-table Sassuolo ahead, and Lukaku equalised with a penalty.

Alexis Sanchez set up Cristiano Biraghi to give Inter the lead but then substitute Ashley Young conceded a penalty which Domenico Berardi scored.

Borja Valero and Sassuolo’s Giangiacomo Magnani scored late tap-ins before Inter had Milan Skriniar sent off.

Inter’s Roberto Gagliardini hit the crossbar from close range and former Manchester United and Everton striker Lukaku also had a goal disallowed for offside in an entertaining match.

Six former Premier League players featured for Antonio Conte’s Inter during the game. Their slim title hopes are probably now over, sitting eight points behind leaders Juventus in third.

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Norwich still fighting relegation

Daniel Farke says his side “won’t give up” despite it “not being realistic” for Norwich to escape relegation after suffering a third straight Premier League defeat at home to Everton.

The Canaries remain rooted to the bottom of the table, six points adrift of safety, but they retain hope as the three sides above them – West Ham, Bournemouth and Aston Villa – all failed to win on Tuesday and Wednesday

“I can’t accuse the lads at all today,” said German boss Farke. “I can just praise the workload, the togetherness.

“In terms of attitude, we showed organisation and I can just give compliments. We don’t give up, for sure. We have seven games and have a chance.

“It’s not realistic for us to win the FA Cup or stay in the league. When you wear this yellow shirt, you have responsibility and big pride. As long as there is a chance, we won’t give up.”

Toffees defender Michael Keane scored the winning goal in the second half, leaping highest at the near post to flick home Lucas Digne’s corner at an empty Carrow Road.

The Canaries could have broken the deadlock in the first half but Onel Hernandez’s deflected shot bobbled off the foot of the post.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin forced Canaries goalkeeper Tim Krul into a couple of saves, with victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s side lifting them up to 10th in the table.

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Liverpool Demolish Crystal palace

Liverpool moved to within touching distance of their first title in 30 years as Crystal Palace were brutally dismissed behiand closed doors at Anfield.

Manchester City must now win at Chelsea on Thursday to further delay the inevitability of Liverpool’s coronation as Premier League champions.

After the goalless Merseyside derby at Everton on Sunday, they shook off the cobwebs in their first home game since the campaign was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic to beat Palace with almost embarrassing ease.

Anfield may have been home to only around 300 people but Liverpool played with familiar intensity, although Palace’s cause was hardly helped by the early loss of Wilfried Zaha to injury.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was on target with a superb free-kick after 22 minutes and Mohamed Salah effectively settled the contest with a cool finish from Fabinho’s brilliant pass just before the break.

And Fabinho produced something even more special in the 54th minute when he drilled a magnificent rising right-foot finish past Wayne Hennessey from more than 30 yards.

Salah turned provider after 69 minutes with a slide-rule pass to Sadio Mane, who finished with precision as Liverpool’s superiority was stamped all over this game.

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Madrid go top of la liga

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Real Madrid v Real Mallorca - Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, Madrid, Spain - June 24, 2020 Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos celebrates scoring their second goal, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Susana Vera

Vinicius Junior and Sergio Ramos both scored delightful goals as Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga by easing past Mallorca.

Zinedine Zidane’s side are level on 68 points with Barcelona but lead by virtue of a better head-to-head record.

Brazilian Vinicius chipped in a first-half opener and Ramos curled home a brilliant free-kick in the second half.

Mallorca gave a second-half debut to 15-year-old Luka Romero, who became the league’s youngest ever player.

Meanwhile, Wales forward Gareth Bale was given a first Real start since February but struggled to make any significant impact, firing a shot in the sixth minute which was kept out by goalkeeper Manolo Reina.

Vinicius’ chip high into the net from Luka Modric’s lay-off and Ramos’ 10th goal of the season via a curling free-kick from the edge of the area gave Real the three points.

They could have had more but former Chelsea forward Eden Hazard curled wide from 25 yards out, and Karim Benzema drove a shot straight at Reina.

Real have seven games remaining and victory in all of them would guarantee their first title since 2017.

Mallorca’s defeat keeps them in the relegation zone, three points adrift of safety.

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AHEAD LIVERPOOL CRYSTAL PALACE CLASH: RECORDS GIVE THE EAGLES ADVANTAGE

As Jurgen Klopp’s Reds welcome Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace, Liverpool may be one win delayed from their title crown.

As the premier league champions for the 2019/2020 season is only a question of when rather than who, Liverpool are faced by a team with the best form at the moment. The stats would amaze you, read below.

Liverpool have won five successive league games against the Eagles and scored 11 goals in the process.

Palace are the only team to have beaten a Jurgen Klopp-managed Liverpool side more than once at Anfield.

Crystal Palace’s three most recent league wins over the Reds have all been at Anfield – in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions if they beat Crystal Palace and Manchester City fail to win at Chelsea on Thursday.

The Reds have won only two of their past seven matches in all competitions (D1, L4).
They have dropped five points in their last three league games, more than they did in their previous 38 fixtures.

The Reds have won their last 22 league games at Anfield, the best ever winning home run in English top-flight history.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 55 home league matches (W45, D10) since a 2-1 defeat by Palace in April 2017.

Only five of the Reds’ league-high 13 clean sheets have come at Anfield.

Their record of 27 wins, two draws and one defeat is the best by any club after 30 matches in the history of the top five European leagues.

Palace are the Premier League’s in-form team with four straight wins, just one shy of their club record.

Fabinho could feature in his 50th Premier League appearance. The Brazilian has been on the winning side in 23 of his 24 Premier League games at Anfield.

Roy Hodgson’s side have lost seven of their 10 games against the clubs above them in the table (W1, D2).

Palace have equalled their top-flight club record of four successive clean sheets, previously set in 1970, with goalkeeper Vicente Guaita not conceding a goal in 362 league minutes.

They have six points more after 30 matches of a Premier League season than they have ever had before.

They have scored a league-low nine first-half goals, with two of those coming at Bournemouth last Saturday.

The Eagles are unbeaten in all nine games in which top scorer Jordan Ayew scored this season (W7, D2).

Sadio Mané has scored 8 goals in 10 Premier League appearances against Crystal Palace.

With the records pointing at Palace as a scary side to Title bound Liverpool, the crowning ceremony may be one game delayed.

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Thiago wants liverpool move

According to reports, Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara wants to join Liverpool after refusing to sign a new contract at the Allianz Arena.

The Bundesliga giants were hoping the Spain international will put pen to paper on a new deal last month, but he has changed his mind and they believe he wants to leave, with Liverpool said to be his preferred choice following talks with his teammates.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp wants to add a few quality additions to his ranks ahead of next season’s title defence, and Thiago will definitely be a great signing for Liverpool.

With Naby Keita struggling for consistency, the Anfield outfit have been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, but they will have to part with £50 million to have a chance of landing the Portuguese.

Thiago won’t cost as much as that from the look of things, and he brings more to the table given that he is an all-rounder midfielder.

The former Barcelona star is arguably the best in his position in the German top-flight, and landing such a player will no doubt improve Liverpool’s midfield.

The 29-year-old brings loads of creativity to the table and that will come handy in this Liverpool side.

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Rapinoe pulls out of tournament

United States winger Megan Rapinoe is one of three internationals to have withdrawn from the NWSL Challenge Cup amid coronavirus fears.

Forward Christen Press and midfielder Tobin Heath will not play because of “uncertainty” caused by the virus.

Orlando Pride are also not playing after six of their players tested positive for Covid-19.

“Megan let us know that she has decided not to play,” said Bill Predmore, chief executive of Rapinoe’s team OL Reign.

“Like all NWSL players, she was given the option to participate … but we understand and respect her decision.”

The tournament, being played in empty stadiums, starts on Saturday in Utah and will last for one month.

It will make the NWSL the first team-sport league to resume competition in the United States.

“It is deeply painful not to be able to play the game I love, and to watch the broader effects of the global pandemic on our league, sports and our world,” Press said in a statement.

“Regrettably, given the uncertainty created by COVID-19, I must elect not to participate in this tournament.”

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Tottenham keep pressure on the top four

Tottenham picked up their first victory in eight games to leave West Ham with a battle to stay in the Premier League.

Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek inadvertently converted into his own net following Giovani lo Celso’s corner and Harry Kane broke clear to stroke in his 18th goal of the season.

With seven games remaining, the loss leaves the Hammers outside the relegation zone but only on goal difference with Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich – who lie in the bottom three – all now having a game in hand over David Moyes’ side.

The hosts punished toothless West Ham, who threatened little but saw Jarrod Bowen strike a post as they pushed in vain for an equaliser before Kane struck.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho will be delighted with a victory that takes them just six points off the Champions League places and with Kane’s goal, which was taken with his usual aplomb after he was put clear. It was also a sign of his increasing assurance in only his second match since a hamstring injury on 1 January.

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Barcelona go top of La liga

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 23: Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona celebrates after scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club at Camp Nou on June 23, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Ivan Rakitic scored the only goal as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao to move back to the top of La Liga.

The substitute latched onto Lionel Messi’s pass before slotting home with 19 minutes to go.

It was a 15th La Liga assist of the season for Messi, who remains on 699 career goals despite going close himself on two separate occasions in the closing stages.

Real Madrid can go back to the top if they beat Mallorca on Wednesday.

Barcelona were far from their best but did enough to grind out this victory. With Real Madrid having a better head-to-head record, Barca need their rivals to slip up even if they win every remaining game.

Mid-table Athletic had beaten the Catalans twice this season – on the opening day of La Liga and in the Copa del Rey quarter-final – but failed to test goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen once.

Messi, who turns 33 on Wednesday, was hoping his 700th career goal would come – and he was close when he cut in and curled wide, before again missing the target from Ansu Fati’s pass.

But he still helped Barca win the game when he fed Rakitic, who scored his first goal of the season. Messi’s 15 assists in La Liga this season have helped Barca pick up 15 points.

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MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN LEAVES EVERTON FOR NICE.

Everton announced on Tuesday that the France midfielder had completed a move to Ligue 1 side Nice.

No terms of the deal were announced.

Schneiderlin, 30, made 88 appearances across four seasons for the Toffees since a £20 million transfer from Manchester United in 2017.

Prior to joining United in 2015, Schneiderlin spent seven seasons at Southampton, playing with Saints in League One, the Championship and the Premier League.

The native of Obernai returns to Ligue 1 for the first time since 2008 when he was a member of Strasbourg.

Internationally, Schneiderlin has been capped 14 times by Les Bleus.