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TOTTENHAM TOPPLE WOLVES TO BOOST EUROPA LEAGUE HOPES

Tottenham strengthened their European qualification hopes with a 2-0 win over Wolves which moved them into the top six.

Harry Kane opened the scoring with a goal that advanced his chances of winning the Premier League Golden Boot and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg doubled the lead after the break.

It was Kane’s 22nd goal of the season, taking him back in front of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the race for a prize he has won twice before, while he also hit the post twice.

Spurs can still mathematically make the top four, but Europa League qualification is looking much more likely and a sixth-placed finish is in their own hands with two games to go.

Wolves’ campaign is petering out and this loss condemned them to a bottom-half finish for the first time since their return to the top flight.

Surprisingly, Kane had yet to score since one of his best mates Ryan Mason had taken temporary charge but he was on a mission to put that right from the off.

In the fifth minute he was cursing his luck again as he struck the post with an effort from distance. It was the eighth time he had been denied by the woodwork in the Premier League this term – more than any other player.

Still with something to play for, Spurs were the better side and Wolves’ goal was under regular threat.

Gareth Bale tested Rui Patricio with a wobbling free-kick from distance while Son Heung-min stung the Portugal goalkeeper’s palms with an attempt at the far post.

Kane then had a header cleared off the line by Conor Coady, who seconds later produced another heroic block from Giovani Lo Celso.

But Kane can only be kept at bay for so long and he struck in the 45th minute.

Hojbjerg’s pass set him clear and there was little doubt about the outcome – bar a VAR check for offside – as he expertly delayed his finish to fox Coady and Patricio before rolling into an empty net.

With Gareth Southgate watching, Dele Alli seemed determined to remind the England manager of his talents and it was a good piece of play that almost saw Spurs double their advantage.

He won back possession and then fed in Kane, who hit the woodwork for the ninth time as Patricio superbly tipped onto the upright.

That gave Alli the chance to get on the scoresheet as the rebound fell perfectly for him, but his first-time shot struck the other post.

Tottenham deserved their second goal, and it arrived in the 62nd minute.

Left-back Sergio Reguilon’s determination saw him win the ball high up the pitch, Son teed up Bale, whose first-time shot was parried by Patricio but Hojbjerg made no mistake from the rebound.

Wolves should have reduced their deficit soon after but the disappointing Fabio Silva dragged a shot wide from an inviting position while Adama Traore also shot wide after dancing into the area.

Spurs saw the game out safely as they prepare to welcome their fans back into their game with Aston Villa on Wednesday.

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MITCHELL’S FIRST GOAL HANDS PALACE DRAMATIC COME BACK WIN AGAINST ASTON VILLA

Tyrick Mitchell both scored and assisted for the first time in the Premier League to earn Crystal Palace a comeback 3-2 victory over Aston Villa.

Villa had twice taken a first-half lead at Selhurst Park as John McGinn and Anwar El Ghazi each beat Jack Butland, who was making his first PL appearance for Palace in goal.

Palace’s first equaliser came on 32 minutes when Christian Benteke headed in his third goal in as many matches from a Mitchell cross, before Wilfried Zaha’s deflected effort made it 2-2 with 15 minutes remaining.

Benteke and Eberechi Eze both hit the crossbar in the second half before the latter’s centre was chested in my Mitchell from close range on 84 minutes.

Palace move back above Southampton into 13th position with 44 points, five behind 11th-placed Villa.

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NATHAN TELLA SCORES FIRST SOUTHAMPTON GOAL IN WIN OVER FULHAM

Nathan Tella scored his first goal for Southampton in the 3-1 win over already-relegated Fulham in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old came off the bench to net Saints’ second while Fulham’s consolation came from 18-year-old Fabio Carvalho, his maiden goal for the Cottagers.

Southampton took the lead in the first half when Che Adams scored from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick.

Tella then slotted home a second moments after coming onto the field on the hour mark.

Just as Southampton looked to be cruising towards all three points Carvalho pulled one back for Fulham with a well-struck shot off the underside of the bar.

Less than 10 minutes later, however, substitute Theo Walcott restored Saints’ two-goal advantage with a clinical finish.

With Fulham’s fate already sealed for the season, boss Scott Parker decided to give some of the players who had not featured significantly this season a chance, including a maiden senior start for teenager Carvalho.

However, despite the pressure being off the Cottagers, many of the same problems remained, especially the issues in the final third – they only managed three shots on target during the match.

Joachim Andersen was called into action in the 16th minute, to clear the ball away from close to the goal line to prevent Liverpool loanee Takumi Minamino tapping in the opener.

After a scrappy opening period, Southampton took the lead with the first shot on target of the match when Adams fired home from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick.

Carvalho had the chance to level the scores when he fed by Ivan Cavaleiro but he was unable to get power on the shot which was straight at Alex McCarthy.

Early in the second half, Oriol Romeu forced Alphonse Areola into a diving save with his legs to prevent the home side doubling their advantage.

Moments later Southampton found their second, substitute Tella tapping the ball into the net just minutes after coming onto the field.

Stuart Armstrong drove forward before finding Walker-Peters who played in the final ball for the youngster to score his first Southampton goal.

Not to be outdone by Tella’s first goal, Fulham teenager Carvalho pulled one back for Parker’s side in the 75th minute.

The teenager timed his run behind the backline, before being played in by Bobby Decordova-Reid and firing the ball in off the underside of the crossbar.

However, a goal from Walcott soon restored Southampton’s two-goal lead, with his deflected shot going past Areola, with Tella turning provider for his fellow substitute.

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FERRAN TORRES NETS HAT-TRICK AS MANCITY EDGE NEWCASTLE IN SEVEN GOAL THRILLER

Ferran Torres plundered a hat-trick as Premier League champions Manchester City came from behind twice to edge a seven-goal thriller at Newcastle.

A much-changed City side with a Champions League final to come trailed 1-0 to Emil Krafth’s header and 3-2 from Joe Willock’s rebound following a missed penalty, with Joao Cancelo, Joelinton – from the spot – and Torres scoring in between at St James’ Park.

However, the Spain international leveled after 64 minutes and then won it two minutes later as a rip-roaring encounter finished 4-3 to the visitors.

Pep Guardiola’s men sit 13 points clear at the top of the table as a result, but Newcastle, who secured their top-flight status last weekend – helping head coach Steve Bruce claim the Manager of the Month award for April in the process – made life distinctly uncomfortable for them at times.

Guardiola sprang something of a surprise ahead of kick-off when he handed 35-year-old loan goalkeeper Scott Carson a debut for the club and a first Premier League appearance in almost 10 years, but he saw little action early on as the visitors dominated both possession and territory, although without threatening.

Gabriel Jesus volleyed just wide after Federico Fernandez and Paul Dummett got into a muddle under an eighth-minute high ball, and Torres stabbed an attempt past the post after Ilkay Gundogan and Cancelo had linked superbly down the left five minutes later.

With Gundogan, Rodri and Bernardo Silva conducting affair from the middle of the field, the Magpies were penned back deep inside their own half for extended periods, although it was they who took the lead with 25 minutes gone after Kyle Walker had blocked Joelinton’s shot out for a corner.

Jonjo Shelvey sent the set-piece to the far post where Krafth rose to power a header past the helpless Carson.

The keeper needed the help of the crossbar to spare his side further damage 10 minutes later after Shelvey’s free-kick had cleared both the defensive wall and his out-stretched hand, and Newcastle’s fortunes took a significant turn for the worse before the break.

First keeper Martin Dubravka was wrong-footed as Cancelo’s driven 39th-minute shot clipped Jacob Murphy’s heels and flew across him and inside the far post, and he could only look on in horror once again three minutes later when Torres dispatched a Gundogan free-kick with an imperious flick.

But it was Carson who was picking the ball out of his net for a second time deep into first-half stoppage time when – after a lengthy VAR check – referee Kevin Friend awarded a penalty for Nathan Ake’s clumsy challenge on Joelinton and the Brazilian smashed the spot-kick home to level.

The visitors continued to enjoy the great share of the ball after the break but were repeatedly let down by an uncharacteristic imprecision and it was Newcastle who created the more promising openings.

However, in a madcap four minutes, City fell behind and then surged ahead when, after Willock had netted the rebound after his 62nd-minute penalty miss, having been tripped by Walker, Torres leveled from Jesus’ cross and then completed his treble, following up as Cancelo’s shot came back of the post.

The champions appeared to decide the best way to prevent an equaliser was to simply not allow their opponents the ball while attempting to fashion a fifth goal, and in the event, they saw out time comfortably.

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KLOPP TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MANE AFTER HANDSHAKE SNUB

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he will speak to Sadio Mane to address the forward’s handshake snub following Thursday’s 4-2 win at Manchester United in which the player was dropped to the substitutes’ bench.

Mane was a 74th-minute substitute for Diogo Jota, who scored Liverpool’s opening goal at Old Trafford after being selected ahead of the former Southampton player.

Television cameras showed Mane rejecting a handshake from Klopp as the teams walked off the pitch at the end of the game, but despite admitting that it was an emotional reaction from the Senegal international, Klopp said he will not take issue with Mane.

“You cannot make a bigger story of it than it is,” Klopp told a news conference on Friday. “Football is an emotional game and everybody expects us to control our emotions, always.

“But it doesn’t always work out like that. It happened to me as a player, happened to other players when I was their coach.

“We have had, so far, no real chance to talk about it, but we will and there will be nothing left from it and everything will be fine.

“Do we want these things to happen? No. But it’s not the first time in my life and I’m afraid to say it, it probably won’t be the last time. So that’s it.”

Klopp said that his relationship with Mane has been built on respect, so one incident will not impact on that.

“If somebody shows me respect five million times, and one time not, what is more important?” Klopp added.

“The world is in a situation where you then make this one time bigger than necessary. That’s unfortunately the case.

“I am completely relaxed about it. If you had seen me as a player, what I did out of emotion, it was insane. And I am a completely normal guy.

“It happened to me, but there is nothing else — we will talk about it, it will be sorted and that’s all.”

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Man United lose to Leicester to hand Premier League title to Man City

A thumping header from Caglar Soyuncu gave Leicester all three points after Mason Greenwood had cancelled out Luke Thomas’s opener for the visitors.

A weakened Manchester United were beaten 2-1 at home by Leicester City on Tuesday, ending Manchester City’s wait to be crowned Premier League champions.

A thumping header from Caglar Soyuncu gave Leicester all three points after Mason Greenwood had cancelled out Luke Thomas’s opener for the visitors.

The result left Manchester City 10 points clear of United with just three games left for both teams, wrapping up a third Premier League title in five seasons under Pep Guardiola. read more

United, who face Liverpool on Thursday, their third game in five days, made 10 changes to their side who won at Aston Villa on Sunday with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer throwing in several young players.

The result was also a huge boost to Leicester’s goal of a top-four finish and a place in next season’s Champions League — Brendan Rodgers’ side are on 66 points with two games remaining — eight ahead of fifth placed West Ham United who have a game in hand.

Old Trafford was surrounded by heavy security after violent protests forced the postponement of last week’s scheduled match against Liverpool but the game took place without incident.

Social media posts suggested fan groups had chosen to wait until Thursday’s rearranged game with Liverpool to make their next show of opposition to the club’s American owners.

With the injured United skipper Harry Maguire watching from the stands with a protective boot on his left leg, youngsters such as Anthony Elanga and Amad Diallo were given a chance to impress Solskjaer.

Leicester grabbed a 10th-minute lead with a superbly taken first Premier League goal from 19-year-old left back Thomas who volleyed in a deep Youri Tielemans cross from a tight angle.

United struck back five minutes later with two of their teenagers combining as Diallo found Greenwood and the forward’s excellent touch allowed him to find space for a low drive into the far corner.

Leicester threatened after the break with David De Gea doing well to deny Kelechi Iheanacho at close range but the decisive goal was a simple affair in the 66th minute as Soyuncu powered home a header from a Marc Albrighton corner.

“It was a huge step (towards the Champions League). I am so proud of the team,” said Rodgers, whose side face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

“The players have definitely overachieved with all the big teams around. Now we can really enjoy the final at the weekend.”

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LIVERPOOL RENEW TOP FOUR HOPES WITH MASSIVE WIN AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED

Jurgen Klopp tasted victory at Old Trafford for the first time as Liverpool breathed new life into their top-four push with a thrilling 4-2 win in the rearranged fixture against Manchester United.

After anti-Glazer protestors got into the ground and onto the pitch 11 days ago, further demonstrations could not stop Thursday’s Premier League fixture going ahead in Old Trafford’s final match behind closed doors.

United missed this chance to all but end Liverpool’s Champions League qualification hopes as their fourth match in eight days ended in a first home loss to their bitter rivals since 2014.

Stand-in skipper Bruno Fernandes’ deflected effort had got Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side off to a dream start, only for Diogo Jota to level with a smart flick after a penalty decision was overturned.

The equaliser came from a corner and United’s soft underbelly from set-pieces was again exposed in first-half stoppage time, with Roberto Firmino heading home Trent Alexander-Arnold’s excellent free-kick.

Liverpool pulled further ahead 72 seconds after half-time as a comedy of errors at the back ended with Firmino turning home his second of the evening.

United looked punch-drunk but eventually rallied as Marcus Rashford reduced the deficit, before Nat Phillips – who had deflected home Fernandes’ opener – cleared a Mason Greenwood attempt off the line.

Mohamed Salah ensured United would lose their sixth home league game of the season, racing through at the death as Liverpool moved into fifth and four points behind Chelsea with a game in hand.

It was an exhilarating match that followed a disrupted build-up, with United players arriving at the ground early in the afternoon to avoid protestors as executive boxes were turned into rest areas.

Liverpool stayed in a city centre hotel and saw a club-branded bus blocked in by cars, but players were not onboard and arrived through a back entrance as demonstrators descended on the main entrance.

The noise of a police helicopter reverberated around the heavily-guarded ground as the match got under way, with Edinson Cavani – among 10 changes – wasting a glorious fifth-minute chance after an Alisson Becker error.

But United continued strongly and opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Paul Pogba swept a ball out to the right and Rashford played into Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose cutback found Fernandes and his shot went in off Phillips.

Liverpool dug deep after that shaky start and Dean Henderson thwarted Jota, before referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot following a hefty Eric Bailly challenge on Phillips.

But the video assistant referee intervened, and the decision was overturned after Anthony Taylor looked at the pitchside monitor.

Pogba headed just wide at the other end but Liverpool were looking sharp and Jota saw a stinging strike tipped over, with United failing to clear their lines from the resulting corner.

Salah’s initial effort was blocked and Phillips kept it alive, before sending a low effort back towards goal as Jota smartly flicked home.

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GREALISH RETURNS AS EVERTON HELD TO A GOALESS DRAW AT ASTON VILLA

Everton’s European hopes suffered a blow after a limp 0-0 draw at Aston Villa.

The Toffees failed to find the win which would have kept the pressure on the Premier League’s top six.

They climbed to eighth, above Arsenal, to move two points behind fifth-placed West Ham, but Everton’s inconsistencies look like costing them a European spot.

Ben Godfrey and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were denied by Emi Martinez, while Tyrone Mings wasted a rare opening for Villa.

The game at least represented a return for Villa skipper Jack Grealish, who ended his three-month injury lay-off as a second-half substitute.

The skipper was unable to conjure a winner, though, as the hosts remain 11th with three games to go.

The game never inspired and only Bertrand Traore’s tame effort and Calvert-Lewin’s header punctured a sluggish start.

The game was played at pre-season pace as both sides laboured and struggled to find anything resembling momentum.

Mings, though, should have at least hit the target when he wasted Villa’s best opening after 17 minutes.

Ross Barkley’s corner was only cleared as far as Douglas Luiz, who crossed for an unmarked Mings to head wastefully wide from seven yards.

Everton, with two wins in their last previous league games, needed victory to move into the top six yet they appeared aimless, with Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison relegated to bit-part roles.

Without the banned Ollie Watkins Villa were just as toothless and would have already been looking to Grealish on the bench for imagination.

The second half at least offered more promise when Everton created an early chance.

Gylfi Sigurdsson’s deep free-kick found the stretching Godfrey and Martinez had to be alert at his near post to turn the ball behind.

The Toffees saw more of the ball but again failed to really stretch Villa in open play, with the hosts also relying on set-pieces to threaten.

Jordan Pickford beat away Anwar El Ghazi’s free-kick after an hour just as Grealish prepared to clamber off the bench.

Andre Gomes fired over after working space on the edge of the box and the game was given a desperately needed lift when Grealish replaced Traore with 18 minutes left.

But the England international failed to find some magic and it was left to Martinez to ensure Villa claimed a point with three minutes left.

Lucas Digne’s deep cross picked out Calvert-Lewin and the goalkeeper was equal to his header, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Richarlison unable to convert the rebound.

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Arsenal beat Chelsea after pouncing on Jorginho howler

Italy midfielder Jorginho’s attempted back pass left out-of-position goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga scrambling to prevent an own goal, diving to palm the ball away just before it crossed the line.

Emile Smith Rowe took advantage of a defensive howler to score the winner as Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to stop the hosts from moving third in the Premier League.

Italy midfielder Jorginho’s attempted back pass left out-of-position goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga scrambling to prevent an own goal, diving to palm the ball away just before it crossed the line.

But Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on hand to collect the ball and square it for Smith Rowe, who slotted home just inside the post. It was Arsenal’s third straight Premier League victory and a much-needed morale booster after its loss in the Europa League semifinals left the Gunners without a chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

Chelsea’s loss means Thomas Tuchel’s side remained fourth and gave renewed hope to chasing teams West Ham and Liverpool, who are hoping to overtake the final Champions League spot.

Chelsea dominated possession on the second half and Christian Pulisic saw a second-half equalizer chalked off for offside after a video assistant referee review. Kurt Zouma and Olivier Giroud then struck the crossbar within mere seconds of each other in the 90th minute as Chelsea wasted a host of chances in a dominant but disjointed performance.

Tuchel made seven changes to keep his players fresh, with Saturday’s FA Cup final against Leicester clearly in mind.

Kai Havertz missed a great chance to put Chelsea ahead when he dispossessed Pablo Mari just inside his own half, raced in on goal and came one-on-one with Bernd Leno — only to blaze his effort over the bar.

Shortly afterward, Arsenal were ahead after Jorginho didn’t realize that Kepa had moved off to the side and gifted the visitors their only real scoring chance of the game.

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OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER PLEADS FANS TO LET LIVERPOOL CLASH HOLD

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has urged Manchester United supporters to let Thursday’s Premier League fixture with Liverpool go ahead by keeping any planned protests peaceful.

The original game on May 2 was postponed after fans demonstrating against the owners, the Glazer family, entered Old Trafford and surrounded the team hotel.

According to reports, protests have been planned when Liverpool visit Old Trafford on Thursday but Solskjaer said his players want the chance to beat Jurgen Klopp’s side.

“Security measures are being looked at and I hope we can keep the protests, if there are protests, keep them down to loud voices and nothing violent,” Solskjaer said.

“We want to listen, the players want to play the game, we’re playing Liverpool and of course we want to beat Liverpool and we want to beat Leicester so we’re going to do everything we can for our fans to celebrate what we’re doing on the pitch.”

Greater Manchester Police said at least 12 officers were injured during the protests on May 2.

Security has been increased around Old Trafford ahead of games against Leicester City and Liverpool this week with barricades erected across the forecourt in front of the East Stand. Police presence at the stadium is also set to be significantly increased.

Sources say the club have also reviewed travel arrangements for the players ahead of the games, including using decoy buses to make sure they can be transported to the stadium safely and on time.