More Than A Game Weekly
Crunch time.
A slightly delayed one this week while we waited for as much drama to play out as possible.
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Now, onto the newsletter!
PREMIER LEAGUE: ADVANTAGE ARSENAL
The week started with Manchester City slipping up in some style at Hill Dickinson Stadium, where they really did not deserve to take a point, after their second-half wobble.
Everton’s defence let David Moyes down, and Jeremy Doku’s stunner salvaged a 3-3 draw, but with Arsenal having beaten Fulham last weekend, it means the Gunners are now firm favourites in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal hold a five-point lead, meaning if they win all three of their remaining fixtures, the title is theirs, no matter what Man City do.
And if Arsenal do get over the line, it will be because of their consistency.
Man City’s highs are high, but their lows are low, and much more common than Arsenal’s lows.
If James Tarkowski and Michael Keane had stayed switched on straight after Thierno Barry had put Everton 3-1 up, it was hard to see Man City coming back. Alas, for Evertonians, they did not, and Erling Haaland needs no second invitation.
It could yet prove a valuable point for Man City, but Pep Guardiola’s team now must hope for Arsenal to stumble, while staying perfect themselves.
As for Everton, that’s three straight games in which they have conceded a 90th minute or later, decisive goal — another slice of Premier League history for the Toffees. An unwanted slice, at that.
Their European dream is not over, but they are in must-win territory now as they head to Crystal Palace (more on them to come).
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: THE STAGE IS SET
It’s not just a Premier League title within Arsenal’s reach, of course.
The stage is now set in the Champions League, and the final, which takes place in Budapest on May 30th, will see Mikel Arteta’s men take on holders Paris Saint-Germain.
‘Attack versus defence’ is an apt description of what we seem set to be treated to at the end of the month. Somehow, it seems difficult to imagine we will be getting another re-run of the thrilling semi-final first leg between PSG and Bayern Munich, that nine-goal, Champions League classic.
No, we’re much more likely to get Arsenal trying to stifle PSG, and it does feel as though the Gunners are more equipped to do that than Inter were last year.
But ultimately, two of the best three teams in Europe this season have made it to the final; Bayern fell short, in part because they forgot that defending is an art in the first leg, and there’s only so much your attackers can do.
EUROPA LEAGUE: VILLA’S CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Aston Villa hammered Nottingham Forest 4-0 (4-1 on aggregate) to set up a Europa League showdown with Freiburg later this month.
And while Unai Emery once again proved he is the master of this competition, which he has won a staggering four times, Villa’s performance was inspired by their captain fantastic.
John McGinn was brilliant. Operating from the right, he drove the standards, set the tone and just turned in all-round superb performance at Villa Park, capped off by a quickfire double in the second half to put the result beyond all doubt, with each of his finishes exquisite in their own way.
No Villa fan undervalues McGinn, but Thursday’s display was one of a top-class operator and leader.
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: CRYSTAL PALACE CLOSE TO MORE HISTORY
It has been a funny old season for Crystal Palace. At one point, they were one of the Premier League’s crisis clubs, what with key players leaving and their manager wanting out.
Oliver Glasner will depart, but his final game in charge could see Palace win yet more silverware.
The Eagles beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 at Selhurst Park, sealing a 5-2 aggregate victory, and they will now face Rayo Vallecano later on in May.
This time last year, Palace did not have a major trophy to their name. They then beat Manchester City in the FA Cup, went on to beat Liverpool in the Community Shield and now, they have a chance of winning a third pot.
Glasner will bow out this summer, and there is (surprising) talk that Andoni Iraola is set to take over. But when Glasner does go, he will inarguably be Palace’s most successful manager, and the impact he has made at that club can only be lauded.
COMING UP
Premier League
If Man City want to keep themselves in the title race, then they must beat Brentford at home on Saturday evening. With the Bees still very much buzzing around the European places, that will be no easy feat for Guardiola’s men.
On Sunday, there’s a huge game at both ends of the table, as Arsenal visit West Ham. This feels like the Gunners’ biggest obstacle left between them and the title, and if the Hammers are to stay up, a win would be the kind of shock result that could just prove decisive.
Depending on West Ham’s result, Tottenham may know a win on Monday, at home against Leeds United, could essentially be enough for them to be all but safe.
LaLiga
El Clásico is coming up on Sunday, and it is the game that can decide the title.
Should Barcelona avoid defeat against Real Madrid at Camp Nou, then the Blaugrana will win the title, and Hansi Flick will join an illustrious list of coaches to go back-to-back in his first two seasons at the club.
Madrid’s prep has been, err… chaotic, at the least.
There’s all the speculation surrounding Kylian Mbappé, but then Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni have reportedly been involved in several training ground spats. Valverde has even had to go to hospital as a result of falling during one of these arguments, it seems.
Quite incredible, really, and with rumours swirling of a return for Jose Mourinho, Madrid will just want this dismal season to end. Their one hope is they can put Barca’s title celebrations on ice.
Championship
The play-offs begin later on Friday, with Hull City — who edged out Wrexham and Derby County to the final spot in the top six — taking on Millwall.
Middlesbrough and Southampton will do battle in the other semi-final, with the play-off final set for May 23rd.