Last minute winners

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Head Start

Back to normality?

There are two things football fans can’t change their mind on…

• The team you support. 

• And whether you have ketchup or mayo with your chips.

(Side note: mayo is only a good option for potato wedges - there I said it).

But fans get a free pass to change their mind on one thing: who they think will win the league. 

Why? Well, especially this season, no one has a clue. 

Just last week Arsenal and Liverpool were ruled out after their losses. But, yesterday, both sides shot back up to the top after their wins - albeit with Manchester City’s game in hand. 

According to Opta’s ‘supercomputer’ - yawn - City has a 61.9% chance of winning the league.

And it’s technically City’s title to lose. But, while Pep’s men are ‘almost perfect’ (Trent AA’s words, not ours) at this stage of the season, it won’t be a breeze… 

• Four of City’s remaining six fixtures are away. 

• In their upcoming fixtures, City has dropped five points from the reverse fixtures this season… 

• … and they dropped seven points in the corresponding fixtures last season.

30% of City’s dropped points came from these fixtures last season - when they were a treble-winning side - which tells you that this isn’t a case-closed season.

Anyway, it’s hard to say which side has the toughest fixture run as it’s pretty equal…

… but there are points to drop for all three teams.

Strap in tight. Lots of decisive games this week… and we have you covered.

Starting with Arsenal vs Chelsea tomorrow at 8:00 BST - see tomorrow’s edition for the front row preview.

Plus…

Manchester United beat Coventry on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final after Coventry scored thrice in the final 20 minutes to force extra time (Highlights)

Spurs confirm that left-back Destiny Udogie has undergone surgery to his left quadricep and will be out of action for the rest of the season (More)

MD34 Stats Zone

Wolves 0 - 2 Arsenal

Leandro Trossard 45’, Martin Ødegaard 90+5’

→ Arsenal have now kept a clean sheet in each of their last six Premier League away games, only Chelsea in 2008 and Manchester United in 2009 (both 7) have enjoyed longer runs.

→ Wolves have lost their last six Premier League games against Arsenal, and they’re without a win in the competition in five games. 

Fulham 1 - 3 Liverpool

Timothy Castagne 45+2’ | Trent Alexander Arnold 32’, Ryan Gravenberch 53’, Diogo Jota 72’

→ Diogo Jota is averaging 88 minutes-per-goal or assist in the Premier League this season.

→ Fulham suffered their 16th Premier League defeat of the season, now equalling their total for the whole of last term. 

Aston Villa 3 - 1 Bournemouth

Morgan Rogers 45+1’, Moussa Diaby 57’, Leon Bailey 78’ | Dominic Solanke 31’ (P)

→ Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 30 goals in the Premier League this season, the most of any other player. 19 goals, 11 assists. 

→ Only two English players have scored 20+ goals and provided 10+ assists in a 38-game Premier League season: Frank Lampard (2009/10) and Harry Kane (2020/21). 

Other results…

Luton 1 - 5 Brentford | Sheffield United 1 - 4 Burnley | Everton 2 - 0 Nott’m Forest | Crystal Palace 5 - 2 West Ham

Matchday 34 remaining fixtures click here.

Fan Bases

Calling out the glory-hunters

Monday is a cool-off period for group chats.

The weekend winners have got everything off their chest… and the losers have just switched their phones on from airplane mode. 

Ahhh bliss. Peace and quiet… 

… but where’s the fun in that?

We’ve found new data from YouGov which can reignite the fire in the group chat.

It shows the Premier League clubs with the most (and least) local fan bases…

Turns out, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have the least local fan clubs. 

There are two reasons why this might be the case…

• They’re popular abroad. 

• Glory hunters flock to their trophy cabinet.

Either way, while Man United’s fans dodged a bullet in everyone’s group chat after yesterday’s performance, here’s a way to ruffle feathers. 

You’re welcome. 

Off The Pitch

👑 First Queen Elizabeth II statue since she died has been unveiled (More)

🌎 Today is Earth Day 2024 (More)

🕺🏽The Spice Girls reunited at Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday party (More)

🏃 More than 50,000 people - a record number - took part in the London Marathon this weekend (More)

😳 Woman gives birth in a car travelling at 60mph (More)

🍷 Climate change means the best areas for wine-growing will move from southern France to Scotland and the north of England (More)

🎶 Taylor Swift breaks Spotify records with new album (More)

Around The Football World

🇪🇸 Real Madrid go 11 points clear of Barcelona after Jude Bellingham secured a last-minute winner in a nail-biting 3-2 win (Highlights) 

🇩🇪 Bayer Leverkusen equalised in the 97th minute vs Borussia Dortmund to go 45 games undefeated in all competitions (Highlights)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Cyriel Dessers’ double fired Rangers into their first Scottish Cup final against Celtic since 2002 in a 2-0 win over Hearts (More)

🇮🇹 Inter Milan aims to secure the Serie A title against AC Milan tonight. Kick-off is at 19:45 BST on TNT Sports 1 (More)

🇹🇷 Galatasaray have reached 90 points in the league after their 4-1 win over Pendik. Rivals Fenerbahçe are five points behind the league leaders, but they have a game in hand (Highlights) 

🇺🇸 Luis Suárez’s assist for Lionel Messi on Saturday was the 50th time he’s assisted a goal for Messi, more than any other teammate in his career. Inter Miami beat Nashville 3-1, with Messi getting two goals and Sergio Busquets with one (Highlights)

Extra Time

Gary Neville says ex-referee Mark Clattenburg must resign from his job at Nottingham Forest… 

… for their Tweet accusing VAR officials of cheating.

What if every shot that hit the post or crossbar actually went in this season?

Newcastle legend Steven Taylor is now Al Qabila FC’s head coach in what might be the most dramatic announcement video. 

12 years ago Cristiano Ronaldo stunned the Camp Nou with his ‘Calma’ celebration.

Big Sam's reaction to Andy Carroll clocking James Collins on pre-season tour.

Mikel Arteta and Bart Simpson as you’ve never seen them before. 

You won’t believe who Bayer Leverkusen ace Florian Wirtz's football idol is.

Game Face On

Question: Which team did David Beckham and David Moyes play together?

Hint: They’re currently 10th in the Championship

Scroll below for the answer.

On Today

FOOTBALL

Championship: Middlesbrough vs Leeds United (20:00 BST, Sky Sports)

Serie A: Roma vs Bologna (17:30 BST, TNT Sports 1)

Serie A: AC Milan vs Inter (19:45 BST, TNT Sports 1)

*EST -5. PST -8. CET +1. CST +8. JST +9.

Answer: Preston North End - Beckham was on loan in the 1994/95 season from Manchester United

“We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him.”

-Nottingham Forest via X after their 2-0 defeat to Everton