Archives May 2024

Klopp expects more twists in the title race. All three teams are yet to face Tottenham Hotspur, while Arsenal travel to Man Utd in the penultimate week of the season.

The Liverpool manager says, however, that Arsenal will “100 per cent” beat Man Utd if the Red Devils play like they did against Liverpool, when they conceded 28 shots.

“It’s for us much more difficult than for all other teams. You usually come to United and people care a little bit more or a little bit less but when we are coming it’s obviously game on, so that’s tricky,” he said.

“We dealt quite well with it, we played now two games and got one point and got knocked out [of the FA Cup] but in all the time since I am here, I don’t think we ever dominated United like we did in these two games. But we didn’t get the result so that’s then how it is, so obviously there is space for improvement. We knew that anyway and we will keep going with all we have, but now we play Europa League.

“If we are still around [in the title race in Matchweek 37] that will be great. Arsenal are a good team. If Man Utd play like they did today, Arsenal will win that game. I’m 100 per cent sure. I’m really sorry to say but it’s a matter of fact. We should have won both games [against Man Utd] and we didn’t. That’s our fault.”

Oli McBurnie poked home in second-half stoppage time to rescue a point for Sheffield United as they pegged Chelsea back twice to draw 2-2 at Bramall Lane.

Chelsea looked all set to register a potentially crucial win in the hunt for a European place when Noni Madueke restored their lead in the 66th minute, after Jayden Bogle had cancelled out Thiago Silva’s early opener.

Yet Chelsea’s inadequacies were again put on display as Mauricio Pochettino’s team failed to clear their lines in the third minute of added time, enabling McBurnie to turn home from close range and send the home fans into raptures.

Wood has scored 12 goals for Forest in the Premier League this season, with only Stan Collymore (22 in 1994/95) and Bryan Roy (13 in 1994/95) netting more in a single campaign for them; the New Zealander was the first Forest player to net in four consecutive appearances in the competition since Taiwo Awoniyi in August 2023 (7 in a row).

Jurgen Klopp says it will be “super tricky” for Liverpool to win the Premier League title after they surrendered top spot to Arsenal this weekend.

Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Manchester United on Sunday leaves them behind Arsenal on goal difference, and only a point above third-placed Manchester City with only seven matches remaining for all three title contenders.

Klopp says, however, that trying to better Arsenal’s goal difference in the remaining matches would be unwise, and that he is “absolutely fine” with his team being second at this stage of the season.

“Look, you will – and people, our supporters as well – tell us [Arsenal] have the better goal difference and now we have to go for that,” Klopp said.

“That would be the dumbest thing we can do. It doesn’t happen on purpose. You don’t win a game and want to score eight goals and it happens.

“We are who we are, we are how we are and that is why we are in the race and I am absolutely fine with that. I knew it would be super tricky until the end. That’s all. Again, until yesterday, we were top of the table and now it is Arsenal.

“We want to be there after 38 [games], after the last matchday. It’s always better to be there the whole time and get some distance between you [and the other teams]. We are fine with our situation. I wish we would have more points, but I am absolutely fine – and I am actually over the moon these boys brought us into that situation. The same boys that missed a few chances today are the boys who brought us 71 points, so I am absolutely fine with that.”

The goals of Wood could prove a crucial factor as Forest battle to preserve their Premier League status.

His well-taken equaliser represented the second time in his top-flight career that he has netted in four successive matches, though he should have added to that when hitting a post soon after.

Wood’s 12 goals this season have all come from open play – putting him level with Mohamed Salah in that regard, and ahead of the likes of Alexander Isak and Darwin Nunez.

The New Zealander is providing the major hope for Nuno Espirito Santo, who suffered a miserable return to one of his former clubs. And the Forest head coach must find a way to fix matters at the other end when it comes to defending set-pieces.

Van de Ven’s strike from a well-worked corner was the 21st goal Forest have conceded in this manner during the season – more than any other team.

Nuno Espirito Santo became the third former Spurs manager to lose their first visit to face Spurs in the Premier League, after Martin Jol and Harry Redknapp; the previous two prior to today both won (Tim Sherwood and Mauricio Pochettino).

Both teams have scored in each of Spurs’ last 12 home Premier League matches (F26 A19) with only Blackpool (17 between August 2010 and April 2011) and Brighton (May 2023 and December 2023) ever seeing longer such runs in the competition.

With Van de Ven and Porro both scoring today, Spurs have now netted 11 Premier League goals via defenders so far this season, the joint-most in the competition, alongside Arsenal. Indeed, Kieran Trippier (11) is the only defender to be directly involved in more Premier League goals than Porro this season (8 – 1 goal, 7 assists).

Forest defender Murillo went agonisingly close to scoring his first senior goal in the 11th minute, with an audacious attempt from 80 yards that floated inches wide of the target.

However, his intervention at the other end four minutes later put Forest behind as the Brazilian inadvertently turned Timo Werner’s cross beyond Matz Sels.

But, after Sels’ magnificent reflex save denied former Forest winger Brennan Johnson, the visitors responded in the 27th minute, with Wood drilling home from Anthony Elanga’s deflected cross.

The in-form striker should have scored again seven minutes later, but rattled the post from four yards out after Guglielmo Vicario had parried Ryan Yates’ shot into his path.

With Postecoglou having made changes at the break, Spurs looked more purposeful after the restart and regained the lead within seven minutes – Van de Van lashing a thumping drive into the roof of the net.

Another fine strike from a defender gave the hosts breathing space just before the hour, with Rodrigo Bentancur helping James Maddison’s cross into the path of Porro, who fired in on the volley.

Forest almost capitalised on some nervy Spurs defending late on, though ultimately it was the hosts who went closer in the latter stages – Sels making another fine save to tip Son Heung-min’s strike onto a post.

Postecoglou’s side remain without a clean sheet in the Premier League on home soil since October. However, the defence certainly came up trumps for the hosts at the other end.

Van de Ven’s thunderbolt was a stupendous finish, while Porro’s persistence in front of goal also finally paid off – his strike brought up his first league goal of the season, from what was his 42nd shot in the competition.