Daily Football Briefing

Ollie Watkins scored twice as Aston Villa hammered Liverpool 4-2 to seal Champions League football and set up Istanbul. Arne Slot called it 「damaging」. Michael Carrick is officially the permanent Manchester United manager — Ornstein and Romano both confirmed it. Jose Mourinho is heading back to Real Madrid (Romano T1, final stages). Chelsea held a direct meeting with Xabi Alonso, with a decision expected very soon. Plus FA Cup Final preview (Chelsea vs Man City, 3pm Wembley), the title race, GW37 fixtures, Seamus Coleman's farewell, and Championship Spygate.

A bumper 72-hour catch-up covering Man City's Foden-inspired 3-0 win over Crystal Palace that cut Arsenal's title lead to two points; a full FA Cup Final preview (Chelsea vs City, Wembley, Saturday 3pm) with team news and press-conference quotes from both Callum McFarlane and Pep Guardiola; transfer desk updates on Gordon/Bayern (T2), Alisson/Juve (T2), Xabi Alonso/Chelsea (T1) and Bernardo Silva's pre-World Cup decision timeline; tonight's pivotal Crystal Palace vs Arsenal in the title race; plus the injury board — Ben White out for the season, Calafiori doubtful — and a look ahead to the UEL final (Villa vs Freiburg, Istanbul, May 20) and UCL final (Arsenal vs PSG, Budapest, May 30).

Bumper forty-eight hour Tuesday edition: Arsenal survive a VAR storm at West Ham to go five points clear and could be champions as early as Monday 18 May — if Man City drop points against Crystal Palace tonight. Leandro Trossard's 83rd-minute winner, a disallowed 95th-minute equaliser reviewed seventeen times, and Gary Neville calling it "the biggest moment in VAR history." Plus: Chelsea vs Man City FA Cup Final preview (Saturday, Wembley), Xabi Alonso to Chelsea confirmed by Romano AND Ornstein, full GW36 wrap, David Raya's Golden Glove hat-trick, Bruno Fernandes FWA Footballer of the Year, and the injury boards ahead of both the UCL and UEL finals.

GW36 Saturday was a massive afternoon for the title race: Liverpool and Chelsea played out a 1-1 VAR rollercoaster at Anfield (Gravenberch, Enzo Fernández, two disallowed goals, a controversial late penalty non-call with Callum McFarlane furious), while Man City put Brentford to the sword 3-0 (Doku's trademark curler, Haaland's improvised 26th-of-the-season, Marmoush in stoppage time). The PL table now reads Arsenal 76, City 74 — two points in it — with this afternoon's Arsenal vs West Ham (3:30 kick-off) as the decisive swing moment. Transfer desk: Xabi Alonso first talks confirmed by Schira but Romano cautions nothing concrete yet; Bayern open official talks for Gordon with a £20M valuation gap still to bridge; Ederson verbally agrees to join Man Utd; Napoli formally trigger the €44M Højlund option. On the European front: PSG increasingly optimistic Hakimi will be fit for the Budapest final on May 30; Arsenal's Merino is back on grass but Timber is still not training; Emery says the Premier League — not the UEL final — is Villa's priority right now.

A 47-hour bumper catch-up. Aston Villa thrash Nottingham Forest 4-0 (4-1 agg) to reach their first European final in 44 years; Freiburg beat Braga 3-1 to set up a Villa vs Freiburg UEL final in Istanbul on 20 May. Arsenal's title charge rolls on as GW36 looms — but Merino and Timber are out for West Ham. Plus the transfer desk: Xabi Alonso is joint-favourite for Chelsea's permanent job, Højlund officially moves to Napoli, Gordon's Bayern deal is stuck on fee, and the John Stones free-agent saga goes global.

PSG beat Bayern Munich 1-1 on the night — 6-5 on aggregate — and will face Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest on 30 May. Dembélé struck after three minutes, Kane's stoppage-time equaliser wasn't enough, and Kompany was furious at the referee. Plus: tonight's UEL semi-final 2nd legs previewed, the title race, a busy transfer desk, and the injury board.

A bumper 48-hour catch-up edition: Arsenal reach their first Champions League final in 20 years after Saka's winner against Atlético Madrid, Chelsea suffer a historic sixth straight defeat to Nottingham Forest, and Man City drop more points at Everton. Plus a full transfer desk, tonight's PSG vs Bayern preview, and the injury board ahead of a massive week.

Kobbie Mainoo's 77th-minute winner sends Manchester United into the Champions League, Spurs climb out of the relegation zone, and Bournemouth stay in the European hunt — but the headline belongs to Bruno Fernandes, whose 20th assist of the season equals the all-time Premier League record shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. Tom also runs through the transfer desk, Arsenal's injury boost ahead of the UCL semi-final, and tonight's Man City vs Everton title showdown.

Three Saturday afternoon Premier League results hand Arsenal a six-point title lead: Arsenal 3-0 Fulham (Gyökeres brace, Saka back), Newcastle 3-1 Brighton (Osula headers, Howe relief), Brentford 3-0 West Ham (West Ham hit the woodwork three times and still lost). Tom runs through every goal and manager quote, maps Arsenal's alarming injury board before Tuesday's UCL semi-final decider against Atlético (Merino out, Odegaard/Havertz/Timber borderline), previews Bruno Fernandes chasing the all-time PL assist record at Old Trafford on Sunday, and covers PSG-Bayern and the UEL semi-final second legs. Transfers close out with Salah/Fenerbahce, Curtis Jones/Inter, the Tonali standoff and Chelsea's ongoing manager search.

GW35 kicks off properly: Leeds 3-1 Burnley relegates Burnley and keeps Leeds nine points clear of trouble. Tom runs through the title race (Arsenal 73pts, City 70 with a game in hand), Arsenal's injury tightrope ahead of Saturday's Fulham trip and Monday's Atlético second leg at the Emirates (Havertz borderline, Timber and Merino out). Both UCL semi previews — Arsenal host Atlético needing a win (1-1 agg), PSG host Bayern at the Allianz (PSG lead 5-4, now without Hakimi). UEL second-leg previews: Villa vs Forest (Villa Park, Forest lead 1-0) and Freiburg vs Braga (Braga lead 2-1). Bruno Fernandes on 19 PL assists — one from history on Sunday vs Liverpool. Transfer desk: Salah/Fenerbahce, Gordon/Bayern, Jones/Inter, Tonali's PL standoff, and Chelsea's still-unresolved manager saga.

Europa League semi-final night: Forest edge Villa 1-0 (Chris Wood pen, 71') as Emery erupts at VAR for missing the Anderson red card. Braga beat Freiburg 2-1 in a last-gasp classic (Dorgeles 90+2'). No PL action overnight; GW35 kicks off tonight (Leeds vs Burnley). Transfer desk: Salah/Fenerbahce frontrunners, Chelsea's Alonso pursuit hits a control snag, Gordon/Jones/Tonali all in motion. Arsenal vs Atlético 2nd leg (Emirates, 5 May) framed with full injury and mood context. Injury board covering Arsenal, Villa, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Newcastle.

Arsenal drew 1-1 at Atlético Madrid in a UCL semi-final dominated by three penalty incidents and a VAR decision that had Mikel Arteta absolutely fuming. Plus, two Europa League semi-finals kick off tonight as Forest host Villa and Braga face Freiburg. And Mo Salah's next move is still dangling — plus a huge Mudryk doping ban, John Stones leaving City, and the full GW35 injury board.