Premier League
LEICESTER 0-2 MAN UTD LIVE SCORE AND GOAL UPDATES FROM TOP FOUR DECIDER ON PREMIER LEAGUE FINAL DAY
Premier League relegation:
Watford and Bournemouth down as Aston Villa safe after final day
FULL TIME RESULTS
- Arsenal 3-2 Watford
- Burnley 1-2 Brighton
- Chelsea 2-0 Wolves
- Crystal Palace 1-1 Spurs
- Everton 1-3Bournemouth
- Leicester 0-2 Man Utd
- Man City 5-0 Norwich
- Newcastle 1-3 Liverpool
- Southampton 3-1 Sheffield Utd
West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa
GOAL! Leicester 0-2 United
United have sealed it!
Kasper Schmeichel gifts it to Jessie Lingard who slots home the confirmation goal.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side are back in Europe’s elite!
14TH PENALTY KICK FOR UNITED THIS SEASON
Manchester United’s penalty at Leicester is their 14th Premier League spot-kick of the season, the most one side has ever won in a single campaign in the competition. Typical.
Red card!
Ex-United defender Jonny Evans receives a straight red.
That was a nasty challenge on Scott McTominay.
It’s over for the Foxes – but we’ll see them in the Europa League.
FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 1-1 Spurs
Manchester United are five minutes away into CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
We are into the final five minutes at the King Power Stadium, Leicester’s Champions League dream that has flickered so brightly throughout this season looks as though it is about to be extinguished as George Hirst replaces James Justin.
Villa SCORE against West Ham United!
There’s been a huge goal at the London Stadium!
Jack Grealish gets it!
In spite of Bournemouth’s heroics and Watford’s half-comeback, it’s Dean Smith’s side who look to be safe!
HOW LEICESTER CONCEDED PENALTY
Jonny Evans and Wes Morgan both lunge in on Anthony Martial inside the box and Martin Atkinson shows little hesitation to point to the spot. VAR is checking but there is no way this will be overturned and neither should it.
Leicester all in
Leicester have to go for broke here. Since Chelsea stand little chance of losing to Wolves, their only hope of Champions League football is by scoring at least two.
Brendan Rodgers goes for the old triple substitution…
Dennis Praet, Demarai Gray and Harvey Barnes are on for Marc Albrighton, Youri Tielemans and Hamza Choudhury.
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 United
What a pressure point for Bruno Fernandes.
Kasper Schmeichel does his best to distract the man who only moved to Manchester in January.
But the Portuguese midfielder has no problem!
Penalty United!
Jonny Evans brings down Anthony Martial in the area…
Wes Morgan was also flying in from behind…
The sandwich gives way to a penalty…
Verdy hits the woodwork!
Jamie Vardy almost nets *the* goal!
He flicks a header towards the right post and David de Gea is scrambling again – but it clips the outside of the frame.
The spearhead of Leicester’s 2016 title success could still be their hero today.
IHEANACHO REPLACED
Still not much from the Foxes as they make their first change, throwing on Ayoze Perez for Kelechi Iheanacho.
Leicester City 0-0 Manchester United
Leicester are going to have to launch an all-out assault at some point. Now is not the time it seems as while they control the possession they are not forcing through much on goal as the rain pours down at the King Power Stadium.
Man Utd Playing for the win
United only need a point but they’re going all out for three at this stage.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has clearly asked his side to show some urgency and they’re hardly giving Leicester a sight of the ball.
Half an hour to go. What can Brendan Rodgers come up with?
SO FAR, ONLY TWO MATCHES ARE YET TO PRODUCE GOALS
- Leicester City 0-0 Manchester United
- West Ham United 0-0 Aston Villa
FACT FILE
At the age of 33, Olivier Giroud has become the oldest player to score in five consecutive Premier League starts, taking over from Jamie Vardy (32 years old). Zest.
As it stands
Jamie Vardy of Leicester City, by the way, is still leading the running for the Golden Boot
So it’s evenly poised between Leicester and United for the final Champions League spot.
And the same goes for Aston Villa and Bournemouth who are each playing to stay in the Premier League.
Meanwhile Watford seem doomed…
Half-time: Leicester 0-0 United
With Chelsea all but assured of a top four spot, it’ll be all eyes on the King Power Stadium in the second half.
And the pressure is on the hosts, as a point won’t be enough to leapfrog United.
They started slowly but have managed a few chances.
All the half-time scores
Arsenal 3-1 Watford
Burnley 1-1 Brighton
Chelsea 2-0 Wolves
Crystal Palace 0-1 Spurs
Everton 1-2 Bournemouth
Leicester 0-0 Man Utd
Man City 2-0 Norwich
Newcastle 1-1 Liverpool
Southampton 0-1 Sheffield United
West Ham 0-0 Aston Villa
Goal number 2 for Chelsea!
It’s a second goal in the space of two minutes for the Blues!
Mason Mount slides it into the path of Olivier Giroud, who smashes it home!
Unless they concede three, it’s mission accomplished for Frank Lampard.
Goal for Chelsea!
Chelsea have got what could be their Champions League goal!
Mason Mount has a free-kick in a position where it was asking to be scored.
And he chips it perfectly over the wall into the bottom left corner!
Manchester United 0-0 Leicester City
Half-chance for United. But it is arguably their best of the game as under pressure Marcus Rashford cuts inside onto his right foot inside the box, but he can only bend a shot wide of the post.
Chelsea 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
A slight change in focus for Wolves perhaps at the Bridge. They now have to win to secure a top six spot as Spurs lead at Crystal Palace.
They nearly fall behind though, with Olivier Giroud (below) heading just over the bar following a near post cross from Mason Mount.
Leicester almost score through Verdy
Jamie Vardy works to get a shot away…
Ex-Leicester man Harry Maguire is there to clear it!
Remember, the Foxes are outside the top four unless things change.
3-0 Arsenal
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang makes sure there’s no way back for Watford.
The Gabonese striker capitalises on some poor defending to hook it home!
He’s now just one goal behind Jamie Vardy in the race for the Golden Boot.
Manchester United 0-0 Leicester City
Meanwhile down the other end, Iheanacho lays the ball off for Youri Tielemans on the edge of the box, whose side-footed placed effort sneaks just past the wrong side of the post.
More concern for Vardy by the way. Aubameyang has scored again for Arsenal, putting him just one behind the Leicester striker in the golden boot race.
SCORES SO FAR after 36 MINUTES
SCORE LINES AFTER 34 MINUTES
- Arsenal 2-0 Watford
- Burnley 0-1 Brighton
- Chelsea 0-0 Wolves
- ‘Crystal Palace 0-1 Spurs
- Everton 0-1 Bournemouth
- Leicester 0-0 Man Utd
- Man City 1-0 Norwich
- Newcastle 1-0 Liverpool
- ‘ Southampton 0-1 Sheffield Utd
- West Ham 0-0 Aston Villa
Arsenal double lead
Kieran Tierney puts Arsenal 2-0 up!
The left-back tries his luck first time and Ben Foster is nowhere near it.
Watford have a mountain to climb now…
Leicester City 0-0 Manchester United
Half-chance for the Foxes. Marc Albrighton picks up a cross on the right side of the box, but under pressure from Brandon Williams he slices wide of the near post.
Chelsea 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Even enough start at Stamford Bridge. Wolves are looking to attack Chelsea but the Blues are looking keen to do their damage on the counter attack.
- TO FINISH IN THE TOP FOUR
- 3rd: MANCHESTER UNITED (63 points, GD: +28) WIN or DRAW with Leicester, or LOSE to Leicester if Chelsea lose to Wolves.
- 4th: CHELSEA (63 points, GD: +13) WIN or DRAW with Wolves, or LOSE to Wolves if United beat Leicester.
- 5th: LEICESTER (62 points, GD: +28) WIN against Man United, or DRAW with United if Chelsea lose to Wolves.
NDIDI ALMOST SCORE FOR LEICESTER AGAINST MAN U
It has been a fairly quiet start to the Champions League showdown at the King Power Stadium.
United are looking slightly brighter and Mason Greenwood has banged a header wide.
But they’ve been a bit shaky at the back and nearly gave away a goal to Wilfred Ndidi.
CHAMPIONS, MAN CITY LOSING…
Already-relegated Norwich are winning at Man City!
Oh wait! Onel Hernandez’s strike is cancelled for offside.
And now City are winning! Gabriel Jesus fires home from close range.
ARSENAL ONE GOAL UP!
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converts a spot kick after a very long check on a clumsy Craig Dawson challenge on Alexandre Lacazette.
That’s great news for Aston Villa, who are staying up as things stand…
Leicester City host Manchester United on the final day of the Premier League season knowing that this is it.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers made three changes with Marc Albrighton, Kelechi Iheanacho and Hamza Choudhury all starting.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka returned to replace Timothy Fosu-Mensah for the third-placed visitors, a point and two places above Leicester.
Keep up with all the action from the Champions League decider at the King Power, plus the goals from across the Premier League’s final day, right here.
Leicester starting XI: Schmeichel, Justin, Morgan (c), Evans, Albrighton, Ndidi, Choudhury, Tielemans, Thomas, Iheanacho, Vardy
Subs: Ward, Bennett, Mendy, Praet, James, Barnes, Gray, Perez, Hirst
Man Utd starting XI: Dea Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (c), Williams, Matic, Pogba, Greenwood, B Fernandes, Rashford, Martial
Subs: S Romero, Bailly, Fosu-Mensah, Fred, James, Lingard, Mata, McTominay, Ighalo
Liverpool losing
The first goal of the afternoon comes almost straight away at St James’ Park.
And the champions are the first team to concede!
Dwight Gayle gives Newcastle the lead against Jurgen Klopp’s weakened side.
Arsenal get penalty
And VAR is causing havoc almost straight away at the Emirates!
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converts a spot kick after a very long check on a Craig Dawson challenge on Alexandre Lacazette.
That’s great news for Aston Villa…
Bruno Fernandes has revealed he rejected a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in favour of pursuing his Manchester United dreams.
United captain Fernandes is set to make his 300th appearance for the club in an Oct 25 Premier League match against Brighton at Old Trafford.
United have struggled for much of Fernandes’ time in Manchester and last season they finished 15th – which ranked as the club’s worst final top-flight position since 1973-74.
They also lost the Europa League final against fellow strugglers Tottenham to shatter their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Fernandes was offered an escape route during the close-season when Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal reportedly expressed interest.
But he spurned the move to focus on unfinished business with the 20-time English champions, who last won the title in 2013.
“We always say we have an offer from Saudi because obviously wherever I have to go, they have to come. They can choose not, but I’d prefer them to come,” he said, in reference to wife Ana and his family.
“And obviously the first thing she said was ‘have you achieved everything you wanted to achieve at the club?’ Because she knows that I haven’t.”
Fernandes has sometimes been criticised for an overly emotional attitude on the pitch, with team-mates subjected to frustrated tirades.
But United boss Ruben Amorim accepts the Portugal midfielder’s fiery personality is part of his burning desire to win the Premier League and Champions League.
“The manager spoke with me,” Fernandes said.
“He said I was still part of the project. He wanted me to stay. The club said the same.
“I always said that if the club was like ‘Bruno, we want to cash in, we want to make some money, we don’t think you can be part of the future project’ or whatever, I would be like ‘OK, I have to find a solution for myself, whatever is best for me and my family, and I will leave’.
“But obviously that wasn’t the case. I felt that I was still part of the plan, that I could still help the club to achieve whatever was our aims.”
Fernandes has a contract until 2027, with the option of a further year.
And the 31-year-old has no intention of discussing his future with anyone until after the World Cup in 2026.
“As I’ve always said, I feel good here,” he said. “I want to achieve my dreams still. But obviously I can’t talk by the side of the club.
“I’ve seen a lot of news. I’ve seen a lot of people talking that I had an agreement to go already next season. If the club has done that agreement, it wasn’t made with me, so I haven’t spoken with anyone
.
“My agent also knows how I work, so if he wants to talk to me, it will be after the World Cup. Because until then, I won’t speak to anyone.” –
-AFP
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Manchester United’s Harry Maguire struck a late header to seal a thrilling 2–1 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Sunday, ending their nine-year drought without a win at Anfield and dealing a blow to the reigning champions’ title chase.
Liverpool, who have lost four consecutive games across all competitions for the first time since November 2014, dropped to fourth in the table on 15 points, four behind leaders Arsenal.
United, who won back-to-back league games for the first time since manager Ruben Amorim was appointed last November, climbed to ninth with 13 points.
United’s Bryan Mbeumo stunned the home crowd with a goal a minute after kickoff when Amad Diallo pushed forward before flicking a ball for the forward to run onto and fire home from inside the box.
Irate Liverpool fans thought play should have been stopped before the goal with Alexis Mac Allister down clutching his head after a collision with teammate Virgil Van Dijk.
SQUANDERED CHANCES
Cody Gakpo hit the post three times before finally scoring the equaliser in the 78th minute, when he tapped in Federico Chiesa’s cross.
But Maguire sent United fans into a frenzy with the winner in the 84th when Bruno Fernandes floated the ball in for the big defender to outjump Ibrahima Konate and power home a header.
“It means everything,” Maguire told Sky Sports.
“They’ve had the better of us over the last few years and it’s not been good for our club and we’ve have not given our fans enough days like today. It’s been a long time coming, coming to this ground and picking up three points.
“I’ve been here seven years now and to come to this ground every time and not get three points has been tough. So it’s for the fans, I hope they have a great night tonight.
There were shouts for a Liverpool penalty early on when Casemiro’s cross struck Diallo’s arm. But the VAR video referee determined Diallo’s arm was in a natural and justifiable position.
Liverpool had 19 shots to United’s 12 including several jaw-dropping near misses.
‘SLOPPY’ LIVERPOOL
Gakpo was lively all game, hitting the post twice in the first half, and then nearly making it third time lucky when he smashed another shot off the post shortly after the break.
He missed a sitter in the dying minutes, however, when he headed the ball well wide of the net.
An off-form Mohamed Salah squandered a brilliant chance in the second half when the ball fell to him unmarked at the far post, but he launched it wide, his face etched with frustration.
“I think we conceded a very sloppy second goal,” said Reds captain Virgil van Dijk. “We worked so hard to get back into the game and we created great opportunities to score the winner but if you concede a second goal like that, that is the disappointing part.
“We need to stay humble and stay working and keep our confidence as high as possible,” he added. “When things get tough, it is important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It is a long season.”
-Reuters
Manchester United’s under-pressure coach Ruben Amorim will be given the full three years of his contract to prove himself and the club will become the most profitable in the world, co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said on Wednesday.
Amorim was Ratcliffe’s choice to replace Erik ten Hag last November but the Portuguese coach has struggled to turn around the club’s flagging fortunes, winning only 10 of his 34 Premier League matches in charge.
United endured their worst top-flight finish last season since they were relegated in 1973–74, coming 15th, and they missed out on Europe after being beaten by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
But Ratcliffe has issued his strongest statement of support for Amorim yet, comparing the situation to when Alex Ferguson struggled in the early years of his reign before becoming the greatest manager in the club’s history.
“I remember the clamouring for Alex Ferguson to be fired in his first two years,” Ratcliffe, who owns 30% of the club and controls the football side of the business, told The Times’ podcast The Business. “You look at (Mikel) Arteta at Arsenal. He had a miserable time for the first couple of years.
“We’re results-driven at the end of the day, but we have to be patient and we have to see through the results. I think there’s lots of good things at Manchester United. We have to be patient and we have a long-term plan. It isn’t a light switch.
“Ruben needs to demonstrate that he’s a great coach over three years.”
‘WE’VE MADE ERRORS’
While the American Glazer family retain majority control of the 20-time champions of England, Ratcliffe rejected suggestions they could instruct him to sack Amorim.
“It absolutely wouldn’t happen because it’s just a good working relationship. They come to the board meetings. We sit down and we talk about things,” Ratcliffe said.
“We’ve made errors. There’s absolutely no question that we’ve made errors as we’ve gone along and we’ve talked about it. But no one’s perfect.”
Asked to confirm whether Amorim would see out his contract, Ratcliffe said: “Yes. That’s where I would be. Three years, because football’s not overnight.”
Despite United’s stock falling on the pitch, off it they recently posted record revenues of 666.5 million pounds ($892.1 million) in the year to June 2025, albeit with a 33 million pounds loss.
Amorim’s squad was boosted by more than 200 million pounds worth of new signings in the summer.
“The better your squad, the better your football should be. So a lot of what we have done in the first year is spend an awful lot of time putting the club on a sustainable, healthy footing,” Ratcliffe, who completed his acquisition of a minority stake in the club in 2024, said.
“If you look at our results for last year we have the highest revenues ever. Profitability, the second highest. We’re not seeing all the benefits of the restructuring that we’ve done in this set of results, and we were not in the Champions League.
“Those numbers will get better. Manchester United will become the most profitable football club in the world, in my view, and from that will stem, I hope, a long-term, sustainable, high-level of football.”
Ratcliffe also said he wants to revive the club’s Academy that once churned out the likes of multiple title winners David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
“The academy has really slipped at Manchester United,” Ratcliffe said. “You don’t solve the academy problem overnight. It takes time. We just recruited a new academy director.”
-Reuters
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