Holders Manchester City eased into the Champions League quarter-finals for a seventh successive season with a routine 3-1 win over FC Copenhagen.
Early Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez goals put City on their way and the prolific Erling Haaland netted his 29th of the season as Pep Guardiola’s side completed a 6-2 aggregate success at the Etihad Stadium.
Copenhagen showed some spirit and pulled one back through former Southampton player Mohamed Elyounoussi but there was never any doubt City would be going through to the last eight.
It was a game played largely at a slow tempo as City, bidding to win unprecedented back-to-back trebles, conserved energy for bigger challenges ahead.
Guardiola made seven changes from the side that beat Manchester United in Sunday’s derby with match-winner Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Bernardo Silva among those on the bench.
That suggested Guardiola already had half an eye on this weekend’s crunch Premier League trip to Liverpool and his selection was vindicated inside five minutes as Akanji volleyed them ahead.
The defender went forward for a corner and was almost nonchalant in the way he swung out his boot to meet Alvarez’s cross with a sweet strike.
Alvarez doubled the lead four minutes later after a calamitous error by goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, who had been one of the Danes’ stand-out players in the first leg.
Alvarez first picked out Rodri, who thumped a header against the bar. The ball was half-cleared and the Argentinian picked up possession again but this time curled in a shot.
Grabara should have claimed but the ball slipped through his fingers and into the net.
After completely dominating the meeting between the sides in Denmark last month without putting the matter beyond doubt, City appeared to have finished the job in quick fashion.
Yet for all their dominance and control of possession, the hosts were caught out by a rare Copenhagen break on the half-hour.
Defence was turned into attack as Elyounoussi broke down the left, found Orri Oskarsson inside the box and then took his backheel return to slot a fine goal beyond Ederson.
That at least gave Copenhagen’s vociferous following something to savour but City were hardly unsettled.
Haaland restored a two-goal advantage on the night on the stroke of half-time when he controlled a lofted Rodri pass, cut inside and then buried a low shot inside the near post.
City eased off in the second half and cruised towards the final whistle.
To their credit, Copenhagen, as manager Jacob Neestrup had promised, refused to throw in the towel and, despite seeing little of the ball, did manage to piece together some attacks.
Substitute Magnus Mattsson even tested Ederson with a sharp shot on the turn and Elyounoussi blasted over.
City almost added another in stoppage time when Rico Lewis hit the bar.
Neville: Chelsea sacking Pochettino 'would be madness'
Gary Neville says it "would be madness" for Chelsea to sack head coach Mauricio Pochettino as he is ideally suited to managing the club.
Pochettino admitted after Chelsea's 2-0 win over his former side Tottenham on Thursday that he is unsure of his future at Stamford Bridge.
The Argentinian has been under intense pressure at times this season, most recently on the back of the 5-0 loss to Arsenal last week.
Chelsea have since responded with a battling 2-2 draw at Aston Villa and the impressive win over Spurs, but doubts remain over Pochettino's future.
However, Neville insists it would be wrong of Chelsea to part company with the former Paris Saint-Germain boss at the end of the season.
"There was talk of Pochettino being under pressure a month or so ago," he told Sky Sports. "I think it would be madness to change the coach whose quality of work with these types of player is renowned.
"Making sure you have stability through another transfer window seems more critical than the idea someone else would come in and do a better job. That doesn't feel right here.
"He's a proven coach. One of the great coaches in the Premier League in the last five, six, seven years. Pochettino has had some up and down moments this season. But this is a good one."
Chelsea's victory over Tottenham moved them up to eighth in the Premier League and now within three points of Manchester United in sixth.
United have also struggled for consistency this season, raising doubts over their own manager Erik ten Hag as the end of the season nears.
There have also been reports that most of United's players will be up for sale when the transfer window opens, with or without Ten Hag in charge.
Ten Hag labelled those rumours "untrue", and Neville is adamant there will not be wholesale changes to the squad during the close season.
"To be fair, you know it's not true," the United legend said. "I mean [Kobbie] Mainoo is not for sale – there's no way that man can be sold so every player can't be for sale, it's impossible. There's no way United could sell their best young players.
"There's a lack of stability here at Chelsea at the moment, but there's a lack of stability at United. Richard Arnold, John Murtough, Patrick Stewart, Cliff Baty, all the senior management, Darren Fletcher's been moved to a different role within the club, Jason Wilcox has come in.
"I can understand why there is quite a few players who will be under pressure and potentially would be sold, but I can't believe it's every player or anywhere near that."
Nuno unsure what to expect from relegated Sheffield United
Nuno Espirito Santo says Nottingham Forest should expect the unexpected from already-relegated Sheffield United when they travel to Bramall Lane on Saturday.
The Tricky Trees are currently on a four-game winless run as they sit just one point clear of the relegation zone, though that could change if Luton Town beat Everton on Friday.
While much focus has been on off-the-field matters, Nuno looked ahead to what he thinks will be a tough game in the fight for Premier League safety.
He said: "You never know [what United will do]. The element of pressure they had before is gone.
"I don't exactly know what Chris [Wilder] is going to do - if he's going to try something for next season. It will be tough. They are relegated, but there will the pride element in front of their fans.
"Looking at the table and the next matches, it's going to be to the end, it won't be solved. We are fortunate we rely on ourselves. We must keep it and after Sheffield, it must still be in our hands."
United’s relegation was confirmed following a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United last Saturday.
Despite an 11-game winless run, Wilder was upbeat about his team’s chances of finishing the season on a positive note.
"We have got a massive obligation to our supporters to go out on a high and give them something for the summer to hang on to because they've had nothing to hang on to this season, very few moments," said Wilder.
"We have two massive, fabulous home games. We all understand the connection and the rivalry between ourselves and Forest recently and going back a long time. We all understand that. On and off the pitch as well, I think this stuff.
"Then an away day at Everton. Three big games for us. My attitude and preparation will be there as it has been since we walked through the door. There won't be any 'on the beach' unless the players produce 'on the beach' performances."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
United – Ben Brereton Diaz
Despite only playing 11 Premier League games this season, no United player has had more shots on target than Brereton Diaz (17).
Forest – Chris Wood
Nine of Wood’s 12 Premier League goals this season have either put Nottingham Forest in the lead (four) or drawn them level (five).
MATCH PREDICTION: NOTTINGHAM FOREST WIN
Forest are looking to complete their first league double over United since the 2003-04 campaign when the sides were in the second tier.
Forest have won just one of their last 19 Premier League games against promoted sides (D12 L6), though it was in the reverse fixture against United this season. This will be the second time they have faced an opponent in their first match after being relegated from the Premier League (within the same season), previously beating QPR 3-0 in 1995-96.
Meanwhile, United are just three goals away from becoming the second side in Premier League history to concede 100 goals in a single campaign, after Swindon Town in 1993-94 (100 in 42 games). The Blades would be just the third team to do so in a top-flight season with a maximum of 20 teams, after Darwen in 1891-92 (112 in 26 games) and Leicester in 1908-09 (102 in 38 games).
This is United’s first home Premier League match against Forest since October 1992, a goalless draw at Bramall Lane. They are unbeaten in their last four top-flight home games against Forest (W3 D1) since a 3-1 defeat in August 1967.
Forest have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 12 Premier League away games. Since beating Newcastle 3-1 in their first game on the road under Nuno, the Tricky Trees are now winless in their last seven (D2 L5).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
United – 26.2%
Draw – 28%
Forest – 45.8%
Man City's Shaw, Foden cop FWA Footballer of the Year awards
Jamaica international and Manchester City striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw has achieved another remarkable feat in a dazzling career that has left her heat filled with pride and gratitude.
The 26-year-old, whose journey from humble beginnings in Spanish Town, St Catherine to stardom for both club and country, has been nothing short of triumph of talent and tenacity, and copping the Footballer Writers' Association's (FWA) Women’s Footballer of the Year for 2023-24, is another testament of her unwavering determination and indomitable spirit to rise above challenges.
Shaw won the women’s Footballer of the Year award with almost 80 per cent of the voters opting for either the Manchester City striker or Chelsea’s Lauren James.
James finished runner-up with another Manchester City standout Alex Greenwood finishing third. Yui Hasegawa, Elisabeth Terland and Khiara Keating completed the top six.
The prolific Shaw scored 21 goals and got three assists in 18 Women’s Super League (WSL) games for her side who are on the brink of securing their first WSL title since 2016.
“I am very proud and privileged to have received this award and to be recognised in this way is a special honour," Shaw, who recently did a season-ending surgery for a broken leg, said in a statement.
"I want to also thank all of my teammates. They provide me with the chances to score goals and I could not have won this award without them. I also owe a lot to Gareth [Taylor], the rest of the coaching team and everyone else here at City. It’s a pleasure to be part of such a special group.
“Many thanks to all who voted for me and to my fellow nominees. It means such a lot to have won this award. Hopefully the side can now finish off the season in style and give everyone special cause to celebrate,” she added
Meanwhile, another Manchester City stalwart, Phil Foden, copped the Male Player of the Year award.
Foden has enjoyed a fantastic campaign with Manchester City, scoring 24 goals in all competitions so far. He garnered more than 42 per cent of the votes with teammate Rodri, and Arsenal's Declan Rice, named as runners-up.
It is the second time that two City players have won the men’s and women’s awards. Raheem Sterling and Nikita Parris picked up the prizes in 2019.
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