Chelsea warmed up for Saturday's FA Cup final with a 3-0 win at 10-man Leeds United that edges Thomas Tuchel's side closer to Champions League qualification.
The world champions could have been forgiven for having one eye on their Wembley date with Liverpool, but they were in control and in the lead even before Dan James was sent off midway through the first half.
Dan James followed suspended team-mate Luke Ayling in earning a reckless red card, giving relegation-threatened Leeds a mountain to climb having already conceded to Mason Mount.
Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku subsequently wrapped up victory, moving Chelsea in third eight points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have three games to play.
A makeshift Leeds defence missing a natural full-back in Ayling's absence had been quickly exploited by Chelsea, whose first real foray brought the fourth-minute opener as Reece James teed up Mount for a fine finish high past Illan Meslier.
Staying at 1-0 longer than appeared likely at that stage, Leeds looked to have successfully seen out a spell of relentless Chelsea pressure when Dan James thundered into a challenge on Mateo Kovacic – winning the ball before planting his studs into the midfielder's ankle – and was dismissed.
Lukaku soon had a goal ruled out for offside and then directed a header just wide of the left-hand post as the visitors sought to capitalise.
They were made to wait until 10 minutes into the second half, when Mount's flick gave Pulisic space on the edge of the box to pick out the bottom-left corner.
Pulisic and Lukaku each fired narrowly wide, before the latter finally got his goal after patiently steadying himself in the area, with Leeds – already in the relegation zone on goal difference – surely grateful simply to avoid further damage.
What does it mean? Old foes heading in opposite directions
Chelsea may have endured a wobble prior to this match, but they will almost certainly be playing in the Champions League next term while Leeds may well be in the Championship.
Although Elland Road has not always been a happy hunting ground for the Blues – this was just their sixth league win at Leeds – it holds no fear for visiting sides this season. The Whites have now conceded 37 home league goals this season, only once previously (46 in 1959-60) shipping more in a top-flight campaign.
Leeds lose their heads... again
Leeds surpassed Sunderland's single-season record for Premier League yellow cards at Arsenal, but their lack of discipline was most evident in Ayling's awful lunge on Gabriel Martinelli. Sadly, Jesse Marsch's men did not appear to learn from that incident, with Dan James similarly rash on Kovacic.
While the Chelsea man must hope for a swift recovery to be fit for the cup final, Leeds become the first Premier League team to earn 100 cards in a single season and just the eighth side to have a player sent off in the first half of consecutive matches. Far from ideal in the thick of a relegation battle.
Magnificent Mount tops the charts
This was the seventh career Premier League match in which Mount has provided both a goal and an assist – three of which have come since the start of March – and boosted him to 11 goals and 10 assists for the season.
Those 21 top-flight goal involvements, topping Mount's previous career high of 12, are the joint-most of all English players in the division in 2021-22 (also Harry Kane).
What's next?
Chelsea's focus turns to Liverpool at Wembley, by which point they could be sure of a top-four finish if Tottenham do not beat Arsenal on Thursday. Leeds host Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
Flick takes over at Barcelona following Xavi's U-turn sacking
Hansi Flick has been appointed the new head coach of Barcelona following the club's shock decision to sack Xavi.
A club announcement on Wednesday revealed Flick will take over ahead of next season after penning a two-year deal at Camp Nou.
Xavi initially announced in January he would leave Barca at the end of the season, but club president Joan Laporta managed to convince him to prolong his tenure.
However, just 30 days after that U-turn was announced, the club reversed its decision again, stating Xavi would be dismissed come the end of the campaign.
On Wednesday, the club formally announced Xavi's backroom staff would join him in departing, thanking the former midfielder for his "commitment, dedication and generosity" as well as his willingness to work towards a mutual termination of his contract.
With Xavi out the door, former Bayern Munich boss Flick will take over ahead of next season, looking to improve on the Catalan giants' runners-up finish in LaLiga behind rivals Real Madrid and their quarter-final Champions League exit this term.
Flick's last role was with the national team of Germany, though he lasted just over two years in that job as they crashed out at the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The German football federation initially stuck with Flick after that tournament, only to dismiss him after three successive friendly defeats last year.
Flick enjoyed more success in his most recent club role, leading Bayern to two Bundesliga titles, as well as a treble that included the club's sixth Champions League crown during his maiden campaign in charge in 2019-2020.
Flick would retain the Bundesliga title the next season, as well as adding the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup trophies before taking over the Germany role from Joachim Low.
Flick finished his time at Bayern with a win percentage of 80 per cent over his 145 matches in charge.
After then winning just 12 of his 25 games at the helm of Germany, Flick will be hoping for a stark improvement during his new role in Spain.
Seattle Sounders v Real Salt Lake: Mastroeni lauds visitors' 'magic' mentality
Pablo Mastroeni believes Real Salt Lake's "magic" mentality has helped them earn a reputation as comeback kings, though he is hoping for a more routine outing against the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday.
RSL fought back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with FC Dallas last Saturday, having recovered from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to beat the Colorado Rapids 5-3 one week earlier.
Mastroeni's men are now unbeaten in 11 league games and sit four points clear at the top of the Western Conference standings ahead of their midweek visit to the improving Sounders.
"It's not a surprise to me that the guys, given the scoreline, stay in there and fight," said Mastroeni. "It's a testament to the group.
"Everyone that's a part of this club has the same mindset, and I think when you're aligned in that way, magic like that happens.
"Obviously, we don't want it to happen too often, but I think it just shows the mental fortitude of the group."
Seattle have recorded back-to-back 2-1 wins over Phoenix Rising in the U.S. Open Cup and St. Louis City in MLS, moving within reach of the playoff places after a tough start to the year.
Boss Brian Schmetzer knows they will have to be at their very best to get anything against RSL, though.
Speaking after Saturday's win in St. Louis, Schmetzer said: "They were a little unlucky not to get a goal at the end. Our luck is changing.
"There is some momentum building but Real Salt Lake are a good team. We have to back up a good performance with another good performance against Real Salt Lake."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Jordan Morris
Morris has scored in consecutive regular-season games for the first time since early last season.
He only has one streak of more than two straight games with a goal in MLS, finding the net in four appearances in a row between April and May 2016.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango's 13 goals in MLS this season put him out on his own at the top of the goalscoring charts, two clear of Christian Benteke and Luis Suarez.
Four of those goals have come in RSL's last four games, with the team netting 12 times in that span.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Real Salt Lake extended their league-best unbeaten run to 11 regular-season games (seven wins, four draws) with their 3-3 draw at Dallas last Saturday.
This is their longest single-season unbeaten run since a 12-match streak to begin the 2014 campaign, though that streak ended with a loss in Seattle in late May.
The Sounders have improved of late, winning consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time this year. An entertaining draw could be on the cards.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders – 35.6%
Real Salt Lake – 36.6%
Draw – 27.8%
Chicago Fire v Orlando City: Lack of goals concerning for Pareja
Oscar Pareja has admitted Orlando City's lack of goals in recent weeks is a cause for concern as they aim to change that against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday.
The Lions have won two of their last five matches but alternated between hitting the back of the net and failing to score during that run, getting shut out by Columbus Crew on Saturday.
Orlando are currently 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points off the playoffs, and Pareja hopes his side can add a more clinical edge against Chicago to close that gap.
"[Not scoring] is a concern, especially when you don't have the accuracy to cross or to find somebody in the box. Or if somebody is in the box but isn't precise to finish it off," Pareja said.
"The concern in the week is how can we polish them. But we have scored before, and we were collecting some games where the strikers start scoring. It's day by day, but today we need to be worried about it."
Chicago sit second from the bottom with just 11 points after only winning two games this season.
The Fire have failed to win any of their previous eight matches but snapped a four-game losing streak with their 1-1 draw against D.C. United at the weekend.
"It's about consistency now to keep going," Frank Klopas said. "We have the level, we've shown it.
"We've got to do it consistently, but [Saturday] was a step in the right direction with the attitude, the mentality, the fight with the group and playing really good football and creating good chances.
"[One] step at a time, we take it, we regroup, and now we need to come out with even more energy on Wednesday."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fire – Kellyn Acosta
Acosta scored his second goal for the Fire on Saturday, with both coming from outside the box. The American has scored eight goals from outside the box in his regular-season MLS career, with four coming from his right foot and four from his left.
Orlando City – Nicolas Lodeiro
Orlando have scored nine goals on the road this season, with Lodeiro recording assists on five of them. Lodeiro has 38 career regular-season assists on the road, the most among active MLS players and seventh-most in MLS history.
MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN
Orlando have won four of their last five meetings with the Fire (one draw), including the last three in a row. Prior to this run, Orlando had won just three of 14 matches against Chicago (five draws, six losses) in all competitions since joining MLS in 2015.
Orlando have also won three of their last four regular-season road games (one draw), including back-to-back wins over the Philadelphia Union and San Jose Earthquakes. This is the Lions' ninth set of consecutive away wins in MLS league play, though they've never won three in a row on the road before.
Meanwhile, Chicago ended a four-match losing streak with a 1-1 draw against D.C. United on Saturday. Still, the Fire have a club record-low 11 points after 15 matches, a total only one team since 2000 has overcome to reach the playoffs: Inter Miami in the extended playoffs of 2020.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fire – 32.1%
Draw – 27.9%
Orlando City – 40%
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